Lovie took Pook to soccer practice the other night which left yours truly in charge of the wee threesome. Only they’re not so wee anymore. Our little guys are almost three!
Monster makes me smile — even when he looks sad and makes a mess.
my little monster
Biggs makes me wonder. Because that’s what this pensive little boy spends a lot of time doing. Wondering. His eyes say it all.
biggs likes to think
And peanut makes me melt. Sometimes she just sits there and looks sweet.
sweet peanut
More often, though, she’s chatting away which usually makes me laugh. But on this night, it almost made me cry. Because out of nowhere, Peanut gave me a gift I’ll never forget — ten of the purest seconds of Goodness I’ve ever experienced. I’m SO happy I had my flip nearby.
Everyone always asks us how we do it — you know — three toddlers and all. But our question is how can we not? We wish everyone had the privilege of simultaneously feeling such unconditional love for three (or more) same-aged children.
monster, peanut, and biggs
Because Lovie, Pookie, and I consider it a blessing — one which leaves us with the following question for all you moms, dads, and siblings of singletons.
How are you content with just one?
Author reserves the right to take this sentimental post down the next time his junior associates engage in shenanigans detrimental to his mental well being. Don’t worry, though. Something will happen within that very hour which will compel him to put the post back up. Kinda comes with the territory.
That is just precious!
Susan! hello!! thank you so much for visiting. hope you’re well.
She is about as cute as a kid can get. No question.
The oddest thing about that video is my son stunned me a couple of weeks ago by reciting the EXACT same prayer. He learned it at daycare, where apparently our provider took it upon herself to teach him prayer without telling us.
While your daughter provided you 10 seconds of unadulterated goodness, my son reciting the same prayer gave me 10 seconds of heartburn and fury.
But that dichotomy is the reason I love reading your blog, and other dad blogs out there. I really enjoy how the same event can be felt in a myriad of ways. Our differences make the world go round and all that happy horseshit.
Oh, and as cute as your kids are, I think I’m sticking with one. I’m a wuss.
anyone who knows me knows i’m 100% down w/ daddy files. and your comments, my friend, are ALWAYS welcome here. peanut learned the prayer at daycare, as well. though Lovie and i welcomed it, as well as expected it given that we are sending her to a school that’s housed in a church.
were i in your shoes, and were i to hold your beliefs, i can totally understand how you’d be less than enthusiastic to hear this prayer come from your son’s mouth.
if any of you haven’t ever read daddy file’s blog, i recommend you do so. he’s one of my favorite people out there. http://daddyfiles.com
How sweet! I loved it when my kids learned to say prayers.
Ridiculously cute!
My children pray to Bear Bryant.
it took me three seconds to read your comment, which, regrettably, has caused me to rename this post SEVEN seconds of goodness. GO VOLS.
I worry about your salvation.
you’ve changed.
That was precious. It’s crazy how they turn into little people so quickly, isn’t it?
Awesome. And incredibly adorable.
Having kids and being the focus of all the madness and love involved is something that is more wonderful than most childless people can ever understand.
Enjoy every moment, my friend. 
Super cute. I think its that way with us one kid parents too. Those 10 seconds of cuteness help us get through the rest of the day.
Cute. Got something similar with my kids- except they are doing it in Hebrew. On a side note, I wouldn’t have been fazed by twins or triplets- would have been thrilled.
I have three younger sisters who are 39 and 36 now. Yep, I said three but I only mentioned two ages. That is because the youngest are twins.
There is a total of 5 years between us. As a father I appreciate how much work that must of have been, especially once we were all mobile.
So sweet. With her praying in the house you can take a break. You’re golden.
So, so cute! That just about melted my heart as well!
I am so glad you got that on video! What a proud parent moment.
WM — it was truly awesome. it just caught me off guard. so i got out my flip and said, “peanut, can you do it again?” knowing there was no way she could duplicate the purity i had just witnessed. but i was wrong b/c the second time she did it, it was even sweeter, thanks largely to monster and biggs piping down a bit.
Soooooo cute!
How is it when kids pray they always look so innocent?
