10 things I want my kids to know.

♥ That you are my greatest Love, and my Love will forever be unconditional. There is absolutely nothing more important to me.

♥ God. Without him, there is no us.

♥ That you are individuals, and that each of your dreams and ambitions are equally as important to me.

♥ That you can achieve anything you put your heart and soul in to.

♥ That life is short, and never to be taken for granted.

♥ That it is important to learn from your mistakes.

♥ That laughter is medicine.

♥ That you have the power to make a difference. Be it on one or many, every little bit counts.

♥ That Daddy and I will always be here for you.

♥ That no matter what, you must always stick together and Love one another.

10 things I love about my children

♥ I Love their sleepy faces when they just wake up in the morning or from a nap.

♥ I Love their smell.

♥ I Love to hear them giving each other directions.

♥ I Love to hear them giggle.

♥ I Love their ability to give endless amounts of hugs and kisses

♥ I Love their munchkin voices.

♥ I Love the looks on their faces when they discover something new.

♥ I Love that they Love me.

♥ I Love that they adore their Daddy.

♥ I Love their tender innocence.

10 "I would rather's"

♥ I would rather endure every challenge that comes with being a Parent of Multiples than to live one day without my children.

♥ I would rather be happy, healthy, and loved than be rich, famous, and beautiful.

♥ I would rather drink coffee than tea.

♥ I would rather have a hand full of great friends, than tons of acquaintances.

♥ I would rather see the ocean than the mountains, and I would rather be surrounded by the desert than lush green trees.

♥ I would rather be at home with my family gathered around lounging on the sofa, than out on the town.

♥ I would rather stay up late at night than wake up early in the morning.

♥ I would rather write an email than talk on the phone.

♥ I would rather have 1 thousand dollar handbag than 20 cheap ones...my poor Husband;)

100th post series

Hello Hello!

Well, I figured I would follow the 100th post celebration that I have seen many of you do. It's fun & entertaining, and gives us a better sense of who each other are. So here is the first of 10 posts in honor of the 100th. Enjoy!

10 things I could not live without as a Mother of 3 toddlers

♥ An emergency poop party prevention and clean-up kit which includes:

duct tape
tight fitting onesies
and a little green machine

♥ Zoo Pals paper plates, plastic utensils, and a big stash of snack size Ziploc bags. Not so environmentally responsible, but I think Mom's with two or more children are of the hook on that one.

♥ Ikea highchairs. Although we are almost out of the highchair stage, these were some very well kept secrets. They are simple, easy to clean, and stack in to a nice neat little corner.

♥ Nearly illegal doses of caffeine.

♥ A Costco membership and an extra freezer(I am still working on the latter).

♥ A Choo Choo wagon. What did I do without this brilliant little invention for the first 2 years of my triplets life?

♥ A stash of chapsticks and candy bracelets. These can be a real lifesaver in airplanes, Doctor's offices, and shopping malls .

♥ A Petsmart nearby to substitute for the Zoo.

♥ Spanx...the lady who perfected these things is my hero! I carried almost 17lbs of baby, enough said.

♥ A posse of Momma Friends in Blog Land.

Post# 99 1/2

BBBRRREEEAAATTTHHHEEE......

That is what I am trying to do at this moment. I cannot believe that I have not blogged for a whole week, sorry! I have been interviewing, and was Blessed with an interview at M.A.C. which is my absolute dream job. There were a couple of opportunities that were also great, but they ended up falling through. However, I had no idea in my wildest imagination that I would be interviewing with my favorite company in the world♥

I have been eating, breathing, and sleeping M.A.C all week. Getting hair, nails, and makeup perfected. Today I had my second interview which I had to bring a model to and apply her makeup in front of the regional trainer. Scary stuff for a stay at home Mommy who has been out of the loop for a few years. I think I did great! I am praying for the job. It is such a passion of mine. I must say, that regardless of the outcome, it was a great learning experience. I have been on a super fast, very exciting journey this week. If nothing else I reminded myself of my abilities and potential. Today when I was standing there dressed in all black, funky hair, & perfect makeup I laughed to myself. If they could only see me on a "normal day". Hair in a ponytail, traces of yesterday's makeup, and three sticky children hangin off of me in my nightgown at lunchtime...and on that note, PRAY FOR ME:)

I promise I will be back tomorrow for my 100th posting!!!

