There is never a dull moment at our house these days, or a quiet one. People tell me all the time how easy I must have it with three girls, because surely they can’t be as rowdy or wild as boys. Really? Because just as I snuggle up on the couch to nurse Claire this morning, I hear Harper scream bloody murder, only to jump up in time to see Eloise about to eat a live DRAGONFLY.
The perks of living in the woods.
Harper & Eloise got in their very first slapping-hair-pulling-fist-fight the other day. Like most kids, they always want what the other has, and when that one thing just happens to be a chair, things might get a little rough. Right when Harper sat down in it, she knew Eloise would want it so she started taunting her about how they were going to take turns, and how it was her turn first, and she would let her know when she was done sitting. Which was never, probably. Eloise decided her time was up, walked up to the back of it and dumped Harper out of the chair. Cue the pushing, hitting & eventually hair pulling, which left my jaw on the ground. I sent them both to time out (is this even real life?) & went straight into the kitchen to laugh. I couldn’t believe my two sweet girls were pulling each others hair already. God help me for the next 16 years.
Harper is our little drama mama. I say this because 1. Drama. And 2. She is such a sweet, caring little mama herself. She wants to take care of everyone & help with everything, she is so intuitive about everyone’s feelings. But also number one. Drama. Soooo much drama from this little threenager.
Melting drippy, messy ice cream? She will have none of it. Can’t find her shoes or get her carseat buckled? Meltdown. The other day, she poked the roof of her mouth with a straw and it was the end. of. the. world. Harper walked around the house all afternoon crying “my poor poke…. my poor poke… I just can’t do anything…” Drama mama.
Melting drippy, messy ice cream? She will have none of it. Can’t find her shoes or get her carseat buckled? Meltdown. The other day, she poked the roof of her mouth with a straw and it was the end. of. the. world. Harper walked around the house all afternoon crying “my poor poke…. my poor poke… I just can’t do anything…” Drama mama.
We call Eloise the wrecking ball. She is really the sweetest little thing, I mean so sweet that you can’t stay mad at her for more than two entire seconds, and it is impossible to discipline her without turning your head to laugh at whatever ridiculous crime she has committed. A perfect example of Eloise’s personality: She & Harper are eating their chic-fil-a outside at our playtable and Harper leaves for a second to go to the bathroom. Eloise swipes Harper’s lemonade, looks at me and grins, walks it all the way to the bathroom to give Harper a drink (sweetest kid ever) then on her way back? Takes a giant bite out of the side of the styrofoam cup, tosses it into the toy basket & then starts giggling. She is so ornery & stomps around the house wreaking havoc one room at a time. Eating chapstick, crayons & every last crumb left on our floor.
And then there’s miss Claire. I’m not sure we know her itty bitty baby personality yet, already we see lots of both of her sisters in her, but know (and love) that she will become her own little person.
So, my girls, they may not be as wild as boys, but maybe they’re wilder? They’re crazy sweet, and full of sass. And sometimes a pain in my…
15
But I love them so!
Brianna Franzosa says
Sounds like there's never a dull moment!
Michaela Cour says
You're awesome. Please write a book. That is all.
Michaela Cour says
You're awesome. Please write a book. That is all.
Camille Pontvianne says
I chuckle the whole way through! Eloise sounds just like my daughter. Our children are all perfectly imperfect and I wouldn't want it any other way.
Hilary Jose says
<3
Sarah Fatzinger says
I absolutely love reading your blog, your pictures are so beautiful & crisp and yet normal in the same sense. My favorite posts by far are the stories of your girls- I literally crack up- you have such a great way with words that it paints the perfect scenario. Good job Momma- keep the stories coming!!
E Hayes says
Ashlynn is def the drama mama over here too, wonder if it's a first born thing. And same with K. She's has pulled out clumps of Ashlynn's hair that has made my stomach turn on a few occasions. No joke.
Reagan T. says
Haha love this post! I have boys and am pregnant with our third. I'm thinking its a boy but we will see! I couldn't imagine having 3 girls! I grew up with sisters and WHOA. Haha!
