What It's All About

Yes, I have slacked off on blogging for over six months and I am not sure how confident I am about my capacity to blog as we inch closer (HA, it's more like hurtle closer!) to the holidays. But I'm going to try to blog more often.

Spotting this picture today in my recent downloads, my heart brimmed over as I looked at the three girls that fill my days with laughter, activities, snuggles and of course, the inevitable little kid drama. Lots of that drama. Phew. Good thing they're cute.

Seriously, this picture speaks volumes about where I am in my life; I am surrounded by lovebugs, and the fact that I'd post a picture online in which I have no makeup attests to how much I absolutely adore this picture, and the lovely moment in time that was captured.

Life is full AND good. More to come...

Rite of Passage

What is it about this wobbly, top-heavy, easy-to-tip barstool that draws the eye of every curious baby in our family? And don'tcha love that they each have their own style of showing off? Cuz you can see the gleam of pride on each face; my babes are impressed with themselves and are damn happy to conquer the barstool all the while watching their mama sweat. Just the scratch of a barstool leg on the tile floor makes mama come running. And of course it's Malia testing me with the whole "look ma, only one hand!" (Yeah, I know, I risked the fall in order to take their picture. Totally worth it.)

A Case of Spring Fever

With the dark cloud of illness looming over our house for the entire winter season, we have been housebound and sick far too much for a family with three young, lively girls. You name it, we've had it...cold, stomach flu, cold, lice, cold, pink eye, cold, cold, cold. In fact, I think we've passed around the same cold virus since January. So coming into Spring Break with colds was a bit of a letdown, and after listening to the lovely vacation plans of so many friends...I admit I was a bright shade of kelly green with my envy. I was ready to get the heck out of Dodge and have some fun, but it wasn't looking good.

Our week started off mellow, nursing a cold and a possible case of pink eye (thankfully it never transpired), and with rain in the forecast I was quite concerned that our Spring Break was going to be a miserable, painful bust. But by Wednesday we were out amongst the living, hitting children's museums to hold starfish and fly space shuttles, horseback riding and spying on barn owls at a bucolic ranch nearby, and visiting a baby giraffe and Malia's beloved capybaras at the Santa Barbara Zoo. And today Olivia was off to sleep over at her cousin's house in Seal Beach for the very first time. Talk about exciting for a 5 year old.

Reminds me that I was looking at the glass half empty again...there was plenty of adventure and fun right under our noses.

Auntie Tita spreading her passion for horses to my girls, with the help of her sweet horse, Snort (tough name, gorgeous girl)

My sweet girl, a slice of romaine and one very long, black tongue

A Farewell

This weekend we said our final farewells to a truly good man, Leo Perez; a husband (who called his wife "Lover" til the day she died, after 62 years of marriage!), a father of 3, a grandfather of 6 and a great-grandfather of 5.

Having been part of Paul's family since our early years of dating (because that's the kind of people they are- they open their homes and arms generously), I have heard many of the family's stories (and continue to hear the good ones over and over). But upon his death, I continued to learn more about what a great man Grandpa was.

As a young man, he was a competitive cyclist in the Bay Area, with the utterly cool nickname "Chili" Perez. He was a Navy man, proudly serving his country during World War II, during which his ship was bombed by Kamikaze planes in the Pacific Ocean; he was one of few survivors pulled from shark-infested waters. In his retirement, he and his wife were founding members of Food Share, gleaning leftover fruits and vegetables from the fields for those less fortunate.

He was a man of many talents. He was known to family and friends as a fantastic cook, a master gardener and a talented wood-worker, using his favored oak boards to make just about anything and everything, and building well into his late 80's. Every family member has enjoyed the fruits of his labors: bellies full of traditional Mexican dishes, beautiful plumerias growing in our gardens, and his lovely oak furniture gracing our homes.

He has a well-earned spot in Heaven, where he can enjoy watching his Angels and square dancing with the love of his life, Stella. I am so grateful to Leo and Stella, not only for beginning this family and allowing me the chance to meet Paul, but also for the chance to be like a granddaughter to them. I never had the opportunity to meet either of my Grandfathers, they both died shortly before I was born, so Leo was the first man I called Grandpa. And my heart swelled every time Stella called me "Mija"; they took me in with the generous manner their children continue to practice.

