If the Pants Fit

The older two went to bed very late last night, were up more often than Zia and up for the day ridiculously early. They then tested my patients all day long. I got Zia dressed and they stole pasta from the cupboard and threw it on the kitchen floor. I asked them to pick it up and put it in the garbage and put the garbage can next to them. Instead, they threw it outside. I bought Zia a package of pacifiers yesterday that came with a rebate form. I filled it out and put it on the back of the kitchen counter to make sure it was away from them. Sometime while I cooked dinner, Arya took it, tore it up and threw it on the floor. Arya bit Eiley super hard and left a lasting mark. Arya threw part of her dinner on the floor instead of eating it. Arya broke part of Zia's bouncer after I repeatedly asked her to leave Zia and the bouncer alone. Both took off and ran away from me in a store. It was just one thing after another and I am exhausted. They went to bed well tonight, but as usual, Zia woke up when they went to bed and is super fussy. I think I deserve a ittle break when Cork gets home. Maybe I'll get a chance to clean up tonight's dinner on Thursday when he's home ;)

The girls and I were looking at pictures today and I realized that Zia wore a pair of pants the other day that Arya was wearing in a picture from when she was 5 months old. Crazy! I put the same outfit on Zia tonight just to take a picture. The shirt is big on her and the pants are probably a little bigger on her than they were on Arya at 5 months, but it's still crazy to think how much bigger she is than they were. Arya and Eiley were still wearing newborn clothes at Zia's age and would be for another month. Zia is easily fitting into 3 month clothes right now.

Wrapping Ingogh

I think the girls might have a future in Ultimate Frisbee.

This is why I don't talk on the phone much. Arya let herself through a baby gate and got into her art supplies during the few minutes I talked to Cork today.

Yum! Arya wanted to sho me her brownie after dinner. For once, we didn't have a fight about eating dinner. Both kids downed her veggie burger, muffin and baked beans with no complaint. That was so nice since I'm on my own this week.

Baby is doing a little tummy time. I think Arya put her here, but I'm not sure.

The girls and I had a conversation today about birthday presents and what I should wrap up for them. It quickly turned into a silly conversation with them asking if I would wrap certain items. Eiley asked if I was going to wrap up Ingogh for them. Haha. No, I'm not going to wrap up the dead cat for their 3rd birthday.

Painted Eyes

Arya and Eiley saw gymnastics on the tv today. Both told me that they wanted to do that and knew that it was related to the tumbling class they take. Eiley tried, but just couldn't master any of the floor exercises she saw on tv. She threw her body around a little and quickly realized she wasn't quite doing what they were doing on tv. I helped both girls do back bends, which we were doing a few weeks ago and then I forgot about them.

During the gymnastics, Arya was quick to point out one of the girls who had used a ton of eye shadow.
A: Mama she paint her eyes.
V: Yes, she did.
E: Her not sposed to do dat.
V: No, she's not.

Haha. They remember when they've painted their faces and I've told them they aren't supposed to do that.

Dishes

They think they are helping. Not so much. They are rinsing dishes and getting water everywhere.

Breastmilk and Diapers

My mom gave Zia a bottle this morning and she ate some if it. Arya and Eiley finished it off while I was cleaning up. Lovely. They also put diapers on themselves.

See this blanket? I put this blanket away less than 30 seconds before I took this picture. Arya took it right back out and dumped it on the kitchen floor. I put it back away and found Eiley drinking my soda. I swear they work in pairs to get food they shouldn't have and to keep this house as messy as possible.

Spit Up

Zia smiled at me today. She's lucky she's so cute considering what she did to me after dinner. She spit up everything in her stomach. She and I were covered and we both had to wash off. Zia got her first bath in the bathtub since she was so dirty.

Hiding

Zia might be getting a little too much attention. I was taking video of Eiley today. She was talking about her "funky shoes". While I'm taking the video, Arya was rocking Zia's car seat. Zia was sitting in it because we were getting ready to leave, but she wasn't buckled in yet. Arya rocked her a little too hard and the seat tipped backwards. It doesn't go far enough for Zia to fall out, or even slide down, thankfully! Being the mom that I am, I saw that Zia was okay and wasn't going anywhere, then I turned the camera on her to take video of what she has to put up with.

Arya thinks she's hiding from me when she does this. Ha! She didn't want to brush her teeth.

Thumb Sucker

I put Zia in her play mat thing today. I put her on her stomach, with her hands under her and she rolled to her back right away. I put her on her stomach again and she rolled again. I put her on her stomach a third time, but tucked her arms next to her instead of under her. That time she wasn't able to roll over, but she was frantically trying to repeat that roll.

Outside of her play mat, Arya and Eiley were fighting over a pair of garage sale shoes from last week.

Zia gags on just about anything put in her mouth. We tried a bottle yesterday with very poor results. She'll even gag while breastfeeding if she doesn't want any more milk. I was pumping today, in hopes of having milk in case she decides to take a bottle. I heard some smacking noises, so checked on her to find her happily sucking on Eiley's finger. I made Eiley remove her finger as soon as I snapped the picture since I'm not a fan of people putting fingers in a baby's mouth. Zia doesn't even like when she gets her own fingers in her mouth.

Big Shoes

I love that the girls decided Christmas dresses were appropriate attire for a 100 degree day and that they went outside to swing in them. They didn't last very long in the heat.

The girls saw the dresses when I was cleaning up their room. When I was cleaning up Zia's room, they saw their old Robeez shoes.  Of course they wanted to try them on Zia. I let them know the shoes would be way too big, but they didn't care.

And of course, if the shoes are too big for Zia, they definitely would fit their dolls.

