Long Time, No Sea!

I'm Baaack!  It's been a while since I've written.  School ended in June and our family's been spending an aweful lot of time together.  Some days I love it, some days I hate it.   Depends on how much fighting is going on.

Many times I plan to blog, but never get to it.  However, I witnessed something at the beach today that I had to get off my, pardon the pun, chest.

Today my husband and I took our kids to the beach for the day.  We packed a lunch and spent a perfect summer day on the beach, kids playing in the sand and surf.

At the end of the day, while Dad and our oldest packed the truck to leave, I headed to the outdoor public shower with our daughter and the triplets to wash the sand off of them.  As the boys started showering (fully clothed), we all couldn't help but notice a man of about 60 holding the water on for his wife, not much younger.  She had her bathing suit top down and was washing her boobs for quite a bit of time for all to see.

I was horrified, stared her husband down, and said "this ISN'T the nude beach".   He stared at me like he had no idea what I was saying while she giggled.  One of the boys said, "What did I just see?"  I tried to nonchalantly herd the boys to a shower with an obstructed view while I told them to mind their business.  My poor daughter looked on as horrified as I was!

WTF?!  I'm not exactly a prude, but I don't walk around bare-breasted in front of my 8 year old boys and certainly don't want THAT memory to stick in their heads. 

Fortunately, by the time we got back to the truck, they seemed to have forgotten about it and were on to asking what was for dinner.  Thankfully, they worked up an appetite at the beach!

Let's Pretend We're the U.N.

So tonight at dinner, while my kids are fighting (big surprise) and my food is stuck in my throat, I ask them once again, why are they so mean to each other?  Sister says, "it's how siblings bond".  Tonight they are "bonding" over french fries.  The triplet who only eats white food fills his plate with them because he's not going to eat the burgers I made and this makes everybody else protest. 

My 15 year old has an idea.  "Let's pretend we're the U.N. and we're each a country".  I like this game.  I tell him he's "Turkey" because that's the only meat he eats.  My only girl is "Italy" and she likes that because she's our Italian Princess.  The little guys are "Hungary" (little man, big appetite), "Iran" (the guy who never stops moving) and "Iraq" (pronounced "I-Rock", no explanation needed).

Everybody laughs, my food slides down my throat, and I thank God for my Full House.

'Are you Mom Enough' to comment on this Time cover?

I know that breastfeeding is a controversial subject.  Like religion or politics, we all have strong beliefs that cannot be swayed by people shouting their oppositional views at us.

HOWEVER, to me, this Time cover photo is not about breastfeeding.  It's about a disturbing cover photo that is going to haunt this poor child forever.  There is something very perverted about this picture.  The mother looks a little sexy and smug, and the poor little boy has an odd look in his eyes and is dressed to look older than he is, standing on a chair to look even bigger.  I think Time went too far in an effort to sell magazines - pedophiles and perverts will no doubt cause this cover to be a sellout.  Ew!

As far as my personal view on breastfeeding, I think it is beautiful and natural for a new mother to bond and nurture her baby.  I breastfed my first 2 children, didn't have enough milk (or boobs) to nurse my preemie triplets.

I have no problem with someone breastfeeding in public (I was much too modest to, myself) but appreciate someone doing it discreetly so little (and grown) boys don't stare and giggle.  If you want to continue beyond infancy, more power to you, but I don't want to see it.  I was once at a birthday party where a preschooler was eating spicy salsa, then ran over to her mom, lifted her shirt, and took a drink.  It was just freaky to me, sorry!

Here's my bottom line - women should not judge each other for breastfeeding or not breastfeeding.  Some women are naturals, others find it awkward or just don't produce enough milk.  As women, we should support each other in sisterhood either way, just like working moms or stay at home moms should respect each other's choices.

Oh, and please ladies, remember to take good care of your 'girls' either way!

Hair We Go

"Hair, hair, it's everywhere.  Some have little, some have lots, plain hair, striped hair, polka dots."  (A line from a children's book embedded in my memory after reading it a thousand times over the past 15 years.)

