9 Months...

This has been a big month. So much has happened. So much is about to happen.

This little cheeky monkey is now crawling...slowly...but with great purpose. I think the last month has brought the most changes for Lily. She has just blossomed! She was always pretty good with her gross motor skills, but in the last 30 days Lily has really figured out all of the fun and nifty things her hands can do. We've always joked about how much Lily loved her hands...she would spend HOURS staring at them, moving her fingers, turning them over, you name it. She was also extremely interested in anyone else's hands, especially if they had pretty rings on them. She is such a girl! But, she was always a little slower than the boys at picking up things and manipulating toys. Not anymore. She figured out all of the things she could pull, grab, and maul...namely my hair. She's even picking up small pieces of food and putting it in her mouth just as good as the boys, maybe better.

She is smily, happy, and a joy to be around. She has the flirtiest little laugh which just draws you to her. She turns it on for the camera. When you point it at her...she always gives you the best grins! In fact, it just seems like she is always smiling.

She was the first to mimick. She can shakes her head "yes" and "no" when (most of the time), but will ALWAYS do it when you go in to pick her up out of her crib! She's usually on her tummy...looks up at you over the rail...and gives you a big grin...and shakes her head up and down. So adorable. She also snorts with her nose and has waved a few times. And I SWEAR...when you say "Lily's a good girl", it sounds like she says "good girl" right back at you. She obviously agrees.

She's a Daddy's girl and lights up when he comes in the room. She's eating like a champ and has begun some pieces of table foods. She has 7 teeth! She's just doing amazing and words can't express how much in love with her that we are!

9 month stats:

Wt: 22 lbs 14 oz (>95th %)

Ht: 30 inches (>95th %)

Bennie is a mess! The boy is in constant motion. He's crawling EVERYWHERE...fast! Actually, he does a funny scooting thing where he pulls with his left arm, pushes with his right foot, wiggles his little butt, and shoots across the room full speed. He is so fast and gets in to everything. He's pulling up on some lower furniture, playing on his knees, and will go over whatever...or whoever is in his way. His new nickname is the "Bendozer" and it is extremely accurate. Many times a day I am pulling him off of his brother or sister b/c the fastest route to whatever he wants is over them. They are not pleased by this.

He loves to play...and loves toys...especially those that someone else is playing with! He is the ultimate toy thief. He will actually steal a toy, turn around, and crawl away with it. Shameless. He knows no fear and sees no obstacles. He's always smiling and always ready with a crazy giggle.

He almost has 4 teeth, the top two are coming in right now. He loves his sippy cup. You know he's hungry when he gets a little whiny and the thumb goes in the mouth. He has NO interest in table foods, loves anything sweet, and has finally gotten over his hatred of anything green. Mainly because he loves to eat.

But, the one thing that makes my heart melt, is that Bennie is a Mama's boy. He loves me and I eat it up. Wherever I am in the room he wants to be right next to me, in my lap, or in my arms. Somewhat problematic with three babies but fantastic at the same time.

Oh yeah, and he still has his big tall hair!
9 month stats:
Wt: 23 lbs 13 oz (90th %)
Ht: 30 1/4 in (95th %)



The Jack Hammer. Jack is the last to crawl. To be fair, he can move forward, when you are not looking. When you look...encourage...give him your support...he holds arms and feet up in the air and screams. He just seems to be a little timid. He gets up on his hands and knees, rocks, and begins the process. He then gives up and collapses. I think we just haven't found the right motivation yet.

Jack is the sweetest boy ever. He is my cuddler. He just melts in my arms, nuzzles up to me, sighs, and makes me feel so loved. He is so gentle. He softly reaches up and strokes my hair and face. He's just simply content to be held. Not a problem for me.

As sweet and gentle as he can be, the guy also has a TEMPER. He gets frustrated fairly easily (note crawling here) and we often joke that he needs a little anger management. His middle name is Casey after all... He will look at you, straighten his arms out, grind his teeth together, and let out a deep, guttural, growl. Sometimes he growls so hard he coughs after. Crazy boy. This is often followed by throwing himself backward. This is what you call a real fit.

He's a big talker. Lots of "blah blah", "ma ma", and "dee dee". Funny enough, he has the sweetest and softest voice. He's almost clapping when you clap. He tries so hard but can't get his hands to meet!

Jack's not really into the table foods yet...those silly boys prefer me to feed them! He has two teeth on the bottom, two middle teeth on top, and two more coming in next to them.
His sweet gentleness is matched only by his sharp mood swings and temper! But, he does have the dreamiest eyes...and the longest eyelashes.

9 month stats:
Wt: 21 lbs. 12 oz. (75th %)
Ht: 30 in. (90th %)

The changes are happening so fast. Every day they are doing more.

We got the go-ahead to switch to 20 cal/oz formula instead of the 22 cal/oz. They now have a bottle 3 times per day instead of 4. They spoon feed 3 times per day. They are still napping 3 times per day, but are showing signs of getting ready to drop that last nap.

