Toddler Update

Taylen is really into his sandals, but he calls them slippers. He prefers shorts and short sleeve shirts above everything else. He loves when his clothes match. He's still very particular about his "possessions" and when he claims something consider it wiped out from other uses for a while. His trusty bear - given to him with the name Boris and then later renamed Boregoo - is now known in our home as Teddy. I feel this must be the start of a new life stage for him. Still loves building "tents" (giant piles of everything soft) and recently took to handing out Lego "cell phones" for the whole family, I can't figure out why. He begs for extra veggies and could not care less about meat or dairy. He's always the last out of the tub and his favorite colors are red + blue.

Dayr is the biggest stinker of all. He loves to get me going with his tongue spitting/fart noise. Do you know the one? He learned it from naughty minions via Despicable Me2 and therefore we don't watch that in our home anymore. Bummer 'cause I really kinda liked it. Sort of. His favorite clothing items are black faux leather pants, and undies with Buzz Lightyear on them, and his Superman shirt with cape. As soon as he's wearing that he vrooms around the house with renewed vim and vigor. He's the ring leader of all things sneaky and recently got his bro and sis in on an ice cream stealing brigade. I found them huddled under the counter with a nearly-full carton, sticky fingers and all. He's attached at the hip to mommy lately, and if he's particularly tired or emotional he won't let anyone else help or comfort him. His favorite colors are green + orange and he loves his new movie Rio from Grandma.

Ayara is a follower like I've never seen before. I don't know if it's her close-in-age-ness to her brothers but whatever they do she wants to do, too. It doesn't matter if they get in trouble, earn a time out, or make us proud she is united with them on it all. That being said my heart gets broken daily as she is surely the odd toddler out and gets picked on non-stop! I can't turn my back for a second before tears are rolling down her cheeks and that big "siren mouth" (as Bob calls it) is open and sounding off for the world to hear. The other day we were hiking one of our favorite spots, trying to find morel mushrooms, and we decided to run as a family across a big open field. Sissy didn't get the memo; however, because when we got to the other side she was standing in the center and just started to wail an awful tune. Luckily Bob has the endurance of... something with a lot of endurance, and ran back to get her. She is lucky to have such a sweet daddy wrapped around her chubby little fingers. She is a great helper and loves to do errands, chores, or anything she can assist with. She helps me make dinner with pleasure, happily washes dishes, and loves to carry the basket at the store, even as it repeatedly slams into the back of her stocky little legs. Oh, and her favorite color is pink. Just ask her anything - the answer is always pink.

So much to share and so little time - I can't wait to see what the next update brings! Follow our Blog via the "follow by email" subscription box on the right, so you never have to miss the fun!

Twins: three years + three months // 39 months

Ayara: two years + one month // 25 months

I wonder if I'll ever stop counting in months(?!) ... probably not. It'll just get rediculous

CURRENTLY // APRIL 17, 2014

clearing, digging, mixing, reading, watching  

I am clearing (constantly, but especially now that Spring has officially sprung) clutter from every corner of our home. If you've been reading for any length of time you know I'm ALWAYS doing this, but it feels so. good. As Drea mentioned a few weeks back "purge, purge, purge!" and that is what I've done. I filed through my clothes and tossed everything I would not buy again today. Does that make sense? Then I repeated the same thing a week later, and again a week after that. The idea was that if I wasn't getting rid of SO much at once I might be more apt to let go of something that was otherwise sentimental. or whatever. Anyway, six bags later it worked! And I can see the back of my closet again.

 

Bob is digging through projects on his "to do" list. Last week he started the kids' Christmas-present-swing-set from Grandpa and Grandma see the beginning phases here. This week he's tackled fixing the triple stroller for me - I can't wait to have the ability to walk outside with all three tots while he's gone at work again! - and is getting stuff together to build a chicken coop from pallets + scraps we scounged on the side of the road. Pretty rad + handy if you ask me. It's time for the chickens to move on to fresher, bigger air. Currently they're stinkin' up our not-so-well-ventilated mudroom and this preggo gets queasy every trip in to, or out of, the home.

 

All three tots are mixing their own version of Toddler Style. Ayara has been the epitome of cute in some hand-me-downs (right now she's the youngest of 16 grandkids on Bob's mom's side... I think? and we receive all hmd's) mixed with new and fabulous pieces. You can read about it here every Wednesday when we link up with Our Holly Days for style posts. Oh, and I'm sharing some cute maternity wears, too!

