Photos

I was going to add these photos to the last post but our computer cord fried out and I had to shut down the computer. Luckily, I didn't loose that other post with all the videos. Whew! Oh and that last video of Charlotte dancing, I put that on there because we LOVE her new dance move. Its hilarious! She kicks that one leg out.... haha she is so funny.

 Mia says "mom, I cant see!"

 Abbi says "mom, really? Another picture?"

 Mia Bia before church

 Charli before church

 Abbi is so beautiful

 Group photo Mia, Abbi, Charli

Gorgeous babies

Great Week!

Last weekend Jared and I had Abbi's and Mia's ears pierced. Abbi went first. Then we got Mia in the hot seat and while we were lining up her markings jared starts complaining that Abbi's piercings weren't even. I took a good look at them and sure enough they weren't even. We went ahead and did Mia's ears though, risky I know but thankfully hers turned out perfect. Both girls were really brave. Charli, however, was in the stroller just a cryin' away like she was about to get stuck again. Silly girl. After serious debate we decided to take out the obviously uneven ear piercing and left in the other one that looked fine. So now the poor child has only one ear pierced, for now. We have to wait for it to heal before we can re pierce it. Poor girl.... We will do that this weekend coming up. Drama Drama Drama...

I have to just mention this about Charli because its well, hilarious, to me. I am a germ-a-phob. Its pretty crazy but I've really tried to lighten up, sometimes. But I really freak out when we go to super child friendly places like a Bounce House or the park. I always wipe down the shopping carts and wash my hands ASAP after shopping. I have about four bottles of hand sanitizer that I carry with me at all times and I always put a bunch on the girls' hands after the park or basically after getting in the car coming home from anywhere. haha Now Charlotte has gotten so used to it that she whines and whines and rubs her hands together (meaning I need hand sanitizer mom!) just about every time we get in the car. It makes me laugh so hard that I passed on my craziness to my first born... HA!

Finally, I wanted to report about what a great week I've had with my girls. We didn't go anywhere really, until the weekend, but I just felt my attitude change and I got through our tantrums and throw downs a little bit easier this week. It felt so great. It was still a tough week but was so much more pleasant by letting things roll off and I prayed super hard this week for extra help (and Im sure I had lots of family prayers my way after my "venting" post) which I know made all the difference. It was just a great week that ended with a great weekend with Jared. We went to the splash pad, ran errands, visited the pet store to see the dogs and cats and ate out on Saturday. Had a great Sunday at church and then the park. Just a great week!

Movies:


Here's a video of Abbi's ears.


This is one of the games we played this week. It was so funny to watch them try to bend over "pregnant." HA! They are too funny!


To change things up I gave them a simple cup and spoon. It is now the favorite toy! HA! Who knew? Mia will say "Please? Cup? Please?" So sweet!


Another activity from this week. This kept them entertained for a good twenty minutes. Good workout too!


They love "movie" time! Little Einsteins is a favorite!

Painting and FHE

Ok, yes I might have had a rough weekend and Im sorry if I bummed anyone out. I felt so much better after I wrote it all down, got it out of my system. I had a great nights rest and the next morning felt... lighter, if that makes sense.

So back to happy things. I found this activity on Pintrest and was so anxious to try it out. I knew the girls would love it. Painting! You combine flour and water and food coloring and you have paint thats safe to go inside curious little toddlers mouths. They did love it. And boy were they messy! We had to go straight to the tub and change up the routine a bit but it was worth it. They loved doing something different and messy and colorful. Might be a bit before we attempt it again because it was so messy though.

 

Finally FHE on Monday was really good, I think. HA! It was about how Jesus created a beautiful world for us. I showed them a picture of different animals and trees and flowers, ect. And the song of the lesson was "I know Heavenly Father loves me." Instead of just singing it I thought the girls would love a slideshow with the song and pictures. I was right. They loved it! Abbi signed "again" when it was over. haha so we watched it again. Ill have Jared figure out how to post it so you can all see it. It was great. Love Family Home Evening. Love my family.

Please don't read this if you're here for the cute pics.

