A sigh of relief

When I look back over the past year, I breathe a sigh of relief that we made it. For me, 2012 was a constant test of adaptability. Whether it be physical, mental, financial, or professional, we found ourselves having to adapt to change on a weekly basis. Most significantly, our family of six adapted to a new home and being on our own, and from having 3 infants and a toddler to 3 toddlers and a little boy. We have settled in quite nicely with each other and our current daily routine.

I expect 2013 to be more about endurance and making time for each other, whether it's a much-needed family vacation or date night for Nate and I. The boys' routine will probably continue for the most part throughout the rest of this year. My goal for the triplets is to be done with diapers by 2014!! I hope Alexander will begin to see his brothers more as playmates and less as little babies that he has to tolerate. I see that happening more and more now that all 3 triplets are walking well, but I think when they start talking Alexander will find them more interactive.

Towards the end of 2012, Nate and I found a few quick getaways gave us some space to reconnect after a year of all of our energy being directed towards the kids. We realize that we need to make more time on a frequent basis to communicate and share ideas. That will be a challenge with our busy schedules but fortunately the kids are getting easier to handle (not lighter but more independent and able to follow directions) so childcare will hopefully be less of a problem towards the end of 2013.

One of the greatest things I learned in 2012 is to keep things in perspective. Even with all of the sweat, tears, and blood we had to overcome last year, we still have a pretty amazing life. We are fortunate to be able to more than provide for our family. We are fortunate our boys are all healthy and happy. And we are fortunate we are surrounded by family and friends that love us.

Whenever I am out and other mothers are shocked by how much energy I have to care for 4 boys under 3, I tell them "You do what you gotta do" and smile. It's true, you do what you gotta do. But the truth is I am the luckiest woman in the world. And I am grateful I get to wear that crown for another year.


The triplets all watch intently as Alexander dives into the air. Later, Winston tries to copy his big brother, unsuccessfully. Fortunately, no trips were made to the hospital on this day. :)



Christmas time at Grandma's house (L to R: Benjamin, Theodore, Alexander, Winston and my mom)

Aunt Becca was kind enough to make a video of the boys during her wonderful, long visit in December. Thank you auntie! http://youtu.be/c70YEP3QLbw

This is what it's all about

Yesterday was a day of great high's and low's, although I admit the low's could be much worse and we should count ourselves lucky. I took the triplets to their 15 month appointment. It was hectic and I was so glad to have my grandma and our nanny Jessica with us. We experienced temper tantrums that would knock your socks off during the 1 hour visit (which included a longer than usual wait) at the doctor's office. The boys were happy to be out and they proudly showed off their skills. But they also had some major fits when the wait (without snacks, for which I take full responsibility) became unbearable and they started to wonder what was behind closed cabinets and objects that were off limits in the patient waiting room. Then to top it all off, they got 4 shots which sent them all over the edge and we left with them all 3 wailing at the top of their lungs. When I finally got to work to start my work day, I was completely exhausted.

Theodore and Winston weighed in at 27 lbs, and big Benjamin was 31 lbs! They were all around 32" tall and between 70 and 95th+ percentile. Within the last week Theodore has shown real interest in walking and has started to make up for lost time. He is taking several steps now and even trying to walk to nearby destination points umprompted. Benjamin is getting better and better every day. It looks like they will also be true toddlers by Christmas!

My greatest high of the day was after dinner time when I was at the kitchen sink cleaning dishes. I paused when I heard giggles coming from the other room and realized all 4 boys were in there playing happily with each other. Alexander was talking and interacting with Benjamin, and the other two were chasing each other (playfully). My heart was heavy as I realized in that moment that we are finally getting to a place that I had always dreamed about: our children playing with each other and filling our house with laughter and joy. It was a wonderful feeling.

Fall fun

Weather has mostly been amazing this fall so we have had some great times outside. The boys love to explore, whether its in our backyard, at a park, or the zoo. They can't get enough. When we go out with the triplet wagon we get lots of stares and people ask, "wow, I've never seen a wagon like that. I need one of those!" It is pretty great. We only wish we had a small u-haul to connect to the back to haul all of our gear too!

 

We had a great time at TVUUC trunk-or-treating at Halloween. The boys were monkeys and Alexander was Spiderman. Alexander even helped mommy carve pumpkins!

