Duct Tape and Strollers and Wagons, Oh My!

The mornings have been cooler. Football has started. Mums are for sale at every grocery store. Summer is over.

For some that might be a sad sentence. For me, it just makes me want to buy new jeans and shoes. I always loved back to school shopping. But it is business as usual at our house. No new routines. Although I have started making a dinner menu again. That was on break for a while. Today is salmon. Tomorrow is pizza. Saturday is BBQ chicken salad. Sunday is Pad Thai. Huh? Not bad? I would love any other dinner favorite sent my way. If you need some, you should go to this blog. It's pretty sweet.

I'm excited about this little wonder that is being shipped to our house as we speak:

My latest solution to our transportation needs. This is our 4th get up. The first was the triple decker that fit all their infant car seats which was nice. (I will always recommend this to anyone that needs to wheel around 3 infants.) The second was the triple wide jogging stroller. Although you can't really jog with it. We bought it used and it has really been used. It's great for walks around the neighborhood and large parks with large sidewalks, but incredibly heavy. There was no way we could take it on the plane with us. The "used" factor threatens to leave a wheel behind every time we load and unload it in the car. Plus, I'm pretty sure it would NOT have fit on the on the x-ray belt.

The triple wide.

Which brings us to #3 (are you still with me?), our double umbrella stroller and single umbrella stroller. This is what we used for our vacation. We loved it. We didn't get as many looks, stares and stops as we do with the triple wide. Plus, they were both so easy to manage. The downside? You need two adults. Which brings me to the choo choo wagon. (That's what it's called. My adult vocabulary still works.)

At the airport, curbside. Loved these strollers for traveling.

The choo choo wagon (seriously, I need to think of what I can call this thing) will allow me to go places with the kids, by myself! I haven't been able to do that with the triple wide. Too heavy/bulky for me to load in the car. I know. I should be able to lift and haul lots of things. I do have some pretty awesome muscles. (Which reminds me, if you haven't got your tickets to the gun show...) But if the store or zoo, or any other place of interest does not have double doors without a bar running down the middle? Out of luck. So I'm excited for transport module #4 option B, Plan Beta Charlie.

Aren't you happy you are now up to speed about how I can haul my darlings around?

They are getting so big and so smart. I know this sounds cliche, and every parent goes through it, but OH MY GOOD GRAVY GRACE I can't believe how much they change and grow! As some of you noticed, we have to duct tape Sunny's diaper. She loves to take it off. And please no comments about, "Oooo, watch out! Let's hope that isn't a sign of her future.." She's 20 months. When you see a baby drinking from a bottle, do you say, "Uh oh. Hitting the bottle pretty hard huh? Better watch that one." No, because drinking from a bottle is a phase. Just like taking off your diaper.

The morning changing of diapers and clothes is a bit of an assembly line for me. It's kind of rapid fire and sometimes I miss a beat. Like this morning, I forgot to tape her diaper. I finish changing her brothers and here she comes with a bare bottom. She has her diaper in one hand and a roll of duct tape in another. She lifts up both and says a bunch of syllables that are incomprehensible. She basically tells me, "Mom, you forgot to tape my diaper, so that is why I took it off. But here is the tape to fix the problem."

Smart. It surprises me sometimes because I still think of them as babies. I remind myself that I need to stop calling them babies. According to all the books and charts and graphs and Nick Jr, 18 months is the end of the baby stage. Which literally brings tears to my over-sentimental eyes. My babies are growing up. Which is good. Life goes on. They can't be little forever.

I recently heard of a mama who just gave birth to triplets. They were born at 24 weeks. Four weeks earlier than mine. She has babies. My heart aches for what is in store for them. I don't envy what they are going through right now. Our own NICU experience has shifted to the back of my memory. But the emotions are still there. A baby is supposed to grow inside their mommy, not in an incubator under flourescent lights attached to plastic and wires and tubes. The juxtaposition of knowing that, but being thankful for those incubators and tubes is a tough one to wrestle with. My mother heart will be with that family.

Because even recently, on our vacation, when my brood was experiencing the beach for the first time, I briefly thought of those long, dark days of hoping and praying for the best possible outcome. When they were digging in sand and their soggy swim diapers made them waddle towards seagulls and shells, I remembered when they were so fragile and I thought I would be the one to break them. I wish I could've imagined our life now. It would have made the pumping and drives to the hospital a little more bearable. I think.



But then, I think I'm glad I didn't know. Because that would've taken away some of my gratitude. My prayers would not have been as sincere. My deepest desires not as deep. I'm glad the future is a mystery. Every day is a new adventure around here. I have no idea what to expect next.


I'm glad for that.





Ok, share! Favorite back to school and or fall dinners? Favorite strollers or wagons or donkey and cart set ups? What phase are you excited to be done with? Anyone else happy to not know their future?

Making Plans or We Are Finally Home

Making plans was part of what made them "them." Traveling was in their bones. They loved to book flights, pack bags and find great, new places to eat. Then the babies came. Traveling was on hiatus. Diapers and feedings and running and screaming and crying. A plane was out of the question. Two adults? Three kids? The math never made sense.

But the great east winds called. The tide rose with their desire to visit family and eat lobster. They rationalized a non-stop flight would surely be no problem. As long as they didn't have to change planes, they could make it across the country with three, nineteen-month old darlings. They would just sit in laps and in the extra seat and read books and munch on snacks for 4 1/2 hours. No problem. The east winds beckoned louder with each rationalization.


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We are home from our vacation. Our kids touched the ocean, saw lobster, mimicked seagulls, learned the word "boat" and got lots and lots of love from dear family. The plane ride is a dark, messy blur of fits, naps, kinds looks from strangers as well as a few dirty ones. (Looks that is, the strangers seemed cleaned.)

I wish we could've clicked ruby slippers together instead of hauling three car seats, two strollers, three blankets, three carry-ons, three busy babies and two exhausted parents through the airport. But we are home now. The memories of an amazing, first family vacation are stronger than the plane ride getting there. We all had a blast. Although, I might calculate how long the drive is for next year...