Messy Faces

I just have to keep telling myself it's not right to prohibit my children from eating something just because they get soooooo messy eating it. Raviolis + Triplets = 30min clean up time

Dance Party Revolution 2011

Laughing and Dancing to the 80's (Video)

Yeah, he's pretty bad ass (Thomas' alter ego)

Anyone out there have or know of someone who has dark hazel eyes like this? I've seriously never seen eyes like these!

I've resolved in my mind that it's not getting easier, it's just different! Sure I don't have the physical exhaustion I once had due to lack of sleep but there's a whole lot of mental anguish and frustration. I'm out numbered by two! Six opposable thumbs, 24 fingers, and six little legs can do a lot of damage! Just as I'm through reprimanding one for being naughty the other two join in on the bad act. Time outs only work to distract them from what they are doing but it's no guarantee that they won't do it again. Oh yes and Eli has started hitting his brothers, they learn very fast from each other so the others are sure to follow suite. 

Thankfully the boys have always been very patient and aside from trying a few times when they were little I never found it necessary to double or tandem nurse the boys. It always felt awkward but probably because I just never perfected the art of double nursing. Lately though, first thing in the morning everyone is SUPER cranky, that is until they nurse. So I've seen no other way than to nurse two boys at once and hope the third boy can be soothed by dad for a few minutes while his brothers finish up. I have yet to feel very comfortable doing it but at least I don't have to hear screaming first thing in the morning : )

On the happier side of things starting at 14 months I revised our routine and it has gone very well. The boys always adjust so well to changes. Basically I just dropped one milk feeding but it feels way less hecktic than before. Every one nurses an equal amount of times and everyone gets one bottle of milk each day, everything is even steven now. I feel less guilty about forgetting who had more bottles and less time nursing yesterday. Here's how our days go now and probably for many months to come: 

6:30am wake and Milk feeding #1 (everyone nurses, no bottles)

7:30am Breakfast

10am Snack #1 

10:30am Milk feeding #2 (Two nurse one bottle), followed by nap time

12:45pm Snack #2 for whoever wakes up early and while we wait for everyone else to wake up from nap

1:30pm Lunch

2:30pm Milk feeding #3 (Two nurse, one bottle)

4:30 Snack #3 (3-5pm is our window of opportunity, when we 'do stuff')

5:30pm Dinner

7pm Milk feeding #4 (Two nurse one bottle), followed by bed time

During our window of opportunity: Mondays we stay home and just play or we take a walk weather permitting. Tuesday we go to the playhouse. Wednesday we stay home and just play or take a walk(this is our meeting night so the boys get out of the house at least once). Thursday we do errands if needed. Fridays the boys get a bath. 

I also forgot to mention that at 13 months I had to get tough with Eli. He was still waking up in the middle of the night to nurse once. It still was not bothering me until I read somewhere that kids that don't sleep through the night have more temper tantrums. So at some point it is beneficial and healthy for kids (and adults) to sleep uninterrupted through the night. Eli had not had any temper tantrums but I figured it's best to nip this one in the butt early on before there is a problem. With the threat of SIDS out of the way now I just stopped picking him up, he'd cry for about 5-10 minutes and then fall asleep again. He stopped waking after about 4 days. So we're done with that but I do miss snuggling him at night, oh well it's for his own good. 

Well dad is home for a whole week and one day due to mandatory PTO use. The boy's aunt Janet arrives tomorrow and uncle Chance the following day so we are looking forward to some fun times : )

Bunny Eli

Here is a video of Bunny Eli giving himself kisses in the mirror