I have a crappy head of fine hair.  I don't complain, I'm fortunate to only have a few grays at my age and they're silver, so they kind of look like highlights.  I'm happy to say none of my kids have my cruddy hair, they all have beautiful, thick heads of hair from their dad's side of the family.

I have to admit that I worried for the first 2 years of my daughter's life that she'd have my hair.  Our first boy was born with a full head of dark hair, predicted by the terrible heartburn I had during my pregnancy.  I figured our little girl would come out with the same hair, but she just had a head covered in peach fuzz.  Uh oh.  Then as it started to grow, it only sprouted long on the top of her head.  I'd put it in a pony tail on top, like a pineapple. 

Somewhere around her second birthday, it seemed to grow overnight, a full head of long, thick, wavy hair with blond highlights that I paid a small fortunate to replicate on my own head.  I was thrilled to see she had the same beautiful hair as her cousins, but I had no clue what to do with it.

I still blow dry it for her at night, it takes around 30 minutes to dry and has caused several hair dryers to explode prematurely.   Before her, a hair dryer would last me 10 years, no lie.  I've been through 3 in the past few months.

The biggest reason I'm glad she doesn't have my hair is that I secretly enjoy the bonding time we have, just us 2 girls, when I blow it out for her at night.  I know she can do it herself, but she's so independent and growing up so fast that I love grooming her like a little girl.

But I'm happy I only have to do it for 1 kid - imagine if the triplets were girls and I had to do 4 heads of that hair every night!

She is a Friend of Mind

"She is a friend of mind.  She gather me, man.  The pieces I am, she gather them and give them back to me in all the right order.  It's good, you know, when you got a woman who is a friend of your mind." - Toni Morrison

Today is my BFF's birthday, my chosen sister.  We met 32 years ago in junior high and have been like family ever since. 

When I look at her, I see the young, fresh-faced kids that we both were when we met in 8th grade.  I see the crazy, care-free teenagers we were, remember all the milestone moments of our lives.  Getting our drivers' licenses, prom, graduation.  Turning 21 and clubbing, dancing til the wee hours of the morning, eating Taco Bell the next afternoon.

Meeting the men of our dreams, getting engaged, planning weddings, having our first, then second, babies within months of each other.

When I became pregnant with the triplets, she doted on me and worried about me like only a sister would do.  She and her amazing husband are Godparents to one, special aunt and uncle to all.

In fact, this woman is so amazing that she gave blood for the triplets when they needed transfusions after their premature birth.  I guess she really is blood-related to them!

I cherish all the beautiful memories of our friendship and don't mind growing old knowing that she's right there beside me.  We enjoy the time we get to share now as moms to growing kids and look forward to watching our children, who are as close as cousins, enjoy all the same milestones together. 

Happy Birthday, Boo - love you forever!

Back to the ER

Spring Break is this week, which is great if you're going away, but not so much fun if you don't have vacation plans.  Just as well - my oldest has a different week off than the rest of the kids, my hubby is still recuperating from surgery, and one of the triplets is restricted in his activity because of a head injury last week.

Yup, another triplet trip to the ER!  The latest injury happened when Triplet C tripped and hit the back of his head on a step outside.  No concussion, thank the Good Lord, but quite a few stitches.  It happened, of course, during the hours of 4 pm and 7 pm, otherwise known as the 'witching hours' in many houses with young children.

Not that I want my family to panic when there's an emergency, but as my husband and I decided that he definitely needed stitches, no one seemed bothered much at all.  Probably because in the past 5 years, we've been to the ER 10 times.  I have the plastic surgeon's number programmed into my cell phone.  I always call ahead in the hopes that he's on call (he's the best), and he usually is.

On the way to the hospital, I informed the injured party that he had officially earned the title of most trips to the ER (a total of 5).  He said, "that's not funny, Mom!"  I wasn't trying to be funny, just stating the facts.

All of our trips to the ER have been facial or head lacerations, except for my broken nose, and the time this same boy swallowed a penny in Hilton Head.  By the way, they have a beautiful, well-staffed hospital there, FYI.

Please don't think that I have taken any of these trips to the ER lightly.  It is a terrible thing to see your children hurt and each time I have wished I could switch places with them.  I am so grateful that these injuries have all been minor.

