Bittersweet Memorial Day weekend

Sunday we got up and headed to church and I was really looking forward to the service because my church always does the best at recognizing and remembering all those who have or are currently serving our wonderful country. And once again, Cottonwood did a great job! They always have the color guard march down the aisle. They also recognize all branches of the military individually, by having anyone, who has a friend or family member who has or is serving, stand to honor that person. My dad served in the marines for a short time in his young adult life and I have to say I was so proud to stand in his honor. I was especially proud to stand in his honor, not only because it was Memorial Day weekend and he served but also because last Sunday, May 24th, was the 19th anniversary of his death. It is hard to believe it has been almost 2 decades since he passed. It was a bittersweet and emotional day. Some years I feel more sad than others, but this year, I really wanted to focus on spending the day acknowledging him as a wonderful man who served our country.... and... as my father.

Now, on a lighter note, Monday we made a trip to Toys R Us to purchase some more outdoor toys for the babies. We have been back and forth about whether or not to buy a small slide/climb play unit or a big swing set that they won't grow out of in a year or two. We decided to get the smaller one because we do still want to move in the near future and want to get a big swing set once we have moved. So, we got a slide/climb set, a fun water toy to hook up to the water hose, a bubble blower (so I don't have to blow them myself and get all soapy) and we also got a picnic table for the kiddies.

Then, we headed over to our friend's house - Todd & Jennifer. They had a big cookout and family fun outside in the back yard. We had a great time despite my kids almost constant fussiness. :) :) I think my kids may have caused some people there to go deaf! Ha! One of these days they will get socialized!! So, because of this, we were very busy and didn't take very many pictures. So, enjoy the few we took.

Tyler playing with another little boy at the BBQ.

Craig and Whitney - they weren't happy if they weren't attached to us 90% of the time! What a fun little water toy Samantha has. I think mine are 3 for 3 - crying.
The girls - my two... crying and Sam is drinking water. HILARIOUS!
Hope you all had a good weekend!

Summer = water fun!

We've been spending a lot of time outside the past few weeks. Playing in the yard, playing in the pool and we even went to a water park (but I had no time for pictures there). The kids are having a ball and I am working on my tan in the process. It's a win-win! ;)

So, in the pool, it took Tyler and Whitney especially, longer to get comfortable with the water. Hannah, of course, jumped right in. Since we first started putting them in, Tyler and even Whitney have become much more comfortable in the water.

Also, funny story with Hannah... She accidentally put her face down in the water and was a little taken back from it and she didn't know how she felt about it. Then, she decided she liked it and kept putting her face under the water for a second. It was so funny!

Whitney and Tyler enjoying the game from the side lines. Hannah dipping her face under water!

Tyler is in and happy but Whitney is not!
On another day... Me helping Whitney in.Now she is in and doing okay.

We've put them in a few times since then and now Whitney loves it. But, that could be in large part due to the water having more time to warm up before getting in.

Watch Hannah close in the beginning of the video and you'll see her dip her face in a couple of times. And, you won't be able to miss Whitney (for crying) or Tyler (for splashing). :)



Oh and Tyler does have a bathing suit also, we just haven't been putting it on him as much at home because it is kinda long and it causes him to struggle to walk once it gets wet.

Hannah's first pig-tails

Yep, I'm playing "dress-up" again. I decided Hannah's hair was probably long enough for two pony tails. She is just adorable if I do say so myself. They're not perfect - I just threw them together so pay not attention to their unevenness. :)

Spring blooms at the Arboretum

Craig and I took the babies to the Dallas Arboretum yesterday. I had gone a couple of times last Fall but the babies were so young, they didn't really get to experience it much. This time, we unloaded and let them run around some in an open grassy area. They chased the birds, squirrels and picked a few flowers (oops).

Tyler and Whitney playing together in the stroller.


Hannah is exploring away.
Whitney not happy that I sat her down.
Hannah is not scared. Checking out the flowers.
Checking out more flowers.
Tyler found a stick.
What'cha looking at Tyler? So funny!
Mommy and her litter!
This squirrel looks like it was nibbling in Whitney's ear.
Tyler having a ball running everywhere.
Checking out the water fall.
Getting a little hot but still all smiles.
They were SO tired, Whitney started leaning into the side of the stroller and her eyes were drifting; Hannah was sucking her finger.

We also ran into another couple with triplets. As we approached each other, we noticed they had triplets and vice versa. It only took a second to realize we actually know them! They were a couple that we took the hospital CPR/birthing classes with. What a nice couple they are! It was so nice to talk to them again. The last time we saw them was in the NICU. She delivered her babies (two boys and one girl) a week before me, also at 34 weeks, and we both delivered about 14 pounds of baby! I just love running into other MOM's (mom's of multiples), especially mom's of HOM's (high order multiples). We share a connection like no other!!

