Triplets!

Well, after 2 weeks of watching and waiting, our triplets have arrived! Yesterday, we went to look at the eggs (again) and found that two had been transformed from beautiful blue eggs to very delicate mounds of flesh. The third wasn't too far behind.

Since the nest is in the eves of our deck, we can look down from above, through a space between the boards. It's great because we can see them, but aren't close enough to interfere with the robin family. I even saw Mommy Robin collecting worms for her babes at dusk.

Slip Sliding Away

We spent some time in Salem with cousin B this weekend. The sun was shining, so the kids headed for the slip-n-slide. Granted, it was only about 70, so the hose water was a bit chilly. Big B understands how to slip on his stomach. Little B does not. He'd run then come to a stop before landing on his belly. Mostly, he just ran and tried not to fall. G, well, she watched and got her hands wet. 

Bambi?

We were blessed with a 70 degree and sunny Memorial Day weekend. In fact, most of last week and the coming week has been beautiful. As we prepared to have dinner outside tonight, T and the kids were playing on the play structure and all of a sudden, T noticed a little something special on the edge of the play area. 

Can you spot her?

I saw the brown fur from upstairs and thought maybe a squirrel had met an early demise. Then I saw the white spots. 

She was no bigger than a cat or small dog. We decided that we'd eat inside to keep the noise level down in hopes her mom would return. (The neighbors thought they'd spotted her earlier in the day in their yard.) Another neighbor's dog got loose and I got nervous, so I headed back out to see her after we ate. Her head was up and by the time we had a camera, she made it to her feet. Her hooves were so clean, I really wonder if she wasn't born right there. She was so unsteady on her legs, both T and I wondered if we hadn't just witnessed her first steps. 

We kept the kids back and made sure the neighbor dog wasn't going to get to her. She tried to hide under the ferns. I checked on her a few minutes later and she was gone. Hopefully, off to find her mom. 

Boys vs. Girls

B loves swimming each Monday morning. This week, at dinner Monday night, the following conversation took place:

B, "Mom. If you fall in the water, you do a u-turn."

J, "What does that mean, B?"

B, "You turn around in the water and grab the wall. But the wall is really high up."

J, "If you fall in the water, your body floats."

B, "Why?"

J, "Because of Buoyancy."

B, "But not Girl-ancy."

Stuck in a Rut

Do you ever just have a few days where you feel like this?

Or maybe this?

I am feel a bit stuck. Nothing major. No big highs or lows, just stuck.

B got a great book called "Big Plans". A child goes around talk talk talking about his big plans. Nothing really happens. Just talk. That is how I feel.

We have plans to go to Chicago in June. There are talks of a week in Scotland in September. Even dreaming of a few days at the Happiest Place on Earth in November. Still. Me feeling stuck in a rut. Planning for family to visit in August as T's cousin gets married (yeah!). Lots of other plans surrounding that joyous day, but still just talk at this point. 

I try to be a positive person and think about how great things are in my life 99.99% of the time. T's got a great job that (mostly) makes him happy and always keeps him busy. We are blessed with good health and good fortune, beautiful friends and family, bountiful food, clean water. Two great kids wake up each morning with hugs and smiles for us both. The ability to travel the world. Books to read. Goals to reach. But I just have a case of the blahhhs! 

Enough whining. Sorry. 

But I must always remember, the kids are pretty happy.

18 Months

Trying to get a happy pose on film has been tough. Mostly because G is happy in motion, not so happy sitting still. 18 months is full of lots of highs and lows. Tons of words, but still frustrated when she can't express herself. Tantrums that turn to really super happy moments of belly laughs. Even many attempts at somersaults. 

Oh, how we love the toddler years.

All grown up

4 years ago. 7 weeks early. 3 lbs 13 ounces. 17 days in the NICU. 

1 month later...still a tiny little peanut. 

4 years later...

Future Blackmail

I would feel a bit guilty if she hadn't grabbed the hat and baton herself. She started walking with the baton like it was a cane. T & I were rolling around laughing and I knew this would have to go public.

A King, a Jester and a Dragon

What do you do when you are a 4 year old boy and you are invited to a princess party (royal attire requested)?  Well,  you dress as a King, a Jester or a Dragon, of course. I was happy to have another reason for him to sport his Easter clothes, so we added a crown and voila! There were two other boys and they were dressed, you guessed it, as a Jester and a Dragon! Adorable. 

Serious kudos to the host King & Queen for the fabulous party. Love the refrigerator box castle, the treasure hunt, the tiara making, etc. Way more creative than I can fathom.