Cute Kids

A toddler shower?

So, I guess technically I did have a baby shower. It just didn't really feel like it with the lack of guests. I know there were a lot of factors at play, but I still sometimes get these really bad feelings about it, despite my boys being 2 now.
My sister really tried to plan and pull together a nice shower for me. She was living in Arizona at the time. Still being fairly new to Nebraska, I didn't know too many people here, so other than my husband's family friends, and our families, the people I wanted there lived in far away places. The only people who were at my shower were my grandmother, my mom, my sister, my uncle's ex-wife and her daughter (who arrived very late and didn't stay long at all).
I'm not trying to throw a pity party here or anything. I just still get hurt feelings when I think about it. This was my first pregnancy, and I was having triplets. It just really hurt that it didn't seem to matter to anyone.
I was, and still am, very grateful to my sister for flying in from Arizona to throw me a shower. I was also very grateful to Kara Palmer for sending so many of her son's hand-me-downs. To this day, I still haven't met Kara in person. It was very touching that someone who I've never even met was so helpful and giving.
I know it was hard for my sister to plan my shower on a day that would allow for people to be able to make it, and she ended up having it the day after Thanksgiving. But I'm still so hurt that people who were local couldn't even manage to make it to my shower. And I don't mean to slight the few that were there. I'm glad that my grandma, mom and sister thought having triplets in the family was of more importance that Black Friday shopping. My grandma didn't mind making the drive.
So now that I have a few good friends in the area, and I think I have a better with some of the other people who didn't come to my first shower, would it be selfish or ridiculous to throw a toddler shower? Instead of diapers, bottles, baby moniters, etc. can I ask for big boy underwear, potty training supplies, cups, plates, toddler-friendly cutlery, and things of that nature?

Kitchen Help

We have a very small kitchen, so to avoid accidents and messes, we don't allow the boys in the kitchen except going to and from the bathroom. We have a little gate up to keep them out. So this morning I was feeling adventurous, and decided to let the boys help me make us all elephant ears. The boys were so happy to be in the kitchen and get to explore, I got no help with the baking. Ethan managed to kind of get into the dishwasher, the boys pulled all the canned foods and pastas off the shelves we have in there, they pulled magnets off the fridge, brought in their toys, got into the spices, and basically destroyed my previously spotless kitchen. They had fun, and the messes cleaned up easily enough. But with all the chaos going on around me, it's safe to say the elephant ears didn't turn out so great. We'll still eat them, but I think from now on, I'll let them help with the no bake stuff in the dining area and wait until they are older and the novelty of being in the kitchen wears off before letting them "help" me again.

How blogging is like middle school...

In middle school we all feel a little awkward, don't we? I mean, we're all moving on from elementary school and things are different. We're growing up, and finding our clique. I feel awkward as a blogger. I want people to read my blog, I want people to think I'm interesting, but I feel kind of invisible in the blogosphere.

I thought being a mommy of triplets would give me an edge when it came to blogging. I also thought I could find other moms of multiples who blog and feel less alone in the parenting world. Don't get me wrong, I have mommy friends, and they are wonderful, but sometimes I wonder if some of the issues we've had with the boys are unique just to us, or are common among multiples.

I try to network. Follow blogs, follow fellow bloggers on Twitter and facebook, leave comments, get word of my blog out there. Am I missing something? Do I need some sort of gimmick like giveaways and prizes? I feel like I still know so little about blogging. But I just don't feel like I'm generating much traffic. So I am asking those of you who do read my blog, how can I improve? What would you like to read about, or what would make my blog better?

Now, on to mommy stuff....
The only way we can get the boys to do any sleeping is by having no furniture in their room. I feel terrible about that, but it's what keeps them from injuring themselves so much. They figured out a very long time ago how to flip out of their cribs, so we upgraded to toddler beds, which they did great with for awhile, but then they figured out the toddler beds aren't very heavy, so they started flipping them on each other and pinning each other under them, so we took the beds out, and set up pack-n-plays which they figured out how to halfway disassemble, and they were flipping them and getting tangled up in them, so now they have mattresses on the floor. At least they can't really cause too much bodily harm that way, right? I wish we had the room that we could put them each in a room of their own.
We bought the boys water guns last week. They love them. I was a little surprised that they needed no lessons in how to use them, so I'm not really sure where they learned how to use a trigger, and how to aim. They have really good aim. Their daddy told them to get me, and next thing I know I'm getting hit with a stream of water right between the eyes.
Daddy also taught them how to shoot my elastic headbands. 100% boy stuff. I love it though.
You would think I would have learned by now to not underestimate how smart my kids are. They are always surprising me though.

Musings of a maiasaura.

First, just in case I'm not the last person to learn what a maiasaura is, let me tell you. A maiasaura was a dinosaur. The word actually means "good mother lizard." So, a maiasaura was a dinosaur thought to be a good mom.

Now, I have plenty of less than picture perfect moments as a mom, but I still consider myself a good mom. Take this very second of time into consideration. I am typing this with a two year old on my lap. He's playing with the mouse, messing with the keyboard, and being a general two year old. But he's happy. So what if it's slowing me down or making me have to proof read several hundred times while I still type.

