Happy Easter (almost)

March 30, 2013March 30, 2013 ~ hunt2005 ~ Leave a comment

You know how you walk into Target attempting to just. buy. ONE. thing? Yeah. Happens to me at least three times a week.

Do you know how many times I walk out of Target with that one thing and ONLY that one thing? As often as I get to sleep in or pee in peace. Aka: Never.

Hence the Easter Basket shopping fun. You see, the Easter Bunny had a few small things in mind, the perfect sized baskets to fill, and was all prepared for just a couple things.

Somehow I ended up putting things back and STILL didn’t have room for it all.

Let me back track a bit to what the table was used for earlier today, however. Egg dyeing.

Wait, you think… I didn’t realize that Nikki was crazy enough to attempt egg dyeing with four kids 5 and under? Oh yes. I am. I’m not crazy enough to let them keep their clothes on yet, however I have learned some fun tricks.

The first: Use a larger bowl under the small bowl of dye. The small bowl WILL get tipped. Or knocked. Or an egg dropped in and splashed everywhere. And the bowl helps at least a *little* bit.

The second: Use a whisk. Now, everyone I know had issues with this method because of the obvious: How do you get the dyed egg out of the whisk after dyeing it without getting it all over your hands?? The obvious solution: Use an old crappy whisk like I have where you can bend the metal easily. You pry it open, scoop the egg from the dye, and voila! Magic clean hands and clean babies.

You might argue that it’s just not as much fun if they don’t get messy. I argue you’re not the one who’d have to bathe them tonight.

Hope you had a great Easter weekend and can’t wait for the crazy festivities tomorrow!

Don’t forget the REAL message behind Easter (and not the slogan from Weight Watchers due to the insane amounts of sugar and chocolate consumed). There’s more to Easter than just eggs and bunnies 🙂

Love, The Hunts

One of those little moments…

March 25, 2013March 24, 2013 ~ hunt2005 ~ 1 Comment

…when you think you might (maybe… possibly….) be doing a decent job as a parent.

Picture this (without a picture, because it was also one of the few moments I had no cameras within arms reach, and I wasn’t about to ruin it by going to get one).

We’re outside in the back yard. Having some fun, daddy and I are throwing a football, letting the kids try to catch it. Jaina is catching and throwing as well as any 21 month old I know (and better than two others I know at a minimum, namely, her siblings). Jacen is stealing the ball and running around playing keep away. Val is standing happily on the sidelines clapping when we catch (Are you seeing a personality difference between them yet?!).

Then they get on their ride on toys and ride them through the grass. They get stuck. Aiden goes over, gets Jaina’s, and carries it to the cement. The other two get off, yell (with that grunting “HEY I WANT SOMETHING” way that most 21 month olds do), and he obliges them. Goes over, and one by one helps the other two get their cars to the patio.

Without being asked.

Such a sweet moment.

And then I’m sure someone stole someone elses’ toy, or knocked someone to the ground, or hit someone over the head. I don’t really know. But I’ll pretend that was the end of the story. 🙂

Almost 7 months until…

March 24, 2013March 24, 2013 ~ hunt2005 ~ Leave a comment

Marine Corps Marathon 2013!!

Not sure if you remember me saying last year when we were doing a local event for March of Dimes, that if I ever were to actively raise money for a group it would be the Fisher House.

A lot of people haven’t heard of Fisher House Foundation. Understandably so, as they serve military families so if you’re not military you might not ever cross paths with them.

We, fortunately, were able to take advantage of the house in Tacoma, WA near Madigan Army Medical Center. Located only 1 mile away from the hospital (and therefore the NICU), our social worker in the hospital kept in touch with them during my hospital stay. We had actually looked into a room there for Steven and Aiden, but as we didn’t have childcare set up down in Tacoma, it didn’t work out for them to stay closer to me when they’d have to commute back to Bangor each and every day.

Once we delivered, though, we called and they had a room available for us. The great thing is that, had they not, they would have put our family up in a hotel near by until they had a room open up, so either way they would have helped us get our family closer together.

So after being discharged from the hospital, instead of having to drive an hour away to our house, we merely drove a mile down the road. I could see the hospital from the yard if I tried, and it was so comforting to know that while I was leaving my sweet little babies at the hospital, I could be back in a matter of minutes should the doctors call me.

We stayed there for over two weeks. There was food in the kitchen, girl scout cookies on the counter, toys for Aiden to play with, a great play yard outside, and the staff was incredible. They were kind, provided a new toy and blankets for the kids, and it was so nice to know that we were taken care of.

Once Jace came home, I was even able to walk back and forth, which was so much easier than trying to drive at the time!

And did I tell you the best, most amazing part, of this whole thing? IT WAS FREE. You read that right. FREE. They did not ask a single penny for any of it. And while a couple weeks doesn’t seem that big of deal, you have to remember the 4 weeks prior Steven was driving an hour a day each way to come see me. Add up those gasoline charges. And imagine how much a hotel would have been so we could stay down near the babies. Not a pretty picture is it???