What are my Spring Break plans?  I have set the bar very low this year - as long as we don't make any more trips to the ER our vacation will be a success.

Language of Love

When the triplets were small, I was often asked if they had their own 'language', like many multiples do.  There wasn't a special verbal language between them, it was an unspoken connection that prompted them to move and work as a unit, almost like they could read each other's minds.

There have been a lot of cute variations on the English language, though, that have been spoken in our house, by all 5 kids.  For example:

• Cellaphone - cell phone
• Backaround - the background on my computer screen
• Limbo - short for limousine
• Bled - lead used in mechanical pencils
• 3 Stitches - a new movie about the Three Stooges, which is right up the triplets' alley
• Fat Jackets - winter coats
• Hanitizer - hand sanitizer, located in each of our vehicles, their snack and lunch boxes, and my handbag, because I never give up the battle of fighting germs
• Eye-tacts - contact lenses
• Magic Milk - milk and strawberry Quick, so named because it was the only way my first born would drink any milk at all, still the only way Triplet A drinks milk
• Blue-Eyed Buddies - the special club formed by our only 2 blue-eyed children

I'd love to hear some other families' favorites, if you'd like to share!

Look on the bright side...

Last night my daughter asked me, "what do you call someone who always looks at the bright side of things?"  I said, of course, "an optimist".  "And what's the opposite?" she asked.  "A pessimist."  I asked her, already knowing the answer, "what are you?"  "An optimist!"  Thinking I knew what she'd say, I also asked, "what do you think I am?"  She answered honestly, "it depends".  Ouch. 

My mantra is, "it could always be worse", so I definitely consider myself an optimist.  But as a dear friend of mine often responds when I say that, "but does it have to be this bad?"  Sometimes, I think it does, for us to appreciate the good.  The more blessings we have in life, the more responsibilities, and the more potential for things to go wrong.

I truly believe I look at things from the "glass half full" perspective, rather than "half empty", but it'd sure be easier if my glass stopped getting knocked over!

Yay Me!

Last night was our PTA's annual tricky tray fundraiser, the social event of the year in our town.  I've been going every year for the past ten years with my mom and before last night, I had only won one prize.  Free religious ed classes - I was thrilled, but my oldest was plenty disappointed that he waited up til 11:00 for that big news.

We have some pretty impressive gift baskets - tickets to Disney, tvs, Ipads, Ipods, designer handbags, spa treatments.  I won a 10 piece Cuisinart Cookware Set.  I'm pretty sure my mom and I were the only one who put tickets in that box, and she may have given the cookware to me anyway if she had won, because that's how she rolls.  Crazy generous, my mom is!

Anyway, it may have been the white wine, but I was pretty excited!  I texted my daughter:  "Tell everyone I won a ten piece cookware set!  Yay me!"  An hour later I hadn't heard back from her so I texted again:  "Did you get my text that I won pots?"  Her response:  "Yeah nice!"

When we got home, my husband was a little more excited, at least he opened the box and had a look at them.  Over breakfast I asked the other kids what they thought of my prize.  Triplet A - "Can I have the bow?"  My oldest - "You could've at least won a Coach bag".

Yeah, not me.  Just a set of pots.  Pretty much sums up who I am.   But at least I won SOMETHING!  Guess I'm easy to please.

What Was That Noise?!?!?

There is constant noise in my house when the kids are home, kind of like a beehive.  But sometimes the noise is a little more urgent, and I can tell that something's been broken or someone's been hurt badly.

Here's a list of some of the things my kids have accidentally broken:

• a brand new 60" TV, just out of the box and hooked up - weapon of choice, a Wii remote
• a beautiful ceramic tile, a souvenier from a loved-one's trip to Spain - weapon of choice, a softball
• a seatbelt in our truck - weapon of choice, a silly band (green, so we think we know who did it)
• a CD player - the triplets were babies and one of them pulled it down, causing it to spark, while his brother happily shouted "more more fireworks!"
• too many picture frames to count
• too many window blinds to count
• a laptop
• 2 DS's - one belonging to their old brother, one not even 24 hours after Santa delivered it
• an antique vase of priceless sentimental value
• my nose - weapon of choice, our back door

Now before you judge, please keep in mind that there are 5 kids in this house, so this much damage is more likely than in other houses, and this is over an 8 year period.

