He Is My Child And I Didn't Realize.....

Snack time yesterday we were sitting on the couch and watching our favorite "Calliou" and as Colin is watching the show he is carefully pulling out his cheese it one at a time. (I bought the scrabble ones so each one has a letter on it). He shows me the letter and tells me what it is.  A, G, D.....and he keeps pulling them out and he keeps correctly identifying them.  I grab the bag and dump them out and start asking him and he keeps answering correctly.  (this must be a mistake....I have been thru this age before and I haven't spent endless hours practicing letters in hopes of have a reader at 3 years old. My other children didn't know this age this age.)  Later on I got out the letter cards and ask Colin to come and sit on my lap.  I show the cards and he proceeds to tell me the letters as I show him one by one.  We continue on and some of the letters he tells me the sound rather than the letter.  I let David go thru the letters with him as well and David is a bit surprised too.  I am his mother and I am with him all of the time and I didn't realize he knew his letters.  I want to continue the test so I grab Declan and show him the cards.  Declan told me the color of the letter and the object that appeared with the letter but didn't say the letters.  He wants to get off my lap because he really isn't interested.   Hummmmm interesting.  Colin is always intense in whatever he does.  He plays hockey with his older brothers and he is very focused in the cartoons or movies in the car.  When he looks at a book he really looks over each page before turning to the next.  I think this is a perfect example of how little ones develop and grasp things at their own pace.  I have 3 little boys who are being raised in the same house, by the same parents with the same rules and the same exposures and Colin has learned his letters while the others are working on shapes and colors.  Finn and Declan have no interest at this point other than repeating what I say.

As a mom I have always wanted the best for my kids and when I had the twins I didn't really know what they should know and when they should know it (outside of doctor milestones).  I watched the twins begin school and that is when I first saw what other kids know and I  could see where my child fell in the mix.  I then had Mairin and was much more aware of what she would learn and when she would learn it.  I quickly realized that each kid develops at a different speed and watching a child "get it" is the most amazing and precious moment of being a parent.  I really find Kindergarten to be such a range of abilities.  You have the kids who are reading and those who are not quite there.  David and I spent several years watching the kids grow and now with the twins in 4th grade you see the important concepts, if grasped early, can make early learning so much easier.  I also saw first hand how most kids even out at 3rd grade and worrying about where your child ranks among the class might be of importance to you at the time, it really isn't that important in the end.  I am by no means an expert in education but it has been a bit of an eye opener to me in the past several years.  

It is so much fun to watch kids learn and grow.

My House From 4:06 to 5:26pm

It is 4:06pm at my house and here is what is unfolding.  I wonder if everyone has a house like this at this time?  I wonder how I am so ready for that time to come but how it can also wipe me out in no time if I am not mentally ready for it.  It is like strolling along on a walk and then immediately taking off into a full sprint. 
I can hear the rumbling and chatter out in the garage as the older 3 are rushing in to hang up their bags and take off their shoes.  A couple of 9 year old boys who make everything a race and a 7 year old girl who is trying her best to keep and be included.  She is often blown over and some sort of collision happens before they even enter the house.  They are so good at coming in and telling me about their day and then they are off to the kitchen table to tear open their backpacks pulling out a days worth of papers, dull and broken pencils and notes that need to be signed.  A lunch bag or 2 are usually on the floor under the table if they didn't remember to drop it on the counter.  Depending on the day I will ask them to go up and get the triplets up or I will go up and get them.  The beginning of dinner is usually on the stove and if I am running behind the counters have the leftovers of ingredients needed to create the meal of the evening.  "What is for dinner?" is one of the first questions and "when will it be ready?" is the next.

