All By Mysellllllfffff!!!

The one things I've noticed so far this year how well, how much easier everything is getting.  There, I said it.  It's hard, if you don't have three crazy boys all crammed together in the span of 3 years, to understand what the last 3-ish years have been like.  It's been plain hard.  Potty training, nursing, meltdowns, exhaustion, Jordan working a LOT,  no family in town to help or give us a small break, you get the picture!  Now that Noah is almost 2, we are coming up on some really fun times.  Not that I didn't take the boys places by myself, but it was just hard and I usually had to go sit in the car with a movie on for the boys so I could feed Noah and it just took forever!

Here lately, things are getting fun and I'm finally getting to a point where I feel really comfortable packing them up and taking them by myself and going and doing things that normally I wouldn't have done by myself a year ago.

Last month we packed up and drove out to our drive through safari, which is the coolest place ever!  This was a big deal for me, mainly because I am terrified to be in the giant petting zoo part with the donkeys and goats that try to eat you.  Not to mention the chickens and pigs that follow you around.  I usually make Jordan take them in there, but this time I went in there and I didn't want to act scared because I want my boys to have a sense of wonder and excitement at seeing all these cool animals up close!

Everyone acted so great, they all obeyed and truly made it an enjoyable experience to be out with them!  Whenever we have a successful library trip or a great trip out and about, I just think YES!  Yes!  It was so, so worth it all those months of really hard times of leaving places to discipline unacceptable behavior.

Of course we had to stop by our all-time favorite pizza place, Pioneer Pizza!  It's the best after a long day at the safari!

I love that they are still ok playing games without actually having to put money in the game!

I know this isn't everyone's experience with having lots of small children in a row, but for me there was just nothing easy about it.  Sure, we still have meltdowns.  Yes, we still have to discipline unacceptable behavior but it feels like it's getting less and less and they are turning into truly awesome little guys that are a pleasure to be around.  (and as a side note, may I say that bless his heart, Noah is still in the middle of hitting the terrible 2s and we have a LOT of work to do on that little stinker!)

I took them to the pool all by myself yesterday.  We packed lunch, ate there, and stayed about an hour and a half in the water.  They all behaved, everyone was safe, there was laughing and splashing and jumping and when it was time to go, they all came and got dry and helped me carry our things out to the car. They even put their swim trunks and towels into the washer when we got home!  As I buckled everyone into their car seats, I wanted to cry because it was just a big mom-achievement moment and it was bittersweet.  Bitter because they are in fact, growing up.  Sweet because, although we are NOT perfect by any means, they are slowly choosing obedience in their hearts and that just makes me happy!