Timeliness and Triplets!

When the weather broke and it was no longer snowing, we were so excited to be able to go outside and do normal things! Now that we can, it’s become a job to figure out the best way to get everyone outside in a normal amount of time.

If I don’t make plans for the day, I swear it takes me twice as long to get us somewhere. If we have a plan, I have to start getting everything together first thing in the morning and sometimes even the night before.

Everyone keeps asking me how we make it to places on time or how I prepare for my day. Now we aren’t always on time and I have definitely forgotten things before but we do our best to be prepared and punctual. Especially with the normal things in our routine like church.

This has taken a lot of practice, but I think I have most of it down to a science. I obviously base their outfits on the weather outside at the time we’re leaving, but then I take different weather-dependent clothes in my Mary Poppins bag.

This normally includes dressing in tank like outfits and then packing short sleeves and shorts. Long sleeves and pants. Add in zip ups of some sort. Then you have to have socks, shoes, hats, hair accessories to match each different combination of clothes. Yeah, it’s a pretty big bag.

At this point, I normally just travel with a gallon of whole milk in my cooler. Then I have bottles to fill and sippy cups with water to stay hydrated. We have food packets, puffs, yogurt melts. You name it and I could probably come up with it in my bag.

This isn’t even the getting ready part. I obviously also have diapers, wipes, and cream on hand at all times. Now, if we’re going to be playing in water, I also have their little swimmer diapers. Phew.

That’s a lot to accomplish in a small amount of time. Now add in that when you’re actually getting them ready, they’re laughing and walking or crawling away. They do the death roll out of your hands just as soon as you get their diapers off.

Chasing them around, you have to account for a least ten minutes per child for the diaper change. Add in the time to get them dressed and we haven’t even gotten to the sunscreen portion of the morning.

I swear, I’ve performed the sneak attack so many times, they know I’m coming. I can usually get one leg and maybe one arm before the screaming and fighting starts. That’s just on one child. People that are on TV having their lives shown to everyone, I don’t know how they get through mornings like these! Naked, half sunscreened children just running around everywhere.

It really is quite comical. Once you get the sunscreen done and their clothes on, we usually get to the car seat portion of the morning. Normally, we can get through this without any issues. The kids really do well in their seats and for that I’m grateful.

It still takes time getting them all into their seats without anyone running back into the house. That’s if we’re leaving. We still have to do all of the above just to go into the backyard. It isn’t like I can just run back inside for a second to grab something. I can’t take one baby on my hip and run back into the house.

I would have to get them all back inside just to grab one thing. If we’re just going out in our yard, I normally start us out in our wagon. Once they’re in there, I can take them around anywhere I need. Whether it’s to the swingset or around the driveway or front yard.

We also can go for walks down the dead end road near our home. This makes it so I don’t have to take them to the park every morning and get my walk in. The park is a whole other anxiety for me when I’m by myself. Getting all the kids out and in the car in a public place by myself stresses me out.

I’m extremely cautious about getting the kids all out and strapped into the stroller without taking my eyes off of them. Then I put everyone back in the car before I strap them in. Once they’re in, I know where everyone is and I can strap their seats. This also makes it so I never take my eyes off of them. I’ve watched way too many crime shows on TV to feel comfortable with taking my eyes off my kids.

That’s why, when we’re in public, it doesn’t matter who we’re with I’m constantly doing head counts. It isn’t anything against you, I just am constantly checking on where my children are. If we’re together and you see me turning my head around the room, I’m still listening to you, I’m just counting children.

Anyways, the walk down the street prevents my mind from wandering. Plus, if I run into a neighbor I get to have an adult speaking back to me instead of making up things my children are saying.

If you ever see us out, and you see my ginormous bag and cooler, just know it’s my gallon of milk and what we call the basics! Also, if we’re late, I apologize. Someone probably didn’t want to put their sunscreen on! 🙂 Happy Monday everyone!! I’m probably chasing children around the backyard as we speak!