Happy St. Patrick's Day

Addy representing the Newman crew with the only green of the day although we did have bangers and mash with edamame for dinner. I guess they felt like celebrating after dinner because this is just a few seconds of the chaos that went on for about 30 minutes.


Giddy up little girl!

Ahh, Now I Remember Why We Moved

There is no denying it. Winters in Wisconsin are long and hard. They are even harder with 3 kids when I'm scared of the cold/flu/RSV germs and think that it is too cold outside for these skinny little kids and we have no yard. They have wonderful down snowsuits and boots and the works but we figured out early on that:
a) they really don't like to walk in the snow;
b) although the streets and sidewalks are shoveled, no one seems to take responsibility for the ramp/sidewalk to the street so there is generally just a little one-foot path surrounded by ice or a foot a snow so we can't go for a walk unless we want to walk back and forth on the same block;
c) It can get really cold here and once the cold hits I feel like all the "cold" is the same regardless if it is 5 degrees or 25 degrees. It all feels too cold to me for the kids.
So this winter was spent mostly indoors with limited activity outside of the choo-choo wagon when we were in public places like Whole Foods, MAM, or Alterra.
But the tide has turned my friends. The last few days have been in the 50's and today it may hit 60 degrees. I remember this feeling when I lived in WI before of that hopefulness and lightness that comes with the first glimpse of spring. Like a weight has been lifted.
Now don't get me wrong, the spring in Texas is just glorious with the bluebonnets and 60 and 70 degree weather. But what comes after that was just intolerable for me. The suffocating heat that follows the beautiful spring seemed to put a damper on it for me. Last summer was almost more difficult than this past winter has been. It certainly had to do with the circumstances of last summer of showing our house and getting a call that someone was going to be there in a few hours to look at the house. I would run around like a mad person cleaning, pack a diaper bag, throw the kids and dogs in the car and drive around for an hour while hopefully the realtor showed and were on time many time while the kids were crying in the stifling heat. And I would be drenched in sweat the whole time just hoping our house would sell so I wouldn't have to do that whole thing one more time. I may have mentioned it before but we did 50-60 showings in 4.5 months. It was not a fun summer. I don't think I stopped sweating for 4 months.
As hard as winters are in WI, the summers are equally beautiful and spring here is a reminder of what is to come. It may snow again and the current weather is not here to stay but it is a little taste to get you through the next few months. But it is not a pretty time of year. The remainder of the snow is super dirty and it looks like there is trash everywhere. This is what's left of the snow pile in the driveway behind our townhouse. Totally gross.

But I think I have spring fever and just antsy to get out because we have been crazy busy. In the last week we have gone out to eat a number of times, to the Milwaukee Art Museum, The Domes, The Zoo and today we walked the 6 blocks to Lake Michigan and the kids played on the playground and then we walked on the beach.
The only time that we took pictures was at the Domes because my mom was with us. I knew we were going to take pictures so I put these outfits on the girls from my Uncle Rich and Aunt Joni. They got them for Christmas and I kept looking at them in the closet thinking they were too big, my girls won't fit into these yet, they are still babies! But they look like such big girls. They didn't forget Beckett, he was wearing his Science Department sweatshirt and Team Einstein shirt which is my current favorite outfit on him.
The Domes had a train exhibit which was perfect because they were able to walk around the path and look but not touch because of the chain. I just have to say, everyone looks really washed out in the pictures because of the light and because we are really really pale!

See the castle behind Addy? Here is a close up. This is what everything looked like. It was a kid's paradise.

I'm not sure if we have a picture of Eloise without her snack trap.

She knows the beauty of a good snack.

Beckett found the little boy beauty of poking things with sticks. Which is what he did at the beach today too.

Look at this hair...

Look at those eyes...

Beckett wanted nothing to do with sitting on the bench with his sisters where he couldn't poke things.



They are all so funny when we are in a new setting. Addy looks so serious and concerned in all of the pictures. She is always a little tentative at first but slowly warms up. It seems to be worse the more people around. Eloise did great at the Domes but not so great at the Zoo yesterday. The whole thing was a disaster which I'm still recovering from. But Eloise loves the park, running around and the swings. From the living room window we can see an elementary school yard/park with swings. Poor girl stands at the window yelling at the kids on the swings a block away. Beckett had so much fun this whole week at all of the places we went. At the museum, Bambi gave each kid a book with letter of the alphabet and a picture of a piece of art in the museum which we had to then go and find. Beckett totally "got" it. He would look at the book and then at the picture on the wall pointing and chatting recognizing that they looked the same. He even remembered where the Dog painting was and kept wanting to go back. Now that he knows about sticks and poking things and making holes, I know how to keep him entertained this whole summer.

