Precious Video

It's rare these days to get all four boys focused on one thing long enough to get any good video, but tonight I got a great clip of them playing blocks together. Too precious so I had to post for all to see!

Click here to watch it on youtube

All about Chase

Disclaimer: There won't be any cute pictures with this post because that child is never still long enough for me to actually get a picture of him!

As I stood in the kitchen cleaning up after lunch today, that is another entry in itself, I paused to just watch Chase playing outside. You see, the pollen has invaded! Everything has that lovely yellow-green coating on it, so Chase was on his own for the time-being. Little brothers were trapped on the screened in porch, which I had to vacuum just so they could crawl around, and Chase had the yard to himself. What caught my attention was how peaceful he was. I am not even really sure if that is the right word, but I am not sure how else to describe it. Let me try to explain.

Over the last year, it has become glaringly obvious to anyone who knows us that the focus of this family has been the triplets. Most friends think to ask about Chase. However when the general public stop us to talk, only a few are good about noticing Chase. I have really worried about how Chase is handling all of this chaos. I guess I shouldn't worry because everyone who deals with him constantly reports about what a great boy he is, how wonderful he is, etc. I love to hear this because it isn't often that I get to witness most of this myself. Well, today, I took the time to savor the moment.

Like I said earlier, here I was in the kitchen, babies on the porch and Chase was hanging by himself. I had promised that I would come outside and play 'chasing monster' with him once I was done. Basically, that means he runs and I have to catch him. Great energy burner...for me! He however is like the energizer bunny with this game. While I was trying to finish the kitchen, I noticed him just 'being'. First, he got his bike (aka big wheel) and was riding it around the back garage. When he was done with that, he got out the bucket and ping pong paddle and ball. He proceeded to try and hit the ball into the bucket (a game he and I play and make a competition out of - not surprising, right?). Then he really got my attention. He ran to his swing and started swinging on his stomach. It was that innocent movement that made me realize that he really is doing okay with all this. He is still just an innocent little boy who loves to ride his bike, hit a ball, run in the yard and swing on the swing. He just went back and forth with this adorable smile on his face. While I wanted to run and grab the camera to capture the moment, I also wanted to just keep it to myself. To take a mental picture and remember that sweet happy little boy. I also wanted to be done in the kitchen so I raced through the rest of the clean-up and joined him outside.

When I did, the monster chased and the little boy laughed and all seemed right in the world. Even with the chaos and 'groundhog's day patterns' of our days, I wouldn't have traded that moment for anything. Yes, I miss being with my friends at work sometimes. Yes, I get frustrated when I have yet more food to prepare, diapers to change, laundry to fold and floors to clean. But No, I don't regret being home with my boys because of the little moments like that. When Chase and I get to just play and be silly and the triplets are watching us from the porch and laughing. Those are the moments that make it special, well those and the little boy who stole my heart first, Chase Matthew Liner. Don't ever forget just how special you are to me. Even when it seems like you are lost in the midst of the chaos, I will always find you and love you!

Happy St. Patrick's Day - 2012

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Waiting for baths - J, A, G

Wow, how things change in a year. Around this time last year, the boys were tiny little newborns who were completely dependent on me for EVERYTHING! This year, Graham is walking, no make that running, everywhere. Anthony is inches away from walking. He will take 2-3 steps and then fall forward while he cackles. It is hilarious to watch and listen. Jack is making progress every day. He is engaging in the ‘rough housing’ that Jason does with all the boys whereas a few short weeks ago he would have just sat on the sideline and watched from my lap. His PT sessions are going great and he is more mobile than ever before and is gaining confidence with every movement. Oh, and did I mention that Anthony and Graham like to play on top of the train table now?

Anthony standing while Graham tried to sneak off without being caught!

 

Of course, I would be remiss not to mention Chase and what he is up to. His teachers at Preschool sing his praises. They tell me on a regular basis that he has the best manner of a child his age they have ever seen (which makes my heart sing because that is something I personally believe is sorely lacking in many people today). He still loves school and the triplets and I spend the ride home being showered with the letter of the day, number of the day or story that was shared that day. I love listening to him talk with such excitement about what he is learning and the little ones are just as enthralled.

