Where's Daya?

I just think it is so adorable how my kids literally squeal with excitement when their "Daya" pulls in to the driveway from work. It's amazing to me that they can pinpoint almost the exact time to start asking for him and sniffing around like little hound dogs. They cruise the dining room and peek out the window in shifts, and when someone gets the lucky look and he's actually backing in it becomes complete mayhem! What a good feeling it must be to have such an enthusiastic and loving fan club to greet you when you walk in from a long, hard day at work.

The question, "where's Daya?" is probably the most often repeated on any given day, and today I decided to see just how many times I heard it. I lost count at 72.


It also breaks my heart how sad they get in the morning when we watch him leave for work. This picture is EXACTLY what I see every morning...

2 year olds are not to be trusted

My kids came close to the auction block today. After weeks with no poop parties, I decides they were ready to be trusted without onesies. Ha...Did that ever backfire (no pund intended)! In just a couple of short minutes diapers were ditched and my living room turned in to what looked & smelled more like a petting zoo. Have you ever looked at a mess and just wanted to walk away from it and hope it would clean itself up? The thought of setting them on the front porch with a "for sale as is" sign actually crossed my mind, but only for a quick second. Can I say, THANK GOODNESS FOR MY LITTLE GREEN MACHINE:)

Father's Day Wishes OXOX

Happy Father's Day to my wonderful Husband and the Best Daya in the Whole Wide World!!! And, to my Dad...the other "Best", I am a truly Blessed Woman!

Saturday Yum

Im feeling so Martha Stewarty today. I hadn't made this fruit tart in years, since college to be exact. The first couple of times I made it, it was a train wreck. I was so proud of the way it turned out this morning that I felt like I had just given birth to another child...lol Ok, maybe a little dramatic. Had to post a pic and share the super easy recipe.



Fruit Tart

2 ready to bake pkgs. sugar cookies

1 block of cream cheese

1 cup apricot preserves

sugar to taste

strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, kiwi, & mandarin oranges

simply spread out the dough and level on a pizza pan or shallow baking dish & follow baking instructions. allow to cool. mix cream cheese with 3/4 apricot preserves, and sugar to taste. spread all over cookie as if you were making a pizza. arrange fruit in a circular ring pattern around cookie. repetition is key!

for the glaze: bring remaining apricot preserves and a few tbs. of water to boil. use a brush to apply a thin layer of glaze over the fruit and any exposed cookie crust. refrigerate for four hours & Enjoy!

and it begins...

So Christian, my 11 year old stepdaughter is here for the weekend and it's been a while since I got to spend quality time with her. Asjia's hospital episode kind of dominated the whole weekend during her last visit, and the one before that was a girl scout trip. She is suddenly pre-adolescent and whoa lemme tell ya, terrible two's doesn't seem so bad after all! The crazy emotional stuff that starts happening, and the questions, and the desire for the young lady to work her way out of that little girl body...those are scary things! She is becoming such a little woman so fast, at times it is hard for me to switch gears. I go from ABC's and colors to questions like, "what does virginity mean?". I pray that God gives me the grace to manage it all effectively. Either way, she is such a good helper. This morning she let me sleep until 10:00 am!!! She came in and told me the babies were awake at around 9:15 and she changed all of their diapers and went in their room and played with them until 10:00, now that's a sweet reward!

practice makes perfect

Here are some pics from todays visit to the pre-school playground. After surviving a 4 hour shopping trip, that was the least I could do for my babes! We have been frequenting the pre-school after hours just to get used to the playground and develop a routine of getting out of the car and into the building(yes, this takes practice). The funny looks on Mason's face were because he hated the sand on his feet.

Pre-School Panic

So I am sitting here just imagining what I will do with my 6 hours a week when the kids start pre-school in September. Will I grocery shop in peace? Hit the mall, get a pedicure, come home and sleep, have lunch with friends...oh the possibilities.

Then suddenly an episode of earlier today flashes in my mind. Kyle took his diaper off and pooped on the floor within 2 minutes of me taking my eyes off of him. When he ran up to the gate in the kitchen naked I was praying that the other two had not followed his lead. No, instead they were standing around it saying, "eeeeww That's Nasty"...it's always a fine line between frustration & laughter in these situations. What would the pre-school think of that? And what about the pushing and fighting, and stealing of toys? What about the fact that my boys are much more entertained by pushing something over than playing with it, or dumping juice & snacks out rather than eating them? I wonder if they are prepared for my kids?

