Too Much Going On To Nap

This has been a whirlwind of a Christmas break.  I haven't stopped since it began.  I have to say that it has been so much fun with the skating pond for the kids..lots of playdates for the kids and for me and best of all having David home for the week.  It is amazing how the dynamics of the family change on a break when both of us are home.  We are tag team partners going different directions and passing in the hall for a quick kiss or a "honey what are you doing now"? We hosted the boys hockey team for an afternoon skate and that was a big hit.  We finalized plans to redo our garage to put in a wall of closets, cubbies and places for shoes, boots and stuff.  We have organized some closets and tried to entertain all of the kids enough to where they are really enjoying their vacation as well.

We had an amazing Christmas with my family up in Stanton.  Christmas Eve church was quite a site.  We walk in and I just know everyone counted the kids as we slowly made our way to our seats.  I do enjoy some of the looks as it makes me think I am not crazy when I have a moment of , "holy kids batman".  We dragged all of the presents to Stanton and Santa even made a stop there too.  We needed to fill 3 vehicles with our treasures to get everything back to the city.  I dread the unloading but all is put away now.  The theme for this year was legos, nerf guns, board games and of course dress up, zoobles and squinkies.  Uncle Tom and Aunt Beth got us all matching shirts.  They were so cute.  I just love it...The best part is that this summer when we would show up for baseball games people would say..."here comes The Mott-ly Crew"...Well now we have shirts....



The other night I was outside in the garage doing some organizing and I told David he was in charge of the storm troopers..aka triplets.  I was gone for maybe 45 minutes and when I came back in David jumps up from the couch and says.."I have a confession"...What did they do David"?  He holds up a dish that was full of the mini reeses peanut butter cups....and there were no more.  He said that he left them for just a minute and they were eating the cups....my response was "David did they eat the wrapper too"? "well some of the wrappers" (that means yes all of the wrappers)..Ok well you are getting up tonight with anyone that gets sick.  Seriously though...They didn't just eat the whole dish in a minute.,..they had enough time to pull up their chairs to the counter, climb up, discover, unwrap and eat......On one hand I am so frustrated but on the other how can I not laugh....

My 2 eldest-Chrtistmas Day



Just Another Day

Complete craziness and I don't see it slowing down anytime soon.  I go back and forth on which lifestyle I like better...fast and crazy or slow and boring.  Today was one of those days that although it seemed to go by fast and smooth...I just wasn't able to stop and smell the coffee for more than a minute.  Well ok it is 11pm and I have a cup of coffee sitting next to me and I am sipping...

(please note we are all on Christmas break so all kids are home)

I got up this morning and of course the triplets were bouncing around in their cribs laughing and talking.  You can't help but to get sucked in and head down the hall and lean in to listen for a minute to hear the interaction.  They are now all caged in with crib tents and thank goodness.  I do not need anyone heart attacks waking up to a little person playing with my eyelashes in the weee early hours. 

By 8:45am I was out the door to make a TV return (thanks to my sister who offered to hang around while I run out).  A playdate was dropped off for Mairin at 9:30am and the neighbor nanny and kids arrived to play at 10am.  By 11am Eamon and Liam headed outside to the ice pond for some good old hockey.  I glanced outside and by noon there were 7 kids out there playing a hockey game.  I was able to get the triplets down for a nap at 12:30 and then headed back to the kitchen for lunch cleanup and ...ohhh I should put a couple of pizzas in for my men out on the ice.  The garage was a trainwreck so I took some time in between pizza baking to do a super clean. (so glad that I do not have a limit on how much garbage I can put out at one time)  I delivered 2 pizzas, beverages and chips out to the ice for the hockey players and came back in to continue to my house cleanup.  Mairin and her friend played so nice and only came up for some typical girlie requests...mom can we color?  Can we polish our nails and will you put on a movie for us?

I was watching my watch as I am always timing how long I have before the triplets get up.  During the naptime I had to put Finn back in his pack n play 3 times.  (he will never come out of his room but you can hear his little footsteps as he is roaming around the room playing with stuff...cute but not happening) I had a family friend drop off candy bars,  polish sausage and $5.00 bills for the kids. My wonderful neighbor slipped in my side door while I was upstairs and left a chocolate bundt cake on my counter and my Aunt dropped off all of the gifts she picked up for me while she was shopping.  I enjoy the company and the visits.  The boys were still outside and it was time to end Mairins playdate.  Mairin was getting picked up for swimming, babies getting up from their naps and hockey men needed another snack.   (boys were outside..on ice skates for 6 hours today). This pond that is outside in the backyard is the biggest form of entertainment ever.  The boys came in and they were happy to play with the triplets ...of course that made the evening go even faster.  I cleaned up the kitchen...again and we all played and did what we always do when we are all home.  I had the entire crew tucked into bed by 8:30pm so that I can catch up on my taped shows and be ready for another day of no school.....shwoooooooo....That was bit long winded.