Kelly says
I have 2 girls 4 and 2 and I think you just described their personalities exactly!! I also have a 5 month old son and I have to say I completely relate to you about 3 kids being crazy!! I feel like i went from 2 kids to 7 if that's possible!!!
Also, all the studies say having 3 girls is the most stressful combo of kids so even of boys may be rowdy girls sass wins over! Stay strong, drink wine and go Hawks!!
Holly says
I feel you here. We have three little girls too. (6yrs, 4yrs and 7months) I am pretty sure that our lives are filled with just as much crazy, rough housing, messy "fun" as any house with boys. It's so nice to hear that its not just my crazy girls!
Whitney R says
Girl my two boys are the exact same as Harper and Eloise! My oldest is sweet and sensitive and my second is nick named bam bam. What a cute tribe of girls you have!
-Whitney
Mamaandmister.blogspot.com
Samantha says
Bahaha! LOVE the stories! I have three little boys – 5, 3, and 2 – and all the time people make comments about how full my hands are, how they can't imagine what it must be like in our house, etc. Well, it does get crazy, but they're KIDS. Honest to goodness, they're a lot less wild than people assume. But they do have their moments! When my second was 2, he was jumping off a box onto our couch saying, "To infinity and beyond!" Last week, my oldest and youngest were running around our living room, and #1 tripped or pushed #3 into our couch – which has a wooden futon frame. His bruises are finally almost unnoticeable. But he had a good unicorn bump going on for the past week and a half and has had a black eye or two for the past week. Lots of stories to tell them as they grow 🙂
Allison Walls says
This may be one of my favorite posts of all time! My Abbie has Harper and Eloise's personality wrapped into one little two year old. It is crazy how they can make you want to pull your hair out one minute and the next laugh your ass of because they are the funniest little people on the planet! One minute I think, "How could I deal if I had a second" and then right after that I say, "This is the best damn life!" Love your family! XOXO
Anonymous says
Such a sweet post. 🙂 Your girls are too cute!
Sprinkles and Glitter says
Oh. my. gosh!! This is absolutely HILARIOUS!! You're girls seem like the funniest people ever! I love all your stories.
Kelsey Lorene says
I loved reading about your beautiful girls!!!! I'm from a family of 4 girls, and oh how we each have our own personalities. lol Now I have a girl of my own who's almost two, and she runs around creating lovable chaos! Her and Eloise would get along quite fabulously, I'm sure. 🙂
Jessica says
So sweet and hilarious! I have a 3 year old son who is mostly pretty mellow and easy going (save the occasional, irrational meltdown) and an 8 month old daughter who I think is going to be my wild child. She gets mad all the time that she can't stand up, yet she can't quite do it on her own without support. Love hearing real life stories from other mommas!
MeganB. says
Yesss! I can relate , and whoever said girls were easier than boys clearly never had all girls lol.
Keep your chin up girly.
Tammy Rago says
I love reading your blog! I literally lol and had a tear In my eye when I read what Eloise did to Harpers drink. Sounds like something my daughter would do. I have 2 sisters and growing up with them was nothing except she took my jeans, who stole my lipstick, lol. Reading your blog makes me want to have baby #2 so my daughter can have a sibling to play with, but if there were fighting I'd probably have to walk away and laugh. I can't keep a straight face when my 19month old does something bad.
Megan says
This post made me LOL! I love it 🙂 I would love if you did a post about how you discipline your kids. I'm struggling to figure out what to do with my 15 month old when he's naughty.
Karra says
I love these crazy little lady stages. So hilarious and so much fun, but the beer at the end of each day is SO needed some days.
Lauren Boswell says
Jessica,
This post was so sweet. I have 2 girls and I can agree with you about so many things. I hope you will do another one once miss claire becomes older and truly starts showing her personality. I have a feeling you will be sharing that she is the perfect blend of Harper's and Eloise' s personality.