Look at how big and tall their trio is compared to ours and they are only a week older than my crew.

15 month well visit

We had the babies 15 month well visit this week. It all went well except poor Hannah has an ear infection in both ears. We didn't even know it because she showed no symptoms! We are also having ECI come out to determine if the babies need some help with developmental delays. With Whitney's not pulling up, standing or walking among a few other things between them, we have become slightly concerned.

Tyler's stats:
24 pounds 9.6 oz. 48%
31 1/2 in. long 57%

Tyler thoroughly enjoys walking and walking and walking. He doesn't stop, that boy! He is busy busy! He is also mesmerized by shoes - he loves carrying them around as do the others.

Whitney's stats:
19 pounds 14.2 oz. 7%
30 1/8 in. long 34%

Whitney is very much in to climbing - she loves to climb on her car, the zebra (which she has to stand to her feet to get on) and the dishwasher. She also loves her baby dolls!

Hannah's stats:
18 pounds 6.4 oz. 1% (not off the chart yet!)
30 in. long 41%

Hannah loves to bring me toys and things. She will put them in my lap and then go to find more stuff to bring me. She also really loves her stuffed tiger!

Mother's Day

We had a weekend full of Mother's Day fun. Saturday we celebrated mother's day and the May birthdays with Craig's family. We had a BBQ with hamburgers, hotdogs, potato salad and beans. We had a very nice time visiting with family.

Sunday, we went to church and just had a fun day together as a family. We were going to check out the Taste of Addison, but when we drove over there, it really didn't seem like much was going on, so we decided to go over to Willowbend Mall and let the babies roam around some in the mall. It was hilarious watching Craig and I try to keep up with three babies. The kids play area was so busy, we skipped that.

Monday, I took my last final exam for school for the semester then Craig and I had our first date in FOREVER! He had planned for his mom to come over and stay with the kids while we went out by ourselves. It was a little mother's day celebration minus the kids. We went to eat at Nate's Seafood and had a great time!

Mama needs a nite out!

Thursday night the Studio Movie Grill in Addison hosted a Mom's night out to celebrate moms just before Mother's Day. A bunch of my PAMOM friends were going to be there but I didn't register so I wasn't able to come and was so bummed. We had started letting Craig practice with the babies and see if he could handle them. He was doing pretty good with them so I decided I needed a break from them. My first break from them (excluding church and school) since Craig's surgery. I called my friend Jennifer and she and a couple of other girls were at the movie grill. The movie hadn't started yet and she said they had a much lower turn out than expected and there was an empty seat next to her. So, I jumped in the car and headed over and got there just in time for the movie to start. Oh and Jennifer won like $800 worth of gift certificates! Lucky girl! Her company - Bounce U - was one of the sponsors for the event so I guess she deserved it but I still think she should have shared with us! ;) ;) Everybody received a goody bag of stuff with coupons, books, t-shirts, sweets and other fun stuff. Oh and we saw Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.

After the movie, we headed over to Fridays to have dessert and good conversation. It was a lot of fun and such a nice break for Mama!

Seeing triple?

We decided it had been a while since we had a playdate of multiples, so Jessica, Candice and I got all got together with our three sets of three. We went over to Jessica's for a little whip cream and pool party. My three weren't into the whole whip cream idea... not sure why - they love sweets. I think they were just extra clingy and nervous because we were in a different environment. Gotta get those kids out with other kids more! They may have also been a little over-stimulated... after all, there were 9 kids there!
How many kids can we fit into the pool????????



I am trying to get Whitney to sit at the table with the other kids and play with the redi whip.

April part 2 - 15 months

To finish off our month of April... Craig wasn't up to having our friends over last Friday due to his stomach bug thing. But, by the next day, he felt better so we had Craig's sister, Lisa over and her family. I don't think we've ever had them over as a family - hanging out and having dinner together as two couples. We cooked out and all 7 of the kids played and had a great time. Lisa's two older kids loved playing with Lacy (our dog) but the two younger kids warmed up to her eventually. Craig and Byron (Lisa's husband) took B & L's oldest son, Austin for a ride in Craig's hot rod and they had a great time. We had a delicious meal and really enjoyed ourselves.

The next day we were able to go to Craig's parent's church for baby day. This was the first time we've been to their church since we had the babies so that was fun to let all of their friends see the kiddos. We got their picture made and some of it was successful and some of it was not. The babies did fine in the nursery and I got a break! Yeah!! We finished off the service with a baby parade - the parents take all the kids across the stage and announce their kids names and ages. Then, all 18 of us went to Spring Creek Barbecue and had lunch - it was a lot of fun.

I had a couple of play dates scheduled this week but had to cancel them due to the rain and sick kids (not mine but my friends). Hopefully one of these days I can make it to my playgroup with my church.

