This is a fun age.  Sure, it can be a little annoying to break up the kids fights but overall, I think life with triplets is getting better and better.  After 2 years of loading and unloading my 3 kids into their carseats (that’s 6 lifts in/out, 6 buckle wrestling matches and an aching back); my children can now climb in and out of their own seats, work out who’s going to sit where on their own, and can even start buckling themselves in.  I’ll exchange a dozen “no’s” for the new ease of running errands any day!  If climbing in and out of their carseats and kitchen boosters isn’t enough, get this.  Sometimes Marcus (the only triplet in a toddler bed) now gets up in the mornings, opens his bedroom door and will come downstairs and start playing all by himself….while I’m still sleeping!  Over the past few months I have not only been blessed with my children moving their wake-up time from 6AM to 7 AM but this new independence is astounding!  The other morning while I was teaching my 6 AM bootcamp, Marcus walked into our bedroom, saw that only daddy was in the bed and actually went back into his room, shut the door and climbed back into his bed.  Who is this child?

The most amazing happening to date…. yesterday I took the kids to the pool by myself (which I’ve been doing all summer) and I actually had the opportunity to lay-out on my beach blanket beside the baby pool while my children played with each other for 20 minutes!  Honestly, is this really my life?  The past two years have been so challenging and surreal that the normalcy of my current life is breathtaking.  Lately, my children have been angelic.  They play together, they are very loving, they sleep consistently and they listen.

A few people have asked about my disciplinary style.  Honestly, I don’t really have one yet.  I suppose I mimic the “style” used in daycare/preschool settings.  I give tons of positive feedback, try not to put them in situations where they could misbehave (they have very few things that are “off-limits” in the house and I rarely take them to places where children’s normal behavior could be seen as “bad”), and I RARELY use time-outs or “No’s”.  I mostly do TONS of redirecting and keep a pretty laid back demeanor.  Rather than saying “Marcus, do not hit Mia with that golf club”, I say “Ouch, that hurts Mia, let’s hit the balls with the golf clubs.”  Honestly, I think I was just blessed with really well-behaved toddlers, two of which are girls.  I would say my infants were REALLY difficult and this is my payback. They took forever to sleep through the night, were extremely fussy and needy.  They would never have just fallen asleep in their carseat or played by themselves on a blanket.  And I couldn’t take them anywhere…they would just cry the entire time.   Now, we stay pretty busy.  I usually take the kids on outings to the mall, the grocery store, gymnastic class, the museum, or the pool, every day.  Once the atrocious 3’s come around, I may be dealing with very different children so take everything I say with a grain of salt.  I however, am savoring my toddler triplets.  They are a blast!

Ok, maybe running through the fountains at the mall isn’t great behavior.  But, no one was around and it looked so fun!

Even though life has been much smoother lately, I still need a break!  Last week Max and I took a lovely vacation to Vegas with my sister and brother-in-law.  It was just the right amount of relaxation plus excitement!  Big thanks to the grandparents for watching the kids for us!  And, a HUGE thanks to the Gravitt’s for letting us stay at their awesome condo at the MGM signature.  I highly recommend this hotel!

I love summer.  I love the sweltering heat.  I love the feeling of walking from an over air-conditioned building or house to warmth and sunshine.  I love vacations, usually to the beach.  I love the pool.  I love not having to wrestle with socks and jackets.  I love the simplicity of walking out the door and getting the mail with no shoes.  I love sundresses.  I even love the thermostat battles with my husband; I’m comfortable at 80, he likes a chilly 70 (I know these things are programable but I  don’t have the energy to tackle the user manual).  This summer has been especially hot, leaving people longing for fall a month early.  Not me.  I enjoy the sauna!

This past week, I did something I never imagined possible last year.  But now that my kids are two,  life has become more manageable…at least for the time being.  After teaching my 6 AM bootcamp on Wednesday morning, I came home, packed for the beach, loaded the car and the kids and we set off for a whirlwind.  We met my sister and her family and the Grandparent Pietrons at the water park in Greensboro.  Josie was by far the most brave, eagerly flinging herself down the kiddie slides only to run back around the “on” ramp to repeat the adventure over and over again.  Marcus apprehensively gave the slides a shot while Mia decided to pass altogether, opting to float in the pools instead.  After about two hours, the kids were exhausted.  We dressed and got back into the car for a 3.5 hour drive to the beach. People think I’m brave for tackling long drives by myself with three 2-year-olds, but honestly, I find driving long distances relaxing.  The kids sleep for half the time and watch videos for the rest of the trip.  Meanwhile, I sit back and listento a book on tape.  It’s actually a pretty peaceful three hours.

