First things first, pictures of the kiddos. Because really aren't they more interesting?
Grant & Ella
The kids with their "friend" Ethan, Abi's new brother.
Grant
Ella smiling!
Evie making silly faces. I don't know where she learned it though. Just out of the blue...must've been a classmate at preschool!
Don't mess with me brothers!!! I may be a girl but I'm one tough cookie!
Chubba Bubba
Grant
Henry
Henry & Grant
EllaI seriously cannot believe that another year has passed. Turning 30 didn't seem like a big deal. But for some reason I've been thinking how crazy it is that I've been on this planet 31 years. That really is a huge chunk of time. Now don't confuse that statement with me saying that I feel old...I don't. At least not on a daily basis. When I think back to this day a year ago I can't believe all that has occurred. I am a mother of 4 under 3. I've been married for 5 years. I've been a doctor and chiropractor for over 6 years. I can't believe that this is my life! Every year since 2008 I've done a scrapbooking project called "a week in the life" which is a picture documentation of our life at the moment. It's fun to see what we are doing now and compare it to last year or the year before. Currently this is what my daily routine with 4 looks like:
5:30-6:45a first feeding of the day, triplets back to sleep til next feeding
7-8a Evie up, mom shower and pump, Shawn off to work MWF
8-9 breakfast for mom and Evie, cup of coffee, empty and load dishwasher, clean kitchen
8:30a Evie and dad leave for preschool T/Th
9-10 feed babies (typically each feeding takes 1 1/2 hours)
10-11:30 clean up, give bathes (Evie M/F, triplets W/Su)
11a on T/Th drive to town to pick Evie up from preschool
12 lunch for Evie, begin babies 3rd feeding (diaper changes before all feedings)
1:30pish afternoon nap for triplets and Evie
1:30ish mom cleans more, pumps, relaxes etc
3ish feed triplets
4:30ish pump, start dinner
5:30-6:30 dinner, Shawn home, feed triplets
6:30-8:30 triplets witching hour, clean up from dinner and Evie toys, Shawn prepare for night feedings and work tomorrow
8:30 Evie to bed, begin triplets last feeding
9:30-11 everyone asleep
2-3a feeding (this can vary)
The first feeding of the day dictates the rest of our schedule. The triplets eat every 3 hours. Typically the first feeding occurs at 6 or 6:30a. I am hoping to move to a 4 hour feeding schedule at some point. Also missing from this routine is activities with Evie, exercise etc. This is unacceptable and I'm working to change that. Love that I have triplets, hate that I feel like nothing ever gets done or accomplished. What gets me through is the following: this too shall pass. How quickly infancy and toddler-hood passed with Evie. Now she is a preschooler. These 3 will soon be too and I will have regretted wishing for this period to be done just so things could be a might "easier." Really though does parenthood get easier?? Or does one difficulty make way into another. For instance, Evie was a TERRIBLE sleeper but so happy that we'd get comments about how happy she was. Now she is a great sleeper but the tantrums happen frequently. Soon we will finish with tantrums and lead into a new pattern of parenting discipline. I am hoping that I am living as much in the present as possible. Learning from if not enjoying those difficult moments for what they are and loving everything in between.
For my birthday I was blessed to receive a "nook" from Shawn and Evie. What is a nook? It is an electronic book reading device. I am currently reading Pride & Prejudice which only cost 95 cents. Crazy the changes that have occurred in the last 31 years. What is to happen in society in the next 31?? I guess I will have to wait and see. It seems like technology, however, is changing faster then I can comprehend or appreciate. For instance, I have no interest in viewing every movie and certainly every television show in 3-D, yet that is one of the commonly heard items during advertisements of the latest release. 5 years from now I will be outdated as everyone else owns a 3-D television and we just bought our first flat-screen. We also don't own a blue-ray (gasp!).
I am very happy to have done SOME scrapbooking. Here is the pages I've gotten done. The first are of my pregnancy. Click on the picture to view larger to read the journaling. The last is of Evie and her best friend Abi. I just love this picture of them. Evie was almost 2 and Abi 18 mo. We are going to attempt our first walk to the park in this crazy-for-October warm weather. Evie and Abi of course will love it. The triplets will most likely be oblivious.