For the most part, the culprit is usually caught and punished.  But sometimes we just can't get them to rat on the offender.  They either say that none of them did it, or the dog did it, or the big brother did it.  Never the sister though, no one ever blames her.  Too afraid of feeling her wrath, I believe!

Most of my precious breakables are safely (fingers crossed!) inside a glass curio, while the rest are still packed away, like my wedding China.  Maybe I'll finally unpack it when I have grandchildren - I probably won't be as mad when they break my things!

"To maintain a joyful family requires much from both the parents and the children.  Each member of the family has to become, in a special way, the servant of the others."  Pope John Paul II

AHA!  I think I've just figured out the answer to all the problems in our house!  I'm the only servant!

All kidding aside, because I have the greatest respect for Pope John Paul, I completely understand what he meant.  We should all serve and help each other to be a well-functioning family.  Just try explaining that to a 15 year old who sees chores as a punishment.  Or a 13 year old who's tired of helping with her little brothers (who can blame her).  Or telling an 8 year old who has shared everything with his brothers since the womb, to share his new toy with his brothers.

I know my kids don't understand now, but this is one of the main reasons I bring them to church.  I want them to know that we serve something greater than ourselves, or even each other.  That it is our responsibility while we're on God's good earth to make it a better place and live our lives as honest, respectable people.   I especially want them to know how important it is to cherish your family and to always support each other.

Religion is a difficult thing for a young child to grasp.  My little guys are preparing for their first holy communion, so I'm glad they've been asking questions for the past few years.  Things like "why does Jesus where those flipflops?"  And "is there a mailbox in heaven so you can write letters to people after they die?"  Now they are anticipating receiving the "holy cracker" in the spring.

Next, I hope to teach them to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you".  Wonder how that will go...

Thanks, But No Thanks

I still haven't sent out thank you cards for the triplets' birthday party in November.  Or maybe I should be more honest and say I'm not going to.   The window of opportunity has probably passed.  Three months - probably people have forgotten that I didn't send a thank you.  I certainly don't want to remind them now of how long it took me to get around to it. 

I had good intentions of sending thank yous.  I even have the cards made just for kids where they fill in the blanks:  "Dear _______, thank for the awesome _____________, Your Friend, __________."  Or something along those lines.  Three blanks to fill in, seems easy, but you know, for us that's 3 X 3 X however many gifts there were, and it all gets overwhelming.

Maybe I should have done them right away, but between November and December I have all 5 kids birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, holiday parties, birthday parties.  Things get a little hectic.

I strongly believe in the good character it shows to send out thank yous, but I also know what I do (and probably most of you do, too) when my own kids receive a thank you card.  I read it and recycle it right away. 

So I want today's blog to express my gratitude to all the people who took the time to buy my boys thoughtful gifts and sent their kids to our party.  Your gift was very much appreciated and enjoyed and I hope you will excuse my bad manners.

I remain,
scatteredmomof5
XOXO

Morning Pee Times Three

"Morning pee x 3" - that's the note I left myself last night so I'd remember to collect the triplets' urine samples for their yearly checkup at the pediatrician today.  I started thinking back to doctor visits with the three of them over the years.

I must admit the first few years of their lives are a bit of a blurry memory to me.  I remember their early doctor visits being the only time they ever left the house.  Three heart monitors, three infant car seats, one large diaper bag - their two older siblings coming along for the adventure.  My husband and I would start a production line - he would undress one baby to begin his exam, then start undressing the next, I'd hand the first guy back to be re-dressed and one of our doctor's amazing staff members would take the boys as they finished being examined and give them bottles so we could finish up with the others. 

Shot time was a nightmare - their doctor would come in with 2 nurses and 6 needles ready to go (at one particularly memorable visit, they received 3 shots each).  Three screaming babies, five sweating adults. Forget flu shot time when all 5 kids go at the same time, all afraid of needles.