GaGa and Pop-Pop Gravitt took all 4 of Max’s sister’s kids to the beach for  a week while Max’s sister and husband vacationed in the Caribbean.  How fabulous (and brave) is that?  To top off the craziness, the triplets and I crashed their party for a few days.  A few years ago, prior to the triplets, I would have found it slightly appalling to take a trip to the beach with 7 children age 10 and under.  But life make you grow; I’ve expanded my horizons.  Spending time with so many children was actually lots of fun.   All the kids had a blast at the beach and the bigger kids found the triplets entertaining.  Mia (big surprise being the social butterfly of the group) took to Alex and Rachel right away.  She happily became their little puppy for the weekend.

Rachel, Alex, Zach, Matthew and Mia

Josie, Marcus and I

Josie

Mia and Marcus

Josie

Indeed, we have had some fabulous family trips this spring and summer.  A trip to the mountains, three trips to the beach, a trip to the waterpark and we probably have a few more trips up our sleeves.  In fact, in a few weeks, Max and I are off to Vegas.  No kids!  I can taste that pina-calada already!

Like I said, I love pictures that capture real genuine moments.  It doesn’t get much better than this:

No words needed.  Have a happy 4th!

Although the kids 2nd birthday wasn’t as momentous as their 1st, we still threw a small celebration with friends and family this past Sunday.  There is something really fantastic when multiples turn 2…it’s beyond words but the other multiple moms out there understand.  I have to admit, I’m counting my blessings.  There have been numerous “issues” I have not had to deal with but I’ve seen come through my multiples forum…none of my children have tried to escape their cribs, we have had no poop smeared on walls, they do not bite each other and besides the RSV with Josie, we haven’t had any emergency room trips.  I’m knocking really hard on wood right now!

Tuesday was the triplets 2 year check-up.  I must say, I’m pretty proud of my little guys.  Taking 3, 2-year olds to the doctor could have been complete choas but the kids did great eagerly waiting their turn for the doctor’s full attention.  My children and I absolutely adore our pediatrician.  My sister recommended him and I think he is fantastic (and it is not just because he is a huge UNC fan).  Truth be told, he doesn’t dote on the kids or spend time being silly with them.  But for some reason, my kids are completely at ease with him.  We also have the same stance on about everything, which is pretty laid back and mainstream (yes I vaccinate, my kids started on Motrin the day they turned 6 months old, I’m waiting to potty-train until my kids ask me, I don’t worry if my kids don’t eat enough veggies, etc.).  Anyway, here are their 2-year stats:

Jocelyn - 25.6 pounds (35%), 33 in (30%)

Amelia - 24 pounds (20%), 34 in (50%)

Marcus - 25.2 pounds (25%), 33 in (25%)

Amelia appears to take after the Gravitt side of the family in several ways, including her height. She just keeps getting taller… She also already has 3 of her 2-year molars!  Mia is almost done teething!  We have a few things to work on like cutting back on milk consumption with Josie (she drinks 30+ ounces a day) and potty-training at some point (not anytime soon though) but overall, we got an A+ visit.

On Tuesday afternoon, we took the kids to their first professional photo shoot.  I wasn’t impressed.  I’ve always been a huge fan of capturing the kids in their natural environment by taking them outside for photo sessions and letting them go.  When the kids were infants, a photographer came to the house which worked ok.  I just never have been a fan of the “posed” pictures.  And indeed, it was a very “artificial” experience.  While my kids ran through the studio, climbing on props and digging through bins of seashells, blocks and balls, we frantically chased them around and tried to get all three of them to stay still on the stark white set for long enough to snap a picture or two.  The only time we could get at least two of the three to glance up at the camera was when the photographer let out a loud yelp, which resembled a dying animal.  It was weird, chaotic and unnatural.   But, we did manage to get a few photos of the kids in one place.  I think in the future though, I’ll stick to the outdoor photo shoots.  Here are some pictures from their party and a few short videos.

Marcus attacks his cupcake:

Opening presents:

As my kids approach two, I let out a huge sigh.  The first two years with multiples are the hardest I hear.  So far, I whole-heartedly agree.  I know the terrible two’s and atrocious three’s are still to come but an era has obviously passed.  The dozens of bottles lined up on the counter are a distant memory.  Late night feedings seemed like eons ago and the oodles of attention we attract whenever we go anywhere is thankfully sizzling out.  In other words, life seems so much more normal now than it did this time last year.   I have the time and the mental stamina to really enjoy the present.  And lately, I’ve captured some beautiful “everyday” moments to share.

