Birthday Party Pics :)

Lots of cake!

"I look like a Copacabana girl"

Note to self- don't light the candles until they're 18

Go Dominic Go!

"Did I do good?"

"Do I have something on my face?"

Aspen was so tired she face planted right into the cake

Some pics for the day...

"Hey- Mommy's got the camera"

"I'm gonna get the camera"

"I can get REALLY close to the camera"

"I will behave, and let Ryan get in trouble"

"I will just sit here and be pretty"

The magical mystifying powers of a pink ball

Project Bambino- part 6 tomorrow!

The parade of hats...

OK- I'll admit- I have a slight clothing addiction for the kids. This includes hats. I LOVE dressing them up. I blame this all on my parents feeding my Barbie addiction as a child. Even Baci is not spared...

So here are a few additions from yesterday's shopping adventure.

"Thanks for coordinating my hat to my new swimsuit Mommy"

"I do not like my sunhat!"

"Hello"

"Mommy, please remember to take the tag off"

"I'm starting to like wearing all these hats"

"Why do you have to dress me too?"

Next up - SUNGLASSES!

Good grief- we're a side show attraction...

I really, REALLY needed a shopping fix. Badly. So I coerced Drew into going outlet shopping by playing Hazel all day long Saturday. I swear I did 23 loads of laundry, or 47, so many I lost count.

So Drew, and I, Liz and the trio trek out Sunday. All goes well, we load up the stroller, get two feet inside Old Navy when Ryan decides to test the acoustics. And screams. Loudly. Which brought loads of people running over like I just beat him with a pair of cargo pants. Of course, this sets off the question we heard 83 times - "Are they triplets?" I have gotten very good at the " Nod, Smile, Look Away".

However, 1 couple was DETERMINED to stand above the crowd.

As we set on a bench, feeding the trio, these kind folks who just fell off the turnip truck decided to whip out the CAMERA and ask for a picture. Huh? So somewhere, in some small town, somewhere in corn field USA, I am smack dab in the coffee table photo album of their Vegas vacation pics.

At least they were polite to ask, others just snapped away like we had a dancing monkey and a humped back midget with us also. Drew was contemplating setting out a tin cup.

People cleared the way for us in the Gap, asked us scheduling tips (me?- I'm part if Michelle's Wingin' It Parenting movement), and praised us for being seemingly well adjusted individuals.

All this, and all I set out for was a pair of capris.

A bonding moment.....

I must find a new pediatrician.

Not that the one I have is bad- he's great.

But thanks to RYAN, he knows way too much about me now.

I have not researched coordination issues with preemies, but I'm pretty sure that Ryan has this skill covered. Especially since he simultaneously yanks my shirt down and kicks my purse off the exam table. So there I am, exposed bra, the contents of my purse splashed out on the floor. The finale? One tube of lipgloss and 1 SUPER absorbant tampon rolling towards the door.

All in front of the pediatrician.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some pics of the now 9 month old trio! I can't believe how fast time has flown!

Happiest booger on the block...

For snotting all over the house, Ryan is a happy baby. Just do not attempt to wipe his nose- he is very anti kleenex. And my Purell attempt at keeping Aspen and Dominic germ free has failed miserably. The only healthy thing in the house is the dog. Drew and I even took turns sleeping all day today.

So between sucking boogers out of their noses with that little blue plunger bulb thinga majig, and target practice with the nebulizer since the Ped didn't order the mask, just the mouth piece, I instituted:

OPERATION OUTFITS

They may be sick, but they are well dressed. I am on this obsessive mission to have them wear everything at least once before I get rid of it. Which is why Aspen has been in a dress every day. I have tubs of clothes filled with stuff they never wore, or can no longer fit in that I swear I am going to organize for the Mothers of Multiples yard sale. I'll start tomorrow (or maybe Tuesday-nope, hair appt, looks like Wednesday may have to be the day.....ok- it may never get done).

"I see that kleenex behind your back!"

Exersaucer on time out

The developmental specialist from Early Intervention came today to check out the kiddos. I apparently am the ONLY mother of 29 weeker preemies whose kids were not accepted by EI. The only reason I even have a DS come to the house is because they "conditionally" accepted Aspen because of her stiff joint issue- but I am responsible for treatment myself, they would not provide services. Fine- because there is a 5 month waiting list for therapy thru them anyway. They evaluated Dominic and Ryan again (3rd time) and they were denied again (3rd time). I can't even get on the waiting list!

So, on one hand I am very pleased because the DS said they are right where they need to be for their adjusted age and that they are not behind in any way and they are doing great. ON THE OTHER HAND- I'm ticked. I have every right to ensure that my kids catch up to to where they need to be by age two. That fact that they are right where they need to be for their adjusted age is great- but I want to make sure that every opportunity for them to catch up to their actual age is available. Don't insult me by telling me "funding has been cut therefore preemies are not automatically accepted". BULLSHIT.



Here's a suggestion to solve your "budget issues" -comment edited to avoid causing a riot and major political debate.



