*****SITE UNDER CONSTRUCTION*****

I am working on updating the blog...design, colors, layout, gadgets and more. Please bear with me as I do this. Check often to see the updates! Thanks, Jen :)

Sunday, August 24, 2008

I hate wallpaper!!!

It has officially started...changing the upstairs guest bedroom into Liz's room. The first step was to empty it. Here are the pictures of the empty room.


On Saturday, early afternoon, I began the process of removing the wallpaper. All I have to say is I HATE wallpaper (no offense to anyone who likes wallpaper). I think the professionals that put the wallpaper up used gallons of glue! So here are some during pictures.

After thinking the light at the end of the tunnel had disappeared, it was shining bright this afternoon. With the help of detergent softner and water in a spray bottle, a little elbow grease from my sisters, my mom and I & some determination we finally got all the wallpaper off the walls...no it is not pretty now but in a few days it will look like a doll house room.



So the journey continues tomorrow (day 3) as the primer will go on and the painting will begin. Trying to get our little girl in her own room as SOON as possible!!!
Love, Jen



Friday, August 22, 2008

Site under construction!!!

If you have been on here recently you may have noticed some changes. I am slowly but surely giving the blog a facelift. I am still trying to find the colors and layout I like so don't be alarmed if it changes often. Please don't hestitate to let me know what you think or if you have any ideas. I would like to do a primary color scheme but have not had the best of luck with accomplishing that, not yet anyways.
Also I am trying to add new features to help people that have not met the kids or have not seen them resently get to know them. I made the "Meet the kids" thing very quickly so I will be adding to that as well.
I will try to get this done as quick as I can but there are a few things more important that are taking all my extra time like preparing for yet another rummage sale (to be held in September) and decorating Liz's room (yes, sad but true, we will be separating them soon. Liz is transitioning to one nap and the boys still need 2 naps...Liz is keeping them up in the afternoon...very frustrating).
Anything else you want to see?
Thanks for bearing with me.
Jen

Thursday, August 21, 2008

The results are in...our 18 mo check-up

On Tuesday we made a trek to the doctors for the kids' 18 month check-up. Grandma went with us as daddy was required to go into work. One thing I learned quickly for doctor's visits is to dress the kids in easily removed and put on outfits. Today was one of VERY few days they all wore the same shirts (as seen in the photo below).
I must say today felt excellent walking in the clinic...YES walking...all of us. Let me just take a small walk (no pun intended) down memory lane. The first few times we went to the doctor went something like this...Jeremy carrying the boys in their carriers and me carrying Liz in her carrier. Carriers were not too heavy as the kids were still under 7#. Due to the fear of the kids catching something we kept them as close to us as we could, letting onlookers look at a distance. The next few visits after that went the same carrying in process as before but now they are getting heavy and we walked in as fast as we could to put them down. Still protective of them, but more relaxed about onlookers. We then graduated to carrying the kids in with no carriers. We would then sit them on our laps so they could look around. Then today, walking in on their own and playing with the toys in the waiting room...oh it felt good...development is so amazing!
Ok back to the good stuff. I think it will be easiest to go kid by kid. So as always Mr. Alexander is first up. Alex is weighing in at an impressive 23.8# (25th percentile). He is 34" tall (90th percentile). I must brag for a moment as Alex did a wonderful job...due to his stranger anxiety, which is 100% better, a normal doctor visit included some crying...well the only crying that was done at this one was for a short time after his shots. I am SO proud! His speech development is at where it should be for his corrected age. We are watching this closely. His gross motor skills are right on for his real age. I had a few concerns 1) a birthmark that was not there at birth - turns out to be an "acquired" birthmark. 2) lumps on his neck - turns out to be his lymph nodes. 3) his knee still pops - he will eventually out grow it. All nothing to be concerned about.
Next up, Ms. Elizabeth...she has done it...she has past 20#...she is now weighing in at 21.6# (12th percentile) and is 33 1/4" tall (90th percentile). She is also on track for speech based on her adjusted age. Gross motor skills are on track for real age. She still has low tone but it is MUCH better. Concerns we had for her were 1) her head being oblong - she will hopefully grow out of it soon. 2) swallowing food without chewing - not a oral adversion, probably just hungry. 3) her "W" sitting - pediatrician does not like this and we need to keep on her and correct her sitting. Again, nothing major.
Finally, Mr. Zachary...he weighed in at 23.6# (25th percentile) and is 33 3/4" tall (90th percentile). Zach is still a little behind on speech even at his corrected age, so we will continue to keep an eye on this and continue to work with him. His gross motor skills are excellent, in fact you could almost say too good (just joking ;)). One of the big concerns I had for him was him being so clumsy. Now it is an inherited trait from me and his Grandma Turner (those of you that know us, will completely understand), but I wanted to make sure it was "normal". Apparently because his gross motor skills are so developed, his body has a hard time catching up, so that is why he trips, falls, etc...his mind is working so fast! Other concerns we had for him turned out to be planter warts on his foot which I will treat; he is not stiff like I thought he might be - ped was happy with his flexibility; and pigeoned toed is normal toddler walk. So nothing that is not normal or treatable.
Overall the pediatrician continues to be amazed with them and how well we handle being parents of mulitples. So I am going to toot our own horns. The pediatrician was majorly impressed that the kids could take their shirts off (normal 2 year old milestone) and that they could do sommersaults (normal 3 year old milestone)...no I cannot take credit for either of those things...that is all daddy's doing. So WAY TO GO DADDY!!! And to toot my own horn...the pediatrician said that she can tell I am devoted to the kids not just the normal feeding & changing but that I work with them for their development. It is always nice to hear that my hard work is noticed...so TOOT, TOOT for me!!! LOL!!!
Well I hope I did not miss anything as I have had a migraine all day. If there is anything that does not make sense please do not hesitate to ask me.
Love, Jen
P.S. Please stay tuned for finger painting pictures!!!