Now, we just need to find a house. We are still in the market and I'm getting a little nervous about the timing of this whole thing. I so want to be in a new house for the summer but the market is just not cooperating. We looked at a few houses last weekend but I was so disappointed. I have a theory at what is happening in this market. People don't want to believe that there was a housing bubble and don't believe they can't make a profit selling now if they bought it at the height of the housing bubble. We looked at a few houses where the current owners bought in early 2008- before the whole financial crisis. There were no updates or upgrades since then and they now think they can make a 5-6 digit profit in 3 years? Seriously? Not at our expense and not in this market. So we have to be patient even if that means extending our current lease to wait for the right house.
We started this whole process of moving one year ago next month so I'm really anxious to feel settled. It's been a long process between the showings, selling our TX house in a slumping market, the actual move, and renting through the winter with much of our stuff in storage. Today standing on the windy beach watching my kids run and play with my husband gloriously happy and healthy, it's been worth it. Totally worth it.

Spaghetti Dinner

I forgot that I promised to post some video of the spaghetti eating from the other night. It was such a hit even with our selective eater, Mr. Beckett, that I've cooked it again this time mixed with homemade spaghetti sauce from my sister that she made with tomatoes and basil from her garden. Yum. Such a treat and a reminder that spring is around the corner. It's 50 degrees today but I can't get too excited because it will most likely snow again before Spring is here for good!

Listen closely in the first few seconds and you can hear Eloise guzzling water.

And the "click, click" you hear the whole time are the dog nails clicking on the floor as they are scrounging around on the floor for food.
You can also see how the kids kick themselves away from the table (Beckett) and eat dragging food over their lap and dropping on the floor.

Watch Addy try and steal from Eloise and pretend she is just putting the noodles back onto her plate.

A few people have told me that they can't see the videos because YouTube is blocked for whatever reason. I have a hard time loading the video directly from my phone to blogger which is why I use YouTube. So sorry!! I will try and investigate another method.

New Hair Style

Not for me. A new hair style for me would be going from a low ponytail to a high pony tail. It's new for Eloise. Both my mom and Rich have been commenting on Eloise's ridiculous hair between the mullet and the hair in the eyes and the pulling out of the barrettes. They both think it should be cut and I just can't do it although I do recognize the logic. I wouldn't have even thought of it, but my mom tried something new with the little doll and it makes her even cuter, if that could be possible. It's still a work in progress and of course no good pictures of the full effect but a start in the right direction...

PIGTAILS!!!

Zoo Condominium

The Lego Duplo blocks are now the most popular toy in the house. Beckett really loves them but until a few days ago would get frustrated when they would not stick together after one try. He has since figured it out. Eloise loves them as well but her method of putting them together is a little different. She uses brute force and diligence. If she can't get them together on the first try she pushes so hard her little arms shake and doesn't give up until she has success. It's hysterical to watch. Addy can stack them like 20 high but doesn't get too worked up over them. She prefers to sit at the table and play with little jars taking the lids on and off while I wash dishes or follow me around copying what I do- washing hands, putting on shoes, washing the table, whatever.

The other day I was at Target with the kids and saw all of the sets of Duplo blocks with animals and cars and thought we should get more because there is always a fight over the one window and one little man we have. I don't know why this stuff just doesn't occur to me sooner. Just a side note about our Target trip- it was the first time that I was alone with the kids in a public place that I had to use the restroom. We go somewhere almost every day and it never crossed my mind what I would do. I considered going home but we were 30 minutes away and I was pretty sure that would have been a disaster so I figured I would wheel them in and keep the stall door open to keep an eye on them. They know they are not supposed to get out the choo-choo wagon but Beckett tried one time while I was getting them in the van and fell on his head in the parking lot so they can't get out the wagon by themselves safely. They don't have seat belts in the wagon and me watching them and reminding them to stay seated was the only way to keep them safe. I figured their safety was more important than my modesty. Also, they have rarely if ever walked around in a store and I wasn't about to start that whole business in the stall of a bathroom. But what I didn't realize was that Target has Family Restrooms which I honestly never even looked at or considered until that day. What a perfect solution. Again, no modesty but it is just like home. There is always a little face peering in on me.

