The Koenig Triplets

Letter to Me...250 posts later

2012-02-08T23:26:00.000-05:00

Wow- another big milestone...250 blog posts! 15,581 views! When I first started writing this blog I mostly did it to keep family and friends updated on the pregnancy.  I had no idea how writing would actually help me too. I have poured a lot of heart and soul into every post. I've used it to vent, to talk about sadness, to celebrate victories, to discuss worries and fears, to brag about my babies, and so much more! So I thought for this 250th post, I would reflect on the past few years and write a letter to the 28 year old gal who's 6 weeks pregnant and just started this blog.

Dear Kelly,
Hi. I am you at 31. I know it's hard to believe but it's true. Just for verification purposes I will tell you something about yourself that no one else knows. You have a small scar on your index knuckle of your left hand from a cheerleading accident in high school. See, it's totally me.

I know you have just gotten the most shocking news of your life and you are more scared than you are excited. But I promise you everything works out perfectly and being mommy to these babies is the most amazing thing that has ever happened to you. I know you are worried about your job, childcare, how you will afford everything they need, transportation, best rest, and even finding a stroller to tote the brood. Your job is fine. You find the most amazing "manny" in the world and you get to sleep with him as one of the perks (p.s. it's Kurt). You just somehow find the money to pay your bills. Your Dad and Elizabeth will give you a minivan. You will only be on strict bed rest for 22 days (not too shabby). Your new friend Ginny will help you get a stroller.  See...nothing to worry about!

I won't lie to you and tell you it's been all hearts and flowers. There have been some tough times. The morning sickness for the first 22 weeks is hellacious! Just hang in there...it's not forever. The last 2 months of the pregnancy are pretty tough. It will be hard to sleep and your belly will hurt a lot. Try sleeping on an air mattress. They gave us one in the hospital and it helped so much! Speaking of hospital...try not to complain so much about the month you spend there.  Looking back, it was actually pretty nice. I know you are scared the babies will come early and will not be healthy. Rest assured, you carry them 33 weeks and 1 day.  All the nurses and doctors call you a "rockstar". The NICU days pass quickly and the babies are very healthy. Oh, and drag Kurt with you to get a damn flu shot! He gets the swine flu the week the babies come home from the hospital right as your "baby blues" set in. This is not fun.

You will grieve your old life. And that's ok. You will not bond with the babies immediately and you will worry you've made a terrible mistake. This is ok. It is completely normal and doesn't last forever. It's just another hurdle you have to jump. Not connecting with your babies right away does not make you a bad person or a bad mother. You just need a little time to adjust and you will be smitten with those little munchkins.

You cannot imagine the joy you will experience during their first 2 years of life. Being there for all their "firsts" is just amazing. Now you have this sweet, caring, funny little girl with long brown hair and blue eyes. She tries to say everything you say. She wants to be picked up all the time. She asks to hold your hand and cuddles with you to watch movies. She is in every way your little "mini me" except for the hair. That is all Kurt. You also have this little chunky monkey man who looks just like his Daddy. He just has the best smile but is as stubborn as they come. He's also very sensitive but likes to play rough and tackle you. Finally, you have your little climber...your little engineer. He will always find a way to get into everything you don't want him to. He is so mischievous but has these big blue eyes and this smile that will keep him out of trouble. He is fascinated with lights and electronics. Go ahead and start saving for his engineering degree.

I wanted to write this letter to calm some of your fears and allow you to relax during the next 6 months of pregnancy. But you won't anyway...I know you. And that's ok. It's all part of this unbelievable journey you're on. Enjoy the ride!

Love, Kelly

Proud Auntie

2012-02-06T15:57:00.000-05:00

So this blog primarily focuses on the triplets, but today I want to boast a little about being a proud auntie-to-be. For those who know my older brother, it seemed like he might never find the right girl to settle down with and start a family. But thankfully Sara came along and soon it will be baby makes three. I just have to share this pic of my beautiful niece/nephew. I can't wait to spoil them like crazy. Being an aunt means all the kisses and snuggles with none of the sleepless nights! I've already logged more than enough of those!

Can't wait to meet you baby Roper!

Mr. (& Miss) Clean

2012-01-31T22:41:00.000-05:00

Suddenly (as if on cue after turning two) the trio has stepped up their game in the hygiene department. While they previously protested when we tried to bathe, brush teeth, brush hair, and wash hands, they are now eager to do these things. I bought a little plastic stool so they could more easily reach the bathroom sink. Now they fight over the stool and want to be the first to wash their hands. I have some photographic proof......

Sarah eager to wash hands

Lucas getting in on the action

Jacob patiently waiting for his turn

Movie night Koenig style

2012-01-29T00:12:00.000-05:00

Instead of a drama or romantic comedy, now we watch animated flicks on movie nights in our house. I snuggle all 3 kiddos on the couch. It's bliss. It may not mean much to some people, but to me it's everything.

No room for popcorn

Neighbors

2012-01-28T01:07:00.001-05:00

Lately, I've really wanted to make more of an effort to get together with friends who live close by. Many of my friends also have kids and I want the triplets to socialize and interact with kids of all ages. In that spirit, I set up a play-date with my sorority sister and her little girl Kayli (a very advanced 15 months old) for last weekend. The kids all seemed to get along great and play well together. I even introduced Carol to "squeaker" shoes. Then one night this week our next door neighbor's kids who are 4 and 6 came over to visit. Even though they are a lot older than the triplets everyone still had fun. And the "big kids" got to show the triplets how to drive the Jeeps we bought them. I couldn't help but snap a few pics of all the fun!

The whole gang- our trio and the neighbor's two

Jake and Luke watching the action

Luke wants to get in with Ava

Ava driving the "too small" Barbie Jeep

Another vice...

2012-01-21T23:49:00.001-05:00

As if Facebook, Blogger, Words with Friends, and Pinterest were not enough...

I have a new addiction. Instagram. It's an app. on my phone I can use to edit my photos and give them an edgy or vintage feel. Another blogger friend reminded me of it and I've been tinkering with old photos all night. Oh geez....

Finally...the cat is out of the bag!

2012-01-19T23:20:00.000-05:00

I am no good at keeping secrets. Especially good secrets. Now there are a few select serious ones that are locked in the vault. Those I will carry to my grave. But the fun secrets just eat away at me until I almost explode. I've been toting around a fun secret for the past 6 weeks or so. And now I can finally shout it from the rooftop...

I'm going to be an auntie

August 2012!

Just Checkin' In Doc

2012-01-16T23:02:00.000-05:00

The triplets just had their 2 year checkup with the pediatrician. As usual, Dr. Roberts and all the nurses were very excited to see the trio. After getting a thorough check, everyone passed with flying colors! He gave us a questionnaire similar to the one at the 18-month checkup to screen for autism. Neither Sarah nor Luke had any concerning areas. Jake had one small area that he is not excelling in and that's climbing and balance. We expressed our concerns that it doesn't seem like he's on pace with the other two. The doctor checked his eyes to see if it is a vision issue and checked his ears to see if it is an eardrum issue. Both were just fine. The doctor looked at his spine. Fine. Then he checked his legs and muscles to screen for cerebral palsy. It is not that either. So basically the doctor just thinks that Jake is a little clumsy and uncoordinated and that causes him to be more cautious. We were both relieved that he doesn't have more serious issues. Here are the kiddos stats:

Sarah: 27lbs 0ozs (50th%) & 32.5 inches (23rd%)
Jacob: 30lbs 6ozs (80th%) & 33 inches (20th%)
Lucas: 28lbs 4ozs (55th%) & 33.25 inches (26th%)

Party Time!

2012-01-15T22:59:00.000-05:00

For the trio's party this year we decided to have a Mickey & Minnie themed gathering. Last year we rented out the neighborhood clubhouse and had 50 or so guests. While that was a lot of fun, we opted for something much more low-key this year. Our friend Candi made the shirts for the kids to wear and Aunt MaryBeth made the cake. We had lots of good food and the kids got some neat presents. Even though the party was much smaller this year, we were still exhausted by the end of it!

Lucas shows off his mouse ears with Mimi

Sarah had fancy mouse ears (with Nanny)

By the end of the party her ears were drooping

All the yummy food!

The cake

Jakers playing hide & seek

Lucas loved playing with a keychain flashlight

The trio's actual birthday

2012-01-11T22:44:00.003-05:00

On the next post I will post some pics and info about the triplet's birthday party from last Saturday but first I wanted to post some stuff from their actual birthday last Friday. We started the morning like we do every morning with cereal and fruit.

Luke

Sarah

Jake

Then around lunch time, we sang "Happy Birthday" and gave the trio special birthday cupcakes in their signature colors.

Luke gobbled up EVERY bite!

Sarah is ready to eat her cupcake!

Jake can't wait to dig in!

After lunch, they got all cleaned up and posed for some pics next to a sign announcing it was their birthday.

After naptime we drove up to Grandma and Grandpa Trenary's house where we were treated to a special birthday filet mignon dinner. It was fantastic! After dinner Kurt and I ran some last minute errands to get ready for the next day's party. Mimi and Papa broke out the crayons and gave the kids some time to color before bed. The kids were exhausted by bedtime and ready to sleep. We were ready for bed shortly after as we had a big day of celebrating ahead of us.

Blog and Children Maintenance Required!

2012-01-10T22:43:00.000-05:00

For a while now, I've thought about sprucing up the blog a bit. I could never get the stupid font to change from the awful magenta color (which matches nothing) so my layout choices were very limited. But after some research, I found the secret and can now change the font and color at will. Bring on some new backgrounds! So I hope you like the changes made. If you don't, too bad it's MY blog...lol...hahaha! Just kidding.

Since the blog is getting a makeover, I can now unveil the trio's new looks as well. I love fresh haircuts. They actually did really well this time (surprise) at the salon and were all rewarded with lollipops. Jacob barely uttered a peep and he usually cries the most! These kids sure keep me on my toes!

Bugsy

Jakers

Mr Lucas Man

New Years Fun

2012-01-09T23:11:00.000-05:00

Georgia has been having some unseasonably warm days lately. We decided to take advantage of the mild weather and enjoy some time outside over New Years. The kids had a blast riding their new power wheels, coloring pictures, chasing Lady around the yard, and taking turns in the swing. We decided to go to our local mexican restaurant on New Year's Eve and later put the kids to bed on time. They're not really ready yet to stay up late to ring in the New Year. My Mom gave us an expensive bottle of champagne that her boss had given her. So Kurt and I pulled out the toasting flutes we've used every year. Overall, it was a pretty low key holiday. But that suits us just fine!

Coloring pictures on a sunny day

Lucas's amazing laugh

Jacob the crayon hoarder

Sweet Sarah

Fun on the swing

Even a bungee cord is fun!

