We've Been MIA.

And quite understandably so. Since becoming a family of five, we celebrated Christmas, moved two days later, settled in, I've been going to school, Mama and Papa Loveland came to visit, my mom came to visit, everyone had the flu, and Aoife turned two.


I feel a little guilty not documenting the happenings of our family, but blogging was just one more than I didn't need on my plate.

I'll spare everyone the details of the challenges of adjusting to having three kids in three years (and three kids in diapers.).Tiegan is a pretty needy baby. I do freezer meals instead of actually cooking, my house is never clean, I get dressed just before I need to leave for school, and my girls have been wearing their dress up dresses daily and I don't even care. I spent most of the day on the couch and wanted to punch everyone that talked about how wonderful motherhood is.

I was drowning. I lost my patience more than I should have. I yelled, I cried, and most of all I thought someone screwed up in designing Kate's plan. I was not meant to be a mother. Or a wife. I was meant to have lots and lots of cats. I love things from Pottery Barn. I like my house clean. And quiet. I like to sleep. And none of those things come from toddlers and babies.

I get anywhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours of sleep per night. I felt like the nights I prayed the hardest for help/sleep, were the nights Tiegan struggled the most. It was easier when the sun was up, but I still wanted to trade the munchkins in for fish. Not even dogs, fish.

I reached the lowest of lows and asked Ross for a blessing. Immediately after, I felt relief and I wasn't drowning anymore. I started getting a handle on life and these crazy girls. My house is still disgusting the majority of the time, and I do freezer meals instead of actually cooking, but none of that matters.

I watch Claire blow bubbles and remember the joy of being a child. Aoife is just plain insane and impossible to keep up with, and Tiegan has the biggest gummy grin in the mornings to go with that intoxicating baby smell that makes everyone happy. I still don't fit in my pants, and I might not ever fit in them again, and the only thing in our house that is truly MINE is the Diet Coke in the fridge, but all of the little things are reminding me of just how blessed I am and how much I really do love being a mom. There's my explanation for being MIA -Now for Loveland happenings!

Aoife turned two. I had class that night, and having recently moved, we kept everything low-key. I have a love/hate relationship with Pinterest. Since when did birthdays become a huge production?
We met up with Ross for a birthday lunch. She got a massive sundae bigger than her head. She wasn't too sure about everyone singing to her, but loved the ice cream.

We had one really nice day a couple weeks ago. We took full advantage of it and went to the zoo. It's been a long COLD winter. As in school was cancelled a few times because it was too dangerous to go outside cold. It was wonderful to get outside. The girls loved the puddles from the melting snow and were soaked head to toe within seconds.

Claire sometimes gets in her own world. I think she thinks she's a princess? Amy way, she gets in her world and will say random movie lines. (Can you tell what we did all winter?) We were at the zoo when she entered her world. The ENTIRE time we were there, she'd walk around saying, "Who are you and how did you find me?" "Why do you shut me out?" "Why did you bring me here?" Things like that. Really great lines for her to be saying out in PUBLIC. I'm not sure why she couldn't have said happier lines. Bless her heart. It was hilarious.

We also signed Claire up for ballet this summer. She's finally old enough for a couple of the community sports! With the temperatures now consistently above freezing, I'm getting excited for all of our summer adventures. We will be living outside after this awful winter. I'm so grateful to finally be getting a handle on myself so now I can enjoy these three sweet babies. Summer can't come fast enough!

And now for pictures from the last couple weeks.