9 Month Appt and Vacation!!

I know, I know, I haven't updated since Aug. 21!  We have had a crazy life lately.  Here are a few updates: 

Tyler started going to preschool.  One of our two babysitters who come in to our house on Tues/Thurs when I work had to go back to school, so we needed another daycare solution.  Tyler will go 2 mornings for a couple of hours and then another neighbor will pick him up and bring him home for the afternoon.  His first morning there was a disaster.  He screamed like the world was ending when I said good bye, and I felt like the worst mom in the whole world.  I doubted my decision to send him, and started feeling so badly for him that he has to go through yet another adjustment.  In the long run I know it will be what is best for him, and I know he will love having his own thing to go to, but for now it's hard.  My mom says I will have these feelings all throughout my life with my kids.  Oh great.  :)  The second morning went a little better.  His teacher said he settled down about 30 min. into it, and started having a little fun.  I'm praying it continues to get better!

We are all currently sick with colds.  Tyler is coughing and up about 3x a night b/c of that.  Derek and Micah have runny noses, and all 3 babies are teething.  I also have a head cold and sore throat.  Evan and Andrew are healthy for now.  These colds are not making the nights fun.  We're up about 5 times for sure between everyone.  This is going to end, right?  I can't believe normal people get to sleep every night.  Count your blessings, people!!  :)

I'm also feeling very blessed lately.  We had the babies' 9 mo. doctor appt last week, and everything was perfect!  We have not had these babies in for an ear infection, a cold, a fever...nothing in 9 mo!!!  I feel like God has been so gracious to us with these babies health.  All the boys weigh within 1 pound of each other.  Andrew weighs 21 lbs, 9 oz; Derek weighs 22 lbs 5 oz, and Micah weighs the most with 22 lbs 9 oz.  All are within the 50 - 75% for height and weight (and these are on charts that are not adjusted for preemies).  All of the nurses are amazed at how big and healthy the boys look.  I'm so humbled by that, and proud of my babes all at the same time.

Here is a picture of the biggest cupboard in my house.  I just need to remember that it looks like the shelves at WalMart some day.  :)  You can't see it, but the rows of the baby food and formula go WAY back deep into the cupboard.  When I put my stuff on the check out line, the lady always looks at me like, "WHY are you buying all of our baby food off the shelf?"  ha!  I never leave WalMart without spending a fortune on baby supplies.

Andrew....Lately he loves to say "da da da" and laughs like crazy at his brothers.  He's the first one to tackle his brothers, and still loves sucking on everyone's head.  His head isn't great to suck on (I'm guessing) because he is the only one with hair.  And boy do I LOVE that fuzzy blonde hair!!

Derek...continues to crack us up!  He is now doing peek-a-boo where he holds a blanket over his head and then pulls it down.  His smile with his four little teeth is adorable.  He can crawl across the room in about 5 seconds, and is usually the one you can find under the kitchen chair or under the exersaucer.  He says "da da da da da" all day long, and jabbers a lot lately.  I love this stage! 

Micah...says "ma ma ma ma" a lot.  He can also say "da da" but I'm really pushing the "ma ma" since he's the only one who says it yet  :)  He's also clapping constantly lately, and is getting kind of clingy to me lately, which I actually love.   
Another update on Micah:  He has a flat-ish head in the back and it's always bothered me.  My dr. keeps saying she thinks it'll get better on it's own, but we decided to take him into the helmet clinic to see what they would say about it.  He is right on the line of needing a helmet, which would re-shape his head to make it more round in the back (I'll put up a picture next time), and would probably draw his forehead back a bit, too, which would make his head more proportionate.  We are still working out stuff with insurance, but we're pretty sure we are going to get him one.  He'd need to wear it for 23 out of 24 hours, 7 days/week for about 6 mo. or so they are thinking now.  He's going to hate it, and I hate it, too, but it's better for him to go through it now than to want to shave his head when he's in high school and not be able to, or hate the way his head looks later and know that we could've done something about it and didn't.  Hopefully within about 3 weeks we can get started with that.  Such a minor problem in the big scheme of things.  Not sure my little Micah man can get any cuter though....look at this smile!

Tyler babes...

Dordt College Class of 2029.  We better get a volume discount on tuition.  :)

The babies are holding their own bottles as of about 2 weeks ago!!  We lay all three down in a line with a bottle and let them drink away.  It's amazing.  A huge milestone!  (Derek, Andrew, Micah)

Watching Praise Baby and sucking their thumbs.  Mostly I wanted to show off Micah's chunky legs in this picture.  I love them!!  (Derek, Andrew, Micah)

Nothing better than chocolate cake.  Tyler got his mama's cravings.  He asked for ice cream at 9:30 a.m. the other day.  Why not?  :)

Over Labor Day Evan, Tyler and I got away for a little vacation to Shelly (my amazing friend with the 4 year old triplet girls, Addison, Emily, and Hailey from Milwaukee) and Ryan's new lake house in Wisconsin.  Dan and Christina (another great couple friend from Wisconsin) and their little girl, Caroline joined us, too.  We had such a relaxing time while we were there, and it was so amazing to get to hang out with such great friends again!  My mom and dad stayed with the babies.  They're so brave, and so sweet to give us a break!!

Here is Tyler on the road trip.  He was LOVING this movie all about farming and tractors.  I got educated also.   So fun to have Tyler alone with just the two of us for a weekend!

Me and my man.  We haven't road tripped together in a long time!!  It was so fun to even have some car time to just sit and talk!

My two big boys.  Love them!!  We took a break in a park about half way so Tyler could run.

First Happy Meal! 

Here we are at the Lake house.  Tyler loved hanging out with Shelly's girls, and they were SO sweet to him!  Tyler, Emily, Hailey, Addison.

Half of our family.  The lake and the house was gorgeous! 

Me and Shell.  We were each others maid of honors, college roommates, and that one friend that I'll always be able to tell anything to.  Oh - and we also both had triplets.  Can you even believe that?!?!  We still can't.  She's been an amazing blessing in my life.

The paddle boat!  So much fun.  We also went kayaking with Tyler, swimming, tubing, and down a huge waterslide in the middle of the lake!  Such a riot! 

Tyler and the girls!  Tyler, Hailey, Addy, Em.  I used to help Shelly every Thursday night when these girls were babies and we were living in Milwaukee.  I love them like crazy, and it's been so fun to watch them grow up.  Such little sweet ladies!  They all know who they are going to hold when they meet my triplets for the first time.

Evan reading to the whole gang.  Precious.  He is practicing reading to a big group.  One thing they need to make for families of multiples:  bigger/wider books so everyone can see (I have a whole list of inventions after this experience!). 

Really great trip....thanks to Ryan and Shell for letting us stay, and to the girls for sharing their sand toys, and to my parents for letting us go!!