 

I've been reading everything empowering + maternal I can get my hands on. No, this is not my first preg-rodeo, but I just can't seem to read enough. The things I'm into this time center around midwifery and natural, unassisted birth. The kind that gives a woman her due praises for recognizing and using the God-given bodily powers she posesses. I found a memoir by Patricia Harman The Blue Cotton Gown and could not (literally) put it down. Then I went back to the library, afer I'd finished that, and found the prequel, too. Now I'm reading that, Ina May's Guide to ChildBirth, Born in the USA, Labor of Love, a new book for bible study at church called Restless, and a hilarious pregnancy pocket book called Pregnancy Countdown. I almost took it back to the library but it's so hilariously blunt about "what's up down there" that I had to keep it for the laughs. So, yeah - I read those in my "spare time." Ha.

 

Bob and I have been watching a magical new nap routine unfold for our boys. I thought naps might be a thing of the past since they turned three in February, but we found a way to milk it, and beautifully. Around 2:00 I put on relaxation radio on Pandora, ask them to get in "their spot" which is: for Taylen the grey recliner, and Dayr the orange chair with the patterned poof footrest. They fall gracefully asleep, no fighting, and stay there for a few HOURS. It's a beautiful thing in all regards.

  We're linking up with Harvesting Kale and Ot + Et today, come share your "currently" too and please, while you're here:

CURRENTLY // APRIL 3, 2014 [MY APOLOGIES]

It's been a little, okay - a lot quiet around here, ever since we found out littlest is on his/her way. I chalk it up to pregnancy brain, nicer weather, Birthday season in full swing and a handful of other legitimate but otherwise boring excuses.

 

So, what have we been up to? That answer is a LONG one! Things have been fun and exhausting at the homestead as of late.
 

The chickens we brought home almost 4 weeks ago are finally acclimating to the frigid Northern Michigan weather (albeit indoors still) and will be heading outside SOON. Or so we hope. Last weekend while all three kids stayed the night at Grammy's (yep - she's BRAVE) those crazy chickens woke me up out of a perfectly otherwise peaceful night of sleep. Anyway, they won't start laying eggs for a few months but having them as baby chicks simply for the kids' reactions was priceless and not as hard to do as one might think. I highly recommend.
 

Bob and the kids have started cleaning a space for a brand new swing set to be built in our yard. We live, quite literally, right next to the park BUT with three little ones and constant snacking, napping, clothing changes, etc. having a play set behind the house will be a real dream come true. When we want to swim we can still walk to the beach and get tuckered.

 

I've been planning, baking and crafting for an upcoming Baby Shower that I am throwing, along with my good lifetime friend Meredith for our sweet lady Beth and her bump (Nyla). It's April Showers themed! Cloud cookies are being baked and packaged today, raindrop garlands were crafted last night, the whole thing is adorableness overload. Stay tuned for photos of the finished, colorful products - as well as a shout out to my girl Courteney at Remix Designs who is helping with the decor.

Speaking of baby (smooth transition, right?) I started reading midwife Patricia Harman's very touching memoir The Blue Cotton Gown - super recommend for all the crunchy, baby-having women in your life. She's choked me up already writing about twin pregnancy, labor and delivery, sex-changes, and her intimate country garden that reminds her of her kids. So diverse. So good.

 

 Epic Birthday for my insanely good-looking "old man" this week ;)

We're attending a foraging class in May to celebrate more!

 

Making room for the swing set, dad + twins style

Picked that wheelbarrow up for $free.99 this week, too!

 

 first we planted...

 

 now it grows!

 

 Introducing: LL Cool Tay

 

 Monkey boy

 

 Birthday swans - nomnom

 

 Sunning the chickies while dad cleans the pen

 

finally... time for me.

birthday card/coloring book from my thoughtful hubs, and my favorite- colored sharpies

CURRENTLY // MARCH 6, 2014

One of five avocado seeds I'm "growing" on the sill - fingers crossed!

I am declaring that I get the right things done. In fact it's my personal mantra at the moment:

"Get The Right Things Done."

It works wonders to remind myself of this oh-so-simple sentiment multiple times per day. Back in late 2013 I quit Facebook (more on that soon to come) and saw my personal productivity + creativity go through the roof! Now with the importance of getting out of debt knocking on our door I am taking even more steps to get the right things done. It's a challenge for me - because I might be slightly (really) addicted to things like: Instagram, Pinterst and the like - but when I am able to smell my babies freshly-washed hair and be present in the moment nothing could be more important and real.