I Laugh At Your One Baby

The older two are supposed to be sleeping right now, but their 5 to 10 minute nap in the car this afternoon has pushed bed time way back. I just went upstairs to check on them and they were so into what they were doing, neither noticed that I'd opened their bedroom door. Both were sitting right by the door and I could only open it wide enough to get my head through. They had their jewelry box on the floor next to them. Arya was taking pretend suckers out, eating them and sharing them with Eiley. She first took a Boots one for herself, then gave Eiley a Dora one, next came a Super Baby sucker. The Super Baby one prompted a discussion if they could eat the Super Baby suckers or not.

I look at the bond these two have and worry about Zia. I absolutely love having 3 girls, but before we found out Zia was a girl, I wondered if things would be easier if she was a boy. I was worried that another girl would be left out of their bond. Only time will tell if she's included into their inner circle. Watching them with her, I know that they love her and do not have any jealousy issues directed at her about having a new baby in the house. That alone makes me feel a lot better. I talked to some other twin moms about my worries this past week. One of them has two year old twin boys and just recently had another boy. She said she feels the exact same way and calls it mommy guilt. She said she also has mommy guilt for not having the same bond in the beginning with the twins that she has with her singleton. Hearing that made me feel so much better. I realize that I have mommy guilt about both things. The twins are happy, healthy, well adjusted 2 year olds despite it taking longer to bond with them. The longer bonding period is very normal with multiples. Everything is harder and takes longer when there is more than one infant in the house. I'm sure Zia will also be a happy, healthy, well adjusted child even thought she will never experience that twin bond. As another mom said, it's a trade off. While Zia won't have that twin bond, she might have a closer parental bond, especially in the beginning.

Before Zia was born, one of my sisters told me it would be so much easier and she would be like an accessory, meaning I would be able to pack her up and go do the same things I was already doing with the twins. I heard other people talk about how difficult it is with one infant. They don't know how to make meals, clean the house or do anything but take care of baby. I had a ton of help in the beginning with the twins. The same help was offered this time around, but it wasn't needed. I now fully understand and laugh at the shirts I've seen for sale that say "I laugh at your one baby". This one baby thing is a breeze. I do know that Zia is a pretty easy baby. She is not colicky. She sleeps pretty well for an infant. She is usually up every 2 hours at night, but she eats and goes back to sleep. When she is up during the night and won't go back to sleep, it's usually only for an hour or hour and a half. I'm getting way more sleep than I ever imagined you could with an infant and can't complain. I know how hard it can be and this one baby thing is easy.

Ear Protection

Cork was vacuuming today and neither of the older two liked it. They took turns wearing the ear things we wear when mowing the lawn.

Sewer Grates

We went for a walk this morning and stopped at a few garage sales in the neighborhood while we were out. I bought a toy that had to sit in the stroller, so Arya and Eiley had to walk the 2 blocks home from the last place. I loved watching their personalities while they walked. They both came up to a sewer grate at the same time. Neither has encountered one before because they are either in the stroller or on the sidewalk. The first block we were on didn't have a sidewalk, so they were walking right behind me by the curb. Arya stopped to look at the grate and I could tell she was going to risk it and walk over it. Eiley looked at it and there was no way she was going over that thing. She put one finger up and said "No, no Arya". Of course Arya didn't listen and she walked right over it. We got to the next grate and Arya told Eiley "Another one, you walk over it!" Arya lead and this time Eiley followed because the dare devil had tested it out and it was okay.

Bubble Painting

Arya and Eiley were fighting today over whose baby got to get buckled into Zia's car seat. I debated if I should get the 2nd infant seat out for them, but figured if I did, I'd never be able to put it away again. I decided definitely not to get it out when I saw which babies they were fighting over. Can you see how tiny this doll is? Can you see it in Zia's belly button in the seat? Yeah, I think both dolls will fit in this car seat.

The girls painted with bubbles today. I had no desire to get food coloring out of their clothes, so I made sure I would only have to wash them. I'm glad I did since they ended up dumping the bubbles and playing with them on the cement.

Can you see Zia's spit bubbles? Haha.

Poor Zia

I did the girls hair today and then they redid it to their liking, which means they added a bunch of barrettes. Eiley lost one during lunch and knew exactly which one. I found it while cleaning up after lunch and was going to bring it to her.
V: Eiley, where are you hon.
A: We upstairs. We not get in trouble.

LOL! Obviously they know they get into things a lot after lunch while I'm busy cleaning up.

Poor Zia can't even have tummy time in peace. This child gets more attention than any other calm infant.

Eiley's doll got a bath in Purell Today. Good thing. You know, because the doll was getting dirty and all. When I cleaned it up, Eiley told me "baby did dat." I'm not sure if she meant the doll or Zia, but either way I know she's not a very good liar yet.

Good Morning

Good Morning! This is what Arya and Eiley were wearing this morning when they woke me up. If you can't see, Eiley is in a dress that's too big, with a two piece swim suit over it and shoes that are also too big. The top of the swim suit is inside out. I didn't even hear that the two of them were awake. Their pajamas were on the first floor, so who knows what kind of party they had before they woke me.

Eiley refused to eat dinner last night, so I fed it to her for lunch. We had a stand off, but eventually she ate most of it. While she sat in the kitchen, Arya and I read some books. Eiley announced to me "Momma, my night night" and laughed. I thought she was joking and then I realized it had gotten way too quiet. Arya and I went to check on her and found her asleep in her chair.

Bubbles

We played with flubber again today. Hootie the owl had to sit and watch. Arya is very attached to this owl that used to be Cork's when he was a kid.

Look who figured out how to blow bubbles.

Couch Sitters

The girls were very excited to have a visit from Mema and Bepa today. They hung out on the couch waiting, watching out the window.