The Barnyard Door

Just a typical week here in my boy crazy world! Another gloomy day Monday lent itself to another private outing at the park....just us and the sanitation workers who were thankfully there to empty the overflowing cans that my boys couldn't stay away from. It sure didn't help that the overflow contained Thomas the train party paraphenalia (YES, one man's trash IS another man's treasure!) Mason and Cole alternated trying out a big boy (or girl...my brain doesn't think that way) swing for the first time so I could push all 4 boys at the same time. It worked out pretty well, though I wasn't nearly as quick as the boys would have liked. In my defense, it's not easy running in sand!

The triplets are continuing to excel in their weekly speech therapy sessions. Mason and Ryland chatter more than any old lady I know and what Cole doesn't verbalize, he makes up for in other accomplishments....though he's becoming quite chatty too. Cole doesn't appear to have inherited Anthony's color blindness (jury is still out on the other 2). As he sorted colored objects into cups during speech this morning, he decided to add his Eggo waffle he was chowing for breakfast into the yellow cup as he annouced it was YELLOW! He also took the liberty to pair up his teacher's foam talkboard objects by category. He picked the tree to go with the flower, the cat to go with the dog, and on and on until all the pieces were put away in relevant pairs. Cole is my little underdog...for the boy that had the greatest medical obstacles and longest stay in the NICU, he continues to amaze me with his brilliance. Watching him blossom is such an amazing experience! (Sniff Sniff)

Cameron has always been quite the little comedian. If only I had this blog back in the day to record his hilarious one liners. Today when I picked him up from preschool, he and his classmates were outside playing. As I meandered towards him, I notice something amiss as he ran around bouncing a ball. His ENTIRE fly and button of his pants were completely undone...hangin open. I discreetly pull him aside and let him know about the state of his dress. "You mean my barnyard door is open?!" Cameron blurts out. Barnyard door....that's a new one! Even better, when asked if his barnyard door had been open for a long time, he replies yes. Okay, so is anyone watching my kid at preschool at all? Should I be alarmed that no one even notices this ridiculous site? Back when I was a kid, it was embarassing to be caught with your fly open. Not so anymore...or at least not so in Cameron's world. He definitely is a confident child....maybe a little too confident LOL!

Parenting....never a dull moment!

Mom's Time Out Wine Tasting

Yesterday, I was able to enjoy a much needed afternoon out while Anthony stayed home with the kids. I went wine tasting with my friend Casey (the crazy girl that talked me into moving across the country to California with her ten years ago) and her husband as well as 2 other friends. I liken the experience to adult trick-or-treating. As usual, we had a blast. I had taken many photos but unfortunately most involved closed eyes or decapitated subjects (don't worry...their heads weren't really cut off, only in the photo.) Here's what I was left with.

Casey and I

Casey (who thankfully did not buy these for her hair!)

Casey tending bar in the VIP room of the winery they just joined (membership DOES have it's privileges!)

And we're calling this lunch! Our great intentions of "just grabbing a sandwich at one of the wineries" quickly turned into this miscellaneous plate of wine munchies that were our only sustenance for the day. (Peanuts that tasted like Doritos, crackers, hard salami, various cheeses and some darn yummy Honey Mustard potato chips)

Checking Out the Animals...While Everyone Checks US Out!

Today, we ventured out of our comfort zone to go to the Wild Animal Park along with 3 of my friends and their 2 year olds. I swear by the time I pushed the triple Runabout Stroller up the gianormous mountain they call a parking lot, I was cursing myself for buying an annual membership online last night. I can't even make it out of the stinkin parking lot without feeling like I'm going into cardiac arrest. Thankfully, that was the worst incline we met today....probably because we avoided the lions altogether since they were at the bottom of a steep hill. It was fun to show the boys elephants, gorillas, and other animals that they only see in their picture books.

Ten minutes into our outing, the boys had already had their pictures taken by 2 complete strangers. We stopped to let the kids out to run at the gorilla exhibit only to have more spectators gawking at us than the animals. It's okay to look, but for heaven sake people, standing way to close in our personal space staring endlessly without blinking all the while holding up pedestrian traffic is out of line in my book! My friend Renee even told one man that they all had different fathers just to stop his comments in its tracks...what do you say to that one?!