Oh..I have to post my "proud mom" picture.  Last night we went to a Christmas show we took the older 3 kids. They were the best kids ever.  The show was close to 3 hours and I didn't hear a peep out of them.  They were so patient and pleasant.  We grabbed a picture before we headed out the door.  Heidi went with us and we left David home with the triplets..( he says he had a ball with them while we were gone)

This is what I left the house with...David watching "The Wiggles" with the trio...They all insist on sitting on his lap.  This is the best he can do to keep everyone happy.....

1st Snow Day Of The Year

Last night you all were wishing for a relaxing snowday right??? Not here...I had a feeling it would be a snowday so I made sure I ran out to the grocery store last night to be stocked with all of the junk needed for a full day of kids..neighbor kids and more.  My neighbors nanny..Annette came over with 2 kids and had a great playdate.  By 10am another neighbor kid arrived so the house was a buzz with 9 kids and lots of fun.  The babies really enjoyed all of the commotion and Annette was a great help and adult company for me.  All 6 kids went out to play in the frigid cold and it lasted 30 minutes for some and up to 1.5 hours for the others.  Thank goodness for nexflix as the older kids are downstairs taking in a movie while the babies are sleeping.  I made sure and gave everyone lots of energy by filling them full of pizza, yogurt and ramen noodles for lunch. 

The doorbell rang at lunchtime and the 2 neighbor girls dropped off homemade warm cookies that they had just made...great that was dessert for all.  David spent the better part of the morning stuck in a traffic jam on I-75 trying to get to work and he did push 3 people out of the ditch while he was waiting for the traffic to move.  (nothing like being productive while waiting patiently in your car.....he must have learned that from the Hockstra's LOL)

Yesterday I figured it was time to take the triplets outside to experience the snow.  This takes preparation so before I even mentioned (outside) I arranged all of their gear in the family room and I put a video on so that it would entertain them while I was loading on the snowpants..boots...mittens and all the crap needed to go outside.  I was so gung ho that I even put on my snowpants so I could sit out in the snow and encourage play.  It was kind of cold so we only lasted about 30 minutes.  I got the sleds out and I think that was the biggest hit.  It gave me the idea to get long sled so that I can cart these little lads around this winter.  They will experience the pond this year and hopefully if I train them early they will love the cold.

So Much To Look At and So Much To Touch

Declan

Colin

Finn

Setting The Tone

Last night was one of those nights...I can chuckle about it today but at 6pm last night I went outside in 20 degree weather to call David and kindly ask him when he would be arriving home for the evening.  The sarcasm in my voice let him know very quickly that he needed to wrap it up and get home. 

Eamon came home without his spelling words (forgot them again) and was going on about a project and how he needed wood.  What do you need wood for?  What kind of wood?  This was a bit broad of a topic for me to handle.  His answers were, "humm not sure" "mom I don't know".  Mairin also wanted to empty her backpack and show me her 23 pieces of artwork. ( oh and don't throw them away either mom..please cover every empty wall in our house to post everything you do in kindergarten)....Liam took off to his room to do his homework.  I have to say that he is the easiest when it comes to homework.  The babies were kind of cranky and they were pulling the chairs up to the island while I was trying to cook dinner....Ughhh.  I asked Mairin and Liam if they would watch the babies for awhile so I could get dinner ready.  The babies were entertained for about 5 minutes before they were back upstairs in my hair.  I went to the top of the stairs to see Liam and Mairin in complete TV coma.  They were completely unaware of their surroundings.  I hollered down and told them to turn off the TV and of course that set a tone.  They came upstairs with 12 excuses and 14 "were sorry's".  Nothing was going smooth and there was no flow to the evening.  I sent Liam upstairs to hang up and put away a load of laundry and Mairin to clean her room.  Liam turned into a grizzly bear on his way upstairs and I heard the growling and crying for at least 20 minutes.  Eamon was up at the computer looking for his spelling words.  Later he couldn't find his book club book and then to top it off he lost his lunchbox.  This was seriously a counting moment. (I take a deep breath and I count slowly to 10...my mom taught me to do this when I was growing up so I would not be mouthy with my dad and think before I spoke) At 10 I felt a calmness come over me...it really does work.  I looked at Eamon and said, "Please bring your spelling and lunch box home with you tomorrow, now please go upstairs and help your brother put away the laundry".  Eamon of course knows he just escaped crazy mom so he responds with, "sure mom". 

I have not even gotten to the babies and how they are into the my tupperware drawer throwing everything out, taking off their diapers and digging inside, moving chairs around the kitchen.  I decided to just relax and slow everything down a notch.  I talked to the babies in almost a whisper, "would you like to eat?"(another amazing tool that I use..low and slow and it seems to change the mode at the time) I got them in their chairs.  The boys and Mairin came down and sat down to eat....Here we were..all 6 kids sitting around the table not making a peep and David walks in.....I see him and I couldn't help but blurt outloud...."you think I am crazy don't you"?  It was enough to make him laugh and it completely set yet another tone for the evening....The evening from 6:30pm on was great..full of some laughs..some learning and plenty of playtime......

Picture This.....