My kids have an ability to become perfect angels around strangers and Im wondering just how long after school starts will this wear off? Im a little nervous...

Tantric What?

I was watching a clip of Sting on Oprah talking about Tantric Sex and how he and his wife have been rumored to "make love" for up to 8 hours at a time...

I thought to myself, Tantric Sex? Yeah, more like Tantrum Sex. That's when My husband has a deprivation induced tantrum and I finally give in.

Just thought the contrast was was funny, 8 hour tantric sex or 8 minute tantrum sex.....oh how kids change things!

sweetness

Here's a few things I heard over the weekend that made me smile...

Kyle- "oh, you so cute" as My Mom walks up the stairs after getting ready to go somewhere

Mason- very loudly, "oh by Gosh" in reaction to me slamming on the brakes, the others chimed in and repeated it afterwards.

Asjia- "Mo Handy, Mo Handy" this is her asking for candy. She gets more confused with want...lol

Kyle- "I budge you Mama" his version of "I love you" as he lays down for bed the other night.

Random Thoughts

Yay! Super excited about the step 2 wagon being re-released for a limited time. After stocking a handful ebay users and searching craigslist ads in surrounding cities, we finally have a brand new shiny one on the way!

Should I be worried about comments from unknown users or is that the point of a blog? People with other blogs I understand, but if they have no blog, how did they find me, and should I be wondering about their identity? I am new to this blogging phenomenon so I thought I would ask before I get nervous. Someone please explain to the clueless girl how all of this works...

I am so over townhouse living...it is not conducive to life with multiples. Why have I not seen a positive change in the size of my derriere after climbing 3 flights of stairs, what seems like hundreds of times per day?

Why is it that out of all the expensive toys my kids have bamboozled out of me, the favorites are still:

1- empty cardboard boxes
2- any hazardous cords
3- slamming open doors

Nina Goes Home :(

I am a feeling blue today, I must admit. My Mom went home after a much needed dose of her. We got to spend a whole week with her, and I am blown away by how much LOVE she brings with her every time she comes. It makes me sad that my kids only get it from her a few times a year. Being far away is just plain terrible...

On the positive side, we had such a great week together! Here's a list of accomplishments...

♥ my Mom & Dad celebrated their 30 yr anniversary via the telephone- proof that making sacrifices for your kids doesn't stop at age 18, I Love You Guys!!!

♥ took the kids to 3 different grocery stores in a row- that was interesting

♥ went out to several restaurants and ate our meals successfully- those kids menu $1.99 deserts rock!

♥ had a date with my husband

♥ took over the waterpark

♥ watched 5 movies from beginning to end

♥ cleaned out Kohls- they called asking for their kids department back

♥ got to go to the mall and shop SOLO, complete with hair & makeup on

♥ gave & received hundreds of kisses & I love You's

♥ cleaned places in my home that I forgot existed- or maybe I blocked them out?

♥ laughed until someone peed their pants- name will remain anonymous


Thank You Mommy, we miss you & Dad terribly! Please hurry back!

i love my kids

My kids are so much cuter when I have someone to help out. That sounds alot more harsh than the way I mean it to sound, let me explain. Having my Mom here gives me a chance to sort out the noise and actually hear the sweet little munchkin voices. It gives me a chance to relax a tiny bit, another set of eyes makes a big difference. I have found myself laughing at things and appreciating things that normally I would not have the time to stop and appreciate. We have been having a blast with Nina, and Im gonna be sick to see her go home.

feeling all better

Asjia is back! Here she is in her new "high heels" compliments of her Nina(Grandma). My Mom bought ger these so she wouldn't hurt herself trying to walk around in mine...lol

trusting your Mommy instincts...

I thank God for giving Moms this built in thing called "instinct". Asjia was sick with a fever of 103 when I decided to take her in last week. The Doc dismissed it as a virus and instructed us to manage the fever by alternating motrin and tylenol...blah blah blah. Same as always right? I told her that I was concerned about the way she was breathing, it was very labored looking. She told me that it was because of the fever and to just make sure she stayed hydrated and sent us on our way. I did everything I could to keep her temp down that night and into the next morning, but I was nervous about the breathing all night long. My Husband and I kept her between us in our bed so we could watch her chest.