The older 3 are busy at the table completing spelling and an open laptop sits among the clutter.  The triplets come down and if they have been woken up (usually Colin) they need a few minutes on my lap.  I try to get a cartoon on immediately in order to re-adjust everyone to evening mode.  I am anxious to get up and leave the clingy one on the couch as something is usually boiling over or a timer is going off.  I am able to go back to the kitchen only to get my hands back into dinner when I have Declan who needs me to wipe him after a bathroom trip.  Mairin wants to show me a picture she drew for me at school and Eamon wants to take a spelling test and needs me to read the words for him.  Colin has decided that he has a boo boo and can I please put a band aid on it for him.  Finn is trying to put on an apron so he can help in the kitchen (that is his new thing.  He goes into the cupboards and moves things around and claims he is working.  He likes a dish cloth tied around his waist or clipped on him so he can work.  The towel is just big enough to go around him but small enough that I need to keep reattaching it) Liam is working on word masters and wants me to help him with a definition to a word that I have no idea what it means.  I ask him to wait for Dad to get home and he stomps off frustrated because he is that kid who wants to get it done and get it done now.  Eamon can sense my frustration and as much as he wants to ask me again when dinner will be ready he smiles and says, "mom I am going to go read so call me when dinner is ready".  Finn has now lost interest in helping in the kitchen and has decided he doesn't like his outfit so I see him in the family room..naked with the clothes drawer open trying on another outfit.  Colin and Declan are yelling at each other because one wants to shut a door and the other wants it open.  Mairin has now tuned out so a push is needed. "Mairin do you have your spelling done? xtra math? work packet? 20 minutes of reading"?  If there is a no to any of the above than she either wants to sit and debate why she has to do it or if she is in a good mood she will just dissappear and make it happen.  "Mom can I check my math homework with your phone calculator", "Mom did you read the note from Mrs. Ladd that we need a treat for the whole class for tomorrow", "Mom when I was in the lunch line today the lady told me I don't have any more money in my lunch account...will you remember to send in some"  As I write this I am realizing how many little things are stored in my head and how many things a mom needs to remember.   The triplets are now asking for a snack because I don't have dinner complete and they are ready to eat.  It is a fine line at this point.  Have dinner ready now or allow a snack.  Dinner right now will solve any meltdowns but a snack will hold them off.  A snack can also hold them off too long so that they are not interested in dinner.  There are nights when there is snack...dinner...snack.  These are the nights that I feel like I am stuck in the kitchen until everyone goes to bed. 

It is now 4:45 and we have to be out the door by 5:20 to make it to hockey practice.  Dinner is served and everyone makes their way to the table and usually Eamon and Liam are asking me to turn on the TV in the kitchen so they can eat and watch.  I say no every time and I wonder why they continue to ask.  The triplets always demand a lot at meal time.  I want my milk, I want, I want, I want.  I spend the dinner time handing out drinks, cutting up someones food and maybe emptying the dishwasher to make room for the dirty dishes being created.   We are usually missing David on hockey nights because we meet him at the rink. 

I attempt to slightly clean up after dinner and then it is off to corralling the little nuggets to get socks and shoes on. (I hate hate hate that they always take off their socks.  We have socks everywhere in this house.  They take them off at naps and usually whenever we get home from being out.  I can't seem to locate them when I need them so I am always grabbing for more)  The older 3 are in charge of getting the coats on the trips, loading them into the car and loading their hockey equipment.  This is really the luxury of the trip.  It is the one time that I do not have get them into the car and buckle them.  This method buys me an additional 10 to 15min to pack up some dinner to take to David, pack a bag of necessities for the trips and finish my kitchen clean up. (there is nothing worse to me than coming home to a disaster).  By the time I walk out and get in the car.........all 6 are buckled and ready to go.  I put the key in and hit reverse and we are off to hockey.

Naps...A Gift From God

Thank goodness for nap time. Mondays are swimming at Goldfish and we have established quite the routine. Annette and Kennedy (neighbor nanny and another little 3 year old) come over at 9am and we play until it is time to go to Goldfish. Our lessons are at 11:30 so we start loading the car at 10:50. I always pack 4 lunches so that when we are done swimming the kids can eat on the way home. (this is a sure way of getting a necessary meal out of the way to make room for long naps). There is no fooling around when we arrive home. We take off our coats and shoes and head directly upstairs for an afternoon of blissful sleep.

The triplets take their lesson until noon and when they are done I get the wonderful pleasure of joining them in the pool. Open swim is from noon to 1 so although I don't have to get into the pool for their lesson I have given in to my complete distaste of getting into a public pool in the middle of winter. It is not the water that bothers me, it is the fact that no mother needs to dig out a bathing suit in February. It is the idea of having to undress and glow in the dark with the white pasty skin or the fact that I get to stare at my toe nails and notice the pedicure that I haven't gotten since Labor Day weekend.