Yin and Yang = to Laugh or Cry

My Husband, I love him to death. He makes me laugh every single day. He is the most generous, gentle natured, hard-working man I know besides my own father. But how in the world did the most type A personality in the world find the most type B personality? I guess this is what yin and yang is all about? I am a bit anal when it comes to organization, you have to be in a household of this sort...here are a few funny things from the weekend that I really found no humor in at the time. I even took pictures to give you a better idea;)


I wonder in milliseconds how much longer it would take to peel back the safety seal than to punch through it like a savage?


And, how hard is it to keep sippy cups with sippy cups, lids with lids, bowls with bowls, etc? They all have a place, the same place they have been neatly lined up for 2 1/2 years. I let him do the dishes so he could feel the frustration I have over the dishwasher that has been broken for the last month...so I got out of doing the dishes for once, now I have to go back and reorganize my kitchen cabinets. I think that is called "backfire".


And lastly, what in a Man's right mind would make him think that he should use a MAC lipstick to write a note to me on the mirror? And no, it was not a Love note. My MAC obsession is very well known, I am constantly made fun of for the big black metal suitcase full of it. I pull it out and polish it and play with it like a little girl and her barbies. When I woke him up at 1am to ask him what he wrote the note with(before I had found my mangled lipstick) he mumbled, "Oh Missy, You have hundreds of MAC lipsticks, I just picked one out of the box". This afternoon, when I revisited the topic over the phone he assured me it was no big deal and offered to re-shape it when he gets home, uhhhhh No Thanks. Lets just say, this note on the mirror cost him $20. I am going to Nordstrom later on today to replace it ;)

free your mind, and the rest will follow...

This is post #98 by the way, only two more until the big 100th!

One of my inner battles lately has been whether or not I should return to work or stay home until the kids go off to elementary school. A few months ago, when I enrolled them in a part-time Christian pre-school, it was for the purpose of socialization and a few hours of free time for myself. I wondered if the stress sometimes associated with getting them ready and out the door was worth the 6 hours a week of "free time" I would be getting. By the time I got them all strapped in and dropped off I would be rushing to get back for them. Regardless, I decided that it was worth it for them . They too could use some quality time away from home, some mental stimulation, and some socialization.

I have always imagined myself being a SAHM and felt Blessed that financially we could pull it off. What I had not stopped to realize was that in exchange I am becoming a sleep deprived, impatient, unmotivated, stressed out Mommy. My kids are three of the most adorable, wonderful kids out there. Don't get me wrong. We have so many special moments together, we laugh, we play. But truth be told, I am worn out. The abundance of energy that these three little ones have has caught up with me. The noise level, the fighting, the destruction of anything and everything, the messes, the uncontrollable laundry and dishes...I need to step away from it all. I had to be VERY honest with myself to admit that I am overwhelmed, worn out, and ready for change. I have struggled with guilt over even considering going back to work while other Mother's are forced to. I have a choice, some do not. I had a short conversation with one of my best friends Angie not long ago. She is a working Mother of triplets, the same age as mine. As I vented my frustrations out to her for the hundredth time, Bless her heart for always listening, she pointed out that being home with them all day every day probably added to the stress. I gave that a lot of thought. There are times that I put the kids down, hurry and get dressed(yes, at 8pm), and race out the door to wherever is still open. Why am I finding peace everywhere but in my own home? I know a whole new set of challenges come with balancing a career and family, but I suspect that a Mother who works races home to find her peace. To hug and kiss all over her children and cherish every second she has with them. Either way the messes and the laundry are here to stay, but I have found that I am completely unmotivated to keep up on the messes that are reoccurring as quickly as I can clean them. I am outnumbered.

