My Kids Are Giving Me ADD

I swear that since the boys turned three, they've tripled their busy-ness. I field more questions, more requests for help and more demands to listen to them than ever before.

Honestly, it's like having an external case of ADD.

Yesterday at 7 a.m. it looked like this:

Sam: "Mom, I want toast."

Me: "What kind of toast?"

Sam: "Swimanon toast. But not in the toaster."

Isaac: "I want to go outside."

Me: "We'll go out later. Let's have bre--"

Sam: "Where's my truck?"

Alex: "Mom, I pooped!"

Me: While buttering toast, "Just a minute, don't come out! I'll be there in a sec--."

Isaac: "Why is it raining? Where's my toast?"

Me: As I head to the bathroom to help Alex, "What kind of toast do you w--"

Alex: "Now I get candy corn!"

Me: Isaac, what kind of to--

Isaac: "SWIMANON!"

Alex: "I want chocolate flakes! I want chocolate flakes! Where are we going today?"

Me: "Let's finish the potty and have breakfast first."

Amelia: "Can I have my milk?"

Me: "Good morning, Amelia. Do you want bre--"

Alex: "Where are my chocolate flakes?"

Sam: "Mom, do you know where my truck is?"

Me: "Just a minute, Alex. Sam, look in the toy basket. Amelia, what do you w--"

Alex: "Listen to me, Mom!"

Sam: "I'm done! Can I be 'scused? I have to go potty."

Me: "You're excused. Amelia, wh--"

Isaac: "Sam, I found your truck. Oh! My toast popped!"

Me: As I butter toast and pour chocolate flakes, "Amelia? Breakfast?"

Isaac: "SWIMANON TOAST! YAY!

Alex, "I got chocolate flakes!"

Sam: "Mom, help me with my pants! Can I jump on the couch?"

Isaac: "I need more milk, please."

Amelia: "I want breakfast."

Me: As I pull up pants and head to the fridge to refill the milk, "Sam, no you can't jump on the couch. What can I get you Amelia?"

Isaac: "I'm done!"

Me: "Go wash your face and hands."

Amelia: "Chocolate flakes."

Me: As I pour chocolate flakes (AKA Special K Chocolaty Delight) "Sam and Isaac bring me your plates and milk cups, please. Alex are you done?"

Alex: "I'm DONE!"

Me: "Then bring me your plate and go wash your hands. Here are your flakes Amelia."

Isaac: "Do you want your dump truck Alex? I found it for you, buddy."

Sam: "I need to find shoes. Where are my shoes? I want my dump truck!"

Amelia: "I want a dump truck, too."

Alex: "Oh, here's my shirt! Let's race our dump trucks!"

By this time it was 7:15 a.m. and I could no longer keep track of what I was doing or who asked for what.

By 7:30 a.m. I was no longer sure I'd have any sanity left within the hour. Surely this is why three-year olds still need naps.

© Trippin' Mama 2011

What A Difference The "Plus One" Makes!

Amelia has been gone for the last few days visiting grandparents, and her absence has made two things abundantly clear. One, I miss her more than I can stand. And two, triplets plus one is WAAAAY more work than triplets alone.

I always knew that having Amelia and the boys was more work than just having the boys, but Amelia's been gone three days and it's really become evident what a difference that extra child makes. Fewer toys to clean up, less laundry (marginally, but still), and one less person to help dress, feed, bathe, and put to bed. At four, Amelia can do lots of things for herself, so I always thought the difference would be negligible now. It isn't.

One of the chief reasons there's such a big difference is all of the play time, crafts and questions. Shoot, the lack of questions alone gives me an extra couple hours in my day. Of course the trade off is that my brain is stagnating while Amelia's gone. And I am starting to miss playing My Little Ponies. (Did I just confess that?)

I've tried to use the extra time wisely, tackling some projects I can't usually get to, like sorting through toys and clothes. Since the boys go to bed a whole hour earlier than Amelia, I have found I can work on a project for a couple hours and still go to bed around 10. That's at least an hour earlier than usual. I think my body has appreciated the extra sleep.

Most of my "extra" time is going to one BIG project, though: potty training. Yep, that's right. We have taken the plunge, so to speak. The boys were all showing signs of being ready, so I'm going for it. And taking notes along the way, so stay tuned for the Potty Training Chronicles in the days to come.

For now, let me just say that we've had some success, some hilarity, and only a few fits. Most of the fits were thrown by the boys. At least until Alex flushed half a roll of toilet paper while I was running a peeing Sam to the other potty and yelling at Isaac not to play in the pee that was all over the playroom floor. I know you can't wait to read all about it.

Hurry home Amelia! Mommy misses you. Especially since you can use the potty all by yourself.

© Trippin' Mama 2010