*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. :)

Look-A-Likes *Gwendolen*

Haha. This post has me chuckling already.

So, the other day we were discussing who the babies looked like. We came up with a few non-people answers. I thought it would be fun to post what we thought when we looked at the babies. I tried to do it with all the kids, but for some reason, it's only funny with babies.

Yep. She looks just like a Kewpie Doll. And she is just as sweet. My little 'Mommy'. Always heloful and very aware that she is a triplet. Always looking out for her sisters. This sweet girl such a joy to be a Mommy to.

18 & 118

So this is an 'all about me' posting. I've noticed that since my sisters' accident, I'm seeing things a bit differently. Seeing life in a new light. The intention of my dreadlock journey was to learn patience. It's working. And the accident helped me to realize that along with patience comes acceptance, tolerance, love, wonder, joy, amazement, and tenacity. I'm sure there are many more descriptive words that I can come up with to describe LIFE. Feel free to add them on your comments! I would love to hear how people are perceiving their lives.

You know, people always say that it takes almost losing someone close to you to realize how much you love them? Almost losing my sister DID make me realize that, but it also made me realize that I have but this one life. One chance to live it how I want to live it. One chance to do things the way I want to do them and one change to teach my children about all the amazing things about life, our world and how to live each day to it's best. 'Don't sweat the small stuff'.

Today marks the day that I have been exclusively breastfeeding my triplets for 18 months. One and a half years. I have to say that it is my most proud accomplishment to date.

Today, I also counted my dreadlocks. I have 118. It's been 11 months. So, it appears that it takes longer to grow dreadlocks than it does to grow a baby. Hm. I know, odd way to think of it right? But easy for me, since growing babies, is something that I know.

In just 6 days, I'm going to be starting another project. A new tattoo. I have a few tats here and there but nothing of major significance that says "Hey! This is ME! Look here, let me tell you about ME".

This one will. I am starting on my lower back (with an existing piece) and moving along my ribs (Aaron's idea, so the pain better not be TOO bad) up my left back shoulder, around to the front and down my left arm, to make a sleeve. Yes, this will be another long-term project. I will add things here and there as I see things that peak my interest and that 'talk' to me.

I can't wait to share pictures of the piece. I feel really good about starting it. I'm downright excited actually.

So, to wrap it up. All is good. I'm good. Aaron is good. Kids are all good. Everyone is good. And the sun finally came out in our city. Someone must have kicked the sun dance into high gear because it actually worked this time.

The Last Few Weeks

in a nutshell......

One horrific car accident. An ICU stay. Broken ribs, punctured lungs, dislocated hip, broken wrist & a broken knee/tib/fib, ruptured spleen. Another broken arm, dislocated foot, & sprained ankle. Heart attack & Pneumonia. Fat lips &bloody noses. Horror movie nursing home.

THAT has been my month.

It started with my aunts heart attack (she's ok now). Then my baby sister got in a horrific car accident that almost killed her. My grandpa, from all the stress was admitted into the hospital with chest pains (DX was anxiety and pneumonia). Gwendolen was knocked down by our very large dog, got a bloody nose and a fat lip. My mom, while in town to help with my sister, fell down and broke her ankle, then, the very next day, fell again and broke her arm and had to have surgery. Was going to recoup in a nursing home that was straight outta hell, so she ended up staying with us for a bit to recover. All the things listed above from 'An ICU stay, all the way to 'ruptured spleen' was my baby sister. (And for a little background, she is 13 years younger than me so I pretty much 'Mommied' her our whole lives. She was not quite 2 when Aaron and I met.)

My sister is now staying with us to recover from this accident. This accident almost killed her. My world was turned upside down. Almost losing my baby sister shocked me to my core. I realized how strong I am (hence the Superman post from last week) but it also made me realize how I handle tragedy and upheaval. All through the day of the accident, I did really good. I didn't cry. I didn't cry when I got that 5am phone call. I didn't cry when I held my sisters hand after her emergency surgery as she lay in the ICU. I didn't cry when I got home later that morning and had to continue on with our planned vacation, leaving my baby sister in that hospital. I didn't cry on the long drive to Sunriver, even after my other sister called to tell me about our Grandpa.

Then, I did cry. Exactly 17 hours later.

At our vacation home, with everything unpacked, kids finally all in bed, and the house silent. Aaron walked over to me. Asks if I'm ok. I say 'No, I'm not ok. I'm not ok at all' and collapse on the floor. And sob. Now, is my time to 'lose it'. Now that everyone else is taken care of, I can finally have my time to 'freak the f*ck out'. And Aaron held me as I cried. Have I mentioned lately how very much I love this man?

And it taught me something.

It gave me perspective.

Life is too short. LIVING is what's important. The little things matter. Yet they don't. Smiles and hugs matter. Spilled milk? Not so much. I know now, without a doubt, that family is more important that anything in this entire world. Don't wait to say things that need to be said. Don't wait to do things that you want to do. Don't waste precious time on negativity and stress. There is too much uncertainty in this world. In this life.

"Love as if you have never been hurt. Dance like no one is watching. Sing like no one is listening. And live everyday as if it were your last."

This song is for you Noelle. I love you so much. ♥And Tiffany and Michael, you both too. I am so lucky to have such an amazing family and even more amazing siblings.

~~Superman.

There has been alot going on around here lately, hence the lack of the promised postings that haven't happened. I am trying to formulate a good blog post about the past 16 days, but for now I wanted to share a side of me that I didn't know would ever show up. The side that somewhere, along the way, in the past 2 years, has finally gained some confidence. True pride and confidence in who I've become and how I've gotten to where I am. Granted, with some upsets along the way and the still ever-changing things that I do to keep it 'mixed-up'. (You know, little things like tattoos, body piercings, dreadlocks, and complete changes in attitude and outlook).

All it took was the past 16 days of my life for me to actually REALIZE it.

Well, either that or I'm misunderstanding the 'signs' and it's more of an overwhelmed or a woe-is-me attitude, than one of confidence.

I'm going with confidence right now, or arrogance, whatever you want to call it. It's just my overall feeling in life right now.

This song puts it into words perfectly.