Update 7/11/07

Happy 1,000 Days...of crazy fun!

I'm truly blessed to say that today my trio will celebrate 1,000 days of enjoying life in our world.  How awesome.  What a gift.  I just don't take each day for granted, especially as I grow older.

And there's no better way of reminding me that I'm getting older than to celebrate an even more special milestone - the 1st birthday of my first granddaughter, Camryn.  What an amazing thing!  I remember being young, holding my older 3 in my arms and saying, "Please, God, let me live to see each of my children grown, adjusted, happy, and with their own families."  That's all I've wanted.  So happy to see my dreams continuing to come true.

We celebrated my granddaughter's first birthday with her (thank you for that gift, Kristi), on Sunday.  Four generations of family were there.  I just can't say I'd ever felt like I was more bursting with joy and happiness.  I had all seven of my kids, my parents, and my granddaughter all in one place - very rare.  My son-in-law, Paul, who's in Iraq at the moment, was even on the phone to sing "Happy Birthday" to their little girl, Camryn.  Could not have been more wonderful. 

If you care to watch the video that will follow below, you'll hear a God-awful rendition of Happy Birthday, but what's worth listening for is Paul (Camryn's daddy) on the phone in the background singing with us.  Because of the slight delay in the call from Iraq, you can hear his voice follow ours.  It's precious!  What an awesome way for him to be with his family on Camryn's first birthday.

Okay, I'm going to let the captions in these next pictures share what we've been up to this month.  There are so many wonderful things about having a set of multiples in the house - too many to count.  They share their mispronunciation of word a lot of times.  The latest has been barbeque sauce.  That's some how been translated into cover-you-sauce.  I suppose their version of the word is inarguably more accurate.  They are DEFINITELY covered in BBQ sauce by the end of a meal - and so are the floors, the chairs and the table.

But the most wonderful part at the moment is hearing the little conversations that go back and forth between three 2-year-old siblings.  Precious beyond words:

Ruca:  "I Donkey-O (Pinocchio) Rhoton."
Nadia:  "No, you not Donkey-O Rhoton, I'm O-kee-oak (Pinocchio) Rhoton."
Ruca:  "Yeah, okay.  I'm a mermaid."
Nadia:  "No, you Donkey-O.  I'm Buzz White-sheer." (Runs screaming To Infinity and Beyond!!)
Ruca:  "I'm a puppet...I'm a kitty.  Meow." (Saunters up purring.)
Me:  "Okay, Ruca you're a puppet.  Nadia, you're Buzz Lightyear."
Nadia:  "No, I not Buzz White-sheer."
Max:  "I Maximan. Uh-oh.  I broke it!"
Me:  "Oh, Max.  What'd you break now, buddy?"

They sleep huddled in a group, they console one another when they're scared, they sing together, laugh together, and rarely (strangely enough) ever fight with one another.  The chaos is, for the most part, very upbeat.

We've had 1,000 days and 1,000 ways that those awesome crazy little ones have touched my heart.  Every day's a gift.

Kelli and Angus	My trio at a Children's Museum in St. Pete.	Angus loves his niece, Camryn.	My littlest ones at the Florida Aquarium.	Aunties Ruca and Nadia and Uncle Max sharing Camryn's snack with her.
Angus's new buddy, Pinchy (who pinched him hard). A hermit crab with a Spiderman Shell.	Four generations. Does it get any better than this? All of my kids, my parents, me, and my granddaughter. Golden!	Ruca - those rosy cheeks are remnants of Fifth Disease, still hanging on in our house.	Camryn taking her first steps in the warm wonderful gulf water.	They were facing each other in almost mirror image.
Woody and the two Buzz Lighyears ready to watch Toy Story. Max (behind) was on his own program.	Beautiful crystal clear Bradenton Beach. Awesome water!	Camryn giving a kiss to her Auntie Ruca.	The Florida Rhotons.	My four little ones with their cousins, looking at the manatee.
Self-imposed time-out. They moved the chairs and put themselves in timeout for no reason.	Max in his Woody garb.	Caught Nadia kissing Max.	What was so interesting in that drain?	Rub-a-dub-dub, three kids in a tub.
Loren (after yard work) hanging out with Ruca. She wore his hat.	Happy 1st Birthday, to my super-sweet granddaughter.	Shower time.