Saturday, August 16, 2008

We are now 18 months old!!!

A year and a half ago we proudly introduced our miracles into this world. It was the longest day of our lives but the BEST day of our lives. The kids were so tiny. They were attached to so many things to keep them alive. At that point I would not have been able to picture today. At that point it was a day at a time, every little thing was huge. Well as we have made it through so many other struggles we made it through that and have three extremely healthy kids.
Today was just like every other day but every so often I catch myself thinking back to the magical morning. All I can do is smile. I am one proud mommy!
Our day started out with the kids playing. They have blankets that they LOVE to wrap around their necks and backs, like capes. They also use these blankets to play peek-a-boo and act like ghosts. When they began to play with them this morning I decided to tie them around their shoulders. The boys hopped up in daddy's lap so I took advantage of the situation for a picture. Then in a split second they were down and playing again.



After they woke from their morning nap I had another opportunity for a photo. We had one hard hard that Grandma had given them. Fortunately we went to a rummage sale on Friday and found two more hard hats. So no more fighting over who gets to wear it, now it is fighting over which one they get. The one that Liz has is very appropriate for her as it says "Big Boss" on it. They love playing with these hats. And again, two seconds after this picture was taken they were off and running again.
After lunch we put on our tennies and head out to the playarea. It has been a few days since we have been out due to a little cold we all have (except daddy, lucky him!), so the kids were raring to go. We finally put together a birthday present we had received from Great Aunt Deb and Great Uncle Jim. It is for the our kids and their cousin, Alexis. It is a motorized Yamaha ATV. It is for 18 to 36 months, so it was apprpriate to try it out today. All I have to say is they are growing up WAY to fast. They look so grown up in these pictures. It was so sweet to watch their daddy teach them how to use it.


In the playarea their was a dying tree that was cut down. So there is a wee bit of dirt there. We are trying to grow some grass so the kids will not continue to bother the area. The picture below looks like the three little angels are helping daddy with something, BUT they are actually being told to get out of the dirt! They are listening very well, aren't they?!?!?
The one toy in the playarea that has not been completely setup was the turtle sandbox. We just needed to add sand to it. The kids left it alone as we never really drew attention to it. While daddy was getting sand today, we opened it up and cleaned it out. This first picture is Zachary wondering where the sand is...
Alexander is fine with playing it without sand...
Elizabeth is thinking this is just as relaxing with or without sand...
Finally the sand arrives...even though it was past naptime I kept the kids outside so they could experience their sandbox with sand.
Daddy evened it out and it was a free-for-all...
A lot of sand ended up outside of the sandbox, but fun was had by all!
I will leave you with this series of pictures. The sandbox toys are stored in the laundry basket that I had bought them in at a rummage sale. Usually the toys are taken out of the basket as soon as the kids realize that they have been put back in the basket. So after Zachary emptied the basket he thought he would rest. It took a little bit to get into the basket and sitting the right way. Glad I caught it on film...he is such a clown!