Max is working summer hours so he is able to take off some Friday afternoons.  We reserve these as our “family time” and either go the mall, our favorite Mexican restaurant, or stroll around downtown.  Here we are strolling at the mall.

The kids love the mall.  We often go before it opens during the week.

Stopping in at the local fire station

Spending time at Lake Crabtree for Father’s Day

Around the house…

Taking our strollers on a walk

Last Saturday I sat in my bikini with a beer in one hand, my sunglasses on and my feet dangling in the water.  Besides the awful beer choice (I tried Budweiser’s Select 55 cal..in the future I’ll pass on the ice-cream and stick to my full calorie wheat beer), the evening was glorious.  Just me, the pool, my husband and…..THE KIDS!   I know, after my last post your probably surprised.  Well, there is one place on earth; although it feels like heaven to me, that I can actually kick my feet back and carry on a conversation with my kids around.  Thank you God for concrete holes in the ground!

I love the pool.  I always have.  Luckily, my kids are just as enchanted.  I hate to admit I moved to our current house because of the pool but it is true.  The baby pool is gated and spacious.  The “big” pool is massive for neighborhood pool standards, has a swim-team and is guarded.  The shallow end of the big pool has a step expanding the entire side of the pool, and entertains my children for hours.

As of now, I can take my kids to the pool by myself and they do great. They stay right by my side and do not wander the pool deck.  We go about 3-4x/week.   I believe in letting kids learn how the water works through experience.  The first few times to the pool, they went under several times and drank a good amount of water.  Now, they go under occasionally but usually are able to get themselves back up quickly.  I don’t use any sort of flotes b/c I want them to learn to swim appropriately.   I’m a swimmer and a former swim-coach so I’m saving tons of money and teaching my kids how to swim myself.  So far, Mia is really close.  Marcus and Josie aren’t too far behind.

Our trips to the pool keep my sane.  All hell can break lose at home but as soon as we pull up to the pool, all is right with the world.  The kids look so cute in their bathing suits, they are deceivingly angelic and we all have a blast for a few peaceful hours.  Plus, almost every time I go someone tells me how amazed they are with how well my kids listen.  The pool is so much cheaper than therapy, has less side effects than anti-depressants and works just as well!

Now, I know some people aren’t fond of drinking on playdates.  They’d probably be appaled to read this post…drinking, swimming and no life-jackets!!  I assure you, I’ve never had more than a beer or two, my kids are always within reach and if one goes under, the beer is sacrificed.  Luckily, the plastic cups float.

Here are a few pics from a recent trip.  I think these pics capture their personalities well.

Waiting on their kick-boards before I let them in.

Josie showing her usual sweet side.

Mia has a very colorful temperament.  You never know what you’ll get.

What a surprise, Marcus wants the toys his next door neighbor and cousin have!

Two posts in two weeks!  I must have free time on my hands!  Of course I don’t.  I do miss blogging though and am trying to get back into it.

I think I started this blog post 5 times over the past few months.  Truth be told, I have been having a hard time keeping up with this blog lately.  And it’s not just a time issue, it is a life issue.  All the posts I wrote were overwhelming.  They talked about how crazy my life was with three toddlers and no matter how tame I tried to keep them, I ended up sounding like I was complaining about being a mom to triplets.   I couldn’t publish them.  Truth be told, I’ve been struggling through this toddler stage.  Truth be told, it is HARD work raising a single toddler, let alone three.  I know…I hear this ALL THE TIME from EVERYONE I run into.  Truth be told, they are all right, it is DAMN HARD but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.  I am so lucky to have been blessed with the angels that are my children yet sometimes I can’t help but wonder…

What would it be like to have only one child?  There are moments, like Mother’s Day, where all three of my children were clinging to me in desperation and just wouldn’t give me a moment to sit and eat, that I envied the mom at the table next to me, whose single toddler was sitting through a peaceful lunch.  The mom had the time to take in the precious moment and marvel at her creation.  I rarely have those moments, and I think I deserve them.

Sometimes I stop reading blog posts of some moms of singletons because I just can’t relate.  Yes, I’m sure it is frustrating when your toddler turns sour and has to cut your party short.  But, imagine three toddlers turning sour and having to cut the one conversation of the week you try to strike up with another mother and her toddler, completely off.  Forget parties, a simple conversation with a beginning and an end would be nice.

It is fabulous that I have help sometimes with my children.  But, sometimes I think it would be even more fabulous if I didn’t need it.  A nice vacation with just the hubby, me and our children is probably a few years away.  A trip to Europe, I can’t even fathom it although it sure would be glorious.

