Slippery Fish or It's the little things that aren't so little after all

If you've never experienced kids with delays or special needs this might not mean much to you. If you know the struggle of meeting even one milestone amidst delays, read on.

While going potty this morning, Angel triplet (yes, I did say GOING POTTY) starts singing this song and doing the motions. Then her sister Princess triplet joins in. Yay for ABA therapy and for daily progress!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45VuWNq3cjs

Lotte's group takes top honors in Europe

Today's post is simply a plain old Mama brag!

For months and months Lotte and her music cohorts from high school worked hard to raise money for their European Choral trip where they competed at the World Choir Games. Obviously they worked tirelessly on their performance pieces as well. The three gold medals and one silver medal they earned proved that. Ultimately the experience of a 15 day tour through Europe filled with performance opportunities, cultural events and new friends was the most rewarding for all the students.

Finally, a group of them and their directors were featured today on our local news station. What blogging mama wouldn't share it, right?

Rockford Touring Choir takes top honors

Lots about Lotte

If you're a newcomer to the Tripped Up Family you may have the idea that all we talk about is triplets and autism. In fact, I heard that same comment from my teen a few months ago. Can you say OUCH?! After that comment, I've been making a conscious effort to minimize the amount of time my teen hears me talk about autism. It's not like there's not plenty to talk about in her little area of the world too.

New York trip

Top of the Rock

Lotte enters her senior year in high school in the fall. My eldest - my only for 12 years - my first baby girl will be heading off on her own very soon. You can imagine all the plans and busy-ness we have going on right now. She is 1/2 way through her driver's license coming of age process, working a summer job, taking the ACT test, auditioning for theater productions, and starting college applications and planning college visits. She just got back from a drama club trip to NYC over Memorial Day weekend and, of course, had a really hard time coming back home. They saw two Broadway shows, Newsies and Once, participated in two Broadway workshops, and enjoyed Manhattan, Chinatown, and more. For the mom who's never been to NYC, I'm still jealous.

Superhero fun

Central Park

Her recent audition earned her the Soupy Sue role in Urinetown the musical playing at RHS on Aug. 15-17. I've collected some photos of what else is up in her world. She's busy enough that sometimes I think she actually lives at school, not at home. I wouldn't change any of it for the world though. (Please visit Gayla's page to see other photography work.)

March Hare in Alice in Wonderland
Credit Gayla Fox Photography

"You enjoyed our singing!"
Credit Gayla Fox Photography

Sweet 16 - A woodland tea party

Footloose - An adult in midst of church scene
Credit Gayla Fox Photography

Cinderella's Mom in Into the Woods
Credit Gayla Fox Photography

Sleeping Beauty in Into the Woods
Credit Gayla Fox Photography

No, I didn't sell my firstborn

It's not unusual in today's economy to see signs for "We buy gold" on street signs. Pawn shops also seem to be doing a steadier business. Craigslist, eBay, and the normal classifieds have undoubtedly also seen an increase in certain types of items to sell, like wedding rings and family heirlooms.

As Tripped Up Daddy and I work through our own transitional time periods, i.e. going back to college, looking for full-time work, triplet toddlers that still aren't potty-trained (uh, do you know what diapers cost for triplets?), we've had our own spots of "maybe we need the money more than this thing, so let's sell it." And recently we decided to start simplifying and de-cluttering.

Photo credit: calsidyrose Creative Commons Flickr

The most recent transaction may end up leaving me disowned from my family of origin. You know - my mom, dad, sisters, brother... that family of origin. You see, I sold the French Horn. A musical instrument.

In my family, we don't sell instruments (unless we're getting a better one of the same kind). No, instead we name them. Musical instruments are like children, something to be treasured, to learn to take care of, to share with the world, but never, ever to sell. Especially not the one that your Grandma bought for you.

But here's the thing. I think I should get credit for not selling an actual child. I mean, really, I do have more children than I did French Horns. And, honestly, the French Horn was actually quieter than the children - especially in the middle of the night. To be honest I really don't think I've heard that French Horn at all since 1987 - that's pretty darn quiet.

I never did name the French Horn and for the life of me I can't even find a band geek picture of me with it at all. I guess my horn never officially hit the musical instrument "child" status anyway. The money it's bringing in is definitely more than "some," and we have plenty of ideas on where it can go.

I promised I'd keep you posted if I turned into a millionaire overnight by selling off stuff...no worries, it hasn't happened yet.