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You know what my favorite sound in my house is lately?  The sound of any of my children reading out loud to me.  Yes, I am finally the mother of readers!

My heart does flips at the sound of my kids saying, “Mommy, can I have a turn to read to you?”

I love reading.  I would say that reading a good book is one of my greatest pleasures.  I know that growing up in a household where, more often than not, the adults gathered in the living room to sit by lamps and read in the evenings, while the TV sat turned off and alone on the other side of the house, played a huge part in my own love of reading for pleasure.

So I buy them books through all the scholastic book drives and warehouse sales and have read to them since they were old enough to sit up.  I try to let my kids see me reading for fun.  I try to let them see me choosing books over TV.  I even recently read them their first chapter book; The Borrowers (20 chapters, one per night) to teach them that they do not need pictures to enjoy a book.

And now, just yesterday, they are starting to venture away from the HOP books and the BOB books and try to read some of the books in the extensive children’s book library I have grown for them over the years... anticipating this day when they will view it as a treasure trove, just as I do.

Well not quite yet. And maybe never. But I am quietly bursting with happiness that my son participated in soccer clinic today - from beginning to end.  Yippee!

Quietly, because I am trying not to make a big deal about it.  So when he came home with TripletDad, I just said, “Hey, welcome back.  Where’s my hug?” and then stepped back and let him tell me about it if he wanted.  He actually wanted TripletDad to tell me about it while he ran off to play with his sisters.

But I am so happy he is trying! This is the first real trying he has done with anything we have offered to him. He is so strong willed.  Teaching him to accept guidance without being overbearing (a mistake we have made in the past) is hard. Accepting that he might not have the same objectives we set for him (common parent pitfall through the ages, I know) is also hard.  But we are trying.

Trying together is all I can ask.

Trying is what he did today.  And I am so happy!

This week he started a soccer clinic.  This is our latest attempt with him at an introduction to sports.   We have tried the low-key, backyard approach – he was skeptical.  We tried the approach of a week-long summer camp where every day is an intro to a different sport – he refused to participate at all (He stood on the side line, except the first day when he took off across the field and down the street).  We gave it a year about not talking about sports, just playing with balls and Frisbees and kites at the park, and watching some sports on TV.   Then, recently, we took him to his friend’s soccer practice to watch other kids having fun doing it.  He admitted it looked fun, but was still resistant to trying it himself.

Meanwhile, his sisters have tried Ballet and art class and are ready to try anything I suggest.  I feel bad signing them up for stuff while my son holds back and refuses to even try.  I have tried to sit back and tell myself that I won’t push him and eventually he will come to me with a request to do something too.  But I am at war in my head with this thinking.  I think how will he know what he likes if he has never been exposed to it? Isn’t it my job as a mom to at least expose him to a wide range of experiences so he can have a basis for decision-making about his likes and dislikes?  What is the balance between pushing your child and helping them stretch to realize their abilities?

I look around at all the kids in Soccer and T-ball and wonder if he would have fun doing those if he could just get over himself and try it.  I wonder how much pushing is too much of me wanting him to do it and him resisting out of hand just because it is unfamiliar.  Also, there are my friends saying, “I never asked my kids what they want to do, I just sign them up and send them.”  I guess they have never had to deal with a child escaping from a sports camp at a full-blown gallop.

So, I took the approach of signing him up for a 6 week, once-a-week, soccer clinic for beginners in his age group.  This way, it is more than one day of one sport (how can you tell if you like a sport after just one day, right?) but it is not as intense as a three-times-a-week soccer team with the pressure of games.

TripletDad and I approached this decision with resolve and trepidation.  We planned our strategy;
1) We prepped him by talking about the kids in his class who play sports.  We told him if so many children play sports, there may be something fun about it.
2) We only talk about the clinic positively and with the firm inclination that this was not a choice but an opportunity for him to try something. (as in; “when you go to the soccer class, you get to wear the new shin guards you picked out”).
3) We decided TripletDad would take him; my son has too many issues with mommy-clinginess.
4) We told him that just like when we have him try at least one bite of the food on his plate before he can say whether he likes it, he needs to try sports before he can say he won’t like to play them.

