New Blog!

Because of the new limitations, we've decided to start a new blog...
click here to see it...
http://dtltake2.blogspot.com/
Put that new address in your favorites!
Enjoy!!!

Where'd you go?

Sorry for the brief hiatus.  I  know all of my loyal followers are wondering where I've gone...well...
it looks like Blogger is changing some things around a bit and they want to start charging me to upload pictures.  We all know my blog wouldn't be any fun if I didn't have pictures so we're trying to figure this whole thing out.  No need to worry!  Once it's all figured out, you'll be the first ones to know!!!

World Preemie Day 2012

November 17th is World Prematurity Awareness Day. 

 

My favorite little preemies.

Born at 31 weeks

A-Benjamin William 3lbs 4oz

B-Nathaniel Jack 3lbs 3oz

C-Samuel Leo 3lbs 4.3oz

Today we went to the LGH NICU to visit

all the nurses that helped them get to where

they are today.

The day finally arrived...

...when this happened...

Yes, you saw it right.  Sammy can officially climb out of his crib...even with his sleepy sack on...Honestly...these boys need to give their mommy a break!

Even though Sam (& Ben) can climb out of their cribs, they've never done it while we're not in the room.  They've only done it on demand with us right there.

Regardless, we knew we needed to take some precautions...

A million years ago (OK, last year), parents of triplet Houdini's were able to use a lovely invention called CRIB TENTS to keep their little escape artists from raiding the fridge at midnight.

 

But they were recalled and no longer availble for us (aka the desperate triplet parents of 2 year olds).

 

Recently the buzz in "Triplet-Town" is to lower the crib mattress to the floor.  This gives you 6-8 more inches of height to (HOPE) they can't conquer.

We had one problem. 
When the mattress was lowered to the floor with our cribs, there was a
space where our beloved monkeys could get stuck. 

 

We devised a plan and tried it out.

 

Dave (aka Mr. Engineer) designed and built little platforms for the mattresses.  The following pictures are very detailed in the hopes that they benefit a triplet mommy or daddy in need.

 

We even have room to drop them down a bit more.

 

 

Now the inmates boys in their cells cribs.

Sammy

Natey

Benji

 

You might be wondering what those lovely decorations are on their crib rails.  Those are receiving blankets that are zip ties on to prevent the little rascals from chewing up the wood. 



26 Months Old!

 

Someday we'll get a good one!

Nate-Ben-Sam

Playin' in the Sun

It's rare to have a 60 degree day in November so we took advantage of it.  After some yard work by mommy, I let the boys run loose in the back yard...
Some random shots...

Sammy

Benji

Natey

Eli

Sammy

Natey

Benji (with his friend, Mr. Stick)

Sammy

Eli hitching a ride on Natey's roof

They did this themselves!

B-S-N

on TOP of the table...

Bird feeder Eli made in Scouts

Santa 2012

We made our yearly trip down to see Santa.  I had been prepping the littles all week because I didn't want them to be too scared.  I kept saying "Santa, nice" and showing them a picture of Santa.  We read Santa books.  We watched Santa movies.  All morning I told them we were on our way to see Santa.
We (I) wrote a letter to Santa for the littles.  Eli wrote one too.  He had a hard time narrowing it down to 3 things, but he did it.  We picked up our favorite helper, Allie, and got on the road!
I do want to add that the morning was a bit hectic and I never got to shower...totally evidenced in the pix of my hair!!!

Dave and Nate

Renee & Ben

Sam & Renee

Eli

Eli & Allie

Ben giving his letter to Santa

Eli giving his letter to Santa

Ben running away from Santa.

Natey sticking his tongue out.

Sam has on his "gangsta" pout.

Eli's trying to smile.

Natey still making goofy faces.

Sam with the "gangsta" pout.

Eli's hiding.

Ben's trying to escape.

and repeat captions for previous photo

Candy Canes at the end.

 

It was all worth it...

 

This is the "official" one we chose.

 

So worth it!  HA!!!

Someday we'll get a good one, right???

 

Random Shots

Having three little ones, we have adjusted the way we do many things.  One thing we do a bit differently is tooth brushing.  We normally brush one at a time in the Dining Room.  I was feeling brave and let them all try to do it themselves in the actual bathroom.

Sam-Ben-Nate

Nate-Ben-Sam

We never take pictures of them in their room so I went a little crazy one morning when we went in to get them up.

Sammy enjoys a good book.

Benji picked up his dog and said

"Doggie.  Picture.  Cheese."

Then he picked up the turtle (and a binky) and said

"Turtle.  Picture.  Cheese."

 

Yes, they make a mess all over the floor.  We call it having a "yard sale" when they throw everything out of their cribs in the middle of the night.

