Katie's Visit

Micah was out of town this weekend for a class, and I was fortunate to have my friend Katie come out for a visit. She had been wanting to visit as she hadn't been to ABQ since last March, and although she has seen Alexis, Jack, and Faith a couple of times in Michigan when our trips back there overlapped, she hasn't spent much time with them in over a year.  I went to visit her in WA last July and this past January, which was great since I got a break from my usual responsibilities and we were able to spend a lot of time hanging out and having fun, but I love seeing Alexis, Jack, and Faith interact with Katie since she has been such a big part of my life, and it's really important to me that she knows my kids since they are such a huge part of my life now.

Katie arrived Thursday just before noon, and I was super thankful that I had scheduled our first professional house cleaning for Thursday morning. We have decided that it is time to hire a cleaning service since it is impossible to keep the house clean while taking care of our trio, and coming home to a clean house after picking Katie up from the airport was a wonderful feeling.

On Thursday afternoon, after the kids woke up from very short naps, we headed to the zoo. It was a gorgeous day and I'm really glad we went since we actually had a lot of rainy weather while Katie was here.

For most of the zoo visit the kids rode in the wagon, but we let them walk around by the less visited birds. 

Looking at a bird with Katie

I think I need a selfie stick as it's almost impossible to get all of the kids in one shot

Since Friday was rainy, we decided to try out a Baby & Toddler Story Time at a nearby library. We got to the library a little early in hopes that we could check out some books, but I don't trust our kids with paper pages yet and I didn't see many board books at the library, so instead the kids ended up playing with the three dirty stuffed bears and the puppets, and they spent some time fighting over the one child-sized rocking chair.

Walking into the library with Katie using our hold-on handles

Jack and Lexi loving on the stuffed bears

Faith 

Jack and Lexi rocking a bear

Usually story time is held in an enclosed room at this branch, but the room was being used this week so story time was in middle of the library. There were quite a few parents and children at story time, but none of the toddlers seemed as oblivious as ours to story time etiquette. Alexis, Jack, and Faith spent most of the time laying on and wrestling on the pillows that were meant to be sat on, they spent time looking out the window and pointing out every car or truck that drove by, and during one story Alexis walked right up to the story teller and stole the stuffed bear that was hidden behind her back. Katie and I stayed very busy trying to keep my three under control, but I suppose my kids need to do stuff like this more so that they know how to behave. I also think simpler books that rhyme or have animal noises should be used for the Baby & Toddler Story Time as our kids can't follow much of storyline yet so they found the books to be boring. Maybe they'll be more ready for story time this fall.

Faith and Alexis with the pillow at story time

Jack in the middle of all the action

Unfortunately it rained on and off all day on Friday, but we did get out for a very short walk with the hold-on handles so that the kids could have some practice around the neighborhood. They get better at walking together every time we use the handles!

Saturday morning we went to the Botanic Garden, and we had a great time. Although I was nervous to let the kids walk around the farm animals since the turkey was out of its cage, in the end we decided the turkey was harmless and we could keep the kids away from it. Alexis, Jack, and Faith love running around the farm area at the garden. The kids also had more practice walking with their handle, and all three did really well. They seem to love the freedom the handles give them since they are walking instead of riding, and they all know which color handle is theirs which makes it feel special.

"Mom, why is the turkey out of it's cage?!"

Katie protecting Jack from the giant turkey

Looking at the sheep. Jack loves to shout, "BA!"

Enjoying their freedom. Jack actually said "tractor" when he saw them this time! I think their speech is finally starting to pick up!

Using the hold-on handles to walk in the garden

Feeding the Koi. Notice that Faith is actually feeding herself instead of the fish. She doesn't mind sharing with the fish, but she's not about to give it all away!

There are so many Koi in the Japanese Garden at the Botanic Garden

And then it all fell apart. All three were starting to get tired and the handles didn't work any more.

They were content to ride around in the wagon after their long walk and all three slept for over 3 hours Saturday afternoon!

