Time to Make The Donuts Disappear

After talking with other moms of triplet boys (and just boys in general), we know that we have gotten off easy thus far.   The fact that they stayed in their cribs for over 3 years without crib tents *gasp* is all the proof you really need.   They really haven't gotten into much either, but then again I have mad baby-proofing skills. ;)

One Saturday morning after breakfast though, Kyle and I were hiding from the kids working on something very important on our laptops in our bedroom.  After awhile we realized it was eerily quite. 

We opened our door to find the gate at the top of the stairs open and Davis on the couch.  He proceeded to tell us that Evan and Carter were downstairs and "I'm a good boy".  (He's going to be my snitch when they are teenagers...he can't tell a lie.)

We came down to find this atrocity.

They were quite proud of themselves.  To get up there they climbed up the barstools, over the bar, over the sink and onto this counter below all while holding their water cups and the stuffed zebra!!

You had to go for the chocolate frosted one didn't you, Evan.

We really need to put a bell on that gate. 

Back to Nature

We have these awesome trails in our neighborhood (that we never go on because I fear snakes and coyotes).  When you are in there it feels like you are miles from civilization.  They are not Choo Choo Wagon accessible, so we only recently got up the nerve to take the boys for a hike.

Every time we came across an animal track they would try to guess what it was...apparently the neighborhood is overrun with kangaroos and turkeys. Anyway, they thought it was the most exciting day ever.  I was just happy we didn't see any wildlife except birds.

Okay, Our First REAL Snow

We spent a beautiful, sunny February day at Gigi and Papa's house riding tricycles, running, walking Maisie and doing a nature walk with Papa. 

Two days after that, I couldn't contain my excitement for snow!!  I know I was excited about this a few months ago, but that was pathetic.  This was the real deal!

I know their outfits are a little ridiculous...last year's hats, rain boots, and socks for mittens.  I was completely unprepared.  And in case you were wondering, no, cotton socks are not a good substitute for wool mittens.  Their poor little hands were frozen solid.  But they didn't care.  Evan and Carter jumped right in with snow angels.

Davis was enjoying it too...at least during this first round.

On our second venture out, Davis couldn't get into the spirit. 

So, he went back inside, and we threw snow balls at him in the window, which he thought was great :)  I think he is going to be my "hot chocolate by the fire" buddy on future family ski trips!

Evan and Carter wanted me to build them a snowman.  Evan was less than impressed, but it was all I could muster because I didn't have any gloves either! 

I think Maisie is glad that we don't have to deal with an entire winter of this.  I totally agree, but this had to be my best birthday ever!

Valentine Festivities

So, here is what I learned from Valentine's Day 2010:

1) It takes a ton of effort to get three 3 year olds to complete 10 Valentines each.  Davis wanted to tell me how to spell his name on each one letter by letter with a giant jump in between each.  D! (jump) A! (jump) V! (jump) I! (jump) S! (jump).  Evan wanted to put 10,000 stickers on each card.  And Carter was so mesmorized by the Disney Cars that it took him 10 minutes to bring himself to put each on in an envelope.

2) Baking, decorating, and packaging heart cookies for the entire class takes me waaaay longer than I estimate.  But they turned out very cute.  I always volunteer to do this since Carter has the peanut allergy and I would just have to make him something anyway.  But I think daggers flew from my eyes when another mom said "Wow, you must have a lot of free time on your hands." 

3) They still make those same sick chalky hearts with poor print quality.  Yet, they have oddly updated the messages.  Way to know your target audience.

4) Even preschool girls like "bad boys".   Apparently, that same little girl is still smitten. Her mom told me she said, "I like Evan...he's a bad boy!!"  I think he is mostly misunderstood :)

5) I am very lucky to have 4 sweethearts :)

One Little Indian Boy

There is nothing Evan loves more than to sit in front of the mirror in new clothes, or a costume, or really just about anything.  He will turn his head and smile coyly at himself and say "I am so handsome".    (Yikes, the teenage years are really going to be a nightmare.)

Here he is admiring his Indian costume.  Actually, now that I look at it, I guess I should have put the feather behind his head...he looks more like a flapper girl this way.

Togetherness

Lately the Spankys are all about togetherness despite the fact that we have plenty of room for them to spread out. 
They enjoy beating on the xylephone with crowbars and tomahawks and then shouting "YAAAAAAY!!!!" in unison.   This is really the only manly way to play a xylephone...

Other times you can find them sitting IN the sand table together, which looks totally uncomfortable and is not advised by the manufacturer...

or watching TV on the couch...

or throwing rocks at our air conditioning compressors (again, not advised by the manufacturer)...

or taking a final ride on the changing table pad, as the "three man bobsled team"...

How cool would it be to spend every day with your 2 best buddies?

Seen and Heard

Carter does not have a problem with confidence.  He will take the credit for just about anything.  I let him help me make a cake one day.  Which really means, that he got to hold an egg and stir the batter a few times.  Later as we all sat down to eat the cake...

Carter:  Hey, you need to say thank you to Carter.
Kyle:  Oh sorry, yes we should all thank Carter.
Davis, Evan, Kyle, Me:  Thank you Carter for the cake.
Kyle: We should probably thank mommy too, don't you think?
Carter:  Mommy, you are a good cutter.

Gosh Carter, we wouldn't want to overstate my involvement in the endeavor.

At Easter, my mom had a cute little vase full of bluebonnets from her yard.  Carter looked across the table at my Aunt Jody and said "I picked these beautiful flowers for you."

Carter can also be very sneaky at times.  He adores Gigi's Christmas tree...it has about 10,000 ornaments on it and he feels compelled inspect each one.  Here was an exchange this past Christmas:

Papa:  Carter, are you supposed to be doing that?
Carter:  Where's Mommy?
Papa:  In the kitchen.
Carter:  Where's Gigi?
Papa:  In the kitchen.
Carter:  Papa, you go in the kitchen.

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Davis is the smooth talker.  He can schmooze anyone, and loves being praised for being a good boy (especially while someone else is in trouble).
I took him and Carter to the dentist right before Christmas.  Here was the conversation.

Dentist:  Carter, what do you want Santa to bring you?
Carter:  A car!!  (shocking I know)
Dentist:  And Davis, what do you want Santa to bring you?
Davis:  [in his sweetest voice] Ummm, uhhh, a tooooothbrush.
Dentist:  [dies laughing]  Wow, you really know how to sweet talk a dentist!!


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The kids love Noggin (it's a kid's TV channel).  I'm pretty certain I let them watch waaaaaay too much TV, but whatever...I'm still just trying to survive most days.

Anyway, we all walked in to preschool the other day in our usual unstable hand-holding chain.  As we turn into the long hall for our classroom, Evan shouts "IT'S KAI LAN!!!!!!!!"  

I cringed and looked up knowing that I was going to be staring at the cute as a button (and only) little Asian girl in the school.  Luckily, she was at the other end of the hall, and I quickly said "yeah she does have a Kai Lan backpack" and shuffled them into their room.