NINJA SKILLS

I'm no career woman, my 8-10 hours a month of professional work at the fanciest rehab in town really doesn't qualify me as such. I don't have a PHD in anything or an MBA, the degree I do hold is hardly anything exciting. But I'll tell you what I do have... mad ninja mom skills. And although said ninja skills won't open any doors into an Ivey League school or a New York sky-rise office... they have earned me a few badges of honor that no one can argue with, not to mention an office with the best view in town.

Although these might seem like totally useless skills, they are the details of parenting that remind me that I'm so lucky to be my kids' mom. I'm the only person who can tell you how close #2 is to falling asleep by the way he twiddles his fingers around the binding of his blanky. The smell of #1's morning breath would hardly make anyone else smile, but it does it to me every time. I know where every creaky spot of flooring is in every room of our house - so as not to wake #3, the lightest sleeper of them all. I know who likes honey on their lunch nuggets and who likes raisins instead of fruit snacks. I can tell by the look in their eyes if they're in the perfect window to be laid down for a nap or if we've missed the window and need to press on with the day. I can buckle car seats faster than most and I can tell what kind of day it will be by the way Layla makes her bed or by the cry in which owen lets out a 7am.

It's so crazy when Kday and I have moments of realization that we're grown ups, real live grown ups who are responsible for the lives of the three littles that live under this roof. We all know our kids in great detail and I love that as a mom I get to hone in on my skills every day. There are no promotions in parenting, no bonus checks come Christmas time. To the outside world it seems there's hardly even proof at the end of each day of our success or failure. But in my world, as long as I'm the one that knows the all be it small but significant details and desires of my babies lives... I consider my day a success.

BIKES VS. BIBS

Ever so slowly and hesitantly I keep tucking baby paraphernalia into storage.  It's hard for me to transition out of the baby stage. Even with the excuse that our baby stage came roaring in like a hurricane and lasted for a solid 4 years. Baby stage is everything I love about the last 5 years of my life. And although I hope for the baby years to continue on (with a slower, more manageable timeline hopefully :)), I know with a surety in my heart that I have no control over that portion of my life. If there is anything I've learned for certain from my children... it's that my Heavenly Father is the keeper of all things and He decides when and how I get to add to my family. 

I haven't dared to ask Him if there are any more yet. I think I'm afraid of the answer being different from the desires of my heart. The second thing I've learned from my most recent 5 years on Earth is that if Heavenly Father's plan is different from my mortal plan... I trust His. I'll take His plan over mine any day.  It doesn't make the butterflies of baby thoughts disappear, but I've learned FAITH in my Lord's perfect knowledge and I know over time I can get on the same page as Him - or maybe I can talk him into getting on the same page as me :) 

And last but not least, what I've learned from my three miracle babies is this: 

BE WHERE YOU ARE. 

ENJOY THE STAGE YOU'RE IN, BECAUSE IT WILL BE GONE TOMORROW. 

I'm delighting in the unruliness of my three kids. I'm happy that we have the flexibility in our routine to stop at a park on a sunny day and snacks can consist of whatever mushed up cracker or left over apple I can dig out of my bag. Bottles are tucked away but sippy cups are abound. Diapers will be traded for big boy undies by the end of the year. So I'm enjoying those diapers for now. Binki's will be replaced with big kid teeth and sassy words. Bibs have been swapped for bikes. And I like boys on bikes. So instead of wishing away the next 5 years for more children's laughter to fill the empty space of my house... I will focus on the laughter that is here and I will enjoy this dirt loving, terrible two's, fabulous four's stage of life because tomorrow it will be gone and if I don't get to do it again, I want to live with no regrets. 

The triple threat will be sweeping the local race series in the 4 and under category this fall!

MY FIRST BABY

Kish-Kash-Magee has always been my first boy. True we had a cat, Zip-Zap-Zaru, aka Zipper. But that cat never really liked any of us. He merely tolerated our family - fur-real.
But Kashi is a true companion. This dog has literally saved my life on two occasions. He has watched Kday and I grow our family and he has taken every addition in stride.

Remember that time before we had kids and the neighbor defended us to the Animal Control officer who had kenneled Kashi for jumping our fence? She begged him not to take our dog "Please officer! They can't have any kids and this dog is all they have!!!" Ha, that was the best. What a good neighbor.
He was my baby before my babies.

He thinks he's better than other dogs and deserves to be with the humans 24-7.
He hides from Owen but also tolerates Owen's over-zealous love for Kashi.
He is a jumping machine.
He loves to work, run, hike, and swim
He has the best coat of fur you'll ever find on a dog. It's like gortex.
No matter how far away he is, If I yell "Where's my baby!?" He comes a'runnin.

He's been my running partner, snow shoe guide, and companion when depression had its grasp on me. Love this dog as much as I love my kids.  Happy 7th Birthday.

SOFT

Photo Cred: Kdayracing.com

There is something about parenting full time and only working 4 hours a week that makes a person's brain soft. Foggy if you will. When I try to use any type of critical thinking skills it becomes almost impossible to reach a deep thought. I try to access the "smart" parts of my brain and it feels like I'm wearing mittens trying to pick up a needle off the freshly mopped floor.

My mushy mind makes it exceedingly difficult to write blog posts. Besides the fact that I have a new found hatred for the word "blog." Who invented that hideous word? It's 2014 we should re-invent a prettier word for logging our thoughts online.

But alas I have decided that I have the time, brain - albeit soft, and ability to lock the kids on the opposite side of the baby gate for a few minutes a week while I stir up my creativity again. Life has fully regained it's "normalcy" with the triple threat so it's much more realistic now a days to stow away for a few minutes to write. Hopefully writing will sharpen my brain a little and soon it's won't feel so effort-full to create. The mittens are ready to come off.

First up: Kashi's Birthday post.... then I'll attack our amazing trip to Disneyland.