They're watching us!!!

2012-01-03T22:27:00.000-05:00

The triplets have seemed the leap forward this month in their development saying words, small phrases, and grasping concepts. It's so amazing to observe. What I think is funny (and sometimes alarming) is that they seem to be watching and absorbing every single thing we do and say. It seems like every day one of them will do or say something that we have never "taught" them. For example, the other day Sarah brought me a tube of chapstick and showed me how she puts it on her lips. I've never shown her that. Then she hands me a tube of lotion and pretends to smooth it on her hands and arms. I guess she sees me doing it? Last week we were on the porch and Jacob points up and says "sky". Maybe he saw sky on tv? The kids have really been enjoying their new play kitchen since Christmas. The other day Lucas was "cooking" with a pot on the stove when he took the lid off the pot, sprinkled some pepper in the pot, then replaced the lid. Amazing! Later the same day Lucas took my car keys off the table and tried to find a place to put them to start his new jeep. The kids are literally watching and trying to do everything we do. Awesome AND frightening!

Breakfast at the Koenig house

2011-12-31T00:11:00.000-05:00

These three unbelievably sweet faces make it hard to leave to go to work. Sigh. Kurt does a fantastic job as a stay-at-home Dad and I love my job but some days I wish I got to stay at home with the kids. This is one of those days.

Lucas the thinker

Sweetest Sarah

Jolly Jakers

Lovable Lucas

Christmas Morning

2011-12-28T22:55:00.000-05:00

Santa visited our house in the wee hours of Christmas Eve morning because he knew we had a busy Christmas Day planned and he's very accommodating! It turned out to be a good thing because all 3 were excited to see their gifts and ready to play. That night Sarah came down with a high fever and we now think she has Roseola. So having Santa come early was actually an even better blessing than we knew! The first thing the kids did was check out their new kitchen set. Then Jake was the first to test out the Power Wheels Jeep. Sarah and Luke were a little more unsure of it. Sarah enjoyed her new cabbage patch doll and every played with the busy ball popper.

The boys cooking up breakfast

Sarah giving kisses to her new baby

Traffic Jam!

Jake signals for a turn

The Perfect Card

2011-12-26T23:00:00.000-05:00

Tonight I realized I never posted the completed card. So here it is. I think it's my favorite one we've ever done.

Counting our Blessings

2011-12-22T21:43:00.000-05:00

Tonight I had one of those really special moments when you just stop and take it all in. Time seems to stand still for a moment and let you breathe it in. I had both boys snuggling with me on the couch (which doesn't happen a lot since Lucas is a wild man) and I was overcome with the feeling of being the luckiest person in the world. I leaned in and smelled both boys' heads. They smelled like baby shampoo, and little boy hair, and cookies (yes they had cookie crumbs in their hair). Only a mother knows the true joy of smelling their own baby's hair. I must have had a huge smile on my face because when I looked over at Kurt he smiled back and we both knew what the other was thinking. We are so lucky and so blessed to have these 3 little miracles in our lives.

Four years ago we were frustrated with all the "trying" to get pregnant. Three years ago we were still grieving the loss of our little girl. Two years ago I was on bedrest in the hospital trying to "bake" the trio a little longer. Last year was our first Christmas with our little 11 month old babies. And now we are here with our nearly two year old children. What an amazing ride it has been so far. I thought I'd celebrate with a little blast from the past- Christmas 2009 and living at Northside Hospital. The babies were born 2 weeks later!

My room nurse Meredith decorated

The giant belly. All 3 babies moving at once!

The side view- holy moly!

Uncle Terry talking to the babies

Keeping myself entertained with cross-stitching a bib

Making the Perfect Card

2011-12-22T00:05:00.000-05:00

A lot of thought, time, energy, and money goes into making the perfect Christmas card every year. Last year we cashed in on a great deal for free cards. This year we were not so lucky. So we had the local studio here in Newnan take the pics and make the cards. Not cheap but worth it. Here are some of the best of our little models.

Mimi and Papa even got in on the action and took some pics for their card. They also turned out great!

Santa Baby

2011-12-11T00:02:00.000-05:00

Today our neighborhood had its annual visit from Santa. We got dressed in our holiday gear and headed off to the clubhouse to have the triplet's pictures made. When we got there, there were about 25 other families in front of us which isn't too bad. We had to wait about 45 minutes but they had plenty of food and drinks. The kids snacked on mini muffins and chocolate chip cookies while we waited. Lucas instantly wanted to go socialize with the other children. Sarah and Jacob were content to hang with us. When it was finally our turn to see Santa, Sarah was afraid and started crying. Then Jake started crying. I think the two of them are starting a "fear of strangers" phase. Lucas was cool as could be and just chatted with the big guy. After bribing Sarah and Jake with bites of a cookie they settled down for a few pictures. But we never got a really good one of them looking at the camera. That is always a challenge! Oh well, maybe next year!

Busy December

2011-12-06T23:21:00.000-05:00

We have been busy, busy here in Newnan since Thanksgiving! Everyone keeps asking if we've finished our Christmas shopping yet. I wish! I try to get that tackled as early as possible but there always seem to be a few gifts that get put off until the last minute.

A week or so ago we decided to take the kiddos out for dinner at Red Lobster. We used both a coupon and a gift card so our meal only cost us $7. Woohoo! While we waited for a table, the manager came over and asked the kids if they wanted to see a lobster up-close. They were not too sure about this but they were fascinated by the bubbling tank. Lucas especially was one part intrigued and two parts terrified!

The manager shows the trio a live lobster

Lucas is 1 part intrigued & 2 parts terrified!

Last Saturday we had an outing with our Moms of Multiples Club at an art studio in Peachtree City. The kids stamped brown hand prints on t-shirts to make reindeer antlers and we filled in the rest of the face. Sarah and Lucas both socialized with the other kids but that was a little too much out of Jake's "comfort zone" so he hung out near Kurt and I. It's always fun to do things with other families of multiples. The kids each got to eat a "reindeer" cookie and I think that was the hit of the day!

Lucas checks out the hand stamping station

Once the hand prints are done Kurt paints the reindeer faces

Enjoying the reindeer cookies

Sarah makes friends with JoAnna's girls

I think Jake is wearing most of his cookie!

On Sunday we ventured out to Lowe's to get a Christmas tree. Like last year, we opted for a smaller 3 foot tree again. We just don't have the room in our cramped den for a big tree. Maybe by next year we will have some extra space and we can go back to getting a big tree. We took the wagon with us so the kids wouldn't get lost wandering around the store. As usual, it attracted a lot of attention! We found just the right tree and it even came with its own stand. Bonus!

Chugging along around Lowe's

Looking for the perfect tree

After getting a tree we decided to go to Hooters to watch some football and eat chicken wings. It's a good place to go with the kids because it's always loud and no one notices if the kids are acting up. The kids enjoyed their chicken fingers and tater tots. Lucas kept flirting with all the waitresses and attracted a lot of attention. He would clap for them and say "touchdown". He also gave them "high 5's" and the biggest smiles I've ever seen. When it was time to go, Lucas kept trying to break away from us and run back to the waitresses. He pitched a fit in the lobby and we had to drag him out kicking and screaming which is very unlike him. We better keep an eye on that boy...he's going to be quite the ladies man! hahahaha.

Yummy...tater tots!

Lucas liked the food but liked the waitresses more!

Sarah is happy as long as there is ketchup for her to dip in!

Happy Birthday Leyna Angel

2011-11-30T23:15:00.000-05:00

In all the chaos of Thanksgiving, I did not blog about a very important anniversary. It was 3 years ago last Tuesday our little Leyna was born sleeping and we had to say goodbye just as we had said hello. I bought a flower arrangement and candle to commemorate the day. Kurt and I lit the candle and prayed our sweet baby girl is up in Heaven and at peace. We miss you and think about you all the time baby girl. Thank you for asking God to send the triplets to us. Love, Mommy & Daddy

So Thankful

2011-11-25T23:19:00.000-05:00

I am thankful 365 days a year for my crazy, chaotic, awesome life. But Thanksgiving is the time when we really show it. I am so thankful for all my family and friends. I am thankful for Kurt and our babies. I am thankful for my pets, my house, my job, and all the other things that make our life so full. Last year was technically the trio's 1st Thanksgiving but they weren't up for eating much. They pretty much stuck to their bottles and some baby food. The year before that they were still tucked away in my belly. The year before that we were still grieving the loss of our sweet baby Leyna and had no idea the triplets would soon be on their way to us. So this year was very special because they got to sit at the table and enjoy turkey with us. They sampled the stuffing, the mashed potatoes, the corn casserole, the sweet potatoes, and the cranberries. Lucas was obsessed with the dinner rolls. Jake wore his cranberries above his lip like a mustache. Sarah preferred to eat the food off Nana's plate rather than her own. We had a full house with 15 adults and 3 children for dinner. But the tight space and noisy room were just more things to be thankful for!

Daddy sharing food with his boys

Jacob ready to dig in!

Sarah chowing down

Group shot of the "kids" table

Big Kid Cuts

2011-11-23T00:19:00.001-05:00

It's that time again...off to Zany Cuts we go for a trio of new "do's". How do we look, ma? Fabulous!

Jakers

Lucas Man

Sarah Bugs

Little Hoarder

2011-11-15T23:25:00.000-05:00

They all start somewhere. And Lucas has a pretty good start. Lucas has been hoarding toys and small items since he could crawl. He has one particular spot where he likes to store his treasures and thankfully I know where that is. It's in the space between the love seat and the end table. From time to time I clean it out of clutter but it had obviously been awhile. I only noticed it yesterday because I dropped the TV remote in that little cubby and had to crouch down to fish it out. When I emptied Luke's cubby of items I found a bag of Sarah's lost hair bows, a missing necklace, 2 drink coasters, a block, a plastic toy frog, a teething ring, 2 sticky notes, and tags off one of the kids' brand new clothes. I'm not exactly sure what he planned on doing with those items, but we may have a little MacGyver on our hands! Haha.

The Evidence

Nanny's for the Day

2011-11-13T22:07:00.000-05:00

This weekend Kurt and I had the opportunity to watch the Dawgs crush the Auburn Tigers in Athens. Usually we trade off going to football games and the other stays home to watch the trio, but my mom and grandmother (Nanny) volunteered to keep the trio so we could both go to the game. Once word got out the trio would be in town, the rest of the family showed up too and made an impromptu cookout. I was sorry we missed it but I know the trio had a fun time. Kurt and I also had a great time in Athens. With it also being our 7 year wedding anniversary this weekend, it was nice to spend some time in the place we met and fell in love.