Upon arrival we all gather in a dressing room. Yesterday it seemed as if some of us were a bit on edge. Declan stood outside of the dressing room looking at the wall in a daze as I watched his pants slowly go from a light tan color to a dark brown. He then glanced down at his boots and watched the pee puddle at his feet. The "oh no" look came and immediately the whine of ..mommy I'm wet. When one pees..they all need to pee. We got Declan in the dressing room and just as we close the door there is the panic call from the other 2. "Got to go pee" "got to go pee". They are both naked, hoping around and holding themselves. (we aren't home so we can't just run out the door naked and find the bathroom). I am digging thru the swim bag trying to find the swim shorts so that I can get something on them and get them out the door fast enough to make it. (keep in mind that there is nothing relaxing about this event. It is always something and people wonder why I am always rushing and not taking time to enjoy...It is because "rush" is the only speed I seem to be familiar with these days)

We completed our lesson and our free swim and this is where...again it gets crazy. Triplets and I in a changing room and they are all wet. They can't pull off their suits on their own because they stick, they are shivering and they think it is funny to open the door. I decide to change first and they announce to everyone "mommy got underwear" "mommy go potty" etc etc etc. (Thank you wonderful sons for sharing with all of the Goldfish families exactly what your mom is doing...step by step in our cramped dressing room) We eventually gather our belongings and get out of the dressing room and now it is time for boots and coats. For some reason the hair dryers always stop us. There are 3 chairs and 3 dryers so all 3 get on the chairs and turn on the dryers and I try to wait patiently while they all hold the dryers in one place against their heads. They dry portions of their hair and by the time we leave they all have mohawk's sticking up in different directions. By the time we get loaded back into the car it seems like it has been a full day. I find the drivers seat and the ride home to be such a peaceful moment before we have to unload and empty. This is just a morning in the life of triplets....ahhhhhhh

This One...... Not That One!

Why is it that when kids reach a certain age they have to be so picky about everything.  The triplets are currently in the phase of, this one...not that one.

I will hand them a spoon and they want a different one, they want a different sip cup, a different kind of underwear and oh don't pick out the wrong shirt for Finn or you will hear it.  It seems like everything takes us a long time because of the "I do it myself" or "I want this one".  Getting out of the car can kill 10 minutes if you have the time because if I attempt to help them out they just go back in another 3 feet and start over.  This is great if you have no where to be, but good lord if I am in a hurry, I can feel the blood rushing through my veins and making my hair stand on end.  Don't shut the door for them because then we all have to stand there and open and shut it 3 times so everyone can say they had a turn shutting the door.  I have them bring in the garbage cans with me and since we have 4 cans I have to remember to bring one in myself so there is not one left over.  Things have to be very fair and even at this point in my house.  I guess some of that never changes though.

The thing that makes me the most crazy right now is when you get them all ready for bed in their zip up pajamas, you wipe the sweat off your brow, stand up and it isn't 2 minutes that go by when they come to you and say, "got to go potty".  You can't say "no" cause you are in the midst of training them. (well actually yes you can say no.  You can look right at them and say whatever you want but trust me, it won't matter what you say to them because they will repeat and repeat...I got to go potty...I got to go potty, until you allow them to undress and start over)  I call this round 2 of pajama time and when one needs to try to go potty one last time the other two feel the need to do the same.  The frenzy starts all over again, as if I hadn't just completed this task just a few short moments ago. Here we are at 8pm and I am sitting on the floor next to the potties, patience for the day had expired 20 minutes ago and we are still sitting on our potties looking down at our handsome penis (commenting on how big they are) trying to squeeze out that last drop.  Doing things over and having to repeat the bedtime routine more than 7 times in 1 week is very tough to get used to. 

Food On The Go For Triplets

We are in the car so much and rather than stopping at a drive thru I have tried to master lunch and dinner on the go.  I began with baggies of food that I would pass out but I found that the food got mushy and the trips couldn't find all of the surprises in the bags.  I have since improved my madness.  I use my tupperware and I create 3 little dishes of glory.  I have fun going thru my cupboards trying to come up with something that will spark their interest and excite them.  I cut things up and take wrappers off and throw in a toothpick or two to make for a more interesting twist. 

I pick up the triplets from a mom's morning out program at noon on Wednesday's  and they are usually starving.  If you are anything like me it is nice when your kitchen stays halfway decent for more than a couple hours so lunch on the go also solves this little issue.  I would much rather prepare this portable lunch so that they can eat in the car and I can run a couple of in car errands (gas, car wash, bank drive thru).  We turn on their movie and off we go.  It is also a great way to get 3 tired kids motivated to walk nicely with mom to the car. I often play it up that I have treats in the car so we have to go. 

Once we arrive home the food is usually gone and we get out and they help me bring in the garbage cans from the road and they help get the mail.  We take off the shoes and coats and they go directly upstairs for naps.  It also keeps them from coming in the house and destroying it before they go down for a nap.  1pm clean kitchen and clean family room.  Who doesn't love that.

