The end of highchairs, the end of an era

We recently crossed a significant milestone.  The three highchairs that have been cluttering our kitchen for two years have officially been kicked to the curb; two of them, in fact were literally put on the curb because they were beyond redemption with the stench and stains of caked on mac and cheese and mushed grapes and who knows what else.  The third chair is now tucked away in our basement, patiently awaiting visits from the offspring of my sister and cousins, all of whom now have tykes tinier than mine.


Saying so long to these kitchen mainstays leaves me with mixed emotions.  On the one hand, I appreciate our newly streamlined and less cluttered living area. I'm impressed that Kevin, Declan and Cormac will sit in chairs and more often than not, stay there through the course of a meal. On the other hand, I'm having some emotional angst.  Saying so long to high chairs is part of saying good bye, once more, to our baby days.


I've survived other small rites of passage with less emotional fallout.  I was thrilled when they traded the bottle for the sippy cup. While I lamented the loss of the snuggle time that accompanies breast or bottle feeding, I was glad to no longer face the dilemma of how to snuggle and juggle three babies at once. I was fine when we traded up from those bucket car seats to the "big boy" car seats -- especially since making three trips in and out of the car with the combined weight of tots plus seats was no easy task.  I will admit I was bummed out the day the wheels literally fell off their triplet stroller but, it really was getting tough for me to push almost a hundred pounds of kid and stroller up the steep hills where we live so, we put that stroller on the curb and never looked back.


No more bottles, no more baby seats, no more strollers and now, no more high chairs. All reminders that there are no more babies for me; that part of my life is now over. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't looking to add another "cub" to our already full "Lyons Den" however, I'm struck by the finality of crossing these seemingly minor milestones.  


In the midst of our busy days and sleepless nights, I've crossed a threshold; my reproductive years are now officially behind me.  Rather than bemoan this rite of passage, I suppose I should just be grateful for how remarkably "productive" those years really were and how blessed we are to have all these healthy, happy kids.  Kids that now drink from cups, climb into the car themselves, trot down the street and up the hill and sit at the dining room table.  Now, if I only had a table with seven chairs, I'd be all set!

Tuesday Tip: How to get away with the gals

Maybe it's because I'm turning forty this year. Or perhaps I just need a change of scene after spending far too much time potty training triplets and entertaining the never-ending requests of their big brother and sister.  Whatever the reason, I've got girls weekends on my mind and every intention of getting away with the gals for more than the 36 hours in Newport I so thoroughly enjoyed this spring.

When I mention my getaway goals, people look at me like I'm crazy.  "Really?" they say with a look of utter disbelief.  "With ALL of those kids you're REALLY going to go away with the girls."  My answer?  Yes. Absolutely. Definitively. No doubt in my mind.  Where to?  I'm not sure yet... there's been talk of Paris with my sister and the Bahamas with some of my best friends from high school.  If all else fails, there's always the promise of a weekend in the city... beggars can't be choosers! How will I do it?  Well, simply put, I will pack my bag and go.  But, since nothing is ever simple when you're the Mom (it doesn't matter if you have one kid or five, it's not simple!), here are a few guidelines.


1.  Give yourself permission to go.  Think about it.  Who contained a human (or two or three) in their belly for nine months?  Who fed that tiny human from her breast?  Who typically bears the brunt of the care, feeding, shopping and laundry for these little beings?  You do.  And who do you to turn to to bitch, moan, laugh, commiserate, empathize and ask for help?  Your girlfriends.  They have always been there for you and you deserve to go have some fun.  Giving yourself the permission to do so is the first step.
2.  Accept that while your way may be the "right" way, it is not the only way.  Put another way, trust that your husband will care for your offspring and have faith that you will return from your brief sojourn to find them all alive.  They may be wearing dirty clothes or backward onesies (the children, hopefully not your husband!).  They may be overtired or underfed or overwhelmed or watching Underdog. But they will be fine. Letting go of your worries is the next step toward your well-deserved girl time.
3.  Know that you will be be a better Mom and wife when you return. It's trite but true, absence really does make the heart grow fonder.  While I enjoyed every moment of my brief Girls Weekend in Newport, I was SO happy to get home.  I cherished my girl time -- the freedom to get a pedicure, do a bit of shopping, linger over dinner, have that one last drink and gossip for hours over coffee.  It was a true gift to reconnect with my girlfriends but it left me with gifts of another sort... a newfound appreciation for my husband (even if the laundry had piled up!), a renewed adoration for my children (boogie kisses and all!) and the comfort in knowing that the challenges we face are universal (money, sex, work-life balance, aging parents and so on!) 