 

 

Babies with GMA the good witch

Now for a progress report: Winston was a proficient walker by 14 mos. By 15 mos, Benjamin is able to walk from Point A to B but walking still isn't his primary mode of transportation like it is for Winston. He is very motivated though and is so proud of himself when he takes several steps in a row. Theodore on the other hand is not so motivated. He can definitely take steps and walk if he wanted, but he still isn't very interested. A few times we have praised him for when he does try but it's almost like he's too cool for school!

Winston

Benjamin
 

Theodore

Sweet Alexander in Daddy's cap

 

 Mommy with 3 of her boys :)

 Can't wait for more fun times at Grandma's house for Thanksgiving tomorrow!

Growing pains

It is incomprehensible to me how fast time is flying. The boys are growing leaps and bounds. Everyday someone discovers something new, learns a new skill, or reveals a new personality trait. Over the last two months the babies have sailed through some exciting milestones:

• Getting rid of all bottles!! You better believe I had those boxed up and donated immediately.
• Transitioning fully to whole milk
• Consolidating their naps so they are down to 1 in the middle of the day (which coincides with Alexander's nap)
• Adding reading and snack as part of the bedtime routine.

bedtime snack (L to R: Winston, Theodore, and Benjamin)

The babies continue to amaze us. They have so much energy and love their independence, but remind me constantly that they also need lots of cuddles and kisses. And, last but not least.... WE HAVE A WALKER! Winston is walking everywhere and doing such a great job with it. He has amazing balance and is so cute when he brings me shoes (doesn't matter if they are mine, Alexander's, his, daddy's) for me to put on him. Benjamin is starting to admire the praise we give Winston for walking and is starting to show interest in walking. I have caught him standing and trying to balance, but hasn't taken steps yet. He has a blast (huge grins and giggles) when I hold his hands and help him walk. I predict he will be walking within the next month. Theodore, on the other hand, is completely unfazed by Winston's walking and has zero interest. He is pushing carts and trains now, which is an improvement, but when I hold his hands to practice walking, he immediately locks his legs in a sitting position.

All of this growth is accompanied with increased stubborness and mischief. They are little rascals I tell you, throwing food defiantly from their high chairs, pushing and shoving, insisting on constantly climbing stairs, and vying for momma's lap. They sure like their freedom and really enjoy it when we just give them free reign of the house. This really only works when 2+ adults are present.

I honestly walked away for a minute and come back to these guys booking it up the stairs! There is now yet another gate propped up top block the stairwell entrance.

Our sweet Alexander is 2 and a 1/2 and acts like it. He is talking in complete sentences, singing the ABC's (sort of), and most impressively puts puzzles together like a champ. He really enjoys it but it is almost impossible to do with the triplets hovering around trying to run off with the pieces. Alexander is interacting more and more with the babies, giving them hugs and kisses, tickling them, bossing them around, comforting them when they're upset, and learning how to share. The babies look up to him so much and act like they have died and gone to heaven when he loves on them.

His growth is also not without struggles. I think he struggles in particular with being a big boy and doing things on his own, and then still wanting to be held and babied. He has days where he is all smiles and sunshine, and then there are days where he just wants to be held and doesn't want to go to school. We all have days like that, don't we? 
 

A in his Buzz Lightyear jammies!

   

Alexander happy to be at Disney on Ice

Halloween is around the corner and Alexander is so excited to be Spiderman. We got the costume a while back so he wears it almost daily. He is planning to go trick or treating with cousin next week. The babies are going to be monkeys, thanks to great-grandma finding cute matching costumes for them! Stay tuned for pics from Sat night when we go with GMA trunk or treating at her church.



Happy Birthday x 3!

Alexander making birthday muffins

We made it!! The babies turned 1 last week and boy did we celebrate. On their birthday morning, Alexander, daddy, and I woke them up with blueberry muffins singing "happy birthday to you!" Alexander helped each one of them blow their candle out. He was such a proud big brother.

We let them eat their muffins in their cribs and it was hilarious how each of them approached it. Benjamin stood up to receive his muffin and ate it immediately, he didn't even sit down to enjoy it! I barely had anything to clean up. He is my sweet little piglet. Winston was kind of perplexed about the whole thing, took a few bites then kind of rolled around in it. Theodore sat down with the muffin between his legs and quaintly picked at and ate his muffin. He is the epitome of cute.