Last week, which will explain my absence in blog land, I threw my resume back together, pulled out some of my old work clothes and got on the ball. I cannot explain how liberating a feeling that was. To look at my own resume and remember how hard I worked for those credentials. I had a respectable career, I almost forgot that I was capable of more than mothering. To have the phone ring for interviews in response, I was amazed that I was still marketable after these few years off. The excitement came flooding in. I realized that somewhere deep down, I had been lying to myself. I have missed my old self. I want to emphasize that I take the responsibility of Motherhood very seriously. I respect each and every one of you who is in the trenches, spending every last bit of your energy on your household. It is admirable, and I am the first to praise you. But I have to be true to myself, and I think my time as a SAHM is up. I feel as if I gave my kids a solid 2 1/2 years of my undivided attention. They will always & forever be my first priority and my greatest love. But I am going to try and rid myself of any guilt I have for putting them in preschool full time and taking a part of myself back. I think it will in turn balance our crazy lives out. They will have the opportunity to learn in an atmosphere where Mommy is not always saying NO! and GET DOWN! all day. They will learn to play with other kids, count, read, learn the alphabet, and all those other things that I cannot always be consistent with. And I will get to do something I am passionate about and feel a sense of accomplishment. When I am home, I will appreciate that time so much more.

So this is what is going on in our lives right now. These are tough decisions to make, but the Lord will guide us in the right direction. I have done much praying about it and will continue to seek his answers.

I am so Thankful for you little crazies.

I had always secretly dreamed of the day that I would be sitting across the table from my very own little boy or girl as I watched them in adoration. It seems as if the very moment I fell in love with my Husband I could see our children in my minds eye. I could already imagine hearing things like "I love you Mommy" and the sweet giggles that would someday fill our home .

Today as we shared our first brave lunch date together, no strollers or highchairs just Mommy's two hands and a whole lot of faith, I suddenly remembered those daydreams about that moment. Only in reality I had three little ducklings sitting across from me, repeating my every word, folding napkins carefully into their laps, and giggling with excitement. In the midst of the chaos, the noise, and the endless amounts of energy that these 3 little people posses, it was nice to have a humbling moment.

As we sat at Baja Fresh I thought back to my days as a young college girl in Scottsdale, Arizona and all of the lunch hours I spent at this same place unaware of what turns my life would take in just a few short years. It is so fascinating to watch the cycle of life and amazing to have your wishes come true. No matter what level of craziness we reach, this was my biggest wish.

At the same time, I realize that these are the little memories that they will cherish as well. It's not the dinner that we painfully rush through, praying that the noise level at our table doesn't kill the ambience in that fancy restaurant, the perfectly coordinated outfits, or the squeeky clean house we have just before company arrives. It's the snapshots that we remember, the Saturday mornings when the house is actually a bit of a disaster and we are all snuggled up on the sofa together watching Charlie and Lola in our PJ's. If only I could freeze these little frames of our lives in my head forever. A little quality time with Mommy or Daddy and the excitement of simply being together and enjoying one another. It is my hope that they always stay close, enjoy each other's company, and love each other unconditionally. To have a family is such a Blessing.

And to remember these things just before a nervous breakdown is an even bigger Blessing;)

You know things are looking up when...

You got to the Mall on a weekend with no stroller and You and your Husband can successfully manage all three.

You help your toddler overcome the fear of the vacuum by teaching him TO VACUUM
*He did an awesome job for 2 1/2- hillarious pics coming soon.

You get through a whole coloring session and all of the crayons are in tact, wrappers and all.

You can bring out the playdough and not worry about them eating it

tearing off diapers and getting poop everywhere is a thing of the past because you are now potty trained. oops, can't say that one quite yet

Love it!

I am a very big fan of the German jewelry designer Niessing. My wedding ring was designed by them and it is my most cherished "material" thing. I was browsing around on their website and I saw this ring named quint...hmmmm? Turns out there is one that would be really cool for triplets and quads too! They are absolutely beautfiul and I love that they would be symbolic for us Mommy's of Multiples(sorry twin Momma's). I know what's on my wish list next Mother's Day :)

The day Mommy nearly loses her mind...

Yes Ladies & Gentleman, this Mommy is about to vent. This morning my kids made me cry...and not tears of joy. I can only remember this happening one other time and maybe once in the first few crazy weeks of their lives. But today, they got the best of me.