And I'm grateful that my children got to meet them, even if it was only for their early years. Unfortunately, Grandma only got to meet Olivia, but Grandpa held and cuddled each of my girls, and I'm so glad we have pictures to show the girls of each of them in his lap, sleeping sweetly or staring up at him, enjoying his warm, strong arms (and God bless Grandpa for holding a screaming Malia last summer!).

We love and miss you Grandpa!

Milestone Mania

Last year, while imagining what three kids might look and feel like, I tried to prepare myself for day-in and day-out chaos. Three kids crying at the same time, perhaps all for different reasons. Long nights where I'm up with each one of them at some point, dealing with nightmares, scary shadows, wet beds, fevers or just simply tears. I imagined three kids sick all at once, with long days spent holding feverish little bodies, wiping noses and filling humidifiers. And I knew that our aging laundry machine would rarely sit idle, churning out clean clothes and linens far faster than I could ever get them folded and put away, (I was incredibly on the mark with that prediction, as I currently stare at three overflowing baskets.)

Thankfully, chaos is a rare visitor to our home, however it has paid a recent visit to our home and decided to make itself comfortable. Besides fighting constant viruses that won't seem to leave us alone, Paul and I are on our toes, literally running from room to room these days. All three girls are on the move. All three are growing and changing. And all five of us are riding an emotional roller coaster while adjusting to all this change. Lovely change. Exciting change. Exhausting change.

Olivia just lost her first tooth. Physically, this was a pretty easy milestone, but emotionally, this hit me like a punch to the gut. Olivia and I experienced such opposite reactions. She initially cried out, from pain and fear, followed by great excitement knowing it meant the arrival of the Tooth Fairy. As for me, I broke into a huge grin, which was immediately followed by tears; my sweet girl is truly growing up and it's such a shock that she's losing the baby teeth that caused such a fuss upon their arrival just four short years ago.

As for Malia, I'm thinking she is going to be the kid that always surprises us. She is a sensitive, slightly nervous child that takes awhile to warm up to new people and places. So she blew us away with her acceptance and love for her baby sister from the minute they met, and her transition to preschool last August was an absolute breeze. Since January, this girl has decided, on her own, to potty train, sleep in a big bed and share her room with Livy...all things she was extremely reticent about just a month before. Note to self: Malia will do it when she's ready...and she will be impossible to predict!

And our little Miss Madeline is busy on her way through the baby milestones. After 2 months of scooting about the house, she is now truly crawling. And quickly. And she's pulling up on everything in sight, particularly the tippable, highly unsafe furniture, doll strollers and laundry baskets that will surely send her crashing to the floor. Really? We're there already? It seems weeks ago Maddie was nursing and sleeping her days away and now she's a force to be reckoned with, causing me to circle all floors and low surfaces like a vulture, on the hunt for Legos, doll shoes and beads that are prime Maddie targets. Not to mention she's already eating finger foods, babbling and charming the pants off people...um, where did my baby go?

So I was thankfully wrong about the chaos three kids might bring. It's not that three kids is more work than two, because honestly, one high-needs kid is probably more work than my three put together. It's that kids are always in a new phase of development and growth, and when all three are on the move and changing up our world, it's the perfect trifecta of chaos.

#15

So.Damn.Lucky.

This is our fifteenth Valentine's Day and I can remember every sweet part of our first. Balloons with clues. Dinner in Morro Bay. At Dorn's. Exchanging presents in your truck. Next to Morro Rock. A picture frame for me that I had nearly bought for you. Great minds that totally think alike.

Not sure what I did, but God blessed me with the best man ever. Love you Babe!

