A few stories

So many little things have happened since my last post. Let's see if I can remind myself of all the good ones.

After Allen and I tucked the kiddos in last Tuesday, we heard a really weird noise. After a few minutes of hearing it off and on, we went to check it out. In the dark, Maddie had wrapped tape around her finger. She kept tugging the tape to get it off, but she managed to make a huge wad in the process. Sadly, she did cut her finger on the dispenser, but she didn't notice. Last week Allen found they had gotten into the powder, too, so now, after we tape the diapers on, we have to carry the basket of diapers, tape, wipes, and powder out of the room.

Last Wednesday, Will and I had our day out. We got his haircut, went to the library, had lunch with Allen, and stopped for a smoothie. It was a fun and easy-going day and Will seemed to have a blast. He just couldn't believe we'd stop for a smoothie AND go inside to get it.

Thursday, I had a wonderful day with my daughter, but she screamed, kicked, and tried to bite me when I left her brothers and took her away for the day. We did what we seem to do best -- shop. We meandered through the craft store stopping for long bits of time in the floral section so she could smell every flower. We also stopped in the pet store so she could watch the fish and birds -- she enjoyed that, but not as much as she liked those fake flowers. After a fun lunch at a restaurant we hadn't been to, Maddie and I spent a long while at Macy's getting us each a new outfit. I was thrilled to get into a smaller size, again!

The weekend came and went so fast, I barely remember much of it. We decided that Super Bowl Sunday would be Super Sunday in our house. It was a relaxing day for the most part. We had finger foods for dinner so we could have a sit-down-on-the-living-room-floor picnic and watch the game. The kids enjoyed the change, and Allen and I had fun eating all the forbidden foods -- taquitos, chips and dip, grapes, and potato skins. Mmmmm. My tummy is growling. . . can you hear it? I enjoyed the commercials, and I even enjoyed watching the game. I, of course, cheered on the Steelers, but only because I am from Pittsburgh. I was glad to see them win in the end, but I was even happier that it was a great game to watch. One of my favorite moments was just after one of the Dorito's commercials in the first quarter. Will asked if he could have some of those chips because he liked that the lady's clothes flew off when the guy bit the chip. Kind of disgusting, if you ask me, but it sounds like we fared better than the Tuscon families surprised by the real porn that cut into their channel. I am so thankful we didn't have that happen with kids watching. One other cute thing -- Allen yelled "Fumble!" during, well, a fumble. Jon immediately jumped up and yelled "Fumble!" too. It was just so cute because it was so clear and he hadn't taken his eyes off the game. We had a really fun time -- there's just no better way to put it.

You know you're a mom when . . .

WARNING: This post may be offensive. No apologies. This is your warning. If you don't want to be grossed out, click here and browse until you find something exciting.

I know I'm a mom when I can't decide which made the day great:
1. Maddie alternating between saying "I Luff You!" and "I Luff shoes!"
2. Maddie asking to go potty then me spending fifteen minutes trying to figure out how to get the poop out of the potty chair.

Offended? Grossed out? Tough, you chose to continue, and you can't say I didn't warn you. I don't remember Will ever doing number 2 in the little potty. Once he finally figured out to do that on a toilet, he was on the big flushable one. This afternoon, Maddie asked to go potty. She ran in, sat down, shouted "All done!" and ran back to me, all in less than a minute. I thought there was a 90% chance of precipitation (otherwise, she'd sit forever until I told her to get up.) I was in for quite the surprise. Very exciting, indeed. . . . at this point, I am asking for help from those who've cleaned the little chairs: HOW????

All is groovy!

Today, I've found myself singing a couple of Simon and Garfulkel songs that just seemed perfect for the moments. It's a bit odd since I've not listened to them recently, but they just fit the day.

Someone told me
Its all happening at the zoo.
I do believe it,
I do believe its true.

Today was Jon's day. Like Maddie and Ben, he was hesitant to leave his womb-mates behind. After leaving the other three at the church for the day, Jon and I got in the car and he whimpered. I put him in his seat and he cried. We made a quick stop for a haircut, then we headed to the zoo.

Its a light and tumble journey

From the east side to the park;

Just a fine and fancy ramble

To the zoo.

