lilsteinstyles: Funky unique OOAK little blankie

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lilsteinstyles: Diva BASEBALL dress girls size 12 months - 3T

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Picking Up a Prescription..Multiples plus 1 Style

I stole this from one of my FAVORITE BLOGS and as I was reading it all I could do was laugh because this is SO me everywhere I go. If you are one of my besties or family you already know this and I LOVE you for being so patient and helpful all of the time... so here it goes...

The other day, against my better judgement, I took the kids to Wal-Mart because I needed to pick a prescription and my husband wasn't going to be getting home until after the pharmacy closed. I say "against my better judgement" because it was looking pretty stormy overhead, it was the afternoon, and we live in Florida-this means there's about 99.99% chance it's going to rain. I had the kids in the triple stroller, but I did manage to get us inside the store before the sky opened up. I got in, dropped off my prescription and was told it would be about a half hour, so I decided to get a little minor shopping while we waited. I had to grab a shopping cart, so I was pushing the kids in one hand, and pulling the shopping cart behind with the other. And of course, carrying my giant diaper bag, because I've been warned never to put your bag in the cart as someone will undoubtedly snatch it.

Now, I have done this maneuver before in the grocery store, but not in Wal-Mart. That's a new level of insanity there. Instead of doing a little "light shopping", I ended up filling the cart. I figured while I was there, I might as well do our grocery shopping for the week as long as the kids were happy. I picked up the prescription, checked out, and at that point I saw that it was indeed pouring rain outside. People were standing in front of the doors, waiting for rides because they don't want to get wet. Personally, I am not the type to be afraid of getting wet, but of course, I did have the munchkins with me. I decide to wait for a few minutes, but the longer we waited, the more crowded (and smoky) the entrance area was getting, and the kids weren't happy. We were getting a lot of stares and questions. The fact that we live in a big tourist area means that everyone travels to WalMart with their entire family, so there were at least 50-60 people crowded around the entrance to WalMart.

I realized that I actually did have the rain cover for the kids stroller with me. (Only because on initially setting up the stroller, I had placed it in the basket and never moved it. It's quite unusual for me to actually have an item exactly when I need it.) Sadly, I didn't have the canopy on the stroller that it fits over, so I would have to just drape it over the handle and over their heads. This would work for the boys in back but my daughter, Lily, in the front, would end up getting wet. I recalled that last week, when I took her to Disney, she got soaked and had absolutely no problem with it. In fact, I think she liked it.

I wasn't parked too far away (from what I rememebered).. so I decided to make a run for it. While pushing the triple stroller, pulling a full shopping cart, and wearing flip-flops- do you see where this is going?. The spectators saw me preparing for battle and were all abuzz. Did I mention that I wasn't 100% sure where I parked, but I just knew the general vicinity? I got the kids all wrapped up in their little bubble and off I went into the downpour.

I built up quite a bit of momentum running with a triple stroller and a full shopping cart, but luckily I managed to locate the vehicle pretty quickly and avoid crashing into it. I pried the keys out of Lily's hands (where they had been for the entire shopping trip), and began frantically pushing the buttons to automatically slide the side doors open. (Did I mention I drive a supercool Toyota Sienna?) I hear the beeps, but the doors are not opening. I quickly snatched Lily out of the front of the stroller, thinking I am about to put her in the car, as I was still hitting the buttons. But the door was still not opening. None of the doors were opening!

Suddenly from behind us I saw a blue beach ball rolling by in a newly formed stream in the parking lot... it looked familiar. I thought to myself, "Hmmm.. that kinda looks like the one we got at a fall festival last year... wait a second, it is our ball! What the?"

I stepped back and about 5 spaces down, there is our car, with balls and toys blowing around, because of course the doors are wide open. Someone with a decidedly identical blue Sienna van had parked in the same row, blocking my view of our van. The doors were opening when I hit the buttons, I just happened to be standing at the wrong car.

Of course, now I had Lily in my arms, (still getting poured on), the boys are sitting their in the bubble wondering what the heck is going on, our groceries are getting soaked, and I'll be darned if I'm going to let our beach ball get away! I ran after that, grabbed it, and realized I have to put Lily in the shopping cart, because she will definitely not want to be put back in the stroller, and I can't hold, her, push the stroller and pull the cart. I would need at least one more arm for that feat. I was ready for her to freak out, but no- she thought that was fabulous fun. Which is good, because if there was a screaming child involved in this story, I might have gone over the edge.

