The Lion King

Back in December I heard that The Lion King was coming to Kansas City and I knew I had to go see it again.  I saw this show on Broadway 14 years ago and it moved me in a way I never expected.  For those of you who have had the pleasure of seeing it, you know exactly what I'm talking about...that feeling during that opening scene of Circle of Life.  It's truly theater at its best.

Anyway, when I first saw they'd be touring in Kansas City, I pulled up that opening scene on YouTube to show the boys.  Ollie and Lucas didn't really care much, but Nolan got a look in his eyes that just melted my heart.  He looked at me with big eyes and said "Mommy, I don't need Christmas presents.  I just want to see Lion King!"  Oh, sweet boy!  You are indeed your mother's child!  I decided right then that I wanted to take him.  The problem with this, is (especially when you have triplets) how to do you take one kid out for something special like this without being completely and totally unfair?  So we also decided around that time (after asking the boys) to take Ollie and Lucas to Monster Jam with Daddy (which they did back in January).  When I gave Nolan the option of Monster Jam or Lion King, he hands down said he would rather see The Lion King.

So this has been something we've been looking forward to for over 6 months.  And today the day finally came.  After a frantic mommy moment at home before leaving when I couldn't seem to locate the tickets in my email to print off, we were finally ready!  Ollie and Lucas spent the afternoon at work with Daddy, which I think was fun for them.  Nolan and I got all dressed up and headed downtown.  We took some pictures and then went and found our seats...fairly early.  We looked through the Play Bill and talked about the show.  It was honestly just really nice being there just the two of us.

Then the lights dimmed and the show began.  It was just as good this time around as I remember it being in New York.  But what I enjoyed watching even more than the phenomenal costumes, set, and music...was Nolan's face throughout the show.  He had the most serious face all throughout The Circle of Life then as soon as it ended and the crowd broke out in applause, he looked over at me with the biggest eyes and his mouth wide open and I knew in that very moment that he was feeling exactly what I was.  He continued to look at me throughout the show...sort of in disbelief.  As if he really couldn't believe it was that good.

When intermission hit, we took at potty break and sat and had a snack out in the lobby for a bit before going back in.  During that time, I asked him how he was liking the show.  He said it was "So cool!"  I leaned over to him and said, "You want to hear something kind of silly?  There were a couple parts where Mommy got tears in her eyes because it was SO GOOD!"  He looked at me and said, "Oh, that's okay, Mommy...I got a few tears in my eyes too."

You guys...he's totally my mini-me.  Like truly, I am so glad he loves the theater.  He did awesome during the show and I think truly loved it.  This is one of those days that I will forever cherish. I 'm so glad we got the opportunity to go.  And I'm so glad he loved it!

Kindergarten Readiness

https://herviewfromhome.com/do-i-send-my-child-to-kindergarten-or-wait-one-more-year/

This was written by a mama in my 2013 Mothers of Triplets Facebook group. It addresses the issue of whether or not you should wait to send your child(ren) to kindergarten when they have summer birthdays and are barely five. As a former primary teacher, I saw so many benefits to waiting. And I always thought that’d be the route we’d go with our boys, especially with the issues we had early on with their speech/language, behavior, and emotional/social delays.

But now, after almost 2 years of preschool, they have grown so much! And they ROCK at school. They listen and follow directions, they interact and play with their classmates appropriately. Academically, they’re brilliant. Each of them has been reading to varying degrees for over a year now. They know their numbers. They can write. They know their address and phone number. Hell, they can name all the planets in our solar system (even the dwarf planets).

I recently picked up a brochure at their school...”Is your child ready for kindergarten?” They met all the criteria in the brochure. Their teachers continually remind me that they’re ready and that they’ll thrive in kindergarten.

Yet, I continue to second guess myself. I have several other friends with children who have summer birthdays and I feel like they’re all waiting. We seem to be in the minority by sending them. Are we making the right decision? Is there something I’m not thinking about here that I should?

I don’t know why this is eating at me so much. Part of me thinks I’m just not ready to send my babies off to school all day. But then another part of me just keeps questioning...are we going to regret sending them so early?

"Mommy, today was pajama day...and you didn't put me in pajamas!"

Getting off the bus today: "Mommy, today was pajama day...and you didn't put me in my pajamas!  My friends were all in their pajamas...and you forgot!"

Cue the tears...for both of us.  Despite it being on my calendar in big bold letters and me even having a reminder set on my phone, I did the unthinkable.  I forgot.  And while I don't think this moment will traumatize my son for life, today my mistake made his day worse.  He probably felt left out.  He probably felt embarrassed that he was the only one not in his pajamas.  And I made him feel that way.

This mommin' gig ain't easy, folks.  Some days, you feel like you're doing okay, other days you feel like a total failure.  And today was definitely one of those days.

I just wish there was more of me to go around.  A me to keep up on the laundry, housecleaning, and cooking.  A me that is great at my job and helps provide for my family.  A me whose sole job is to take care of the children.  A me to be the wife my husband deserves.  A me that could focus on her personal health and well-being.  I wish I never had to choose between snuggling my children and making plans for work.  I wish I didn't always feel like spending quality time with my husband was this urban myth that only happens in the fairy tales.  I wish I didn't have to choose between my house being clean and getting in a workout.  But the reality is, there is only one me.  And I DO have to choose what gets done...because I simply can't do it all.

I can do the best I can at balancing each facet of my life, but at the end of the day, if I'm doing something really well...then everything else is going to shit.  Or if I'm truly trying to do it all, then it's all only getting done half-assed.

There's just not enough of Mommy.  And I can't imagine I'll ever feel like there is.  So for now, I just hope I can get by...and hopefully not miss the next pajama day.

Midland Holiday Pines 2017

Saturday afternoon, we carried on our yearly holiday tradition of going to Midland Holiday Pines to pick out a Christmas tree.  My sister Nicole came with us and took a few pictures.  This is the 12th year we've gotten our tree from them.  Such a fun tradition!