We'd weigh and measure, so excited when they finally made it onto the charts to even be compared to their peers to find which percentile they were in.  Tiny little boys with big personalities, reaching all of their milestones late - my husband and I so relieved when they finally rolled, crawled, walked, talked. 

With our first two kids, percentiles were so important to us.  He was consistently 75th percentile, she was consistently 25th percentile.  I read "What to Expect - The Toddler Years" every month to be sure they were where they were supposed to be.  With the triplets, I quickly got rid of the book - it was clearly not going to apply to this situation.  There were no books to tell us what to expect, so we took their development one day at a time.

At their last yearly checkup, two were average height and weight, one is in the 75th percentile.  What a cause for celebration!  They are little fighters - I think back to when they were first born, so tiny and fragile in their incubators.  I would sit in a rocker beside them, thinking ahead to when they were all running around laughing and playing together.  I try to always keep those early, uncertain days in mind so that I am sure to appreciate the crazy beehive our house is today.

The Heart of Valentine's Day

I find Valentine's Day to be a really strange 'holiday'.  I think the people who enjoy it the most are kids 10 and under and new couples.  While I was at the Shoprite today, I heard a few people wish each other a happy Valentine's Day - odd to me.

My 8 year old triplets think it's great - they decorated Valentine boxes for school and wrote out Valentines for their classes.  We attached a lollipop to each card, even though you're not supposed to send in candy because of food allergies.  The problem with that is if you are a parent who follows the rules, then your kid is looked at like a cheapskate for just giving out cards.  There are also always a few moms who put the rest of us to shame by making little Valentine goodie bags for their kid's classmates.  No way am I doing that for 75 kids, no matter how much my boys beg!

For a new couple, Valentines Day can make or break their relationship.  Young women are conditioned to want candy and flowers, a romantic card and dinner.  I've seen desperate men of all ages standing wide-eyed in the card aisle realizing that picking the right card is going to seal their fate for the rest of February.

My mother told me today that Valentine's Day annoys her.  I get it.  Practical, grown-up women realize that it's an over-hyped tradition - restaurants are crowded and rushed, roses are over-priced, candy is no good for us.  Sometimes we even tell our husbands not to waste their money.  We really don't mean it - who doesn't love flowers and a mushy card?

Then I think of my 88 year old grandmother on Valentines Day, her sweetheart long gone.  And single friends who can't help but feel like they're missing something.  Or mothers like me, who tonight will be doing the same things we do every other school night - homework, carting kids to activities, making dinner.

A few years ago, when all of the kids were finally in school full time, my honey and I finally seemed to find the right balance for Valentines Day.  We have a nice, leisurely lunch at a local restaurant and spend the afternoon together.  After school, we greet our 5 sweethearts with candy and dinner at home with a special dessert.  For me, that's the meaning of Valentines Day - spending it with my family who truly fill my heart with love and happiness.

This Triplet Moms Perspective of "America's Super Nanny" Triplet Episode Aired Feb. 7, 2012

Last night, after my daughter finished watching "Dance Moms" (frightening!) on Lifetime, I was about to turn off the TV when the upcoming episode of "America's Super Nanny" caught my attention.  The episode centered around the Gregg Family of Ohio - an average mom and dad, with 6 year old triplet boys, a 4 year old boy and a 1 year old girl.  "Look, Mom, TRIPLET BOYS - and they have 4 boys and 1 girl, just like us!  We HAVE to watch", said my only daughter, clearly hoping that "America's Super Nanny" would share her wisdom and solve all our family's issues.

I usually hate watching nanny shows - once my kids are tucked safely into bed and the house is quiet, I don't have much interest in seeing another family's chaotic, desperate life.  Also, these TV super-nannies can really make a normal parent feel thoroughly inadequate.

But this family seemed kind of familiar - the parents indicated that they just tried to survive each day without going to the hospital.  (During a particularly rough patch a few years ago, our triplets visited the ER 7 times in an 18 month period.)  The nanny (Debra) was astonished that the mom's expectations are so low that she only hopes for survival.  (Been there, done that!)  This poor mother was just giving up, often laughing to keep from crying.  The nanny walked around saying things like "This is crazy!" and "This is a free-for-all".  Then she said "if I lived in this house I would be cuckoo", and with a sympathic "I pray you get some sleep", she left for the quiet comfort of a hotel.

