Making Myself Proud.......

Besides the obvious answer of my husband, kids and my life, is two other things. Personal achievements.

My Dreadlocks and my beginning of my Tattoo Piece.

For about 6 years now, I've been talking of getting a new tattoo. I do have a few already but just smaller, simple things. I call them 'stamps' more than tattoos. This time I wanted to start a piece. A story, on my body. Not just a 'stamp' but an actual telling of things I love and of what I am passionate about at this point in my life. So, when Aaron started talking about it more seriously, I was so freakin' excited!!

So, this year, for Mothers' Day, I got a card and money to start my tattoo! Have I said what an amazing husband and kids I have lately? AMAZING.

I love that I can display my inner thoughts and passions permanently on my body so that I will forever remember this time in my life symbolically. And to show my kids another style of Art. To show them that self-expression, even in public form is a beautiful, beautiful thing.

( the 3 down my spine and the one on my lower back are all existing inks. The total time involved thus far is about 7.5 hours. The artist thinks it will be another 8-10 hours until it's complete).

On June 21st, 2010, (Summer Solstice), (If you remember, a post here tells how I initially started it until I realized my mistake and started over going all natural/neglect) I started my dreadlock journey. And it really is a journey of a lifestyle, a being. It's nothing to do with 'looks', although, I think that dreadlocks are the most beautiful pieces of human art ever. I started mostly as a test to my not-so-patient self. To learn to relax, breathe, to let go, and stay calm. I am pretty manic about certain things. A clean house, organization, and clean children. I have also been known to obsess about my hair. I am never satisfied with what it looks like. Ever. I am always trying something new.

Dreadlocks took away a lot of my 'power' about everything. And to learn that sometimes you just have to go with it. Stop fighting so hard. And it doesn't matter what you look like, it truly IS what's inside that counts. Always. And I can feel myself calmer each day. It's helped me to be more in tune to myself, and others feelings and emotions, when more positive energy is spent on what really matters in this moment. Our loved ones. Our world. And our life. It's about being true to ourselves and being happy and content with our lives and loves.

*sigh*

Hey! Guess what? Toddler Triplets are 3 BILLION times more difficult than Newborn Triplets, Baby Triplets, Crawler Triplets and anything and everything in between.

Add to that a very intelligent 5 year old and a very precarious 3 year old. Oh, AND throw in a tween and 3 teens.

What does that make the Mommy? A big, giant, mess. Sometimes a good mess or a funny mess, but more often than not, just a plain 'ol Mommy-Mess. You know, the one that went from SWEARING to herself her entire childhood to never, ever, EVER call your child by ALL your childrens' names combined. You know what I'm talking about. This one: ' Annie. I mean, Mad, I mean Lillll....CRAP,*sigh* Gwendolen, can you please come here'. My mom used to do that. We would just sit and wait to see who she actually needed until she finally sighed, shrugged her shoulders and calmly said the intended childs' name. Used to drive me NUTS. I didn't understand WHY on earth she couldn't remember 4 simple names. I swore I would never do that to my children and I would look at them and know who I was asking for BEFORE saying anything aloud.

HA. Hahahahahahahahahahahaha. HA.

I apologize Mom. Profusely. For thinking you should not have given us all names with "L" in them and you would actually be able to say each name separately. For wondering how you could possibly so stressed out that you would forget my name. I.am.sorry.

What did this 'super-smart-learn-from-others'-mistakes' Mommy do?

I had 9 children. Nine. and Triplets. Hm. I would say that I am a candidate for a little stress. What else did I do? I made sure that every one of my girls has an "L" in her name. And it didn't get intentional until we starting trying to name the triplets. We never even realized that we did it. Just like my mom. Just as I swore I would never do.


Anyhow. (Not sure how I got from Mommy-mess to talking about "L" names, so......:)

I am, most days, a mess. I shower immediately upon waking up. If I go downstairs without showering, I can just kiss that shower goodbye. Won't happen, and I am GRUMPY without my shower. And that, is my one super accomplishment for the entire day. I am amazingly grateful for my (One-year old TODAY!) dreadlocks. That means, that 3-4 days of my week, my showers are QUICK since I only wash my hair every other day. The babies thank me for that. They do not like being locked in the bedroom/bathroom first thing in the morning, even though I do have a toy box and a box of books in my room to keep all 5 of the littles occupied.