Jake finds a shoe!

Nanny snuggles on the sofa with Luke, Sarah, & cousin Zane

Sarah cares for a baby doll

Bittersweet Moments

2011-11-06T22:28:00.000-05:00

Nothing catches you off guard like a moment that is both sweet and sad. Many mornings I am up and off to work before anyone wakes up. But sometimes my schedule makes it so that the kids are eating breakfast as I head off to work, briefcase and purse in hand. Sometimes Sarah starts waving goodbye to me as soon as she sees me reach for my purse. She knows that mommy's purse means "bye bye" time. But the sweetest/sadest moment happened a few days ago with Lucas. We have a toy that looks like a purple briefcase. As I was getting ready to head off to work, Lucas picked up the purple "briefcase", waved "bye bye" and headed for the door. He thought he was headed off to work too. I wasn't sure whether to laugh or to cry. On the one hand it was so precious that he was immitating mommy. But on the other hand he was imitating me leaving him. I think most every working mother carries some guilt of not being there with her babies. This just drove a stake into to core of that guilt. But I know I'm providing for my family. So I'll keep heading out the door with that briefcase 5 days a week. And I'm sure there will be many more bittersweet moments like this along the way.

Pumpkin Patch

2011-11-01T22:07:00.000-04:00

This past weekend we visited the pumpkin patch behind Dad & Elizabeth's house. The kiddos had fun looking at and touching each pumpkin. Lucas thought it was his personal task to move all the little pumpkins from where they were set up to be with the big pumpkins. Jake wasn't thrilled with the pumpkins as it was past his naptime and he was crashing fast. Sarah liked tossing the pumpkins. We will definitely be making this an annual tradition.

Lucas picking out the perfect pumpkin

Sarah and Jake looking over the mini pumpkins

Sarah liked tossing the mini pumpkins

Grandpa William and Jacob William head home

Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T22:41:00.000-04:00

Well another Halloween is behind us. And that means I am another year older. This year the focus was more on the kids and Halloween than on me adding a one to my thirty. For my 30th we had a big blowout party. This year we just had a small party with family over the weekend. Tonight we took the kids over to our good friend Carolyn's house for a little "pre" trick-or-treat party. The kids posed for some pics and ate some yummy food. Then we headed back to our own house to hand out candy. The kids (monkeys) had a ball handing out candy from their "cage" as us zookeepers wrangled them. They waved, talked to, and gave a high 5 to every kid who came up. By bedtime they were all 3 having a sugar crash and were out before I finished their bedtime story. Pics are below.

Handing out candy from her monkey cage

Luke with his mini pumpkin

Head zookeeper with her favorite girl monkey

Head zookeepers wrangling the tribe

Rockin' The Rock Ranch

2011-10-19T23:39:00.000-04:00

This past Saturday we made a pilgrimage to "The Rock" Georgia (near Barnesville) to visit The Rock Ranch. We have never been before but I love fall fair-type places and all outdoor activities. There is so much to do there. They have train rides, a corn maze, pumpkins, fishing, paddle boats, zip lines, and more. Our Moms of Multiples group organized the outing which is always a blast because it allows our hubbies and all of our kiddos to interact and bond. We had a campfire and picnic tables set up to enjoy lunch. Many of the older kids took off to jump in the bounce houses or do the zip line but we just enjoyed sitting on a blanket and letting the kids run around. It was a beautiful fall day!

Just a sweet pic of my bug

Sometimes the wagon is more fun than anything else!

Nana hugging 2 of her babies

Luke relaxing on Daddy

No one better mess with Jake's wagon!

Time to go home :'-(

October then and now

2011-10-15T21:48:00.000-04:00

October is probably my favorite month of the year! I love the leaves changing colors, crisp weather, college football, Halloween, and of course my birthday. It's also a chance to check out the triplets' pics now and the same time last year.

Enjoy!

And the winner is...

2011-10-13T22:50:00.000-04:00

In August we entered a contest for a free set of rain gear. And much to my surprise, we actually won! So little miss got a ladybug set of rain wear. It's so adorable! And she absolutely loves it! She fought me to take off the coat for dinner but I won that battle. She would NOT let me have the boots though. She wore them all over the house. I thought we might have to put her to bed with them on! But she finally let me have them. My stubborn daughter :-)

http://www.kidsrainwear.com/

One pic is with the hat and the other is without.

An Apple a Day...

2011-10-07T21:31:00.000-04:00

I think quite a few of these blogs posts are about little milestones the kids achieve but it seems like the tiniest ones are the ones that amaze me the most. Tonight I taught Sarah and Lucas how to take bites off a whole apple. I was sitting on the couch enjoying an apple and Sarah hopped up in my lap to investigate what I was doing. After watching me a few times, she wanted to try. It took her a couple bites to get the hang of it but then she did it perfectly just like a grown-up. Lucas didn't want to be outdone so soon he hopped up too and wanted to try. After a few attempts he had figured it out too. Jacob was not too interested in the apple. Perhaps if it had been a block of cheese...his favorite!

The Boys are Catching Up!

2011-10-06T21:33:00.000-04:00

For months Sarah has been the chatterbox of the group. But the boys are making quite a bit of progress. Lucas in particular likes to say phrases like "have bite" (I would like a bite of what you're eating), "all gone" (obvious), and "touchdown" (The Dawgs are the best team in college football).

Jacob has said "thank you" to us more than once and is getting good at asking for juice also. Jacob is also the best "sippy cup hunter". When we ask him to round up all the drink cups he can usually find them all...even under couches, in laundry baskets, in toy boxes, and more. Oh and Jacob is also in love with his Tow-Mater matchbox car. He must have it for every nap and at bedtime.

Sarah said her name the other day and I scooped her up and gave her the biggest hug. I was so proud! The littlest things make a mom the proudest!

The Lightweight

2011-09-28T21:04:00.000-04:00

Poor Jacob, just can't hold his desserts. One sugar crash from a half of a cupcake and he's passed out in his chair. On their 20 month birthday we gave each of the kiddos a half of a cupcake. Here is the before picture of Jake enjoying his treat. And just minutes later...out like a light!

Before

After

20 Months

2011-09-27T21:45:00.000-04:00

This month when the trio turned 20 months old (I'll be so happy when we switch to years not months) I didn't have a working camera and we were out of town so we didn't get a chance to snap their normal birthday pic. But Kurt's Dad was kind enough to take a pic so here it is as well as their pic 1 year ago for comparison. They sure have changed a lot! We weighed them tonight just to get an idea of where they are. These are weights on a full stomach (and maybe a full diaper too) so they may be different than the doctors office but here they are as of tonight.

Sarah: 25lbs 11ozs
Jacob: 28lbs 6ozs
Lucas: 27lbs 13ozs

The Busy Blogger

2011-09-26T22:51:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I was quickly reading through a few friends' blog updates when I realized it's nearly the end of September and I've only written 4 posts! So few posts is not an indication that we've had an uneventful month. In fact it's quite the opposite...we've been constantly on the run!

The month started with our trip to the Smokey Mountains. I've already blogged about the fun there. Once we returned, we immediately had to put the finishing touches on our items for the Moms of Multiples Fall Consignment Sale. Each item (including clothing) had to be marked, priced, and tagged for the sale. Kurt and I were up many late nights attaching safety pins to infant clothing. I don't know if my sore fingers will ever forgive me! Together Kurt and I worked 3 shifts at the sale and are proud to report that most all of our items sold. We don't have the final totals in yet, but we are hoping to have made $200 at least. Fingers crossed!

Just days after the sale, I packed a bag for a girls weekend with my Mom, her friend Janie and mom Dot, and my friend Kristy. We headed down to Panama City Beach for a few days of fun in the sun to squeeze out the last bits of summer. We had a blast! I don't know if I've ever laughed so hard in all my life! Kurt stayed home with the trio. I know it was chaotic at home, but he survived!

This past weekend, we finally had some time to work on a few tasks around the house. It was greatly needed! We got the inside clean (mostly) and with Dad and Elizabeth's help were able to tackle the garage. I am so grateful for their help. I can finally park my car in the garage! Oh garage, how I've missed you!!!

This coming weekend we will be on the road again headed to Athens. We're planning to have some family watch the kiddos so Kurt and I can both go to the Georgia game. He and I usually take turns going to the games so we don't have to find a sitter. So it will be quite a treat for both of us to go to the same game. Hopefully I can find some more time to blog. I hate doing the "summary" posts but sometimes it's necessary!

A whole lotta love!

2011-09-13T22:37:00.000-04:00

The trio is going through a phase right now where they want to kiss. So there are lots of slobbery kisses at our house now every day. And I wouldn't trade it for all the money in the world.

On the road again...

2011-09-11T22:41:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I think we are really brave. Or maybe just really dumb. But we decided to take the trio on a trip to the Tennessee mountains. Overall the trip was a lot of fun and I'm glad we went. But the trip home was pretty rocky. The trio was well off their schedule and in our world that equates to total toddler meltdown.

Day 1: We left Newnan on Saturday morning. The trip took longer than planned because of Labor Day Weekend traffic and slow service at Cracker Barrel. But we finally made in to Sevierville (next to Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg) and checked into our condo. The 3 bedroom condo was beautiful. It was great for Kurt & I to have our own room separate from the triplets. We didn't do a whole lot just unpacked and lounged around the condo.

Day 2: After breakfast we took off for Parrot Mountain. They had lots of cool birds. We knew we would have to do this one early as the rain was expected to move in that evening. And it sure did, right on schedule! The kids were a little shy around the birds but I could tell they enjoyed it.

Sarah wants to be sure that bird stays put

Jake is cool with the birds

Day 3: Since it was raining pretty heavily we took off for the Titanic museum. The outside of the museum was a replica of the Titanic ship. Inside all the staff was dressed as crew from the actual boat. They gave us a boarding pass when we arrived detailing the history of one of the real-life passengers. At the end of the tour, you got to find out if you character survived or not. I was a woman traveling in first class so I was pretty sure I survived. And I did! They also had an exact replica of the famous ornate staircase. Later that night we attended the Dixie Stampede which is a dinner show. I was a little worried the kids would not have the patience to sit through the whole show but they did and loved it!

Jake couldn't take his eyes of the show

Sarah liked clapping and dancing with the songs

Day 4: After breakfast this day we took the kids swimming. It finally stopped raining and we could go outside. Sarah loved it immediately. The boys had to warm up to it some. But by the end no one wanted to leave. That night, Kurt and I got to have a little date night out on the town. I dragged him to the movie "The Help" and then we went to The Melting Pot in Gatlinburg. My favorite. After dinner we walked around Gatlinburg for a bit before heading back to our condo.