7-8a Evie up, mom shower and pump, Shawn off to work MWF
8-9 breakfast for mom and Evie, cup of coffee, empty and load dishwasher, clean kitchen
8:30a Evie and dad leave for preschool T/Th
9-10 feed babies (typically each feeding takes 1 1/2 hours)
10-11:30 clean up, give bathes (Evie M/F, triplets W/Su)
11a on T/Th drive to town to pick Evie up from preschool
12 lunch for Evie, begin babies 3rd feeding (diaper changes before all feedings)
1:30pish afternoon nap for triplets and Evie
1:30ish mom cleans more, pumps, relaxes etc
3ish feed triplets
4:30ish pump, start dinner
5:30-6:30 dinner, Shawn home, feed triplets
6:30-8:30 triplets witching hour, clean up from dinner and Evie toys, Shawn prepare for night feedings and work tomorrow
8:30 Evie to bed, begin triplets last feeding
9:30-11 everyone asleep
2-3a feeding (this can vary)
The first feeding of the day dictates the rest of our schedule. The triplets eat every 3 hours. Typically the first feeding occurs at 6 or 6:30a. I am hoping to move to a 4 hour feeding schedule at some point. Also missing from this routine is activities with Evie, exercise etc. This is unacceptable and I'm working to change that. Love that I have triplets, hate that I feel like nothing ever gets done or accomplished. What gets me through is the following: this too shall pass. How quickly infancy and toddler-hood passed with Evie. Now she is a preschooler. These 3 will soon be too and I will have regretted wishing for this period to be done just so things could be a might "easier." Really though does parenthood get easier?? Or does one difficulty make way into another. For instance, Evie was a TERRIBLE sleeper but so happy that we'd get comments about how happy she was. Now she is a great sleeper but the tantrums happen frequently. Soon we will finish with tantrums and lead into a new pattern of parenting discipline. I am hoping that I am living as much in the present as possible. Learning from if not enjoying those difficult moments for what they are and loving everything in between.
For my birthday I was blessed to receive a "nook" from Shawn and Evie. What is a nook? It is an electronic book reading device. I am currently reading Pride & Prejudice which only cost 95 cents. Crazy the changes that have occurred in the last 31 years. What is to happen in society in the next 31?? I guess I will have to wait and see. It seems like technology, however, is changing faster then I can comprehend or appreciate. For instance, I have no interest in viewing every movie and certainly every television show in 3-D, yet that is one of the commonly heard items during advertisements of the latest release. 5 years from now I will be outdated as everyone else owns a 3-D television and we just bought our first flat-screen. We also don't own a blue-ray (gasp!).
I am very happy to have done SOME scrapbooking. Here is the pages I've gotten done. The first are of my pregnancy. Click on the picture to view larger to read the journaling. The last is of Evie and her best friend Abi. I just love this picture of them. Evie was almost 2 and Abi 18 mo. We are going to attempt our first walk to the park in this crazy-for-October warm weather. Evie and Abi of course will love it. The triplets will most likely be oblivious.
6 comments:
Great job pages are wonderful. Can't beleave how mush the little one have grown. Can't wait to see them and Evie soon.
Love Dad & anpa Jeff
Happy Birthday Tawnda! My two favorite memories of you from when we were little are these: playing "robbers & princesses" with Keesha and Jessie and I in the little gray house- you took one for the team by letting me be the princess :) The other is playing restaurant in Grandma and Grandpa's basement/pantry area... making "green beans" with the snap apart plants, and you and Keesha made the best menus!!!
Alice and Ella have matching pj's!
Love you!
Everything looks wonderful! They are all getting so big! It saddens me at how fast they are all growing up! Wishing we could visit more!
Hugs and Kisses to all! See you soon!
Love,
Auntie Jess and Uncie GOober
Oh how I miss you guys! The babies are getting so big. L-O-V-E your scrapbook pages. The kiddos will definitely get a kick out of them! Definitely cherish the little moments, even though it is tough. Before you know it our kiddos will be off to College! Happy Birthday my dear Sister, I love you!
LOVE the new pictures and your thoughts of life at this moment. Wishing you a wonderful birthday, dear friend!!
Love, sara
I LOVE your scrapbooking pages Tawnda!! They are awesome! The ones of you pregnant you really changed from 7-8 months. It's nice to see those changes. Great idea! The kids are adorable. They are getting so big. It is so hard to enjoy the here and now, but we must or we will have regrets!
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