The crack down begins....

Why is it that just when you feel the battle is turning your way your opponent(s) counter? It also amazes me that we sometimes have to fight old battles over and over again. Yep, you guessed it, the Triplets have been trying to move the battle lines.

Please do not think that I see raising the Triplets as a "battle." If you haven't already guessed it I use analogies like well.... like a good cook uses butter. That is to say, liberally, often and everywhere. I have even been known to use an analogy to try to explain an analogy. Sad, I know:) So I LOVE analogies and I love military stuff. Come on! I may be a SAHD but I am still very much a man.

Back to my point. Last week at the YMCA William bit a kid. To make matters worse he did not "keep it in the family." COME ON! We have already fought over this piece of dirt! Oh well, back to our original battle plans..... He then proceeded to bite one person each day for a week. The CFO finally broke him over the weekend after he bit his Aunt RaRa on the fanny. William has also been known to smack strangers (only women) on the fanny as he did at a restaurant one night. I won't give the details of how we "redirect" behavior that we don't feel is appropriate (major understatement) but lets just say he realized biting was not in his best interest:)

I also continue to battle chronic cases of the "whine flu" at our house. I am handing out time outs like beads at Mardi Gras and "free upgrades" are much more frequent. Don't get me wrong, I still love my "job." But let's just say I am really earning my pay right now. Who knows, maybe I will get a promotion out of this:)

What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy?
Mahatma Gandhi

Never, never, never believe any war will be smooth and easy, or that anyone who embarks on the strange voyage can measure the tides and hurricanes he will encounter. The statesman who yields to war fever must realize that once the signal is given, he is no longer the master of policy but the slave of unforeseeable and uncontrollable events.
Sir Winston Churchill

Al

Potty training update #2

Jackson wanted to wear big boy underwear yesterday so I conceded even though we had a play date. I figure this is one of those things that I "get paid" to do. As I have mentioned before I not only see being a SAHD as a calling, I see it as my job. Every job I have had has the things your REALLY do not like to do. The CFO says that when those things come up you have to "eat that frog." I forgot what book that was from but I like it. So..... I ate that frog.

I packed heavy for the play date with extra shoes (sandals) and two sets of clothes for Jackson. Everything was going great until panic struck when Jackson called from the top of a tower "I need to go poopie!" I jumped into action.... Unfortunately Addison also said she needed to go and she got to the pottie first. By the time I ran back to the back pack to get the other potty seat adapter thingy Jackson had overshot his mark. I felt bad. I consoled him and assured him that there was nothing wrong, accidents happen. He said he wanted a pull up on. The rest of the day he was perfect. Oh well, another day:)

Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.
Unknown

Al

Hello tiny traveler...

Potty training update

Addison is the winner!! Like most other things, she nailed it first. She is now in big girl underwear full time. Even during naps and at night. We have a few accidents here and there but not much. The most notable accident was the other morning when I was assailed by a torrent of warm pee early one morning. Addison was sleeping on my side of the bed but she had graciously allotted me about eight inches to sleep on:) Her accident startled both of us.

Jackson is a close second but I have yet to go a whole day with him in big boy underwear. He just needs me to bite the bullet and he should be fine after a few sock drenching episodes. William is in third as he shows some interest but is VERY inconsistent. The toys I had bought to reward them now sit on the mantle with little interest from the kids. I am back to M&Ms and chocolate. Heck, if it would push the boys over the top of this mountain I might even through in a soda:) Just kidding, sort of:)

I have learned a few things along the way....

• It is VERY important to have at least as many potties as kids/adults.
• Leave some extra cleaning towels at each potty for clean ups.
• Don't put the toilet paper in the potty before they get to survey their results.
• It is VERY important to teach them not to get up before you have a chance to wipe them.
• Cheerios are good for target practice but.....
  
• It is MUCH less messy for boys to sit down.
• Give everyone a 5-10 minute potty warning before leaving the house or going to bed.

People who get nostalgic about childhood were obviously never children.
Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbes

Al

Birthday party the Remix

One of our good friends' daughter has a birthday right after the Triplets so we got to enjoy Birthday parties two weekends in a row! They painted little wooden ladybugs, played "tape the spot on the ladybug" and they hunted for ladybugs (easter eggs with dots on them) filled with candy. One of the best things about the birthday parties with our friends is that BOTH parents usually attend. We feel blessed to be surrounded by people that WANT to be active in their kids' lives.

Mr. Brad is giving the final instructions on the "Ladybug Hunt"



Everyone enjoying the fruits of their labor.

It takes a long time to grow young.
Pablo Picasso

Al

Have potty, will travel.

I mentioned the other day to the CFO that I am looking forward to the days between potty training and when we need Depends where the odor of urine does not constantly hang in the air. The house has pull-ups and diapers EVERYWHERE, Pottys are EVERYWHERE, peed on PJs hang on the doors, and we have a potty in the van. Good golly!!! I am now an expert on quickly weighing a pull up or diaper by hand and being able to determine if it is dry or wet. It's a gift:)

I am bending many of my rules of proper etiquette these days. I even let Addison pee in the parking lot at the Zoo the other day.

Never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what's right.
Isaac Asimov

Al

Thursday better be better...

Let's just say that Wednesday wasn't my best day so far as a SAHD. I was first awakened around 1:30 by Addison SCREAMING Daddy! Daddy!...... I go upstairs to see what the issue was and she says "I want to go downstairs" obstentially to sleep in our bed. I gave in and talked to her about how her little legs can carry her down the stairs without waking me up by screaming. I then woke up at 2:30 when she started kicking me like a mad kangaroo. After a "talking to" both she and I went back to sleep until 3:30 when Jackson started SCREAMING my Daddy, my Daddy! I went back upstairs for more of the same. I told him he would need to sleep on the floor next to our bed. He was OK with that. I also reminded him that he could do all this without me.

As each of my kids is a bed-hog I had about one foot of our King size bed in which to sleep. Good thing I am skinny. Everything was going well until 6:30 when I was awoken by some warm.... wet... OH CRAP... PEE!!!!!! Addison quickly said "I'm sorry, I had an accident." NOT the way I envisioned my morning starting. Did I mention I am also loosing my voice due to being sick and I am reduced to whistling and clapping to get the kids' attention? I washed the pee off me and started the washer with the sheets and mattress cover.

We went to the Zoo for a play date which went well except for the continuous clapping and whistling by me:) Jackson pushed my limits a few times resulting in several time outs but only one "upgrade." So I thought I was out of the woods until the Triplets did their customary "I need to go pee-pee" in the middle of dinner. Keep in mind that Wednesday nights are on a tight time schedule anyway because of Church. In a minute I hear William say "uh-oh, I have a poopie." Yep, he pulled his pull-up off with a poopie in it. Well, it started off in it:)

Oh well, just another SAHD day:) But all in all when I look back at the day I have a smile on my face and I know that God is at work here.

The kids LOVE putting their shoes on now. But you have to keep a keen eye on them. Notice anything funny about the picture below?



Two left shoes:)

God places the heaviest burden on those who can carry its weight.
Reggie White

What we are is God's gift to us. What we become is our gift to God.
Eleanor Powell

Al