Jake just splashing away

Daddy giving Sarah some sugar

My serious Lucas

Day 5: We packed our bags and checked out of the condo by 10am. We stopped off at Flapjacks for breakfast before hitting the trail. The kids did good for a majority of the ride but toward the end they just couldn't handle it anymore. When we got home we fed them dinner, bathed them, and put them straight to bed much earlier than we usually do. They needed it!

Overall, I am glad we went. We had lots of fun experiences. But traveling with 3 toddlers is no easy task. We probably won't travel with them again until our annual beach trip in May. By then they will be nearly 2 1/2. I'm not sure if the tantrums will be better or worse. We shall see!

To pee or not to pee...that is the question!

2011-09-05T22:59:00.000-04:00

Today we are still on vacation so this post will be short and sweet. More info on the vacation in a future post. But I just thought everyone could use a little comic relief. Lucas had a surprise for me as I carried him from his bath to the changing table. Gee thanks son. Enjoy a little laughter at my expense. Ha ha!

Say What???

2011-09-02T00:06:00.000-04:00

As a parent, there are lots of little things your kids do that make you laugh. Some they should. Some they shouldn't. Well we now have one in the "shouldn't" category. Sarah has started saying her first "bad" word. I knew the day would come when one of the children repeated something Kurt or I said that shouldn't be repeated. In fact, I've been working very hard to get rid of any bad language in the house. But Sarah has started saying a word that neither Kurt nor I ever say. And I don't think she heard it on tv. So where did it come from? My sweet little precious daughter says "bitch" as plain as day. When she says it, the word sounds crystal clear coming from her innocent little mouth. She points to my arm, shoulder or boob and very insistently says "bitch". Every time she says it, Kurt and I can barely quiet our laughter. It's much to hilarious to be alarming. Any theories on what our little princess is trying to say? There's just no way it is what it sounds like. Not from my little angel girl.

Just Plum Tuckered Out

2011-08-28T22:39:00.000-04:00

Probably the single most important secret to surviving life with multiples...

Keeping a schedule!

Whenever the babies are off their schedule they tend to get restless, whiny, cranky, and worse. But sometimes it just can't be helped. This weekend we visited with Mimi and Big Daddy. They had a ball playing with the trio while Kurt and I went to a friend's 30th birthday party. And for the most part we stuck to the schedule but all the extra attention and activity just wore the trio out. These pics were snapped on the drive back to Newnan. Such precious sleepy faces!

Sunday is Fun Day!

2011-08-14T23:23:00.000-04:00

Today we hosted a Castles and Crowns party at our house (very nice children's clothes) and it was a great excuse to get some friends together for a play-date. In addition to the trio, we also had 1 1/2 year old Bennett, 10 month old Kayli, and 3 year old Emily. The kids played really well together. It makes me want to have more play-dates for the kiddos!

Brooke reading to Sarah

Sweet little man B

Let the toy bonanza begin!

Mr. Blue eyes Luke

Mommy Carol with baby Kayli

Sarah with her buddy Emily

Jake just wants some attention

Our little chatterbox

2011-08-11T23:28:00.001-04:00

I've always heard that girls begin talking earlier than boys. And nobody proves it better than our little Sarah. Her brothers say a few things here and there and babble quite a bit but Sarah is that star student. She tries to say EVERYTHING we say, whether it's good or not. I've decided to use the blog to make a list of things she says. It really is quite precious to hear her words.

Things Sarah says:

MaMa, DaDa, Mommy, Nana, Nanny, hi, bye, no, yeah/yes, up, yummy yummy (nummy nummy), belly, baby, nose, eyes, bear, kitty, doggy, Lady, Thank you (tank ooo), banana (a-nana), apple (appa), ball, shoes, uh-oh, oh-no, sit, good girl, & good boy.

I'm sure there are more but that is all my tired brain can recall at the moment. I love to hear my little chatty cathy!

Rub a dub dub, 3 in the tub!

2011-08-09T23:20:00.000-04:00

Last weekend Kurt's dad took some cute pics of the kiddos "hamming" it up in the bath. They are just too cute not to share. Enjoy!

Amazing August

2011-08-08T22:58:00.000-04:00

August 2009- 11 Weeks Pregnant

August 2010- 7 Months Old

August 2011- 19 Months Old

Times flies when you're having fun!

Nana's Big Surprise!

2011-08-06T22:32:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago at our professional photo shoot, the triplets got to play with a giant stuffed bear. They absolutely loved it! So when my mom (Nana) was out shopping a few days later and saw one for sale, she knew she just had to get it for the kids. Today, she brought it down to show them. They love it! We're going to let them play with it for a day or two and then put it up for Christmas. So they got a great surprise today and will get it again on Christmas morning.

The trio anxiously awaiting Nana's surprise

Sarah giving the bear a big hug

Jake loves the bear!

Sarah and Luke test out the bear

The Tuck

2011-08-03T22:06:00.000-04:00

The coolest thing I've noticed lately about the triplets is that they are starting to really understand questions we ask or commands we give them. Not that they OBEY said commands but they understand. I can tell them to "bring me..." or "go show your daddy..." and they know what I want. For the past month or two we ask Sarah at night if she "wants to be tucked in". She likes to be tucked in so she lays down in her crib and waits to be covered up. We also tuck her fox or bunny in right beside her. The boys haven't really shown much interest in this until a few days ago. Now they too want to be "tucked in". It is the sweetest thing. Although usually they bounce right up in their cribs and the "tuck" doesn't last. But for that brief moment, they are our little snuggle bugs.

18 Months...and Growing!

2011-07-28T23:15:00.000-04:00

The triplets are growing so fast. I know I say that all the time. But it's true. Just look...

Bo Duke Style

2011-07-26T22:28:00.000-04:00

We've had the cozy coupe a week or two now and the kids still love it! But Lucas by far has the biggest love affair with the coupe. He thinks it is "his" car only and doesn't hesitate to pull one of his siblings out if he wants a turn. (Trying to teach and discipline three 18-month old toddlers is a story all on its own. But we'll save that for another day.) But the funniest thing about Luke is that he refuses to use the car door to get in and out of the coupe. He only wants to go through the window "Bo Duke" style. He knows how to use the door. He gets how it works. He's sees Jake and Sarah using it. But he only climbs in through the window. NASCAR in his future??? We shall see.

Bo Duke and Lucas Koenig...kindred spirits???

200 Posts and 5,000 points later...

2011-07-14T23:02:00.000-04:00

This post marks the 200th blog post I've written since I started just after we found out the triplets were on the way. My first post was on July 17, 2011. What a crazy 2 years this has been! Since the triplets made their debut, we have been steadily collecting "Pampers Points" in the hopes of redeeming them for a big prize. Well after 18 months of faithful collecting, we finally had enough (5,000) to get the Cozy Coupe car. The box arrived on our doorstep and the kids were instantly intrigued.

Luke is intrigued by the giant box

Jake is intrigued but has no idea what it is

They even helped Kurt put it together.

Sarah knows how to put it together

Luke knows where the steering wheel goes

And now they love the finished product! Until the kids get potty-trained we will keep on collecting. More prizes to come!

Sarah wants to go for a ride

Luke was the first official driver

Jake loves cruising around the kitchen

What's up doc?

2011-07-12T22:55:00.000-04:00

This morning, we took the kids for their 18 month check-up. As usual, Dr. Roberts and the nurses were excited to see them. Everyone commented on how fast the trio has grown. Today their measurements were:

Sarah- 23lbs. 6ozs. (40th percentile) and 32 inches (60th percentile)
Jacob- 25lbs. 6ozs. (44th percentile) and 32 inches (42nd percentile)
Lucas- 25lbs. 0ozs. (39th percentile) and 33 inches (70th percentile)

We had to complete a development survey and each of the kiddos scored excellent! Sarah had met all the milestones with Luke missing just 1 and Jake missing just 2. They are right on track! The doc was not at all concerned that the boys cannot clearly say as many words as Sarah. Dr. Roberts says this is very common among boys and girls. The only "homework" he gave us before our next visit (2 year check up) is to begin talking about going potty with the kids. He doesn't expect we will even begin potty training until sometime after their second birthday, but he said it's a good idea to start introducing the concepts now.

Today the kids had to each have 2 vaccinations. But now they are completely done until age 4 with the exception of a seasonal flu shot. I know they are happy about that! We just pray that the kids will be healthy through these next few months and we don't have to see Dr. Roberts again until their 2 year check up in January.

Rockin' the Reunion

2011-07-11T17:11:00.000-04:00

My grandmother, along with her sister and brother, put together a family reunion cookout that was held this past weekend- July 9th. They've been talking about wanting to do it for years, but this year they finally made it happen. So we loaded up the kids in the minivan and headed about 2 hours north & west to Rockmart. Before my Great Grandparents died, we made several of these trips each year. But since they've been gone (about the last 10 years) we've only been a handful of times. I really want to get in the habit of making these trips more often. I have so many memories of time spent out in the "country" and I want that for my kiddos too. Nothing will replace Maw Maw Owen's grilled cheese sandwiches, playing Uno cards for hours at a time, or climbing the big tree out back, but there are still good times to be had.

Yvonne & Edwin hosted the cookout at their house and we had a great time! The only downside was the kids were so tired from all the fun and almost no nap at all, that they just screamed their heads off when we got home. We put them to bed early and they slept from 7pm to 9am the next morning. We learned our lesson... our kids MUST have at least 1 good nap to survive the day. They were miserable! But it was worth the trip to see everyone, especially all the kids that have been born since we were last there.

Mom & I Pool Buddies

The boys with their favorite aunties!

Sarah with cousin Krista

Luke is a cool dude

6 months vs. 18 months

2011-07-06T22:28:00.000-04:00

The journey from July 2010 to July 2011. This time last year I was prepping for a business trip to Michigan. I was super stressed at how I was going to pump, store, and travel with a week's worth of milk. I had roughly 200 ounces of milk packed into little milk storage bags. I sure am glad to not be a milk factory anymore!

Just can't keep a straight face!

2011-07-05T22:26:00.000-04:00

This weekend was the July 4th holiday and we had LOTS of fun!!! Saturday we had the Trenary clan over for some pool time and a cookout. The babies loved going to the pool! Sunday I had lunch with Dana and Heather and then later went to a party at Carolyn and Rollin's house. We did use the illegal Alabama fireworks I scored last week while working in West Point. Contraband fireworks are always the best! On Monday Terry came over to spend some time with his favorite (and only) neice and nephews. They just love their Uncle Scary! There was so much fun and laughter throughout the weekend, we caught the kids making all kinds of funny faces. Here are a few!