And here's the way it went

I bought one of my best friends a gift at the Coach store for her Birthday and the kids grabbed the bag down off the counter and pulled out the box. When I went to double check it, I realized the salesperson who beautifully wrapped it had accidently stuck something else I had been looking at in the box. How often do you get an extra something in your bag at the Coach store? Well, my conscience would not allow me to keep it for myself so this morning I decided to make a trip to the mall to return it and have a nice day out with the kids. I got up before the babes and jumped in the shower to get ready. Things were peaceful and quiet.

I get out of the shower 20 minutes later, and the hallway smells like a petting zoo.

My stomach immediately drops, not sure if it was from what I feared awaited me behind their bedroom door or the smell that was permeating in the hallway. I walked in to find my fear was reality. Poop EVERYWHERE. It doesn't take much poop smooshed into the carpet to make you feel that it is EVERYWHERE. And those little feet running around in circles and jumping on the bed will really multiply that feeling. Now, one thing I never like to do is greet my kids poorly first thing in the morning, but today my eyes went straight for the diaperless child and I was livid. Asjia chimes in with "Kaya big trouble, take off di-purrr". The kids are 2 1/2 and they know that this is a HUGE no no in our house! I looked around at the mess and just broke down and cried. I must add that I am not a crier. It takes a alot to get me there. The reaction from the kids was the same as I remember it being when I saw my own Mom cry...Uh oh, we finally pushed her over the limit This also marks the first day I have ever answered "what" to the kids instead of "yes" when they were calling my name(a big no no for me). Mason asks me while Im cleaning the poopy carpet where Daya was and I said "Daya's at work, lucky him". Mason repeats "lucky him". Ok I thought, time for me to check my attitude and make this yet another learning experience for them. I pulled the sympathy card... "look at this disgusting mess that Mommy has to clean up" "Can you smell this, isn't it disgusting?" "poor Mommy". They all chimed in, "oh Mama" "ewww, scusting" "dats nasty". Guess they got the point.

Perhaps someday I will look back and laugh at this. Not today, and probably not tomorrow either.

I just wanted to say HAPPY BIRHDAY to the Steece quads. I have been keeping track of Suz's Blog for a while and saying lots of prayers for them. Welcome little Angels, may God continue to watch over you and get you home safe and sound!

And, OMG, how exciting is all this baby news! I just stopped by the Wilkinson Quints Blog and saw that their Quintuplets made their BIG debut on Tuesday weighing in from 3lb 6oz to 5lb 1oz!!! They made it to 34weeks, AMAZING!

Congratulations to both families, our thoughts and prayers are with you!

More thoughts on "our little crew"

Being gone a weekend with one child can really stir up a lot of thoughts. What I am realizing is that our family is exactly what it is supposed to be. I always worry about the attention each one of our kids get and even feel guilty about not having more one on one time with each of them. I was blown away with Asjia's behavior on our trip to Texas. It seemed like she just flourished. It made me wonder what each one of the boys would have been like on their own. Who would my kids be if they were a singleton, how much further would they be in terms of development if I had hours to invest in things like colors, numbers, or potty training one at a time.

Then I came home. As we drove in to our neighborhood, Asjia covered up her eyes and literally started squealing. She was so excited. We got to the driveway and she threw her little arms up in the air, "we home" "Macy, Kaya, Daya"! She walked through the front door and ran to them, gave them hugs and was patting them on the head. She was so excited to help Mommy pass out surprises to everyone. I had wondered if the boys even noticed her being gone, and yes they surely had. They seem to have bonded with one another. She talked about them the whole time.


Last night at bedtime it was as if they were all overjoyed to be reunited in their bed together. They all ran upstairs, snuggled up and were soundly sleeping in no time. Today they are still excited to be back together. They were playing ring around the rosy all day and one thought kept coming back in to my head...one child can't play ring around the rosy with themselves. Things are as they should be for our silly little family.