Now that the recap is over, back to the reason for my post today, St. Patrick’s Day. Most of you are aware of the fact that I spent most of my childhood in Savannah, Georgia and am an Irish Catholic girl. A minor detail that some might not know about that city is that there is a HUGE Irish-Catholic population so St. Patrick’s Day is kind of a big deal down there, as in school is cancelled because the city gets inundated with visitors from all over! Since I went to high school along the parade route downtown and we parked around the city squares, we literally couldn’t park to get to class so we get days off. Depending on the day of the week, we sometimes even got a half day on the 16^th in preparation for all the craziness. With that in mind, you may not be surprised to know that since I have left Savannah, I have had a hard time finding the proper way to continue my celebrations. This year however, I had a built-in idea.

Many of you remember the picture below. It was taken at the Old Well at UNC campus after Jason, my Mom, all the boys – the triplets were about 6 weeks old at the time – and myself finished the ZTA Franklin 5K. Well, we enjoyed ourselves so much that we decided to sign up again this year. It was scheduled for today so off we went. However, before I share the pictures and stories from today, I need to make sure that you know a tiny fact about the night before.

March 2011

 My mom and I drove to Greensboro (a little over an hour away) to watch the Notre Dame men’s basketball team play in the NCAA tournament. Ironically, the game prior to ours was Duke – NOT my school of choice. ND had the late game which meant a tip around 9:45 pm (just before my normal bedtime). Mom and I left after getting the boys and Jason some dinner and settled upstairs for the night – Jason is cast free and offered (read that to mean was asked by me) to watch the boys so Mom and I could take this little journey. We arrived at the coliseum and got to watch Duke lose to Lehigh – definite highlight of the night since ND didn’t even tip until 10:16 pm and ended up losing a very close game. Mom and I arrived home close to 2:00 AM.

We woke up bright and early today, loaded all the boys in the car and headed to Chapel Hill for the 5K. 

Pre-race

Since it was St. Patty’s Day, we had to wear our green. Our AWESOME shirts were made for us by Aunt Lindsey and I cannot tell you the number of compliments we got on them! All the boys were stars of the show. I don't have a good shot of Chase's because he NEVER stays still long enough for me to get a picture of him.

Anthony

Graham

Jack

Jason took Chase and Anthony in one stroller and I took Graham and Jack in the other. Chase ran part of the race with Jason and when he needed a break, he hopped back in the stroller for a quick rest. As the finish line approached, Jason relayed the following to me:

            "There was a gap in the crowd before and after us so I got Chase out of the stroller

about 100 yards or so away from the finish line and asked if he wanted to run to the finish line himself. Running? Of course he said yes. As he made his way closer to the finish, he gave Ramses (UNC’s mascot) a high five and made the final turn." As he did, Jason said that the crowd just erupted! You have to know Chase and his running for the true mental image. He really is fast for his age and he gets this serious look on his face and the combination of the two makes for great racing! Needless to say, the crowd continued to go wild until he actually crossed the finish line and then they erupted again when he jumped out of the crowd to cross it with my Mom, Jack, Graham and myself.

We were joined at the 5K by our friends Tre` and Laura and their two girls, Evie and Lily who Chase adores. 

The Morgans

Lily, Evie and Chase - stopping just long enough for a picture and then they were off again!

 I had brought post-race snacks and some balls and blankets so that we could hang on campus for a while. We headed to the quad for some good outdoor fun and to just enjoy the beautiful day. 

Jack in front, Anthony behind

Graham

Lily enjoying some 'quiet' time

The view of my world today - I wouldn't have traded it for anything! Jason and Tre` playing soccer with Chase and Evie while Lily and Graham play trucks and Anthony pushes the stroller himself.

We also had to take our yearly "Family photo at the Old Well". The kids played until it was time for lunch and then we headed home. I think we wore them out, how about you?

J, G, A and Chase - finally got a good shot of his awesome shirt in this one!

Before lunch

DONE!

Graham and Jack - enough is enough

Anthony even gave up!

 I have to say that this day has been hard for me to really enjoy in the past because it was always such a big day for my Dad but this year had a different feel. I still missed him like crazy but I had a sense of peace. I don’t know, maybe it was the perfect Carolina-blue sky, maybe it was seeing how much fun the boys had, maybe it was being able to spend some girl-time with my mom that was kid-free. I can’t put my finger on it. All I know is that this is the first one in a long time that has felt right. As the boys grabbed at my Irish necklace charm that my Dad gave me, it made my heart loosen just a bit and a smile spread across my face. Happy St. Patrick’s Day Dad!