Today was beautiful. Even though it is January, we had shed our jackets before 11 am, and enjoyed the feeling on the sun on our arms. I had the stroller with us, but Jon preferred walking most of the time. He was a bit confused that I was just letting him roam without insisting he hold my hand. It was easy following one kid, so I let him lead the way. He often joined the groups of other toddlers, but other times, it was just us and the animals, and he got the best seat we could find. What fascinated him most? First, the rhinocerous playing with the tire, tossing it from his nose; next, the "raffs" and "e-phunds" and "zebas"; another favorite were the "whrogs" and feeding the ducks. After we ate lunch, we enjoyed the goats at the petting zoo and he proudly showed all the other toddlers how to pet the goats. Since we finished the zoo before it was time to get the other kids, we stopped by Allen's office to visit for a minute. Jon and I had a wonderful day together. When I decided to have one of the triplets at a time once a week, I wasn't sure how well it would work, but it is a day I look forward to every week. I love being able to enjoy each of my children as individuals, without splitting my attention between them. I know they like the attention, too, and there is hardly any stress involved with it being just the two of us.

Slow down, you move too fast
You've got to make the morning last
Just kickin' down the cobble stones
Looking for fun and feelin' groovy!

We picked up the kids from school today, and Will told me the highlight of his day:
"Mama! Guess what?!"
"What, hon?"
"I asked Ella if she would marry me and she said, 'I don't care'!!"
"Wow, Will. What does that mean?"
"That means that she can be my wife after she is my girlfriend."
"You two are awfully young to be talking about marriage."
"I know that, Mama. We are just deciding right now."

Hello, lamp post, whatcha knowing?
I've come to watch your flowers growing
Ain't ya got no rhymes for me?
Doot-in' doo-doo, feelin' groovy!

After we got home, the kids were playing while I checked my email, and Will came into the office and sat at his desk. He picked out some paper and pens and told me, "Mama, I have something very important to do. It is time for me to pay my bills now."

Got no deeds to do, no promises to keep
I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep
Let the morning time drop all its petals on me
Life, I love you, all is groovy!

Maybe it's the gorgeous, sunny 75-degree weather. . . Maybe it's that the laundry is done and put away. . . Maybe it's that most of the day there wasn't any whining or crying. . . Maybe it's just that I got a hug and kiss from Allen in the middle of the afternoon . . . Maybe it's that I got and issue of my favorite magazine in the mail today. Maybe it's all of these, but today I am definitely loving Life!

C is for Cookie!

This weekend was a busy one. We decided to stay home Saturday and work on "The List." There were at least two things we planned to and managed to get checked off, so it was a successful day, by my standards. Friday night, I finished all the sewing for the MOPS craft -- although it seemed to take forever, it really only took about two hours. Saturday, Allen took the early shift -- waking up at 6ish to get the diapers changed and set the kids to playing for a bit. He came back to bed and I got up so Allen could snooze for awhile longer. After breakfast I snipped all my extra strings on the sewing project and let the little kids "help" -- they enjoyed picking up the tiny bits of thread and putting them in the cup that we were using for a trash can. Some of the kids enjoyed tearing the waxed-paper templates off the stitches, and it didn't hurt anything, so I let them. Jon had the most fun picking up the thread and paper and throwning it in the cup, but at one point, he got down from the table, ran off with the cup, and dumped it on the carpet. What a mess! That's when children were sent in another direction so I could clean up and finish. Allen cheerfully folded laundry -- lots of laundry, lots and lots of laundry -- while he watched the Stars play Saturday afternoon. I did help a little bit with the folding, but most of my time was spent trying to figure out what we were going to do with it all. Since the little kids keep dumping their drawers, and adding to our laundry tasks, I decided to separate the boys' from Maddie's clothes and put each in a basket in their closet (which can't be opened by them since we shove the dresser over to block it.) It will be a bit of effort to get clothes out each day, but that will be easier than refolding and reloading the drawers a dozen times a day.

Sunday after breakfast, we headed for Nana's and Papa's for the day. Right after lunch, Allen, Randy, Shelley, and I spent about 15 minutes making dinner -- Allen seared the beef, Randy and I chopped veggies, Shelley prepared the broth -- it was a joint effort, quick but fun. The boys stayed with Randy and Allen for the afternoon, and Shelley and I took Maddie to a bridal shower for Jenn. The shower was nice, but Maddie was restless without much of a nap. When we got back to the house, we enjoyed our tasty family-made stew and then we packed the kids up and drove home.

