Birthday Party Extravaganza!

Having triplets means crazy birthday parties. There are always so many people there, no matter how hard you try. After a crazy 1st birthday party with a ton of friends and family, I vowed to never do that again! To make it even more fun, my youngest daughter has her birthday a few weeks after the triplets. What to do, what to do!
This year, we had a kids only party and are going to have a family party in a few weeks. Hailey is having her 1st birthday, which is very special, so of course she needs to have her own party, but we will just do family for that one. Being a mom can be exhausing!
We had a great time at the party and it was nice to split the birthday guilt by having 4 kids parties in one. The places that you rent out can be soooo expensive! Having the party indoors is a must in Vegas, so it was either an indoor place or my house. I loved it from the mom perspective! The girls at Child's Play were so helpful with setting up and cleaning up. It was a breeze. I will definitely consider a party place again.

The munchkins and their friends all had a great time!

3 AMAZING Years!

It is amazing how fast time flies! I can't believe that 3 years ago today I was headed into a labor and delivery room to give birth to my triplets. It seems like only yesterday that I was pregnant and praying for healthy babies. Fast forward to now and I have three beautiful little munchkins that keep me busy!
Motherhood and parenting have to be the two most amazing jobs on the planet. I am so grateful every day that I have been blessed with my children. It is hard to put into words what it feels like to want a baby so bad and yet, it never happens. Struggling with infertility was perhaps the hardest thing I have ever faced in my life. There are no words to express the loss that takes over your every waking moment. I feel so blessed to look at my children now and see their sweet spirits as they play and dance around. At times, I think about how my hubby and I faced the possibility of having no children, or maybe one and now we have five. I truly believe that the Lord has a sense of humor and his own timetable.
Life is never dull and always a learning experience!
Happy birthday to my little ones; Nathan, Luke & Emily! I love you!

 

Struggling to Make It Work

The past few weeks have been really busy. We have had 4th of July and a birthday party. I struggle so much with what I can and can't do as a mom with triplets and 5 kids under 6 years old.

Struggle #1
A few months ago we read an article in our local paper about a cute little parade for Independence day. There was a great picture of a huge Mr. Potato Head. Ethan immediately wanted to attend this year. We talked about it with some family and decided the kids would love it. Of course, as life goes, some people wanted to bail on us. Here is the dilemma. Do I go by myself with 5 little kids, or just take Ethan? It is so hard as a Mom to choose which kids get to do a fun activity and which kids have to miss out. Well, I decided to just take Ethan, but I felt so bad. It is so not fair to my little munchkins. Luckily, Grandma & Grandpa came through! We had a great morning at the parade. The kids (all 5 of them) absolutely loved it. They are still talking about it a week later.
   

Struggle #2
We were invited to a birthday party for one of our best friends. Of course, the party was at a pool park in the middle of the week. So, I decided to brave the party by myself with the 5 munchkins. I knew that my friends would help me with the kids and they didn't disappoint! I love our little playdate group. Our older boys have all grown up together and have so much fun together.

The lesson that I have learned these past few weeks is that it is so important to have a great support system. Family, friends, whoever it is it makes a difference. I love being able to have new exciting experiences with my little family. It is hard to be fair all the time, and sometimes it is just Ethan and I, but we make the most of the time we have together.
As parents, it is so important that we take the time to share new experiences with our kids, but it is also important to be realistic about what you are capable of. I know that my kids probably won't remember if they did or didn't do something, but I will. It takes a lot of planning and organization to get through the day, especially a special event. I am so thankful for my friends  and family who help out along the way.
This journey through childhood has a few more signposts!