Our little crew

My kids really did make leaps and bounds this past weekend. They are really coming out of that toddler hood and seeming much more like "little kids". Today I heard Asjia remind Kyle about "ladies foost" as he was pushing his way in front of her for a snack...lol The sweet thing was that later on I set their juice on the counter, her and Kai grabbed one and to my surprise she ran straight to Mason and said, "here you go Macy". She is learning chivalry and selflessness both, yay! Today they all helped me unload our groceries from Costco and bring them to the front door. They were all pretty big things and I was shocked at their strength. They were actually a big help! This evening Kyle "cleared" the table for me, without even asking. And when I say "cleared" I mean he brought me all of the dishes instead of ditching them on the floor like I expected. It was the sweetest thing. Asjia caught on to what he was doing so she jumped in and picked up all of the food that had dropped on the floor and brought it to me.

I was reminded of a special I watched recently on TLC about a family that had 16 kids...yes 16! The family was quite amazing and really inspired me. The attitudes of the Mother and Father were very positive. Everyone worked together and had a very important role in making the household successful, it was amazing. They built an enormous custom home all by themselves and everyone was involved. Those 8 years old and up were all issued a drill! The Mother mentioned that it was easier with sixteen than when there were only five, which I found to be pretty interesting. I often wonder if I am to hard on my kids. I do not cave at their every beck and call, and for 2 1/2 I often wonder if my arms length is a tad to far. However, I think that my kids have an advantage over some others, they will probably be slightly ahead of the game when it comes to things like blowing their own nose, tying their own shoes, and making their own beds. One thing I am sure of is that there is never a shortage of love, comfort, or support. As long as I am alive they will have an abundance of those things. I am ok with that.

Thank You Janelle...

One of my very best friends Janelle sent me a few amazing pictures that she took of my children during her last visit. Unfortunately the beauty doesn't quite translate through the scanner, but I am sure you will be able to identify the beauty that I see.

I am embarrassed to admit, but I cannot figure out which one of the boys this is. They are not identical and usually look quite different, but this picture has me stuck. It makes me realize just how much they do look alike!

This one is definitely Kai, he loves to have his finger in his nose(we are working on that one)!

More sweetness from Texas...

This was the amazing view from outside the airplane window. It looked sureal, like a fantastic fluffy blanket that you could just jump out the window and land on. There were a few times when Asjia got nervous and asked to "get down from da sky", but overall she was fascinated from what she was seeing and understanding from just outside that window...

Here is my sweet baby girl taking a little nap in my arms. She was all tuckered out from the excitement. She was such an awesome little traveler. She screeched with excitement a few times as we were descending into Dallas, " I see cars, I see da bus, I see big chu-ruck, I see da boats, I see trees", it was so entertaining to see her light bulbs going off.

This is a sign for one of the stores in the mall. Ironically, this is Asjia's nick name from her Daddy. He calls her "Asjie-Buiyahkah". Don't ask. I had no idea it was a real word and cracked up when I saw the sign. If anyone knows what bui-yah-kah is please enlighten me.

Surprise Surprise!

I am having one of those moments where my mind is working so much faster than my mouth, and in this case, my typing fingers. It has been one extraordinary week and finally a moment to share!

About a month ago I got the idea to surprise my Mom with a visit for her Birthday. After much thought I decided to travel with Asjia. I struggled with who to take, but thought it would be nice to have some girl time with my sweet baby. With a few great people in place to help me pull this off, it went almost EXACTLY as planned:)

The plan:
Using a stand-by ticket compliments of my sis who works for US Airways, we hoped to make it on the 1:45 flight. Arrive in Dallas at around 3:45pm, my other little sister Sam would pick us up and we would race to my Mom's job. I made Asjia a t-shirt that read, "I am here to say Happy Birthday to my Nina". We thought it would be great to send her in the lobby and look like a lost child. My Mom would definitely be on the scene immediately after hearing the buzz of a lost child. She would then realize that that child was her own Granddaughter. All went as planned until Asjia began crying and was apprehensive about entering a strange place without Mommy, so I came in and hid. My Mom was called up and saw Asjia first. The look on her face was one of total and utter confusion. She slowly entered the lobby with a look of disbelief on her face(she later told me she thought she was day dreaming) and scooped up Asjia. It was just a few short moments before they were hugging and kissing and giggling in their own little world. It was the greatest surprise ever. We had such a wonderful time, even if only a short one.

