Twin Trouble AND Room Makeover.

My husband had to go out of town this week so last week I planned out an eventful couple of days...when the cat is away the mice will play.....On Tuesday I needed to get some sprinklers going so that I don't continue to have my grass burning up.  I don't know why but it really bothers me.  I know...we should get a sprinkler system but they are so expensive...I asked Eamon and Liam to watch the triplets for me for 15 minutes.   They said yes so I went out and took care of the outside.  I come back in and Liam greets me with, "mom the triplets got into the garbage"....Liam has his baseball glove in 1 hand and has a ball in another...completely tuned out.  I answer with, "oh no they didn't"...."you were in charge so I know they didn't get into the garbage".  It took me about 30 seconds to get very angry.  The triplets were standing in the kitchen with yesterday coffee grounds and yogurt all over them...the floor...the wall and the cabinets.  I let loose on Eamon and Liam.  No TV, no baseball and lots of chores today.  They immediately knew it was gonna be a bad day.  I sent them outside to pick weeds.  When they came inside I sent them to their rooms to clean.  I made them clean the basement, garage and bring down their laundry.  It was 2.5 hrs later and I ran out of things for them to do so basically I was out of punishment.  They did everything I asked and were very good.  I sat them down and we talked about what went wrong.  I explained that making a mess is nothing compared to what they could get into.  They could pull a knife down off the counter and cut themselves, they could get something out of a cupboard and hurt themselves.  I think Eamon and Liam got the point of what I was saying.  They were very sorry and promised to be more attentive next time.  (NOTE:  I don't leave my 8 year old twins in charge of my triplets but I do expect and ask them to help out.  They are part of a large family and in a large family everyone helps out and pitches in.  I never leave the house and leave them in charge.  I merely run outside and do little jobs that take no more than 10 to 20 minutes)  I let them watch the baseball game that night and all was well.  They learned a lesson and I got to vent my frustration.   

Wednesday night I had my friend Sally over with her kids.  Heidi and I made dinner and we had an evening of dinner and kids playing.  Heidi even got out the old fashioned ice cream maker and made ice cream for everone.  We got a bug to start my upstairs renovation at 7:30pm at night.  I have a 4 bedroom house and my sister was living with us.  She moved out and left a vacant room so I wanted the triplets to move into the large vacant bedroom and move Mairin out of the boys room and let her have her own room.  We had to dissassemble 3 cribs, a queen bed and relocate closets for 4 children.  I put the trips to bed in pack n' plays around the house and turned a movie on for the other 5 kids.  By 8:30 we had moved all 3 cribs and the queen.  Heidi and I finished Mairin's room makeover yesterday and she has done nothing but tell me how much she loves it.  She goes up there and just sits and looks around.  I had so much fun doing it. 

Triplets..1 Hair Puller..1 Biter...1 Hitter...

This is getting crazy.  Colin enjoys hitting his brothers on the top of their heads when he gets frustrated or when I toy is taken away.  Declan's favorite activity is grabbing a hand full of hair and walking the other way.  He does not let go.  You end up prying his little fingers open.  Finn is my biter.  He gets his brothers on the back and it can happen if someone even looks at his cars.  Finn is obsessed with his little matchbox cars and everyone needs to stay away.  There seems to be a lot of fighting happening now and I know it is just going to get worse before it gets better.  Oh and there is also a lot of head butting going on to.  They do that to each other if their hands are full of treasures. 

Life is going along pretty well.  We are 20 months old now and we are everywhere.  My favorite places to go are fenced in areas.  I am finding though that I can handle them and they are starting to listen more and more.  I think it is going to keep getting easier to take them out and about.  This fall I hope to begin some trips to the library and get on a more regular schedule.  Hey maybe even some exercise too...Gosh I need it.  Our photo shoot pictures came back and I am pleased.  If you are not a facebook friend of mine than here they are...if you are facebook friend than I am sorry to bore you with more pics.  This is a terrible age to do photo sessions.  They don't listen..they don't sit...they do whatever they want and you are at the mercy of their mood.  We got 1 group shot and the rest are individuals.  Thanks Kim (http://www.kimkozlowski.com/) Enjoy