When I was about nine or ten years old, my softball team decided to have their end of the year party at my house because I had a TOTALLY awesome swimming pool. It had a slide and a diving board and was SUPER deep. It was such a great day. There was this really sweet black girl that I was friends with who couldn't swim but really wanted to go down our slide. However, once you went down the slide it threw you right in the middle of the deep end. I told her if she would go down with one of those pool noodle things around her waist that I would wait by the edge and grab her hand on her way down and pull her to the side of the pool. She wouldn't even go under water, it would be great. She was so nervous, like shaking nervous. But I had reassured that I would be there...

It went so wrong. Somehow, she lost grip of the noodle and it was lost before she got halfway down. Before she hit the water she grabbed my hand and swung me right out to the deep end with her. Imagine a cat being thrown in water and thats exactly how she reacted. She immediately pulled my head under and stood on my shoulders. I didn't even have time to breathe before this all happened. I can remember being under that water just like it was yesterday. No kidding. Its funny to note that my first thought was "at least she's above water." That quickly changed to "holy cow, I cant breathe!" It probably only lasted a minute but it felt like ten swimming with all my might to the edge of the pool. With her literally wrapped around my head I finally made it. I was able to get a quick breath before I went under again. Getting her to let go of me and climb out of the pool seemed like another eternity. Finally, she was out and I was so exhausted I could only put my head on the concrete while my body was supported by the water.

I thought about this random blimp today while I was in the shower. It describes perfectly how I feel in moments like this. Completely outmatched. There is something claustrophobic about not having the freedom to leave your house at your leisure. There's something utterly exhausting about being outnumbered by very short-tempered toddlers. There's a palpable drowning feeling when it seems like you've made no progress at all today and you have to do it all over again tomorrow. There's something terrifying about feeling like your holding everyone on your shoulders and you simply cant make it to the edge by yourself.

Every time I go to the park or anywhere with my little angels, at least 5 people will say something like "Triplets! Wow! That must be so much work!" or "How in the world do you do that all by yourself?" or " I can not even imagine doing that!" I know they probably mean well, but when thats all you hear outsiders say, you start to think... Ashlee, how will you ever survive this? And I know it honestly doesn't get easier. Thats what we moms like to comfort ourselves with though. The thought that it will get easier. It doesn't really. You just get different types of problems. Usually more complicated ones too. Instead of "its feeding time... AGAIN" its now "Mia wont stop bitting her sisters and I just cant keep my eyes on her all the time."

Yes, I've obviously had a rough couple of days. But my point isn't really about this weekend, its the rest of my life. I get slapped and bit daily. I get the food I lovingly prepare for my babies thrown in my face, literally. I get tantrums all day long. I get mess after mess after mess to clean up. Im literally crying right now because I love those girls more than my own life, times a million. And of course I will keep doing all these things for them until I hit the grave but ITS JUST SO HARD! And sometimes when I feel this alone and outmatched it feels IMPOSSIBLE. Each one of those babies deserves a mom all to themselves 100% of the time and they have to settle for imperfect me split three ways. Doesn't seem fair to me.

To end this post on a higher note: when I regained my strength that afternoon I remember thinking there was no way I made it to the edge with her on my head all by myself. I knew without a doubt Someone had helped me. My little testimony grew a bit more that day a long time ago that my Heavenly Father will not forsaken me when it seems so very dim and impossible. I hold on to that faith during trials like this one. He loves me and those angels sleeping in the next room too much to forsaken us now, deep into this time of our lives that seems very heavy. I know that with all my heart. Thanks for letting me vent; it is my blog after all. You may wonder why Im evening posting this particular one. Its because when my babies read this years from now I want them to know that their mother struggled sometimes but she NEVER lost faith in our Heavenly Father.

Part One

Get ready for a video overload! I took 10 videos on the girls this week (only posting six though). I guess I just think they are sooo cute! haha

Mia has these moments where she just wants to hug and has been doing it so much this week! Its just so precious. I caught it on video, thankfully.

Today the girls were doing the cutest thing! They started a game all on their own. This is a first. They do stuff together all the time but this is the first time I found them playing together as a game all silly. It was hilarious! I must say though, this started with Mia dragging Abbi around by the hand. Luckily, Abbi thought it was funny so she let her. HA! Oh Dear.

silly

Part Two

Mia Bia... This child is so funny (good and bad)... She is the sweetest most precious angel, half the time. The other part of Mia is quite scary. She just randomly has these outbursts where she gets so frustrated that the only thing she knows to do is BITE! She has the worst tantrums... Its exhausting and beyond disheartening.