Winston with muffin crumbs wondering what's going on

Theodore with his muffin in bed

Benjamin standing and eating on birthday morning

 

Alexander was so funny about eating the muffins upstairs. We have a rule that you can't eat upstairs (because it is carpeted) and he was very concerned about the babies eating in their cribs. I told him it was a special occasion but he still wouldn't eat his muffin until I sat him down, put a blanket over his lap and assured him multiples times that it was OK. He gobbled it up very fast in case I changed my mind. :)

At one year, we have a great routine and things are so much easier than they were in the beginning. Alexander is more forgiving (although he still wants to rip their heads off sometimes) and seems to find more humor in the everyday chaos. We find special time with him and he really appreciates it. He is potty trained but has an occasional poo-poo accident and sometimes it is a struggle to get him to go when we need to leave the house, etc. All in all, he is thriving and Nate and I comment everyday what a great boy he is.

Benjamin is our chunky, cuddly teddy bear. He is tough and sometimes a bully, but he definitely has a soft side and loves cuddles. My dad nick-named him "rodeo" because of his fearless and fun nature. His deep chesty laughs crack us up and his eyes are so expressive. He weighed in at 28 lbs and 31" at his 1 yr doc appt. Benjamin is cruising well but not standing or walking alone yet. He is the biggest guy by far so I don't expect him to walk first.

Happy Benjamin

Benjamin AKA "Rodeo" riding the pony at their birthday party

Theodore is pure sunshine and mellow as can be. He is a little on the sensitive side but he is definitely getting better. When I said he is the epitome of cute, he seriously is. I don't often look at the other boys and say, "awe, how cute!" But we are constantly looking at Theo and saying, "now that is freaking cute." He has this megawatt smile and is content with just playing by himself in a corner for a long period of time. He does this thing when you're holding him on your side and looking away from him (in our case, watching other kids), he will peek his head around to stare right into your face, as if to say, "Hi there, how are you?" I have never seen another kid do that. He loves eye contact. Theo weighed the least at 24 lbs (still in 73rd percentile) and also at 31". He doesn't seem too interested in walking although he cruises just as much as the other guys.

Winston Winston Winston. This guy is a handful and I would say the biggest "momma's boy." When Winston is happy his whole body shows it. His face is so expressive and he has these fierce eyes that show you he is either up to no good (and very happy) or very upset. He is probably the most advanced and really close to walking any day now. He just needs a little more confidence but physically I think he could do it. I wonder if when he takes off walking one day the others will follow soon after. All of the boys adore Alexander but Winston is probably the most in awe of his big brother. In fact, I could see him aligning with Alexander when they get older and the other two boys pairing up (with Benjamin being the protector of Theodore). Winston weighed in at 25 lbs and 30".

 

 

They are all saying "mama", "dada", and "uh oh", but they clearly understand much more. They are all on whole milk (good riddance formula!!) and we are down to one bottle at night. They are eating everything which is such a relief. Each of them have their favorites but it is nice to just make one meal for everyone now.

They had an amazing birthday party. Lots of friends and family came to celebrate three amazing boys and the journey we have all had this year. Here are some pictures from that fabulous day.


My mom outdid herself as usual and made the cutest (and extremely yummy) circus cakes for the boys.

Great-grandma got the boys their very own trains (shown here with Grandpa D) and they love them.

All the boys chowing down on cake (including the big guy who is addicted to icing like his mother.) It took them a little while to realize they had a big block of deliciousness in front of them but they finally got it.

Alexander posing on the pony.

 

 Theodore was not so crazy about the pony ride so he stuck with Papi.

 

Winston with GMA and the goats who did a great job of trimming our weeds (yes we had ponies AND goats.)

 

Now on to year #2 of life at the ranch...

How do I do it?

Everyone asks me, "How do you do it?" or they say something like, "I dont know how you're doing it." Depending on my mood, my response is usually something like, "Well, I just do it. It's amazing what you can accomplish if you have to." or "It's hard, but I just push through. It's getting better and the boys are so great. I am really lucky." Those responses all genuinely reflect how I feel but the truth is lately I'm not "doing it."
Before I explain, let me give a full disclaimer: working full time and running a household with four young children is the most difficult thing I've ever done but I would not change a thing. This crazy life that Nate and I have made for ourselves is the best thing ever. It is a daily struggle but it is worth it times ten.

