Life....

is a little bit different right now. Miles was two weeks away from making me a mom of three kids three and under, and I know there are things much more difficult and stressful (like having triplets), but things can get a little crazy around here sometimes. I decided to share a few stories that Jonathan will surely object to my sharing because they're just plain gross, but hey, only moms read this and we're all pretty used to poo right? I also decided to write down the goods and the bads going on right now. Not for future generations to know what a hag I can be, but to let them know what life is really like for us right now.

The bads:

I'm a grump. I've decided I really don't do well without sleep. I can handle a lot when I'm well rested, but wake me up all night and suddenly I'm the number one candidate for grouchiest mom of the year. The sad thing is it's not the newborn that's doing all the waking. Easton's in a bad dream phase and Caden's in a "wake-up-and-cry-and-be-angry-about-something-totally-incoherent-till-I-put-his-blanket-back-on-him-and-tell-him-to-go-to-sleep" phase. It's gotta end soon.

Jonathan is studying for finals. No explanation needed.

I'm waiting for the cleaning fairy to come. I consider it a huge accomplishment if I get the dishes done. The really bad thing is I find plenty of time for other things, I just can't seem to get around to cleaning...

I ran out of laundry detergent for 2 weeks. The half of my brain that Miles took when he was born must have been the half that reminds me to get it while I'm at the store. It also must be the half that reminds me to pay my rent on time.

At my 2-week post-partum appointment I weighed 6 lbs less than I did when I went to the hospital to have Miles, and he weighed 5 lbs at birth. Now he's almost 3 months and I'm still wearing my maternity pants. So much for losing weight from nursing!

Did I mention I'm a grump? Seriously, today I felt like I was such an ornery little bugger. Tomorrow will be better.

We bought a Lightning McQueen bed at a garage sale for $40. A steal of a deal, but there's not room for it and Easton's current racecar bed in the boys' room. It's too long by just a few inches any way we arrange it. So we've had it in our living room waiting to be stored up at grandma and grandpa's for a year till we move. The point of this is that I have a twin-size Lightning McQueen bed in my living room. I guess I was a little lacking on decor.

We have no idea what we're doing/where we're living this summer, and it's like 2 weeks away.
(I should clarify, we do have a place to live, just not sure if we're staying here or going somewhere else.)

Poop story #1:
I was taking a shower and Miles was in the bouncer. Easton came in and wanted to get in with me so I let him. Then Miles turned on his side and started kicking furiously and flapping his arms at us (He does this often when I'm showering, he likes to get in too) so I reach out, undress him and pull him in. Caden comes in and wants to join the party so I hold Miles with one arm and help Caden take his diaper off with the other. This is when I find out his diaper is dirty, so I send him to get wet wipes. He comes back and I'm cleaning him up when Miles decides it's time to relieve himself. On me. Since I'm still holding him. Good thing we were all climbing in a soapy, cleansing shower.

Poop story #2:
I decided to be really ambitious and give the boys haircuts one night while Jonathan was at school and Miles was taking a nap. Easton's was done and there was hair all over the bathroom so I threw him in the tub and started stripping Caden down for his turn. I took his shorts off and felt a little wetness, and only then remembered he'd been wearing underwear and I'd forgotten to ask him if he needed to go. I pulled the undies off too and put him on the counter and went out into the living room to see where the damage had been done. I took about 5 steps before I noticed a wet, gloppy something on my foot. I looked down and realized peeing wasn't the only thing he'd done in his underwear and I'd just tracked poop across the carpet. Then I hear Miles crying because he's hungry. And realize poopy-bum boy is now sitting his little tush on the hair-covered bathroom counter. That was a super fun moment.

Moving on to the goods:

About ten times each day, Caden looks at Miles and says, "He's so cute. I wuv him."

Any time Miles makes a peep, Caden runs to get him his blanket. If that doesn't make him happy he gets him a car. Holly Shiftwell managed to hitch a ride to church with us on Sunday via Miles' car seat since I told the boys to entertain him while I finished getting ready.

Jonathan. He's definitely in the good section.

Miles is in the good section too. I'm not one to sugar-coat everything, I told everyone how hard life was when Caden was a baby, and apparently whining pays off because I'm amazed daily at how easy and adaptable Miles is. He's a big blessing in our lives.

When I'm starting to get upset about something Easton comes over and gives me a hug and a kiss. He learned fast how to stay on my good side.

Summer came a bit early and an almost 100* day meant a pool party on Monday. The boys swam across the pool in just their life jackets for the first time and Caden only almost drowned once. I call that a successful day.

We're going to the temple with out entire ward, including youth, on Saturday.


All 3 boys wore their cowboy boots and shirts to the mall today to ride the carousel. They also called their friend Ethan to tell him to wear his so she could match. And I didn't get a picture, but it was cute.


I bought batteries at the dollar store today. I'm sure they won't last long, but still.... $1 for three C batteries to make Miles' bouncer vibrate is pretty sweet in my book.


I've had a recent cooking urge going on. In the past week, we've had Sloppy Bombay Joes, Mahi-mahi with thai coconut curry, asian lettuce wraps, homemade pizza(minus the cheese), zucchini brownies, chicken tortilla soup, and plenty of other good things. Funny I have so much time to cook but none to clean huh? Still waiting for the cleaning urge to kick in.

We also bought a 400 piece Mega Bloks set at the garage sale for $10. Instead of towers, we now build fortresses.

I don't think a day has gone by that we haven't played board games. Trouble, Candyland, Wheel of Fortune, and Cooties have been regulars.

I've been trying really hard to get back in shape and build up some muscle tone since my body turned to jello for 3 months and I finally ran 3 1/2 miles the other night. I won't pretend I did it without stopping for rests and plenty of huffing and puffing, but I was still pretty excited.

Tomorrow I celebrate 5 years of marriage to the most amazing person I've ever met.

Tomorrow is also preschool graduation. This year we had almost all boys and next year we'll have almost all girls. I'm going to miss those little kiddos, but I'm already getting really excited for next year!

There's a little snippet of our life right now. Things are good and I am oh so grateful for my little troop of men. I think I need to take some advice from Caden. Tonight out of the blue he said, "Mom, I knocked off my attitude." Tomorrow I will knock off my attitude and quit being so grouchy. Here's to a happy day!

My Little Model

Isn't Miles so photogenic? Just kidding, we just had a friend of a friend who was hosting a photography workshop and needed baby models and in exchange we got some sweet pictures of the babe. Apparently the photographer was a pretty big deal cuz it cost $1500 to go to the workshop and there were people there who had flown in from all over the country and even Canada to come to it! Pretty sweet deal!

He was 2 weeks old and about 6 lbs in these pictures.

It was cool to see her techniques for getting the babies to hold still and stay asleep so she could pose them. I'll definitely have to remember them for when I try to get kids to hold still for pictures!