That's what my friend Mary Miller has declared. Not a bad goal.
It is unbelievable to me that Liliana is six and the triplets will soon turn three years old. They change so fast, and there are so many things I want to remember about this age.
Eve no longer requires duct tape on her diaper for bedtime. Always the independent one, busy doing and exploring on her own, she has become a cuddle bug. "Hold you" is what all three little ones say when they want to be held (often all at the same time). I recently discovered I can no longer hold two of them while standing without suffering tendinitis pain later.
Santa brought each of them a Curious George plush. Everyone has to have their monkey before going to bed.
I think my kids associate snacks with traveling in the van. I didn't mean to establish this habit. Honestly, I gave them snacks either to get some food into them before an activity, or because they were famished and would otherwise scream all the way home. I try to carry a variety, but sometimes they request something I did not pack. Then I have to remind them that I am NOT a grocery store. When parents of single children drive, they can easily hand a snack or drink back to their child (or even two children). We have two rows of children, and the occupants of the back row demand snacks too. So, Jim and I have become quite good at tossing assorted snacks back. Rice cakes are my favorite because they are like little Frisbees, and their texture lends them to sticking to the cloth of both car seat and children's clothing (crackers bounce).
Liliana has recently become very, very helpful. In the past you could ask her for something, but more often than not you would be told, "No. I don't want to." Now, she almost always responds to requests immediately. She loves to conduct "school" with Joseph, Eve and Faith as students.
I'm so proud of her, and yet I want her to be three again.
Every day is an adventure. Today I learned a very important lesson. I've always been careful to avoid falling asleep at the wheel. I have all sorts of tricks to ensure my sleep deprivation doesn't result in a car accident. Singing, munching on rice cakes, playing drums on the steering wheel, etc. One important rule I follow while driving is never to close your eyes (aside from blinking). Today I learned you do not close your eyes while sitting on the couch holding a scalding hot cup of coffee. I think maybe I need a sippy coffee cup.
It is unbelievable to me that Liliana is six and the triplets will soon turn three years old. They change so fast, and there are so many things I want to remember about this age.
Eve no longer requires duct tape on her diaper for bedtime. Always the independent one, busy doing and exploring on her own, she has become a cuddle bug. "Hold you" is what all three little ones say when they want to be held (often all at the same time). I recently discovered I can no longer hold two of them while standing without suffering tendinitis pain later.
I'd have to say that Joe loves to cuddle the most. When he wakes up from a nap he usually requires a good 15 minutes of cuddle before he's ready to play.
We have new favorite movies now. The most popular is "Finding Nemo". We can all quote from the movie, and frequently do. Liliana received "Peter Pan" for Christmas, which is a welcomed break from The Grinch Who Stole Christmas ("da Ginch"), and Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer ("da Bumble") The first time Faith saw the Bumble she was terrified but continued to watch, always wanting to know, "Hey, where's that bumble guy?" It took much convincing to assure her that the Bumble could NOT come out of the television.
The big Christmas gift this year was a play kitchen. Joe uses it the most, making "macaroni and cheese" and "chicken". The triplets, who are always taking Lili's backpack each received their own for Christmas. They LOVE their "packbacks".
Eve's language skills are improving, although she is not so much into consonants. For months she called Joe "Ho", which never failed to make us giggle. My personal favorite is, "I wuv oo." Her drink of choice is "woose", and she loves to dress up and declare, "I pincess". She likes her hair in pony tails, "Two pony!", and loves the color pink.
Joe's language skills have taken off. He speaks in simple sentences now. Frequently heard from him, "More Juice!" "Macaroni Cheese!" and "I Poopy!"
Just like the beach, each have reacted predictably to the snow. Eve never wants to come in, just like big sister Lili. "I touch no Mommy, I touch no!" We have to watch her closely because she will eat snow and ice, regardless of where she finds it (slushy parking lots! Eww!). Joe and Eve want nothing to do with the snow.
It is a joy to hear my children sing. Liliana sang in the little angel choir at Christmas Eve Mass this year, overcoming severe stage fright. All four will spontaneously sing their favorites which include "The ABC song", "Wheels on the Bus", "Jingle Bells" (they learned the obscure second verse from me!), "God Bless America", and "Jesus Loves Me" (thank you Sacred Heart School). Faith and Eve also enjoy dancing together, and the nativity is recreated daily. Everyone wants to drape a blanket on their head and be Mary.