I got us to the car, which by now was pretty darn wet, since those doors have been open for a few minutes now- got the kids in their seats, chucked in all the groceries, and away we went.

Picking up a prescription never used to be this complicated, you know?

AND so here is a photo of Jerry O'Connell demonstrating the stroller/grocery cart maneuver. Look familiar?

We have a new L O G O!

Thank you to Kathy at The Modern Polkadot...

http://www.themodernpolkadot.com/

Look what I did in 2010

Last night was Kaidin’s Preschool open house. We received a big folder of “fun stuff” and there is more on the walls that was full of cuteness but we will have to wait for all of those pieces… here are some of our handsome prince’s work from the year.

A B I G Thank you to Ms. Amy for loving him oh so much…

easy enough right?

Our 3 pet monsters were in need of a comfy place to drink there milk aka sippy cups and baba’s… I wasn’t happy with the thought of a bed pillow on the floor… so I went on the search to find bean bags, easy enough right? We’ll the thrifty person that I am, was not very happy at the prices of bean bags and the color choices were awful and well they were just all plain UGLY. So I headed to the fabric store and bought blue, pink & green striped “shirt” material that is very silky soft but made sure it was machine washable. I bought 2 twin size & 1 full size down comforters at IKEA (you know IKEA stuff is thin & cheap). I sewed there little pillow loungers into a square (loved the BIG JOE FLOOR PILLOW) and added a zipper for easy washing, a hang/drag loop and viola… this is what I got…
good morning precious sweet miracles…

REALLY! He's 4

Conversation with my 4 year old: Date: 5.23.10 Time 6:25pm

I asked Kaidin to pick up all of his toys that are EVERYWHERE and his response to me was: (hand on hip) GOSH mommy I have to do everything around here. I always pick up my toys and it takes me forever and I clean my room, I always hang up my hand towel in the bathroom and throw my trash away. You don't do anything and you don't even own this house, Zigzie does (his imaginary friend).

REALLY! He is 4!

Photo by Erin Alfaro @www.erinalfaro.com

lilsteinstyles: SUSHI Prints

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lilsteinstyles: Sushi Tie Tee

Sushi Anyone???

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lilsteinstyles: Newborn Spunky Flower Hats

Cute little spunky flower hats for your newborn...

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Back in the Swim of things

Another F U N day at the “BUCKET”…

BLUE EYES...

Our petite little blue eyed diva's first year one smerk at a time...

One CUDDLE at a time...

Our super duper snuggle tubs rocking the first year...ready to take over the ONE'S!

Hope the 4's are READY!

Our handsome little punk rocking the 3's ready to take on the 4's!

Destination Imagination - Get Ready … here we go!

We had a great day at Disneyland...

We were featured...

We were featured on http://www.erinalfaro.com/.

Make sure to check it out and check Erin’s work out as well...

She is amazing! Thank you E…

lilsteinstyles: funky lil boys tie onesies, tanks & tees

funky lil boys tie onesies, tanks & tees, multiple sizes...

Visit our store @ http://www.etsy.com/shop/lilsteinstyles

We were featured...

We were featured on Muliples and More Blog Network's FB Page...

make sure to check it out...

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ladera-Ranch-CA/lilsteinstyles-featuring-sam-n-i/103747876330651?ref=sgm#!/pages/Multiples-and-More-Blog-Network/213804285446?ref=mf

Headline News : Aubree is ONE years old!

We had a great time at The Morgans Home for

Aubree's (aka Miys'a BFF BREE) 1st Birthday Dinner Party...

We are so blessed to have them all as BESTIES.

lilsteinstyles: funky lil blanket aka blankie baby, toddler, boy or girl

In the store now... ((SOLD))

This is a cute little funky on of a kind blanket aka blankie that measures 20 x 28.5. It has several little squares composed of different styles, colors & textures. The colors in this blanket are crème, brown, light turquoise/blue, tan and white.

Visit our store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/lilsteinstyles

lilsteinstyles: Boutique Girls Pink TUTU with matching FLOWER CAMI Size 3-5T

This little TUTU is made with light pink, white & dark pink tulle. This set comes with a matching size 4T tank CAMI with three flowers (one of each color tulle). The TUTU has an elastic waist to fit and your little DIVA grows…

TUTU Waist Size: 20 inches un-stretched and 26 inches stretched.

Visit our Store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/lilsteinstyles

lilsteinstyles: 4th of JULY items are in....