Quiet time...

As I sit here with the basket of laundry waiting to be folded, I am enjoying quiet. Yes, you heard that right, quiet. The triplets are all taking an afternoon nap and Chase is enjoying some much needed down time of his own in my bed with a book and his Nick Jr. programs.

I have been thinking about this entry since Valentine’s Day and have been trying to get it written since then but somehow it just hasn’t happened until now. Here is a brief recap as to why. The weekend of the triplets birthday party was where it all began. Jason’s mom was here on Sunday due to illness and Jason went to play basketball that night. He fell during the game and turns out, broke a bone in his wrist which required surgery and a cast. This meant that he has no mobility at all and lots of pain. How does this impact me? Well, he can’t do much of anything with the boys – no baths, diaper changes, dressing or undressing, picking up, putting in car seats, filling cups, making meals. Now, I already do most of that during the day, but I anxiously look forward to the evenings when he is home and I get an extra set of hands – now I am down that set for 8-10 weeks. I am not happy to say the least. Add to this that he is also scheduled to travel 2 out of the next 3 weeks. Lucky for us, my mom has agreed to come stay and help me out so I can survive. However, you have to remember that we go big or don’t go at all so let’s add to mix 3 teething toddlers and head and stomach bug for all under the age of 4. Good times! Needless to say, 2012 has not been my favorite calendar year thus far. I am hoping that with the turn of the calendar month, things will improve. We had a little bit on snow on President’s Day so Chase and I went outside to play – soccer of course – while the little ones napped. Good thing we did because by the time the afternoon rolled around, the snow was gone! We made the best of the nasty weather by creating our own ball pit and having some indoor ‘snowball’ fights!

Chase and the snow of 2012

Chase and Rokky - 2012

Gathering our snowballs so we can start all over again

The good news is that the boys are continuing to grow and get bigger and stronger everyday. Jack still weighs the most (right around 22 pounds now) with Graham being the lightest (20 pounds) and Anthony hanging out in the middle. Graham is walking everywhere, almost running and is climbing whenever possible. 

Yes, that devilish grin is because he (Graham) is sitting on top of the table after being grabbed repeatedly in our attempts to stop him. See, he really will be the one who pushes all the limits!

 nthony has the skills to walk but isn’t ready to let go of my fingers just yet. Jack is still behind in development so I decided to have him evaluated by a physical therapist. I was concerned because he is able to sit up on his own and stand once put there but he can’t roll over from back to belly or belly to back, get into a seated position or pull himself up. We now have PT once a week and I am so excited to say that after only 3 weeks, that has changed. He still needs a little encouragement to roll over from his back to his belly but once there he can push up to his knees and get into a seated position. He is actively pulling to a standing position on his own and is starting to cruise along furniture – slowly, but he is still doing it. He LOVES when I cheer him on or when we clap for him. Already has an ego and is barely a year old!

Their personalities are more distinct that ever. The workers at the YMCA nursery love to share stories of how different they are during playtime. While they all seem to ‘check in’ with each other periodically, they are willing to explore and play with others which is one of the main reasons I take them. The other is to expose them to some germs to help build their immune systems so they won’t spend the first years of school sick as dogs. I also get to enjoy some time to myself which helps all of us survive!

Chase, sweet Chase, has become a little man overnight. He says the funniest things and makes me laugh at least once a day. My most recent laughter came when I called him a liar and he said, “Mommy, I’m not a lion because I don’t roar”. Needless to say, I have started to think even harder about what I say to him and how I say it. He loves being a big brother and get very protective of them when people stop to talk to us. He stands off to the side and watches them very carefully and when he thinks the boys have had enough, he will tug on my pant leg and say, “It’s time Mommy”. Protective and loving already. Let’s see how long this lasts! We just signed him up for the spring season of micro soccer but I am not coaching this time – at least not yet. With the boys being as mobile as they are, I just don’t think I can pull it off this time around. Besides, I want to be able to sit on the sidelines and clap and cheer and not have to worry about being fair with playing time. We are also getting ready to sign him up for summer camp sessions through the YMCA as well. He will have 3 weeks of kindercamp and 3 weeks of sports camp spread from June – August.