2 Years Ago Today...

2011-07-03T00:11:00.000-04:00

Many people have heard this story before but I thought everyone might enjoy the recap. Two years ago today I went to the OB for my very first ultrasound with that pregnancy. I had taken a pregnancy test a few weeks earlier and knew we had a little one on the way. No one could have prepared me for the news I got that day! Kurt couldn't get off work as it was the Thursday before the July 4th weekend and too many people were already off work. So my friend Gina volunteered to go with me and be my support. I was very nervous to go as the last time I was pregnant, my ultrasound had gone horribly wrong. But I showed up at my appointment on time. I was a ball of nerves pacing that waiting room.

They were behind schedule with patients so it took nearly an hour before I was seen. Luba the ultrasound tech started the scan and instantly became very quiet. That made me even more nervous as that is often a sign of a problem. Then she asked me "well how many did you want?". That was a very strange question to ask but when she turned the screen toward me I could see exactly what she meant. There on the screen I saw 3 sacs with 3 little babies in them with 3 little beating hearts. To say I was shocked is the understatement of the year! A million emotions flooded me all at once. I didn't know how to react. I was scared, excited, afraid, happy and more all rolled into one.

While I was still sitting in the exam room, my mom called me on my cell phone. She was sure my appointment would be over by then (as they had been an hour late getting me in) and wanted to see how everything had gone. I was too surprised to even tell her the news. I had to call her back. I had no idea how to tell Kurt the news and didn't want to tell him over the phone but after a few hours he called me. He was concerned he hadn't heard anything about the appointment. So I had to tell him over the phone. He was also very surprised but less scared than me. His confidence throughout the first few months of the pregnancy helped me so much. I needed someone to believe we could actually do this. He believed in me when I couldn't even believe in myself.

So today on the 2 year anniversary of the news that forever changed our lives, I want to thank God for blessing us with these 3 amazing gifts. I want to thank our friends and family for supporting us every step of the way. And I want to thank Kurt for being the glue that holds the chaos together!

What I saw on the monitor that day- 07/02/09

Outdoor fun with a new swing!

2011-07-01T22:18:00.000-04:00

Since taking down the infant swings around the triplets' 1st birthday, I've been wanting to put up a new swing for them to enjoy. We got this Little Tikes swing on sale a few weeks ago and Kurt put it up. Sarah loved it instantly. Luke likes it...sometimes. Jake is not too sure of it just yet. But we've still had a lot of fun outside enjoying the beautiful weather.

They suck!

2011-06-30T22:51:00.000-04:00

Or rather, I should say, they use straws! The triplets can drink from a straw! Tonight Kurt and I were both feeling like we needed to get out of the house for dinner. Night after night at home can wear on you. So we packed the kiddos up and headed to a local favorite. While we are eating Kurt casually mentions "Sarah and Luke can drink from a straw now". I was completely shocked. They can? I had no idea. Kurt just sort of stumbled upon this fact today when both kids drank out of his glass with a straw. We've been working so hard these past 3 months to get them used to sippy cups we didn't even try a straw. Where did they learn it? I suppose part instinct and part observing us. I was so excited that Sarah and Luke could do it, I was anxious to see if Jake would do it too. And he did! While this may seem like a small milestone to the outside observer, it just proved to me once again that my kids are the most amazing kids in the whole world!

Belly time!

2011-06-29T21:56:00.000-04:00

Sarah has "discovered" her belly and loves to show it off. And now I am compelled to show off this precious little video. Enjoy!

Picasso? Maybe not.

2011-06-26T23:05:00.000-04:00

At our last check-up our pediatrician gave us a few tasks to work on. Homework. And like the good students we are, we must have all our work completed before our next visit.
Tasks:
** Get the triplets completely off bottles and onto using sippy cups (Check!!)
** Make a time to read to the triplets every day (Check!!)
** Brush the triplets' teeth (Check!!)
** Introduce a fork and spoon (not very successful with this one)
** Introduce crayons (check this one off today!)

We decided today was the day to introduce crayons to the trio. Sarah and Luke took to it right away. We showed them how to scribble and they imitated us. Jake managed to bite off the tips of the green and black crayons. He was much more interested in chomping on them than scribbling. We'll have to work with him a bit. But overall they managed to color a masterpiece. May not be much to others but this mama was proud enough to tape it to the fridge! This first ever piece of art will definitely go in their baby book.

Sarah draws as Luke stands on the masterpiece

Jake just wants to eat the crayons

Lucas tries to hoard the crayons

Hoof and Mouth?

2011-06-21T22:55:00.000-04:00

Last Wednesday night Lucas spiked his first ever "worrisome" fever. I'm sure at some point, all the kiddos have had the minor "teething" or "post-vaccine" fevers. But his was at least 102 degrees. He was not his usual playful self. All he wanted to do was curl up on my lap. And of course this all happened the one night Kurt is off at a Braves game.

Fast-forward to the next morning and there are 3 fevers. So we call the doc because of a suspected ear infection outbreak and he asks us to bring them in. After examination, the doc diagnosed our tribe with the coxsackie virus otherwise known as hand-foot-mouth disease. This is apparently a common virus among little ones although I had never heard of it. He says they have little white sores in their mouths and throats. Luckily, it's rare for adults with normal immune systems to suffer from the virus so we at least knew we'd be healthy enough to care for the kiddos. But for the life of me, I cannot quit calling it Hoof and Mouth Disease. So now there are some people out there thinking I'm a mother to a herd of cattle instead of my heard of toddlers. lol.

The rest of Thursday, Friday, and the weekend went as could be expected. Lots of acetaminophen and Pedialyte was consumed as we nursed the tribe back to health. But we didn't let it dampen our weekend. One of the triplets' honorary aunties (Janna) came down and stayed with us for a few days. She even introduced us to some health food- yikes! Saturday we took the kiddos to the pool and Sunday we had most of the family over for a Father's Day luncheon. It's hard to believe that 2 years ago on Father's Day we had just gotten a positive pregnancy test. We knew we were expecting but who could have imagined the news we would get a few weeks later?!?!

Luke & Sarah getting their feet wet

Sarah testing out the new float

Jake is not sure he likes the pool

Happy Birthday Davey!

2011-06-11T22:53:00.000-04:00

Today, we went to Davey's 3rd birthday party. Davey's parents Samantha and Mark are good friends of ours. The party had a golf theme and was a lot of fun! Sammy had little green buckets full of golf goodies with each child's name written on the outside with stickers. Very creative!

Back in the day...

2011-06-08T23:06:00.000-04:00

Oh how fast the time does fly! The difference in the babies from June 2010 to June 2011 is amazing!

Orange for Owen

2011-06-01T23:24:00.000-04:00

It's after 10pm and the kids are finally down for the night, the daily chores are all completed, and the house is dark and quiet. I finally have a few precious moments all to myself to log-in to the blog. The first thing I do is check the recent posts. Melissa hasn't posted today. I knew she probably wouldn't have the time or the words on a day like today. But I selfishly hoped she'd had a few minutes to write about how the service was. Did she get to tell the story of her sweet warrior man? Did she make it through? I know she'll post again when she's up to it.

My heart goes out to her today and for many days to come. Melissa is a triplet mommy just like me, and although we've never met, just that fact alone forms an instant kinship. Triplet mommies just "get" one another. Just two weeks ago, baby Owen was a healthy, happy baby boy. Now SIDS has cut his life here on Earth short. But in one final act of bravery and love, Owen's heart, liver, and kidneys were given to help spare the lives of others.

Yesterday Melissa wrote a post asking those who could come to little Owen's funeral as well as those who could not attend to wear orange in support of him. So that's exactly what I did. It's just a small thing but it's the most I could do from so far away. I know a little about the road she's about to head down. It's going to be a tough journey and I just pray her support and faith is enough to pull her through.

Don't bother me...I'm walking!

2011-06-01T00:19:00.000-04:00

There's one thing that is really funny about the triplets full-out walking now. All the pictures I get of them are of their back sides. As if to say "too busy...places to go, people to see!" Farewell my little walkers!

The Annual Trenary-Koenig Beach Trip

2011-06-01T00:07:00.000-04:00

Just about the time we settled back into Newnan-life, it was time to pack everyone up and head back to the beach. I don't usually plan vacations back to back but that's just how everyone's schedules worked out. We tried a new condo this year (Watercrest) and it was fantastic- the best one we've stayed in!

We again had 5 days of gorgeous weather and lots of fun times. Kurt and I decided we would be "daredevils" on this trip and try a few new things. Luckily, Dad and Elizabeth didn't mind watching the trio while we headed out on these adventures. First up on this list was parasailing. I was terrified to do it, but really enjoyed it. The adventure included me being bucked off a turbulent banana boat ride and briefly losing my tankini bottoms in the ocean. Kurt and I went up on our first parasail in tandem but a malfunction on the boat caused our tour to be cut short and everyone having to wait for another boat. The bobbing boat ride made Kurt a little queasy so I took the 2nd parasailing ride solo while he waited on the shore. I'm definitely a fan of parasailing and will do it again in the future.

The next adventure we decided to tackle was the reverse bungee or "slingshot". You are strapped into a chair and flung 360 feet in the air, then free fall back toward the ground, then spring up & down a few times. We got a souvenir video of the whole adventure and it has already been posted to Facebook. The video is hilarious! It's fun to say we did the slingshot but I don't think I will ever do it again. I'll stick to parasailing!

Overall, Sarah and Luke really enjoyed the beach. They liked playing in the sand and the kiddie pool. I even took Sarah out into the ocean with me. She's so easygoing with trying new things. Jake, on the other hand, was not having any part of the beach. I think he was frightened by the ocean and didn't like touching the sand. I sure hope he gets over his fears before next year! It will be a real bummer to have a child who won't play at the beach!

One big accomplishment from the trip is that the trips really had a lot of time to practice their walking skills. They have quickly turned into really good walkers and barely crawl at all anymore. They have seen that walking is the way to go and they love it!

Lucas playing in the sand

Sarah enjoying the pool

Kurt & I ready for parasailing

Dig Baby, Dig!

2011-05-18T23:20:00.000-04:00

This past Friday my mom and I packed up my car, tossed Sarah in the back, and headed for Panama City Beach, Florida. We decided a few months ago to join my aunt Tracie and her brood for their annual trip. Once word spread, most of the Robinson clan joined in and we soon had 16 (9 adults and 7 kids) people packed into 4 vehicles. It was wonderful to get away for a few days. Kurt stayed home with the boys for a little bonding time of their own. We enjoyed some beautiful weather and fantastic seafood. Although I should have been a little more diligent with the sunscreen! Sarah enjoyed all the attention and really liked the beach. Although she didn't like me putting her feet in the ocean. Maybe next year! One of the cutest moments of the trip involved Sarah and cousin Zane (Derick and MaryBeth's 3 year old). He wanted to build a sandcastle with Sarah so he gave her a shovel and set off to start the project. A moment later he came back over to Sarah puzzled why she wasn't helping. He said "dig baby, dig!" thinking she just needed a little encouragement. All of the adults were laughing hysterically. It was so cute he did not understand that she was too young to know what to do with a shovel. I don't think any of us will forget that line as long as we live! Here are my favorite pics from the trip.

