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