Anyways, I was able to snap a few photos while we were on display. Here's one of the triplets. I'm pretty sure Mason is picking popcorn off the filthy ground that he is then going to eat.

Here is our group photo of the kids.

Here's Mason trying to scheme up a way to get that water bottle from Morgan. (Or maybe he just wants to be close to her!)

Ryland and Dominic are chowing popcorn.

All in all, this was a great outing and I definitely needed the exercise I inadvertently received. Now if only a total moron didn't park SO close to my car that everyone (me included) had to be loaded in on the passenger side.

Somewhere Over the....

Yes, that would be a giant brilliantly colored rainbow hanging out behind our neighbor's house. Cameron was getting ready to leave yesterady on one of his Cam and Gram weekends when he noticed this in the distance. He came running back inside, yelling for everyone to come take a look. Cameron quickly pointed out that this is his first real rainbow he has ever seen. So, here I sit, recording another first!

Reminiscing....Pint Size Cam

As I was picking out pictures to add to the blog, I thought I would check out some pictures of Cameron when he was the same age as the triplets are now.....you know, back in the day when I was a leisurely mom of one. Here it is....Cameron at 2 years old. Question is, what the h#@* was I thinking buying him a skateboard when he just turned 2? In my head, I am picturing each of the triplets tearing up the house on skateboard. Clueless first time mom...that's what I chalk it up to. Boy, was I clueless.


I'm still not sure that Cameron can ride that skateboard, though he may be at a more appropriate age to try. He is very fast and talented on his scooter though. That helmet still fits too. Considering he's going to be a big kindergartener come August, it may be time to graduate the cutesy zoo animals though.

One of my favorite things Cameron would say around this age was "I like peanut butter and jelly (basically just fill in the blank here).....DO I???" ending on a super high note. "I like matchbox cars daddy...DO I????" You get the idea. That was his favorite expression. He also called excavators "ecadooders"....he loved construction vehicles.

Okay, thanks for taking a trip down memory lane with me!

TMI: Synchronized Pooping

For anyone out there reading this and contemplating whether their twins (or triplets) might be identical, save yourself the $200 for the DNA kit and ask yourself this all important question....Do the subjects in question poop at the same time as one another each day?? Forget blood type, hair color, eye color, and the like...... it's in the poop. Mason and Ryland are in tune, but stylistically have their differences.

Mason is a public pooper so to speak. As long as he doesn't have to disrupt playtime, there's no shame in his game. He doesn't care who's looking so long as the good times continue to roll without interruption. Perhaps he will be a great multi-tasker?! Just don't ask him if he wants to use the pot, for which you will get an emphatic NO and a stern fist shaken in your direction.

Ryland seems to understand there is a proper place to poop and it's sure as heck not amid a crowd of people. He seeks out every private locale in the near vicinity to mark his territory. Kind of like the neighbor in Home Improvement, you only see a head peering from behind some form of barrier. Today I needed to get something from the pantry for lunch...only to step into Ryland's aromatic cloud of stink as he was *hiding* behind the kitchen table. He was so mad I stepped into his *private pooping zone* that he prompty closed the pantry door behind me as I stepped in for a gander. I felt like I had to ask permission to come out!

Pooping aside, the boys are very interested in the potty chair these days. They particularly like demonstrating the many uses of the urine receptacle.....makes a great hat, carrying bucket for matchbox cars, or sometimes it's fun to strategically wedge your foot in it so that it gets stuck. Oh yeah....they do sometimes like to sit on it during diaper changes and make a faucet blasting full force sound effect as they sit on it naked. It will be so sad the day they actually pee in it and can't wear it as a hat anymore. (at least that's where I'm drawing the line!)

So, my final deep thought of the day......how is this synchronized pooping thing going to work once they really start potty training? I guess we'll need to get another chair to put in some out of the way corner!

Enjoying the Inclement Weather!

Since last night was the season premiere of Dancing With the Stars, my Heather time was dedicated to living life (if that's what you call vegging on the couch) rather than writing about it. But don't worry, you won't miss a beat...