Dave & Nate

Little Linguists

As preemies, as triplets, and as boys, the littles are expected to have some speech delays.  They are expected to have some global delays as well.  I have always been pretty laid back with their development knowing that things may take a bit longer for them.  I have no idea how many words they're supposed to know, but I am shocked to hear them speak!

Ben is our verbal rock star.  All those concerns we had for him initially with his oral motor issues have been thrown right out the window.  He speaks the most clearly of all three.  This is evident when other adults hear him AND understand him.  He doesn't just speak clearly, he has a great vocabulary as well.  This morning he said, "I finished!" and pushed is plate away.  Yesterday he said (in regards to his beloved binkie) "I find it!" and "I got it!"  There has always been one "word" that he says that nobody's been able to figure out.  It sounds like "achin" or "ajin".  This one took me a very long time but finally I figured it out when he picked up a blue shirt (his color) and said "Ajin shirt".  He's refering to himself!  Apparently his new name is "Ajin".  We're thinking this is short for "Benjamin."

Nate and Sam are somewhat less intelligible to outsiders, but usually with context I can figure out what they're saying.  They are both little parrots and mimic everything they hear. 

Nate is going to be the king of tattle-tales.  He will often announce "Bennie naughty" or "Shabye (his version of Sammy) no hit!".  We always know who's in trouble from 3 rooms away because of who Nate is yelling at or telling on.  He definitely knows the rules and very often puts his brothers in Time Out.  "Bennie, no dump it!  Time out!"  Hysterical!!!  "Jijah (his version of Elijah)-fresh!  Time out!"  Eli does not find this amusing in the least!

Sammy is our greeter.  Someday, in about 80 years, he will be the guy at the front of Wal-Mart.  Whenever somebody enters the house, room, vicinity, he will say "Hi, (and their name)".  The same goes when they leave or he leaves.  He stares out the windows to see who's coming and will anounce a visitor before the doorbell rings.  He also knows cars.  If he sees a small-ish black SUV, he will wave at it and say "Hi, Giggy!"  (his version of Gigagak-what they call my mom).  Amazingly he say a white Jeep Patriot the other day and he said "Hi, Memere!".  Dave's mom has a blueish Jeep Patriot.  Honestly!  I can't make this stuff up! 

This morning he was especially fidgety on the changing table in their room so I handed him this book.

 

He opened to the page with the stinky diaper and said "Peee-yeeeew!  David, you stink!"  Dave must read them this book at bedtime and he has memorized this page.  This is amazing to me.  Of course I am their mother so I think they are all amazing and they do something to shock me on a daily basis.

 

Keep up the good work, boys!!!

Halloween Round Up

Once again, a storm interrupted our Halloween plans.  This year it was Hurricane Sandy.  While our little section of the universe was spared, many people are still without power and even worse, their homes.
We had 2 more Halloween events to particpate in due to things getting moved around because of the weather the previous weekend.  Of course we like to get our use out of our costumes and we enjoy torturing our children as much as possible. 
Here's the line up of events:
1.  Aunt Denise's Party
2.  NVMoM Party
3.  Kids Party
4.  Frozurt Party
5.  Cub Scout Party
6.  Trick or Treat at our house
7.  Trick or Treat at Auntie Cathy's
8.  School Parade

Yesterday we went up to visit Auntie Cathy and Uncle Todd to get some more Trick or Treat time in.  Their neighborhood is very quiet and has very little traffic so it's good for Trick or Treating.  The only downside is the STAIRS!!!  All the houses have long driveways and big hills of stairs.  OY!!!  Oh, yeah...and the houses are pretty nice too...

Let's try to pose in front of the pumpkin-ghost thing...

OK...let's not...

Ready to go!!!

The final even of the year was the Halloween Parade at my school.  I was a treat hander-outer so Dave got to bring the boys through the parade.

Yay!

Now I just need to figure out what we're going to be next year...

Trick or Treat 2012

Be prepared for a Photo Bomb!!!

Here it comes...3....2....1...

KA BOOM!!!

Ben's ready to pass out some candy (after he samples a few).

Pre-costume picture (love the Halloween PJ's)

N-S-E-B

Punkins!

Benji has officially figured out how to smile on cue!!!

Eli making sure nobody escapes from the zoo!

Nate is looking for some bananas!

Sam finally gives a good smile!

Ready to go!

Pre trick or treat picture

OY!

R-E-D

S-N-B

Ready to Roll!

Getting the hang of it!

Ben's bucket is getting full!

Sam's got plenty of treats!

Eli's ready to dig in!

Nate's bucket's a little heavy!

Sam loves his glow stick

(and Ben really wanted to open his animal crackers).

Ben hearts glow sticks and animal crackers!

Nate's "go stick".