While the kids napped, Katie and I trimmed the extremely overgrown bush in our front yard. We had no idea what we were doing, but luckily someone working at the neighbor's house came over and gave us a few pointers which really helped. I'm thankful that Katie is always willing to take on random projects with me when she comes to visit!

I should have taken a before picture, but this bush was much taller than our windows before we trimmed it

Late Saturday afternoon we went for a run with the kids in the stroller. When I run with the triple stroller there is just as much walking as running as the stroller plus the kids weigh almost as much as I do, but Katie and I pushed the stroller together the entire way out since it was mostly uphill (and it's definitely wide enough for two to push), and I'm happy to say we ran almost 100% of the way. We ran three miles to a park, played at the park with the kids for a bit, and then ran home. Katie and I trained for a marathon and many triathlons together, so it always feels right to run together.

Lexi 

Katie and Lexi

Faith

Good thing it was bath night anyway

On the way home I mostly pushed the stroller by myself since there was a lot of downhill and the stroller practically pulled me. The kids were definitely over it since it was quite a long time to sit in the stroller, but they are troopers.

I truly enjoyed Katie's visit and today I feel really sad that we don't get to hang out more often. Katie and I have been friends for over 25 years. We went to elementary, middle, and high school together. We went to different colleges, but for five years we both lived in Colorado and during that time our friendship grew even stronger. Both of us left Colorado in 2010, but since then we've spent time in India and South Africa together (with Micah and Ryan as well). There are so many memories from the past 25 years, and we always have a great time together even if we are just trimming a bush in the front yard. I guess if it were up to Katie and I we would be living in the same place again, but Micah loves the mountains and Ryan loves the ocean, and there aren't many places we could live where both guys would be satisfied. So for now we will just continue to visit one another and enjoy our time together when we can get it.

22 Months

I think all moms feel a little sad as their kids approach their next birthday. Of course we want our children to grow and we love to celebrate milestones, but we also mourn the babies and toddlers of the past since our kids will never be that little again. Micah and I often say to each other, "Can you believe our kids were that little?" and "I don't even remember them being that small!" when we look at old photos of our babes. Now that we are approaching Alexis, Jack, and Faith's 2nd birthday I am excited that our kids are becoming more like "big kids" every day, but there is also a part of me that longs for the simplicity of having kids that are stationary, that laugh easily, and that I don't need to cook for. Although we sometimes mourn the passing of time, we also celebrate as our kids are starting to come into their own.

F, A, J hanging out together in the backyard

A, F, J playing in the backyard

J, F, A at our makeshift gate in our backyard. I don't want them to play by the garbage cans!

F, A, J hanging out on the couch

How old? 22 months 

Weights & Heights:  
Alexis: 22 lbs 4 oz, about 33 inches

Jack: 21 lbs, about 31 1/3 inches

Faith: 21 lbs 11 oz, about 33 inches

Size clothes: We are starting to have "highwater pants" as all three are really skinny so they need to wear 18 month pants around the waist, but they are getting a little too tall for some of them. Luckily we have started to wear some shorts and skirts as well since the weather is warming up, and length doesn't matter as much with those. For tops, all three are starting to grow into 24 month / 2T, but many 18 month fit as well.

Eating:  WE HAVE OFFICIALLY DROPPED BOTTLES!!!!! Although our doctor didn't push us to drop bottles at 12 months, I know many doctors advise parents to do that, but our kids truly weren't ready until a couple of months ago, and then I hung onto the morning bottle for my own sake since it gave me a little time to wake up and get the kitchen organized or take a shower before making breakfast. We first dropped the morning bottle on March 16, but then the kids got a cold and I wanted to make sure they were staying hydrated so I started giving them a bottle again. But as of April 6 the bottles are packed away so I can't regress! Most days all three have been drinking the normal amount of milk that they had with the bottle. We have also introduced a couple of different cups that the kids really like (the Sassy Grow Up Cup that allows them to drink anywhere around the rim without spilling and the Contigo Striker water bottles, although I did remove the straw for now so it's more like a sippy cup). I think rotating the different cups helps keep them excited about drinking as well. And every night after the kids brush their teeth Micah is helping them drink water out of an open cup, so conquering that is on the horizon!