Lauren
http://www.learningtolovehome.blogspot.com
Linley Noel says
No doubt you have your hands full, but they seem too sweet for words! 🙂 Loving all of these posts about life with your three babes lately.
Christina Patricio says
I loved this post and especially the last 2 sentences! Girl I feel ya and I only have two! Have a good weekend! May it be filled with some quiet time, coffee, and snuggles!
Thisgoldenpineapple says
I have two girls an they wreck havoc like some ones paying them too. We have our Jungle baby who climbs on everything. An our mini prankster she thinks its hilarious to hide, essentials like the remote, mommy's wallet an well anything you may need. But it makes for some hilarious memories lol.
Morgan @ Morgan Manages Mommyhood says
I couldn't help but laugh out loud at the thought of a down and out little hair-pulling fight between those two sweeties. I just can't imagine it! Kids are crazy though. I only have one 15 month old boy but he is both a tyrant and a riot.
"B" says
I am laughing hysterically because your older two sound like my two girls. The eldest (while we have yet to hit the drama stage) she is all princess and very thoughtful, the current youngest – a little wrecking ball. You have it she wants it, pulls hair, punches in the face and digs (she's 18 months almost) and man is she loud. But they are the sweetest (sometimes) and cuddliest (most of the time) and I love them more than anything, well maybe except when I am refolding laudry for the 100th time or watching Sofia the 1st episodes on repeat!
Sadie Cummings says
Loved this post. I can only imagine how much fun those girls are going to have in a year or so when they can all play like crazy. My girls are just like Harper and Eloise. Things escalate quickly around here when someone swipes a toy the other was playing with.
Anonymous says
I could have written your descriptions of Harper and Eloise as the descriptions for my 2 and 1 year old girls. Constant drama mama for my 2 year old (including telling the 1 year old *just* how to behave– "don't do that!," "stop your crying!," "sit down!," "eat your dinner and be quiet!") and Sweet & Sour for my 1 year old (an ornery sweet mess all. day. long, who screeches you to deaf the second she can't get her way). Can't wait to see if the next one will be a boy or a girl. If it's a girl, I can't wait to see if she'll be similar to Claire! If it's a boy, our world may just be rocked. 🙂
HeritageKnitting says
We have three boys under the age of three. An almost-three-year-old and twin 18 month olds. I died laughing when you called Eloise your wrecking ball. We too have a wrecking ball, our "middle" child William. His favorite past time is climbing onto the dining room table and LITERALLY swinging from the chandelier. I'm not sure how it hasn't come crashing down yet. The first time it happened my husband belted out "I came in like a wreeeeeeeeeckin ball!" The name stuck.
Brittney says
I LOVE THIS POST! Little personalities are the sweetest, most entertaining things ever. I love watching my little guy develop his own crazy personality. He is going to be a handful, and I am going to love every second of it. I sounds to me like he and Eloise would be quite a pair!
Jaime says
Mama, you are doing such an awesome job. Seriously, I am in awe. I know it isn't easy, but you are raising those babies with a lot of grace, class and humor. Hang in there. The days are long but the years are short, as they say.
Nikaela Schroeder says
I. Am. Dying.
So funny.
Dana Zaffron says
Have you ever thought about vlogging? I love your blogs every few days, I love seeing your beautiful munchkins grow and become who they are <3
Anonymous says
Drama mama and wild child!! Thanks for sharing, your real life stories make me laugh! 🙂 "My poor poke"
Brittain White says
As a nanny to two little girls I can say that little girls are just and sometimes more wild than little boys!! It sure makes for a fun life though.
Celeste says
Oh Gosh, Jess, I sure needed that laugh! It's always better when it's someone else's kids, but the way you tell it, it's just the best. I have twin girls and a two year old boy, your Eloise stories remind me so much of him! And the twins, it is not uncommon to hear, "Stop it, Sister! Stop iiiittttttt!!" Only to come in and see that they are fighting over the same dress, both trying to get into it at once. I try really hard not to laugh but that funny stuff is just the best part of having kids.
Andrea Hill says
You make me smile! Thanks for sharing some.