I know I’m lucky to have the family I do.  There are other mother’s out there who deserve trophies much larger than mine for struggling through the obstacles that come with special needs children or the pain of having loved and lost.

But, at the same time, I will admit defeat.  I am sometimes resentful that I was handed such a crazy/difficult “motherhood”.  Our family won’t be hopping on a plane to vacation in the Caribbean.  Simply spending the afternoon at the pool requires enough planning, prep and drama.

Perhaps I would find it boring to be a mom to singletons.  I was obviously meant to have these three children and most likely, if I didn’t have them all at once, Amelia might be an only child.

So sometimes I do resent other moms.  But, sometimes I also am exceedingly proud to be the mom I am.  I admittedly suppressed a chuckle today as I heard a group of mom’s whisper “OH MY GOD, she just told those ADORABLE triplets to sit on their bottoms and wait, and they did it.  Does anyone have a camera?  My one toddler would never listen to me like that.”  My children are amazing.  The diligent work I’ve put into maintaining order and a routine has payed off.  Overall my kids listen well and stay out of trouble.  But they are toddlers…and the whining and fighting x 3 is downright exhausting at times.

I definitely have a different sort-of life than many moms.  It is a common topic between  moms of high order multiples, sometimes we mourn the loss of a normal pregnancy and infant toddler mothering.  But, the rewards are also unlike anything a singleton mother will experience.  My children have an incredible bond that is obvious in their daily interaction.  They are also miracles that very few people are given a shot at.

As my children approach two, I don’t often wonder “where has the time gone” like many moms do.  The past two years have felt like two years…at least.  But truth be told, I am very happy to have had 3 children in one go.  My dream career is starting to blossom and I will be able to focus on it more and more over the years.  And, my children will not be toddlers forever.  Every stage will have its own challenges but from everything I’ve heard, being a “triplet” mom eventually turns into just being a mom in another few years.

Until then, I’m relishing the ups and trying to brush off the downs.  Being a mom is tough, but admittedly some of us have it tougher than others.  I think the key is taking the time to see the big picture.  And my big picture is pretty darn fabulous!

Well, I’ve done it.  I’ve become a sporadic blogger.  And I expect it will continue for quite some time.   Honestly, I simply don’t have the time to blog regularly anymore.  I miss it though so I’ll try to update at least a few times/month.

I’m working part-time now and LOVING IT!  I’m teaching some online certification classes, doing a touch of personal training and teaching fitness bootcamps several times/week.  It is fabulous, flexible and fun.  I have to say, working again has been amazing for me. I didn’t want to work when my kids were infants but now it just feels right.   I love my children and am proud of my family but I always wanted a career other than being a mom. I guess I’ve always been selfish like that.  Staying at home full time with my kids was the hardest thing I’ve ever done (besides being pregnant with them).  I think some people are cut out for it but I’ve found it a real struggle.  Grammy and Max watch the kids (the BEST mommy alternative by far)  while I work.  And now, coming home to them is the best thing ever.  It is tough to squeeze it all in and switch gears but I enjoy the bustle of life and I enjoy the time I have with them SO much more since I started working again.  Honestly, I would love to go back full time but paying for daycare with 3 kids…ouch!  So, to all you stay at home moms out there… kudos!  BIG KUDOS!  I have the utmost respect for you!

The kids are doing fantastic.  They spend a majority of their time at home fighting over very specific toys but when we are out and about, they are great.  Most days, we can knock out a shopping trip to Target without a big fuss.  I recently braved having lunch with a friend and her baby at the Science Museum all by myself with the three kids. Oh and I forgot the stroller that day.  They actually did really well on their backpack leashes despite a few odd looks.

Josie is starting to talk in 2-3 word sentences.  She like to tell me “Marcus babies no-no” when Marcus takes here stuffed animals or does something else he shouldn’t.   Mia and Marcus also have lots to say.  Things are pretty noisy around our house.  They are learning “please”, “thank-you” and their colors right now.  And of course our brainiac Mia recently learned to count to 5.  So cute!

We are super excited about the pool opening.  We already pulled out the splash pool from last year.  It is crazy comparing the pictures from last year to this year.  The kids still enjoy it.

Be sure to check back in another month.  Maybe I’ll come up with a good story or two for you!