Wild as the Winds

Given that this is possibly the strangest winter of weather experienced in So. Cal as long as I've lived here, it's fitting that our family is experiencing a bit of the same, with wild winter days of ups and downs and complete 180-degree turnarounds. I'm not given to moodiness, but if I were, I'd have a touch of whiplash given the highs and lows we're experiencing around here lately. Much like our garden, it seems we are laid a bit bare for the hot sun one day and bitter cold winds the next.

We are in much transition right now: applying for lotteries for Kindergarten (who knew this stuff began 7 months before the kid actually goes to school?), turning five, potty training, sitting up, scooting and eating solid foods, turning thirty-five and starting a new management position that will require even longer work hours for all adults in our house. And all this along with very busy everyday stuff like preschool conferences, playdates, doctor appointments, ballet and swim lessons, beach days and haircuts. If it's an ebb and flow kind of thing, we're all flow right now.

Marvelous moment #1: Our (big) little girl turns 5!

There are lows that require much thought and prayer, like an extended family member recently diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, and there are highs like 35th birthdays with childhood friends rallying around and driving long miles to celebrate and cheer. Disappointments, like an upcoming visit with cousins (and nieces) we haven't seen in over a year now postponed 'til summer, and thrills, like the news I am awaiting of a dear friend's first baby girl arriving any moment now.

Marvelous moment #2: Surprising Paul on his 35th with his very best friends

My heart is so full yet so heavy. Much to love, much to celebrate, much to hold up high and rejoice. Much looking forward to quieter times when the melancholy mixes less with the marvelous.

To The Third Power

So I've never been a math person. It seems the left side of my brain just prefers to let the right side take over and do most of the work...some might say my left brain is a bit on the lazy side. And I'm happy to keep it that way; I love language, words, art, reading, writing, etc.

However, there is some pretty basic math that is resonating loud and clear around here lately. It's not exactly stretching my brain, this math, but it is stretching my resources, my capacity, my patience and my sanity. Let's see if you can keep up with me here, I'll lay the equations out simply:

1 + 1 + 1 = 3

3 > 1

Are you right brainers still with me? This elementary math is so simple, yet somehow I find myself surprised by the results. If 3 is obviously greater than 1, why am I surprised at the level of exhaustion and the lack of patience I experience at the end of a day with my three girlies? Why am I shocked that I can't seem to read more than a page in a book, hence why I haven't finished a novel in 6 months. Why this blog sat discarded through the entire month of December. Why Christmas gifts still littered my dinner table until two days ago. Why the refrigerator is in need of a heavy-handed cleaning. Why I never have clean clothes to wear, but my kids do.

Simple math, yet I allow myself to be confounded by the situation. When people ask how it is managing three kids, I typically make some self-deprecating remark, or I say that it's nearly the same as two; we have great days and tough days just like 2-kid families. Every parent has their challenges, no matter how many kids right? But some days I am reminded that God gave me two hands and with three kids, I will never have enough hands. And I just need to learn to make peace with that.

a.k.a. the line-up, the trio, the stair steps, the trifecta

5 Years and 8 Hours Ago...

this sweet, feisty baby girl was born and rocked my world and my soul. She gave me the best title I've earned so far, that of "Mama" and I will truly never be the same. She was also my first lesson in an earth-shattering, blissful, wrenching and absolute unconditional love and for that I shall always be grateful. It has been said that there is no love like that of a mother for her child. And it has been said that loving a child is like having your heart walking around outside of your body. Um, yeah. Exactly.

1 Day Old

1 Year Old

2 Years Old

3 Years Old

4 Years Old

Nearly 5 Years Old

Can't wait to see what the next five years have in store for my funny, social, fun-loving, spirited lovebug. What a journey it's been, and so much to look forward to!

Boys Toys

This is what happens when the lone male in our house decides to bring out the toys from his childhood to share with his girls...

Looks like G.I. Jen, er, I mean, G.I. Jane and the girls are headed out to run errands in the Cobra Commander cycle.