Timeless Tuesday...

2011-05-10T22:33:00.000-04:00

If you're reading this Brooke, sorry girl, I just had to steal it!

I'm "borrowing" my friend's blog post idea to show the triplets now and at this same time last year. Wow, the differences are unbelievable! Back then, all they ate/drank was breast milk and formula. Now they eat mostly the same food we eat. Back then, they were not crawling, pulling up, cruising, or walking. Now they do all of those things. Back then, they were not babbling, saying a few actual words, giving kisses, waving, or clapping. Now they are. Looking into the next 12 months, it's so exciting to think of what they will do next.

Mother's Day Etched in Time

2011-05-09T23:10:00.000-04:00

Before I became a mother, I never really thought much about Mother's Day. As I sit here in my bonus room chair typing this post, I scour my brain to come up with just one single memory from a Mother's Day past. I have always been a dutiful daughter, celebrating the day with my mom. And in 1996 when my dad remarried, I worked to make my step-mom feel special too. But I still can't remember a single Mother's Day before 2009.

That Mother's Day was the worst. Our baby girl Leyna was supposed to be born in April, the month before. But at Thanksgiving, we lost our sweet baby. So you can imagine how painful it was to have empty arms that should have been cradling our newborn daughter. I didn't even want to celebrate that day. Although I had no idea at the time, I was just weeks away from finding out I was pregnant with the triplets.

Mother's Day 2010 was quite chaotic. We were still settling into life with infant triplets. We were actually getting a little sleep by this point, but the day was still super busy juggling food, families, and babies!

This year's Mother's Day was just perfect. I spent the entire day relaxing. I played on the floor all morning with the munchkins. Then my mom and I hit to pool. Later, I managed to squeeze in a nap. Life just doesn't get any better than that. And the trio gave me the best presents of all. This weekend, they finally decided to start walking. They practiced hard all weekend and by Sunday afternoon they were toddling all over the place. I couldn't be any more proud of my babies...oh excuse me...toddlers! I have a feeling these Mother's Day memories are going to hang around awhile!

Mobility Update

2011-05-05T22:47:00.000-04:00

Lucas is walking. Sort of. I'm not really sure if it's true walking since it's not his primary mode of transport yet. Crawling is still his #1. He can walk across the play area with no help and walk from his activity table to the couch, loveseat, or coffee table. He must take at least a dozen steps when he does this. Is that truly walking? For the sake of argument we will say it is. Jake and Sarah are progressing well too but they are only comfortable taking 4 or 5 solo steps at a time. I'd say though in the past week or two they have all made monumental strides. It's really getting exciting!

Look Ma, No Hands!

2011-04-28T22:35:00.000-04:00

After much hard work, we finally captured all 3 kids just standing around. They do it all the time now. Their balance has improved a lot. Also, all 3 babies are now taking a few tentative steps before falling down. I think we are right on the edge of walking. But capturing this milestone on camera in near impossible. Kurt's Dad got a few good pics of the boys but Sarah has eluded us. I finally snapped one with my phone. It's a little blurry, but you'll get the idea. Here's to mobility my babies!

Easter Then & Now

2011-04-26T21:46:00.000-04:00

Easter 2010 was a beautiful spring day. The babies were just 3 months old and we were still adjusting to life at home with 3 infants. We dressed the kids in their Easter finest and toted them off to church in their infant carriers. They pretty much slept through the entire service and through most of the day!

Fast forward to Easter 2011...

Now we have busy, silly, funny, crazy toddlers! We opted not to take them to church this year as we are still not comfortable putting them in the church nursery and they are too wild to sit with us in the service. Once they are 2 and past the preemie "danger zone" for RSV, pneumonia, and other dangerous diseases, we will feel more relaxed about putting them in the nursery. So Nana watched them as we headed off to church. After a wonderful service, all the grandparents joined us for a delicious lunch. After lunch was over and the kids got up from their naps, we opened Easter baskets. Between the 3 of them, they had 9 Easter baskets! The kids had a blast playing with everything and enjoying some treats! It's amazing to think how much the kids have changed in the last 12 months. What will they be like next Easter?

Easter 2010

Easter 2011

Jake's 1st Haircut

2011-04-21T21:58:00.000-04:00

For the past few weeks we have barely been able to look into our own kids' eyes (a teeny bit of exaggeration). The hair on each of them has become so shaggy it hangs down in their face and over their ears. So we decided tonight was the night to get it taken care of. Sarah and Luke have both had cuts before, but this was Jake's first time. He fussed a little as the lady trimmed, but overall he did really well. Check out his new cut. All three have fresh new looks just in time for Easter. The pics are before, during, and after Jake's trim.

Splish Splash

2011-04-16T23:21:00.000-04:00

Ok, before I get into my post, are any other bloggers having trouble with your posts not recognizing your spacing and indentation? Aaarrrggg...I am so frustrated right now! I spend all this time typing out a perfectly good blog post just to go and publish it and realize the publisher has just jumbled everything together in one big heaping mess! So please bear with me as I work through these technical difficulties. [Big Fat Paragraph Space Here In Case Blogspot Does Not Recognize That I Am Starting A New Paragraph Now!]

Today we decided to throw all 3 kiddos in the bath at once. We've been bathing them one at a time in their inflatable duck bath which we graduated to after growing out of the infant tub. Now we are growing out of the duck too so we decided just to use the plain tub. We were nervous as we tried this with the kids at around 9 months with disastrous results! (See October 6, 2010 post) But the kids did great! They were a little apprehensive at first but then just had fun playing with all the toys. Both Kurt and I were so proud. Enjoy the pic of the munchkins enjoying their "big kid" bath time.

15 month stats, taking the doctor's advice, and one tired daddy!

2011-04-15T21:54:00.000-04:00

There's a lot going on in the Koenig household so this is going to be a post full of all kinds of things- some related and some not. First up, the trio's 15 month stats: Sarah- 22lbs. 10ozs. and 31 inches long Jacob- 24lbs. 8ozs. and 31.5 inches long Lucas- 23lbs. 4ozs. and 31.5 inches long All of these stats are right on track with other 15 months olds. That means if we were measuring them by their full term date (other 13 month olds) they would be well above average. So the doctor is very pleased with their growth. He would like us to work hard on remembering to brush their teeth at least once per day. He also wants us to start teaching them how to scribble with crayons. That's a fun one! Also, he was not happy we were still giving the kids a night bottle. So we promised to cut it out completely and now we are on day 3 of being "bottle free". It hasn't been easy getting the kids into a new routine but we are getting there. My friend Ashlea (who has twins) suggested giving them a sippy cup at night while I read them a story. Which has an added bonus of giving me more time to read to the kids which was a goal of mine anyway. Score! This week was a very busy one for me with work and after-work events. Tuesday I met my high school friends for drinks and dinner at Eclipse de Luna in Buckhead. I always feel bad abandoning Kurt with the kids after work since he's already had them solo all day. But he graciously told me to go so I did. We had a great time. It was so great to catch up with my girls. Then Thursday was my monthly Moms of Multiples club meeting. Again, Kurt urged me to go even though it meant yet another night of solo daddy duty. This time the kids were crazier than usual and I got a text during the meeting saying "HELP!". When I got home this was the scene. It seems all 3 kids wanted to be picked up and cried to be held at the same time. I'm not sure how he did it but this is some expert multi-tasking. Kurt was ready to pull his hair out! We got the kiddos settled down for the night and Kurt took off for some down-time. He is a trooper! This coming weekend is my brother Terry's and his fiance Sara's wedding. This will be a crazy busy weekend but will also be a lot of fun. Congrats! I'm sure we will have lots of pics to post soon.

Sippy Cup Leashes

2011-04-13T23:17:00.000-04:00

There I was standing in line at Babies R Us trying to balance the giant box of Pampers (the biggest one in the store) with my other items, when I saw it out of the corner of my eye. It was a bright orange package with "SippiGrip" written on the outside. Suddenly I flashed back to last night's dinner and I started to feel my blood boil as I remember how I picked up their cups at least a dozen times per child. This product I see is a leash that tethers the sippy cup to the highchair, stroller, or whatever. I'm initially skeptical but it's only a few dollars so I'm willing to give it a try. But I'm only buying the one in case this is a bigger gimmick than a wipes warmer. I take it home and try it out. It's a miracle. At first the kiddos still attempted to toss their cups to the floor. But when the cups just hung there within reach instead of making that satisfying "thud", thereby mocking the defiant toddlers, the game lost its appeal. So the next day I went out and bought 6 more. You can never have enough of a genius invention! Now our meal time is much more enjoyable for mommy and daddy. Occasionally, one will still test the waters by tossing their cup, but it just stays on the side of the highchair like a loyal friend waiting to be pulled back into service.

Off to Callaway

2011-04-11T22:57:00.001-04:00

This past Saturday, we loaded up the crew (along with Big Daddy and Mimi) and headed to Pine Mountain to Callaway Gardens. It was a beautiful day. Our first stop was to have a picnic lunch. The benches were just the right height to serve as tables for the triplets. Us "big kids" had BBQ chicken, green bean casserole, potato salad, biscuits, and more. After lunch we headed over to the butterfly house. It was a little too crowded to maneuver the triple stroller so we didn't stay long in there but I think the kiddos liked all the butterflies. Afterward, we hiked the Rhododendron Trail with the trio. Unfortunately the rhododendrons were not yet in full bloom but they were still pretty. We wrapped up the afternoon hiking the Azalea Bowl. It was fun, but pulling the triplets in the wagon was exhausting. We took turns pulling, but some of those hills were a killer! We were barely even outside of the park on the ride home before all 3 of the kiddos were sacked out. We had a super busy day! The kiddos got their nap in but not Mommy and Daddy. Someone had to drive! It was worth it though.

15 Months

2011-04-07T22:08:00.000-04:00

Yesterday the trio turned 15 months. Still no walking yet. But we are getting close. Last night Sarah tackled the stairs and climbed them all by herself. She couldn't let Lucas do it alone. Jake is still not sure about the stairs. He thought about it though. Next week we go for their 15 month check-up. I sure hope there are no shots! At least we are done with the Synagis injections. We had those every month during cold and flu season to prevent against RSV. I'll post their stats after the pediatrician visit next week. Until then, I thought it would be fun to again post the triplets' pictures now and the ones from one year ago. Enjoy!