It has been way too long since I’ve updated the blog.   Work has been picking up so Max and Grammy have been watching the kids more.  When I’m with the kids, I feel like we’ve been doing a lot of running around.  Oh, and my kids are approaching two which I guess means they need me ALL THE TIME!  The only reason I’m sitting down and writing at this moment is because the kids spent the night at Grammy’s last night.  So let’s talk about it…

“Things don’t necessarily get harder or easier with triplets, they are just different”.  Once again, the ladies from the triplet connection, my sanity forum, were correct.  Although, I think things got dramatically easier from around 12-18 months.  So much so that I went around telling people my life was probably easier than people who had 3 kids of different ages.  I’m eating my words!  The past few months have really picked up.  Things have gotten challenging again and lately I’ve once again found myself taking lots of deep breaths and counting to ten.  Mostly it is the fighting.  If I thought we had to have 3 of everything before, I was wrong.  Now we really do have to have 3 of everything.  And I’m talking 3 of the EXACT SAME everything because if Josie has the purple duck, noone else wants the blue duck.  Never again will I make the mistake of forgetting to run the dishwasher when we were short on our cups.  The day I pulled out the one “Go Diego Go” cup and handed it to Marcus was the day I threw that cup in the trash.  A travesty unfolded before me.  Did I mention the temper-tantrums?  Well, Mia can throw back some amazing ones and Josie is picking up on it.  ”No!  AHHH!  No!”

So yes, things have become a bit “different”.  But, there are so many positive changes too.  For example, Marcus is starting to finally talk.  When little words escape his mouth, it is darling.  When Mia walks around the house shrugging her shoulders and repeatedly asking “Jo-Jo?  Jo-Jo?” my heart melts.  And when Josie was laying in bed with us the other morning and repeated “dada’s girl” to Max, he almost started crying.  Another favorite of mine…thinking I could move my kids to toddler beds at the age of 21 months.  9 PM - The girls are both in Mia’s bed with every single book from the bookcase, jumping up and down.  10 PM - Mia and Josie are in the middle of the floor with every stuffed animal pulled down playing “kitty”.  10:30 PM - the girl’s cribs are reconstructed and they finally go to sleep.  Oh, and sweet Marcus on the other hand has taken to his toddler bed just fine.  In fact, you wouldn’t even know he is in a toddler bed since he stands up in bed every morning and calls “mama” as soon as he wakes up.  He could just get down from his bed, walk out of his room and walk into ours but he opts to stay in bed and call for his “mama” instead.   I could go on and on about the darlingness of this age.  Let’s just say people aren’t kidding when they talk about the rewards only getting better.   Truth is,  the whining and temper-tantrums are actually worth it.

So here are a few pictures to share from Easter.  We had lots of family come to visit and a small neighborhood egg hunt.  It was a fantastic day!

These two pictures are from “Pop-Pop”.  He caught my girl’s being movie stars.  I have to say, Mia has always had the movie star/diva potential.

Josie

Mia

Dada and his babies

Josie and cousin Nathan

Here are a few of our “staged” pictures that we took at a local garden before Easter

We are entering the whirlwind of spring and summer.  Max and I took another last minute weekend away to Charleston, SC last weekend before things get really busy.  Grammy and Grandpa watched the kids for us again.  I don’t say this enough but we are really lucky to have them around.   I’m never nervous leaving the kids because I know they are in the best of hands.  I cannot stress how wonderful and important it is to continue to have fun with just you and your spouse after children…especially after multiple children.  When we take these weekends away, I do miss my babies but I relish my freedom.  For example, I get to eat sitting down, I can workout whenever I want, and I can drink a cup of coffee without Sesame Street on in the background.  Most importantly, no one demands anything of me and that feels pretty spectacular.  So after a weekend of delicious food, beautiful scenery, relaxing drinks, running without strollers, and trip to the spa; it is back to reality…sick kids included.

It is really astounding how often my kids are sick.  This past year their noses have been runny more days than not.  I think if I wasn’t self-employed, I’d have to leave my job.  You would think we have no hygiene whatsoever in this house…oh wait. Seriously, we do wash hands and we even use hand sanitizer from time to time.  Doc, you better be right, my kids better miss far fewer days in kindergarten than the average Joe!

Other than the hacking coughs and constant whining that come along with feeling crappy, the kids have been doing well.  We spend most of our days outdoors.  The kids love to inspect the yard for any new flowers that might pop up.  Since Max and I know nothing about plants, their seem to be fewer and fewer flowers to hunt down every year.  We do have several rose bushes that somehow continue to thrive and the kids love to point out the “thorns” that are “ouch”.  Marcus also loves to point out the same hole in the tree several times a day.  Silly kids.  My favorite phrases to hear right now are “oh no” and the very dramatic “wow”.   We heard a big “wow” the other day when Mia fell 6 ft. from the top of our swingset.  She was ok.

Here are a few a fun videos of the girls showing off the letters and the kids playing outside.

We’re going to attempt Spring pictures tomorrow.   Keep you eyes out for some sappy sweetness!