Three Hundred Posts!

Holy cow...300 already?! Where has the time gone? I started this blog as a scared, newly pregnant woman as a way to keep everyone in the loop about the pregnancy.  Our trio was barely the size of 3 poppy seeds but a lot was happening! The blog was great because I could post details about doctor visits and ultrasounds without having to make a dozen phone calls.  I had no idea just how helpful and wonderful the blog would be for me. It gave me a place to vent and share. It helped me connect with other moms of multiples. And now it's just a great way to document our lives.  Someday I hope the kids read the blog and love reading about all the fun we've had.  For the next 3 posts I want to write a letter to each child highlighting all the joy and magic they bring to our lives.  Raise a glass to 300 posts and many more ahead!  Cheers!

First Trick-or-Treat

Technically the triplets' first and second Halloweens were 2010 and 2011.  The first year they were "3 Peas in a Pod" and last year they were "3 Monkeys".  But both times they were too young to actually go out and collect candy door to door.  This year they are nearly 3 years old and definitely ready!  We practiced saying "trick or treat" and the kids were really excited about free candy.  We picked Wizard of Oz for this year's theme. Sarah dressed as Dorothy, Jake as the Scarecrow, and Luke as Tin Man.  They were so adorable!  All three really enjoyed going house to house.  Jake enjoyed it the most!  He was having so much fun he didn't want to stop!  He fought going home.  Overall they collected a bunch of candy even though we only went to the houses on our street.  The kids have eaten some of it already.  But Kurt and I have had a lot more!

Precious Dorothy

Handsome Scarecrow

Adorable Tin Man

The trio with bags of candy in hand

Everyone is happy except Jake

Candy Collectors!

Boo at the Zoo and a festival too!

Fall is my absolute most favorite season!  It is also the busiest!  There are so many fun things to do like Georgia football games, visit pumpkin patches, pick apples, dress up for Halloween and more.  I always find myself cramming as much as possible into these fall weekends because there are just not enough of them!

This weekend was no exception.  We planned to see an outdoor movie our neighborhood was coordinating on Friday night, take the kids to their school fall festival on Saturday morning, move appliances from our old house to our new house Saturday afternoon, watch the football game Saturday night, and join some friends at the zoo on Sunday.  We ended up skipping the movie on Friday night but everything else we did!  We are exhausted!  But we had a ball doing it.  More to come next weekend I am sure...

From the kids' school fall festival ~ Every room had arts and crafts or snacks for the kids.  Each had a fall theme like using popcorn and fall confetti to make music shakers, or using Nilla wafers and Hershey Kisses to make acorns.  One project had the kids making spin art with fall colors.  Another project had them using pine-cones to make turkeys.  Some of the rooms even had fun stuff like face painting and balloon animals.

The kids making fall "music" shakers 

Sarah working on some fall art

The trio decorating pumpkins

After all the arts and crafts just some plain old fun!

From Boo at the Zoo ~ The weather was absolutely perfect for a trip to the zoo!  We got there early so it wasn't very crowded.  Most of the animals were out and active so the kiddos had a blast seeing all the animals from their books.  We saw flamingos, parakeets, warthogs, meerkats, a rhino, giraffes, zebras, ostriches, an elephant, a lion, a tiger, monkeys, gorillas, bears, pandas, kangaroos, and more.  The kids haven't stopped talking about it yet!  We visited the zoo with another couple we know from college and their adorable two year old.  Fun, fun, fun!

As Lucas says "mingos!"

Watching the elephant run back to his hideout

They are pretty sure one of these does not belong in the nest

Daddy gives Sarah a boost for a better view

This panda was actually grinning

Too tired to even eat his snack

Try Trikes

The trio is starting to outgrow their Mickey Mouse and firetruck "ride-ons".  They absolutely adore the scooter we got free from Pampers.  So we thought it might be time to look at tricycles for the kids.  We found 3 in excellent shape at the Gwinnett Moms of Multiples Sale and Nana offered to buy them.  Overall, Sarah is doing the best learning to pedal.  The boys still do not have the hang of it but Luke is closer than Jake.  Below are some pics of them riding.  Sorry they are blurry- they were moving too fast to take good pics!

Fall Fun

Despite having colds and ear infections the past few weeks we have still carved out some time for fun.  The last week in September we took the kids over to the Duluth Fall Festival for a little bit.  We enjoyed a funnel cake and a giant turkey leg.  We walked around and checked out all the craft booths.  The kids even got to see my old alma mater's mascot- the Wildcat!  It's great to be close to home again so my kids can participate in these old traditions of my youth!

Lucas tries funnel cake

High Five for the mascot

The nice weather has allowed us to squeeze in many trips to the park.  The kids love it and we like it because it helps get some of their toddler energy out!  Sarah and Lucas had a sweet moment holding hands on our way to the park today.

Holding hands on the way to the park

Sweet babies

We also got the kids' school pictures back.  The photographer did an amazing job!  Where was he when we were in school?!  Ours were never this good!

Group Picture

Sarah Grace

Lucas Richard

Jacob William

Praise for Potty!

When we started potty training Sarah about 2 months ago we made a chart and let her put smiley face stickers up for each successful potty.  Once we added Lucas to the mix the sticker count grew because there were twice as many bathroom visits.  After we used up the chart we intended to make a new one but just never got around to it.  That was no problem for the kids.  They just started putting stickers on top of stickers on top of stickers.  So this is how it looks today.  We must make a new one when we start training Jake.

The WORST part of being mommy

So I will forewarn anyone reading this.  This is going to be a complainer post.  I typically try to be upbeat & positive when posting about the life and times of the trio because most of you don't want to hear the crappy stuff!  But rest assured this journey is not all hearts and flowers.  There are crappy days!  Many.

The day after I returned from Florida I got a scratchy throat and a cough.  Over the next 5 days that escalated to full-on fever, ear ache, nasal congestion, jaw pain, coughing, and a sore throat.  I just could not be more miserable.  And unfortunately when you are the mommy of 3 active toddlers you just have to push through.  There are no "sick days" from being mommy.  I just want to put on some sweats, eat some homemade stew, and watch Lifetime movies from my bed all day. I did finally go to the doctor for meds after using OTC remedies for several days so I am on the good stuff now.  The other bad part is Sarah has been recovering from a cold, Kurt has had a touch of a cold, and now Jacob has a stomach virus with vomiting and diarrhea.  Needless to say our house is a den of sickness right now.  Visitors be ware!  

I didn't realize how much this sickness had given all five of us some "cabin fever" as well.  Tonight Kurt decided to take Lucas to go pick up my meds from the pharmacy and suddenly Jake comes flying down the stairs shouting "Jake ready too, Jake ready too".  He pitched a fit to go to the store too so we decided to all go.  While out we went to the local Chinese place for supper.  I can't remember the last time I've sat down at a Chinese restaurant in lieu of take-out.  It was really nice.  The kids had fun and the waitress slipped them a handful of extra fortune cookies.  I think the outing was good for everyone's mood.