Trying out a new toy from Cookie Cutter Guy on Etsy!

 Bob and I are saving every spare penny that we can. No ordering pizza, no fancy groceries, no new clothes, nothing. In fact we are lobbying for a big yard sale in the coming months. If you're in Northern Michigan it might be worth your time to come! We are once and for all going to be debt-free, and it's closer than one might think. I estimate two years to finish paying off my massive student loan (which will shortly be our only debt!) - check back with me on this subject then. We also saved our sanity this week with dinner at a friend's. It was much much needed indeed.

 The twins are demolishing any and all food reserves we might have had in the house. Can you say growth spurt? Except not really because at the doc's last week they were hanging out in the 10th percentile for height and weight. If they're healthy who cares, right? That's my stance. On the subject of demolishing they also destroy all furniture upon waking in the morning for what they've dubbed "tents" which are, simply put, large piles of ev-er-y-thing soft.

 

I am sniffing the warming winter air. In fact just last week I saw not one, but TWO robins (Michigan's state bird!) flying at the doc's. In case you're unaware that is a sure sign of spring in this here mitten state. It's currently back to being too cold to step outside but I am hopeful and planning big outdoorsy things (while reading The Edible Garden - tons of amazing ideas for a garden that's beautiful + functional) in my nearly-stir-crazy mind.

The kids are sniffing boogers. They're sick. sick. sick. Last week it was pukes, this week it's colds + earaches. Such is life when you have three tots - someone is always sick - right?

We are all despising ... just see above. ^ 

 

Tay in a "tent" // Mama in a daze + sickly snuggles // Resting Ayara

linking up with some awesomesauce mamas here .

CURRENTLY // FEBRUARY 5, 2014

watching, saying, admiring, losing making

 

I am currently WATCHING the numbers on my bathroom scale go down, down, down. That's right, I am about to be a success story! See how far I got last year here. This enthusiasm may or may not be about half-a-year premature. Remember what I said in this post about my body? Well, that's still true but I am taking better care of me. Workouts have been regular for two weeks(!) and healthy eating is back on track, thanks in part to myfitnesspal.com (no endorsements here, I just seriously love that site + app).

Disclaimer: it's really really hard for me to fit in exercise with three tots running around. We did a dance party which was fun, failed at cardio dance, I salsa'd with a snow shovel in 20 below temps., and I yoga'd while kids crawled through my legs and splashed in the toilet. I literally take whatever I can get.

 

Ayara (now 22-months-old!) is currently saying the cutest phrases. Like I mentioned before, she loves to sing You are my Sunshine with inappropriate words, but she also loves to tell me "chin up, mom" + "go potty" - wait, what?! She's ahead of her bros by a good year in the potty training dept. but it's all thanks to their good model. It all comes out in the wash.  

 

I am currently admiring what the twins are wearing.  Taylen, the more sensitive of the two boys, likes to wear underwear. That's it. It is because he loves to be able to see the pic on his bum in the toddler-height mirror Bob installed long ago. Dayr, our free(er) spirit, gets dressed from head-to-toe no problem. His stipulation? It must be "all by myself!". We can line up his clothes so they don't go on backwards, but after that it's hands OFF. Ayara has been wearing stellar outfits, courtesy of her dad's keen fashionista eye + some amazing small biz + Etsy stores (features soon to come, stay tuned!). 

 

 

Bob and I are losing our old money habits (read: spend it if ya got it) and replacing them with Dave Ramsey's biblical-based principles for getting out of debt for good! We've been taking a class on Monday nights at our church for four weeks now, and every time we leave I am so jazzed for the new week. This week we will write our first zero-based budget and finally tell ALL of our money where to go instead of wondering where it went. Can you tell I'm super psyched?

 

This week I am making the twins THIRD BIRTHDAY CAKES! Wahoo! I can't believe they're going to be three. I'm so excited to celebrate with them, and they're geeked, too! They have separate birthdays (read about their unique birth stories here) but they are united in the desire to have a "red birthday". Naturally then strawberry cake is on the menu. Naturally. We're still up-in-the-air about some sort of gifty celebration for them: a trip to the children's museum, a water park, a gift they can use for years to come? If you'll recall, from this Christmas post, we're sort of anti-lots-of-unnecessary-stuff. Stay tuned for that reveal ::wink:: Flashback to the twins second birthday here. Scope the twinkies cutesie 1/2 Birthday cake + celebration here.

Also, check out some of my Pinspiration for their cakes: (!)