So, yesterday, the big day came.  I helped him put on his shin-guards and TripletDad loaded him in the truck.  It was comical the way TripletDad was calling me about every 10 minutes with updates but I appreciated every one of them:
“We are here early to get used to being here, I think I see the coach, we will go talk to him”
“The class has started, our son is just standing on the side, away from the group of kids and coach, but at least he is on the field and not running away”
“They are playing a game and the coach is asking our son again if he wants to join in.  I’ve moved behind a tree so he can’t see me”
“A little girl just ran off the field and sat down by her mommy crying, at least our son is not the worst case.”
“The coach ran by and purposefully-by-accident kicked a ball out of bounds right by our son, then asked him to get it for him...and he did!  He kicked a ball!”
“He is playing soccer-freeze-tag with the kids and the ball and the coach.  Our son is participating!”

So, as promised, TripletDad took him for candy afterward and told him there were 5 more days of trying soccer.  We did not ask if he liked it or had fun.  We had told him that we would ask him that after the last trial day.  We told him that if he really tried during the 6 class days then he could say at the end whether he would like to play soccer some more or not.

All in all, I am calling Day 1 of ‘soccer class’ a success.  The point is not to get our son to play sports. The point is to get him to a place emotionally where he can feel able to try something with the result of being able to make an informed decision about continuing, or trying something else.  Maybe he will not like to play any sports.  Maybe he will be into debate team, or theater or art or the school newspaper or chess club or Leadership or whatever.  The point is that the possibilities are endless - unless you never try.

So I must confess that gong to Costco isn’t just a shopping trip for me, it’s an event.  It’s my PILs fault.  They bought us our first membership years ago.  At first I only went a occasionally and for Christmas shopping.  Then I started going about every other month for household supplies.  Now I go about every other week for regular stuff, clothing, books, kids things, business supplies, lunch, a frozen mocha, just to browse....Yes, I’ve got it bad!

The latest coupon mailer came in the mail about a week ago.  They send them out ahead of the date that the coupons are good for.  This gives me time to pour over the deals and consider them good and long. I actually Post-it flag the coupons I want to use!  The Costco coupon mailers are valuable because, as you might know, Costco does not accept outside or manufacturer’s coupons.

I recently did a price comparison of all the places I shop for food and household stuff.  I made a spreadsheet (yes I’m that way). I listed down the side all the most common products I buy and across the top I titled the columns for the stores I shop in. It actually took a couple days and a couple shopping trips to fill the whole thing it.  But it was an exercise worth doing.  It gave me a baseline comparison for the non-sale price of items at each store.  I knew Costco had good deals on a regular day, but this proved it.  Since then, I actually have started to buy more items there than I was before – like eggs and milk and bread for instance.

So, today with coupon book in hand I took off happily to Costco – without the kids.  An outing of nirvana proportions (Thank you Grandparents!).  Don’t get me wrong, the triplets are pretty good shoppers; I’ve been toting them to stores with me since they were 10 months old.  They especially love to go to Costco – grazing the land of free snacky samples.  They love to eat lunch there too – sometimes it’s a toss up between McDonalds or Costco, really!  But a chance to go without them is something I don’t pass on. 

 Today I actually stuck to my list.  I bought all coupon items for things we use on a regular basis. And felt like I really scored triumphantly.  Until the associate at checkout told me my total purchase tally for the past year.  Apparently I spend so much there that I qualify to save a ton – if I upgrade my membership level.  Hmmmm....  I’ve heard this before.   And I was actually looking into it a couple months ago, but I hadn’t moved on it.  Apparently, if after a year, I don’t ‘earn’ back in savings more than I spend on the upgrade, then I can downgrade again and get my upgrade fee back.  I've been in denial for awhile about my Costco spending.  I thought I didn't spend enough to make the upgrade worth it.  So, with today's spending info, I decided to do it.  Besides, soon Costco's coupon policy will be changing and only the Exec members will get the coupon mailer - Oh No!!!!