You can save that one forever because it really is a moment both she and you will be happy you captured. Excellent work!
“How are you content with just one?”
Sometimes life doesn’t give us a choice and we have to be grateful for the one with which we were blessed. One to hold in my arms and four to hold in my heart.
juli — i’m so sorry if my rhetorical question came off insensitive. xoxo jco
I apologize for not recognizing it as a rhetorical question. No apology is necessary on your part, truly. I just wanted to raise awareness regarding the only child stigma. It’s not often I have the opportunity to acknowledge what may have been had I been given a choice in the matter and in a way I am not reduced to tears feeling the need to offer an explanation. In real life I’ve rarely been afforded that opportunity.
i just meant it more like this: people always ask us how we deal with triplets, with the insinuation that the one they have is all they can handle. the flip side for me is the unfathomable concept of ONLY having monster, biggs, or peanut. i can’t imagine it.
just like i can’t imagine what it’s like to walk in your shoes. all that said, i’m so glad you shared what you shared. it was stated simply, yet beautifully, and it gave me chills.
(i wish i could give you a hug…)
I needed some inspiration today, so I came back and watched Peanut for the second time.
Better than an hour’s worth of theological debate any day.
Thank you, Peanut.
p.s. Is it a coincidence that her “Amen” sounds more like an invitation to communion?
“Come in…”
Come one, come all… to the Ugly Bug Ball!
One last question:
Are your boys completely potty trained? If so, do you have any tips to share?
Thanks,
Kim
kim — so funny you should mention the “amen,” because the way she’s saying it, it sounds like “caaaaam in,” as in “come in,” which strikes me as profound given some of the metaphorical significance of doors in the Bible. i love it that her amen sounds like come in, as if she’s welcoming Christ’s spirit in her heart. i try not to get too spiritual on my blog for two reasons. number one, it’s not designed to be a spiritual blog. but number two, because i don’t want people to get the wrong idea. i’m reproachable. riddled with sin. the last thing i am (or ever want to come off as being) is holier than thou.
i’m so glad you watched peanut again. there’s such goodness inside of her. which is what i think anyone who has children would attest. humans are born good. it’s the world that turns them bad.
and, yes, our boys are totally potty trained. they reached that milestone just after peanut did. by 2-1/2 (or just a touch before). advice? BE DILIGENT. we were lucky in that we worked with a woman who’s worked with infants and toddlers for over 20 years. and all we did was follow her advice. we were diligent and we were rewards based. we also read some potty training book over and over.
thanks for your comment!
It may not be designed to be a “spiritual blog,” but your heart comes through, nevertheless. It is hard to totally separate all the areas of our lives. I haven’t read you much yet, but I don’t think anyone would ever get the idea that you were “holier than thou” from what I’ve read thus far. You are real. You are funny. You are loving. You are self-admittedly imperfect.
We are ALL reproachable and riddled. The only ones who are in trouble are those that don’t realize it.
That’s what made Peanut’s simple invitation so precious. I took it the way it sounded. ‘Come, Lord Jesus, into my heart,’ but also as ‘Come all you sinners to the table.’
Caaaaam in.
Precious.
Thank you for the potty training advice. The grandson I’m helping to raise is the same age as your kids. The DILIGENCE is what’s missing. Grandma is more DESULTORY and DISTRACTED. Oh well, I’ll keep on plugging along.
I appreciate your writing. You have a gift.
what an awesome comment. thank you so much. talk about gifts…my goodness.
to one of your points — you finished a thought i left unfinished when you wrote:
It is hard to totally separate all the areas of our lives.
because that’s what i meant to follow up w/. namely that it’s not my intent to get too spiritual on my blog. yet, because it’s part in parcel of who i am, there are plenty of posts that are spiritual in nature. if those appeal to you (as it sounds from our back and forth like they might) i hope you’ll read a post i put up a few months ago called The Trail.
kim, thank you so much for this back and forth. look fwd to “chatting” again soon. -jco-
I LOVE that video. She has an intense stare for the camera; you’d better watch out for Hollywood to come knocking.