I Scream, You Scream...

... we all scream for ice cream!

Eating a messy ice cream cone is a right of passage for all children, and Hayden, Payson and Madison recently enjoyed their very first ice cream cone (filled with Blue Bell ice cream, of course!)

Hayden got right to it, sticking her face in the cone and licking every last bite.

Payson started off by picking up bites with his hands but eventually took the more direct route and finished it off by eating the cone, just like his daddy would!

Madison took perfect licks as if she'd seen someone else do it a million times. We got so many perfect photos of her licking her ice cream cone.

The kids often soothe each other with pats and hugs when someone is upset, and they also play-wrestle for entertainment. Here Payson and Madison work on their WWF skills. Surprisingly it ended with laughs and not with someone getting hurt.

Payson wanted to put on daddy's shirt. He looked like Yoda to me, and I kept waiting for him to say, “Size matters not, ... Look at me. Judge me by size, do you?”

This picture doesn't do this precious moment justice. Not only were Madison and Payson reading together (and [gasp!], not even fighting over the book), but Payson was reading aloud to her in his gibberish language. So cute!

My naughty little kids left me no choice but to take the changing table out of their playroom. I kept finding them on top of it, often with Payson playing with the light switch, Hayden sucking on the hand sanitizer (toxic, I know!), and Madison pulling out every last wipe.

Now that the babies can climb almost anything, they use their skills to climb up Grandma's wheelchair and into her lap! They can't get enough of storytime with Grandma!

We went through months and months of struggling to keep the babies' bibs on. Once we found the amazing Dura Bib, the babies could no longer pull them off and had no choice but to give up their fight. Now, from time to time, they ask to wear them while they play! Too funny.

After working hard out of town, Keith was home to accompany us to a local play center. The kids had a blast!

They had a whole corner dedicated to trucks and Payson couldn't get enough. I've never seen the boy play so happily for so long!

I had a much needed girls night out this week with 10 other moms of triplets or quads. We come from all different walks of life but we sure have a lot in common now!

Playdates Galore

June and July have been filled with lots of playdates for the kids and my sanity. They are definitely at an age where they need a variety of activities to keep their attention and to stay entertained. Rather than posting each event I saved them up for one big (maybe too big!) post.

The kids loved playing in the mug during their playdate at the mall.

Candace, mom of triplets one year older than ours, had us over for some backyard play and the kids loved the water table, which, as a result, we now own as well!

Pops and Nunie were thrilled to hear that the older triplets' golf clubs were a big hit with the kids! Hayden especially liked the rake (hopefully that is no indication of the kind of golfer she will be!).

Snack time with (clockwise) Reese, Brooks and Sloan.

The Dittlinger twins and mom Amanda had a finger painting party for several sets of quads, us and a few sets of twins. Amanda planned it perfectly with paper stapled to the fence, a cleaning station and lots of colorful homemade paint!

Payson didn't want to get his hands messy so he used the paint brush, and rather well too.

Madison was all about the mess, of course.

Hayden just wanted to eat the homemade paint. Thankfully Amanda thought ahead as it was just corn starch, water, sugar and food coloring!

Hayden, Payson and Madison waiting to start toddler storytime at the library.

Keith was out-of-town for work, as was my brother, so we had a slumber party at my SIL Negeen's house. The kids had a blast playing with their older cousins. What did they learn from them in just two days time? "MINE!" is now a common word in our house. And the real fun begins...

The babies thoroughly enjoying their first ice cream sandwiches. Yummy and messy!

I helped Payson stuff his pockets with Hot Wheels cars but it made his shorts sag and eventually fall off!

The triplets eating with cousins Addison and Avery.

Keith joined us the next day, and we took the babies for a swim. How perfect is this caterpillar float?

The triplets enjoying their first snow cones with the cousins.

They didn't even care about the sweet syrup, they just loved the ice! Especially Madison who ate ice for no less than half an hour.

We picked up our sweet neighbor Juliet for a playdate and Payson and Madison kindly shared a seat to make room for their friend.

Candace and her triplets hosted a splash playdate for us and five sets of twins! Fun times! (And not as crazy as you would think!)

Every child in our neighborhood playgroup had a match this week. (No, it wasn't planned! Well, except for my girls, of course!). Three boys showed up wearing shirts with whales, two boys, including Payson, had on a green polo, and my girls were wearing the same dress (not surprisingly). Now that's coincidence!

My good friend Casey threw her quads a 1 1/2 year birthday party since they, like our triplets, couldn't have a big 1 year birthday party because it was RSV season. Casey's quads are a month younger than the triplets so we have been through everything together since we first met while on bedrest.

There were probably eight moms of multiples at the party and pictured here are me, Suz, Mari, Casey (all three quad moms), Liz (twins) and Misty (quads). Just the six of us have 21 kids combined from just one pregnancy each!

My friend Betsy took some really great pictures at the party. This girl has quite the eye for great shots as you can see from all of the pictures posted below!

(http://www.betsymariephotography.com/)

Madison playing it cool after her recent Botox lip injections. (Just a joke, CPS.)

The Dittlinger twins were adorable playing together in the kiddie pool.

Payson chillaxin' all cool with his organic vanilla milk.

Quad dad Robbie helping birthday girl Reid, birthday boy Brady, and Madison with finger painting.