LC says
LOL! Too funny. I have a 3 year old that is just like Harper. And an 18 month boy that is just like Eloise! My hands are FULL but so is my heart. And even though they drive me up the wall most days, I could just eat them up and smooch their faces a million times anyway:) Enjoy Mama. The days are long but the years are short.
Lindsey says
That story about Eloise taking Harper's lemonade is amazing! Haha! I am right there with ya on the girls being pretty dang wild. I know my daughter could definitely hang with the boys and probably take some of them down ha…WILD THANGS!
Lindsey
http://www.careerintherearviewmirror.blogspot.com
Ellie says
I have three little boys as well (twin three year olds and a one year old)! Our baby is the one giving us a run for our money, though!
Krcat says
Such a cute post! I have three girls as well (a 2 year old and twin almost 6 month olds) and we see little personalities emerging all the time…can't wait to see how they develop over the years! Krista
Sarah Holtz says
Omg this post reminds me SO much of my daughters! My oldest is almost 5 and is the sweetest, intuitive, caring, maternal little girl and my younger one is 2 1/2 and is a sassy little spitfire, and then there's my almost 3 month old son who just hangs back and watches it all unfold.
Melody says
Yep! Sounds like my house. I just have two girls and we call our littlest "honey badger" because she just don't care and no one better mess with her! Big sis always wants to play with little sis but then she screams "she's touching my stuff!! Get her away mom!" And little sis doesn't speak yet but gets her point across well enough to mean "no! Mine!" It's always a circus!
And big sis is also a major drama queen! I accidentally vacuumed up a puzzle piece letter J and the rest of the day she carried around a broken J crying and saying "I'm sorry little J! I can't believe you did this to my J. My poor J!" Hilarious at first, but by the end of the day I was seriously over it. Lol
lovex2 says
I swear I love reading your posts, your life sounds exactly like mine! It's almost like you are describing my three daughters, same exact personalities!
Alyssa M says
Great posr! I so love watching the Garvin girls grow 🙂
Unknown says
I laugh and cry at this post. My 2.5 year old Payson is a Drama Mama! This girl makes me scared for the real teenage years. I am about to be a mama of three girls as well. My twins are due in December, and to be honest I am scared to death of 3 little girls running around. Forget the diaper shower, I want a wine shower!
Laura-Hyde says
I've been following your blog for some time now and I honestly think this is my favourite post you've ever done! Dragonfly 🙂 Drama Mama 🙂 Threenager 🙂 my poor poke 🙂 the Eloise wrecking ball 🙂 I feel like I know these cuties x
millieemmilyn says
So cute and so funny!Love your girls. My boy is pretty wild too..
natasha {schue love} says
Oh man, I can't wait to see what I have in store with two boys. I guess it's good to know girls can be threenagers too!! 😉
Lindsay says
I love that this picture totally represents exactly how you just described them!
Andi of My Beautiful Adventures says
You are SO blessed! <3
Jackie says
I love to hear this. My girls are the exact way. Oldest is the drama and caring little mama and my younger one is feisty and likes to bite styrofoam cups too!!
Elizabeth Birenbaum says
LOVE LOVE LOVE this! Thank you for sharing! This may sound nosy (but maybe as bloggers we are? lol) but I love this little peak into other bloggers real lives 🙂 Your girls are so cute together!
Mary Kate says
Soooo glad I am not alone in having crazy girls! I have had to correct behavior and then hide my face to laugh hysterically more times than I can count. Most recently our two year old decided to nicely put on eod lip balm before taking a giant bite out of it! She keeps telling me I am crazy as I laugh at this post. Thanks for the honesty 🙂
Fifth&Phillips says
This is AWESOME! There really is nothing quite like a sister!
Erica Rieck says
Hi Jessica! I discovered your blog last week and read every single post from the beginning 'till now! You are so inspiring, authentic and real! Love love love everything you post about! I saved pretty much every item you suggested for kiddos to my Amazon wish list, ha! Love from Minnesota! <3
Kristin @littlemamajama says
They are so darling!