All in all we are hanging in there. Some days are better than ever but we are really entering the fun stage with the triplets. While it is definitely a challenge, I love being able to watch them grow.

So much for quiet time, Anthony is now awake and screaming and Chase has decided that must mean it is play time! Guess that means my break is over.

Time Flies When You're....

One year old! I cannot believe that my boys are one already! In some regards, this first year has felt incredibly long. On the other hand, it feels like just yesterday I was trying to figure out how to put all these tiny babies in their car seats to bring them home from the hospital.

Then…..

L-R: Jack, Graham, Anthony

 Now…..

L-R: Jack, Graham, Anthony

I have spent a lot of time over the last few days – no, make that months – reflecting on life in general since the boys have been born. Some days, I have to admit, I am completely overwhelmed by the whole situation. But then there are those days when it seems that the sun is shining, the stars are aligned and all is right with the world. I try to hold onto those moments as a remembrance that time passes, most times, too quickly.

I don’t even know where to begin. So I will start with the oldest of the three.

Jack - Always with "the look" in your eye

Jackson Michael - Jack. 

Those eyes, that smile and that little grin that I swear you save just for me. You melt my heart; even when it is breaking because you are so much like your namesake, my Dad. If someone could have told me a year ago, that you would be this much like him already, I would have called them a liar. But wow, it couldn’t be more true and I couldn’t be more proud of it, and excited about it. From your crazy crawl, if I can even call it that since it is more of a scoot, to your pensive stare to your absolute love of food, you have blessed me beyond words. Although at times it is frustrating, I adore the fact that there is no one that you would rather have hold and comfort you than me. Knowing that you need me is just the hint of the future that I hold for you. I spend my days helping you grow and develop so that you can become an amazing boy, young man and man but also relish the thought that no matter how old you get, some how you will always need me. My little Tank, you make me proud every day and I thank you for the constant reminder of an amazing man who I lost way too soon. I only hope that I can raise you to be half the man he was.

Graham David.

Graham - the trouble with trouble

Boy, if that isn’t another case of a name that fits the namesake! Your devilish grin and curious nature push me to my limits. But, you also remind me that sometimes you have to push the envelope and be willing to go just a little but further than people expect in order to find the beauty and greatness in things. You challenge me on a daily basis to see things from a new perspective – usually one that is about 2 feet tall and looking up! Your mobility keeps me on my toes but your love for your brothers never ceases to amaze me. You always get so upset when we drop Chase off for school in the morning and you get so excited when I tell you that we are going to pick him up. I love to watch the two of you interact and play by yourselves.  Oh, the fun that we are going to have as you get bigger, and you are getting bigger by the day. You too make me proud and I love the way that you snuggle up in the crook of my neck when you want to be held so you can fall asleep. Thank you for allowing me to be your mom.

Anthony Samuel.

Anthony - that smile, it just can't be captured on film

My namesake. Somehow, we even managed to get this one right in a way. You command a room by just being present and getting people to look at you. You don’t make any noise, you just smile! Boy, that smile, it is amazing. I hope you don’t ever stop sharing that gift with everyone around you, including me. When you add your infectious laugh to that smile, it is impossible to not join with you. You make everyone laugh, especially your big brother, who just adores you (almost as much as me!) I guess when I really think about it, you are my middle-of-the-road boy, kinda like me. You never get really high or really low, you just are. Maybe that is the lesson I take away from you. While challenging is good (thanks Graham), it isn’t really my style. I would prefer to just set my course and follow it through. Man, do you do that. You set your sights on something and nothing is going to stop you from getting it (not dogs, brothers or gates). Thank you for being a constant reminder to stay true to myself – at my core it is what I do best, and right now, that is raising you and sharing you with my world.

To my precious triplets, carrying you was one of the greatest privileges of my life, at least that is what I thought at the time. Now I know that raising you and getting to call myself Mom again because of you in the greatest gift. I am forever thankful that you have come into my life and can’t even begin to imagine what our future holds. This past year has been one full of adventure, amazement and awe-inspiring moments – thank you for bringing it upon me.