The Things Triplets Say............

The latest and greatest is that my triplets are now calling me Mrs Mott.  Our neighbor came over the other day and she called me Mrs. Mott.  The trips looked up at me and said, "Mrs. Mott"?  I find it hilarious when I hear them calling out for me, "Mrs. Mott, Mrs. Mott".  They hear me call their dad, David so I will also hear, David, David, David.  No matter how many times you go thru this age you never seem to remember all of the funnies that they come up with. 

Finn constantly talks about his penis.  He asks me everyday if I have one and that he has a big one.  It becomes a bit embarrassing when people come over and they are questioned as to if they have one.  Declan thought he lost his today.  He was wearing his underwear and came up to Marcia insisting that it was gone. 

We are potty training so there is alot of naked baby around here.  I am thrilled to say that potty training has been very very easy and pleasant.  I was dreading it but it seems to be going well.  A mini candy bar for a poop is the way to go.  The straining that goes on....just to get a candy bar is really quite amazing.  Declan is still a bit gun shy with the poops but he loves chocolate so it is coming along.

This winter has really been a bust for making snowmen, ice skating and spending the weekends outside.  I am thankful that we kept the bikes in the garage for the winter so we can ride bikes in our snow suits.  Sledding is never an issue for small children even if there is a tiny layer of snow covering the grass.  My grass will be torn up by spring but it is all about an activity.  Speaking of activities...we started swim lessons 3 weeks ago and the trips love it.  We go at 11:30 and there is open swim from noon to 1.  I jump in with them after their class is over and we are able to play for another hour.  They are jumping into the water, kicking and splashing and often needing me to pull them back to the surface.  There is no fear at this point and hopefully by summer they will be little fish.

Hockey is still keeping us busy and we are entering the finals.  Baseball registration has already been turned in and Mairin has started tennis.  I am in the process of making all of the spring appointments out of the way (doctors etc).  I go to the store every other day it seems like and the grocery bills keep growing.  Life is busy but good.

Life As I Know It Is Coming To An End

They are going to make me crazy.  I wont admit it to just anyone but I am scared.  I woke up at 3am to commotion going on in the room down the hall.  Light was peering from underneath the door and I was sound asleep.  I start walking down the hall with an increased pace and as I open the door I see 3 little devils laughing and sitting up.  Declan had gotten out of his crib, turned on the light and had jumped into Finn's crib.  They were having a party at 3am.  I grabbed Declan and scolded him as I dipped him back into his crib.  They all accepted the fact that they were being naughty so thankfully it was silent after I turned the light off and shut the door. 

It took me awhile to get back to sleep because I could not stop thinking about the fact that life as I know it is about to change.  We are coming to the end of cribs and I don't think I am ready for it. I was trying to layout a plan as I was laying in bed.  I could put 3 mattresses on the floor and leave the cribs up and threaten if they don't stay in their big boy beds that they will have to go back to their cribs.  I could get rid of cribs all together.  I really don't want to do either.  Can't they just stay in cribs until they are five...LOL..Let me explain my issue with losing cribs.  The older kids get on the bus at 8:05am so I get them up and out before I go up to get trips.  I don't know if I could handle all 6 trying to make lunches, breakfast and everything else you do in the morning preparing for them to wake up.  I also am dreading the freedom that they would have on Saturday and Sunday mornings when I am not ready to get up and I can hear them playing and chatting together in their room.  Many mornings it buys me 30 minutes.  They sounds so crazy to most but some of you out there will completely know what I am talking about.  They are not quite old enough to play quietly or go downstairs and watch TV  until mom gets up. (dreaming I know)

 Previously that night I put the trips to bed at 8pm and at 9pm I went in to find the lights on and 2 of them out of their cribs.  As I opened the door it was like ants scattering underground.  They both ran to their cribs and simultaneously you saw 2 rear ends up in the air as they both dived into their cribs.  I didn't have to say a word.  I did use the, "oh noooooo ...oh nooooooo...mommy is very upset, getting out of our beds is danger"  (I have been told to use the word danger instead of  "no" all of the time so they will learn things are dangerous...not really sure if it works.)  I zipped up the crib tents and left the room.  They were crying because I wouldn't cover them back up but I wasn't going to tuck everyone back in and encourage this crazy adventure that they are into.

