Neighborhood spectacle

Our nanny is off on Fridays, so I'm home with all three. We bought this triplet stroller from another mom in the multiples club who has twins + 1 a year later (and now a fourth, born a week after Sarah). It was a "just in case" purchase, so I could take all three somewhere if I had to, and I hadn't ever used it before today.

When Russ left for the office this morning, Jimmy was in tears because he just wanted to go outside. With all the construction (and fire ants) out there right now, I can't really get all three out to play by myself, so I hauled out the big stroller and we all went for a walk.

We went for a walk, that is, after I got Katie out from under the end table (which is "out of bounds" behind a section of play yard fence), where she'd managed to climb while I was retrieving the stroller. Then I figured out how to get the twins strapped in so they couldn't climb out. And then Sarah needed her diaper changed. And then I got her strapped in, locked the door, and realized I forgot my cup of coffee. Went back in to get that, and lost my sunglasses. Finally found them, back out with the stroller. Couldn't find my keys. Retraced my steps, finally found them still in the door.

And then we went for a walk. The roofers avoided even looking at me as I walked by, I think they think we're out of our minds. A neighbor, though, stopped her car and got out to talk to me as I crossed the street. "I've heard about you," she said, "and how busy you are!" Apparently we're the talk of the neighborhood or something. At least I got her phone number, so we can call on her two teenage daughters for babysitting!

Swimming Lessons & More...

It's been very busy here lately, lots going on and not much time to write. I am trying to keep up with pictures, at least, of which there are more in the August 2008 album.

While Kirby was here on vacation, we all went to the Florida Aquarium. Katie had fun walking around on her own, and Jimmy got to see a lot more fish than in our aquarium at home.

Sarah "talks" to us all the time now. She is starting to roll over from her back to her tummy, but doesn't know how to go the other way so we have to rescue her when she gets tired of being face-down. She is sleeping well, eating well, and was about 12 1/2 pounds on her three-month "birthday". We got out the Jumperoo for her, which is fun for her and for the twins, they all like to look at each other when Sarah is upright.

Jimmy and Katie absolutely love the pool, so we started them in swimming lessons at the club. They are doing great so far, we can dunk them under water for a second or two and they come up laughing and smiling. Katie is doing especially well with floating on her back (with someone holding her, of course), and Jimmy is catching on fast to kicking his feet.

Jimmy finally figured out clapping, and now both of them clap along when I sing "If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands." They have also both mastered climbing up onto the couch, which means we'll have to rearrange some furniture again (we just changed things last week to fence off part of the room for Sarah to play in where the older babes won't squash her. The other day I left them alone in the (formerly babyproofed) living room for a few minutes, and when I returned, Katie was waving the remote control around and Jimmy was sitting ON the end table trying to open the big box of goldfish crackers.

The house addition is coming along nicely, though we're still a couple of months from being completely finished with paint and carpet and furniture. We all made the trek to Ikea in Orlando on Sunday to look at some storage furniture and kids' room things. In the meantime we are trying to keep our growing collection of kiddie clothes and toys and STUFF as organized as we can, which is challenging when we don't want to make any major changes right now since everything will be rearranged so soon anyway.

I have also been trying to capture some video of all the little ones, and I put together some pieces from the past few weeks:

Aye-aye, Cap'n

We were feeling brave yesterday and took all three kids out on the boat by ourselves. We had a short cruise to the fuel dock, where Tracey fed the twins dinner while Russ filled us up with diesel (ouch!). The weather cooperated and we all enjoyed the trip! It is nice to have space on the boat for all of us (and our stuff), and we are enjoying the amenities at the club too, especially lunch or dinner by the pool after boating or swimming.

We are going out again today for a sightseeing cruise with a larger crew (all 5 of us, plus Kirby, Kristina, and our friends Bill & Barbara), and then to a dinner party at the club while Kristina, Kirby, and the babies hang out on the boat.

Check out the new photo album for August 2008!