Breakfast making is the equivalent of running a marathon. With rabid monkeys. Everyone is starving (which makes total sense for the triplet rabid monkeys that nurse all night still) So in between the babies crying to get in their 'seats' and the little girls asking what we have and me trying to keep all 5 of them happy enough to not start the tantrums at 9am, breakfast does somehow get made. All this wouldn't be so bad if the babies didn't want only scrambled eggs for breakfast. With berries.

Tonight. I started making the eggs AT NIGHT and sticking them in the fridge. Did you know that if you put them in a ziploc bag while still warm, they stay moist and taste just as yummy, if not yumm-ier than fresh made. For real. The biggest bonus? They clump together more, making it easier for the babies to eat them.

Sometimes the toddlers have eggs, sometimes cereal. They are the easy ones.

Then the rest of the morning is all a blur. After vacuuming that is. I'm a bit OCD about the house. I vacuum every day. Dog. Cat. 9 kids. Need I say more?

We play. We color. We read books. Snack. Alot of snacking. And sippy cups. Lots of diaper changes.

Then the wonderful 2 hour nap. Ah. This is when my brain attempts to tidy up the mess. It usually works. I(very quickly) pick up toys. This is usually where my first meal of the day comes in. Yay! And this is when I get to spend time with the little girls and sometimes the older kids. (But now, since it's summer break, ALOT more time with the older kids. I hope.)

After nap again, is a bit of a blur. We manage to go for a walk, play, snack, diaper change and fix dinner in a mere 2 hours. The evening goes much faster than the morning. I'm not sure why. Probably because that is when Aaron gets home to help. And yes, I watch the clock and the driveway ridiculously so.

Poor Aaron walks in the door to crying babies, fighting toddlers, dinner half cooked and a wife who was trying really hard to wear her white capris because she knows her husband likes them only they are covered in chocolate fingerprints, oatmeal chucks, and dirt from the playground, and he doesn't turn around and walk back out. I love him for that. I sure as heck would take a walk or 25 around the neighborhood if I had to come home to that every night. I can't decide if I am so used to it that I'm completely immune, or if it truly doesn't bother me and it just feels like it should.


Something to think about.

*sigh* Nighttime. *sigh*.

Don't get wrong, I love all 9 of my littles, but there is something just so calming and relaxing and AMAZING sitting downstairs, knitting, knowing that all my little loves are sleeping soundly upstairs. I guess it also helps too that it is another little 'Repair the Mommy-mess break'. And a 'visit with the husband time' and a 'make an entire sheet of brownies and eat half of it yourself with some vanilla ice cream' kinda time too. :)

My point, (I know, after 300 pages) is, that all-in-all, even after the really trying days, the grumpier than usual days and the crying all day long days, is that it's all so worth it. So, so, so, so worth it.

Even the Mommy-mess is worth it. Pretty sure the kids won't remember the fact that I never wear make-up. Or that I live in pants that have no zipper. Jeans are saved for a special occasion in my world.

So, that explains my life as I now know it. Pretty awesome huh?

(To be honest, I'm pretty dang proud that I held out on the combining all my childrens' names together for way more than 4 kids. I only recently started doing it. Yep. Proud of that. )

Pride 2011

I added a new symbol/picture to my blog page. It's in support of the LGBTQ Community. ----->

Madeline and a friend are going to have a booth downtown at the annual Gay Pride Parade next weekend. They are going to make tye-dye tees, hemp bracelets and friendship bracelets. Madeline is pretty excited, and I am too! I'm going to load up the 5 littles and Juliette and I are going to go down and support the LGBTQ community and watch the parade.

I sure hope it's a good day. Some sun, but not too much heat would be nice. Good thing I have my super deluxe triplet stroller with the awesome sun canopy.

My first BIG outing (meaning not Target or Walmart) with all 5 and no help from another adult, although Juliette is my best helper she is still a kid.

This is where I beg for all the good luck vibes that I can get to be sent my way. Please, please, please.

And thanks. I'll update with how we do :)

Oh, and click here if you want more info on the Gay Pride organization.

Look-A-Likes *Rosalie*

Sorry for the lag. I just do not know where my time goes. Oh, wait, yes I do. Triplets, toddlers, tweens and teens.

So, Aaron and I were looking at different types of puppy breeds because we always think that Rosalie has these beautiful 'puppy dog eyes'. And we found it. Rosalie's 'look-a-like'. And I think that it is just the cutest thing ever. Just like my Rose-bug.

I think the similarities were more prominant when she was a tiny little newbie but I still see it some. :)