This week we began lessons about letter C and the Bibles stories of Abraham. Allen had gotten a recipe from his mom this weekend for cookies he had growing up, and I surprised him with a batch of freshly-baked bizcochitos. Quite tasty, and cut into letter C, since we are singing a lot of Cookie Monster's "C is for Cookie" songs. Tonight we head out for another salsa lesson, and this time I'm practicing in my pretty shoes!

Escaping the Overwhelming

Why is it that everytime I feel overwhelmed I sit down to blog? Maybe it is just my way of getting into my little world and escaping everything that is overwhelming me at the moment. Maybe it is my way of collecting my thoughts. Maybe it is my way of taking inventory of all my blessings or, in some cases, all my reasons for being overwhelmed. I am sure it is a little of each of these, but regardless of my reason now, I still feel overwhelmed.

What is overwhelming me this week? I'll just write it so I can forget about it. . .
1. Getting the MOPS craft prepared for 50 ladies (due Wednesday), lots of sewing and cutting prep to be done, but my sewing machine seems to be on the fritz this week.
2. Getting the laundry folded, hung, and put away -- it is taking over the house!! I haven't been anxious to put the kids' clothes away since they keep dumping their drawers. It's very frustrating having it all over the diningroom, in the laundry room, in my room, and dumped in the nursery.
3. Getting the last of the Christmas stuff out of the way -- you know all the things that should've been put away with the rest of it, but somehow were hiding the day it got done? Now I need to get the boxes out of the attic just to put away these last few thing . . .
4. Getting the clutter out of the kitchen -- off the counter by the phone, off the bar, off the other counter. The bar is where things get put temporarily that need to be out of reach of the babies -- colored pages from school, big-kid toys, library books, magazines I read while I cook. What a mess! As soon as it gets cleaned off, the kids start putting things there again.
5. The triplets now help each other undress -- yesterday, I came into the living room and found the little boys without anything on (Jon still had on shoes, and his pants were stuck on the shoes.) No diapers, no socks, no clothes, just big grins. Today, I was sipping my coffee in the kitchen, and the little boys crawled out the necks of their pinned PJs, and took off diapers. Ben was behind Jon helping peel the tape off the diaper (I put the overlap in the back to keep them from undoing the tape -- I guess that won't work anymore.)

See? Writing it all down makes me realize it really isn't a lot, just a few small things and a few big ones. All conquerable when I get a chance to deal with it -- all except the escape artists who'd be happy in at a nudist camp even with outside temps below freezing.

The last week has been full of fun events, full of remarkable ones -- at least for our little family.

