On Being Three

Jackson frustrates me so much sometimes I really want to cry. He still needs a nap or he loses his mind by 4:30 and has a complete melt down. Of course, he fights his nap every day. It has now been an hour and 20 minutes of arguing about taking a nap, going potty, throwing fits, asking for snacks, asking for a video (NO), asking for new pillows (? Apparently we can get these at Target, so I have been informed.) I hear silence upstairs, but I am untrusting. He's probably just rigging up a trap for me. Negotiation on behalf of corporations, easy. Three year olds? I am defeated. It is so frustrating because I have this time off, I want to spend time doing fun things, like going to the park (who am I kidding, it's raining here.) and we never have time to do these things because I spend 2 hours a day trying to get the kid to nap. And if he doesn't nap, the rest of the afternoon just trying to engage him. IN ANYTHING. Without a nap, he unable to receive any sort of comfort, be that in the form of a snack, TV show, painting, building with blocks. You name it, it just doesn't happen. And so, my fantasy of staying home with the kiddos, is, among other fantasies, shattered. Not to mention that Jack becomes the center of all things and the little babies don't get enough attention.

Ah, the worries. I am exhausted. And, for those readers I don't speak to frequently, we didn't land our first client. They went with another firm, which, of course, casts all sorts of self doubt into work. Ugh. Honestly, I was a bit shocked. Too confident. Why don't I just stick with my general downtrodden view? Things are much easier to take. Ah, well. Try, try, try again. We are under consideration by my old employer, should hear something back by week after Thanksgiving. Though I don't really want to enter that fray again. But, beggars cannot be choosers. Footsteps upstairs. Kid is staying at preschool for afternoon session tomorrow.

Eleven Months Old

On a shocking day in June 2008, we were informed by our doctor that we were having twins. He gave us quite the doom story, "Twins are difficult and twin pregnancies are tough. This is going to be a long road." He's a professor in his spare time and prone to such monologues from time to time, so we didn't pay him much mind. He was right, but he did discount the joy. Having twins these last 11 months has been life changing. My career is completely in disarray, but I am much more fulfilled today. It is just a different life and one that I frankly had not contemplated. We are thrilled that our little ones are doing well, all three of them. J and I are still shocked that our house is so full! For an only child and one with one sibling, this is a lot of kiddos!

In the pictures, Caroline is standing by herself and she is close to walking. Brookie is loving on dad. Jackson is enjoying the construction zone at the Magic House and this is a common sight at 10 p.m. on most nights at our house. Life is short, but it is wide. (Rebecca Wells)