The next day she came back for a "Reality Check", where she confirmed for the parents what they already suspected - the children controlled the discipline and had no fear of their parents.  She then set up some house rules that look really good on paper - stay in your bed, 1 warning followed by 3 minutes in the calm down corner as a form of discipline, and a large bell that the parents were to ring to demand the children return to them when they run away, and NO YELLING because the children were just not listening to the yelling.  Debra the Nanny said that the kids are hungry for discipline and the parents must be united and consistent to regain authority.

The mom admits that she hasn't taken them out alone for 3 years because they run away.  The Nanny plans a trip to the supermarket, which the mom calls her "worst nightmare".  (I hear ya, sister!) They are required to use the buddy system, paired up by 2's and must hold hands.  They are given black belts - if they are bad they will be taken away, if they are good they will get a series of white stripes added to their belt that all add up to a reward.  I need to talk to Mrs. Gregg - her boys seemed even rougher than my own and the belt reward system would never fly here.

At home, the mother was instructed on how to use the Calm Down Corner as a discipline method.  The parent is to remain straight faced and calm, no yelling, because we should model the behavior we want for our children.  This poor woman eventually defeated her 4 year old, who escaped from the Calm Down Corner 105 times!  I repeat - 105 escapes - enough to bring the strongest man to his knees!

The Nanny returns at a later date to see if the "wild family has been tamed or if chaos continues".  It appears to the camera that the Nanny has performed a miracle and the family is now living by her rules.

I really don't mean to mock the Nanny.  I just know first hand what it's like to raise triplets (+2).  There is a unique dynamic that exists within a set of triplet brothers.  A good friend of mine once lovingly compared my boys to a litter of puppies.  She's right - they're really cute, full of energy and they destroy my house.  Things get broken, or spilled, or someone gets hurt, and they blame it on each other.  It's hard to get to the bottom of things, so sometimes everyone gets punished for one guys bad deed, or everyone gets off the hook because there's simply not enough evidence to convict one of them. 

I would like to offer Mrs. Gregg some hope - my boys are 8 now and have matured so much from where she is now.  They still fight and break things, but they are becoming independent and responsible for their own actions.  We're onto the next step - heavy competition - who's smarter, faster, taller, funnier, etc.  Instead of working as one crazed mob, they are becoming their own individual people.  I really consider it a blessing and an honor to be the mother of this unique group of little people!

Ugg! There's a mouse in my boot!

One morning last winter, as I was walking back from putting the triplets on the school bus, I could see my 12 year old daughter jumping up and down in the driveway, screaming like a lunatic.  Turns out when she stuck her foot in her Ugg, she felt something inside, so she REACHED IN pulled out a mouse!  She and the mouse ran in two different directions, one more terrified than the other.  I nearly had to slap her out of her hysteria, before finally convincing her that the best place for her to be was in school so I could get Daddy home to catch the mouse.

We stopped at the nurse's office so she could use the bathroom to wash the tears off her face.  "Girl problems?" asked the nurse.  "No, a mouse in her boot."  "How AWFUL, tell her she can stop in my office any time she wants today."

On my way out, I called the hubby, who said he would drop off some sticky traps for me, but he had to hurry back to work.  I don't even kill spiders, so I was not happy with the idea of catching a mouse on a glue pad, and was pretty sure I'd never catch it anyway.  What would I do if I hadn't caught it by the end of the school day?  We'd have to sleep in a hotel for the night.

I laid the traps all around the first floor of our house,  hoping that it hadn't made it upstairs to her bedroom yet.  Sure enough, within a half hour I could her the sound of it trying to free it's little feet from the glue.  It was still early morning, what the hell was I supposed to do now? 

As luck would have it, a guy from the water company was coming to do some work in our basement that day.  When he got to the door, I greeted him with, "please, you've gotta help me get rid of this thing."  "What is it, m'aam?"  "Come in and I'll explain."  Reluctantly, the poor guy came inside, probably thinking I was going to ask him to help me dispose of a body, so he seemed kind of relieved to find it was just a mouse.  He was the sweetest young man, taking the mouse with him when he left.