Just like the beach, each have reacted predictably to the snow. Eve never wants to come in, just like big sister Lili. "I touch no Mommy, I touch no!" We have to watch her closely because she will eat snow and ice, regardless of where she finds it (slushy parking lots! Eww!). Joe and Eve want nothing to do with the snow.
It is a joy to hear my children sing. Liliana sang in the little angel choir at Christmas Eve Mass this year, overcoming severe stage fright. All four will spontaneously sing their favorites which include "The ABC song", "Wheels on the Bus", "Jingle Bells" (they learned the obscure second verse from me!), "God Bless America", and "Jesus Loves Me" (thank you Sacred Heart School). Faith and Eve also enjoy dancing together, and the nativity is recreated daily. Everyone wants to drape a blanket on their head and be Mary.
We have new favorite movies now. The most popular is "Finding Nemo". We can all quote from the movie, and frequently do. Liliana received "Peter Pan" for Christmas, which is a welcomed break from The Grinch Who Stole Christmas ("da Ginch"), and Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer ("da Bumble") The first time Faith saw the Bumble she was terrified but continued to watch, always wanting to know, "Hey, where's that bumble guy?" It took much convincing to assure her that the Bumble could NOT come out of the television.
The big Christmas gift this year was a play kitchen. Joe uses it the most, making "macaroni and cheese" and "chicken". The triplets, who are always taking Lili's backpack each received their own for Christmas. They LOVE their "packbacks".
Santa brought each of them a Curious George plush. Everyone has to have their monkey before going to bed.
Faith's monkey has to be there, but she doesn't want to have it near her in the bed. She rejected loveys during the last sleep training horror show.
Eve also must have two ponies and a pink dog, with the blanket on them. For a while she wanted her ponies "washed" every night. we had to take them into the bathroom, close the door, run the water, then return them to her. Now she has finagled Jim into giving her a ride on his shoulders before going to sleep. The first night we couldn't understand what she was saying. She kept screaming what sounded like "apple showers". I finally figured out it was "up on shoulders".
Joe needs a total of seven friends: Bear (the primary lovey), a one-armed Elmo, tiny red bear, Pooh, Piglet, Monkey, and little bear (he calls it kitty). He lays down with his head touching the wood slat of the crib (this head contact is very important), and I have to place them in his arms in that order, followed by his truck blanket with a certain edge facing him and covering his "friends" up to the chin but not over any one's head, then his little blue blanket. Lately he has been undressing himself before going to sleep so I have to go back upstairs and get his jammies on.
And Lili? Well, if she had her way I would be her lovey, but we've finally broken her of the need to have me sit with her until she goes to sleep. If she's really tired she goes right to sleep. Other nights she makes a few trips downstairs first.
I think my kids associate snacks with traveling in the van. I didn't mean to establish this habit. Honestly, I gave them snacks either to get some food into them before an activity, or because they were famished and would otherwise scream all the way home. I try to carry a variety, but sometimes they request something I did not pack. Then I have to remind them that I am NOT a grocery store. When parents of single children drive, they can easily hand a snack or drink back to their child (or even two children). We have two rows of children, and the occupants of the back row demand snacks too. So, Jim and I have become quite good at tossing assorted snacks back. Rice cakes are my favorite because they are like little Frisbees, and their texture lends them to sticking to the cloth of both car seat and children's clothing (crackers bounce).
Liliana has recently become very, very helpful. In the past you could ask her for something, but more often than not you would be told, "No. I don't want to." Now, she almost always responds to requests immediately. She loves to conduct "school" with Joseph, Eve and Faith as students.
I'm so proud of her, and yet I want her to be three again. Every day is an adventure. Today I learned a very important lesson. I've always been careful to avoid falling asleep at the wheel. I have all sorts of tricks to ensure my sleep deprivation doesn't result in a car accident. Singing, munching on rice cakes, playing drums on the steering wheel, etc. One important rule I follow while driving is never to close your eyes (aside from blinking). Today I learned you do not close your eyes while sitting on the couch holding a scalding hot cup of coffee. I think maybe I need a sippy coffee cup.
No comments:
Post a Comment