They are doing great, I'm doing great, and I can't believe it's already been 9 months. It has been so much fun. I love being with them every day and they bring out the best in me. It's hard work, but I'm with my very favorite people all day long, so it doesn't even feel like work. I'm REALLY ready for the temperature to drop because we haven't been out much lately. It's just not worth all of the sweating that is involved. Things are getting a lot easier, the schedule is getting a lot more flexible, and they are just really happy babies. That makes my job pretty cushy, right? I can't wait to see what the next month brings!

I've been tagged.

Six rather unspectacular facts about myself.





1. I have a serious addiction to small pieces of candy. Namely, tic tacs. I go through 2, sometimes 3 packs per day. For reals. Imagining a day without them makes me a little sweaty. When I was pregnant I ate Smarties constantly. Like pounds of them. Oh yes, and the tic tac people lie. They are actually 1.9 calories, not 1 calorie like they advertise. When I got serious about losing the pregnancy weight, I stopped the tic tacs, and immediately lost 5 lbs...within days.





2. I have strange eating habits. If left to my own devices I would eat the exact same food for weeks...maybe months on end. I get on a kick of say, quesadillas...or salads...or frozen grapes...or baked potatoes...or kettle corn...and I eat that food until I am sick of it. Sometimes I eat the same thing for dinner for 3 months straight. Even I understand this is strange. I also don't eat unless I'm hungry (most of the time). This drives Brian crazy b/c I'm never hungry at night when he wants to make dinner. Food just doesn't taste good to me unless I really want it. I also do not ever heat up leftovers. I always eat them cold no matter what it is. If it isn't good cold, I don't eat it. I especially like cold meats.



3. When I need something, whether it be a tank top...a book...a belt...a purse...whatever. I am compelled to go out and buy multiples of that item. For instance, last summer I needed tank tops for our trip to Mexico. I swear I bought 8. Some of them I have not even worn. It is a compulsivity I cannot overcome. I have tried. I have been in a store staring at a number of a certain item...sweating...not able to choose. So, I buy them all, with the promise to myself to return them, but never do. It's maddening. I just bought three books on infant activities. I narrowed it down from nine. I am extremely proud of myself. I mean, really, how many different activities can infants actually do?



4. I am bizarrely good at pitching games. Pitching washers, pitching horseshoes, pitching into a bucket. Whatever it may be. You want me on your team.



5. There was a time in my life I was scared of bank drive-thrus. This is really weird, I admit. I am over it now...so I can tell you. I refused to use the outside lanes at the bank. The specific time frame was high school, college...and grad school. I would ALWAYS go inside to the teller. I was afraid of those canister vacuum things. If I was in a hurry and it was a situation, I would go to the lane where there was a real person. If it was too long...I would go inside...and NEVER use the scary sucky thing.



6. Besides the last one, which I am over now. I am REALLY only afraid of two things. Heights and closed-in spaces. I do admit that these are large categories, which cover everything from zip-lines, roller-coasters, snorkeling, sky-diving, small planes, scary bridges, isolation chambers, and storm cellars. My husband has recently said that I am no fun because I don't like to do lots of new, different, and fun things. I think this statement is a gross exaggeration of my situation and the more I have thought of it the more I believe it is untrue of the actual circumstances. I believe he also called me a scaredy cat. Again, untrue. Given my rathers, I do not choose to go white water rafting. I do not choose to water ski. I do not choose to plummet down the side of a mountain with my elbows tucked in a small inter tube wearing a helmet going down the longest cement slide I have ever seen. I just prefer to do safer things. Free time is a rare commodity around here and I don't want to fill it up with things that could potentially endanger my life, render me incapacitated, or maim me for life. I have three children now and I feel that would be irresponsible. I also do not like to do anything that I could potentially look stupid doing. Besides, you know you people need someone to hold your purses and coats when you ride all of the rides at six flags. I am that guy.

Now is the time that I pass on the evil that my friend Julie passed to me. By the way, I am the person who hates chain e-mails and I feel this is a version of that. But, I like Julie, and what else do I have to do but sit around and think of all of the ways that I am a little different from the next guy.

I pass the torch to:
Emily
Heather
Carole
Jeni

I'm only passing in onto four people because that is all of the ill-will I can afford for one day. Good night.

By the way, today was a MUCH better day. It's amazing what a little sleep can do for you!

On a serious note.

Most days go extremely well. Some just don't. Since the beginning of time, every mother out there has had a few moments of complete, utter, insane, exasperation. Often these moments are preceded by...spitting food, whining, not eating, playing in throw-up, crying, and not napping...for me. It's funny how some days it's funny, some it's an inconvenience...and some you want to go and run and hide under the table because it all seems like too much. How does that happen? If I knew I would be rich from writing self-help books. There are other factors, of course. Not sleeping well, hormones, hunger, fatigue, all good things on which to blame the lack of tolerance.

Men don't get it. They just don't. I'm sure they have felt the same short-temper at some time in their lives, but they just don't seem to dredge up that particular memory when you are venting to them at 8:00 in the morning...already...literally an hour and a half after waking up. I'm also fairly certain the only thing on any sane husband's mind at this point is to get the hell off of the phone as quickly and nicely as possible. Can't say he's not smart.

