Oh Yes I Did...

and oh yes I am...

Believe it folks.  Me and another Bieb lover (just for the record, it is NOT Clark) will be heading out to join the rest of the fanatical teenage girls at Justin Bieber's concert in October. Nobody will know we're not 18 right? :) When I saw his movie forever ago, I kept saying how much fun it would be to go to one of his concerts.  Well....I just couldn't say no when I found out he was coming here. His entire tour sold out in less than an hour and because all the stars of Bieber universe aligned, we were able to get tickets on the first level!  We won't be reaching out and touching his hand or anything but it's good enough for me. 

Too bad we didn't have 4K each to buy a limo ride, dinner with Biebs, and a backstage pass.  Maybe next time...

Is October here yet?

I'm Haunted...

by the smell of dirty diapers.  It's every where I go.  Every room, every store, every park, every article of clothing I think has a funky smell.  Sometimes I go searching for a hidden diaper under the sink, in the garbage, in the washing machine etc...  I never find anything and I'm usually light headed from taking repeated large deep breaths.  Clark claims everything smells normal  but I'm not sure he's the best resource since his smeller doesn't work all that great.  Our diaper pail has sat outside on our back patio for well over a  year now and has since been moved but I believe that the smell of diapers has penetrated the paint on the outside walls and maybe even the window panes.  Is it possible?  It sounds insane but I believe it.  Every time I open a window or door, I smell it.  Maybe the smell has been absorbed by the dirt and grass too.  I moved the pail around the side of the house for a couple weeks but yesterday was garbage day and I threw it away.  I'm haunted remember?   So NO MORE diaper pail or diapers in or around the house.  Maybe it's time for potty training.  :)  After I threw it away, I proceeded to take some cleaner and sponge clean the outside of our house surrounding the patio.  It was like I was releasing all the absorbed smells while scrubbing because the smell seemed amplified.  However, I think it worked.  We'll see...

Enough diaper talk though.  I need to talk about our OTHER patio.  The one that hasn't been infiltrated by funky smells.  Clark's been mulling over what he wants to do with the side yard since forever.  There was patchy grass and lots of dirt.  Nothing to get excited over and a huge mess when the kids would play over there.  So memorial day weekend he whipped a sandbox together (literally it only took him a couple hours), dug a hole, leveled out the ground, laid bricks, threw down new sod, and voila!

I wish I had done a before picture because really it was just a bunch of dirt. Now it's an awesome area for the kids and shady and cool most the day! Obviously sand can be messy but at least it's in the backyard and not in the car. Unfortunately we've had hurricane rains this week so the sand is wet and unplayable. We're excited to try it out though!  Thanks Clark!  I guess this means me and the kids will need to get Clark something EXTRA special for Father's Day this year.  :) 

This stage for the trio could be summed up in one word:  parks.  We go to the park everyday because I know they will burn 3x the energy there than I could get them to burn at home playing with me.  However, park play is quite the science for us.  We can only go to certain parks since safety is a huge issue when I'm the only one around.  No parks close to creeks or roads.  Parking has to be relatively close.  The play structure can only have a maximum of TWO scary openings they could fall out of.  No bridges on the structures unless it's totally closed on the guardrails, you get the idea.  One person vs. three toddlers with little concept to height and falling can be disastrous.  As soon as I start feeling overwhelmed in any way, I pack them up and go.  I have done ample online research (close to 40 parks) for the parks around here and found two with JUST toddler structures that fit all my criteria above.  Maybe one day I'll be able to sit on the bench and read a book while the kids play.  One day...

For now, here are a couple pictures.  We're thinking of getting Zachary into gymnastics.  He was working on his Iron Cross at the park this week...

The kids liked the little ride-on toys at this park but unfortunately we won't be going back.  Disaster potential rating was pretty high and I was nervous even with Clark there to help.