For some it is the call of the wild. I guess for me it is the call of the warehouse store.....

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I just returned home from a week away at the largest baby industry tradeshow in the USA.  My feet still ache, my back is sore and my mind is awhirl with inspiration.  Any product you would buy at a store for baby, toddler, child, was there (including my SnugEase Bib, of course. LOL!)

I always come back from the tradeshow with my head buzzing with ideas; colors, patterns, styles...  This is the year we are going to try to implement many of them.  I am so excited that our business has grown enough to take our product to the next level.

I have to say that I am grateful to the many great business mentors I have; such as Ken Goore from our local Goore’s store, Maxa the owner of Once Upon a Child in Citrus Heights and Cathy, the owner of Lil’ Suckers in Roseville.  They all give me different perspectives on their niche of the industry. And of course I have a great appreciation for all the great women on the manufacturing side of the industry that I network with.

Of all the things that I have learned along my journey in this business, the most meaningful is the importance of networking.  And not just the help and information I receive from my mentors, but also how gratifying it is to pass along my experiences to those who are a few steps behind me.  I always feel that if I can help someone else learn from my (many) mistakes so that they won’t have the pain of some of my mishaps, then that can only work for the good of all.

It was great to see some of Sacramento’s other local Mommy inventors exhibiting at the tradeshow for their first time.  These were:

The maker of the SnuggleMe’z - a very beautiful and useful carseat cover that has a blanket attached so that you won’t worry about it falling off the carseat when you cover baby, http://happyhealthyhip.blog...

The maker of Eaz-Z Wraps – an organic, USA made, versatile blanket large enough to cover both kids in a side-by-side stroller, with satin tags on it to hook it onto the stroller so it won’t fall off, http://www.eaz-zwraps.com/f...

The maker of the JussTinCase – a nursing cover that is extra wide, allows for viewing the baby while keeping your modesty and then folds into it’s own pocket case for staying neat and easy storage in you diaper bag or purse, http://www.jusstincase.com/...

The maker of the Loving Baby Swaddle Blanket, my personal favorite swaddler, shared a booth with me. She’s a local NorCal girl too and is someone I have networked with for 4 years.  Her swaddle blanket was patented in 1999 and is used by many NorCal Kaiser hospitals in their parenting classes and NICU’s, http://www.lovingbabyinc.co...

I saw so many more new and useful products.  I always love to share all my ‘finds’ when I come home and I will do so in a separate blog about new products.

For now, I just needed to brag about the successes of our local Mommy Inventors.  Kudos, girls, for a great show!  For everyone else, you can see many of these products at Goore’s in Sacramento.  They are a great supporter of local Momprenuers, and new baby products on the market.

The photo is of me and the other three wonderful women that I met at my first tradeshow 4 years ago.  We banded together and shared a booth this year because we love each other's products and our products are all mostly in the same stores.  This is my most valuable support network; Lt to right - Imp Prints, Stork Pride, Loving Baby and SnugEase. Together, our products make up the components of my favorite baby shower gift basket.

Logically, I know that an adult should never, ever let themselves be drawn in to a battle of wills with their child.  It never ends well.  

So, why did I let it happen today?  I’m tired.  I’m cranky.  I’m overwhelmed by the things I have to do for my business at this time of year.  I should know better.

He’s tired and cranky (from Mommy relaxing the bedtime schedule over the summer and now demanding a change), He’s overwhelmed (from all the changes happening in his life; kindergarten - alone without his sisters, turning 6, Gramma and Grandaddy coming and going with their visit, Mommy and Daddy getting ready to leave for a week). He needs his mommy. He needs a hug.