Odds and Ends (a.k.a. My Longest Post Ever)

Thanksgiving is fast approaching and our lovely little world is in full swing and I am in a savoring kind of mood, ready to appreciate the beauty and the love surrounding us before I'm too busy to give it a second thought. There are so many moments when I think, "I never want to forget how _____ (child's name) does ______" or "I hope I always remember how this feels," and in minutes I've forgotten to write it down and I'm already thinking about my next chore or someone is calling for me, and that treasured moment is lost. And thankful as I am that being a mother of 3 spectacularly fun girls ensures I experience many such lovely, heart-filling moments, I am so afraid to lose even one of them.

So, on that note, this post is an assortment of the little things that are making me smile, giving me succor and brightening my soul.

Thumb-sucking

I could write an ode to thumb sucking, I appreciate it so, and although I may look back on Madeline's habit and call it disastrous, (as might Uncle Tony, the dentist), right now it is fulfilling so many needs for both Maddie and myself. My poor third child falls asleep in the car or in the Ergo while running errands, far too often for my taste, and when I am busy making meals or helping a sister get dressed for school, that thumb provides great comfort for my baby girl until I can be with her. And although there is a ounce of mommy guilt that she needs the thumb for comfort because she's not getting enough from me, I can't let myself go there right now. And falling asleep sucking her thumb while her biggest sister is reading her bedtime stories? Priceless.

Licorice

Given that I've cut dairy and soy out of my diet, I should be losing some baby weight...but thanks to my friend Tracy, I have found a dessert replacement that seems to be fitting the bill. And since this licorice is cut into small pieces, I eat a couple and don't feel much guilt. Until I sneak back for another couple pieces. And then a few more. Insidious stuff.

Bizarre Weather

I find myself complaining because it's so insanely unpredictable and the girls and I are either sweating through long sleeves or chilled to the bone with goosebumps. However, when I look back at our activities in the past month, I've savored both the pull-on-the-sweater and be cozy for pumpkin patching moments as much as the frolic-in-the-water beach days in the November heat. (Yeah, like those two words could be more of a mismatch, right?) Only in So. Cal could my daughter crab-walk down the beach with her friends on an eighty-degree November day. But I'm really excited to break out my wool coat, tall boots and favorite scarves, so a few more blustery, cool days would be appreciated. The gorgeous orange and yellow leaves we collected last week seem to know it's Fall, so what's the hold-up?

Sisterhood

Never had a sister but always envied my friends with big sisters. (Sorry Matt, but I was looking to share clothes and makeup tips, not guidance on making a free-throw, no offense!) So getting to watch my girls create lifelong bonds is just beyond anything I could've imagined. I know their bonds will be stretched, they might get kinked or knotted, but it's a connection I hope they will always hold dear. And watching my big girls take care of Maddie and learn to be little mommies is pretty darn heart-warming too. I hope they remember all of their baby play; of rocking babydolls to sleep, and breastfeeding and baby-wearing, and they will use it someday to care for their own babies. (Paul is rolling his eyes right about now.

Big Families

I grew up in a small family with little extended family nearby, so marrying into a big, vivacious family has been a huge bonus. I think I fell in love with Paul's family soon after I fell in love with him, and I am thankful my girls get to be a part of the energy of a big family. On a recent weekend, we celebrated the engagement of Paul's cousin, Darcy, which meant my girls got to spend the day/evening with their cousins, second cousins, Aunts, Uncles, Grandma and Great-Grandpa, Leo. I grew up without knowing my Grandpas, so having a Great-Grandpa, and one living nearby, is pretty spectaular in my mind. We are blessed to have SO much family, close-by and ready to love on my girls at the drop of a hat.

Now that I've rambled on about my rays of sunshine, what's warming your days and filling your heart right now?

A Howlin' Halloween

What more can I say? We came, we saw and we conquered Halloween. The kids seriously DUG their Halloween costumes (and have worn them daily since the big event), we parents had a blast hosting our third annual shindig (although I could've done without the neighbor's creepy clowns and dragging shovel that spooked more than a few of us) and the newest superhero to grace this planet made his debut. Oh yes, Diaper Man was in full effect, much to the...chagrin?...wonder?...amazement?...of adults and children alike. And let me tell you, those green tights are a sight to behold...

Hopin' yours was as memorable as ours!