I am talking with the older 3 as they get off the bus and I walk into the kitchen to see a cushion from our leather chair perched below the ice machine/water maker on the fridge.  It was just the right amount of height to lift 3 little monkeys high enough to push the water button, let the water drizzle down the front of them onto the cushion and then to the floor.  You wonder why they think I always say "no".  I take the cushion back to the family room and as I return Finn and Declan had grabbed the package of ham off the counter and pulled out 2 slices and were wiping up the water on the floor with ham.  They  looked at me like they were helping.

All 3 trips take naps in different rooms so the other day I put Declan in his pack n play and give him all of his needs (pacifier and mr. bear) and then I head out to put Finn to bed in his pack n play and I had just finished zipping Colin into his bed(equipped with a crib tent)  when I am slightly startled by Declan right behind me saying..."go way momma".  I say startled because sometimes when I have to do things more than once I tend to forget but it dawned on me that yes I had already put Declan down for his nap and he was already out.  You may want to laugh but those are the kind of things that put me into panick mode.  I panick because it immediately sets me into a chain of thoughts...oh my gosh they can get out, oh my gosh naps are over, oh my gosh my freedom is gone, oh my gosh I am not ready for 3..2 years olds to be in big beds...no no no no ...this is not happening.  So I put Declan back in his pack n play with a healthy "no" and a swat on his butt and naptime continued.  David had experienced this crib crawling the other night so we both agreed it is time for the purchase of 2 more crib tents...Ordered!!!! They probably will not fit but I am willing to jimmy rig anything to keep these little wild creatures contained. 

Mairin last night climbed up on David's lap and said, "dad teach me about tornatoes, I want to be smart about them"  priceless.  She has had a lot of questions lately about them and he was the perfect one to talk about the cold air hitting the warm air and all that business....Love Love Love how great of a dad he is.

Eamon walks out the door this morning for the bus and I say to him...Have a good day and he responds with, "Have a better one Mom".....

Liam and Eamon had a hockey game on Sunday and when I got home they came running up to tell me all about it.  Eamon says he scored a goal and Liam puts his arm around his brother and says, "yeah mom Eamon was the only one who scored and he did a good job".

There now picture all that!!!

Riding A Rollercoaster...When Will It Slow Down????

I get out of bed around 7am every morning and I feel like the rollercoaster car is next to my bed so I jump on, hold tight and off I go.  It has been nearly a month since I have added to this blog and I really don't have a reason other than ....it continues to be the next thing on my list of things to do.  November is always the start of new routines, holiday happenings and it always takes me some time to readjust.  Changing seasons with 6 kids can be almost daunting.  I have to wait until I am in the mood and go crazy.  The snowpants and boots came out yesterday and the mittens and hats are everywhere.  I hate mittens..hats...gloves and all the little pieces winter requires.  I struggle with where to store it, where to set it out so the kids can get to it and I really really hate the clutter it gives our entryway.  Heather....take a deep breath and don't sweat the small stuff........ahhhhh.   We host Thanksgiving for the Mott side and it is a big day.  We have hosted for 6 years now and there is anywhere from 40 to 50 people who attend.  It is becoming one of my favorite holidays as I love hosting.  This year was absolutely amazing because I began shopping 2 weeks early, made lots of lists and my father came down for 3 days before thanksgiving and asked if he could be my handyman for those days (he also wanted to hang with the kids too).  We had a ball..we got all kinds of projects done and I felt like we are caught up.  David went to Germany a couple weeks ago and he seems to be on the go with day trips for work, early morning and late evening calls with Japan, hockey practice and just everything else a large family demands of him.  We just don't have enough hands to watch kids, pick up and drop off kids and get everything around the house done....Dad helped out and honestly I told him he could come every year and do the odd jobs and it would be the best Christmas gift for us. 

Back to Thanksgiving.  David took all the kids over to the Tom Mott house the night before and left me to work around the house.  Thanksgiving morning I kicked him out again to another brothers house with the triplets so that I could have the morning of to get everything ready.  He arrived home around noon..put the babies down for a nap and we had a couple hours before everyone showed up.  It was great.  We cooked 3 turkeys...Nadine brought the crafts and everyone caught up on all of the happenings.  All of nieces continue to make me feel like I am still "cool" too.  Got to love the batch of older teens to really tell you if you are still hip.

I celebrated my 37th birthday on 12/01.  My sister in law came over at noon to watch the triplets and I didn't come home until 9pm.  I had a ball.  I was not on any time schedule....no rules...no restrictions...ahhhh it was heaven spending the day at the mall with my girl, Sally.  We ate lunch and dinner there....who does that???? Facebook made me feel like I am so popular with all of the wonderful birthday wishes...

Now I will be getting back on the rollercoaster.......Have to get my holiday shopping done, gifts for birthday parties..opps my license is expired....I think we have boiler issues..call the heating and cooling guys (shh..dont tell David..it just stresses him out).  Hang some outdoor lights, oh send a note to school for a playdate, oh I forgot to send in money for the teacher gift, mom will you put batteries in my video game, Heather can you stop by the post office, darn we are out of milk...again, laundry is really piling up, oh what shall I make to bring to the advent womens evening on Sunday?  Get the gift cards for the Hockstra Christmas for next week, Babies babies babies..we need to play...dinner??? is it really time to eat again?

You get the idea right................