Here are some things I observed while on the trip...

People are truly wonderful beings. So many people offered a helping hand as I was trying to make my way through two of our nations craziest airports with a child, two bags, and a carseat in tow.

As hard as it is, when you separate multiples it truly gives them a special time to blossom. I was amazed at my precious little girl the whole time. She held my hand the whole time, she never once cried, she added so many new words to her vocabulary, and spoke so many new sentences. She was Mommy's little sidekick and she sucked up every moment of it. She LOVED the freedom of walking beside me through the airport, the malls, and in to restaurants. Getting adjusted back in to the choo choo or the stroller will be quite interesting. It was also really special for me to be able to give her my undivided attention and really appreciate all of her. She is such an angel.

No matter how much I fantasize about a moment away, I could barely stand being away from my boys and my Husband. It feels so un-natural to be separated. I realized just how tight of a unit we are, and how empty I feel without the everyday craziness, the bucket loads of love, and the noise level of my own little family. Coming home was bittersweet. I could almost feel the tender hugs and hear my boys saying Hi Mama! as I imagined walking through the door. When I saw them, they looked like they had grown, Chris said the same thing about Asjia. Even the scent of my Husband was so much more noticeable. It was that sweet yet manly smell that I used to long for when our Love was just beginning and our relationship was long distance. I miss my Mom and Dad terribly and can only hope and pray that it is God's will for us to be together as one big happy family in the same city someday.

My very surprised Mommy in the wee hours of the night, hence the sleepy faces.

My little sister Sam and I, acting very delirious well past any normal person's bedtime.

My precious Daddy and I.


After a night out on the town with my Husband, and a couple of days away from home, I feel as if our life and even our marriage has been refreshed. It was just the right amount of quality time with and away from one another to give us both a new appreciation for each other and our lives. What we have money cannot buy, it is an extraordinary gift from God. Chris was so great while I was away. He took perfect care of home. The word on the street was that he even had the boys perfectly coordinated and looking very stylish on their evening out. The house looked great and he even managed to get all of the laundry done! What a stud;)

This is a new one...

Just when I thought I had heard every over used line that us triplet Mom's have to endure, a new one surfaces.

I took the kids to the waterpark yesterday and it was a great time. The kids have been in the water just about every day this month so they are beautifully sunkissed. I noticed this lady watching me and finally she broke down and came over to ask if they were triplets. After being drilled about my life, our finances, and some other random stuff she asks, "Did you birth them?". I was a bit confused and wondered if she was really asking what I thought she was asking? She clarified...I know it's a really personal question but, are you their Mother? She had just observed me running around like a maniac saying "stay with Mommy" a hundred or so times trying to keep them safe in the water...am I their Mother?

I know, I know they are just to adorable to be my kids, that must be it. I actually answered her but I was thinking to myself... No, I was about 8 months pregnant and I woke up one day and these three sleeping babies miraculously appeared in cribs so I assumed they were mine.....

Now I really have been asked EVERY silly question.

♥Date Night♥

Yes Yes Yes! I finally broke down and had my trusty Elise come and entertain the kids for a few hours so my precious Husband and I could enjoy some much needed time together. It's amazing what a few hours alone can do for a married couple. I have a little restaraunt that I absolutely love that he had not tried so we had dinner there. It was fabulous. Then we went to Chinatown and checked out Gallery Place. Afterward we just walked around downtown, holding hands, and enjoying the sights and sounds of the city. I truly enjoyed myself and cherished the time with my husband. My wish is that we get to do this at least once a month from now on, it was just what the Doctor ordered!

They read my note!

I was super excited to go to Gap online and see that they read my note and took it to heart. I was really disappointed when they came out with the Gap Kids Red products and they were only available in 0-24mos. Today I was pleasantly surprised when I spotted the Red icon in the Toddler section, now we can all get Inspi(Red). In case you have no idea what I am talking about...the Red line at the Gap and several other major companies have created it as a great way of giving back. They give 50% of each sale towards Aids in Africa. The line is really hip and cool looking and it's socially responsible too!