We have boys RED or BLUE Polka Dot Tie Tees size 2-8 and we have girls RED, WHITE & BLUE ruffle Boy Beater Tanks or FLAG RUFFLE Tanks sizes 12 months - 4T.

Our 4th of July items are ready and we are super excited…. These are all custom made as ordered items. Please allow 5-7 business days for production of item. When paying for your item please specify what size you would like. Please see sizing choices below… All orders must be placed prior to June 27th.

Photos by: Erin Alfaro Photography http://www.erinalfaro.com/

Please note: lilsteinstyles featuring sam-n-i’s lil model divas will be having a photo shoot this week with Erin and photos of those lil models will be posted soon…

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On Having Three Kids

As I was reading I seemed to laugh the whole way but when finished I had to take a second to think… WAIT A MINUTE… that’s me! It may be a crazy life but it’s our life and we wouldn’t trade it for the world…

On Having Three Kids By Jennifer Eyre White

Where I live, just north of Berkeley, hardly anyone has more than two kids. I suspect it's because so many families have two career-oriented parents, and kids are really bad for careers. Or maybe it's because it's so expensive to raise kids here. I dunno. Anyway, when Kennard and I decided to have a third child, we became something of an anomaly in our social circle. And after little Kirby was born six weeks ago, a lot of our friends started asking us, what's it like having three kids?Here's what it's been like so far.

1. With three kids in the family, someone is always grumpy. Often, everyone is grumpy. When Kirby was five days old, we went on a family outing to Copeland's Sports Store (I'm having trouble remembering why we thought that was a good idea or what we wanted there). On the 15-minute drive home in the minivan, Kirby was screaming and Ben was whining, "I wan dat bike, I wan dat bike!" (we had made him get off dat bike and leave it at dat store). Riley was sulking in the back seat because we wouldn't buy her a sandwich at Togo's. Kennard looked at me and said, "Our family is starting to sound like the seven dwarves -- Screamy, Whiney, Sulky, Grouchy, and Sleepy." I'd like to think that I was Sleepy and he was Grouchy, but I can't be sure.

2. I hate it when people advise me to "sleep when the baby sleeps." What am I supposed to do with the other kids? Tie them up in the back yard?

3. Having three kids cuddled up to me on the couch feels like heaven.

4. There is always a little person in need of something. Food. A drink of water. A boob. A bath. A hug. A mouth, nose, or bottom wiped. A timeout. Electroshock therapy. Oh no, sorry, that's me.

5. La Leche League's book on "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" doesn't tell you how to nurse in combat situations. There is advice on keeping a toddler occupied while you nurse an infant, but that's not my problem. My problem is supervising two additional kids who often view nursing as an opportunity to try to maim each other. What I really needed a couple of days ago was something along the lines of: "If, while you are nursing your newborn, your toddler and school-aged child become engaged in a vicious fight over a pair of children's scissors, with your toddler attempting to stab his sister and the sister biting him on the arm hard enough to raise welts, do X-Y-Z.

"What I did was to yell, "STOP THAT!" followed by, "STOP THAT GODDAMIT!" with no noticeable effect. I considered treating them like labrador retrievers and dumping a bucket of water on their heads. I considered ignoring them and letting it be a painful learning experience, one possibly including an educational trip to the emergency room. Finally, I lurched up from the couch, cradling Kirby in the crook of one arm so as not to dislodge him from my breast. I stomped over to Riley and Ben, pulled them apart with my free hand, and dragged the wailing Ben across the room to get him away from his sister. Problem solved, but I couldn't help wondering if there was a more elegant approach.My tenacious little Kirby managed to hang on and maintain suction throughout the entire episode, though he must have felt like he was nursing on the high seas. His little head bobbed up and down, and he briefly opened one eye to look around, but he never let that nipple go. The bad news is that my nipple is now half an inch longer. The good news is that if this keeps up I'll soon be able to leave Kirby on the sofa with my nipple and it will stretch far enough for me to reach all the rooms in the house.

6. The third kid gets dragged around a lot. Our schedule looks like this: Take Ben to preschool. Take Riley to school. Pick Ben up. Pick Riley up. Take Riley to soccer or ice skating. Take Riley home. Do big families homeschool just to cut back on car trips?

7. Riley and Ben have become closer. Since I'm so tired and frequently nursing, I've begun recruiting Riley to help take care of Ben. She brushes his teeth in the morning and helps him get dressed. She holds his hand at the grocery store. One weekend she spent the night in his room, then got up with him at six the next morning. She poured him a bowl of Cheerios and turned on his Bob the Builder video and only woke me up an hour later when he began throwing things at her. She suddenly seems older and more competent. More confident. More useful.