The next couple videos were just too cute not to share. Caleb starting counting to ten this week and does it perfectly without help. Of course I can never catch it on camera but I got most of it. Make sure to listen to number seven. So cute. The other video is a quiz for Leah on everyone's names. She got a 75% though because she couldn't say her own.  Cute anyway.

 

Three Reasons I'm a Mom...

Motherhood has been an interesting journey for me so far. I'd say it's been more of a refiners fire; showcasing my biggest weaknesses while at the same time unveiling unknown abilities and characteristics. Despite all that though, I have three toddlers who think I'm awesome and have made me into the not-so-perfect mother that I am. Since 99% of the time I talk about our 'activities,' I wanted to talk/update about the kids and what makes them awesome. I want to remember this stage and each of their personalities, quirks, funnyisms, etc...

So here goes.

These were some pictures I took in honor of Mother's Day. I needed a new one for a Mother's Day project with all of them sitting and looking and smiling.  However, being the maniac toddlers that they are, they wouldn't sit still or cooperate without their bedtime buddies in tow. So the buddies got to be in the photo as well. Zachary is holding Mr. Bear (he calls him Bee), Leah is holding Baby, and Caleb is holding Beary (Clark's bear as a little kid). 

We'll start with Baby A or the Queen Bee.  Funny thing is that she does not have that type of personality at all.  I wouldn't even really call her that much of a diva.  She is just pure sweetness.  Leah went through a rough patch with strangers and strange places.  She still lets it get the best of her sometimes but for the most part, although shy at first, she is very sweet and friendly with other people.  She only cuddles at night, never during the day as she is too busy doing other things.  She loves to carry cups or buckets around full of things like cars, rocks, puzzle pieces, etc...  Then occasionally she'll find a quiet spot and lay everything out before throwing it all back in again.  She has started this new thing where if anything in her possession is taken, she screams bloody murder and comes running to find me.  Luckily her language is phenomenal so I tell her to calm down and use her words.  She immediately proceeds to say rock, car, baby, block, book, or whatever was taken and I know what I'm looking for.

Just last week she counted to ten all by herself.  I can't believe how proud and excited I was.  She was equally thrilled with my delight and kept doing it over and over.  She knows probably half the alphabet but really needs a lot of prompting to get through it.  Her letter sounds are great though and coming right along.  She rarely gives me any trouble during the day with the exception of her teasing.  She is SUCH a tease to her brothers.  She takes something they are playing with and takes off running!  Of course they're crying and she laughing and running all over the house.  Basically she is just looking for a good time which is why her and Clark get along so well.  Some of my favorite moments are when I'm in the kitchen preparing a meal listening to her laugh while Clark chases and tickles her.  It's so sweet.  Just like her.   

Caleb Caleb Caleb.  The one word I'd like to use to describe him is passionate.  He has so much passion it's crazy.   He's overly passionate about EVERYTHING he does and you'd think it was the end of the world with the way he cries sometimes over things.  Lots of times I think he's injured and come running to his side only to find that the box he was playing cars on got stuck between some chairs.  He is super focused while playing cars, building with blocks, drawing with chalk, etc...  I always feel so sad when he is disrupted by the others or when something he built is destroyed because he's usually just minding his own business and working so hard.  It is CLEAR to us that he will be the one out in the garage or backyard with Clark helping with projects.  He is the biggest helper and comprehends everything we ask of him.

He does fit the mold as the youngest sibling and can sometimes be left out or picked on.  However, he is bigger than the other two and knows how to get his way if he needs to.  I often have to break up fights where he is simply lying on top of one of the other two while they are crying for help.  Sometimes I see him as an introvert/loner but other times his personality is so loud and fun.  He can really get into some fun laughing spurts with the other two.  He's not the best sharer but is so obedient and quickly does what I ask.  Clark took him on some errands this past weekend and the dynamic in the house was so different without Caleb.  Quieter, calmer, and a little less exciting.  He sure does add a spark to our family mix.

