ten. for the price of one.

...ten {woulda} posts if i {coulda} had more time...

{1} one week old.

{love those long lashes. from his daddy.}

{2} all siblings need record of...

bathtime together.

it won't stay like this forever.

{3} cousins.

oh so glad they have ONE.

but oh so sad he just moved away. wipe. a. tear.

my kids need more cousins.

{4} thirty.

thank heaven above for january 15th, 1980.

{5} confessions

of a mommy of three.

in survival.

what has life been like with three kids??

crazy. sweet. amazing. exhausting.

but here is a story that will make any mommy feel better.

{in list format because that is how my brain works right now. no complete sentences capable.}

*made a day trip with the 3. by myself. 

my first official day as mom of 3. 

decided upon the baltimore children's museum. had one more day to use before our passes expire.

timed it all perfectly. or so i thought.

got trapped on a bridge one mile from the exit for almost an hour.

grant screaming in starvation.

mom about to pee pants. 

(remember i was still recovering from delivery at this point. very weak bladder control.)

hannah and madeline antsy and cranky... we had been in the car for almost 2 hours at this point.

finally, eeked by, squeezed onto the shoulder to some exit.

got a little lost.

at last, made it to destination.

no parking available.

no place to run in quickly with 3 littles to use a restroom.

double parked next to some cars. flipped on hazards.

feeding grant. he's happy.

found old leftover snacks for kids. they're happy.

me??

couldn't hold it any longer.

i. peed. my. pants. 

but only after i tried to use one of madeline's diapers. 

awesome.

a new mommy low.

(shoot. is this too much information??)

couldn't decide if i should cry or laugh. 

turned to kids and told them "mommy had an accident so we can't go to the children's museum."

screams and tears flowing. 

(especially since just a few weeks before we had attempted the same museum and it was randomly closed. and they were heartbroken).

my sweet husband sends me a very funny text soon after i relayed this tragedy.

felt rejuvenated.

decided it would certainly be a much sadder ending to the day if we just went home. defeated.

no way jose.

wrapped a sweatshirt around my waste and yelled victoriously to the girls, "we are going to the children's museum!"

screams of joy.

hannah reassures me, "it's okay mommy. sometimes its just hard to remember to stay clean and dry sometimes."

thanks hannah.

and so we went.

and everyone was happy.

and i just had to laugh.

in my cold, wet pants.

awesome.

{6} sweet reminders.

i'm usually put in my place by hannah. in a good way.

she reminds me.

she's good at that.

the other day, hannah showed me this picture that she drew and carefully (and thoughtfully) hung above my side of the bed. with these commands:

"mommy. its a picture of a beautiful day. when you wake up in the morning, you stretch and turn and around and look at the picture and say, 'it's a beautiful day!' (with enthusiasm mind you)."

thank you sweet hannah. mommy often needs that reminder in the mornings.

and why not start the day off like that.

there is a lot of "beautiful" in my day. 

not talking about the unshowered mommy. the clothes strewn about. the unmade beds. the diaper maze on the floor. 

but a husband. two daughters. and a son.

 that makes my every day beautiful and a delight to wake up to.

{7} to be held.

not sure whether or not i feel jealous of him (gets a lot of love) or feel the fear for him.

{8} blizzard{s} & donuts

3 feet of snow.

(another 2 feet to come tonight! this is a big deal for the dc area. and we are reaping all the benefits.)

these homemade beauties put us all in a deep, sugar slumber.

especially this guy. he has a real love for these sugary wonders.

{9} defiance ... with a major victory!!!!

most kids, like mine, do exactly what you don't want them to do with a smirk on their little faces.

potty training. 

didn't want to touch that bad boy until we were all more adjusted to life with three kids.

and though we cheered for her when she "practiced" sitting on the potty, mean mommy did not want to begin the whole training process despite madeline showing every sign of readiness and beyond.

well, she has a mind of her own.

so with a little smirk on her face, she chose the path of defiance.

(and when she made her grand announcement at the super bowl party, i knew she had won.)

she pooped on the potty. twice.

that is a major victory in a human's life, i say.

and so, we are training. 

and she has been amazing.

and pantless.

and excited.

and proud.

as are we.

(minus the "pantless" part)

{10} grant at 4 weeks. say what?!

{observations}

he grunts. like a little man. constantly.

we are all smitten by this guy.

i swear he looks like a different baby in every picture we take of him.

he'll stare you down with a pretty sharp wonky/croaked eye.

he is growing too fast. way too fast.

i'm surprised by how much i am loving this newborn stage. and really want it to slow down. really.

i think i wished it by too much with hannah and madeline. with hannah, i couldn't wait to parent a walking talking child. and with madeline, i couldn't wait for her to walk and talk with her big sister. 

i've learned my lesson.

won't be wishing this time by.