I have found that leaving the house does wonders for the boys' behavior (and thus mine!) so despite our inclement weather (temps in the low 60s and overcast skies...lol) we braved the elements yesterday to hang at a local playground. Apparently others were not so brave as we had the park to ourselves for the almost 2 hours we were there. I'm sorry, but we southern cali people are just a touch spoiled rotten! I was LOVIN it....no funny stares, no silly questions, and no recounting the story of how our triplets came to be for the zillionth time. (which ironically I think is the reason my mom loves to go to the park!)

The triplets were fun and easy to manage. Knock on wood, they have been really good on our recent outings. Cameron....well...that's another story. Here he is fleeing my makeshift timeout bench as I attempted to take his picture. (almost like he knows I'm going to terrorize him with these memories someday when he has children of his own that behave in a similar fashion.)



Not surprising at all, Cole was all over every piece of equipment. Cole is our little stunt man/climber/thrill seeker. Whether leapfrogging on tall ascending steps, running along a concrete barrier, or attempting to climb down the ten plus foot direct dropping rock climbing wall (which Cameron won't even climb UP), he is quite the Fear Factor prodigy! Later at home I caught him climbing his toys shelves and as our eyes met, Cole verbalized exactly what he knew I was thinking, "Dooonnnn't Faaalllll!" He knows THE LOOK!

Ryland, like in most aspects of his life and personality, was right there holding the middle ground. He takes every risk on the equipment that he reasonably should at this age...no major apprehensions. Then there's Mason.....he would climb the stairs to the slide only to climb back down when he reached the top. He would get into a swing only to immediately discover he would rather have 2 feet firmly planted on the ground. He tends to have more anxieties about new situations and people. He had a blast zooming his matchbox cars on the "Finger Parks" though.

Truth be told, the hi-lite of the whole outing for all four boys was when the street sweeper truck drove by. Judging by the hearty smile and enthusiastic waving of the driver, I would say that having four devoted admirers lining the sidelines of his route like parade goers, it may have darn well been the hi-lite of his day too!

Fast forward to this morning, the boys had "chicken" for breakfast. Yes, that's right, they all wanted to eat "chicken". Could they possibly be asking for the leftovers from last night's dinner? After putting my super sleuthing skills to work, I figured out that "chicken" was actually "Corn Flakes." Now why did they have to put that darn rooster on the front of the box??

I had another proud mom moment this morning. Ryland was the first triplet to say a swear word. As Anthony accidentally knocked my decorator wrought iron key rack off the wall, sending it scratching down the length of the wall, he blurted out S.O.B. (and he didn't use the initials either) Ryland quickly and proudly exclaimed "Son of a bitch!" Did I mention they are coming a long way in their language development?!

Havin Fun in the Happy November Bounce House!

Well, here I am enjoying a little late night blogging therapy while Anthony and Cameron bond over some Spike tv....now there's some quality programming for all you men that aren't already stuck to the tube watching sports. Hey, the way I see it is this frees me up for a little "Heather" time ebaying, shopping online, reading e-mails, and now add blogging to my list of cyber addictive behaviors!

Today was more of a glass half full day. Anthony took the triplets to neighbor Joe's house to hang with his son that's just a month younger than the boys while I had free reign of the house.....and what did I do??? I CLEANED! Okay, not so fun but sure beats playing bumper vacuums with Dusty the talking Playskool vacuum as the boys attempt to "help" me out. Aren't kids supposed to be afraid of the vacuum cleaner anyways?!

Before dinner we attempted to wear the kids down for an early bedtime by inflating the Little Tikes bounce house. Yes, the lovely bounce house that was supposed to be a BIG present for the boys' birthday or Xmas but that Anthony blew up for them one late November day as I left the house for a mere 30 minutes to run an errand. But to his credit, he DID wait until I got home to let them go in it so I could see the expression on their faces. I'm pretty confident the only priceless expression that day was mine!! Anyways, the boys had a blast jumping tonight, though Cole was more interested in checking out Cam's set of wheels.

How's this for a face only a mother could love?!

Speaking of wheels, here is the custom bike that Anthony has been building since before the triplets were born. Anyone like to buy it? You can even pick the color of paint! The only stipulation is that it probably won't be ready for another ten years.

Mason has decided to read up on the matter in case he inherits the project later on down the road. Mason is our car/train/anything with wheels fanatic. He has even been known to say "Cool bike!" upon seeing a chopper that catches his fancy.