This weekend we had one of my very good friends from high school over for dinner - Kelli, Jesse and their son Andy. I am so glad they moved back to Texas. We've gotten together a couple of times now since they moved back a year ago and I truly cherish her friendship. We didn't always keep in touch real often while she lived out of state for many years but we have kept in better touch now that they are back and living so close. Kelli and I have been friends since the 4th grade so we've been friends now for probably 23 years and I think that is just awesome! She is my oldest friend by far!

We are becoming quite the little entertainers these days - as we are having more friends over tonight. Some of Craig's friends this time. Well... they are my friends too but you know what I mean... We are looking forward to having them over and having another BBQ if it doesn't rain. Things have been so tough around here with Craig not being able to help much with the kids and it is hard to manage 3 babies out and about so we've been really living it up by having people over. We've never been big entertainers but we've enjoyed the entertaining we've recently been doing.

We already have several exciting things planned for May - play dates, adult socials, birthday parties, mother's day celebrations, church socials, school finals, book club outings, college graduation parties among other exciting things! Stay tuned... :)

Hannah is still our little "Riblet" - she is so tiny, it isn't even funny. She loves loves loves her fingers. This girl used to only suck her fingers when she slept or if she was upset but now she is beginning to suck her fingers a lot more frequently. Guess we'll have to cut those two fingers off! ;) She kind of slowed in the walking department but still walks some - I'd say probably 30% of the time. Hannah has 6 teeth now (4 on top and 2 on bottom) and her hair is growing like a weed. Yay! She took a break in the biting department and has recently picked the bad habit back up! Ugh! Hannah is loving stuffed animals now! Hannah's new best friend is her daddy - she loves to sit in his lap. With Craig being around so much more, any time he is in his chair, she wants to sit in his lap. She is melting her daddy's heart that's for sure. Hannah still wants to chew on everything - I figured she would be past this stage by now but not so much. Hannah is not really talking much - still just mostly baby babble.

These are pictures from the mall when we went a couple of weeks back. This girl will not sit up in her seat.

This was at home - having lasagna for dinner. Notice how the orange brings out the blue in her eyes??? Ha!We didn't even attempt to wash hands and face with a wash cloth this night - they all went straight to a bath.
This was a casual day around the house. Mommy was being silly dressing the girls.
Whitney is definitely filling out and getting a few little "baby fat roles" and "baby love handles". It is so cute! She has two new teeth - she now has 8 (4 on top and 4 on bottom). Whitney is learning how to use a regular sippy cup rather than the straw sippies. And I will be so glad when she gives them up all together - those things leak so bad (every kind I have). Whitney is developing a little stranger/separation anxiety again. Whitney's primary mode of transportation these days is walking on her knees. She still will not pull up or walk but at least she is moving past the crawling stage. She knows how to climb up on her push toy/riding car and is very close to being able to move herself while sitting on it. Isn't it strange that Whitney is the only one that can do this and she is also the only one that doesn't walk??? Oh and Tyler likes to push Whitney while she rides on the car. It is so cute. She is really starting to like dolls and stuffed animals. Whitney is not really talking much but she babbles in baby jargon a lot more than she used to.

Again at the mall...
The lasagna...


Being silly around the house...
Whitney is growing a mustache and beard. J/K - They had blueberries for breakfast.

Tyler is staying about the same weight-wise. He is still a nice little chunk! He has 8 teeth now too (4 on top and 4 on bottom). Tyler is going through stranger/separation anxiety the worst right now but he gets over it pretty quickly. Tyler slowed in the hitting department but has now picked up a new fun habit... whining, crying and squealing (at pitches so high only dogs can hear :)) almost all the time. It's making for some fun and loud times around our house! Ha! Tyler's primary mode of transportation is walking! That's right - he is walking probably 80% of the time or more. He is really good and rarely has bad falls. He can also walk really fast. He tries to put his shoes and socks on and it is so funny to watch! He is starting to associate shoes with going bye-bye. He brought me his shoes yesterday and wanted me to put him on him - I guess he wanted to go bye-bye! Tyler talks the most although, he doesn't say much either. He says mama and dada a lot more frequently than the girls and has occasionally said a few other words like buckle, yummy, tree, and dog.

The mall... getting ready to go.

He and Hannah wanted to see how messy they could get! Fun times!Casual days around the house...

Ready for bed with his paci and tiger!
All three are into the toddler tantrums - some more than others (Tyler & Hannah mostly). We tried switching to one nap a day a few weeks back but I could tell they just weren't ready. So, we'll try it again in another month probably and if they are closer to being ready, I'll push them to get them transitioned. I'm ready for the one nap so I can have more time to get out and do stuff in the morning (errands or play dates) and have a longer period to do chores etc. during a longer nap.