The Joys of Three

2011-04-05T19:32:00.000-04:00

There are too many days to count where I am envious of my girlfriends who just have the one baby. They get time just to focus on their one child. I feel like my hugs, my time, and my attention is always divided by three. Their one child gets it all. While we're busy bathing three, dressing three, feeding three, and changing three diapers, they are reading stories and rocking their babies in their arms. But not today. Today is the day when I get to make others envious because I have three. As I was getting ready for work this morning, Sarah woke up and began crying. I could hear her in her crib on the baby monitor. I thought about going in to get her and bringing her into the bathroom with me as I finished getting ready. But just as I had decided to go get her, I could hear Lucas wake up and begin "talking" with his sister. The two of them were babbling back and forth. Although it was just babbling, here is how my mind decoded the conversation: Lucas: Sarah, what's wrong? Sarah: I had a bad dream Lucas: It's ok sister, it was only a dream. I am here now. Sarah: Thank you, I feel much better After a few minutes of baby talk, the two of them settled down. By the time I left for work, they were back dozing or just quietly playing in their cribs. This actually happens quite a bit. We don't always have to rush into the nursery in the morning as the trio keeps each other company. That means Mommy and Daddy get a little more time to sleep. And to a parent that is priceless!

Sarah's BFF

2011-03-24T22:10:00.000-04:00

Lady has loved the triplets since the day we brought them home. When they were first born, she would run over to the pack n play and look over the side to make sure they were ok. But never has that bond been so strong as it is now. Now that Sarah has food to give Lady. When Sarah has eaten all the food she wants, she slides pieces of her food (one at a time) over the edge of her tray and onto the floor where Lady is eagerly waiting. I totally busted her doing this today. I hate to break up this bonding time between a girl and her dog, but she has to learn we cannot feed "people food" to Lady. No matter how much she begs!

Sarah enjoying her supper

Lady patiently waiting for scraps

Two Steppin'

2011-03-19T21:36:00.001-04:00

For weeks now Lucas has been right on the edge of taking his first solo steps. Well today he did it. Two steps. It doesn't seem like much, but to a proud parent it is the world. Our little Lucas took two whole steps today by himself. What will he do tomorrow? The possibilities are endless. Stay tuned...

Sarah has the best bed-head

2011-03-18T22:43:00.000-04:00

When Kurt and I first moved in together, he used to always tell me I had the best "bed-head". He thought it was so cute that I would go to bed with completely normal hair and wake up with a giant rat's nest. Well now the torch has been passed to our little girl. Sarah has the best bed-head.

Busy Little Bees

2011-03-11T22:46:00.000-05:00

The weather is getting warmer. The flowers are blooming and the bees are starting to buzz. And we have 3 little busy bees at our house buzzing from room to room and getting into EVERYTHING! Still no walking yet but they are getting awfully close. All 3 are now pulling up and doing some independent standing. Lucas still appears to be the closest one to taking his first steps. But only time will tell. Right now they are all still content to crawl at lightning speed. They have no trouble getting to whatever it is they see and want. They are still very intrigued by the cat and dog food bowls. I've managed to intercept them the few times they've gotten into the bowls but I just know sooner or later one of them is actually going to eat some cat or dog food. Bleh!Another new development is that the trio is now eating from their highchairs twice per day. In the morning they still get a bottle and then some cereal or fruit. Now at lunch they get milk in a sippy cup as well as a prepared lunch. In the evening, they again get a sippy cup and a prepared meal. Some of the lunch/dinner foods the triplets eat are: lunch meat, cheese, hotdogs, avocado, carrots, green beans, bananas, oranges, pineapple, applesauce, Gerber Pasta Pick-ups, goldfish crackers, etc. We even gave them some pot roast, potatoes, and carrots that we made for ourselves in the crock-pot. Before bed, the trio gets one last bottle. Our pediatrician is pushing us to get the kids off the bottle completely. We're making progress but not perfect yet. Some of my friends took their baby's bottle away at 9 months. So we may be a little behind the curve, but we'll get there. I'd like to see my pediatrician deal with feeding 3!

So far the highchairs work well, but I wish we had one of those big triplet tables like my friend Annette has. She has hers up for sale but I can't really buy it right now because I have no way to get it to Newnan. She lives in Orlando! Speaking of Florida, plans are underway for our annual trip to PCB over Memorial Day. Last year, the trio was 4 1/2 months old. This year they will be 16 1/2 months. What a difference that will be. More to come on that...

I'm tired of pretending...

2011-03-01T22:40:00.000-05:00

"I'm tired of pretending like I'm not b**ching, a total frickin' rockstar from Mars" - Charlie Sheen

You tell 'em Chuck! lol. I doubt that quote will even make sense 5 minutes from now. But it's funny today. While that dude may be totally of his rocker, he makes a good point. I'm tired of pretending that my babies aren't the cutest, sweetest, most squeezable babies on the planet. Well, maybe I'm just a wee bit biased. But check out these pics. I'm sure you'll agree. Hahaha! lol

Just an excuse to show of some pics :-)

No, they're not walking yet

2011-02-25T21:32:00.000-05:00

Over the past 5 years, I have developed some really good relationships with the insurance agents I work with. I only visit some of them every 6 to 8 weeks so when I see them they are anxious to hear all the details of the triplets' lives. And since I see new people every day, the same details and the same stories I've shared over and over are all new to them. So I can't blame them for my frustrations because they don't know I've answered the same question over and over, but I'm really, really, really tired of answering it. No, they are not walking yet! I know it's just my own insecurities but I feel like my children's inability to walk at 12 months is somehow a failure on my part.

When I was pregnant with the triplets I was more than halfway through the pregnancy before I ever felt them move. Other friends of mine felt their first flutters at 16 weeks, 18, 20, etc. And there I was desperately waiting, but not a single twinge. Finally around 22 weeks I felt those first few flutters. I was so relieved that finally when people asked if I could feel them moving, I could answer a jubilant "YES"! So for now, I'll keep answering people's questions and hopefully soon I will be the proud mommy of some toddling toddlers.

The Trio Gets Baptized

2011-02-18T17:20:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday we had the babies baptized and St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Newnan. The babies were very good throughout the entire service and the only one who cried during the baptism itself was Jacob. He did not appreciate the water poured on his head! Afterwards we all went to lunch to celebrate. Our little munchkins just couldn't have looked any cuter!

Time Flies When You're Having Fun

2011-02-13T22:36:00.000-05:00

It's amazing to think what a difference a year makes. Last February, our tribe was just one month old. Now they are thirteen months old. At one month old, they were just little lumps. All they did was eat, sleep, cry, and poop. Now they are busy getting into everything! They are crawling, pulling up, and will soon take their first steps. This year has really flown by!

These are the Moments...

2011-02-11T22:44:00.001-05:00

I'm not really sure why, but I've been feeling really nostalgic this week. I went to Babies R Us for some supplies (since I had a coupon) and couldn't help but peruse the clearance racks. Hung on one of the racks was a "preemie" sized sleeper. I held it up and it looked like doll clothes. It's hard to believe that our babies were wearing "preemie" and "newborn" sized clothes this time last year. Maybe that's what triggered the nostalgia? All week the babies have been so sweet and cute (even more than usual) and I just want to snuggle with them all day. Tonight, I captured a truly precious moment with Lucas falling asleep on Kurt. The kids rarely fall asleep in our arms anymore like they did when they were newborns. It made me think to myself how lucky we are to have the trio. For a while, we weren't sure we'd ever get the chance to be parents. We are truly blessed.

Showing off our pearly whites

2011-02-04T21:33:00.000-05:00

The kids went months and months before any teeth made their appearance. I wasn't sure they would ever come in! Well once they started, they popped up like popcorn. All 3 of the munchkins have their 4 front teeth through the gums. They are all in various stages of development but they are all there. Enjoy some pics of the trio showing off their pearly whites!

My Little Models

2011-01-26T22:35:00.001-05:00

Of course, I'm the mommy so I'm biased...but honestly, does it get any cuter than this?!? I just can't believe my little tiny babies are now 1! The ladies at the studio taking their pics were absolutely fascinated with the choo choo wagon. It's probably one of the best investments we've made!

Just a trim, please

2011-01-21T22:37:00.000-05:00

This week we decided to finally do something we've been putting off. We took Luke and Sarah to get haircuts. Sarah had her bangs trimmed once before, but she got an all over trim this time. Luke got his very first cut and now has the certificate to prove it! Jake isn't quite ready for a cut so he just observed. Everyone behaved so well. The hairdresser commented several times how good they were. I was one proud momma!

Luke being so patient

The finished product

Sarah happy with her cut

Jake just watching

Luke is so happy with his cut!

Catching Up

2011-01-20T21:21:00.000-05:00

This week has been a week to "catch up" with things. Because of the snow storm and then the violent sickness that plagued our house, we're a little behind. So this week we've tackled the piles of laundry, the dishes, the vacuuming, and more. And in the spirit of catching everything up, I thought it fitting to catch everyone up on the kids "one year" stats. We actually went to the doc on January 7th so these stats are a few weeks old, but I think everyone will give us some slack! lol

Overall, Dr. Roberts was very pleased with the triplets' statuses. The children are right on track with others their age. That was a relief to hear, because I feel like they aren't standing, cruising, and walking like other children. Another thing that eased my fears (outside of the pediatrician visit) is seeing a friend of ours whose child is 13.5 months old. She is not walking yet either and she was a singleton born full term. The doctor told us the age range for children to walk is so varied. They can really start anytime between 9 and 18 months of age. I sure hope I'm not still carrying my little giants around at 18 months! The doctor was pleased that they are babbling a lot and even saying words like "mama", "dada", "hi" and "bye". They all wave and all clap (with a little help to get them started). And their food eating ability has increased remarkably. They can now eat little pieces of meat, cheese, fruit, vegetables (when they want to), cookies, cheerios, puffs, and more. The main thing for us to work on is transitioning them from a bottle to a sippy cup. That's gonna be the hard one. They sure love their bottles! The best news of all is that we can finally phase out formula and start the kids on whole milk. Formula is roughly $16 per gallon. Milk is like $2 per gallon. It's like getting a pay raise! The doctor also wants us to start brushing their teeth. Yes, all 3 have "teeth" now, not just "tooth" anymore. Sarah has 2 lower teeth and 1 upper tooth. Jake still has just 2 lower teeth. Luke has 1 upper tooth and 1 lower tooth. They proudly showed them off to the doc! Here are their height/weight stats:

Sarah: 28.5 inches long (32nd percentile) and 21lbs 11ozs (60th percentile)

Jacob: 29.5 inches long (42nd percentile) and 23lbs 6ozs (60th percentile)

Lucas: 29.5 inches long (42nd percentile) and 21lbs 13ozs (35th percentile)

Well, now we're all caught up. Here are the official 12 month photos we took of the triplets. we'll probably keep doing the monthly photo for another 6 months. It has been fun to see how they change month to month. We hope you've enjoyed it too!