Once you've made up your mind to go, you may want to create a mealplan, call in the grandparents and arrange a few playdates.  After that, it's officially time to pack your bag and go.  Trust me, if I can do it you can too and, I can assure you you'll be glad that you did!

My life in PottyLand

Here it is, Sunday night once more.  Once again, the weekend has flown by in a flurry of activity.  As I look back on the past few days at the pool, Liam's first swim meet, a trip out for ice cream, our obligatory Sunday mass and a great grilled dinner, there is one unifying theme.  The heat and humidity that has the nation talking?  Nope.  What I will recall most from this weekend is the inordinate amount of time I spent in the bathroom with our two year old triplets.  I don't think I'd be exaggerating to say that it adds up to hours.  

We are deep in the throes of potty training. It's reached the point where Kevin, Declan and Cormac are far more enthusiastic about it than I am.  The initial excitement of "PooPoo on potty!" has pretty much waned for me.  The cries of "Gotta pee Mom! Gotta pee NOW!" have me callously responding "NOW?! But you just went!"  Or, worse yet, "Can't you just hold it, little buddy?"  Needless to say, my weary responses are not to be found in any potty training manuals.  I don't have time to read them anyway but, it just feels wrong to tell a two-year old in PullUps whose personal pride is currently wrapped up the "Three P's" (pee, poo, potty) to take a chill pill because Mama would like a view of something other than a porcelain (or in this case, plastic) bowl!

While I would have preferred to spend less time crouching on the bathroom floor and more time enjoying the great outdoors (believe me when I tell you that 100 degrees in the pool beats 100 degrees in the potty!), there were (as there always are) a few bright spots during our shared potty time...

• There was Cormac kindly encouraging me.  "Good Girl Mama!" he joyfully exclaimed as he barged in on what was to be my private moment on the potty.
• There was Kevin, completely enamored with the "Magic Potty!" at the pool... that self-flushing variety is apparently a lot more exciting than what we have at home.
• There was Declan, who can pee more than any kid I've ever seen.  He spent more time at the potty than in the pool... leading me to believe that perhaps he was drinking a lot of kiddie pool water... a thought I really don't want to linger on.
• There was their shared joy at wearing "big boy underwear!"  My, how we've progressed... just a few months ago, they thought Ciara's old Princess Pull Ups were big boy underwear.  Now they are in Liam's hand-me-down tighty whities and just as thrilled.  Geez, the bar for these little guys is really set low!
• Last but not least, was our adventure at church today, where I spent more time praying to the porcelain god than the big guy upstairs. 

I think it's starting to pay off though. Just think of all the money we'll save when we officially bid adieu to diapers! Just considering life without repeat orders from diapers.com is all it takes for  me to muster up enough enthusiasm to take three little fellas out of their cribs for one last trip to the potty... after all, I don't want to disappoint their image of this "Good Girl Mama."  

Dear Summer, Thank you for the gift of time

How many times have you said “if only there were more hours in the day?”  And how many times have you vividly imagined all you might accomplish with those precious few extra hours?  It recently dawned on me that the summer season gives us this gift of time.  By its very virtue, summer provides extra hours of daylight – a few hours in the morning to get a jumpstart on the day and a few more in the evening to relax and unwind.

As one who is constantly juggling work, kids, fitness, writing, an outrageous to-do list and a strong desire to connect with my husband on matters more substantive than potty training and dog walking, these extra hours which summer so effortlessly bestows are a true gift and one that I’m utilizing to its fullest extent. 

With sunrise at 5:30 and birds chirping long before, I’m all too happy to routinely get out of bed at 5:45.  Mind you, this is the same time I set the alarm the rest of the year but, during the summer, I’m far less likely to hit snooze; I’m eager to get up and get the day started.  The early light allows me to squeeze a lot in before the tots get up at 7:30ish.  Of course, there are all the daily requirements – the dishwasher, the dog, making lunches and getting in my morning run a few days a week.  But these things are part of the LyonsDen routine in any season.  The additional benefits I reap from the early sunrise include reading the paper on the front porch or, in the case of an early riser, reading Dr. Suess on the porch while the dew is fresh and the air is clean and clear.  Should I choose to leave the comfort of the porch, I might run for a few more miles, water the plants, clip a few flowers to brighten the kitchen or possibly settle in the yard with my laptop and work on my writing… it’s so easy to be inspired with a large cup of coffee and the soft sunlight glistening through the trees.  I am so grateful for these moments and will miss them when the days grow shorter.

