First Day of School

As a stay-at-home mom, the first day of school simply means we can enjoy our favorite kid-friendly spots without the crowds. I didn't have any emotional breakdowns or jealousy about not being in the classroom. We stayed busy with Maddie's PT this morning and a playdate at the park. I recently blogged about how challenging this park is with the babies. I am so happy to share that the wagon tackles the gravels trails far better than any stroller. We had a much more positive experience.

The weather couldn't have been more pleasant, with temperatures in the 70's and relaxing breezes. I still got a workout in by pulling over 50 pounds of children up and down hills, but I wasn't drenched in sweat from heat.

We met at a smaller park that I didn't know about. It was between the lake and a parking lot. There were covered picnic benches away from the aggressive geese, which meant the kids could actually sit down and eat their snacks. 

Most of the kids are preschoolers like Jackson, but there is another sweet girl close to the trio's age.

My mom friends and I chatted while the kids played on the playground. After a while we walked around the lake, skipping rocks and looking for turtles and tadpoles underwater. Jack and his friends played on the rocks. We took bets on who would have a meltdown before we left based on how hard they were running and climbing.

We utilized our bread stash we keep in the van. (You never know when you might come across some hungry ducks and geese.) Jackson and I passed out slices to his friends so they could all feed the geese.

By this point we had been at the park for two hours. Poor Maddie is always exhausted after PT anyway. She could not keep her eyes open.

I walked back to the van, pulling all four children. Jack and I had a low key afternoon playing in his room while the trio napped.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Jesse's First Day (dictated by Jesse)

Each class has 30-34 students

My first day was alright. It was a lot different from high school, much more different than I thought it would be. The kids are given a lot less responsibility, but they probably can't handle it yet. I don't think I've ever eaten in the cafeteria before. I've certainly never been on the bus lot before. I've never had to deal with lockers. It's unfortunate that I have to do that.

I liked meeting the kids. They're talkative. I really like my colleagues. My team has been very supportive and helpful. As far as materials, there's nothing I could want that I don't have. It should be a good year once I get used to things.

Happy Birthday, Jesse!

In case you can't decipher this Walter White inspired breakfast, Jesse turned 28 today! 

He took advantage of the free birthday breakfast at Denny's before work. Since it was a workday and he didn't need to go in before 8, Jackson accompanied him. 

As soon as Jackson was dropped off, we got to work on baking the requested carrot cake. Jackson can be trusted with every step of the recipe, with the exception of peeling and grating carrots.

The kids and I brought Jesse lunch at work. They had Open House last night so the classroom was neat and orderly. I think James and Amelia had a secret mission to reverse this. James has a sixth sense on where to find cords. It is always the first thing he finds in a room.

The girls raced up and down the hallway

until Maddie surrendered in exhaustion.

Jackson played the role of teacher by talking on the phone, typing on the keyboard, and writing on the board.

Our kids will never be able to escape the classroom setting.

Jesse enjoyed his lunch and birthday cake.

One of his colleagues also celebrated a birthday today, so his team surprised them both with lots of snacks. I'm relieved that Jesse seems genuinely happy with his new school and team!

Once Jesse returned home, Jackson presented him with various gifts that Jack had collected throughout the house. 

My mother made such a big deal out of birthdays. I'm subconsciously training Jackson to be the same way. We sang "Happy Birthday" multiple times throughout the day.

Dinner was Chinese take-out per the birthday boy's request. Jesse has begged me for years to stop inviting the whole family over for his birthday. I finally gave in this year and honored his wish, though it felt counterintuitive. Jesse's mom must have felt the same way, because she stopped by for a late visit, along with our sister-in-law and nephew.

I hope Jesse was made to feel special today and that he is continuously blessed with good health and happiness in the upcoming year. Happy Birthday, love of my life!

Guest Post: Daddy-Jack Date

Maybe the most exciting thing Jackson and I did this summer was going on a tour of Bank of America Stadium with some of Bonnie's MILFs (moms interested in league football).

Home of YOUR Carolina Panthers. Rawr.

I've never driven to the stadium, so I did try to park in the player's parking lot at first. Here is the exchange I had with the parking attendant:

PA: Welcome to Bank of America Stadium, can I check your weapon, please?