P.S. I will be putting post on about some things we did this last week. I am just a little behind. So check back soon...Love, Jen



Saturday, August 9, 2008

Babies, Tools, Hugs and Fat Lip

This week started out with me spending a day at my paying job. Grandma took care of the kids while I was gone. We did do some swimming this week as well as hung out with their cousin, Alexis. We have some molars that are trying to break through and some that are finally through. The kids are trying to deal with them a little better, but we are still getting up at night and having trouble eating. I think we should have bought stock in Orajel and Motrin...LOL!
One day this week I found the kids doing things that would probably get a few laughs. First was a little role reversal or getting in touch with their feminine (the boys) and masculine (Liz) sides. Within a minute or so both boys were carrying around the babies and giving them hugs. I then found Liz carrying all the tools from the workbench.



The other new thing this week is hugging. We have been trying to teach the kids to give hugs and kisses. On Friday the kids just went nuts with the hugs. Jeremy got home and went in by the kids where it became a hugfest. Not only did daddy get hugs but Alex would not stop hugging Liz and Zach. He was a hugging machine. It is SO dare cute to watch. The picture below was taken on Saturday as the boys hugged each other.

Friday night we had a huge boo boo happen. Alex tripped over Jeremy's foot and smacked his face on one of the toys, the Little People Farm. Well he did end up putting his tooth through his lip and cutting it on the inside too! From the picture you can see that he gave himself a big ole fat lip. He is being quite the trooper. After some ice and lots of hugs, he went on with his night. It was looking a lot better today and he did not seem bothered by it.

I had today off to have some "me" time. Daddy took care of the kiddos all day, so thanks to him for making my day!
Love, Jen


Saturday, August 2, 2008

Our first trip to the farmer's market

Today we went to the West Bend Farmer's Market. We met Auntie Jean and Alexis there. Because the whole family went and due to the market being busy, we thought it would be best to take the triplet stroller rather than two stroller - the double and the single. We knew we would have to deal with more comments but it just made more sense.
The kids did an amazing job with all the people that were there, not to mention the many onlookers and those who stopped us. It was sunny and beautiful! We ended up with shoeless kids but whatever to make them comfy.
We are not the type of people that thrive on attention, in fact we rather not be noticed, so an outing like this was a little hard for us. Don't get us wrong, like any parent we are extremely proud of our children and love to "show" them off, but not like we are a circus act.
We ended up being interviewed by the local cable channel. We were stopped numerous times, followed by some people that were waiting for us to stop so they could talk to us, heard many conversations stop mid-sentence as we walked by and many take double takes. We heard nice comments like how precious the kids are, how beautiful they are and how blessed we are. We heard the weird comments like that could have been us, you look sane (directed to me), and what would we do with three. This comment made both of us shake our heads: so are you having anymore? We find this comment to be very personal and a little rude. We would have loved to ask them how many kids they had and if they planned on having more. What is it any of their business, we support our kids so it has no effect on anyone else....I digress!!! Here are some of the numerous questions: are they triplets? A person would ask the ages of them and we would answer with 17 1/2 months and then the person would say oh, so they are triplets, huh? Was that custom made (regarding the stroller)? Statements like: your hands are full, I bet you are very busy, and wow!
All in all it was a great outing for all of us. Gave us a look at our future family outings as the triplet stroller will be our main mode of transportation for the kids as they are out growing the other strollers.
Love, Jen

Friday, August 1, 2008

Little Ghosts!

I have found that striping the kids naked after swimming works best. I then put their towels on them and we walk in the house. It is quite the sight to be seen, makes me laugh. So today when we (mom and me) brought the kids in I took a few pictures of my 'little ghosts'. There were more pictures but they are not appropriate to be posting. You'll get the idea from these.
Here are Liz and Zach going for their brooms. It is what happens everytime they are allowed in this area.
Here is Alex, very tired but still running around...
And the three of them playing with the broom in their towels...
They are just too cute. They ran up and down the hallway with the towels stuck on their heads and flowing behind them. We were cracking up. Enjoy.
Love, Jen