MONDAY - The kids were home and we focused on learning about Noah and the Ark, the letter B, and lots of animals that start with B. A little "boring -- with a B" for Will, so he got to help do the teaching. I caught Jon trying to poop in his diaper, so I stuck him on the potty. It was the smallest victory, but he and I were both excited! This is the first time the potty was used by one of the triplets for more than just sitting. Way to go, Jon! (Hopefully, he isn't mortified that I posted this, but his toes crack me up.) I helped Will, but he did all the work and cleanup making chocolate-peppermint parfaits for dinner. He got a cookbook for Christmas and I finally made time to help him through his first recipe. They were "healthy" in that we used sugar-free pudding mix, low fat coolwhip, and skim milk. We all enjoyed the dessert and Will was so proud that he did it all. Monday night, Allen and I left the kids with our sitter and enjoyed learning a little more about the Mambo. TUESDAY - Another way too early way to start the day -- the little ones woke Will up and in doing so, woke Allen and me. Will helped me take Ben, Maddie, and Jon to the church nursery, then I took him to preschool. I came back to the church for the first day of a new Bible study -- I think it will do me good, I just need to make the homework a priority. The little ones and I had lunch with Allen, and they learned to say "frierrry", "fine-E", and something I couldn't understand enough to spell -- all toddler pronunciations of refinery. I had to add the lunch photos of the kids tasting lemons. WEDNESDAY - Wednesday was Will's day. We dropped off the little kids at mothers day out and Will and I went to get Chloe and her family. All of us headed to the library for a story, craft, and snack. Will made a pinecone-peanut butter bird feeder that we hung in the tree in the dront yard. We met the daddies at Chick Fil A for lunch. All three little ones napped at MDO! THURSDAY - Today I weighed myself and realize I have lost more than 30 pounds -- yes it is only 31 pounds, but it was a very exciting way for me to start the day! I dropped off Will, Maddie and Jon and took Ben for a day of fun. Ben asked several times about "Madnie" and "Nyon" -- confused that they weren't with us. We went to get Ben's hair cut, went to the fabric store for fleece for MOPS craft, then stopped by the pet store since it was too cold for the zoo. Ben got to pet a baby rabbit, and was enchanted by the birds, mice, and fish. Next we went to get a wedding gift for Jason & Jenn, met Daddy for pizza, the went to the grocery store where Ben fell asleep while I shopped. Although it was an exciting day, it wasn't over. I was changing Maddie's diaper and she screamed when I started to put on a clean one. When I asked what the matter was she yelled "I want pobby!"I put her on the potty and she sat and sat and sat and sat. When I asked if she was done she said "Nope. Pobby." She sat and sat and sat and sat and sat. I asked again, NOPE POBBY. She sat and sat and sat and sat and sat and sat and sat. I got bored and went to check email and she came running to me shouting "Poot! Poot!" I went to look and darn if she didn't whiz in the right spot. She sat on the potty and BEAMED her cheesy grin -- quite proud that she peed in the potty. It took a long time for that big smile to go away. FRIDAY (so far) - I did manage to read many stories to the kiddos today. Since we are continuing our "B" lessons for the week, we read about a Bird who wanted a new home, then we read about a Bunny who wanted to be a Bear, then Beaver, then Bird, etc. We sang about the letter B and the B-animals that Noah had on the Boat (Bison, Birds, Beavers, Bears, Bunnies, and Butterflies) The kids sat down to color butterflies and another B-sheet, then my B-kid, Ben, started throwing crayons so we quit that and went back to reading. Today, the laundry is still in baskets (which starts with B), but it is now all clean. I cleaned up the kitchen a little. Like many Fridays, around here we have casual dress, or rather, we are all still in pajamas. To make it all a little better, the kids had breakfast at lunchtime -- that is to say, they ate breakfast earlier, but lunch was pancakes, eggs, and fruit. I am quickly losing my temper as the little kids won't nap -- do the mother's day out people spike the sippy cups? The kids have slept at those events all week, but not now. Will IS asleep, but the triplets have dumped drawers (again). Last time I went in, the boys were under the cribs and said "Uh-Oh" when they got caught. I told them to come out, and little nearly-naked Jon told me "NO WEY!" He keeps taking of his PJs, and refuses to let me dress him. It is very cold, but I'm tired of that fight -- I'll dress him after dinner unless he asks for help before that.

So Blessed

Who'dda thunk it? As much as I dislike fund-raising, I am going to do it for a great cause. The last time I sent a check to the March of Dimes, I thought I could do more. I decided to check with some buddies and see who was on board with me, and before I knew it, I had a whole team ready to march. Our Mothers of Multiples group is going to March for Babies with our children who were born prematurely -- hopefully the dads will join us, too.

Our triplets were born at 29 weeks gestationally, which is 11 weeks (or nearly three months) early. I believe that the research and education funded by the March of Dimes is the reason our three preemies survived and are the happy, busy toddlers that they are. When they were born, Ben, Maddie, and Jon weighed only 3 pounds, 2 pounds 15 ounces, and 2 pounds 11 ounces, respectively. In the photos here, they are not even a day old.

The photo here was taken by a sweet nurse, Olivia, when the triplets were about three weeks old. She not only took the photo, but she went to a LOT of trouble to arrange all the cords and tubes so that I could hold all three comfortably. Looking at the picture, I am reminded how exhausted I was, but how very, very blessed I was to have three healthy babies. Daily, I met parents in the NICU or at the Ronald McDonald House who were not as lucky; even though they were strangers, their tragedies broke my heart.

The mission of March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. One day all babies will be born healthy; today too many moms and families know the heartbreak of having a baby born fighting to survive. I've joined March for Babies because the March of Dimes champions the needs of moms and babies in our community and across the nation. The money we raise for March for Babies will help:

• support all-important research offering preventions and solutions for babies
  born too soon or with birth defects
• educate women on things they can do to increase their chances of having a healthy baby
• provide comfort and information to families with a newborn in intensive care
• push for newborn screening and health insurance for all pregnant women and children

If the lives of MY children have touched your life at all, please consider donating today. It's easy, safe and secure - just click on the side bar to make a donation and sponsor our team.