I like to think he took him to the woods and set him free, but I can't be sure.  What I do know for sure is that I wrote a glowing letter to his company, full of praise for him going above and beyond his job to help me that day!

The Blog About the Frog

My husband and his friend came back last Tuesday night from a road trip to Florida.  They pulled a trailer behind his pickup with his buddy's Ferrari inside (a story for another time).

The guys pulled up in front of our house at around 6 and started unloading my souvenir - 5 palm trees.  Not a t-shirt, or a coffee mug - 5 palm trees.  For around the pool in the summer, to be kept in my house til then.  One after another them came into the house, until we had a small tropical jungle.

Wednesday morning at 6 a.m. I heard the shower go on the bathroom, as usual with our oldest son, then I heard the shower go off.  "Mom, there's a frog in the bathroom."  "Tell your father."  "Dad..."  Only in my house - a Floridian frog stowed away inside a tree and went on a search for water, ending up in our bathroom.  Poor thing!

Hubby trapped the little frog in a disposable bowl (with air holes in the lid!), waiting to show the other kids when they woke up.   When he opened the bowl to show them the frog, it turned out to be quite a jumper - making it onto the counter and across the kitchen in 2 quick leaps.  Everyone started screaming (some happy, some terrified) and started running around the kitchen (including the dog) until the little frog was caught again.

After everyone was off to school, I called Trailside Nature & Science Center, fortunately located 5 minutes from our house.  A kind naturalist told me to bring the frog in, after first asking how big it was - would he have turned me away if it was any bigger than the 2 inches that it is?  I shudder at the thought of having to keep this thing and feed it crickets.  A dog, a guinea pig and 5 beta fish (in separate bowls, of course) are more than enough pets for one family, wouldn't you agree?

When I arrived at Trailside, I was greeted by 2 naturalists, who immediately told me it was a tree frog, not native to New Jersey.  (I figured that out by myself, first thing that morning!)  They happily took him off my hands to warm him up under a lamp and feed him.  Having done my good deed for the day, I went home to see what adventure awaited me next.

As my blog title references, I am scattered all over the place - lots of things to do every day for lots of people.  My husband has suggested that I make a 'to do' list, like he does, every day to get things done.  The frog episode is a classic example of why a 'to do' list doesn't work for me - every time I write one, something else comes up that requires my immediate attention.

I have to say, having my son find a frog in the bathroom was a walk in the park compared to the time my daughter found a mouse in her Ugg.  I'll have to tell you that story another time...

Triplet Mothers

When my triplets were a little more that a year old and I could finally get out of the house alone for an hour, I went to a local Mothers of Multiples meeting.  Many of the women there were already friends, mothers of twins, and although they were very kind to me, it felt more like a social group.  They did scrapbooking and outings with the kids, but I wasn't there yet - I was still trying to navigate this incredibly unique and challenging situation of mothering triplets and I was hoping to find others like me.  As luck would have it, I met one kind triplet mom that night who took me under her wing and helped me to connect with a few other triplet mothers she had met.

A few weeks later, I met with their small group for the first time.  What a diverse group of women from all over Central Jersey, but within 5 minutes, I new I had found my tribe.  Fellow warrior sisters who knew what it was like to go through a can of formula and a package of diapers every day (3 babies X 6 bottles each per day = 18 bottles, with a diaper change at each feeding, if not more often).  Feeding them in an assembly line, knowing that when the last was fed and put back to sleep there was only 1 hour of free time before you started over again.  What to do with that hour - sleep, bathe, eat?  (Not to mention I had 2 other young kids who needed me more than ever!)

This amazing group has grown to a total of 18 on our email chain, though when we get together there are usually less than 10 (scheduling is hard, as you can imagine).  When one of us meets another triplet mom, we are compelled to bring her into our pack.  From feeding to potty training, school placement (keep them in one class or separate them?) to extra-curricular activities, it's great to have someone to vent to and bounce ideas off of.   What vehicle do I buy?  Carseats?  How do you travel with so many kids, and where can you find affordable accomodations for your giant family?  (My husband and I found our solution in a Disney Vacation Club membership.)