Most mornings I sit at the kids' table with everyone so they can drink their milk and eat some Cheerios while I drink my chai. Yes, I drink so much chai that the kids can name it now :).

As of April 9 (a couple of days after the 22 month mark), we have stopped using trays with our booster seats! I decided to try putting plates on the table since we have been trying to teach the kids that it is not okay to throw food on the floor and they finally seem to be getting it, so I thought they might understand that they can't throw their plates on the floor. Overall they did well and the plates never hit the floor, so now our trays are in storage and we are using plates full time! This is awesome for Micah and I as we no longer have to wash 9 trays a day!

Here is one of the last pics I took of A, F, and J using their trays. And, yes, they do all have full size forks as sometimes that is the only way to make them excited about eating.

Eating at the table with plates! They are still learning that the food goes on the plate, not the table, but I'm not complaining as this is progress.

Naps: We are still doing an afternoon nap that starts at 12 noon. Lately Faith has been the first to wake up, but Jack is often the first as well. Faith and Jack will sleep for 1.5-2 hours, and most days Alexis will sleep for 3 hours. 

Bedtime: Once in awhile someone has a hard time falling asleep, but for the most part this continues to go really smoothly. We had some night waking last week from the girls, which felt really rough since it was totally unexpected since everyone had been sleeping really well, but in general the kids go to bed at 7:30 and they wake up around 6:30.

Words: All of a sudden it feels like words are starting to click. All three like to repeat words we say and try out words now, even without our prompting. They are all getting much better at communicating what they want, especially when it comes to foods at the dinner table. It is impossible to keep track of all of the words they are each saying now, but here are some commonly heard words these days:

• Alexis: Jack (dack), paci (papi), mess, grandpa (baca), "I get you!", mama (FINALLY!! Until last week no one has been saying this intentionally!), buckle (she means unbuckle), milk, bubble, please (pease)

• Jack: monster truck, airplane, strawberry, fire truck, circle (while drawing it), Alexis (Lexis), medicine, open...he seems to have skipped over the one syllable words 

• Faith: sister (seesta), mess, stinky, paci...she doesn't say quite as many words yet, but she has no problem getting her point across. Faith also likes to "explain" what happened when someone gets hurt by gesturing and babbling.

In the last couple of weeks all three have been telling us (sometimes) when they have poopy diapers, either by saying "stinky," sniffing loudly (indicating stinky), or pulling at their bottom! I know this is one of the first signs that a child is ready for potty training, but we haven't decided when we want to tackle that yet. Quite often when someone has a "stinky" diaper at our house and they are being changed, one of their siblings will come up and audibly sniff in the air. I'm not sure why they do this, but it's so funny!

New Things: All three are into watching airplanes, pointing out bugs, watching the birds in our backyard, and watching the lizards run around our backyard. They have become super observant of their surroundings, which is fun, especially when we go to the biopark and I can talk to them about the animals and they act interested. They all enjoy trying to sing along when I sing the ABCs or Old MacDonald. 

Unfortunately, they all have begun asking for "shows" during the day as they know I cave in when everyone is super cranky or when I really need to get something done, such as make dinner. I feel super guilty about this as I now TV shouldn't be the babysitter, but when you only have one lap and two arms, but you have three toddlers, sometimes TV is the only thing that works. Also, it's pretty cute to hear them say, "shooow?" 

Biting continues to be a bit of a problem, especially with the teething, and hitting and pushing are becoming quite common around here as well.  

Watching the garbage trucks. This is the highlight of Mondays at our house!

"A bug, a bug!"

Anything can become something to balance on or sit on. When they balance on something they all say, "Ta Daaa!"

We have a ways to go before we are proficient with the handles, but couple of times we have tried it they have done okay.

