New Year, New Rules!

If you truly want to measure how much your children have changed in a year, take them outside a few times in March! With another beautiful day of temps in the 50s and some sun, the 5 of us headed out to the muddy sidewalks and yard!

Last year going outside was a lot of fun, but with a crawling baby and a newly walking toddler, it seemed like someone was always on the ground. Today I put Allie in the stroller and had the big kids walk. We went up and down our street and practiced how to stay with mommy while we went along. Last year they always rode in the choo choo wagon, but now that the combined weight of the 4 of them is well over 100 pounds, I'm not sure that the wagon will be our preferred mode of transportation. They have tricycles, but I think they won't be able to pedal them very far this year. So I anticipate that our walks will be shorter and slower as the triplets learn to walk along with us.

So today I decided to practice Red Light, Green Light with the kids as we walked next me. Of course the idea is that as they walked, if I said, "red light" they would stop, and if I said, "green light" they would go. I explained the rules, and then we started walking. After a few steps I said, "Red light!" to which Eli replied, "Where?"

No worries though, after showing them how the game worked a few more times, they got the hang of it and did a really great job. I need to learn ways to manage the four of them while we were are outside since I just don't have enough hands for them to hold. It helps that they seem to be cautious by nature and also understand my "I really mean it" voice. I'm hoping that we can walk to the library in a few weeks!

I also couldn't believe how much differently they played with a few of their outside toys. I got out our fleet of Cozy Coupes and was shocked! They each got inside and started scooting all over the place. Last year they got in them and just sat there! Even more startling is the difference in their language. No longer do they say things like, "Look mommy, birdies!" Today I heard, "Hey geese, come this way guys! Where are you going?" Amazing...

Matt brought home Chinese take out and I think that was the perfect ending to a great day!

Fun (and a little bit of his own agenda) at PT

I thought I'd share some pictures of Brady at PT. He works really well with PT Linda, but I guess like any two year old, chooses to do what HE wants. He will have a two week break from PT and I know he is going to miss it!

Brady is standing on a mat that is a little bit squishy to help him work on balance.

He trusts Linda a lot and allows her to touch and help him.

Go Brady!

Brady does a lot of practice going up and down stairs.

Lots of fun too!

After PT Brady, Allie, and I went to the doctor to have Allie checked out. Both ears are still infected which means she needs to start a new antibiotic and be on it for 10 days. Thanks to some blog reading friends (Laura and Shelley:) I have some "hopeful" remedies for the diarrhea and diaper rash...we'll see.

We had a fun afternoon outside after naps today. If you have toddlers and don't have a water table, RUN to the store and get one! When weather permits, we take our snack out to the patio and then play until dinner time. Today the kids got a real treat for snack...doughnuts!

Cara showing off her new swimsuit!

Sunny Sunday

Is it too optimistic of me to think we might be out of the woods with this stomach bug? We had one throw up today(Brady right after breakfast again) and no yucky diapers. Everyone ate, played, and slept as usual. We'll see...

It was a fun day of letting the kids play with the garage sale finds I picked up on Saturday morning. The kids just love their "new" tool bench and puzzles. I also picked up footie pjs for Cara for this winter for $1 a piece and a Lands End winter coat for $8! I love bargains:)

Matt and I are really trying to reorganize our home. If you have never been to our house it resembles a very large toy box...think toys and books strewn throughout. Although we pick it up every night, within 30 minutes of morning play we are right back at "toy box" status. We don't buy them a lot at all, but every little treat from grandparents is times three, every gift for birthdays and Christmas is three...that adds up to a lot of stuff. Now you add in the baby and her things, and you have one cluttered place! I got a neat new book rack and a storage unit from Target and we are hoping to get things organized tonight! It's funny how as they grow you need to find room for new things like crayons, markers, and playdoh.

Tomorrow I'm taking Cara for her 3rd appointment with the eye specialist. Just to remind you, she has been tilting her head to the left for over a year now. She does this only when looking at things in the distance, like the tv. She had an appt in October and another in March. The doctor thinks it is 4th nerve palsy, but wanted to keep monitoring to see if it resolved itself. It almost seems as though she may be doing it a little less, but I think we are just getting used to it. I tried to really pay attention to it this weekend, and she did it almost everytime she looked in the distance. Surgery is required to correct it, so we will see if the doctor wants to keep waiting or go ahead with the surgery. Or appointment is at 10:55, then we will go out to lunch together:)

I am expecting to hear from Sloan tomorrow regarding the NMYC results. I was talking the mom of our friend Nathaniel who had a similar surgery at Sloan the week after Brady. They somehow messed up his results as well, and they are trying to sort it out.

Here are some pictures from our day today (These are for you Grandma Tony!)

Loved this view from our patio today...sunny and 75*

We brought our snack onto the patio today! Cara was being a stinker!

The kids are loving our water table this year. What a difference a year makes...last year Brady wasn't walking and really struggled to do these types of things. Not this year! Go Brady!

"Airplane up high Mommy!" said Eli

Dream baby was there too!