But then, at the end of my day, God gave me a little reminder at how very lucky I am to be living in every single moment-both good and bad. I have three healthy, beautiful, perfect little people...who can be pains...but at least at this point they don't mean to be...they are just simply being babies.

I just read about another triplet Mom who delivered her babies at 26 weeks and 4 days, and one of her boys passed away after 4 days. It just stopped me. I felt so terrible that I had let myself get so frustrated. I felt sad that I could let myself even go there. I felt thankful for each moment the day had brought me. I felt hopeful for tomorrow. I felt happy that I not only get to feel each difficulty of being a mother of three, but I get to feel every joy, every touch, and every piece of food that hits me in the face. It's all good. It's all part of it.

Besides, there will be a day when they are not babies. There will be a time when they are five and they are deliberately doing things they know they should not. They will be teenagers some day who deliberately don't do things they should. Someday I will not be the center of their world and then I will really be sad.

I'm counting my three blessings right now. I'm hoping that tomorrow brings a better attitude, better insight, and a better way to handle the emotions that come with trying to raise little beings that have their own minds. I'm only good at so much...but I want to be the very best at this that I can possibly be. Is that really too much to ask? Probably.

Can you believe it's even possible to have a short temper with these dreamy eyes...

Or this cute little butt....

Or this sweet little smile?

I certainly can't...now that they are tucked nicely in bed for the next 12 hours....

What? Sippy Cups already???

Well, around here it's all about feeding, feeding, and more feeding. Bottle feeds four times per day and spoon feeding 3 times. The babies are eating a pretty good variety of foods. Veggies: zucchini, yellow squash, butternut squash, sweet potatoe, asparagus, broccoli, and green beans. Fruits: avadado, banana, mango, nectarines, peaches, apricots, apples, and pears. Yogurt is the FAVORITE! Here's Lily after eating the whole bowl>...




They will be 9 months in less than two weeks. We have started the little Gerber puffs and they seem to like them. Lots of changes will be happening in the next month or so. One, the sippy cup, has happened much sooner than I expected. Bennie...the easy one? He hasn't been so easy lately. I'm assuming his teeth are bothering him. He has become deathly afraid of his bottle. It's the weirdest thing ever. He wants it, he cries for it, he reaches for it...but when it comes near his face he whacks it away. So, the nurses recommendation was to try a sippy cup. So, we did. Bennie and Jack are great at them. It was ridiculously easy. I was so prepared for a much harder transition. I'll take some time right now to thank my lucky stars... It's a little too much for Lily right now, but 2 out of 3 isn't bad.

Here's Jack showing off his skills!



Here's Bennie crawling over to Jack, crying, trying to steal his sippy cup.



Here's Jack practicing good manners and wiping his face off...sort of.
We're also done with crib bumpers. Jack had a poop party one night by taking his diaper off and doing some fine finger painting all over his bumper pad. We've also found them with their faces mushed up against them quite a bit. They were also starting to find the strings and untie them...so off they went!

Bennie's crawling everywhere. He's getting really fast and into everything. Lily and Jack are still trying to figure it out.

All in all, the babies are doing great.

Happy as little clams!

New digs.

Well, what do ya'll think? I've been working with Judi from Doodlebug Designs to create a fun new look for our blog. She did a great job!

Islands In The Stream...

That Is What We Are....

Once in a while a good friend comes by that you will have for a lifetime. You know, the kind of girl who always wanted Ralph Macchio to be her boyfriend, who would sit and sing "Islands In The Stream" for hours upon hours with you, and who managed to memorize a completely inappropriate country song (about binge drinking, if I remember correctly) entitled "Drinkin' My Baby Goodbye" by Charlie Daniels Band.

Oh, the good memories we shared.

I can fondly remember lazy summer afternoons playing "Little House On The Prairie"...of course she was the pretty one so she got to be Mary. I can also remember our cabbage patch kids, our secret club, and ice skating. For the life of me, however, I can't remember her pretend dress up name...I do remember mine...Electra Vanderbilt. Oh yeah, there was also cow tongue and rock polishers...have those two things ever been used in a sentence together?

She moved away to Kansas when we were 12, leaving me heartbroken. We were re-united in college...and this past week we were re-united again.

We've been friends for, oh...around 27 years or so? Man, we're old, huh? We recently got back in touch with each other when I was phenomenally and largely pregnant. She came to visit me last week and got to meet my kiddos...and it was great to see her. She and her family were an important piece to me growing up to be the wonderful person that I am (no snickering). It's a very special thing....to have a very special friend...who has played a very special part in my life....and who I am glad to have back in my life. I've decided not to let her go again. I don't care what she says. So, could you get your butt back to Texas?

Now....


Then...
Yeah, even with all the spit up in my hair...I think I'll stick with my new 'do.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

See any similarities?

We have our first crawler! Uncoordinated as it may be...and as distracted as he gets...Oh wait, he does take after me...