Out and About

We've been out and about a lot lately. We really haven't stopped since we trekked to St. Louis.

A few days after we got back, we took the kids to the fair. (More about that later.) This weekend we checked out a local park that had a neat Children's Garden. (Sadly no pics, just great memories, but we'll be going back!) We left the stroller behind and the boys listened pretty well and marched back to the van when it was time to go.

Monday I took all the kids to JC Penney's for pictures. By myself. In my defense, it was a last-minute decision, and I was temporarily dazzled by the 40 percent off coupon for a weekday photo shoot. I set Amelia up to go first and show her brothers how it's done. She was a pro, and by the time she was done the boys were begging to have a turn.

They all did great for individual shots, but it was a bit of a circus trying to get a group shot. The photographer pulled it off though. You'll get to see some of those results when I get the CD of the photos in a couple of weeks.

Today we went to the library for story time. We've been going for quite a while, and I usually end up chasing boys around the room and using the stroller for time out. But we keep going because I know that's the only way they will learn. Today all of the boys sat and listened or participated in the songs and dances about 90 percent of the time. I was so impressed with them!

I was just thinking the other day that we've finally got this summer thing all figured out and now the seasons are going to change and I'm going to have to start all over again.

Then I realized that it's not the season that has changed. It's my kids. It has been five months since we started going outside to play in the unfenced yard. And I remember coming in after an hour because I was exhausted from continually chasing down boys and putting them in time out.

When we're outside these days I still have to make the boys sit out for not listening or going where they aren't supposed to go, but it's become a rare occurrence. Way back in April being outside was one long time out some days.

When we have a good series of outings like we've had lately and I realize that we've got a few more months before the bad weather sets in, I can almost believe that we'll be able to survive the winter!

I remember in the early days being overwhelmed by getting the boys out for more than a stroll around the neighborhood. Back then the effort was more mental than physical. The boys might cry a bit or need a diaper change, but they didn't scream to get out of the stroller, unbuckle their car seat straps, push each other down, run around instead of listening, or wander off. I just had to get over the hurdle of leaving the house with them and put up my bubble against all of the comments.

Now it's definitely more of a physical challenge. Hefting everyone in and out of car seats, wrestling them into the stroller, chasing them down when needed, putting them in time out.

But it is getting easier as the boys can do more for themselves and they listen better. There's still the risk that they'll all take off in different directions or I'll have more than one troublemaker on my hands, but I have found that doesn't happen as often as I worry it will.

I'm going to keep living my triplet mama mantra: "Be Brave"...at least until the next major breakdown.

© Trippin' Mama 2010