JH: I don't have a weapon on me, ma'am.

PA: Oh, well, let me get you one!

We had a not-quite-all access view of the stadium. Among some of the stops we made were:

• Press suite, featuring buffet lines for the sports press and a stellar view of the field (of course) with big screen TVs showing every other game in the NFL. Strangely, there is also a typewriter to note every major play in case one of the sportswriters misses it while he's in the john.

Jackson tries to type his name on this typewriter--it's the only chance he'll ever have of the sports press calling him out.

• A view of the field from the first row at the fifty yard line. Again, an area of the field we'll probably never see a game from, but cool to be there on that day!

Jackson contemplates the physics behind a tackle.

• Various locker rooms. I may or may not have picked up a wicked case of athlete's foot left over from the Buffalo Bills. Shouldn't have opted to go on the tour barefoot... We didn't get to see the Panthers' locker room--police were still in there looking for the rest of Greg Hardy's weapons cache, I assume. We did, however, see the star of the team's locker room--Sir Purr. 

We couldn't go in--weekly hairball cleaning.

All in all, Jackson couldn't have cared much less about where he was and the interesting bits of football trivia our tour guide was spouting, but I think he had fun being out with me.

Perhaps the next time we return to the stadium, there will be footballing to observe. Home run! Huzzah!

New Routines, More Adventures

Jesse unofficially started back to work this week with workshops, benefits enrollment, and moving into his new classroom. He resigned from his former position teaching Civics and AP Government at a high school over thirty minutes away. He accepted a position as an 8th grade ELA (English Language Arts) teacher at a middle school less than fifteen minutes away. He is embracing new curriculum, new content, and a new age of students. 

Jesse is not the only one who is facing changes. The triplets are now only taking one nap a day. For several months they have been napping from 10-11:30 and again from 3-4:30. A few weeks ago they reduced their naps to 45 minutes each. We made the switch to one afternoon nap a day. We're still adjusting the times, but it is somewhere between 1-2 pm until 3-4 pm. Mornings are now brutally long if we don't keep the trio entertained. 

Jackson's new routine will begin in two weeks. Our big boy will be attending preschool three days a week (Tue/Wed/Thu) from 9-1. Jack is so school-oriented; I fully expect him to thrive with the additional day of school.

All of these changes impact me. It was a lot easier when I could toss tiny, sleeping babies into a double stroller and go about our day. Fast forward a year. I now have active, busy climbers and cruisers, who will soon be even busier walkers. I need to be able to give James, Amelia, and Maddie all of my attention while Jackson is at preschool.  This means I need to provide safe, engaging places and activities for the trio to explore. Of course, I'll also have to give Jackson individual attention while the trio nap. Somewhere in between I'll need to cook, clean, monitor all four together, and find downtime.

This week we have been easing into our new routines. I had gotten a bit lazy over the past several weeks, overly relying on Jesse to take care of diaper changes and loading the kids in their carseats. My personal goal for this week was to feel confident on my own with all four kids. I felt confident before the babies were mobile, but now they are surprisingly fast and move in all different directions. I am happy to report that we have had a lot of fun attending play dates and outings over the past few days.    

DPK with Friends

We met my former teammate, Lucy, and her granddaughter at our favorite museum. James, Amelia, and Maddie are each able to escape the infant area. James proudly discovered how to pull up to the water table. Amelia cruised up and down the small stairs and ramp. Maddie made friends with everyone she saw.

Lucy has a background in early childhood education, so she naturally filled the role of grandmother and preschool teacher extraordinaire.

We went upstairs to play with the blocks. It's so fun for me to see the triplets doing the same activities that Jackson does. Obviously they aren't building lego towers on the wall yet, but they are becoming little people with individual personalities.

Fire Station Tour
We left the museum early to meet our playgroup at the local fire station. It's taken all summer, but Jackson finally gets excited to go places with his friends. Truly, we go because I'm friends with the other moms, not because he's friends with the kids. He's still incredibly timid, but he regularly asks me "Will my friends be there?" One of my friend's nine year old daughter asked if she could push the double stroller. She even said, "I'd like to be a mother's helper."

Our tour began inside with the kitchen, beds, weights, and lounge areas. The firefighters led us outside to show us their gear.