Lastly is Zachary.  He is the cutest little bugger I've ever encountered.  Him and I can really have some bad days.  He is very stubborn and fiercely independent.  Usually he is attempting to do something impossible like lift a heavy bin, fit a circle into a square, open a book from the wrong side, etc... and he REFUSES to let me help or instruct.  If I do manage to pry something from his hands to show him the proper way to do it, he arches his back, starts rolling on the floor, and doesn't want to play with the item anymore.  It's lose-lose in those situations and the only thing I can do to get him out of his funk is to engage one of the other kids in something really fun so it'll draw him over.  He was stubborn right from the get go though so I knew we were in for some challenges with him.

Luckily he has some big blue eyes and a sweet little voice so just when I feel like I've hit my limit, he brings me a book, bats his eyelashes, and starts talking his talk.  Soon we've made up and we're reading together.  He's not much of a hugger but when I am lucky enough to be given one, I squeeze him extra tight and try to savor the moment.  He is always on the move and loves to push things around the house.  Bins, buckets, boxes, strollers, anything that'll move.  He knows what he wants and keeps me on my toes.  No relaxation allowed!  He has the cutest laughter and I can never get him to laugh as hard as he laughs with his siblings.  He usually is the center of attention/life of the party whether it's making someone laugh, making someone cry, or giving kisses all around.  He's quite the handful, but it's a good handful. 

I get sad sometimes because I know this period where they think I'm their superhero won't last forever.   For now though, I'll enjoy my super powers and squeeze my trio just a little bit tighter.

Peek-a-boo!

The Language of Zachary...

So the kids are really into books right now...especially Zachary. I often come in the living room and he's sitting on a pile of books while reading one of his favorites. Leah usually joins him and they jabber and laugh together. It is the sweetest thing. Caleb doesn't usually sit and read but he takes advantage of the time the other two are occupied and plays with his favorite toys with no disruption. We usually check out books from the library but since pages inevitably get ripped, I knew we needed to purchase some more of our own.

Obviously I don't want to pay full price for books that will likely take a beating, so we hit up some garage sales and also the used book store. Ironically during our book outings, we had two kind of awkward experiences. The one at the garage sale involved a large family. One of the members had a camera and started snapping pictures of us wildly. Like bending down and trying to get all different angles. I just ignored him because honestly, what is he going to do with all those pictures? This has happened only once before but not nearly as blatant and obvious as this guy. Awkward! The lady running the garage sale offered to say something to get them to stop.  She said that particular family was not very-well liked.  Funny.

Our second and more funny moment was at the half price book store. We were outside going through books and the kids were in the stroller. A nice older asian man approached and was super interested in the kids. He asked how old they were and if they were actually triplets. His English was a bit broken but, for the most part, very understandable. Here's how the end of our conversation went:

Him: "How much weight?"
Me: "Oh they were about 3-4 pounds each, so pretty small."
Him: "No I mean you."
Me: "How much weight did I gain?"
Him: "No how big was your, um, womb?"

Haha! I tried not to look totally startled by his question and just babbled something about how we didn't measure. Again, he was so nice so I'm not trying to make fun of him but that was definitely a first for that type of conversation!! Never been asked about my womb size.  :)  Aside from our awkward moments, we did come away with some 'new-to-us' books. One of which is about buses and I've had to tape it back together five times already. The kids love it to the point of fighting and ripping it apart.

Lately Clark and I have been getting the biggest kick out of the kids and what they're saying. They seem to be doing very well with their speech development and say a lot of words clearly and correctly. Then there is Zachary. No...not the boy. The language. The kids are fluent in it and Zachary created it. He says the most random words that make zero sense to us but the other kids know exactly what he is saying and often repeat it. Here are some examples...some of which I've been able to decipher the meaning:

Dock-a-duck (this is Zachary for fire truck)
Ga-bookey (we think this has something to do with books)
Yuck-a-bee (TBD)
Ah-no-mee (possibly hot air balloon or I know me...who knows)
Chup-a-chup (this is Zachary for chirp chirp when talking about a bird)
Da-boo-gay (tractor or truck)

Zachary says these words often and VERY fast. Like he is fluent in his own language. It's hilarious and Leah woke up from her nap the other day repeating yuck-a-bee. I have no idea but I pretended to know and she seemed satisfied with my response.

