The Nature Center

The Chatahochee Nature Center is their favorite place. We have a family membership, and our nanny takes them there all the time. Here are some pictures from their most recent visit.

Cross Dressing Still Happens

Will loves to wear a nightgown. He also isn't afraid to carry around a purse. A few weeks ago, I took the kids to the park, and Marie kept saying she had to poop. I took her to the public bathroom 3 times, and I had to drag the other 2 with me each time. She would get on the toilet and say she didn't need to go anymore. So, the 4th time she asked to go, I said she could just poop in her pants. She looked at me like I was crazy, gave a big push, and diarrhea'd (excuse the spelling) herself. She called my bluff. Dammit. It was pouring down her legs, mosquitoes and flies were swarming her butt...it was ugly. I didn't let her play on the playground obviously, but Will and Abby were playing. Will was carrying a little pink purse in the shape of a heart. Another little girl at the playground ran up to him and said, "I like your purse." He said, "Thank you." He looked all proud of himself. The girl's dad was with her and looked over at me...all I could do was shake my head in shame. He said, "Maybe it's a man purse." I said, "It's pink and heart-shaped. He has two sisters. Doesn't stand a chance." Oh well.

Abby is now obsessed with Will's clothes. This striped shirt is Will's, but because it has some orange in it, she has claimed it for herself. She insists on wearing this shirt, an orange striped polo shirt, an orange shirt with a picture of a monkey on it, or Will's orange monster truck polo almost everyday. She wore the monster truck shirt and Will's cargo shorts to school today. Again, oh well. She's so cute when she dresses like a girl....


At least Marie remains gender appropriate. She still loves pink, or "rosado" as she calls it! :)

Back To School

The kids headed back to preschool this week. We had parent orientation, and the Director of the preschool was talking about the carpool line and how no parent should get out of the car when dropping off because the teachers pull everyone out and take them in the building. Then, she stopped and said, "Oh, there is an exception. We have one family with triplets and that mom is allowed to get out of her car, and take one child across the back of the car and to one of the teachers waiting on the other side." We get all the perks!

The kids new teachers are very nice, and they only have one little girl in their class that they had as a classmate last year. The rest of the class is all new to them.

They got to meet everyone at the "meet the teacher" session a couple of days before school started. I was struck by how big so many of the kids were because they were close to turning 4, when my kids had just barely turned 3. What a difference a year makes!

I was a little worried at meet the teacher because Marie cried a lot and was clingy. Abby said, "I'm going to take care of you, Marie," and tried to pull her away from me, but Marie wasn't budging. Will was quickly running around with the boys, playing with matchbox cars and trucks.

On Thursday, when we got in the car to head to school, I asked Marie if she was okay. She said, "I'm going to have fun today. I'm not going to cry for you, mommy." Just like that, she was over it. The teachers said she was fine all day. I asked Abby if she took care of her, and Abby said, "No. She didn't cry, mom." Will promptly reported that he helped his friend Daniel clean up. Marie was excited because they painted school buses. I saw the school buses on the wall when I went to pick them up the next day. They had asked each child what they liked best about school and noted it on the school bus. Abby's said, "that I get to come back here again tomorrow!" Will's said "everything!" Marie's said, "painting!" Another reminder of how different they are. :)

The Scooter Gang

We bought the kids scooters for their birthdays. I was a little worried that we were going to have lots of falls at first, but I was shocked to see that they immediately knew what to do with them and the scrapes were minimal.

They all have them in their favorite color-orange (Abby), pink (Marie), and green (Will).

We make sure they are in the appropriate safety gear-helmets, elbow and knee pads, and gloves.

Here they are modeling their safety gear.

Abby got on and started riding like she had been on a scooter every day of her life. By day 2, she mastered using the brakes.

Will hunches over on his like a little old man. At first, Marie couldn't figure out how to push with one foot and keep one on, but after a few minutes, she got the hang of it.

July leftover pics

They love arts and crafts. Michele bought them some Popsicle sticks, glue, and letters, and they created these masterpieces.

Will's project is not pictured above because in typical boy fashion, he just made a mess, ripped up his paper, and ran away laughing. He could have cared less about the finished product. He probably crapped his pants right after just to illustrate what he really thought of the activity.

Abby and Marie got new outfits for gymnastics. They wear them a lot--not just to gymnastics. Will also got a new muscle shirt for gymnastics because his huge guns felt so confined by shirts with sleeves. :)

These are from the farm where we went to pick blueberries. The blueberries had been picked over, and we ended leaving after an hour of hot, sweaty picking with exactly 51 cents worth of blueberries. We ate them in the car on the way home within 5 minutes.

Where to sleep?

Some nights, the kids will sleep anywhere but in their own beds. I often find Abby in the hallway, her doorway, our bedroom, etc. Here are a few of the ways I've found them in the past couple of months....

This is Abby's frog that she sleeps with. She positioned him in the hall outside of her room, but he has a pillow and a blanket. Hilarious.

The Gymnastics Party

The kids had a fun-filled birthday party at the place where they take gymnastics last Saturday. We had a huge turnout--20+ kids! They all had fun tumbling or just running or crawling around.
Three birthday cakes, compliments of Mimi. She took each child out to pick out their respective cakes. Abby selected a princess themed cake. Marie went with Minnie Mouse, and Will wanted "movie Cars" cake.

Here are Will and Marie in the midst of the tumbling action. These two are always together. When I ask Marie a question, she wants to know Will's answer. Examples: Me: Marie, would you like to wear shorts or a skirt? Marie: What's Will wearing? Me: What would you like to eat for dinner? Marie: What's Will eating? These two are so funny.

Here's Abby showing off her cuteness. She does her own thing. I think she thinks she's too mature for them. Now, she prefers to sleep in Will's room alone. If the other two try to wander in to play with her, she promptly calls me and asks me to lock them out of her room. She'll say, "Will and Marie are bothering me."

Notice the super cute shirts that match their cakes?! I bought them on Etsy for the occasion. I had everything so well coordinated!

The kids could not keep their mouths and fingers out of the cake. A couple of times, they just bent over the table and chomped on them! I guess they were claiming their own pieces.

We had a great time. I think the kids all went home tired and well fed. I'm glad we only have to do birthday parties once a year. It's a lot of work! How will I top that next year?