I swore that should I ever run a race that Team Fisher House (a fundraising group for Fisher House to run races around the country) was a fundraiser for, I’d sign up in a heartbeat. And we did. We’re actually scheduling our lives in October around the opportunity to run Marine Corps Marathon in DC. Steven and I are both running, and have a family fundraiser page.

http://www.teamfisherhouse.org/goto/huntfamily

We are asking you for your help. Fisher House helps thousands of families across the nation every day. Not every story is as happy as ours, or with as good of an outcome. Wounded warriors and their families are taken care of for months at a time (one of the families we met in WA had been staying there for over a year while their service member was treated!), they are often helped so much more than we were. But we cannot say thanks enough. What they did for us took the worry out of our NICU stay in regards to logistics and our family and let us focus on what mattered: our babies and each other. And for that we want to try to repay them at least a little.

We’ll keep you updated as begin training, the plans for the race, and the results afterwards.

Thank you in advance for your support!

Real life

March 18, 2013March 18, 2013 ~ hunt2005 ~ 1 Comment

I want to live in the Facebook-Pinterest-Blogging world. Forever.

Because, you know those days where you wake up, the sun is shining, the birds are singing, the children are well behaved, you go to a play date and look like super mom with it all under control, and come home happy and well rested from a few moments of adult conversation? Yeah, neither do I.

Seriously. Only online does the world look that way. Smiling faces, tidy playrooms, neat home-made decorations for every.single.holiday. Parenting choices are always made with the best of intentions and they are made with the best of results.

In the real world? Totally not so.

We post the pictures like this:

Instead of the ones where a child is hitting the other over the head with the puzzle because THEY HAD IT FIRST.

Or the ones like this:

Instead of the one where big brother attempts to splash little sister with the hose, little sister attempts to dump cup of water over other sister’s head, and the younger brother tries to drown himself in the water blowing bubbles (not so successfully).

Because, let’s face it – we want to pretend we’re the perfect parent. We have our lives in order, our children walk calmly in a line following us like baby ducklings. And life is perfect.

No wonder we all feel like giant failures on a daily basis!

So from now on, just know that I, like many other parents, are right there with you. Sure, I’m a mom of triplets, but don’t let that fool you – I don’t have my act together any better than the rest of you. I just know when to fight it and when to let life happen. Because wearing the same pair of pajamas for the second day in a row (without clean daytime clothes in between) won’t kill anyone. And that peanut butter cracker dropped on the ground? Yeah, it’s still probably cleaner than the mulch they tried to eat 5 minutes ago. Oh, and that fun happy lunch play date? Yeah – I might try that again in two months. Right around the time I forget how much I wanted to drink and hide in the bathroom upon coming home.

Thank God only one of them knows enough to figure that out yet. And the other three will just think they haven’t figured out the door knob 100%, not that mommy locked them out.

Because, you know what? Us multiples moms don’t have it put together more than the rest of you. Nor are we just that much better parents that we can do it where you can’t. We just learn to let the little things slide more, take photos of only the good stuff, and drink the rest away. Cheers!

Nursing in Public

March 13, 2013 ~ hunt2005 ~ Leave a comment

I am not nearly this eloquent. Nor do I have the time to look up the photos, the links, and then write all of it.

But I have to share this link.

She makes a very valid point.

I don’t have any photos, and even if I did, I probably wouldn’t be sharing. But that’s not the point. When they are this tiny and cute, how can anyone ever be rude about how you choose to feed them?!

You’d think in today’s day and age of acceptance, tolerance, freedom of choice, sexuality, relationship statuses, and everything else, how a mother chooses to feed her children would be the least of anyone’s concerns. Or not a concern of theirs at all. I’ve never once seen a mother who is a fan of nursing ask a mother who is bottle feeding to “take them to the bathroom, that is indecent to do in public.” I have, however, heard that comment to a nursing mother at a restaurant. Thankfully, not directed at me, because I’m pretty sure I’d have gone mama bear on their ass. But none-the-less, people need to get over it. Babies are cute and adorable. That’s all that really matters is that they’re fed, loved, and taken care of. And wouldn’t you prefer a quietly feeding baby (bottle or breast) to one screaming bloody murder in the booth next to you at a restaurant? Or movie? Or store? I know I sure would!

Origins of Darth Hulk

March 11, 2013 ~ hunt2005 ~ Leave a comment

So I realized that I should explain how a child this adorably sweet

could get the nickname of “Darth Hulk.”

Well, there are a variety of reasons. First, when he gets mad, he gets mad.

Like, fist shaking, yelling, throwing things mad.

He also seems to use force powers to try and electrocute people when he is very angry at them.

Not the best photo of it, but it gets the point across. He extends a hand, shakes it at them, and you can imagine him trying to use his mental strength to cause them to choke or something.

Bam Bam could also be an apt title for him, as, well, he likes to bam things.