A New Adventure

Sarah at 8:32pm January 9

"Night #1, 3 toddlers, no cribs. The crib mattresses were put on the floor of the nursery. The evening went fairly smoothly. Ben, Maddie, and Jon were excited about their new freedom. They spent about an hour crawling around in the dark, trying out all the "beds" taking each others' blankets, laying on each others' tummies, snuggling and giggling, but all was quiet by 8:00pm."

Allen at 6:18am January 10

"6:00am and most all is well. They all went down relatively easy; about an hour of running around the room and playing. Right now Ben is off his mattress against the wall in a corner made with the wall and crib - sleeping very deeply. Jon has his head against a crib and is sleeping as fine as he ever does. Maddie has been up and down a couple times in the last hour - no good reason. We'll see how it is in a few hours when the sun comes up :) and then we contemplate nap time!"

Allen at 7:03am January 10

"Flash! 6:50am - all three kids are in Will's room, blankets in hand, looking at him so sweetly.... and yelling "WILL!" I shoo everyone back to their beds but it doesn't last long. Everyone is up and giggly now. First night assessment? OK? Mamma will sleep awhile. Time for pancakes."

Sarah at 3:25pm January 10

"Naptime is proving to be much worse than last night. I lost count of how many (clean) diapers got thrown all over the room. The pajama drawer dumped (and with three kids in one room, that is a lot of PJs). Ben finally fell asleep, but I'm not sure how with Maddie and Jon jumping all over the place."

Sarah at at 7:39pm January 10

"Wow! Knock on wood. . . tonight all four kids were snoring by 7:00 PM!!! I know it's because they didn't nap, but we didn't have to send anyone back to bed. They all stayed."

I snuck in the babies' room to get a photo, and the sqeaky door made Maddie open her eyes, but otherwise, this was the scene. In case you don't know our color scheme: Ben (blue PJs), Jon (green), Maddie (pink).

Girls Day Out

Yesterday was the first day of two triplets being at mother's day out. First I dropped Will off at his class, then went down the hall to take the two little boys to class. They gladly walked in and made themselves comfortable -- no hesitation at all. Maddie tried following them in, and looked a bit bewildered when I just picked her up and held her. Her confusion was all over her face as we walked down the hall, but as soon as we walked out the door of the church, she let it all out. I didn't have to wonder what she was thinking as she wailed at the top of her lungs for the next twenty minutes. . . my little girl was furious!!

We ran by the bank then went to the mall. As soon as she saw she got to ride in a stroller like her dolls ride, she was suddenly happy. Side note: the triplets were in a double or triple stroller until they sat in the wagon at age 1. I don't think they have ever been in a single stroller, but this was the one I used for Will. With shopping list in hand, we made the rounds at the mall, and Maddie and I had a wonderful day there. It was nice being able to fit in places I usually can't go with the wagon (dressing rooms, stores with breakables, everywhere.) Maddie and I stopped for lunch at Chick Fil A and she and I had a mostly healthy lunch. What was so fun about it is that we sat across from each other and acted silly and giggled at each other. I can't say we "talked" since she doesn't really have conversations, yet, but we had a lot of fun just enjoying each other's company. After the mall, it was already time to get the boys.

Ben and Jon did great. The teacher said they played well with the kids, they ate well, and Ben even napped at nap time. Jon didn't, but as of last week, he doesn't nap at home wither, so I couldn't be surprised. Naptime is turning into a bit of a nightmare lately. Jon ends up in Maddie's crib or out in the playroom. Maddie gets out of her crib, too. The other day, I went to check on them after hearing odd noises. Maddie was on top of the dresser -- she had put her pink blanket over the humidifier that she had turned on full blast. She was sitting proudly on her new pink throne. Those two have been driving me crazy not staying in bed, and you can tell from the photo below (Maddie on dresser, Jon in Maddie's crib) that they are quite proud of their climbing skills. Tonight, we are going to do something very brave. . . we are going to put all three crib mattresses on the floor and see how the triplets do out of the cribs. I am nervous about it, but we thought it best to try on a weekend in case Allen and I lose a lot of sleep. After Maddie fell from her crib and bit her lip, the other day, there was blood everywhere, and we started considering safer options. I forget if I mentioned it before, but Ben has been in one of the crib tents, but the other had to be retired; it became a safety hazard after a hole was torn in it by little fingers. Ben tried climbing out the hole and got his neck caught. Thank God Allen was in the room when that happened, because Ben almost hanged himself.