Liam, Mairin and Eamon..Gosh they are growing up

Finn was hating all of this

Colin is always throwing a ball

Finn cried thru most of the photos but a sucker worked for a minute

Declan kept eating...and eating...and eating..what a peach

I had to leave this one for last because I need to tell you that all 6 were in the Expedition with a movie on while we got everything situated.  I put on a second shirt over their "white" shirts in order to avoid any possible screwup.  I parked the car next to this grassy area.  I warned the older 3 that we needed to really listen today.  We took the shirts off, took the shoes off and each triplet was unloaded and handed off to an older sibling.  They were instructed to grab hands and just start walking across the grass.  I am in front of them yelling...smile...walk...straight line...smile..clap clap...here woo hoo look here..smile.....Kim is very good at what she does as she was just snapping and snapping more photos.  It was crazy but worth every moment and every penny.

Things That Drive Me Crazy

There are things that drive me crazy.  Do you have things that drive you crazy?  Here are a few of mine

1. Triplets throwing food on the floor
2. Construction on Telegraph Road
3. Leaving the family room a train wreck before going to bed
4. McDonaldworkers that move terribly slow
5. Comments about my triplets..."Oh I feel sorry for you", "Im glad it is you and not me"
6. Missing Friday night at the beach during the summer months
7. Triplets playing in toilets
8. Eamon, Liam or Mairin yelling and waking up a baby from a nap
9. Gap and Old Navy...when they don't let me use my bonus cash during a sale.
10. Eating at a restaurant and having the waitress take my plate before I am finished..rushing me

Hah that was kind of fun.  The final  weeks are approaching before school starts and I feel so fortunate to have survived the summer and I really think my kids enjoyed themselves.  These past couple of weeks have been full of sleepovers and lots of playdates.  I am also ramping up for what the triplets and I will be doing once school starts.  I want to get some exercise going and get some weekly activities for the trips to do. 

I am very anxious to see what teachers the kids will get this year.  We are splitting the twins up this year so it will be very interesting to see how the first couple of weeks go.  Mairin is ready to go.  She will ride the bus with her brothers and she is so excited to go. 

My Summer Survival Secrets

It just hit me...we have about 1 month left before my boys become 3rd graders and my little princess is a Kindergartner.  I am so happy to say that this summer has not been as nearly as scary as I had anticipated.  There are of course many reasons why I have survived. 

****Our Neighbor's have a daughter who is Mairin's best friend.  They have a super Nanny and they do lots of play dates.

****Our Beach down the road has been a lifesaver for our whole family.  Friday night barbecue, daytime mom chats while kids play and evening swims with the babies.  This is definitely one of my simple summer pleasures.

****Marcia...She is the reason I can leave the house on Tuesday and Thursdays.  I know she is anxious for the kids to go back to school too but she takes on all 6 of my kids like it is no big deal.  I am sane because of the hours that Marcia is with us.

****Heidi....Heidi has basically made certain that the kids have seen all of the latest movies, are up on the latest things and they have enough Heidi time or Mom time (whichever she thinks is needed at the time)  Heidi is the reason I am able to run down to the beach with the older 3 and hang out....

****My Husband...He works all day and comes home and often has to deal with me in a grumpy mood after a day with kids.  He takes it all in stride and tells me to go if I need to or he will just jump in and help out and it makes the rest of my day manageable.  He rarely complains and goes with the flow.  Love him too.

These are my secrets for making it thru the summer with all 6 kids.  I'm sure there are many more things that have aided to my sanity but these are the few that came to mind.   We have another month of being at home and I know now we are in the home stretch.  There are always challenges it is just a matter what challenge faces you at what time. 

Don't Even Ask Where I Have Been??

It all started last Monday.  The bug that grabbed our home and took on prisoners one by one.  This nasty bug only lasts a mere 24 hours but will wipe you out in that time.  Fever, headache and occasional throw up seems to be the thing to expect.  It hit us and it hit everyone...one at a time.  Today we are officially done...well David is the only one to have survived it for now.  It started with Finn and then Mairin took over.  Declan jumped in on day 3, Liam wanted to join in on day 4 and Colin wrapped up the babies on day 5.  My little Eamon and myself both had it yesterday.  David is wonderful...he took care of everything yesterday while I was up in bed.  I did not even leave my room yesterday.  This has been a miserable week.  We haven't gone anywhere,  we haven't done much and we are all a bit grumpy.  Looking forward to a great Monday.