Yes I said crib tents.  Yes there are crib tents on all 3 cribs but since I refuse to buy new ones... they are getting rough.  There are holes in them and since they don't fit perfectly over sleigh beds there is a small gap in the front.  Declan knows how to slip through it and he is the one who unzips and lets the other ones out.  Teamwork right. 

Christmas Happenings

It was 8am on Christmas morning when I arose and went out to the living room to find Eamon, Liam and Mairin waiting patiently by the Christmas tree.  My mom and dad were also up along with Heidi.  I was shocked that I didn't hear a peep from the triplets so we proceeded.  We spent the next hour opening up gifts in a very organized fashion (triplets were still sleeping).  A couple of ipod shuffles, an ipad for Heidi and Mom and Dad and we were all having fun.  The gift of the day was the green machine for Mairin.  It was peaceful but as the time went on my anticipation for the triplets to wake up was increasing.  It was 9:30 when we finally heard them waking up.  It was great that we were all able to focus on them while they opened their gifts.  Just a few moments into it and there were tears and fighting over who was opening what and of course everyone wanted the same gift.  The big hit for the triplets were the Fisher Price iXLs.  They all loved them and it kept them busy for a good part of the morning.

It is a tradition in our family to have Christmas with my parents and Heidi so we all go up there on the 23rd and take all the presents with us.  We open in the morning and then we prepare the house and food for my mom's side of the family Christmas at 3:00pm.  It is kind of like running in shifts.  It is tough to get everything up north but once we are there it is cozy and comfortable.  It takes several cars to bring everything back to our home but it is all worth it. 

December 26th came and we started the dreaded packing up and we were able to get on the road by 2pm.  I couldn't see out the back of the Expedition, Heidi had a full vehicle but everyone was happy.  I know that my mom loves when we come but I also know that we wear her out and by the time we leave I think she probably takes the afternoon off.  There is always a hot meal cooked for all of us and she is constantly answering questions and cooking.

The Mott Christmas happened on the 27th.  It was at Davids sister house this year and we were all excited that our niece & nephew (Gina and Captain Kevin Mott) were going to be in town.  We haven't seen Kevin since his graduation from West Point.  We were all so proud and wanted to talk to him after his 2 trips to Afghanistan and has amazing recovery from his injuries.  (I do like Lauren, his girlfriend.  They seem very good for each other)

The Mott Christmas went well and the kids all disappeared when we arrived.  They overloaded on pop and candy but no pukers.  I tried to spend my time going around the room and making sure I got to catch up with everyone.  It was a lot of fun and Santa was hilarious this year.

This is all of the gorgeous nieces(and my daughter who loves to be in the middle of everything).  Still with a couple missing.

It was another late night for everyone.  The Mott's tend to gather and gather.....and stay and stay longer.  Great fun

The Celebrations In Life..Triplets Turn 3

Today my little triplets turn 3 years old.  It was 3 years ago today that they all came out healthy and happy.  They spent several hours in the nursery and they were handed over.  They weighed in at 5lbs 8oz, 5lb 12oz and 5lb 13oz.  Life has been crazy ever since but it has been a true blessing.

We celebrated last night with a family favorite "ice cream cake" and presents.  I picked up some balloons and they were a total hit.  It was a very fun evening. I am very excited about the bikes I got them.  They are bikes with no pedals.  It teaches them to ride and glide and get used to balancing.  They ride them all over the house.  Happy Birthday my sweet little men.

Anticipating Triplets...3 years Ago Today

It was just 3 years ago today that I was enjoying my last day of being pregnant with triplets.  The pond in our backyard was frozen over and David spent some time shoveling it while Eamon, Liam and Mairin raced around on their skates.  I waddled out there with extreme caution not to fall but I couldn't resist the snowflakes.  I remember thinking how it would be the last event or happening with only 3 kids.  In a matter of hours our family was going to go from 5 to 8 people.  I couldn't resist a last minute picture and it was the last picture taken with 3 little beings inside me.

We were scheduled to walk into the hospital the next morning for a c-section.  I was 1 day short of 37 weeks and the doctors said that they wanted the babies out.  David and the kids grew tired of the cold and came inside so we could go out to dinner.....the 5 of us.  We enjoyed a casual dinner at the Village Place and back home to bed to make it an early night.  That was alot of activity for me. 

We had no idea what to anticipate on the following day.  Sure we have been thru a c-section before but never with 3 babies.  What would the delivery room look like?  How many people would have to be there to make it all happen? 

3 years ago today