I was hoping we would keep them in cribs until they were a bit older, but such is life. Funny thing is that Will was the same age when he started climbing out so we moved him to a bed.

Right Now

When I need scrappy-inspiration, I head to several blogs or sites. One I visited this week inspired this blog entry.

Right Now
Out my window: it is a beautiful, mid-60s, sunny day; a house is being built; the trash cans are still on the street.
I am wearing: make-up and contacts; brown corduroys pants; a new blouse with blue, brown, and green swirls; a sweater; no shoes or socks right now.
I am hearing: Jon and Maddie giggling (rather than napping); Will closing his door; someone outside mowing their lawn; Will tattling on the little kids; my cat, Tico, meowing at a bird.
I am thinking: that we need to renew our passports; I want my kids to stay in their beds and nap; I'd like to clear off my desk and scrapbook; the Christmas stuff piled in the dining room needs to be put away; about what Maddie and I will do tomorrow; a nap would be great.
I am thankful for: my husband and children; our families and that they live close enough to see regularly; our health; our friends.
I am creating: not nearly as much as I'd like to; a recipe compilation; a 2008 hard-bound book of blog entries; a 2009 a-photo-a-day prject; gardens in my imagination; a menu for the week.
I am going: out of my mind since Jon and Maddie have decided they won't stay in their cribs; shopping tomorrow; to Greece and Turkey later this year.
I am hoping: for a peaceful afternoon; I can get to Chasing Rainbows next month; for some energy to finish the day.
I am reading: National Geographic Traveler - Greece; Esther: It's Tough Being a Woman; Sleeping Arrangements; Parenting with Love and Logic; The Digital Photography Book; several magazines; Mrs. Pigglewiggle's Farm (to Will). . . .hmmm. Missing fiction.
Around the house: Christmas decorations are piled on the dining room table; laundry in the hall that needs to be folded; laundry basket in hallway that needs to be put in kids rooms; living room and kitchen are quite clean; playroom looks like it was hit by a tornado; Will is resting on his bed; Maddie and Jon are (probably) dancing on their dresser; Ben is still quiet in his crib.
Some of my favorite things: a hug from my husband; a group hug with giggling kids; my new silver sandals; a good cup of coffee; dancing with Allen; my lavender candles.
A few plans for the rest of the week: making grilled chicken and pineapple for dinner; need to Wii-Fit or dance or walk tonight; tomorrow Jon and Ben will be at mother's-day-out, Will will be in school, Maddie and I are going to run errands; dinner with friends tomorrow evening; dance class Monday night; Bible study Tuesday morning.

Screeches and Sandals

While it was still dark, this morning started with a loud, blood-curdling screech over the baby monitor. It was awful, and since I could tell by the type of scream that Maddie must be on fire, I jumped out of bed and ran upstairs faster than I've ever woken up before. When I got to the kids room, I found the source of her wrath. . . Jon had crawled into her crib, layed on her pillow, and covered up with her blanket. Not only did he invade her space, but he had woken her up in the process. Although he was nearly back to sleep, and quite cozy, I pulled him out of her bed and plopped him back into his own. By then, everyone was up, and I didn't want to be.

I went downstairs and got in the shower. While I was getting ready, Allen did the sweetest thing -- he got the kids up and changed. I hate starting a day with kids screaming at me, and he got me through that bump. Today is cold and rainy -- it was hard to be motivated to get the kids out the door to get Will to preschool, but I did. I was going through my photos I took over the last few weeks and realized I had to share my new source of happiness.

I know things aren't supposed to make me happy, but occassionally there are exceptions. Last week, I ordered some new shoes and they came in the mail on Friday. These are my new shoes:

I got them to wear for my brother-in-law's wedding next month; I was searching for something pretty, but something comfortable, and I needed a bit of a heel so I could dance with Allen. When Jenn and Shelley and I were shopping, I found these, but I had to order them to get the silver ones in my size. These shoes make me happy. I feel cute and sexy in them, but the awesome part is they are some of the most comfortable shoes I have ever had. They are definitely the most comfy pretty-shoes I've ever worn. What makes them so comfortable? They are Crocs! Yes, made by the same company as the garden clogs I refuse to wear in public -- and yes, they are just as comfortable. I think on Eeyore-days like today, I will just put on the Salsa music and dance around the house all day in my sexy, silver sandals. Wouldn't that make anyone happy?