Follow Crista Hebel's board Twins third Birthday on Pinterest.

 

 

We are linking up here now! Sa-weet!

 

 please, please, if you would be so kind:

CURRENTLY // JANUARY 22, 2014

 



cooking lesson with dad

CURRENTLY // JANUARY 15, 2014

missing, wanting, loving, preparing, regretting

 I am currently missing my girlfriends. First and foremost I miss Kelly. If you didn't read her story back in July of 2013 then please take a minute to do so. I think of her often and am so glad her legacy is a positive one, made audible by the words: Remember to Love. I also miss my bestie Sara, who visited for the Holidays and is since back in Sri Lanka designing and sharing fashion with + for the world. What a far off fantasy dream life for a stay-at-home mom like me! Live vicariously, anyone? Sidenote: I miss those not so far + gone, too! You know who you are, lovies.

CURRENTLY // APRIL 25, 2013

The twins and Ra are:

Eating: pop tarts. I don't even know how we got started. One week we're eating clean, the next I'm buying everything a coupon can discount, this month trying two weeks worth of shopping at a time. Ugh. Have you read our Blog subheading lately?

 

Drinking: anything that goes in a cup. A few weeks back it was unfortunately pee from the toilet. It's sterile, right? Tonight it was muddy hose water from the free water table I snagged off Craigslist. (WHA?!)
It isn't any wonder they have weekly bouts of diarrhea. How does the saying go? Oh yes- what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Right.

Wishing: they're wishing and we are wishing we had a swing set. Sure we have other exciting toys,but there's nothing like an old school swing. The park down the road is perfect when it's mom and dad, but just one of us has a hard time getting all three babes an eighth of a mile.

Loving: each other. It made my day to see Dayr, during a crying fit, walk a snack to his bro when I asked. Ayara can't get enough kisses. She kisses me, her dad, he doll, her bros-  ut oh is what I'm thinking. And, instead of thinking its funny to ignore me when I ask for a kisses, the boys AND their stuffed bears (named Boris but somehow nickname Boregoo now) offer loving freely. Makes my day.

Dreaming: probably about poop. I'm only saying that because they have a new poop-in-the-middle-of-the-night ritual. It stinks.

__________

I am...

Eating: my own cooking. That's different! I'm working on two two-week-long meal plans complete with shipping lists, meal plans and recipes. Stay tuned!

 

Drinking: nothing special. Boring, right? The occasional glass of Kefir graces my lips, other than that I'm a water girl all the way.

Wishing: this house would clean itself. No matter how many times we sweep, fold, or wash it just gets dirty again. Does yours do that? I'd rather never clean. Suddenly I feel less judgey watching Hoarders.

Loving: my hubs. Cheeeesy I know but it's true. We had quite a few ups and downs over the last year and to be in a happy, steady place feels good... and like a giant relief. Let me just add this gem: when you always tell the truth you don't have to cover your tracks. Okay?

Dreaming: no. Nightmaring is more like it. I've been having baby choking nightmares since I was pregnant with Ra. That's about 21 months. I'm so over it. Nightmare opposite-of-bonus: when the kids do choke in real life I LOSE it. I just start bawling. Time for a baby CPR refresher to boost my confidence I'd say.

 

 

 

 

 

Currently: March 21, 2013

 

 

 

Cleaning whenever the mood strikes. And it doesn't strike much. BUT, as you can see, when it happens it's a big success!

Planning Ayara's first Birthday! Can you even believe it? Soon we'll have two two-year-olds and a one-year-old running around. See ya in the crazy house! Here's a sneak peek at her invites baby-magneted to the fridge:

Skipping potty training. Yea, we thought it was a good idea and really it still is but we're both so constantly overwhelmed that we're waiting for the cues from the boys that say "okay, we're really ready for this." Until then the potties have been abandoned. In the shower.

 

 

Planting whatever my hubs can get his hands on. We got a steal on some seeds at the dollar store and found this uh-maze-zing Chia Pet at Big Lots! Score!

The tea pot "planter" is a hand-me-down from my 90-year-old!! Granny and so naturally I love it.

 

 

Wearing um... jeggings if I'm being honest. I have heard people say "jeggins blah, blah suck, blah blah" but you know what? They're kinda awesome. SOON I hope to be wearing this sasy little discounted number. Hint, hint. Just waiting on you, sunshine!

Oh and cannot forget the princess. She's been spotted in rabbit-wearing-cool-glasses PJ's. Oh and she obviously loves them see evidence below.