Last night my husband and I were making cookies together, the boys were actually in bed and asleep at a reasonable hour, and the house was reasonably clean. The thought occurred to me, "Wow! We've got this parent thing about figured out." I told me husband my thought, and he quickly reminded me that we still have a lot to learn. And he's right.

This morning we were watching Dinosaur Train on PBS, and they were learning about maiasauras. And I could relate myself to this dinosaur, as I'm sure most moms could. And I was thinking about something I read recently about moms having to know about dinosaurs because one day they will have to answer their kids' questions about what their favorite dinosaurs were and why. And even though I don't know much about maiasauras yet, that will be my answer. I like them because they were known for being mommies. Keeping their little hatchlings close to the nest and safe.

We all know that being a mom means more than just keeping our little ones close to home and safe. But I still feel like a fairly kick ass mom on most days, I'm raising triplet boys and somehow I've maintained some shreds of sanity, and I have a happy, healthy family. Some days I don't know what I'm doing, but we manage. We all go to bed every night with full tummies and smiles.

This calls for oreos and a bottle of wine.

What a week.

I have been stressed beyond belief this week. Mainly due to the fact that my children really seem to be trying to kill each other. They don't even seem to fight, they just flip beds on each other, throw things at each other's heads. And really? It's only Wednesday?

I love my boys. I'm sure one day we'll all laugh about this stage of their childhood. But until then, I feel like I've been locked away in some sort of asylum. Constant loud noises. Fighting with every inch of their being to never sleep again.

I must mask it well. Somehow I've managed to keep the house clean since Saturday. That's a record. I've managed to cook real dinners every night this week, except Monday. Monday was manic, I forgot about having to thaw chicken for dinner until 5 PM.

The moments when I don't have someone whining in my face are lovely, but the few instants when they've let me get down on the floor and tickle them until they can't stand it anymore have been what's gotten me this far in the week.

I understand they are kids. Kids come equipped with a supply of energy that lasts until they have kids of their own. We had plans of going to the park today, but they fought naps for too long, and by the time naps were over, I was too tired to get them to the park. I want to buy them a swing set. One with a big slide, they love slides. That way they can have their own personal park in their own backyard.

Have I mentioned that our stroller doesn't turn anymore? The front wheels for whatever reason won't turn. So taking them on walks or walking to the park is that much more tedious. When we have corners to go around, I have to lift the back of the stroller and pivot it around. Not really an issue, just a little extra work, no big deal. But I already get the "What a freak" looks when I take them on walks, so when I'm doing the stroller pivot, oh yeah, I'm the freak of the town. I know I shouldn't complain, I mean, at least I have every physical capability of taking them for walks.

The twos are wearing me out. So many things to love about this age, but I feel like I would be able to enjoy them so much more if I weren't absolutely exhausted everyday. I wake up exhausted.

They amaze me, though. They are strong, they are tough, they are smart and really, they are good boys. They have been sharing so well lately. And they help me out too. This morning, after pouring and smashing their cereal into the floor, they helped me vacuum it all up. When they do something naughty, they really do try to make it right. I'm so grateful for that.

But tonight, I really just needed to vent while sipping wine from the bottle and munching on oreos. I feel much better now.

Why begrudge your blessing?

I am a mother of triplet boys, so I completely understand that being a mommy is not always a big sunshiny, happy, sunflowers and rainbows moment, I also know that pregnancy isn't always fun either. Lately I've been getting really annoyed at how much mothers complain about being a mom. Having kids is a blessing.

At an early age I was told that I would never be able to get pregnant or have kids. I always said that if I couldn't have kids of my own, I would adopt. It never made sense to me why so many people who genuinely wanted kids couldn't have their own, and how many women had kids, but seemed to hate them.

Obviously, the doctors who determined that I would be infertile were wrong, seeing as I have 3 little boys who started their little lives in my tummy. Still, it really irritates me when people make such negative comments about becoming parents. If you really didn't want to be a parent, don't have sex. If you must have sex, make sure you take the every precaution to not conceive if you aren't ready to grow up and be the parent that every child deserves!
Again, I realize that pregnancy and parenting aren't always super fun, but it is preventable.

I went through an unusual pregnancy, in that, I was growing 3 babies at once. My body is basically ruined, I was uncomfortable, moody, hormonal and down right bitchy to my poor husband. As a mother, I get stressed out, worn out, emotional, and down right bitchy when I just can't take the feeling of everything and everyone depending on me for everything. Do I wish I didn't have my family? No! Sometimes I wonder how things would be different or easier if I had ended up having my boys one at a time, but my wondering always ends with this: Had my boys been born separately, they wouldn't be who they are. I wouldn't trade them for anything.

I don't feel like a victim because I am a mommy. And I hate when people talk about how miserable their children make them, or how their pregnancies have messed up their lives. Children are gifts. They are intended to teach us patience, kindness, love, and understanding on a whole other level. They learn everything from us, so what are people who have such hateful attitudes about being parents teaching them?

I was unmarried when I got pregnant. My kids' father and I were, and still are, very much in love. We did get married, a little sooner than we thought we would. But I'm grateful to have happy, healthy boys. They push my buttons and make me crazy, but I love them for that. They make me human. They make me know that it's ok to not be perfect, they'll love me anyway. And I love them.

I don't really know the point of all this, except that it really annoys me when I hear people act like having kids is the end of the world. In my opinion, having kids is just the beginning of the best world.