8. Both of the kids -- and in fact all the kids we see -- adore Kirby. There's just something about a newborn that no-one can resist. Even a grouchy and sleepy third-time mom like me.

This essay originally appeared on literarymama.com.

most uvall your in my hart

Here is the cutest story and I just have to share this as it made us S M I L E. My niece Sophia, now 6, always brings over gifts for the kids. Every time she see’s the kids we get tons and tons of gifts. Now these gifts are not purchased gifts they are gifts that she has hand picked for each child, taken from her house, wrapped each one individually and then attached a special very thought out card. I am pretty sure we have hit the mother load of gifts, not complaining, but D if you’re out there I think were getting full over here *wink wink*. So I pulled this bag of gifts out today that had been in hiding from the kids and was going to go through it (I usually go through it and decide if they can have it or if it is too little for the babies to have) well… when I open the cards and I just S M I L E D! I mean the thought process, the spelling… oh my… she is just so cute! I had to take a picture and share this with everyone. I am going to keep these notes for the kids. It just reminds me how fast life goes by. They all grow up so quickly, too quickly…

Thank you Sophia for making us S M I L E and we love you oh so much.
Uncle Mike, Aunt Cristil, Kaidin, Miya & Bode.

The cards to the kids...

A couple pics with Sophia and Kaidin...

Pardon the DUST

lilsteinstyles featurning sam-n-i is under construction. Were getting a new store front, new logo & new blog front… Thank you to Kathy @ The Modern Polka Dot! Can’t wait to see it and share with everyone… more info coming soon…

http://www.themodernpolkadot.com/

Happy Mothers Day

Wishing all of those hard working beautiful mommies out there a very Happy Mothers Day. I am so blessed to have my mother who means so much to me and I am double blessed to have the best mother-in-law anyone could ask for. They are both always there and supporting me in everything that I do. They both encourage me to be who I am and do what ever it is that I do. They constantly keep me positive and offer words of wisdom to get me through my tough days of a mommy of 3. Sometimes my “super mommy cape” needs a little TLC & ironing and these TWO are always there. To my mom & the best mother in law ever I want to thank you for being you and loving me for me. I love you both. Happy Mothers Day…

And to me… Here are some photos from when Miya & Bode were born along with my perfect, handsome, kind, generous, little boy Kaidin whom I adore. I can’t tell you how blessed I feel about having my husband, life & 3 children. They have given me such HOPE even on those days that I have wondered… OMG please let me just get through this day.

Thank you to Erin @ Erin Alfaro Photography for capturing all of these moments for us. She is a truly amazing caring person that I feel blessed to call my friend.

You are more perfect than I could have hoped, more beautiful than I could have dreamed, more precious than I could have imagined...I love you more than I could have known…

Kaidin

Miya...

Bode...

Erin Alfaro Photography : http://www.erinalfaro.com/

My mom & I before our Mother's Day lunch @ Javiers today...

G O O F Y

Went to Disneyland tonight after dinner, saw GOOFY, went on a couple rides, walked around and then watched the parade on the way out… To top off our night we hit SWIRLS… YUM!

Disney's great, Disney's fun, Disney's cool, it's number one! There's Minnie, Mickey, Donald, Daisy, Pluto, Goofy, it's all so crazy! Until next time...

she loves me

Today was little K's "Mothers Day Tea" at School. He was so cute and so happy to have his mommy at school with him. He made me the cutest little candle holder and did a "fill in the blanks" that I am still laughing about. He sure knows & loves his mommy... he's a little mommies boy and I am so ok with that. Love you little man!

Here are some photos from today....

gotta love the swagger wagon

Had to post this for my besties that drive the swagger wagon... xo

(Click on the triangle *PLAY* button in the middle of the video to play)

Rub-a-Dub-Dub! Who is that in the tub?

Rub-a-Dub-Dub,3 kids in a tub

Taste of Ladera Rocks The Park

OK… so from what I REMEMBER a ROCKING time was had by all and below are the photos to prove it. This was such an awesome fun day filled with great weather, great friends, lots of drinks, yummy food, music by LIT & English Beat, N O pet monsters, and well just a little drama ramma. BUT… we won’t go there, we will leave it at good time were had by all. Can’t wait till next year…

P.S. A BIG thank you to the grandma aka BEST MIL ever for watching our 3 pet monsters so that we could have an awesome day out with friends…