I Know, I Know...

Dust is collecting. I get it. BlogHer even took all my pretty ads away.

But let me say that having three small boys sometimes feels more like 9. They're just exponential like that. So here's what has been keeping us busy...

1. Kell is nursing every two hours at least. Yes, around the clock. And he has a constant need to be held. Sometimes, he'll let me put him in the swing, but I never know if I have two minutes or two hours.
2. On a positive note, Kell is also making tons of eye contact and wants to make faces back and forth as often as possible. Yay for cuteness!
3. Dash has developed this terrible screeching noise that I can't figure out how to stop. Any advice appreciated.
4. Dash has also decided that he neeeeeeds a three hour nap. This is problematic on school days.
5. On a positive note, Dash is the loviest little guy on the planet so even as he's screeching or protesting the sudden early end to a nap, you can't help but wanna love on him anyway. And you're rewarded with "I love you mommy" at every turn.
6. His other favorite thing to say is "Wanna go Mon-Ka's house!". And I oblige him every chance she allows I get. I like it there too.
7. Fin has school Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoon. So our mornings consist of running around trying to get the house in order, get dressed, have lunch and get out the door. Then I come home and try and get Dash down for his nap (see #4) and I nap too (see #1)
8. Fin has soccer practice on Fridays and games Saturdays and some Wednesdays.
9. Fin has decided that he constantly needs to irritate Dash in any way humanly possible. Which results in #3. Often.
10. On a positive note, Fin is a terrific helper and has been my savior (with diapers, water, burp cloths, etc) more times than I can count.
11. We, Mom and Dad, decided to make their Halloween costumes this year. Expect a long post on this later with pictures and expletives and a LONG explanation on why we will never do this again.
12. Dad started a new job, Yippee! But it's busy. And he's busy. Which means Mom is extra busy.

And Kell looks sleepy so he's about to be fed and all to bed. But there's the shortlist as to why I've been MIA. Again. But I promise a good post soon (see #11)!

MIA, and A Story.

So I now know that you officially cross the threshold of crazy when you hit three kids. I'm sure someone will say that it's because they're so close in age. And I'm sure my response to that person would be expletive heavy. So between Kell's arrival, the start of school and soccer, Dash entering the terrible 2's and Brooks starting a new job, it's been a little hectic around here.

I have some pretty good stories to share, but as it turns out it also takes three kids to master the whole sleep-when-the-baby-sleeps deal too. And then, this one couldn't wait. And I want to save anyone who thinks that maybe they too can grocery shop with three under 4. Fin, the good child of yesterday, is walking next to the cart. Kell, in his bucket, is in the front basket. Dash is in the big part of the basket. Kell's seat is so tall I can't see Dash. As I put things in the cart, Dash is trying to open and eat everything (before you tell me I'm an awful mother for bringing a hungry child to the store, understand that Dash is ALWAYS hungry. Or, more accurately, will always try and eat whatever is around.) Then I hear Fin yell that Dash has the eggs. I immediately stop and run around to the front, picturing him moving the carton of eggs. Nope. He has ACTUAL EGGS. IN HIS HANDS. Looking very full of intent-to-toss, he starts yelling EGGS, EGGS. Thanks kid.

I guess it would have helped the visual to acknowledge that the kids are in LAX shorts and crapola tees, Fin is covered in paint (from school), and Dash's shoes are on the wrong feet (DASH DO IT MYSELF!), and Kell is in an old onesie (it was 104).

I'm thinking we should just go ahead and have another one.

Fires...

It's been a rough start to fire season here in SoCal. For us that meant a LOT of time spent indoors this past week (which in my current state wasn't necessarily such a bad thing). Admittedly, I did very little venturing outside, so when I finally did get around to taking the trash out today, I was shocked to see the remnants of the far had spread this far away. By the Woob's calculation the nearest fire front was about 7 miles from us...


The good news is that it's getting under control quickly and our air quality should be much improved by this weekend.

Just Making It Official

A Special Pillowcase

When I was pregnant with Fin, I completed a long-overdue cleaning of our linen cabinet. In that process, I found a pillowcase my mom had embroidered for me with my initials and as I did, I realized that Fin would have the same initials as I did before I was married. I put it aside but kept that in mind. When it was time to go in for my induction, I grabbed my favorite pillow and put that case on it thinking it would be nice for him to have someday. When I was pregnant with Dash, I asked my mom to make one for him and she happily obliged. I realized somewhere about mid-July that I hadn't asked her to make one for Kell - DOH! I called her in a panic and asked if she could make one FAST. I'd hate to have my last little boy left out! She acted put out but agreed. A week later, this beauty arrived. Anticipating my needs, as she always has done so well, she had been working on it for weeks before I even asked.

Isn't it breathtaking? Can you believe she did all that completely by hand? I know, amazing.*

*I'm sure she'd want me to add: DON'T ASK FOR ONE! THE ANSWER IS NO :)