But overall it’s best when he’s really mad. Like the other day, he had a paper crown on his head (from Aiden’s party). Got mad at something. Took the hat off and threw it. Then tried to kick it. It got stuck to his foot. That didn’t help the situation. Kicked and kicked and kicked till it came off. And then he proceeded to stomp on it for good measure.

I’ll have to video one of these outbursts for prosperity’s sake some day. Or maybe for a future girlfriend. But mostly just because it’s so darn funny. And laughing at him just makes him all the more angry.

Midnight journal entry of Darth Hulk

March 10, 2013March 10, 2013 ~ hunt2005 ~ 3 Comments

Editor’s note: This entry comes courtesy of Darth Hulk, otherwise known as Jacen, after his latest escapade to the living room well after bedtime hour has passed. I just realized, however, I’ve never explained Darth Hulk’s nickname, and will have to rectify that in the near future.

So tonight, I just didn’t feel like sleeping. Mommy tried to put us to bed early because of something known as a time change. Doesn’t she understand that what really happens is now we have an excuse to stay up late AND get up early for at least a week?

Anyhoo, so there I am playing in my bed and the pink one decides to wake up and start crying. Sweet! That means that mommy and daddy will coming running because she NEVER cries. I might as well join in on this fun! When mommy came in, she looked around the room, and I sprang to the edge of the cage they keep me in (they think it’s humane to call it a crib, but the only difference is they haven’t put a top on it. Little do they know they’ll need that soon) to say hi. With some tears down my face (and a giant grin that she came), she picked me up. This, of course, meant that the pink one got upset and was released as well. And the other sister was awoken by the commotion. Mommy is nicer than daddy. He would have left us all there. Mommy? She’s a sucker. She picked up all 70+ pounds of us and carried us to the couch.

I don’t really get why the pink one was so sad at this point. I mean, really, daddy had a camera and mommy was holding us. What could be better?

Anyhoo, so there we are, and daddy sits down with us. He offers his lap. The purple one was still sleepy and not quite realizing the opportunity, and the pink one was upset. So I jumped at the chance. Literally. I tried to jump over my sisters. They didn’t like that too much. And then I got happy play time in daddy’s lap! He tickled me, and I made mommy laugh so much she cried! Then I realized that sissy (the pink one, not the purple one) was RIGHT there. I mean, like a centimeter away. So I started inching my leg towards her. Laughing. Daddy started a running commentary that was pretty accurate. “I’m not touching you! I’m not touching you! Hehehe, I’m kicking you, hehehe” She didn’t appreciate it too much. So he dragged me away. Then I tried to hit her with the remote. She didn’t like that either. Then I tried to head butt her. But not complete – just ALMOST touching her, not actually. I’m not too sure why I got in trouble for that one, I didn’t actually touch her! SO, I figured at that point since I was in trouble anyways, I might as well.

Then she farted at me. Daddy said she was imagining Monty Python as she did it, thinking,

Only mommy said it should be lingonberries instead of elderberries since we had Ikea earlier today. Daddy said that wasn’t accurate from the movie. I don’t really get what it is they’re talking about. They don’t show us the good movies yet.

At that point they decided I was laughing too much and it was time for bed.

Clearly I should work on holding back the humor just a bit next time, so I can get at least 10 minutes of respite from that ~~cage~~ crib… Till next time!

~~Darth Hulk~~ Jacen

Mom, you’re so frustrating!!

March 7, 2013 ~ hunt2005 ~ Leave a comment

Yup.

That phrase is already being heard in this house. And it typically inspires laughter. There are a lot of things we don’t allow to be said in the house. The word Hate is one of them. Also included on that list are certain-4-letter-words that are only said by mommy and daddy and typically during football. I’ve also banned the word “Alllllriiiiiiiiight” in lieu of “yes ma’am” (or even just yes will suffice normally), as well as “stupid,” because it’s just not nice.

Most of the time this phrase is heard after asking for simple chores to be done. No, your underwear do not belong in my living room. No, “putting away your toys” does not mean barely opening the playroom door, throwing them in, and shutting it behind you. All these things he knows, and so when he is reminded it is a tad frustrating. Apparently.

As is asking for a picture to be taken.

But on the other hand, everything is also Boooooorring. Yes, I allow that one. Normally because it’s amusing in the context he uses it. And also because it’s a lot better than other words he could be using.

Oh, and the best part of having a five year old? He tends to reply back to me “But Mooooooooommmmmmm!!!” and I reply back, “No buts.” And he says, “I wasn’t talking about my butt!!”

Oh yes. 5 year olds are awesome. And I’d much prefer to be frustrating than other things I could be. Or other ways he could describe me.

The 21st Century

March 2, 2013March 3, 2013 ~ hunt2005 ~ 1 Comment

So in today’s age of computers, technology, cell phones, cars, and everything else, I wonder what gets lost in translation. There is this amazing resource called…

The INTERNET.

Heck, our kids are learning how to use it from an early age!

And it is absolutely amazing. Imagine anything you want to make, create, do, decorate, or DIY. Go online, type it in, and you’ll likely find thousands of resources on how to do it in one hundred different ways.

But sometimes we just need to get outside.