Niccole says
This made me laugh so hard! My son is approaching three and the meltdowns he has are EPIC! Boy or Girl it must be the age because the other night it was because the sun was gone. I said the same exact this "is this real life!" Once I calmed him I had a good laugh.
Stephanie from Freckled in Florida says
My little 2.5 year old boy is calm, cool, and collected. Pretty content and go with the flow. My 4 month old little girl is more feisty than Reuben is already! She's rolling around like crazy, trying to crawl, and always telling me the second she is less than happy. They've obviously gotten their "roles" confused! Haha
Valene says
I have one of each… 19mo apart… Our daughter is 4.5yo and our son will be 3 in a few weeks. Let me tell you girls are just as WILD if not worse than boys!!! They have been fighting and hair pulling for quite some time… Just when I think that phase is over… BAM!!! Back to fighting non-stop again! The joys of parenthood!!!
Miranda Anderson says
This – was another great post. And while i fully, wholly, & totally believe how wild your girls are and how it may feel like boys could not be worse, i assure you they could. Maybe just different. I've had parents of broods of girls only argue me that boys verses girls are not easier or harder, that girls can be just as bad as boys. That every child is different. Which is true. But i will argue that boys and girls are VERY distinctly different (i do have one of each!) and i think boys are harder when they're younger. I definitely believe girls will be harder as teenagers (can you say emotional?) but i noticed a distinct different with my son from the minute he was born. There really is a gender difference, but that's not to say having 3 girls under 4 isn't a monumental challenge for you! But, oh what fun!! Hang in there! 🙂
Marissa says
I have three girls too, all four years apart. My girls can be described exactly like yours. My oldest, is the drama queen, but very motherly, maybe too motherly. My middle is so rough and tumble. She loves to jump off things, cause havoc, but she's the sweetest little nugget! My youngest is just trying to keep up with them, she's ornery too and tries to get away with everything. I love having three girls!
Renee says
Laughing out loud reading this and nodding!
My boys sound just like Harper & Eloise.
Our 3y is sure to win Academy Awards someday but is so incredibly sensitive and thoughtful while our 1y is a thug that terrorises the house when he's not charming us all.
Fun times 😉 x
Emily says
Hahaha. they are precious!!
Anonymous says
Agreed. Waiting on the book release.
Anonymous says
I have been reading your blog for years and this is my first time commenting…this is one of my favorite posts you have ever written! I am 5 1/2 weeks pregnant and I have to say, thank you for sharing all of these little gems with us! 🙂
Tia says
I never comment but I've been reading your blog since you were pregs with H-remember ur crazy yoga moves to try and invert her back to "labor positioning" b4 she was born?! 😉
Anyway, this entry is seriously why I've continued to read "all the girls later" 😉
Thx for the dedication!
Bless u, momma?
Cherry Blossoms says
This just made me giggle. so authentic with lots of joy and love.
Jessica says
I swear you were writing about my almost 3 year old girl! She has been giving us a run for our money with her sass, attitude and mass amounts of drama! Girls are definitely just as wild as boys, if not more wild! Our gal loves her princess gear but also loves bugs and snakes (gross!). And I am totally stealing the term 'threenager' as there isn't a better word to describe this stage than that!
Shadia Brown says
This was hilarious! When my sister and I were younger (we are a year apart) we would go in our room, lock the door and get into a full on fist, hair pulling fight when we were mad at each other. After that we would hash it out, open the door and act like nothing ever happened! We knew we had to do it quietly otherwise we would be grounded or scolded if our parents found us fighting. The things sisters do!
Nat{natyouraveragegirl} says
Hahahaha I love this post and Blair is JUST like Harper. The world is ending just about every day. I swear when she tries to get her seat belt buckled she sounds like she's in labor. So drama! Maybe it's a first born thing?!
Leah Hazley says
I literally laughed out loud at my desk at work!! I always want to tell Noelle "save the drama for yo…oh wait that's me" LOL! This is all kinds of amazing! I pray you're still blogging when they are teenagers 🙂