Anyway, (sorry about the complaining, Im coming off a rough day) here is one of her sweetest angel moments. She loves to sing and it melts my heart quicker than anything. And she's actually pretty dang good!

Our first attempt was in vain. HA! She said NO!

Our second attempt was so good! Notice on "SO" she's on the same note as me. Im telling you, she's gonna be good!

Part 3

Here we have something that started out so fun. We colored for a good half hour and they were loving it. It was great. Until.... I took the crayons away. They were starting to get rambunctious with the colors and I knew they were getting bored. So I took them away and my goodness... Chaos ensued. You can see in the video Charlotte was already on one that day and heaven help me. This started one of THE WORST throw downs for ALL THREE of them! I actually had to go outside for a minute and catch my breath. We have been having these random unexpected moments lately where things are perfect and sweet one second and DEADLY and TYRANNICAL the next! Its been almost more than I can bare sometimes. I've actually hit my knees in the middle of these throw downs and prayed for help because I didn't know what else to do.... Anyway, enjoy the prequel to the nightmare.

And here we have my girlies in their SO cute rain boots Mimi bought for them. Its hilarious to me when I say "We're going to the grocery store." And Mia says "NO!" haha Thats her favorite word lately.

Confession

Grey's Anatomy used to be a guilty pleasure of mine. It's true. Unfortunately, they've become so liberal I can't stomach watching it anymore. Anyway, I came across this jewel from back when I used to record every episode. I remember sobbing watching it then and I got pretty emotional watching it again. She is singing to herself and her family fighting for her life. (the girl thats singing is the same girl on the hospital bed close to death for those who don't follow Grey's).

(oh and, yes mom, thats a woman singing to her lesbian lover. Sorry.) Its still really beautiful.

So much in love....

On our walk one day the girls saw these wildflowers and started doing their version of the sign for flower. So funny they do it completely different than what it really is but I know exactly what they mean. Ha! Anyway, I picked a flower for each girlie and they loved them. They held them the entire walk and when we got home I put them in their hair. Abbi wouldn't leave hers in (surprise) but the others thought it was so neat. I love my girlies!

Beautiful Abbi

Charli was nervous to move so that the flower wouldn't fall out.

Dont pout Mia! HA!

After an afternoon at the splashpad. Getting some water and a snack with towels on their heads. Hehe little shepard girls.

They have all loved sitting in their chairs lately too. I think it makes them feel big. They are so cute in them too. And they actually sat in the chairs with their names on it. Ha! Way to go!

We tried to get Abbi's ears pierced this weekend but the line was like an hour long and the lady was going sooo slow. So we ditched it and will try again this week. My mom got a cast on Monday and has to stay off her foot for 2 weeks. Then she will go back to the doc and get a walking cast to wear for a month I think. Then, hopefully, she should be healed. She's in alot of pain most days and I hate that for her. Wish she could be here with us...

We are so close to buying a van! Just deciding between a few good options and hopefully in the next couple of weeks we will have decided! YEAH! We have had a wonderful weekend. Yesterday I was able to go to our Stake Relief Society Conference and it was really great to have a whole morning without babies, just adults. Then the rest of the weekend was all about the girls. They've had a great weekend too. We love our days with our daddy!

Mia is such a little singer lately. She loves to sing all our songs and it is the cutest, sweetest thing. I will be getting it on video this week! She can do the "Do, Ray, Me, Fa, So, La, Ti, Do" song too. Precious. Charlotte is adjusting well to her earrings and they are healing up nicely. Abbi has been pretty fussy this week. Jared hasn't been feeling well so we think she might feel a little under the weather too. They are just growing and doing so much everyday. Its a wonder and a privilege to witness it.

Happy Easter!

My gorgeous Mia checking out her Easter Bunny Loot.

Abigail (my book worm) is loving her new book!

Charlotte loves daddy to read to her.

Abbi reading her new book to me.

Mia (left) and Abbi (right)

Charli, so beautiful.

Abbi, my angel.

We were able to skype Grandma and Grandpa and also Mimi and Poppy before church to show them our beautiful Easter dresses.

After the egg hunt they just played with the eggs for a while. Its hilarious when the simplest things entertain them. Ha!

But of course, this is the real reason we celebrate Easter. How very grateful I am to know without a doubt that my Savior lives.