Love, Mom (couple more pictures below)

L-R: Jack, Graham, Anthony

L-R: Jack, Anthony, Graham

Blessings and the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I can't believe that the triplets are 11 months old today. I am having a hard time grasping the idea that time has gone by this quickly. Maybe it is the sleep deprivation or just the chaos of every day life, but somehow, I feel like I have missed things....like the last 11 months! As I sit back and watch the boys playing right now, I can't help but think about all the blessings that I have in my life. My wonderful husband, my kids, my family, my friends. Those come first and foremost when I think of blessings. Then I move to health - mine and that of my kids and family - even with the colds and ear problems we are very lucky.

Christmas has always been a very special time of the year for me. It has always been about family and remembering all the good times. The last couple of Christmas seasons have been hard for me without my Dad. This was his FAVORITE holiday and his excitement about it was infectious. This was also the time of the year when he and I spent tons of time together. I would work with him over holiday breaks and we would plot and plan gifts for my mom. He played the role of Santa and I got to be the elf. They are memories that mean even more to me now that he is gone. Having those memories make it even more important for me to start making memories for my kids - even as small as they are. I want them to remember the holidays with as much excitement and laughter as I do.

Quick boys update - Graham is now walking with pretty steady legs. He still prefers to crawl because it is quicker but he is walking more and more. Here is a shot from his first attempts - Chase was super excited for him!

We started this season off with Chase's Christmas program at school. This is the first year he has been at a preschool where we got to be involved like this and what a blast! Chase and I practiced his class song J-E-S-U-S (sung to the tune of BINGO) for weeks. We practiced in the car, over the phone in front of different people just to make sure we would get it right. Well, the big night arrived and we surprised Chase to his great delight when my brother and his wife and kids showed up. Chase was over the moon and had a hard time concentrating on his part of the program once he saw his cousins!

We continued the festivities by getting our “Charlie Brown” Christmas tree. We have 2 trees in our house – a fake tree downstairs with all my expensive ornaments my Mom and Dad gave me over the years safely hidden in the front room and gated off. Then we have Charlie. We always get a small (less than 4 feet) live tree to put upstairs so that Chase can help decorate and enjoy a tree and its’ lights and decorations at night. This year we kept trying to figure out how to keep the tree safe from the triplets so we decided that the top of Rokky’s crate might just be the best place. So up it went! Here is a picture of the boys helping me put on the lights.

When looking at the logistics of the holiday, we realized that there was no feasible way to try to see everyone and open gifts and celebrate the day all in one 24 hour period. So plans were made and schedules created – you do remember triplets right? I LIVE on a schedule! It went something like this – Wednesday, Dec. 21 Meme and Popi come up from Winston to celebrate. Saturday, Dec. 24^th – Grandma, Mom-mom and Pop-pop came over in the morning to celebrate. Saturday, Dec. 24^th – evening Jason and I do our little exchange after the boys go to sleep. Sunday, Dec. 25^th – After seeing what Santa brought them, we leave the house at 8:30 AM with all kids in tow to drive to Winston to join the Liner family Christmas brunch and White Elephant exchange. Leave there at 2:00 pm to drive to Nana’s house to visit with her for a little while and do a gift exchange with cousin Milo. Arrive home that night and after dinner open gifts from Mom/Dad and brothers. Monday, Dec. 26^th – gift exchange with cousins Bise and Meredith. Tuesday, Dec. 27^th – gift exchange with Nana. Whew! I am tired all over again when I read this. No wonder the kids are all a little extra sleepy and crazed all at the same time.

Here is our Christmas Eve picture just before bed:

When I look back at this Christmas of firsts I can’t help but stop and think that this really is the most wonderful time of the year. While I honestly do try to stop and give thanks for all I have been blessed without throughout the year, it is in this special time of the year that it all hits home for me. Even with the loss of loved ones (I still struggle with the loss of my Dad), I am finally realizing that while it is okay to miss them, you still have to move on and make new memories for those who are still around. So I say to one and all, I really do hope that you had a Merry Christmas and that all your blessings are as wonderful as mine are! Here is to another fun and adventure-filled year. Time to welcome 2012 and all the opportunities it has in store for us.

Day of Firsts.....

Let the record reflect that today Jack cut THE first tooth (of all the boys) and Graham took his first real steps (as in 4-5 steps with control). We will work on getting the video posted but all I have to say is, uh-oh! Jack isn't even crawling yet and Graham is trying to walk....I don't think I am ready for all this!