Madison, once again, manages to paint more on herself than the paper. And this shot was taken before her pink swimsuit turned tie-dye and her face turned blue!

The Urech quads were as darling as ever!

Bubbles!

Great party, Casey!

Surprise Visitor

We had a visitor this week when we came downstairs for breakfast. I was cooking eggs when I heard Madison break out into a fearful cry and run towards me. I ran over and saw that she was spooked by a surprise bunny just outside the kitchen window. Hayden and Payson were excited though so I faced them towards the window to watch the bunny dine while I cooked (see, Payson does like animals, real live ones that is). They've all been practicing their bunny hop, and they broke out their best impression upon seeing the bunny. Unfortunately I started the below video lengthwise but quickly remembered that I needed to turn the camera horizontally.

Now, every morning they look out the window, pointing and saying "hop, hop, hop" and then waving and saying "bye, bye" because I keep telling them that the bunny isn't there anymore and that he went bye, bye.

If only I were a fly on the wall in the babies' nursery. There are several reasons why we never bought video monitors, but one reason is because I spend so much time with them and watching them that I should get a break and didn't need to be watching their every move through a video monitor as well. But, I must admit that there have been plenty of times that I have wished that I could see what was going on behind those walls. Below is a video of the girls playing in their cribs one morning. The hearty giggle is Madison, the high-pitch squeals and goofy laugh in the middle is Hayden and Payson finishes it off. (Yes, we can tell their voices, laughs and cries apart through the monitor.) Guess he felt left out from across the room, poor baby.

Really though, I hear a thump right before Payson cries so I think he bumped his head on the crib.

We picked up a used outdoor cabin that is in great shape. The babies love their new little house and can't get enough of playing peek-a-boo with each other through the windows.

Fireworks, For Real

What a blast this weekend was! Friday our neighborhood threw a 4th of July party that included bounce houses, face painting, fireworks, barbecue, fireworks and, thankfully, lots of bottled water because it was HOT! Keith was out-of-town for work but Pops and Nunie ("Nu-Nu"), Uncle Grant, Aunt Negeen, and cousins Avery and Addison joined us for the fun event. My *plan* was to have the babies home and in bed by bedtime. But we were all having so much fun, and with the promised help from the grandparents, I decided to see if the babies could stay up to enjoy their first fireworks. I had no idea if they would breakdown and throw exaggerated tantrums from the late-night fatigue or if they would freak out when they saw (and heard!) the fireworks. After all, they broke down in hysterics when the Chick-fil-A cow came near them...

I wish so badly you could see their fearful faces and hear their horror film-like screams. I guess their love for stuffed animals stops at about four feet.

We got there early enough to enjoy a relatively empty bounce house. They love these things more and more each time they experience one.

Hayden showing off her butterfly "arm painting" in front of the real firetruck we showed them. They can tell you exactly how a firetruck sounds when you ask them. Their version is eerily similar to the Little People firetruck version.

Nunie pointing out the moon to the babies. After all, the babies have never seen it, as toddlers at least, since they've never been up late enough!

The whole fam gearing up for the fireworks.

The girls liked the fireworks (from the comfort of our laps, of course). I think my over-exaggerated excitement about the "pretty fireworks" and "lights" helped ease the introduction. Payson liked the fireworks too but eventually dozed off in Nunie's arms. After all, it was nearly three hours after bedtime by the time they were asleep in their cribs! It actually felt quite invigorating getting off schedule for a change!

Saturday afternoon Keith returned home, and we pulled out the backyard toys. I love our little parties of five on the weekends. These days the babies love to munch on watermelon slices which make for the cutest pictures and a big juicy mess!
Madison biting into her third slice. They love watermelon slices outside but aren't big fans of small pieces served on a plate inside. Not as much fun, I guess!

Payson likes to break off and throw pieces into the pool (see group pic above), collect pieces in a cup, pick fallen pieces out of the grass, etc. but he does take a bite every once in a while.

I love the tilted head as Hayden eats her "wa-wa mehn."

Madison. I'm speechless.

Hayden.

I have such pretty girls if I do say so myself! They sported their very first braids on the 4th.

Our patriotic family.

Sunday we enjoyed a pool party at my brother's in honor of my dad's XXth birthday (Pops, your secret is safe with me)! Our trio had a blast in the pool, and it was very helpful to try out cousin Addison's tube trainers which we will also be getting before our next trip to the pool.

Hayden loved riding on the big lizard.

It took about 25 trips down the slide before Payson had enough of it. He absolutely loved it and had his huge giddy smile each time while going up the stairs, down the slide, and especially when daddy caught him in the water.

I sweat when Keith throws Payson up in the air while on land and usually can't bear to let him do it in front of me. So the boys (both the big boy and small one) were thrilled to get some good throws in while in the pool.

Pops and Nunie with the girls.

"Baby," "baby," "baby"... the most used word in our house these days. The cousins had a swimming (yes, battery-operated, made-for-water) baby doll, and Hayden couldn't have been more thrilled to practice her mommy skills in the water as she gets to out.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

"Cute stroller! It looks like one of those clown cars!"

(Courtesy of a girl in my stroller workout class commenting on my Triple Decker stroller that I had to use while my triple jogger was out of commission for a few days with a flat tire.)