Apple Picking!!!

What a fun day! We have a Young Families group in our church that does a family event one month, and then the next month, a parent (night out) event. It's great! Anyways, today was a family event...and we went apple picking! Addison ate about 4 whole apples in the hour that we were there. Hailey was busy in the bushes with her friend Tyler. Good thing they aren't 16 - ha! :)

and Emily felt like sticking closer to me for some reason. She wasn't so sure about the apples.

Here's Addison showing her sisters how it's done.

And here's Daddy showing everyone how it's done. :)

And here's Hailey TOTALLY enjoying the caramel apple that she made when we were done. What a sticky mess - but oh so good! :) Now it really feels like Fall!

Playtime (Hailey, Addison, Emily)
Addison, Emily, Hailey
Check out Addy's long hair!

Deer and Birds

I just spotted FIVE deer in our yard already! All winter long we usually have deer in our yard....just can't believe they're here ALREADY! I'm not ready for winter!

Our front yard!
And, lately, we have been flooded with all sorts of animals. :) The past 2 days, our front windows have killed a total of NINE birds (and possibly more could be hidden behind the bushes!) We have no idea what's going on but we'll be sitting in the family room and then BAM, we here a loud thud by our front window and sure enough, a bird flew into our window. It just got REAL interesting when it KEPT ON happening! The first time 2 birds died, 2 other birds just sat right by their bodies and were like frozen. It was so interesting like they were having a funeral! One of our neighbor ladies said these birds mate for life...so if one dies...they really ARE sad! Anyways, hopefully they stop ....my windows seriously aren't even clean so I don't get what's going on...

I would show you a pic of the birds too...but thought I'd spare you. :)

Hope you're doing well!

More fun

Just wanted to let you all know in case you hadn't heard yet...that the girls are going to have another COUSIN!! My brother Craig and sister in law Laura are expecting again! We are soooo excited!!! I LOVE that the girls will have cousins close in age to them! Now all we need is them to move closer to us so we can see them more!! :) Congratulations Craig, Laura, and Kamryn!!!!!

Today we went to a park to meet another triplet mom who I used to work with who's triplets are 4 months older than Addy, Emily, and Hailey. Too bad we went to opposite parks but we ended up meeting up anyways for lunch. Above (AEH)
Addy
Hailey
Check out that hair! :)
AHE
Triplets times 2!
And yes, we have leashes now. :) They are a LIFESAVER let me tell you! I got them from another triplet mom in my multiples group and the girls LOVE them! It is so nice to be able to take them out of their stroller and know that they all won't run in different directions. I feel so much safer! But, I also feel like I have my own litter. :) We went for a walk tonight and the girls had so much fun.

23 month pics...

Emily and her patch!

And below...is what I like to call "Potty Parties." :) We're not in full out training yet...and I think we'll wait a while....unless the girls do it themselves. :) But, they do love sitting on the potty and chatting together. So every now and then, when I feel like taking 3 diapers off and when I feel like having all the toilet paper being rolled out...and have them sit there for a couple minutes, then we do that. :) But otherwise, we're just waiting for when the girls are READY (and when Mom is ready too!) The girls do tell me when they go #2 in their diapers...so we are getting somewhere! I just can't believe potty training time is just around the corner though. Are they really THAT old?! Ahh!
My babies and I at the zoo, petting the goats....or running from them. :)
Their first train ride at the zoo! Since Daddy could come to the zoo with us this time, we ventured out and rode the train. They loved it! (AEH)
Uncle Jeff and Uncle Duane came last week because the Giants were in town. The girls aren't so sure what they think of them as the uncles are always messing with their heads. :) But they brought donuts...so that helped. :)
Uncle Duane and Emily making faces. :) Emily was copying him....ohhhh boy. :)

When Ry gets home from work, we're usually outside playing...the girls run to his car and always want to hop in with him. They love their Daddy!! :)

Reflecting...

I will never know why God gave us triplets. But every now and then, I see things that He teaches us through them...and I see how He leads others to us..and how He has taught us SO much simply because we have triplets. Today was one of those days that I just felt like I needed to sit back and reflect on this journey that God has brought us on.

This morning I brought Emily to the eye doctor for a follow up appt. She now has to wear a patch on her left eye for four months for 2 hours a day because her right eye wanders a bit. So hopefully, the patch will correct it. If it doesn't, she will need surgery to correct it. That surprised me as I thought she would just need glasses...but actually, surgery is what is needed so hopefully the patch will help! Anyways, while we were in the waiting room, I looked over and noticed a teeny baby being fed a bottle. Then I looked at the mom and realized I knew her! She is a triplet mom who came over to my house when she was 20 weeks pregnant to just chat about everything. Anyways, she ended up having her triplets very early so the one in her arms was now 4 lbs. (she was born 1 lb 5 oz!) Just seeing a 4 lb. baby again made me all teary eyed. Nearly two years ago, my girls were about that size. It is truly REMARKABLE how far they have come. I feel like that was SO long ago. 4 lbs. is SOOO small!! It's amazing how quickly we forget..and how fast they grow up. God was just reminding me through my visit, that He has been with us these entire 2 years...even when we fail to see His hand at work. To sit and look at that precious 4 lb. baby...and then look at Emily who was taking her shoes off and on saying "buckle" in between saying "baby baby" non stop...makes me speechless and all choked up. Growth of anything, even a flower, or a tree, or anything...is always amazing...but seeing the growth of your own child...even starting in the womb...is something else that I can't even describe. And to think they are only TWO!!! Wow.

