life with three under three...

        ... is just like you probably would imagine it is. Mostly chaos, really busy doing who knows what, interlaced with the most beautiful moments. My heart is split three ways and I've never felt so whole. And somehow, even though pieces of my heart are in three precious little bodies, my beyond wonderful man still has the whole thing. Don't ask me how that works, it just does.
         I don't even know what else to say about it. I do all the regular mom stuff times three. I love, I teach, I listen, I play, I feed mouths, I wipe bums, I curse in my head as I step on a toy that causes excruciating pain. I feel stressed when everyone is grumpy and needy and dinner is burning on the stove. I feel peace when I focus what's important, get in touch with the love I have and connect with my kids.
        I really try to be aware that this phase won't last long. That babies turn into toddlers, then kids, then teenagers, then adults so quickly. I try to truly love each phase they go through. And so far, it's been easy to love the baby and toddler stage, and Morgan entering little boyhood. I hope every mom feels this way, and I'm sure most do- but I literally feel like the luckiest mom in the world. My kids are God-given gifts.
      It's time for a little update on each one.

Morgan is a charismatic, talkative, ball of fun. He likes to be goofy and make jokes. He's always loved to make people laugh and be the center of attention. But he's also really interested in the deeper things in life. He's intrigued with the concepts of gravity and electricity. I'm not even kidding! When he was watching "Cars" the other day, he saw a car falling off a high platform and said, "it falls because of gravity!" and the other day he turned off the light and said, "when the light turns off, the energy stops." Josh and I were like, uh, what?! He's at the million questions stage and wants to know about anything and everything. Even though it can be tiring to address his countless inquiries, I hope his thirst for knowledge never stops. Not ever.

 His understanding of relationships has also really developed. He's been doing better treating Pearl really nice and playing together with her because I feel like he understands well the WHY of being nice. When he makes a mistake he processes really well afterwards with Josh and I. He loves people.

These past couple weeks we have been entrenched in the throes of potty training. I still put him in a "sleep diaper" at naps and bedtime, but he's in underwear all the time he's awake. He's 100% potty trained with peeing in the potty when he's awake but always waits to poop in his "sleep diaper". But I feel confident taking him out and about in his big boy undies and he's done so great going in public restrooms. I'm surprised at just how proud I am with him doing so well! So proud. I know he's not young by any means, but I'm still so proud of the boy. They say girls are generally ready sooner than boys so I'm hoping I can get Pearl potty trained sooner than I did Morgs. Going from three kids in diapers to one would be amaaaaziiiing. I like to daydream about it. 

Then there's Pearl. Sweet, smart, funny, darling, Pearl. I just want to eat her up sometimes all the time. She's obsessed with books. And by that I don't mean she likes to look at books sometimes. I mean she is constantly looking at them, constantly bringing them up to me and saying, "Read! Read! Please read!". So often a fair portion of my day is spent reading to her. If I'm ever sitting on the ground doing something like playing with Morgan or Ingrid, or folding laundry she automatically finds my lap and brings a book. Sometimes it totally gets in the way but I secretly love it.

Her language has taken off like whoa. She speaks in legit sentences now. "Mama I saw a kitty cat!" "I cold, mama!" "I want that!" (getting better at 'can I please have that') "I get my paci!" "I play with Morgan!"... ok I'll stop listing them because it's about to the annoying point but I want to go on and oooonnn. Because here it is nap time as I'm writing this and now I'm starting to miss her. I'm pathetic. Just so in love with her.

She's always liked putting things on and still does that all the time. If something can go on her neck, over her head, or on her arms, it does. If she's not sitting in my lap as I'm trying to fold laundry she's grabbing everything and trying to wear it.

She's getting more so she likes to show off for people. When my mom was visiting last week, (which was the best!) Pearl kept trying to do the splits for her. Morgan and Pearl have this weird phrase they like to say a lot. They yell out "style rockins!" (at least that's what it sounds like?) and then they're spazzy and jump around, or do the splits like Pearl does. Morgan is usually good at telling me where he's heard something, but when I ask him where he got "style rockins", he says, "it's just from Morgan." Ok then. I've got to get Pearl doing her splits on video. But you might just die from cuteness when you see it so I don't know if it's safe to release to the public.

And my newest little doll face lady?? My Ingrid Jean? She is doing so great. If I'm ever down I can just think of her face and have instant joy. I know how annoying it is to moms when other moms like to brag about how long their new baby sleeps, so I'll just say it once- she's a great sleeper and usually can go eight hours straight at this point! Hallelujah. Pearl was 6 months I think before she would do six hours. All my babies have been really different.
She had her two month check up a couple weeks ago and weighed 11 pounds 12 ounces (61st percentile), and was 22.25 inches tall (36th percentile).
She refuses to eat much more than 2 ounces at a feeding, so she eats around 2 ounces usually every two hours still. I'm hoping she can up her feedings an ounce or two so she can go longer than two hours. She's kind of a lazy eater and still takes awhile to eat those 2 ounces!
If you follow me on facebook or instagram you know she's the best smiler. She's been smiling pretty much from day one and it makes me heart do a little dance inside my chest everyday when I see it.
I don't know if this is something you announce to people, but our Ingrid wasn't what one might call planned. Josh and I feel so strongly that she is a gift from Heavenly Father and was meant to be with us right here right now. I'll cry if I think anymore about it, so I better move on. I'm just 100% grateful for her. I'm ecstatic to see the girl and woman she becomes.

So those are the kiddies. Josh and I are sure lucky to have 'em.