Bed time tricks

Usually my kids are so willing and ready to go to sleep at night it's really quite wonderful. Lately I have noticed a little bit of hesitation and even some Mommy manipulation going on. The boys, who are both pushing 35lbs both look at me with puppy dog eyes and ask for me tp pick them up and carry them up the stairs. I used to have no problem doing that, but we are talking about some sturdy little toddlers I have here. As I bent down to pick Mason up tonight he says, "Mommy, I scared". "Scared of what my love?" I ask, and he responds, "da bug". Then as I am dramatically walking up the stairs as if I cannot handle the weight of the two of them, Kyle says, "Mommy trong", and Mason chimes in, "I luh you Mama". Ahhhh, way to make Mommy's heart flutter. Then we get them tucked in to bed and it's kisses, and kisses, and "Mo Kissy please" until I have to be "trong" and cut off the kisses. I always feel so bad walking out of there, I am always wondering if everyone got the same amount of kisses and everyone is going to sleep feeling equally loved. I think they have really figured out how to get me.

WOW...my babies are becoming kids

I often wonder who my children will be when they mature. Their little personalities are all so strong and distinctly different. I have realized that the single most frustrating things about each one of them is also that "thing" that makes them so special when I think of them.

My sweet Kyle is Mr. Independent and definitely the most Strong willed out of the three. His will is so strong that at times I want to just give up. He is so determined to carry out whatever it is that is in his plan, that NOTHING will stop him. He is a little bit of a loner and is usually off on his own little mission. The times when his personality traits make me swell up with love are times like today when he was determined to get his own shorts on, it didn't matter that both legs were in one hole, he was going to make it work. And the button was either going to get in the hole or he was just going to pop it right off. Or times like when the other two are fighting for a place on my lap and soaking up the hugs and kisses and I catch a glimpse of him just watching from the other side of the room where he is hanging out. It breaks my heart, and because of that I always make sure I snatch him up and give him lots of affection, even if I have to pin him down...lol

Then there is Mason. My little ball of fire. His energy never runs dry, and his smile is infectious. He is the little monkey that jumps on the bed for hours during naptime and laughs at me when I come in to settle them down. He thinks everything is funny, and it is really difficult to get him to take me seriously. He is the baby, if only by two minutes so I think he uses that to his advantage. He jumps on me and it hurts, but then he squeezes me so tight, and plants so many kisses on me that I can't get upset. He will definitely be my class clown and my flirt.

Then their is Asjia. My little lady. Drama Drama Drama. She should be an actress. She falls out like she has the holy spirit in her when someone takes a toy from her or when she is overly tired or hungry. But she is so gentle and sweet, and so intelligent. She is constantly surprising me with her humor, her memory, and the way she figures things out. She picks up on everything and is such a little ray of sunshine.

It is so fascinating how my babies are growing in to these little kids. They were who they were from the very start. When I think back to when I was pregnant, their personalities in the womb were very telling of who they are now. It's crazy to think of what comes next. What will these personality traits evolve in to and who will they become? It's amazing to me that I helped create these three little people.

sweet...

Dear Lord, it's such a hectic day,
With little time to stop and pray,
For life's been anything but calm,
Since you called on me to be a mom.

Running errands, matching socks,
Building dreams with building blocks.
Cooking, cleaning, and finding shoes,
And other stuff that children lose.

Fitting lids on bottled bugs,
Wiping tears and giving hugs.
A stack of last week's mail to read,
So where's the quiet time I need?

Yet when I steal a minute Lord,
Just at the sink or ironing board,
To ask the blessings of your grace,
I see them in my small one's face,

That you have blessed me all the while,
As I stop to kiss that precious smile.

Weekend Fun...

Enough of the serious stuff

This morning Angie and I thought we would be clever and beat the Saturday crowd at the mall. And we did;)The kids jumped around in the play area just enough time to get tuckered out! We had a great time squeezing every last drop out of this summer day. On our trip home, the sun was so tempting we decided to skip nap time and head to the pool. Because Mommy UMMMMMM likes a challenge....