It's All About Timing

Things were looking bright for us Mowad ladies this week. A week off from school for Fall Break meant we had a week of great plans all lined up: get-togethers with friends we haven't seen in awhile, a tea party, a nature hike, a park day with Liv's class and a Halloween parade. I was feeling pretty good at having arranged so much fun for the girls, knowing it would ensure my sanity as well and make for quieter, calmer times at home. And I knew Paul had a major project at work this week that would mean long days and late nights and no help 'til bedtime, so I knew the busier we were, the better.

And then the insidious cold crept in. And by cold, I don't mean the temperature outside. The week began unraveling as I came to realize Olivia was congested, followed quickly with a nasty cough Monday evening. We woke the next morning to Malia's runny nose and I threw my hands up and surrendered to the virus, canceling all plans and realizing that this week had taken a turn for the worse. We were now homebound.

Wednesday morning we opened the door to this little beauty.


Adorned with fantastic drawings by my adorable nieces, Lexi and Brooke, this box was chock full of Halloween goodies, which have kept my girls happily occupied. The pumpkin lanterns have led to lots of imaginative play, including tromps through deep caves and spooky forests. They've dressed up and gone trick-or-treating with their new kitty treat bags, collecting all kinds of odds and ends to fill up their bags (Malia's sack weighed at least 10 pounds by the time she was done...and the girl only weighs 26 pounds, so she was doing some heavy lifting).
We've hung window clings, painted Halloween pictures and read and re-read some great Halloween stories that have us talking about haunted hotels run by a girly little pig and Elmo's pumpkin that looks alot like his fish, Dorothy.


Indeed, I am indebted to my thoughtful nieces and sister-in-law, not only for sending us a package full of fun, but for sending it just in the nick of time. Thanks for the box of goodies! Can't wait to see you in a month!!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like...

HALLOWEEN!!

And we Mowads like everything about this time of year (except Fall Break...I mean, didn't we just start preschool less than 2 months ago?)

Is there anything better than half a month of activities leading up to a great holiday? We are busy hitting the Patch (can you ever have too many pumpkins?), donning costumes for dress rehearsals and pulling out the spooky spider webs in preparation for All Hallow's Eve.

And with the brisk, wet weather, even Southern California is in a Fall state of mind. There's a yummy batch of pumpkin bread on the counter, rain boots coated with fresh Patch mud sitting in the garage, and candles and flashlights dotting the house after a night of black-outs.

This year, with life seeming at it's fullest, we decided to go the store-bought costume route, quickly discovering that 2 and 4-year olds have decidedly strong opinions about their costumes and cannot be swayed without massive amounts of bribery (along with massive headaches). Here is a sneak peek of their choices, which are most certainly fitting with their personalities:

Alas, Maddie slept through her dress rehearsal.

Winner Winner Winner!

Yep, we hit the lottery. We hit it big. Really big. But no, we won't be seeing any money from it (unless you count the tax credit), and actually it's a fairly expensive win for us, considering the cost of proms, extracurricular activities, college tuitions and weddings.

It occurred to me the other day that we hit the GIRL lottery. For some people, this is not a big deal, but while attending a little boy's first birthday party last weekend, I met a number of moms that are, to put it politely, obsessed with having a baby girl. As we wandered through this party, we became something akin to celebrities, or maybe professional athletes...well, more like professional girl-makers. With so many family friends in attendance, everyone wanted to see how much our girls have grown and to meet Maddie, but it felt like we got a ton of attention because everyone wanted to have their own daughters and granddaughters. Imagine how my mother-in-law felt, boasting of 5 granddaughters at this party! She certainly won the girl lottery after having two sons. And I can't tell you how many people pretended to abscond one of our girls...Maddie took the brunt of it, being the least mobile and most likely to be held by friends and strangers alike. (And it may have been the first time I didn't get asked, "You gonna' keep trying for the boy?")

So all week I have been using my new perspective to appreciate the girlieness that has taken over our home, and to recognize just how lucky I am, three times over, to win the girl lottery.