Back to the Duplo Legos. Yesterday our big outing was to the toy store to buy some new legos. Future toy store visits will need to be few and far between because now they have figured out what a toy store is. They wanted things they have never even seen before like Elmo and Mickey Mouse. Maybe Addy has seen Sesame Street a few times but I'm pretty positive that Eloise and Beckett never have and they have never seen Mickey. It must be something about those characters that are universally appealing. The trucks, bulldozers, dump trucks and all the garbage trucks were very popular as well. We got out of there with only 2 sets of Legos and a few Matchbox cars. Phew!
As we were leaving Rich saw a McDonald's and said that he hadn't had a Shamrock Shake in years and wanted to go through the drive-thru. As we did I was thinking it was a bad idea because anytime the kids see us eat something they want it and I just couldn't bring myself to order something for them. It was about a 25 minute drive home and since it was snowing a little bit I didn't think it was a good idea for me to be driving with all the screaming about shakes so we caved and the kids had McDonalds for the first time. They shared the Shamrock Shake with their dad. I'm not sure how much they actually drank because it was super thick and really hard to suck up the straw but they tasted enough that they were fighting over holding the cup.
Later that day Rich said to me, "Today I feel like normal parents; we went to the toy store and McDonalds." That comment struck me and I still don't really know how to process it. I think we are pretty normal, very rigid, structured and obsessive (me) but normal given that we have triplets. But I think he is right. Sometimes I need to just lighten up. A couple of sips of a Shamrock shake is not going to turn them into leprechauns. We need to shake up our routine a little bit both for the kids and for us.
Needless to say, they have been building like mad with the new legos.
This is pretty much the scene all day long here. Lounging with the legos. Ugg, those boys with their long skinny legs. What I wouldn't give for those!

This is the famous (around our house anyway) Zoo Condo. This is where the animals live with windows and a parking garage below. Eloise is in the process of destroying it block by block but Beckett always tries to build it again.

I love this picture. Beckett hanging out guarding his creation, reading a magazine with his legs crossed.

That busy little doggie is back!
Why did it collapse? What do you mean it can't support me? I'm just a little peanut girl!

And while the other two are playing with legos and dogs and reading books Addy is usually messing around in the kitchen. Yesterday she was in the laundry room with the door closed and when I investigated I found out she was pretending to wash her hands with an empty soap pump. I have to pry it out of her hands to go upstairs to bed. Then a few times I was changing a diaper and I came to find her sitting in a booster seat at the table buckled in. And I didn't put her there. I just couldn't figure out how she managed to crawl up there, especially without falling or making a peep. Then I witnessed it. She crawls up on a chair with no booster seat, crawls across the table and lowers herself down onto the booster seat, buckles herself in and yells for food.



When she is not sitting in the booster seats she is going around buckling all the straps and then yells for me to unsnap them so she can start over again. Oh, she just kills me.
This was tonight after a spaghetti dinner which I will post tomorrow. Rich liked his hairstyle after dinner which was less little boy style and more party boy style.
Seriously Rich, stop putting this shirt on Beckett. It is getting a tad embarrassing.

New Word

This whole language thing is terrifying and fascinating to me at the same time. I'm terrified because Eloise and Beckett are not really talking. I feel like it is finally time to get them into speech therapy. Our pedi is totally comfortable waiting until they are 24 months old but I'm starting to get pretty freaked out. And we all are getting frustrated.

Our pedi has tried to reassure me that one day the kids will just "get it" start talking and never look back. I think that is where Addy is at this point and it is just fascinating and thrilling to watch. I think she calls Eloise "Ya-ya" but I'm not exactly sure. I need to hear it a few more times to confirm. But I know for sure she added a new word to her repertoire yesterday. She now says, "poo" but refuses to acknowledge she has "poo" in her diaper. When asked, she usually points to Beckett. Or tries to change the subject by barking like a dog, pretend she got bumped on the head or surprise, pretend like she does not hear me.

Daddy Duty

Rich took care of the kids by himself this weekend while I went up to Green Bay to spend Saturday with my mom for her birthday. I have no qualms about leaving. I usually make sure they have enough food for the weekend, maybe put out the clothes just to ensure the girls are not wearing some crazy get up and take off Friday evening. This time I didn't worry too much about the food because Saturday morning Rich was going to take the kids to Whole Foods to get milk and some items for lunch. I wish I had a picture of him pulling the Choo-Choo and pushing the cart. Anytime we go somewhere I always take care of the diaper bag with all of the essentials. We rarely leave the house without sippy cups, snacks, hand sanitizer and the most important item- lovies.
I talked to Rich on their way home from Whole Foods and he said that Eloise threw a FIT in the middle of the store and ended up having to buy a $30 stuffed dog to calm her down. His comment was, "At least it is organic." It turns out the purchase of the dog was a result of tactical error of the most basic kind. He forgot the lovies.
I found out later that he also bought 2 rubber duckies at Whole Foods as well- $50 worth of toys later, they made their escape. I did get one more call right before lunch with Rich asking, "Can the kids eat pesto?" I don't know why that cracked me up. Probably because pesto is super messy so I was like have at it!!!
He sent me this picture from Saturday morning with the caption- Last One Standing.
Addy has been a machine at mealtime and will sit and wait for mealtime and then sit at the table long after the other two are gone. Tonight she sat at the table for an hour straight. I had the dishes washed, floor swept and kitchen totally cleaned around her and she was still sitting there eating. She is very deliberate and methodical when eating. But I noticed that she was doing other things as well such as cleaning the table and the booster seat next to her interspersed with taking bites of food.