Back to the painful truth.. I don't feel like I'm "doing it" because I am exhausted and there aren't enough hours in the day to do everything I need to do. I don't feel like I can do anything 100% and there are days when I feel like a failure in some if not all aspects of my life. Some days I feel like I accomplish a lot at work but then I go home and nothing goes right - kids are whiny and unhappy, the house is a mess, Nate and I are not on the same page, etc. On the flip side, there are days when everyone is happy and healthy at home, but I can't get anything right at work. This is the story of my life and I have accepted it, but lately my patience and confidence is wearing thin.

Alexander has these fits and wants to be held a lot lately, I think that is what has been especially wearing on me. I blame it on the terrible two's but I'm sure he also feels like he has to compete against his brothers for attention. The babies have been passing around this virus too that makes them cranky and clingy. There is really nothing I can do about either of these things except for give them lots of love. But momma is getting tired and somehow admitting to the world that I can't do it all makes me feel better. So there, I'm not doing it. And we're going to be just fine.

A month later

Forgive me friends and family, for the last time I posted on this blog was a month ago. On June 9th, we moved out of the Nash/Anderson ranch to our new family of 6 Evans ranch. While we still have boxes to empty and pictures to put up, we feel right at home and very comfortable in our new house.

Unpacking the kids :)

The boys have been amazing during this transition, in fact us adults have probably had a harder time than they have. I can only attribute the kids' confidence and security to the past 9 months of love they have received from grandparents and other supporters at the former ranch. For this, Nate and I are eternally grateful.

Happy and loving each other for the moment!

The babies love their new space and are still exploring the house. Last night for the first time we watched the babies chase and laugh at each other in the kitchen. It was pure pleasure for Nate and I to watch them interact with and make each other happy. At 10 and a 1/2 months they are starting to acknowledge and entertain each other almost as much as they annoy each other.

Alexander has taken ownership of "my house" and although he has hit the terrible two's, he has been a trooper through all the changes he has endured. He has not only moved into a new house, but he has transitioned into a big boy toddler bed, started "school," started wearing underwear consistently and going potty in the toilet, and got a trendy new summer cut. All of this and he continues to be a big helper and sweet big brother. Yes, there are times when he it is clear he wants to rip a baby's head off for trying to take his toy, but he shows great self-control and we are so proud of him.

Outside watching daddy mow the grass. Let's hope he's still this interested when he's of lawn-mowing age.

I struggle daily with setting boundaries and establishing discipline for Alexander while making sure he gets a lot of love amidst the chaos at home. I have learned to praise him a lot when he has earned it and hug him a lot when he is struggling with how to express himself.

The triplets are so amazing. They are all crawling like crazy and pulling up on furniture at every opportunity. But each of them are special in different ways.

Benjamin is our biggest boy, the least agile but actually quite a quick crawler especially when he's in "chase me" mode. His biting has cut down, probably because we catch him and he responds to "No!" He chows down at dinner time, so much so that I am looking for where his food could possibly have gone. Benjamin is such a sweet boy and probably the most playful with Alexander.

Benjamin!

Theodore is still the most sensitive and needs lots of hugs, but he is also most prone to be playing in the corner by himself for extended periods of time. He has the best fine motor skills but is probably the most clumsy with gross motor skills like cruising and crawling. He is most sure to brighten your spirit with a smile and his fro anyday.

Theodore 

Did I mention Theo is the messiest eater??

Winston has been labeled the "alpha" because he is the toughest and acts as the leader, but he has lately also relished in lots in cuddles and kisses from momma. He is undeterred when Alexander scolds him from encroaching on his property because Winston is very focused and doesn't back down easily.

Winston

All four boys need cuddle time and I basically rotate them on my lap during play time. Someone always needs to calm down, needs some extra loving or comfort, and I am happy to provide it. They all respond to light-hearted fun and jokes. Remarkably they seem to be learning how to share. Alexander is learning how to "trade" toys that he wants for other ones to keep the babies pacified.

I am very proud of my boys and our new home. Come visit if you can!!