So now I have turned into PISSED OFF PROACTIVE MOM. If I have to eventually resort to matchbook negotiations (a very effective tactic to help individuals see my way - courtesy of my father)- I will do so. I can be a GIANT pain in the ass when the need arises. Thank goodness my insurance will cover OT and PT while I drive EI crazy.



So, the only bit of advice I got from them today was to keep Dominic out of the exersaucer because he keeps his legs extended (which is making him quite unhappy). Gee thanks

Note to Self #3 and various pics....

Note to Self #3

If you are on a diet, and you are seriously drooling at the mouth for something sweet with no nutritional value whatsoever- DO NOT burn a Buttercream scented Yankee Candle. Wax is not edible.

"I'll be the entertainment this afternoon."

"Don't mess with me- I'm crawling and I have a mohawk!"

"Look at me roll my tongue!"

Terrific Triplet Sanity Saving Products

There are certain things that I have learned that you cannot compromise on in life. High thread count sheets (for me), nice towels (for Drew), and anything that can make life a tad less hectic when trying to raise / tame / handle triplets (for us).

STROLLERS

We have 4. Why? Well, when we thought we we only going to have twins- in came the Graco Duoglider (#1). Then when Aspen became the miracle that she is- out we ran for the single stroller (#2). Knowing that we would never be alone in public with all 3 this did not seem like a big deal at the time. Then I met the triplet moms. By the end of the night- I raced home to buy the TRIPLE DECKER / BMW / LIFESAVER stroller (#3).

I love this stroller. It is so light and pretty much indestructible. But, unless I get the toddler conversion seats (which look very uncomfortable), it is finished when they are out of car seats (sniff sniff).

SO...I thought ahead. And instead of getting the Runabout which everyone AGAIN swears I will love, (but do I ever listen right away?) I got the Inglesina Triplet (#4).It's very heavy, and I have no idea how I am going to get it in my trunk. But it looks quite British pram-ish and I like it. Even though I may have to get it a license plate and tow it behind my car.

HIGH CHAIR TABLE

I do not have to worry about moving 3 high chairs around the kitchen, or trying to get food sludge out of the crevices- because this has none! Flat surface + removeable plastic seats = easy cleanup. Just one small problem. Dominic hates it. Screams 90% of the time he is in it. Have to work on that.

Now, if I could only find a dryer that folds baby clothes......

anno nuovo felice!

Buon Natale!

Merry Christmas!

Please forgive me....

I am a slacker.

I can't believe it has been 17 days since I updated this.

I have let my fellow bloggers down.

OK-on to the update. We took the trio to have pictures done like idiots. It helped even more that they were running an hour behind. THEN, it was even better all the other rocket scientists that had to ask all the dumb questions.

"Did you know you were having triplets?" (No, I stole the 3rd one from the hospital just to see if I could get away with it)

"Are they identical?" (Hey Einstein- one is a girl- do they look alike to you?)

""Ha- better you than me" (well, considering that you are a 40 year old man wearing a reindeer sweater- it is better me than you)

So, after that fun adventure, we got the pics and I came home to design the card.
Here is the finished product. . .

Meeting of the minds...

I'm not quite sure what they are discussing, but I have a feeling that it has something to do with the fact that they are a litle upset that they are turning orange. That't right- I have tangerine children. I knew when they started solids that I would have peas, carrots and the whole produce lineup flung everywhere in my house. But NO ONE told me that carrots and sweet potatoes not only stain clothes- they stain babies.

Now, it's not like I leave them looking like they just went headfirst into the jars, but Ryan spits. And steals the spoon. And has to stick his hands in his mouth. And there is THREE OF THEM. So when I am by myself, they all line up in the bumbo chairs and I assembly line feed them like a frickin cafeteria lady. Spoon, spoon, spoon, wipe, wipe, wipe. I tried using one hand to feed, the other to wipe. Problem is, I am not that coordinated. If you have seen me dance, you know that this is a true statement.

So by the time I am finished, they have orange rings around their mouths. What the heck is in this stuff? Now, I am sure that Michelle (you know who you are) will tell me to food process these veggies on my own. I even think I own a food processor. I just do not know how to use it. My mechanical abilities in the kitchen include mixers, microwaves, corkscrews and can openers. I even ruined one of those $499.99 Pampered Chef ice cream scoopers by sticking it the dishwasher- which apparently is a GIANT no-no.

So, I have to choose between slightly tinted triplets or out of control kitchen appliances.

Touchdown RAVENS!

The Baltimore Ravens have 3 new fans- complete with gear -courtesy of our friends Dawn and Brian :)

They all got dressed and watched the Ravens embarrass the Steelers today.

Happy Turkey Leftover Day!

Since I just came out of a self induced turkey/mashed potato/apple pie induced coma, I could only muster up enough strength to post pics of the kids on their 1st turkey day:

Dominic was so happy he decided to try a little bit of "air guitar"

Ryan doing some warm up stretches before eating

Aspen wondering how much bigger her hairbows are going to get.