Back to the infamous stuffed dog. It is now a favorite for Beckett and quite a versatile and busy little dog. I don't think it is supposed to be a riding animal (per the collapse) but that is what he thinks.


Yes, the bucket on the head thing is back. Or as we call it- ROBOT BECKETT in a robotic voice with robot hand motions. Think that encourages it?

The little dog also likes to go for a walk.

Beckett wanted the dog to sit on the chair at lunch today which I vetoed which was a pretty risky decision on my part. Making him mad around mealtime puts the whole meal and whether or not he will take even 1 bite of food in jeopardy. Yesterday was a perfect example- he didn't want to sit in the booster seat and ended up crying and screaming for 20 minutes before putting him down for a nap 30 minutes early. That didn't work too well because he woke up 2 hours earlier than normal probably from hunger. Ugggg. Anyway, it paid off today because he sat in the booster seat and actually ate food at a mealtime rather than just milk and snacks.

When he is happy, he is the most joyous little thing. Like here, running to lunch.
Mom, I have an idea. How about I eat only pickles for lunch (newest favorite food)?

Look at this finger. Is is just me or does it look double jointed.

Eloise is no slouch at mealtime either. She eats just about everything, doesn't seem to be bothered by too much spice or unusual textures or tastes like seaweed. She loves to drink water and is the loudest slurper ever. He phase of throwing everything on the floor when she is done seems to have tapered out thankfully and she is very verbal when she is done. Pretty much everything she says sounds like "da" which I think in Eloise talk can mean done, dog, yes, lovies, Addy, Beckett, that, milk, juice and until today Daddy. At dinner tonight she pointed at Rich and yelled, "Dada" which was super cute especially since she clapped for herself afterwards. These pictures are from a few days ago but I rarely get close ups of the little doll since she is always so busy hustling around cleaning, folding clothes, organizing, stacking objects and methodically moving things from one place to another. Rich calls her the "Busiest Baby On the Block"




Here's looking at you kid!

Think she lives in Wisconsin?

This is what happens when you move from Texas to Wisconin. Addy now says the following-
Mama
Ne-Ne (daddy)
Ball
Biir (bird)
Tons of animal noises accompanied by hand gestures and now...

The Triple-Triplet Threat

If it is just my kids- it is the Triple Threat. But throw in 2 other sets of triplets it is the Triple-Triplet Threat. That is what was going on at our house this morning. We had a triple triplet play date. All three sets were born within 6 days of each other and all 3 sets are 2 girls and 1 boy.

Sometimes I feel guilty that my kids are so sheltered and I haven't given them the opportunity to go gyms, classes or have play dates because of the fear of germs. But having a play date with other kids who are under the same restrictions with moms that understand with every ounce of their being what just a cough or just a runny nose means to our children is perfect and the only play date situation that I'm comfortable with right now. This play date was in the works for several weeks and we had to cancel a few times because of sickness but finally everyone was healthy and ready to play.

The boys were outnumbered but they sure held their own. They were by far the most outgoing. At one point I looked up and all 6 girls and 3 moms were sitting on the floor of the living room and all 3 boys were playing in/around the laundry room. I think it was the brooms, sliding door and doggie water dish that were the big draw in the other room. The other big draw are new snacks and sippy cups that don't look like yours! It always surprises me how cautious Addy is at first around new people given her normal penchant for risk when it is just me. But again today it took about 15 minutes on my lap before she was up and at 'em, with only one shoe on(refused to wear TWO shoes earlier in the morning).

I asked the kids if they liked playing with their new friends. Addy nodded her head emphatically about 10 times and headed up the stairs for her nap, Beckett smiled and covered his eyes with his hands and Eloise ignored me because she was busy sucking on her lovie. They must have had a really good time because they have ALL been napping for 2.5 hours without a peep.
Addy and Jack checking each other out
Attempt at all 9 L-R Katie, Sully, Kylee, Eloise, Leah, Beckett, Isla, Jack & Addy

Sully, Kylee, Eloise, Leah, Beckett, Isla, Jack, & Addy- just missing beautiful Katie but we'll get her next time!

Walk this way!

The kids have been very interested in holding our hands, or fingers if there is only one of us- I don't have 3 hands but I have 10 fingers- and running or walking around the house. So I figured it was time to bring out the walking rope that arrived the other day. This is how it went down...

Okay everyone grab a ring (all the rings are of different safari animals)

Okay everyone has a ring? Follow me the window.

Oops, we lost Beckett to the lure of the pug. He had to run over and give her a kiss.

Of course, a new leader took over.

Stop and re-arrange.

Okay follow me to the kitchen.

Wait, why is this stuck?

How did I get velcroed to the booster seat?

And then there were two. Addy got distracted by the chairs in the kitchen and sat there until I gave her milk and cookies. The other two joined her after one more lap around the living room.