it's quiet

i'm sitting here typing furiously.

seriously- i'm pretty sure i look like i'm doing something rather important & if anyone were to walk in they would be all like, "damn, look at the woman doing something seriously important! GO HER!"

...or rather if someone were to walk in i'd panic because it's 7:45 AM & i'm not expecting anyone. so it'd be a robber & i'd be all like, "damn...well this is awkward."

but i digress. i'm typing furiously because it's currently quiet. all 3 children are sleeping & i probably have all of 3.5 minutes to myself. & i already spent 30 seconds of that peeing & simultaneously brushing my teeth (sorry for the visual) so i'm playing a dangerous game with time right now...

(& just like that, i can hear one of my offspring downstairs. she's awake & talking to herself. but soon she'll do her best to wake up her sister & then they'll both start calling my name (literally- sometimes they yell, "HEY TRINA!!! COME HERE!" like, excuse me child? it's mom to you suckers.) so yeah. & now i've wasted 2 minutes of my remaining time talking about how i have no time. I FAIL AT TIME!)

but yes. LIFE! life is good. it's hectic & we stay home a lot (because taking 3 children out in public is daunting people. & terrifying. & just a sad affair most times.) but oh my, i love it. my children. 3 of them. all mine. my responsibility. my creations. mine mine mine. (ok, technically they're God's- but He's been nice enough to loan them to me for the next 50+ years so i'm going "mine" for the time being)

everyday is a challenge.

alex is ever so much the almost 4 year old terror that i've read about in parenting magazines. side eyes & "NO!"'s & yelling & defiance & straight up...just no words, you know?

& brynn is 2.5 ALL.THE.WAY. "NO!" is her favorite word. she hits when she's pissed (which is a good 90% of the time). she refuses to give up her paci & refuses to entertain the thought of 100% potty training. she thinks she's still small enough to launch herself into my midsection for a hug, while i'm holding her brother. it makes for 2 crying children & a gasping for breath mom.

& cohen is 5 weeks old. he's pretty chill but he's not a fan of being "ignored". he'll fall asleep, i'll put him down & BAM. "hello mother. i'm awake & i demand that you pick me up this instant. thank you very much." well ok then. i wear him when i can, but it's really not always an option. plus, the kid is a furnace & one he's strapped in we're both soaking wet within 5 minutes. so there's that.

but. but. BUT. it's awesome. sometimes alex will come over & touch my arm & smile at me. & sometimes brynn will sneak up from behind & bear hug my neck. & cohen smiles. little gassy smiles but smiles none the less. & sometimes the girls play together & instead of screams, i hear giggles. & then they give each other a hug & hold hands. & then brynn will come over & ask to hold cohen. & i'll let her & she'll give him a kiss & then say, "ok. i'm done. take him."
& we do "picnic" lunches inside (in front of the tv because Dora is a lifesaver) & we're all chillin' on the floor & it's just perfect.

so while i still spend a good portion of my day reiterating the same rules & yelling (yeah, i still do that) & cleaning up poop & pee & putting littles in time outs & kissing boo-boos & hugging it out & doing laundry & cleaning & trying to figure out dinner & cleaning up cat puke (OMG CAT!) & telling the dogs to shut up & acting as a referee & walking around in a milk & spit up stained tank top & ALL OF THE THINGS LIKE THAT - it's still awesome. & when i climb into bed at night, exhausted & holding my breath that the little boy next to me will stay asleep for a few hours, i am SO thankful.
for my husband. my children. my family. my home. my life. our health. my faith. food on the table. clothes on our backs. everything.

so yeah. that's life right now.

we're also gearing up for fall. alex starts Pre-K in a month & i'll be back to "work" taking people's pictures (hopefully). we have birthdays & anniversaries coming up. doctor's appointments & last minute shopping.
the weather is already getting cooler & i'm reminded that fall is literally, right around the corner. time is flying.

speaking of time, i think it's been 10 minutes. & it's still semi-quiet. this might be a record. this kid is grunting though:

so i'd better wrap it up with some instagram pics of our life these past few weeks (via @lookatthebirds)

aaaand the smallest one is awake. ciao.

oh baby. no baby.

no baby yet. 39 weeks & 3 days today & he's still kickin' it on the inside. & i can't complain. i'm so very thankful for a healthy, easy, stress free pregnancy. while my body may take it's sweet time getting pregnant, once it does it easy like sunday morning.

yes, i have heartburn & my crotch aches. i have random leg cramps & sometimes the sudden need to pee takes my breath away & makes me cross my legs- but all in all- i'm A-Ok & so is he.

my due date is 07.07. which is also our 6 year anniversary. so let's see if baby boy follows in his oldest sister's footsteps & keeps on keepin' on until waaay past his "expected" arrival date, or if he pulls a brynn & comes right on time.

as for life- i'm 2 days into my 3rd week as a full time stay at home mom. i'm still sane & i'm pretty sure the girls are as well.

i'll be honest, it's incredibly challenging a good 65% of the time. i wrack my brain for "things" to do, lunch to make, discipline to dole out & i'm in a constant battle of breaking up fights, trying to stem my yelling & fighting my intense desire to just turn on the tv & let them veg out for 10 hours at a time.
but it's oh so fun as well. i listen to them on the monitor every morning (they share a room & it's....hilarious) & i get to hear their first "good morning!" 's & see their first smiles. we eat breakfast & i simply sit & watch them.

have you ever observed a 2.5 & 3.5 year old have a conversation?
it's fascinating.

we do crafts, go to Target, play outside, build towers with blocks, play dress up, eat snacks, take 1500 potty breaks, trek to the splash pad, pray for play dates, snuggle, read books, give hugs & kisses, etc etc etc.

i also toss in laundry, bills, shopping, cooking, cleaning, litter box changing, dog dealings, & other not so "fun" things.

lunch happens, naps (only for brynn since alex is "not a baby" now- her words), afternoon movie, snacks, baths & then dinner. daddy gets home & i become chopped liver. it's the circle of life.

i'm tucking away these last days before baby boy gets here. while it's still just us girls. they're SO excited for him to make his exit- but they're also not aware of what that means for them- so i'm praying that it goes smoothly. that he fits seamlessly into our every day life & they're just....happy.

(instagram: @lookatthebirds)

& what would make me happy? or rather, happier?

figuring out how to make money grow on trees to support the girl's clothing habit. that right, their's. it's not just my fault anymore. champagne tastes over here people.