The girls turned four on Thursday. It has been crazy since then, with family visiting, a birthday party, and of course Halloween wedged in there. I really need to get to bed, so for now, just a quick retrospective:
Four years ago:
Three years ago:
Two years ago:
One year ago:
This year:
Hey girls: SLOW DOWN, would you?
Recently we had the opportunity to visit some family and old family friends near Chicago, and decided to take the girls into the city and make a long weekend out of it.
I don't think we'll do that again any time soon.
Fun was definitely had, and it was worth the trip to spend time with family, but we learned the hard way that three-year-olds are in no way capable of rolling with it when there's a bump in the road or a change in plans, as inevitably occurs when you travel. We got a hotel package that included parking, and decided to use public transportation to get around, figuring the girls would think it was fun. We were right - they loved riding the bus and the subway and the taxi, and when you ask them what the best thing about Chicago was that's what they'll tell you (the McDonald's playland we visited on the way home coming in at a close second). What they did not like so much, however, was when we had to walk a few extra blocks to find the right bus stop (a few extra blocks + three 3-year-olds = 30 extra minutes x much bitter complaining). Or when the first bus that came wasn't ours. Or the second. Or the tenth.
By Saturday night, Tim and I had heard so much griping and whining and complaining (the phrase "But I'm tired of walking" was used at least 172 times that day alone) we were about ready to leave them out on the curb. On Sunday, we drove to the Shedd Aquarium and paid for valet parking. It was perhaps the best $25 we have ever spent.
First night at the hotel:
This arrangement lasted approximately 45 seconds before the "stop touching mes" and "don't move my blankets" started. Julia & Lily managed to share a bed without incident. Eve slept in her tent.
Waiting for the bus:
Lily would like you to know she was extremely unhappy about the waiting.
We finally made it to the Museum of Science & Industry, where they had a huge model train display...
Hatching chicks...
And a great preschool play area...
A big cow to climb on...
And a lunchroom with chairs comfy enough to take a nap on if you're really desperate. (Eve zonked out here for at least half an hour.)
Later that day we also checked out Millenium Park.
Next day was Shedd Aquarium:
Lily made a great mama penguin, patiently sitting on her eggs:
Then it was off to the burbs for a cookout with family. This was the best picture I could get of the girls. With 5 kids 5 and under, I was just happy they were all looking at the camera. The 2 girls that aren't mine are 1st cousins to each other, but 3rd cousins to my trio. (I think. They are my cousins' kids.)
All the cousins watching a movie together while the grown-ups ate dinner. (They kept yelling at us to pipe down.)
Before heading home, hanging out at the hotel:
One other observation from the trip. When we are out and about we enforce potty breaks so that we aren't taking someone to the bathroom every 20 minutes. (And on the subject of public restrooms, I give HUGE kudos to the Shedd for having stepstools that fold up under the sinks in their bathrooms. I am amazed at how few ostensibly child-friendly places provide this simple convenience. Our hand-washing routine in most bathrooms goes something like this: Balance on one leg. Balance 37-pound child on the other bent knee. Contort self into pretzel to reach soap dispenser, which is never right next to the sink, because that would be too easy. Assist first child in washing her hands while twisting around to keep an eye on the other 2 and imploring them not to run out the door/lie on the grody floor/play with the trash can/lick the mirror. Put child one down. Mop up huge puddle on counter. Repeat. Repeat again.) Sorry, where was I? Oh, right. Potty breaks. They are never eager to go and it always takes a lot of persuading to get them to try. They all do ok with public toilets but HATE how loud the flush is, so I always have to promise I won't flush until they leave the stall. Which is obviously problematic with automatic flush toilets. Until this trip I would cover the sensor with my hand until they were out (and just imagine, if you will, the contortions I had to undertake to assist 3 children on & off the potty, pulling up pants, etc. with 4 of us in a tiny restroom stall and me with one hand plastered to the sensor). This trip I finally wised up and remembered a tip I'd read a long time ago: Post-It notes. I brought a stack of small ones with me and used them to "trick the potty" which they thought was hilarious. An hour from home on the way back we needed gas and decided we'd better have a potty break there too. Much wailing and complaining erupted, so Tim and I decided to break about 5 different parenting rules (among them, "don't give in to tantrums" and "don't use food as a reward") and told them if they tried to go we could spend a few minutes looking around the store and they could each pick out some candy.
And that is why in our house, Post-It notes are now called "potty trickers," and gas stations are now "potty stores."
The girls started preschool Friday. They will be going once a week, from 9-1. They did great. I was a total wreck, but I think it has previously been established that I'm a freak. Here are the requisite 1st day of school photos. Obviously they are very proud of their backpacks.
And just for fun... the master geek and geeks-in-training:
Tim and the girls (including our friend Ellie, who stayed the night this weekend - our first sleepover!)