Next morning we get up and my poor child is a limp noodle. She is still fighting for air and looks to be giving up. She was like a floppy doll laying on the sofa. Her eyes were glassed over and she looked terrible. Something in me panicked and I suddenly felt like I needed to get her to the Doctors office and fast. The other half of my brain was worried that I was being the over paranoid Mother who calls the Doc for every little question. I second guessed myself about taking her in again, after all the Doc told me this was to be expected. Luckily, my instincts won. I drove to the pediatricians office with the comfort of knowing that there was an ER in the same building just in case. I walked in, sat her on a chair and went to check in. She lied Down and her eyes started rolling back...OMG The nurse who had just gotten an ugly phone call from Grandma(my Mom) comes out and takes one look at her, and says "Uh Oh, this little one is in bad shape". Suddenly Nurses and Doc's were coming out of no where to get her temp, her pulse, etc. I felt like I was dreaming. Long story short, they called 911 and we ended up being taken to the hospital.

The ambulance driver questioned why I had not called 911. When I sat for a moment and answered I realized it was because I felt like an over dramatic Mom. In fact, on the way to the office the second time I contemplated going straight to the ER so I didn't have to beg our Doc for a different answer.I had just been told 24 hours earlier that she was ok. He told me that kids have very small airways and that they see many cases with unhappy endings because every second counts. So, my lesson in all of this is that we as Moms know our children best. We trust our Doctor's because they are trained professionals. But, going forward I will trust my gut more. If I don't get an answer that makes sense to me, I know I need to rely on my insticts & trust my inner voice.

I Thank God for watching over us and being right on time as he always is...

is someone playing a joke on me?

Sometimes I have to wonder when the Punk'd cameras are gonna come running around the corner...then I remind myself that Im not a celebrity.

Last week it was the stomach flu, first Mason, then Kyle, then Daddy, then Mommy & Asjia. Next was a cold, Mason first then Asjia. Then was a very scary respiratory infection for Asjia & a short(Thank God) hospital stay. Then we come home to an eye infection for Mason and a mysterious rash on Kyle....ok, I surrender!

I taught her well...

That's right Asjia...it doesn't matter what your hair or outfit looks like, as long as you a rockin the high heels life is good!

I guess investing in a TV that could be mounted on the wall in order to keep the kids from standing right in front of it really didn't work after all.

Holiday Weekend

We just Love Love Love these 3 day weekends! First and foremost...our thoughts & prayers go out to all of the fallen soldiers. Thank You to each of them and those still fighting for our Country. Regardless of how I or anyone else feel about the War in Iraq or War in general, these young men are the reason we sleep comfortably at night without the sounds of sirens and bombs tormenting us. Thank You for your courage & self sacrifice.

On that note, we had a great time celebrating the weekend. Saturday nights dinner was great at Buca di Beppo. The kids had just enough petience to sit through dinner...YAY! Sunday we spent with the 3lb crew BBQing and letting the kids be kids. We always have so much fun with them and it means the world to me that our kids have eachother too! Monday was nice and relaxing. A little shopping, burgers on the grill, and family time....what's better than that?

It's the little things...

Can I just tell you that I am so excited about Saturday's dinner at Buca di Beppo that I couldn't care less about the craziness involved with taking the triplets out to dinner! They can go right ahead and throw spaghetti wherever they please, I have been craving this for about a year now so, BRING IT ON...mmmmmm

What's up with that?

Ok...so i know Im a little blog happy today but I am a tiny bit dissapointed with the Gap right now. I have been waiting for them to get the Gap Red products for kids and finally they get it....ummmmmmm, but it only goes to 24mos!!! What is up with that? Only infants want to contribute to Aids in Africa? I have plenty of Red for myself and I wanted my bambinos to get with it too.....what the heck were they thinking??? I think I have to send them a little note for this one!

sick babies...