The pool was more like a circus. No really. This one Mother in particular stands out in my mind. This little boy was splashing us, very aggressively for a toddler, so my sister in law kindly asked him not to do that. He splashed harder, so her tone changed a little. Then he spit, yes spit at us instead. She asked where his Mommy was and he splashed off in to the sunset. We looked around the baby pool at all of the Mother's and no one seemed to be paying any attention to this child. Then he ran out of the gated area to the big pool, still no one paying him any mind. Then he darts toward the waterslide, clearly he cannot swim and thinks this is just another slide like the ones he's used to at the park. This one emptied into 6ft of water. Another lady saw him and alerted the lifeguard so he ran after him and just as reached the top of the stairs, the lifeguard snatched him up. The lifeguard headed back to the baby pool asking who's child it was, still nothing. When he quarantines him back to the baby pool to go hunt down the parent, finally this Woman who had been sitting a mere 10ft from us hears the chaos and realizes it's in regards to her 2 1/2 year old. So she proceeds to scream at HIM as if HE should be much more responsible and keep his little behind in the baby section. YES! I couldn't believe my eyes & ears. She sat right in the middle of her child's naughtiness the whole time, and he ran past her out the gate, and NOTHING! This whole production took a good 10 minutes. We had no reason to even suspect that was her child. But he was the one who needed to get yelled at? Crazy Woman...It blows my mind how careless people are with their children. And quite frankly it angers me.

What did I tell you about those Mommy Instincts?

I strongly believe we were given this crazy thing called Mommy Instincts as a parting gift from childless days.

Last night I was getting ready to tuck in as usual, after my nightly ritual of locking up, setting the alarm, and checking the kids. I turned on the monitor in my room and got this overwhelming feeling of nervousness. I looked around in the darkness and made my way to the bed. I was scolding myself in my head for being so paranoid & silly. I had just walked up from downstairs after securing the place like a Federal Penitentiary myself. What was worrying me? During prayer, I could not shake the feeling and at one point was afraid of waking my Husband because I was praying out loud, intentionally. After tossing and turning, I finally fell asleep about a half hour later(1:45am'ish).

At 5am my Husband wakes me out of my dead sleep with, "is that our alarm?", and yes, it was. Our Home security alarm that is. I cannot explain to you the feeling of panic that came over me. It's still dark outside, we are half dressed and disoriented, and there is no way the alarm was set off by either of us. Or the triplets. I leaped out of bed and ran to their door. I didn't want to go and give them that same feeling of panic so I stood and waited. ADT called and Chris went down to check all of the doors. Nothing. Nothing, except for that for the first time in HISTORY I had forgotten to lock the deadbolt on our front door...which was where ADT claimed the alarm had been set off. Because we have only had our alarm go off randomly one time, during a heavy wind storm, we opted to have the police come out and take a look. They found no signs of the door being pryed open, but looked around the entire property and made their presence known before leaving. If there would have been a caption above my head it would have read, "Please stay, OH PLEASE, OH PLEASE, OH PLEASE". Luckily, the sun started to come up about a half hour later.

Having a child(or three) really changes your frame of mind in this type of situation. It's no longer a thought of mine to run and hide and grab a sharp knife on the way. It makes me obsess over how I would keep my babies safe if in fact there was an intruder. How would I hide three small children, or keep them quiet, or safe? What is the best plan of action when you are awoken from a dead sleep and faced with this sort of circumstance? There is such a feeling of vulnerability. I am not just thinking of myself anymore & the new dynamics are quite complicated.

Now as I remember, just about every time I have needed to be on guard, my sense of awareness tunes right in and my personal alarms start going off long before. Something is suddenly off. I have an unsettled feeling that doesn't go away. This has happened to me just about every time an emergency type of situation has occurred. I am calling it Instinct.

Did someone open the door and make a run for it at the first sound of our screeching alarm? Was it a total fluke? Or was it God's way of reminding me of something? Like the importance of locking my door and setting my alarm, or being more aware of my surroundings. Either way, my instincts have proven to be strong once again. It was either a potentially very bad situation or a hand delivered message from he who has much more control over our security than I do...