Resolutions

Honestly, I try to stick to resolutions. Well, I guess I can say that, but what I mean is each time January 1st rolls around, I use it as an opportunity to improve myself and my surroundings. Since some of the definitions of RESOLUTION include 1. The state or quality of being resolute; firm determination; 2. A resolving to do something; and 3. A course of action determined or decided on, I suppose I really have made some resolutions.

First off, I am determined to have more structure in my days -- mostly, this is for the kids, but I often have so much on a list to do, that I whiddle away a little at everything, but never get done what I wanted to accomplish. Each day, I want to have certain things that will be done. I don't want to go to sleep at night thinking about the fact that I didn't read to my kids enough that day or that I didn't nurture their minds enough. My priority right now is to be a mama, not a maid. Although I still need to take care of our home, I need to focus more on my children than the cobwebs. . . . isn't there a poem along those lines?

Secondly, I want to make time to nurture me. Not just taking time for me, but actually filling my cup. I have a ladies' Bible study that begins next week that will "make" me sit down each day and refill my spiritual cup. I am loving the dance class that Allen and I are taking together, and I plan to continue my exercise routines to fill my physical cup. Now I need to find some good reads, and get back to scrapbooking regularly -- nothing rejuvenates me like filling my creative cup.

Thirdly though fiftiethly :) -- all the house projects I want to do. Rather than being overwhelmed by the L O N G to-do list, I listed what I wanted to accomplish this year. Now I am working on spreading them out for a slow-but-steady approach. I want to get the toys under control (they are taking over the house and it is beyond ridiculous), I want to paint and decorate a room for Maddie, then decorate the little boys' room (I know we will soon be out of cribs), I want to get something done with the garden and landscaping, I want to get all my recipes and addresses organized, and I need to empty my closet of everything I don't need anymore. The list sounds long already, but with one big project a month, I am sure it will get done.

Today, being the first Monday of the new year was the best day to start our "structured" days. After the kids and I ate breakfast, we sat on the floor and watched Jon have a tantrum. After he sat in my lap he calmed down for a minute until he realized he couldn't see the pictures in the book I was reading to the kids. When I sat him on the floor wo he could see, we had to take another break to watch another tantrum. I tried reading through and just ignoring him, but I couldn't even hear the story myself. When we got through a few stories, we sang and danced. Then we sat at the table and colored while Will worked on some worksheets and a collage. After about an hour and a half of "structure" the little ones were ready for playing on their own terms. I wasn't going to argue, so the kids all played while I sorted through some of the recipe pile (heading toward organization and a grocery list.) That got us through lunch time and now it is naptime. Tomorrow Will has school again, then we have MOPS on Wednesdays, and on Thursday we start another new venture. At the same church Will goes to preschool, there is a mother's day out program. I've signed two little kids up for that. Each week, I will alternate which two little ones go. The third toddler will get to spend the day with me. I am looking forward to getting to know my children and see how they act differently when they aren't around the others. Except for rare quick trips to the store with Allen or me, the triplets are not ever apart from each other. Will still gets every other Wednesday with me, and now the triplets will each get a day or two a month, too. I hope to use those days to have fun, teach them one-on-one, and run some errands.

Since the kids are still napping. I'm going to go work on getting the house presentable for the sitter tonight. I am really looking forward to learning a new dance -- mambo!

What is to come?

Allen had to work today -- I sure miss the days when we had long holidays. This morning I heard crying from Will over the monitor -- when he came downstairs he said his tummy hurt, but he was crying because Allen left without giving him a hug or a kiss. I said, "We'll give Daddy a call in a little while." His response: "I want a hug and kiss, not a call!" So I left him cuddled in our bed, suggesting he go get dressed while I showered. When I got out of the shower, the cat was scratching the carpet under the locked bathroom door, and the doorknob was moving. I opened it to scold the cat, and Jon looked up at me guiltily. Little stinker got out of bed, out of room, and came to watch cartoons with Will. The detour through our room had the tape deck open and music blaring from Allen's clock radio. Right now, I am writing and Maddie is in her bed shouting "JON?? JON??? JON????"

Is this a glimpse of what is to come? Let's see how the day goes. . .

Happy new year!