Just as the men began to put on their suits, the station received two calls. Our tour was abruptly ended as we watched both firetrucks and an ambulance drive away.

Feeding Ducks at the Lake
I used to frequent this particular park a lot, though I've only taken the kids twice in the past few months. James, Amelia, and Maddie immediately scurried around the walled pier and pulled up to stand. I love when they stand like that without me having to pose anybody!

Once Jackson ran out of bread, the girls climbed up and down the wide stairs.  James cruised around the perimeter. They boys were so precious!

We had a snack at a large picnic area.

I know the novelty of shoes will wear off eventually, but for now, I think three little sets of baby legs and shoes piled in a wagon is one of the most adorable sightings ever.

Library

The park is beside the library, so we stopped by to pick up some requested books. I let the kids explore in the children's area. 

Jackson and James took turns flipping through the pages of an awesome Batman board book.

Can you tell they were getting tired?

I'm relieved to reaffirm my enjoyment for being out and about with the kids by myself. Going out is definitely harder than it was last year, but it's also a lot more enjoyable watching each of the kids make new discoveries. I'm already working on a list of adventures to go on this fall.

Barnes & Noble

We registered for a different event at Barnes & Noble two days in a row. On Friday night, Jackson accompanied Jesse to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle pajama and pizza party. Jackson has developed a new interest in Ninja Turtles, almost as much as Batman. He loves wearing his "turtle jammies", which was the perfect choice for the party. Jack asked if we could make a mask to go along with his pajamas. I took him to A.C. Moore and spent 50¢ on orange and blue felt. After tracing and cutting a mask template, Jackson refused to wear the thing. I may have gone a bit crazy and threatened to not let him go to the party if he didn't let me take a picture of him wearing the mask. As soon as I did, he threw the mask on the driveway.

The boys returned home just as excited as when they left. Jack proudly showed me his new mask, as well as the nunchucks he made using toilet paper rolls and ribbon.

- - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

This morning our whole family headed to another Barnes & Noble to meet Clifford. Jackson has slept with at least one stuffed Clifford since he started daycare when he was 16 months old. Since Clifford has been his security and comfort object for years, I was so excited to see the "Breakfast with Clifford" event on the website.

As soon as we arrived, Jackson was full of questions.

• Where's Emily Elizabeth?
• Does he have soft ears?
• What's wrong with his eyes? (referring to the creepy netting)
• Will the door be big enough for Clifford to fit through?
• Did he drive here? 

After meeting Clifford, we let the babies loose in the storytime area. Amelia stole another girl's doll and a boy's sippy cup. Maddie befriended the boy. They laughed and climbed together. James practiced going up and down the single stair. It was a bit chaotic, but provided a fun space for the trio to explore.

I didn't see any upcoming events in the immediate future that would interest Jackson, but I always like to check every few weeks to see what free entertainment we can take advantage of. This weekend proved to be a lot of fun!

Triple Date Night

This past Saturday Jesse and I were able to go out to eat, see a movie, and go to a concert. Jesse's brother and sister-in-law came over to hang out and put the kids to bed for us. The theme of the evening was a classy night with perfect timing. Truth be told, it was anything but classy.

We ate overpriced chicken salad and pork tacos for dinner.  It was the kind of restaurant where the waitress brings you a roll of paper towels with your food. (For the record, we did not follow the Wheat Belly diet.) We rushed through dinner only to get stuck in bumper to bumper traffic on the way to the movie theater. Jesse was worried we were going to be late to the movies. We walked into the theater during the last preview. The movie itself was the raunchy kind of humor I love. It wasn't as funny as The Hangover or Bridesmaids, but I was definitely crying from laughing at several outlandish scenes.

Even though we missed half of the concert, I wanted to go see a movie because:

1. I wanted to wait out the rain since we had lawn seats.
2. Jesse had no desire to see Def Leppard, which was the first band playing.
3. We could park at the movie theater and walk down the hill to the concert, eliminating traffic headaches when we left.
4. The movie was supposed to be really funny and it had been months since Jesse and I went to the movies.
5. I had the Fandango gift card from my triplet secret sister so we didn't have to spend money. 