In the Blink of an Eye

Whooooosh. It went by in a blink. Gone. Three months. The littlest of the little in baby time. Never again will I experience this phase of motherhood and wow, it's a powerful phase. Exhausting. Emotional. Overwhelming. And frighteningly amazing.

Happy 3 months to the littlest of my littles, Miss Madeline. How you have blessed our lives with your precious little sighs, sweet little gurgles and huge gummy grins. You are so busy already; holding your head up, chattering with your sisters and drooling up a storm. And growing like a weed, hearty and healthy in 6 month clothing and huge diapers...you are my first to tip the scales and I am enthralled simply watching you thrive.

You are intertwined in the fabric of our family and holding firmly onto each of our hearts. I truly couldn't tell you which member of our family is more in love with you, and maybe it's because you were the final piece of our puzzle, the last to fit, just-so, making us all feel complete and ever-so full. What a blessing you are, my love, and how fortunate I am to be your Mama!

(This is one of those mom-views I never want to forget. Especially when she's too big to hold in my lap.)

Who's Your Daddy?

This is Daddy Extraordinare:

This man works his tail off Monday thru Friday, then comes home and makes life pretty darn fantastic for us four Mowad girls. He is a kid-at-heart and knows a hundred ways to make a Saturday morning even more fun. Want some pancakes? His always have chocolate chips in them. Want to slay dragons? He'll make homemade swords for you and your friend. Want to fill up the little plastic swimming pool? He'll make that boring ol' plastic slide in the backyard into a water slide and put the pool at the bottom.

Going to the beach? He'll bring his old boogie board and spin you through the waves. Want a hole? He'll bring his metal shovel and build a moat around a huge sand island. Or he'll build you a Great Pyramid of Egypt and find you the biggest sand crab around to live in the grand edifice.

Got a toy with a hook on it? He'll create a zip line and send the toy careening across the family room. Brought home shells from the beach? He'll drill a hole through them and make them into a bracelet. Bored in the front yard? He'll aim stomp rockets at a target, or better yet, he'll attach the boogie board to his skateboard and pull you around.

Yep, hands down he's pretty much the coolest Dad around. Which makes me wonder when the girls are going to start asking for me to go back to work so that Daddy can stay home with them!

El Gato

Pobrecita!

If you think the second child gets picked on by the older kid, then the third truly has no chance...and in our house it evidently starts young. You sit around, chances are someone's going to make a game either with you, or out of you...and thankfully it seems Maddie has a good sense of humor.

Huh...and we wondered why Malia learned to bite and pinch at such a young age...

Doesn't Get Much Better Than This

As a two and four year old, you can't ask for a much better weekend than the one enjoyed by the little Miss Mowads this past weekend.

Let's start with a little birthday party at the beach, full of many favorite friends, fog turning to perfect sunshine and the usual highlight, cupcakes. The girls dashed and splashed in waves, ran from the nefarious "sea monster" and donned cool sunglasses straight out of fabulous goodie bags.

Thanks to R. Wicks and A. Harris for this pic of Malia

We returned home to the immediate arrival of our best friends, The Kaplans, who came down for an impromptu weekend stay. Olivia and B were off and running before we even said hello. Malia and Baby C enjoyed "holting" Maddie, while the big kids battled with swords built by the "awesome" Uncle Paul. (Yes, this is what happens when the Moms decide to enjoy a little excursion downtown...teaches us for going off for some girl time right?)

Nestled down with cozy blankets and pillows, the kids enjoyed an after dinner movie and popcorn before settling down for the night.


The next morning, kids arose to chocolate chip pancakes and cinnamon rolls (there's that crazy Uncle Paul again), then off we trekked to the park for a reunion with old friends we haven't seen in forever and their fantastic kids. Good times ensued with a dog named Tiki, a kids vs. parents soccer game won by the kids and lollipops and gum supplied by a favorite Auntie named Jen.


And of course, Olivia is already asking when B is coming back to visit and if we'll be seeing any of our friends this weekend. Huh, amazing that by age 4, they already know that the weekends are made for fun...