Blizzard of 2011, Cabin Fever, & a Stomach Bug

2011-01-14T23:00:00.000-05:00

Ugggg...what a week!

Ok, I'll admit it. Last weekend, when I heard there was snow on the way, I got a little excited. I constantly checked and re-checked the forecast to make sure the white stuff was really headed our way. And yes it did deliver as promised (or more). But now, on the 6th day of this adventure, I just want all the snow and ice to go away! The city has been absolutely paralyzed by one of the worst winter weather disasters I can remember. In the 8 1/2 years I've been at my job, we have never been closed due to inclement weather. In fact, I think this is the worst it's been since the blizzard of '93. The worst part is that it won't leave! In Georgia, we're used to a few flurries and some ice. Everyone rushes out to build a snowman and then before we know it the snow is gone. But the temps the last few days have barely been in the 30's so we're just not seeing a lot of "quality melting" or so says the weatherman on channel 2.

After a few days of being snowed in, I just had to get out of the house. So I braved the ice and went to pick up sushi at the place near our house. Kurt and I had a delicious lunch. Later that evening, Kurt started to complain that his stomach hurt. I didn't think much of it until Kurt started puking his guts out! At first, I thought he'd gotten some bad sushi. Then Sarah started throwing up. Suddenly I knew what was happening...the evil stomach virus had invaded our house. So the next 24 hours were spent caring for Kurt, Sarah, Luke, and Jake who all had the stomach bug. I felt some effects of it but not enough to keep me down. One solid nap (and a few hundred trips to the bathroom) and I was ready to go. Super Mom! lol

Today is Friday and things are again calm in the Koenig house (we think). We're praying for a nice quiet weekend as we sanitize and disinfect every square inch of our house. I have taken the liberty of packing the bags of our unwelcome houseguests "blizzard" and "stomach virus" and will be showing them the door. Hit the road Jack!

Birthday Party Palooza

2011-01-10T21:24:00.000-05:00

Saturday was the big day! One of the days I had dreams about when the babies were just the size of kidney beans and swimming around in my belly. We celebrated their very first birthday! Mod monkey was our theme. A few months ago we got a magazine in the mail from http://www.1stwishes.com/. It's a site devoted to first birthday gear. And luckily we could use the monkey theme with both girl and boy monkeys. It's a little tricky when you have boys and a girl. We rented out the Summergrove clubhouse and invited our family and best pals. Total we had 49 people at the party- more than we expected! Aunt Mary Beth made the "monkey" cake and 3 little cakes for each of the trips. After the babies had fun playing in their cakes, we opened gifts. The trips got so many presents, we couldn't believe it! After all the fun, the babies (and the parents) were completely exhausted. So the babies took naps and we relaxed on the couch. It was a busy day! For dinner, we took Kurt's parents out to dinner to celebrate Kurt's mom's birthday too. The babies were born on the 6th just one day shy of Mary's birthday on the 7th. So it was fun to celebrate both! Despite their busy day, the babies were in good moods at dinner and it was a great meal! On Sunday, we just relaxed around the house. Bad weather (ice and snow) was moving in so we just stayed home. Enjoy some pics from the party!

Happy Birthday My Little Loves

2011-01-06T21:56:00.000-05:00

Well we made it! If only I could go back and tell that bleary-eyed zombie (think mom of 4 week old triplets) that we WOULD in fact make it. Of course, I knew in my heart we would muddle through but I had no idea how in my sleep-deprived brain. And now here we are on the day of their first birth day. It's fun to imagine all the birthdays to come. What will they be like on their 2nd birthday? 5th? 13th? 16th? 21st? Who will they become? We have a fun party planned for Saturday. Pictures to follow. Happy birthday my little loves!

Sarah Grace

Jacob William

Lucas Richard

Birth Day Eve

2011-01-05T22:11:00.000-05:00

One year ago today was just a normal day on the HRP floor. I had been in the hospital for 3 weeks already and I was pretty settled into the routine. I woke up, got blood work, ate breakfast, showered, they put me and the babies on the monitor, got an ultrasound, ate lunch, had a round of visitors, ate dinner, was put back on the monitor, and went to bed. That day my labs showed a good improvement so my doctor was optimistic I could maybe make it another week or more. That was great news! I had no idea it was the eve of "birth day". Somehow between the morning of the 5th and the morning of the 6th things drastically changed. When my labs came back the next morning the doctor knew it was time to throw in the towel and get the babies born. I did protest the doctor's advice as I thought it was too soon. But after getting some "tough love" from the doctor, I knew it was the right thing to do.

Flash forward to one year later...today is the eve of the triplets 1st birthday. What a wild ride this year has been. I can't wait to see what the next year holds. Happy early birthday babies. I just wanted to be the first one to say it!

525,600 minutes...

2011-01-01T22:24:00.000-05:00

Stealing a song from "Rent" that I have swirling around in my head:

...525,000 moments so dear (oh yes they are!). 525,600 minutes- how do you measure, measure a year?

In daylights (Oh, Mr. Sun why do you wake our babies up much too early on a Saturday?), in sunsets (can we finally put them down for the night?), in midnights (up feeding newborns the first weeks home), in cups of coffee (Oh thank you Starbucks for being a lifesaver on some very foggy mornings).

In inches (17 inches- the average length of each baby), in miles (53.05 miles each way to Northside Hospital from our house), in laughter (like when our dainty little petite daughter would let out these monster burps), in strife (luckily not much of that this year but we've had our share).

In 525,600 minutes- how do you measure a year in the life (of a family with triplets?) How about love? How about love? How about love? Measure in love. Seasons of love.

While the writers of that song probably weren't talking about a year in the life of a family with triplets, the words are certainly applicable. We are soon coming up on 1 year (or 525,600 minutes) since the triplets were born. One year ago tonight I was typing a blog post on this very laptop. I was confined to the hospital and unsure of when the big day would come (just 5 more days). Would we be ready? Would this change our whole lives? Could we even do it? And now a year later, my answers are no, yes, and maybe. No we weren't truly "ready", yes it changed our whole lives, and maybe we're finding our way. But these babies have truly given us the most amazing gifts- more than we could ever have even imagined. Now, don't ask me questions about motherhood when I've just been woken up in the middle of the night by my darling Sarah. Or when Luke's diaper leaks poop on my jeans. Or when Jake flings pureed carrots at my face! Ask me when I'm rocking Jake to sleep against my chest and I can smell his baby smells. Or when Lucas giggles because you're tickling his tummy. Or when Sarah gives me that "Beavis & Butthead" laugh.

This past year has really gone by fast. I can't believe we've gone from 3 babies in my womb to 3 wild and crazy babies in our house. I think I'll take the song's advice. I measure this year in love. Baby love.

Happy New Year Everyone! 2010 was such a fantastic year. We continue to hope and pray that each of your lives are filled with abundant blessings in 2011.

A Belated "Merry Christmas"

2010-12-30T22:10:00.001-05:00

I took a few extra days off work to spend some time with Kurt and the kiddos over the holidays. The time just flew by so fast and suddenly I was back at work again. So this big "Merry Christmas" to all our friends and family comes a little belated. We had a fantastic "first" Christmas with the babies. Last Christmas I was just 12 days from delivering the trio and was still stuck in the hospital against my will. All our family did come to the hospital and bring food and gifts but it just wasn't the same. Kurt and I ate our cold dinner out of tupperware. But this year we had so much fun having the whole family over to our house. Of course Santa came and brought the trio an assortment of clothes, toys, and other goodies. He even brought us a new choo choo wagon to replace our old stroller that is too small for the trips to use anymore. Overall, the babies enjoyed tearing paper and bows off packages even if they didn't really know what they were doing. Enjoy some of our favorite pics from the weekend. The first is Lucas with Daddy. The second is of the gifts Santa left. The last one is a pic of cousin Keelie with Jake and Sarah.

Ready for Christmas!

2010-12-19T22:13:00.000-05:00

This weekend we finally put the finishing touches on our Christmas setup. Usually, we run around last minute getting gifts and such. But this year we are all set...with just under a week to spare! All our gifts are purchased and even wrapped- wahoo! Although we can't really put them under the tree. In an effort to keep the kids from pulling down the tree, we decided to get a 3 foot tree and put it on a table instead of having a traditional 6 foot tree. Our tree is still beautiful even if we can't put presents under it.

We also finished putting the lights out on the front of the house.

Now we're ready for Christmas. And since we've no place to go...let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

December 15, 2009

2010-12-15T20:59:00.000-05:00

One year ago today...

my OBGYN abducted me and held me in Labor & Delivery against my will!

I had my regularly scheduled 30 week check-up planned and thought nothing of it. I was having some pain in my belly that morning, so after my appointment, my doc suggested I should go over to L&D to get checked out. So I did what he asked. While I was there, the pain did subside but I had a spike in my blood pressure. I had no idea it was the beginning of the end. The doctors asked me to stay overnight just to monitor my pressure. It did not behave. The doctor was afraid I'd have to deliver early so they wanted to administer steroids to help mature the babies' lungs. That bought me 2 more days in holding. Then my wacky blood pressure (still acting up) bought me "just through the weekend". And I never got to go home. 22 days after admission, my 3 beautiful babies were born. Sitting back now a year later, I kick myself for whining so much about having to stay in the hospital. As inconvenient as it was, it bought my babies precious time in the womb. They were born healthy and happy. And that is all that matters!

150 posts later... and Santa comes to town!

2010-12-11T23:50:00.000-05:00

I just happened to look at the post counter the other day and realize I was approaching 150 blog posts. And now this one is it! We've come a long way from positive pregnancy tests to having 3 healthy, happy 11 month olds. I decided to read back through some of the older posts sort of like a trip down memory lane. It's neat to be reminded of all the fun we've had. Speaking of fun, today was a blast. We started the day by going to a MOMs (Mothers of Multiples) outing. The event was at a pottery painting place in downtown Newnan called Artrageous Potter. Since the trips are a little too young for painting pottery, we instead put their handprints on tiles. In addition to painting, the triplets also got to see Santa for the first time. They actually all 3 loved him! Sarah even tugged at his beard! Later in the day we took the kids to a few store to finish off the rest of our Christmas shopping. They liked being around all the lights and Christmas decor. Of course, as usual we attracted a lot of attention. That big long 6 foot stroller does it every time!