Just a link this week

I'm taking a brush-up class in HTML/CSS and had to make one of those cheesy projects that is about your favorite vacation. I imagined the girls coming to Maryland to see Annapolis Harbor, the Baltimore Aquarium, and the Washington DC Zoo.

http://www.public.iastate.edu/~aaguerra/fv/tripletvacation.html

Next week I'll put up a more normal blog. Well, as normal as things get for us.

Daddy Daughter Dance Prequel

 This is a series of pics I put together for a class project. I connected these pictures in an SQL database and pulled them by usinig PHP to write XML in Tiltviewer and JuiceBox but the server is protected, so I had to just pull the pics out. This is more of a Daddy Daughters Dance Prequel.

We're going to the Daddy Daughter Dance tonight!

4 tickets to the dance!

Takedown, two points, three back.

Brielle wears glasses for the first time. I just went to the optometrist and she said I need "readers." Getting old(er). Sigh.

Maybe I can get glasses too if I keep staring at my iPad!?

Let me help you with your shoes Cinderella!

 

Can't take a lady dancing on an empty stomach!

Making one last thing!

 

Let's get this party started!

Daddy Daughter Dance Part I

Daddy, Daughter, Daughter, Daughter - Dance ... and Mindy

Brielle's off camera ... didn't want to get in the picture.

A couple of videos from the dance, these are hilarious.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v14Qbfr3jLs&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hPmYY4_4YM&feature=youtu.be

Snow and babies

I will bend this spoon with my mind.

Hmm. I look pretty cute. Drake class of 2034. Well, unless I'm like Dad and get a bunch of degrees, then it's Drake class of 2034, 2037, 2042, . . .

 

The perfect cheese and cracker combination requires . . .

. . . that the cracker be covered 70% by a double layer of cheese . . .

ooooh . . . so delicious. . .

Watch out meatball, you're next!

Rianne's holding a baby. Teagan's holding a toy gun. I really don't feel good about this.

I'll protect you baby!

Yes, Teagan, if you go to Annapolis and graduate you get to tell everyone in the Na-by what to do.

Ahh, this baby's as big as me!

Teagan, you've got to get your own snow. Then we put it in the oven and bake it.

Snow-tastic.

Snow-licious?

Snow dough!

Awww . . . our snow melted, we have to get some more.

YMCA Carnival

Gracie helping the girls find the tattoo parlor.

She's pretty good with them . . .

When is it my turn?

Princess castle!

And . . .

Why do a princess castle when you can just spell it out?

Brielle having trouble deciding what she wants for a balloon . . .

You're holding up the line Brielle . . .

Um, can I just go next . . .

Brielle, why don't you get a dog like me?

Ahhh, a snake!

Rianne, you should get a dolphin.

Brielle took my dolphin, Teagan's got the snake, and now I'm left to dog sit.

Well, maybe my dog and I just want to go for a walk. Seeya next week!

Identity Crisis

Often times when I am with/out with family or friends I am referred to as “the mom of triplets” or “that’s the one with triplets”.  Sure that is a part of who I am, but there are many other pieces that make me who I am.  I have realized that I have been feeling a bit down lately and I think it is because I have lost a part of myself. I want to rediscover who am I and be able to recognized as an individual, not just as the triplets mom.

I want to have close friendships again.

I want my friends to not be afraid to ask me to do things or ask for help if needed. Yes it may be tricky at times to break away from my family, but I can do it and I want to do it.

I want my personality to shine through.

I want to be able to go places and people call me by name, not the triplets mom.

I want to give back. I love to volunteer . I am slowly working at getting involved again.

I want to not be judged for having triplets. I don’t want to be somewhere with my girls and people ask me what fertility drugs I used.

I don’t want to hear “you are so small how could you possibly carry three babies at once”. Well I did so move on please.

I don't want to hear "how do you do it" or "it must be so hard" or "how big did you get".  Yes it is hard. But how would we not do it? Give one away? Give two away? Give them all away?!?  I love my girls to the moon and back and know we are blessed with triplets for a reason. I just sometimes have to remind myself of that.

I want people to be able to recognize that our family is complete. No we will not be having more children for many reasons, but the key reason is I do not want to miss out on my girls life while I’m on bed rest or leave Tony to manage all alone. I would LOVE to know what it is like to have one child at a time but I have come to peace with the fact that that is not in the cards for me.

With that being said I’m sure Rianne, Teagan, and Brielle are going to face the same types of challenges. They will have to find out how to create their own identities, their own friends, and their own likes and dislikes. I’m sure they will get annoyed with being referred to as the triplets. I’m sure they will wish they weren’t all born at the same time. I’m sure they will be grouped together instead of given undivided attention. But, I hope I can help them overcome the challenges that they will face.

And to all a good night . . .

There's this new movie with Ariel and . . .

That's not new, we saw it yesterday, and the day before that, and . . . Brielle, are you going to stop to breathe while you drink that?

I know we're not "supposed" to jump on the bed, but that doesn't mean we can't . . .

. . . jump off the bed!

Brielle playing "You can't see me!" with the caterpillar.

And now "Show and Tell"

Brielle "The word caterpillar comes from the Latin 'Cattus' and 'Pilolus' meaning hairy, just like you have piloerector muscles on your arms that raise your arm hairs when you are cold. The gynaephora groenlandica, a type of caterpillar that turns into the Arctic Wooly Bear Moth has an interesting ability to remain dormant. . ." Okay, Brielle, time to "dormir" Mom, do you mean that in the Spanish or Latin? Sigh.

Let's read a story. Seeya next week, the triplets go to the YMCA carnival and get tattoos and balloons.