Well the last couple of days have been terrible for the boys. It was really strange, I was doing the dishes and realized there was silence. I peeked around the corner to find the triplets all standing around a puddle of throw up on the floor...yuck! I was confused because everyone seemed fine & I couldn't figure out who had gotten sick. I ushered them into the living room where my next surprise awaited me. Someone had gotten sick all over every piece of furniture in the whole room. It scared me that I had not heard anything and I felt terrible. Needless to say, it was all down hill from there. Luckily it only lasted about 24 hours, probably a flu bug. Asjia & I managed to escape it, but I felt so bad for her. She could see her brothers were sick and she was concerned, but at the same time she still didn't understand why they got priority in my lap. These are the painful parts of having multiples...at times you could really use an extra set of hands and maybe an extra lap too! Today we are all better, Thank You God!

had to show you...

cherish the moments

Yep, we be dancin fools. I caught a glimpse of Kyle's eyelashes today that took me back to when he was a newborn. Something reminded me of his sweet, tiny face brand new. It's crazy how the time has passed and crazy how it feels as though they have been with me for a lifetime. It's a tough task to cherish each moment, but so necessary. I wish I could freeze these images in my mind forever. No picture would do it justice. Every stage, the backround noise, the scent...they change so quickly. Recently I heard a quote with so much meaning behind it, something to remember as each day is there and gone so fast... "every 60 seconds you spend angry, sad, stressed, or frustrated is a minute of joy and happiness in your life that you will never get back"

weekend of *fun *fun *fun

Our weekend was surprisingly relaxing for having so much fun! We spent saturday lunching with our BFF's lala, nana, & miss bebe :) After disrupting all of the good people at Chevy's we made our way to the park and played ourselves to sleep...yay! Saturday was supposed to be my night out but things happened and we ended up lounging on the sofa watching movies. That was actually much needed. Christian was here this weekend and we all snuggled up together. Sunday was great fun at "The Taste of Arlington" with our extended family(the 3lb crew) again...we love them. Yes we were stared at and heard the famous one liners, but it was great to get out in the sunshine and socialize. Food & friends always= good times! Sunday night was family dinner @ the Jones' we had a good time catching up with the fam and playing with cousins, and did I mention there was cheesecake... made it all worth it *wink*

spring carnival

We had lots of fun at the annual spring carnival for our mutliples group!We were even brave and managed a fun dinner with our friends afterward, fun fun fun! Being a part of a multiples group is a great way to bounce ideas off other Mom's & it's nice to know that you are not alone in this crazy experience:)I am most grateful for meeting one of my best friends Angie through our club! Which reminds me of a funny story I must tell:

So my kids are 7 months old & I decide I am brave enough to take a trip to the mall semi-solo. I bribed a teenage neighbor girl to come as an extra set of hands in case of any obstacles. We strolled into Claire's as part of the "helping out" deal and the sales associate is going nuts over the kids. She gives me three lollipops for them and I kindly say no thanks. But, she pushes them at me and says, "just in case you have an emergency". I thought to myself doesn't she see that they are just babies, they don't eat candy yet. Well, low and behold we get out of the store and start walking to my ultimate destination, Baby Gap, and the kids decide to go nuts! Being a new Mom & relatively inexperienced with outings to the mall, I feel my face get hot and red with embarassment. I felt like I stood out as it was walking around with triplets, but now they were all very upset. So I look around and decide, what the heck, let me pull those lollipops out and test the theory... SILENCE:)

Now, mad dash to the Gap! Im shopping around and I see this couple with two strollers and 3 babies which appeared to be the same age. I asked the question that I myself answer day after day to curious onlookers, "are they triplets?" They both kindly answered yes. I said, "wow, I have triplets too". So they get excited and look over. Imagine this...my kids are all hanging out of their stroller drooling over the lollipops in their mouths, dressed like toddlers who had just come from the park. Theirs are all perfectly snuggled into their infant carriers in their little bundle me's. Oh how sweet they looked. We both asked almost simultaneously how old eachothers kids were, "mine are 7 months" I say. "really, so are ours!" OMG, talk about embarassment! My kids were looking & acting much more like 2 year olds at that moment and the embarrasment I had felt during the crying fit could never measure up to the embarassment I felt at that moment. In hindsight the contrast between us was straight up comedy. Needless to say, I quickly lost interest in my Gap mission and left swiftly. Turns out several months later that I would show up at their house for a playdate organized by our multiples club, it just so happens she's a part of it too! We recognized eachother and laughed about it. Funny how things happen, I almost died of embarassment that day at the Gap and now look, she ends up being one of my most best friends! Angie, I hope you know how much I luv you and how glad I am that you are in my life!