Okay, time to sign out for the night. I am hoping to catch the last 20 minutes of our netflix movie from last night that I just couldn't stay awake until 9:30 to see the end of....pretty sad stuff!

Finger Painting Fun!

I hope I'm not setting the bar too high for myself by posting again today, but pardon me while I enjoy the honeymoon phase of blogging...this too shall pass!! For those happening upon my site and expecting to hear the juicy details of a pre-pubescent girl's love life, I'm sorry to disappoint. If you are interested in hearing about the life of a 35 year old married woman with 4 kids, then let the good times roll....LOL


Here is a pic of the boys taken today....let's just say the day didn't start out this way though! Upon my usual morning ritual of lowering each boy out of his crib, everything was going A-okay until I got to Cole. "Poopy!" he says with a puzzled look on his face as he extends his little ET finger out to me. Yes indeedy, it was poopy! What started as a #2 headed too far north out the top of Cole's pajama bottoms quickly became a poopy finger painting masterpiece on the front of his pj top! I strategically whisked him away to the master bath for a clean up all the while avoiding the 360 degree potential poop encounter. Okay, so we're washing ALL the bedding today. Mason (aka Blankie Boy) actually handed me his prized possession to add to the wash as I dumped the remainder of the bedding into the wash machine. This was a first...blankie washing is usually so tricky to figure out how to get the nearly 2 hour process accomplished without anyone noticing anything missing. (Good thing Ryland has a nearly identical blankie to Mason's and he isn't nearly as obsessed with it!)

Soooooo....run upstairs to flip laundry. I should know by now if I ever want some good blogging material, just leave the triplets alone in a room for a few minutes. I come downstairs to find a bottle of water Cameron left on the kitchen counter emptied all over the toy box and wood floor below. Better yet, this green tissue parachute Cameron made in preschool was sitting in the middle of this puddle with green dye streaming out in every direction. Who's the culprit? Well, that would be Cole with the 2 matching bright green hands, giant green Ronald McDonald mouth, and now green finger painting all over his brand new shirt. I'm not sure if he was playing pat-a-cake with Ryland or what because it's all over Ryland's hands too. Happy St. Patty's Day!

Did I mention that when the laundry was done and I was pitting out as I wrestled with 3 mattresses struggling to stretch the fitted sheets over all 4 corners that the triplets broke out of the baby gate downstairs and made their way upstairs to observe my goings on?! (As if I might be up to some mischief too while not in their presence?!?) No biggie....let's just spend the next 15 minutes or so trying to corral everyone into the desired direction of the downstairs family room.

After reaching our desired destination once again, the triplets decided it was time to do laps around the kitchen island on the trikes again. The boys love to Fred Flintstone it around their make believe track....who needs pedals? Cole decided to change the routine up a bit by pushing the back of Mason's trike....that was sure to make the inevitable face plant that much more accelerated and painful.

Not to be outdone by his little brothers, Cameron continues to push the envelope on a daily basis. Does this shirt say it all or what? Anyone know of a good military school for 5 year olds...maybe a scared straight summer camp? I think we're in the market!! I bought Cameron a new glue stick the other day and he immediately whipped off the the cap and started sniffing it. "Mom, this smells really good!" he proudly exclaims. Grrreat....my 5 year old is already a glue sniffer!

So there it is, another day in the life. Come back again soon....if you're brave....VERY brave!!

Joining the Rest of the World

I decided it was time to get with the times and start my own blog....FINALLY! Life passes by so fast I thought a record of day to day life might be the best way to capture the moments. With a 5 year old son and 2 year old spontaneous triplet boys, every day is a new adventure. The good, the bad, and the ugly....that's what I'm here to share.






I'll start with a pic of the triplets. I took this a couple weeks ago. The boys LOVE their accessories. They refused to take off their jackets and hoods even though temps were getting into the 70s.....they're also the only 2 year olds I know that ask to wear hats and sunglasses and actually keep them on. My theory on that is they know if they're wearing them, we might actually be going somewhere which is a somewhat rare occasion.

Well, it's 3pm so it's time to go shower for the day. Yes, that's right, I'm JUST NOW getting ready for the day. Maybe we'd go more places if I could get my act together and shower at 5am so I could be ready for the day before the boys wake up. Maybe tomorrow?!