Not actually just discovered it, but just bothered to open it up and play around with it for the first time. As if I didn't have enough ways to waste time on the computer. It's not like there's anything I could be doing around the house, like unpacking the boxes still sitting in our basement. Instead I did this:
I was going to put them in the usual birth order (Eve, Julia, Lily) but then suddenly I had a flashback to when my mom first met them in the NICU. I took her around to them in birth order, then any time she went into the NICU after that she made sure to go say hi to them in a different order so no one always got to be first. These tiny little babies didn't even know how to eat yet, and she's making sure she's treating them fairly. If I have managed to become a considerate human being who thinks about the feelings of others it is thanks to my mom. (And if not, don't blame her - she tried.)
Spring 2006:
Summer 2009:
I think I should start taking this picture every year. Can you imagine how totally willing to cooperate they'll be when they're about 14?
3 months? 3 MONTHS?!?!?! Wow, that is really bad.
So anyway, guess what we did right after my last post, which apparently was 3 months ago? We sold our house. This was my first house-selling experience, and now I can quite confidently say this is something I do not recommend that anyone do, EVER, times a million if you have small children.
Our area of the country has not been as hard-hit by the real estate meltdown, and we managed to sell our house in 2 months (we put it on the market in March). But during that time we had anywhere from 2 to 7 showings a week, and it was quite a job keeping the place presentable amid the constant presence of hurricane Evejulialily. But we managed. And then we moved, which is an experience I recommend even LESS if you have small humans in your house. But we managed that too. My Aunt Margie requested some pictures, and I hate to let her down, so here you go:
What sold us on this house is the open floorplan. This picture is taken from the corner of the living room (rug in the foreground is part of the living room area). Kitchen is through the door on the right, and you can see the breakfast nook through there. To the left is the family room. Just to the left of the bench you see on the left side of the picture is the door to the playroom.
Family room.
Playroom:
Can I tell you how much I love that all the toys have a home? And that the home for toys has doors on it? Truly a sanity-saver.
Some random shots...
Super-daddy:
My posse:
Fun at gymnastics:
Finally, on a sad note, my dear, sweet, beloved grandfather passed away on Friday. He would have been 92 in a couple weeks. I am so very thankful he got to meet and spend time with the girls.
Grampa's beard was a source of great fascination for Eve.
This was taken around the girls' 1st birthday. Julia was going through a serious, very intense stage of stranger anxiety. Grampa was very gentle and respectful of her and gave her all the space she needed until she finally warmed up to him.
Please note the 89-year-old man CRAWLING AROUND ON THE FLOOR with the babies. They were chasing each other. It reminded me right away of some of my earliest memories of grampa, playing a game we called "Oh, no!" I was probably around 4 when this game was invented. Grampa would sit on a couch or in an armchair pretending not to notice I was around. I would sneak up and grab the arm cover (do they make those anymore? The piece of fabric that sits on top of the arms of furniture to protect it). Then I would run away, giggling wildly. He would loudly exclaim "Oh, no!" and chase after me, capture me, get the cover back, very carefully replace the cover, and sit down in a huff. Repeat approximately 1 million times. Then I would go to bed. Then Grampa would have an asthma attack. Then Grammy would scold him and tell him to lay off the shenanigans. Then we'd do it all over the next night.
I miss him.
I stole an idea from another triplet mom I know and decided to "interview" the girls. Lily was pretty chatty, Eve seemed a little uncomfortable, and Julia was totally distracted by what was going on in the next room. But it was pretty fun and I've been wanting to get more video of them just talking about stuff to capture their voices and the pronunciations and mannerisms they have right now. Here they are...
Eve told her first joke yesterday. She prefaced the telling of said joke by saying "I have a joke I'd like to share." Where do they learn to talk like that? Anyway, here was the joke:
Eve: How does a puppy walk with no feet?
Me: How?
Eve: Cuz it can't move!
Insert much hysterical laughter from all three girls. We were in the car on the way to the store, and this joke was followed by many others with a similar format.
Julia: How does a hippo jump in the water without jumping?
Me: How?
Julia: Cuz they have to stay in the air!
Eve: How do bugs eat with no mouth?
Me: How?
Eve: Cuz they can't even know that they're hungry!
Lily told one too but I couldn't really understand her because she was laughing so hard. All 3 of them were just completely cracking each other up. I'm afraid they come by their comedic abilities (or lack thereof) naturally. My family loves to talk about how my cousin Katie and I used to sit next to each other in our high chairs and tell knock-knock jokes that went something like this:
Katie: Knock, knock!
Me: Who's there?
Katie: Peanut butter!
(Hysterical laughter)
I am just grateful that their jokes don't consist of liberal use of the words "poop" and "butt." Yet.
There are two things about this video that really make me happy.
1. The sound of all 3 of them giggling like maniacs, which is one of the best sounds in the world.
2. Imagining how completely grossed out they will be watching this video when they're about 14.
For your viewing pleasure...