Sitting close while watching a "show"

A, J, and F are getting much better at going out to eat! Although every meal with our trio is work, it is nice when we don't have to cook or clean up after a meal.

Watching the turkeys at the Botanic Garden

• Alexis: She seems very concerned that "messes" are cleaned up as she'll run and get a cleaning cloth whenever she sees a problem or if I mention that something is dirty. The other day she slobbered on my shirt and when she saw it she ran to the drawer, pulled out a cloth, and tried to wipe it up! Alexis has become super attached to her pacifier lately, which makes me nervous about taking it away permanently since she finds so much comfort in it. I've had a dentist tell me I should try to break the habit by 3, so I guess that's what we'll aim for, especially since they JUST dropped their last bottle. Also, it's really cute when she asks for a "papi," which is her own word for pacifier.

Trying to figure out the new no-spill bubbles

Bubbles!

F and A

Sitting on drums (A, F)

A and F sitting close watching TV. I wish I could snuggle with them on the couch more, but there is always so much to do! At least they find comfort in each other (sometimes).

F and A cuddling with their big stuffed animals and "reading" books

Alexis near the horse at the Botanic Garden

• Jack: He has been a mommy's boy for quite awhile, although he seems to be just as content with either grandma when they are in town. There were a couple of days when he wouldn't even go to Micah, but luckily that was short-lived. Jack is super sweet and he loves to come up and give me and the girls a pat on the back or a kiss (although usually it's just a kiss in the air near our heads), and I think it's his little way of saying that he loves us all. Jack finally cut his two top canine teeth, which is great because teething bothers him so much.

Jack in the backyard

He loves trucks (and so do the girls!). I'm pretty sure he has pick-up trucks confused with monster trucks since he says "monster truck" constantly when we are out in the stroller, but it's so cute I don't want to correct him.

All three love to build towers, but Jack seems the most interested

Standing on a brick looking at the cow at the Botanic Garden

"Ta daaaa!"

The kids love the mirror in the dining area and they stop and look at themselves many times throughout the day. It's so cute to watch.

Jack giving Faith a little backrub

Jack hugging Alexis

Jack hugging Faith

Jack is soooo affectionate!

• Faith: A few weeks ago Faith started running to Micah as soon as he walked in the house when he got home from work. It is so cute to see her excitement to see him, and Alexis and Jack have both been doing this sometimes as well. Faith has claimed a Husky dog stuffed animal as her own, and whenever she is upset she grabs the doggie and hugs it tight. Jack and Alexis will bring her doggie to her as well when she needs comforting. Alexis has claimed the Snoopy dog, but the attachment isn't as strong as Faith's to "her" doggie.

Getting cozy with her doggie

"Ta daaaa!"

Faith and Jack

Faith running around the Botanic Garden

Alexis and Faith in the farm portion of the Botanic garden

I know that it's hard for babies and toddlers to work on more than one thing at a time (i.e. after they start walking they usually start talking but it's hard to learn both together), so I'm wondering if our kids are a little bit behind in some things (such as knowing their colors, trying to put on their own clothes, etc) because they are learning social skills now when most toddlers don't deal with this much until they go to preschool. It's amazing to watch the relationships between our kids as they truly interact, communicate, copy each other, fight for our attention, and respond to each other's needs. They love being near each other, which is evident in some the photos (I did not stage any of them)! We look forward to watching our kids grow as individuals and with each other as we quickly approach their second birthday in June! 

At the end of our hike in the Sandias with Grammy and Grandpa we let the kids run

Our new magnet boards in the dining area

We've already enjoyed the water table a couple of times this year. Jack could stay there all day, but the girls got a little bored and decided to wander the backyard in their bare feet.

I often tell the kids to put on their socks and shoes, even though I know they aren't even close to being able to do it by themselves. One day when we were getting ready to leave I said this and then I went upstairs for a minute. When I came back down they had all grabbed their shoes and sat down together like they were going to figure out how to put them on as a team. It was so cute and they were so proud of their efforts!