Now is the time I should be comforting him through all of this.  But his defiant shout of, “No! I won’t!” (his new refrain) that one last time drove me over the edge and into Time-Out-For-Mommy zone.  I should have taken a time-out.  But I got into a shouting match with him - a 6 yr old. 

And there were no winners, only two sorry losers clinging to each other, crying.

Take a deep breath.  Tomorrow is a new day.  Let's start over my darling boy.

What happened to my babies?!

You know, last week the identical quads in town went off to kindergarten and made the paper.  Triplets don’t make the news anymore. Oh well. It’s a big deal to us anyway.

Yesterday was the first day of kindergarten for us.  My son is in a room with a male teacher.  I'm so excited about that - that he got a male teacher for his first 'big school' experience (I’ll tell you more about the book I’m reading later). He has a set of identical twin boys in his room too.

My Daughters are in a different room together.  They have a set of B/G twins in their room.  Daughter1 turning into such a Big Girl; she’s so into coordinating her outfits and deciding how to wear her hair. And Daughter2 seems really ready for this. I’m so glad I waited a year for her!

My Son threw a big fit yesterday.  At first he wouldn't let go of me.  Then when I got him to let go, he tried to run out the door.  The teacher had to close the door because of my child!  I was THAT mom!!!  But I knew he would be fine after I left. And he was. He did alright today too. This boy just has trouble with new situations. But he makes friends easily and does just fine after he gets used to it

These first two days I have my parents here walking to school with us.  Tomorrow will be my first day dropping them at two separate rooms by myself. That should be a neat trick I'll have to figure out as they are across campus from each other!!!

The girls came home saying they 'love school'.  I'm really happy about that. Of course it’s easy to love it now when they said they played all day and haven’t brought any homework home yet. My Son hasn’t decided yet.  But did fine at drop-off today. His class has PE today, I can't wait to hear about that.

This afternoon we have their birthday party at the park with friends and this evening a birthday dinner at home with family. 

Big events at my house.  Time marches on, and mostly I feel like I’m running behind trying to catch up and come to terms with my babies becoming ‘Big Kids’.

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For the past several months I have been on a roller coaster ride called “Trying to Buy a Short Sale”.  ‘Short Sale’ is a terrible name for the kind of home buying this is.  I know it refers to the price of the house vs. the amount owed on the house, but it implies the exact opposite of what you think it would be on first impression – the timeline of the sale process.  It should be called the ‘Long Sale’ or the ‘Stress Sale’ or the ‘Hurry Up and Wait’ sale.  I feel bad that people are having to sell their homes this way, but right now it is the ‘Only-Way-We-Can-Afford-a-Bigger-House-Sale ’.

Meanwhile, we live in the house we bought before kids.  The house we bought as a starter home and actually said these words, “We can live here until we are ready for the third child. That should be right about the time we will be financially able to move too.”  Riiiiiiight... and three years later, we had triplets and dropped to one income, right in the middle of the real estate boom.

This is where that Blog subtitle comes in, again; ‘Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans’.  So, here we are, still in this starter-home with three kids about to go into Kindergarten.  Things are getting tight.

We’ve been looking at houses for 8 months now.  With so many more things to think about, this move is way more challenging, strategically, than our last move.  Now we are thinking about schools and what city to live in.  We’ve been doing a lot of ‘if this house then that’ or ‘if that than this house’...Meanwhile time is ticking closer to the first day of school.

We have two offers floating around out there, one in Roseville, and one in Rocklin.  The one in Rocklin is looking like the better possibility.  It’s sooooo close to being in Roseville that I have to wrap my mind around a whole new perspective - simply because of two blocks from a line on a map!

After 8 long months of hurry up and wait I now just want to sit back and let the Roseville/Rocklin decision be made for me – whichever one lands first. Live life and to heck with trying to plan this!

PS: I know the home-buying process has been dragging on for a loooong time when my son started incorporating a 'For Sale' sign in the front of his art work houses!  LOL!