Friends come and go in life, but the bond that we share because of our multiple blessings is something that will always keep up connected.  Here's to you, brave warrior mothers of multiples!

In my free time...

Here are some things I do in my free time:

1.  Religious Education Teacher (formerly known as CCD Teacher).  I am currently teaching 7th graders, which is a challenge to say the least because most of them have no interest in what I am saying.  I do this because I feel it is important for children to have a strong sense of faith in their life and because I believe some day they will realize how important it was for them to make their sacraments.  Plus, every time one of them gives a profound answer in class, I know I'm doing it for the right reasons.
2. Parent Representative for the Special Education Advisory Committee for our school.  My triplets were born 11 weeks premature and as is often the case for preemies, have been playing catch up in some areas ever since.  When I was a kid, all children with any type of special needs were clumped into one class.  In Linden (where I grew up) it was informally called The "Blake' Class - I'm not exactly sure why, so if anyone reading knows, I'd love to hear your comments.  Although our educational system is not perfect today, at least we realize there are too many different types of special ed needs to throw everyone together and hope for the best.  And special ed does NOT mean that a kid is dumb or slow, some children learn differently, or at their own pace, and we need to nurture them so that they can blossom to their full potential on their own terms.
3. Co-Leader of a Cub Scout Den.  I do this because having 3 eight year old boys of my own isn't enough, it's more fun to try to maintain order with 10 at a time, and because I talked one of the nicest women I know into co-leading with me, which eases the pain.  I believe in scouting, don't get me wrong, but it's hard to complete achievements when the boys are more interested in wrestling, arm-farting, and hitting each other with their hats.  This is another area where I am occasionally awarded by a child taking what we teach him and applying it in his life after the meeting.
4. Sleep.  I believe no explanation is needed!

Split End

Today a friend of mine cheated on her hairdresser.  It just kind of happened.  She won a free haircut at a chic new salon during a fundraiser.  She thought it would be harmless, but now the guilt is killing her.  She has no intentions of leaving the hairdresser she's been with through thick and thin for such a long time, the one who knows her every follicle. 

This started me thinking about the proper etiquette for switching hairdressers.  How do you handle such a breakup?  Just disappear without making another appointment, no more contact?  Do you dare to be honest that the relationship has run it's course?  Or do you risk running into them somewhere with your new stylist's creation on your head, never telling them that you've been unhappy with them for quite some time? 

Years ago, I had a hairstylist who, in spite of my pleas, insisted on giving me an old lady helmet head every time I went in for a haircut.  I would actually leave there hoping no one would see me on the street and hurry home to wash it and re-do it myself.  How bad is that?  Know how I finally ended that relationship - I moved to another town!

Scattered Mom

Starting a blog is a major accomplishment for me.  I have a lot of ideas and things I'd like to accomplish, but most days I have to be content with the fact that my kids are fed, clean, done with homework and I've done 3 or 4 loads of laundry.

For 8 years I've been saying I'm going to write a book, and it still may happen one day, but I think I'll start with a blog for now.  Seems like a good place to share my scattered thoughts.  Last year, my husband suggested I start a blog, though I think he was looking for a way to keep me 'busy', since I'm home all day (LOL)!

From the moment we found out we were expecting triplets, I knew we were in for a wild ride.  I've always
been a person who can go with the flow, but it's been a big challenge for my husband who likes to plan and needs organization.  To quote John Lennon "life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans".  No kidding!

The word 'scattered' comes to mind immediately when I think of words to describe myself.  I have 5 kids, ages 8-15 and I am scattered all over the place with them.  Physically, mentally, you name it, I try to be all things to all of them (and my husband!) so sometimes I find myself spread a little thin.

There is a vast array of strong personalities in my house, some subtle, some in your face, and each equally as precious to me.  Did I mention they are all stubborn too - a trait from their daddy!  In the normal chaos of a typical day, I try to remind myself how blessed we are - my kids are all healthy and happy, beautiful and smart - but truthfully some days I count the hours til they go to bed.

Then I start another load of laundry.