Elm Bank

I'm am horrible about blogging, and truth be told, I don't know how much longer I can do this. Rob "gave me permission" (which is his way of saying, "give yourself permission") to shut this blog down at the end of the year. We'll see. But in the meantime, I will not stress about posting photos from Maine or the end of the summer, or start of the year for that matter.

We have been in the middle of getting into the new school year routine, as well as potty training (this will take a good year or 12 before we're done with it...). So life is a little...hectic. But I did manage to charge up the camera battery (apparently it had been dead of months?) and we headed to Elm Bank, a local garden that is part of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. We loved it so much that we joined for the year. They even have a special children's garden with huge sandbox, castle to climb, and oversized chair.

Here are a few keepers. The photos are pretty great as well...
Charlie and Wes

Win

Wes (think they need a haircut?)

Wes, Win and Charlie

Win, fountain, and Wes

Nanna, Poppa and Thomas

One of the fun outings we had when Nanna and Poppa came to visit, was a trip to see Thomas the train. We had gone to the Day out with Thomas last year while in Maine, and the boys loved it. So we found a local Thomas event - and it was a perfect day for Nanna, Grammy, the boys and me. (Poppa got to stay home with Rob...more on that...)
Win, Charlie and Wes riding on Thomas the tank engine

You can see the blue Thomas train on the right hand side - can you tell we were sitting in the way back? This photo also shows all the fun rides at the park.

Riding on the caterpillar...the first of many rides. The boys (Wes especially) have inherited my love for amusement rides.

Wes on the merry go round

First merry go round ride! Wes, Grammy, Win, Nanna and Charlie

Charlie

Win and I rode the flying elephants. Charlie and Grammy were in the elephant behind us, while Wes and Nanna went on the ferris wheel.

It was a good thing Nanna and Wes got on the ferris wheel when they did. They were one of the last people off before the ride was shut down due to a malfunction!


And if the day couldn't get any better, we came home to Daddy and Poppa making the boys big boy beds. It was such a gift that Poppa and Rob did this for the boys! More bed photos to come in the next post. Can you believe they made 3 beds in 8 hours?


The only downside to the day was that I ended up getting very sick. I was knocked out for the next two days with what turned out to be a sinus/chest infection. What an added blessing that Nanna and Poppa were here when they were, so I could rest and recover.

Preschool!

Yet again I am way behind in blogging. A month behind exactly. August brought Maine, Nanna & Poppa, big boy beds, Thomas the train...photos to come, I promise.

But for now I will post what is fresh in my mind and making me giddy. Preschool!!

This week brought the boys first day of preschool...hooray! They only go 2 days a week, for 3 hours each day. But I'll take it! I put them in their birthday t-shirts that have their names on them, to help the teachers out. They were so thankful, they asked me to put them in them again the next day so they could easily tell the boys apart. And the best part is that the boys could care less when I leave - they seem really happy in the classroom.

And tomorrow, soccer starts. They are babies no more!

"Active kids"

When I tell people that my kids are "active" and "fearless", this is what I mean. This is the game they started playing one night while I was making dinner.




At least they took turns?

Firetruck Birthday Party

Happy 3rd Birthday Winston, Wesley & Charlie!

Friends and kids filled the backyard

We tossed water balloons

Wes, Win and Charlie awaiting the cake. We ordered these adorable custom firetruck shirts for each of them. I highly recommend the vendor - she was great to work with!



There was even a fire station pinata...

...which didn't want to open, so Rob and Adam had to tear it open...

...and candy went flying everywhere!

Charlie sneaking some more icing

After most left, the boys cooled off in the sprinkler with their friends Piper and Ronnie Bash. Firetruck hats and sugar-high included.

Win, Wes and Charlie turn 3!

At the end of July, the boys celebrated their 3rd birthday with a firetruck-themed party. The day before, we brought them out to Grammy & Poppy's house and surprised them with bikes!
Finding their surprise outside

Wesley

Charlie

Winston

You'll notice the bikes don't have training wheels or pedals. We chose glide bikes, which are supposed to teach them how to balance on two wheels. They love them!

Oh, the changes...

They say toddlers don't do well with transition. But let's be honest. *I* don't do well with transition. We've had to live by routine and structure (let's call it "triplet survival"). So when they change (yay milestones!), it takes me awhile to figure out how to parent this new stage.

Yesterday (the 19th), the boys peed on the potty for the first time. It happened a bit suddenly (I was trying to hold off until they were 12 to deal with potty training triplets). I was baking them cookies. (It was the first time we made cookies together. They helped stir and most of all, they licked the bowl clean.) So I was baking cookies and my dear friend Ellie dropped by for a few seconds. In that time, the boys ran into the living room and stripped naked. So I figured I'd ask if they wanted to sit on the potty (figuring they'd say no). But they wanted to. And on the first try, Win and Wes peed!!! Charlie had some success today too.

So it's official. We're starting potty training whether I like it or not. We went to Target to buy some big boy underwear. We've had a few accidents, but I'm so proud of the boys for trying. Well, they know if they sit on the potty they get to play the games on my iPhone and get some M&Ms.

But here's the challenge of having 3. They don't want to use baby potties - they all want to sit on the real potty! But we only have 2 bathrooms, one on the first floor, one on the second. And there's only one of me. So at the very least, I have two on the potty and I'm running up and down the stairs. But tonight, as I was trying to cook dinner and stay on top of the potty training, the boys climbed up a tall bookcase and found the one forbidden box (non-washable markers and glitter glue) and proceeded to draw all over the couch and desk. Non-washable markers and glitter glue. And in this time, the chicken burned and my bag of peas exploded all over the floor. It was that kind of day. I should seriously submit the photo to this site.

Another big change is that nap time is dwindling. They are down to an hour an half nap, but it's a fight to get them to sleep. It is a constant battle of the monkey party. We need to take the toddler beds (cribs in their toddler bed formation) out of the room and put real beds in their rooms. I'm really tired of fighting the monkey party, so in the near future, we'll probably forego naps and just put them to bed at 6:30pm.

Oh, the changes!

July 4th at home

We arrived home in time to watch the town's July 4th parade. But it was really loud. There were a lot of fire trucks (which they mention every time we pass the small park from where we watched the parade). But they loved it!


The fam



Wes found a tree to climb

July 4th in Ohio!

My grandma holds a family reunion at her house on the lake every July 4th. We haven't been able to travel for it for awhile, but this year we were so excited to be able to introduce the boys to my dad's childhood home and many family members.

During the 14 hour trip out, Charlie and Win decided to pass the time by drawing all over their arms.

We stayed in a great suite (so we had floorspace for their 3 pack n' plays). You know you're on vacation when you get to eat yogurt in Mommy & Daddy's room while watching doodah (tv)

The boys first boat ride
Winston at the wheel

Wes

But really cousin Shelby and Uncle Mark drove

Feeding the ducks

Uncle Mark and Poppy carved wooden boats for the boys to pull behind the boat. Amazing!

Poppy gave the boys a special vacation treat - orange soda (I mean, "pop" since we were in Ohio). Here's Win's orange pop mustache and big grin.

Charlie fell in the lake chasing the football he threw in

Friday night, Grandma held a Hawaiian Luau themed dinner. The boys dresses appropriately...

The boys loved the 4th of July boat parade!