Aside from all the toddler chat and book-buying we've been doing, we also tried out a nearby splash park this past weekend. I have been too chicken to go by myself (high disaster potential) so I had to wait until Clark could come too. Splash parks are really fun and this one has a nearby sand area. The trio loved the sand but since it was pretty hot we headed over to the fountains thinking they would have the time of their lives.

 This is what they did the whole time instead...



They just hung out on the stairs and ran around the amphitheater area. I think the fountains were a bit too overwhelming cause the kids would get drenched and weren't interested in them anymore. Leah was the worst. Once she got a little bit of water on her clothes she had a freak out and I had to promptly remove all wet articles of clothing. Although she's just wearing a diaper in the pic, she did start out with a couple more layers on top. Come to think of it, she got a little weird about the sand being on her hands as well. Basically all my dreams were dashed for this summer and all the time we were going to spend at the cool splash pads around here. Looks like we'll have to find another water activity.  Backyard pool maybe or Clark's ongoing slip-n-slide dream.  Who knows.

I'll end with this gem.  Dad and his posse just chillin at the splash pad.  It doesn't get much cooler...

Frenemings...

I just made that up.  It's a triple combination of words.  Fitting for our trio of toddlers.

Friends.

Enemies.

Siblings.

All three roles can be played out in a matter of minutes around here.  One minute they are friends, the next they are tolerant siblings, the next they are biting/screaming/crying/toy stealing enemies.  However, just as fast as they become enemies, they turn back into friends and are reading books to each other or going 'nigh-nigh' on the kitchen floor with their bedtime buddies...

Sadly, my mood can change just as quickly as theirs and I'm easily caught up in the emotion of the moment.  Usually not in a good way either.  Seriously, the ups and downs in this house are insane.  I'm working on being more of a 'constant' for them and more predictable in how I react to things.  Key words:  working on.  Poor kids.  Some days I think a tantrum is funny and other days it's inappropriate.  They never know what to expect.  Poor Clark too.  He never knows if he's coming home to a stressed- out nutcase or a calm, cool wife.   We pray each night as a family that we can be more understanding and patient with each other.  Most importantly, that we can work together.  This period of learning manners, communication, and appropriate behavior is slow going but I think we're making progress everyday.

The kids attend a church nursery for two hours each Sunday.  TWO HOURS when Clark and I sit peacefully.  The other hour is another story but again, they are learning what to do and how to act at church so we are getting there.  What's interesting is that they don't play with each other at all in nursery.  They act more as siblings than friends and totally do their own things.  Leah plays with the kitchen, Zachary is a wanderer, and Caleb finds a couple good cars and sits in the middle of the room.  I'm glad they get some time 'apart.'  Anyway, they've been coloring in nursery so I was feeling like I needed to do some of that at home as well.  That way I can reinforce teaching them how to sit, hold a crayon (not eat it), and draw on a paper.  I should probably get some cool coloring books now that I'm sitting here thinking about it.

I found that washable markers are easier for them to use, albeit much messier, but with the markers they don't have to push so hard to draw.  It took me about six minutes to tape all three papers down.  Then six minutes for them to get tired of drawing and five seconds after that for the marker stealing to begin.  Synchronized drawing anyone?

They trio was having a grand old time in the backyard with the sidewalk chalk one day, acting as the best of friends, but Caleb started collecting all the chalk. Then Zachary stole from his collection. All the while Leah was trying to sneak inside and draw on the tile. So after battling all of that I decided that chalk time was over. All the sudden I was the enemy and this was the result...