We enjoyed a movie and were able to avoid the rain, Def Leppard, and traffic. Once again, it was perfect timing. We attended the concert with Jesse's mom, uncle, and their friends. I'm not a huge KISS lover, but it was definitely a show worth seeing. Personally, I can't understand why a 62 year old man still enjoys spitting blood and fire. Everything about their performance was so over the top. 

Photo taken from Charlotte Observer website

We had a fun evening. While there wasn't much opportunity to talk, we had plenty of laughs and enjoyed high-energy shows. We managed to take one blurry picture of us.

Father's Day Photo Fun

For Jesse's first Father's Day, I did the classic D-A-D photo. We've had it hanging in our living room for three years now. While Jesse loved it, it felt antiquated. I wanted to recreate it with all four kids this year. 

The kids and I headed to A.C. Moore to pick out letters and paint. Jackson "helped" paint the letters red. 

My sister and her children helped entertain the babies so we could capture a decent individual shot of each kid. Maddie wasn't a fan of sitting in the grass. She required bubbles to occupy her. Not surprisingly, she was happier to eat the letter. 

Amelia was in good spirits and easy to photograph.

James, who is constantly smiling, was very somber during his photo shoot. We tried blowing bubbles, bouncing balls, feeding him ham and cheese, and dancing. This kid would not lighten up. At least he sat still, which is unusual for him.

Jackson was pretty straight forward. He wouldn't cross his legs so his underwear still showed. I'm thankful he didn't pick those three minutes to refuse to cooperate.

Thanks to the help of family, I was able to capture decent photographs of all four kids in fifteen minutes. Editing is where the real fun begins. I chose to do a red color splash with the classic black and white photos. The entire project (letters, paint, printed photos, and frame) cost under $15. Here's the finished piece:

I'm pleased with the way it turned out and I hope that every time Jesse looks at it he is reminded of the reciprocal love between father and children. I don't know if it is Jesse of the children who are more blessed to have the other.

Dishwasher Dilemma Resolved

We always set our dishwasher to run at night because it is loud. I'd keep the kitchen clean and fill the dishwasher. Jesse would set it to start at midnight and unload it in the mornings before work. 

A few weeks ago, we thought the timer was messed up because it never seemed to work. Dirty dishes were filling the sink and dishwasher. The dishwasher would start but never release the soap and actually clean. After wasting who knows how much water, Jesse called an appliance repair company. They sent someone out two weeks ago. The man informed us that the control board was malfunctioning and our dishwasher was leaking behind it. Since it would cost over $400 to repair it and the parts were only under warranty for 90 days, he suggested we buy a new one. Then he charged us $79 for the house call.

Though Jesse assures me that we have enough emergency funds, I refuse to spend several hundred dollars for convenience. (If I did, we would have fixed the van door a long time ago.) A dishwasher is not a necessity, though it's certainly a huge time saver. Thankfully, a friend posted on my Facebook wall that her brother was renovating and planned on donating his current appliances to the Kidney Foundation. He would give it to us for free as long as we picked it up. 

We had poor communication and lots of going back and forth between my friend. Finally, the owner asked if we could come Wednesday night. I read that e-mail request on Wednesday afternoon and called Jesse to figure out our plans. He came home right after work and began to take our old dishwasher out. It didn't come out as easily as he thought, which should have been expected. Several YouTube videos later, the dishwasher was out. However, our kitchen sink could not be used since we had to cut the water off to prevent flooding.

I called the owner to tell her my husband was on his way. I got the answering machine multiple times, which meant they weren't home. Jesse decided to go ahead anyway since she had requested that evening. He and Jack took the carseats out of the van and laid the seats down to make room for our "new" dishwasher. After lots of calls, texting, and meandering around nearby stores, Jesse came home sans dishwasher two hours later. He also had to put the old dishwasher back in so I could use the sink, and put the carseats back in the van so I could drop Jackson off at preschool the next day. It was a long night for Jesse!

I played phone tag with the owner for a few more days before we decided to pick it up on Saturday at 10 a.m. The second attempt was a success!  

Jesse began installing the dishwasher on Saturday afternoon. He had a very curious helper.

Jesse doesn't have the best track record when it comes to home improvement. Miraculously, he installed the new dishwasher without any complications!  It may not match our other appliances, but we are well past the point of caring.  We are now proud owners of a quiet, clean, properly working dishwasher.