Our family is complete! We continue the story of growing our littlest members. . .

Friday, March 22, 2013

I can still blog, right?

I'm going to jump back into this and pretend I didn't stop doing it over a year ago. Once in awhile I see someone who says they're so sad I stopped writing this, and truthfully I am too. Something had to give. Between grad school and work, having a kid who's starting to be involved in things and three other kids who are tearing my house apart (Triplets 3, Living Room Lamps 0), I lost time. I also stopped much of the cleaning at our house so it's not the only thing I let go.

My aunt LeAnn told me that when her boys turned one it was the thinnest time of her life because all she did was chase them around. I agree with the second part. . . we do a lot of chasing. And I'm happy to report that I'm only two pounds away from pre-triplet pregnancy weight. May still need a mini-tummy tuck, but we'll worry about that later, as I continue to work out and will see how much skin is left as the weight falls off. I bought a treadmill, a lifelong dream, and walk/run in the basement to get away from everyone sometimes, watching Netflix on the iPad (episodes of Extreme Couponing or B-list movies I never got to see).

The winter has been so oppressive, as it has for everyone, but with all the kids cooped up for weeks and weeks we're all going a little nutty. People marvel when I take them out by myself, but sometimes I just can't listen to them whine at home anymore! So we go to Target and/or Cub, which the little boys call "Popcorn" and "Cookie" respectively, because that is what they have to eat when we go to those stores. Their visual literacy is kind of amazing, as they recognize those logos and instantly start saying those words.

Yesterday we traveled to St Cloud to get haircuts (they all cried, except Axel I guess) and new shirts to wear for 2-year pictures. The triple stroller doesn't fit through doors so we take the double and do something with the spare kid...sometimes he sits on the front wheel, though when Eero fell off and clunked his head on the Herberger's floor a few weeks ago we stopped that. I then put Magnus (little guy) on the handlebars for a nice view, but he continually kicked the other two in the head. "Just so you know," a random JoAnn Fabrics shopper told me, "the one on the top is kicking the other two." Thanks, lady. Anyway, Axel is now big enough to be more help than hinder, so yesterday we rented another stroller in the mall and I made him push. He only ran into three people, one kiosk, one Gap clothing rack, and let the stroller roll down the ramp by itself twice. But no one got kicked in the head.

Brief recap of the last year . . . we traveled to DC with the whole famdamly in April and are going again this April, but leaving the little ones with Gamma Mary as it will cost an extra $1000 or so to bring them since they are now two. Last summer they would have lived outside if we had let them. They're very good eaters, sleepers, and entertain us beyond our dreams. We had a very fun Christmas and "Tractor!" birthday party - they love tractors and all things on wheels, as one would expect.

Eero is very mechanical and takes everything apart - empties drawers then puts them back together just as he found them as he is also a crazy organizer. He is the most emotional and laughs or cries without much provoking. Rex is so docile and lets life happen to him. He's particular about some things (which chair he sits in and what shoes he wears) but otherwise super easygoing. Magnus is the instigator and a pint-size bully. He's very silly and independent, and has no problem slapping people in the face if they don't do what he thinks they should be doing.

I will try to do a brief photo synopsis soon, when I get a chance.

Also we are aging . . . I have begun using anti-aging skin care products to combat fine lines and Jesse has way more gray hairs on his chin than he used to. But, life is good.