As the sun shifts from East to West, it has a soothing effect on our typical end of day chaos.  The fact that school is out also lessens the pressure; we’re not hustling to get homework done and the clan in bed by 8:00.  Even so, dinner still needs to be served and the bedtime routine still reigns supreme.  What’s different then?  It’s the attitude, I think.  It’s more laid back.  We’re not literally racing against darkness when we use the grill.  We make plans to make the most the evening time we have together. We squeeze in a post-work trip to the pool, possibly with friends.  We relax our standards a bit.  Dinner just might be grilled chicken with peaches and watermelon served on a beach towel.  Popsicles might melt on the same porch where we started our day as fireflies float by… actually, I think they now bolt by for fear of being caught by one of our little Lyons Cubs; gentle though they try to be, they’ve squeezed the lights out of more of our flying friends than I care to admit.  But I digress. 

Perhaps best of all, summer’s extra daylight hours give my husband and I something we truly cherish – more time with our kids and each other.  Des and I rarely have a quiet moment but find that summertime affords ample opportunities for a shared cup of coffee or glass of wine on the porch (Again! That porch! How we love that porch!) We actually get the chance to talk about more than the kids and to-do lists.   We also relish the morning Suess time and evening swims with the kids.  The “family fun time” in the midst of our manic weeks is a rare pleasure.  We know this time is precious.  And, like summer itself, is fleeting.  Which is exactly why we’re committed to making the most of it.  Thank you summer, for answering my wish for more hours in the day.  Now Old Man Winter, if you're listening, could you please lighten up a bit?  And yes, I do mean that literally!

Tuesday Tip: Packing for the weekend roadtrip

The week has only just begun and already I'm longing for the weekend.  While the Friday countdowns occur on an ongoing basis, the anticipation seems all the greater during the summer, when weekends are often filled with little getaways... short road trips that recharge your battery and refresh your soul. Even with five tykes in tow, the weekend shift in scenery is one that we wholeheartedly embrace. I've gotten the packing down to a science simply by relying on the same go-to list that I will share with you here.  Naturally, you'll need to adjust it based on the numbers and ages of your children but, with this go-to list of weekend essentials, you too will be looking at your driveway (and the work week!) in the rearview mirror before you know it!  

For Bedtime...

• 3 pack & plays (with sheets)
• 5 WaWas (a.k.a. loveys, blankies, etc.) 
• 5 pairs of pajamas (I just assume that the weekend won't pass without doing laundry so if there's an incident or accident, I can always wash them!) 
• Kid toiletry kit: 5 toothbrushes, toothpaste, Head-to-Toe shampoo/body wash (gotta love multi-tasking prodcuts for tots!), Children's Tylenol/Advil, Benadryl and BandAids (the kinds of things that you'll never need if you bring them but inevitably will if you leave them at home!)

For Beachtime (or pool time or just strolling out and about)...

• Sunblock, sunhats, sand toys
• Baby powder for sand removal
• 5 swimsuits & swimshirts  (same theory applies as pajamas... the notion of packing 10 of each is just too much!)
• 7 beach towels (just in case Mom and Dad get to sit down and/or go for a swim!)
• 4 life jackets (which provide peace of mind when visiting pals with pools!  And, not to worry, we do have one strong swimmer, not a Titanic-like approach to life saving!)
• Sippy cups, water bottles, snacks... endless snacks! 
• 2 Strollers (just in case our three 2-year olds need to be strapped down and contained for their own safety... and, our sanity!)

 For the rest of the time...

• Ample assortment of diapers, wipes, pull ups and undies
• Shorts/t-shirts (2 each per kid)
• Sweatshirt (1 per kid)
• Favorite book or toy (1 per kid on a Carry In/Carry Out policy!)
• Finny, Finn food, leash, collar, blanket and toy (for the occasion that our fun family pet is on the traveling team, we need to ensure he and all his must-haves are on the list or, well, you just never know!)

One other thing to remember is a big box of cereal... that way you'll always have breakfast at the ready for your early risers... just in case they miss the memo that a weekend away is an opportunity to sleep in.  Somehow, that's one thing we just haven't mastered.  Not yet, anyway!