Also, if you remember...our original due date with the girls was December 4. Well one of Ryan's clients at work got pregnant with triplets ......due december 4 of this year....3 girls....2 identical. CRAZY!!!!! So, Ryan's been talking with him a lot....They have had quite the rough road in that one of their identical girls wasn't getting enough food (twin to twin transfusion syndrome) because she was sharing a placenta with her sister....and so one of the girls passed away last week. Please pray with us for this family, for the other 2 sisters, and for Ryan's client and his wife as they grieve and get through the rest of the pregnancy. Their story is incredible, and their faith and trust in God is contagious and inspiring to us. Sometimes I think that God puts people into our lives so that we can support and encourage them....but in reality, these people have been a support and encouragement to us. We are thankful for our triplet connection...and look forward to having a little triplet play date some day.... in heaven. :) Please pray with us for their family. Thank you!!!!!!

Life Lately

Well hi there!  I know I know...I've been slacking at blogging lately.  I guess I've been super busy during naptimes!  Lots is on my mind with the Fall gearing up and now I'm starting to feel like we can start to get more involved with stuff at church again so I've been getting organized with leading a small group, co coordinating MOPS, planning a Women's Retreat, cleaning house, painting the girls' new "big girl" bedroom cuz we found, through the multiples club, a triplet mom who's girls just graduated college and she's selling 4 twin beds (that bunk and loft), a trundle, 3 desks, etc.  So...we're getting that this week...but we won't move the girls over yet...just getting ready for when the time is right. :)  Plus, my parents are coming in a month and I want to have the room ready to show them! :)  Um, what else, just been busy I guess!  

This morning Auntie Jody came over and watched Addison and Hailey while I took Emily on a date!  I went with Addison a while ago and took her swimming by herself and then to a park.  Emily and I went to this place called Stonefire Pizza cuz they have a Mommy and Me area that was so cute!  She loved it!  It was so fun to have her all to myself!  I do have to admit though, and I know I shouldn't even say this...but...it really is so much easier having one!  I can't even tell you!  I didn't have to take a stroller anywhere we went, we could hop in and out of the car - no problem, I could actually hold her hand and WALK in somewhere, when we ate at McDonalds, I didn't have to HURRY along with them and there was virtually no mess!  Plus, no one stopped me to talk about triplets!  :) And, I didn't have to break my heart and tell her "sorry, I can't hold you right now. I'm holding your sister..."  It was just such a treat!  Thanks so much Jody!!!  I really cherish my one on one time with the girls...we're trying to do it more and more...just take one of them on an errand with us and stuff like that but it's so funny, the girls TOTALLY miss each other!  The whole way to the pizza place, Emily kept saying "Hayyydee???"  "Aaaaddyy?"  So funny.  I guess Hailey and Addison were doing the same thing for Jody.  It's so sweet that they look out for each other.  It is so hard though, making time to do one on one things with the girls.  Because when I get a sitter, it could be SOOO much easier to just quick go do everything I need to do....or to just take ALL of them out cuz I would have loved for ALL of them to experience that place.  But...I know it's important too.  Oh man.... this parenting thing is sure a challenge!  Somedays I truly think this stage is way harder than when they were newborns.  Every day is teaching them to SHARE, not to fight, time outs all the time, no biting, teaching them HOW to play things...etc.  I can definitely tell that the terrible two's are RIGHT around the corner.  Ahh!  But, at the same time, they're pretty hilarious right now too and so much fun.  I love how they are saying so many words now... For instance, Ryan and I got a wknd away to Michigan last wknd (THANKS SOOOOOOO MUCH Mom & Dad D.!!)  And when we came back, I noticed a new spot on our carpet. So I pointed to it and asked the girls what it was.  I was shocked that Hailey started saying "Poooook!"  "Poook!"  I was like "Puke?"  Since when did you learn that word?  Then I said "Puke?  Who puked?"  And she said "Peppaaaa"  Pepper is Kim and Kathy's little dog.  So I called Kathy and sure enough, that's what happened!  I love how they keep surprising me every day with how smart they are. :)  

ANYWAYS, i've been trying for days to upload some more videos on here...as the girls have been super into racing and coming up with their own games lately but for some reason, it's not working.  So...you'll just have to keep waiting for those.  Well, I hear them jumping in their cribs so time to go!

Emily & Addy in their racing positions...
Emily had a riot on her Mommy Date! :)  I loved it too! :) 

There's a place where kids can paint their faces and it supposedly comes off easily.  We'll see! :)
One of our favorite things to do...make shakes with Daddy

Ready to race!!  (Hailey, Emily, Addy)
They are starting to LOVE their babies and they're so nurturing already!  Crazy thing is I did NOT prop them for this pic!  They grab their babies and get into position on the couch.  So cute! :) 
Our wknd away in Michigan with some great friends.  The weather was no good....but the WAVES on Lake Michigan were like 15 feet!  We felt like we were in 4th grade swimming in the waves...it was such a blast and so refreshing!