The Nutcracker

The kids performed in the Nutcracker on saturday night.  That is Lily in the center.  They were cast as "Maypole Angels" and while their performance was short, it was really cute.  They all loved being on the stage and say that they want to do it again.  They will be in another recital in the spring. 

More pics are at flickr    a video on youtube     

The trips take a trip

I had to go to Canada on a business trip and decided to turn the trip into a little vacation for the entire family. I grew up in Rochester, NY and the seminar I was attending was just a few hours north, so the logistics were perfect. We started our trip north by stopping in Lynchburg, VA to visit with Season's family -- and it was especially perfect timing since her brother Kendall was home visiting from New Zealand. Here is Kendall with the kids.

Season and Kendall took the kids out shopping and they found some really great Halloween costumes on sale. Check out what they picked out!

The kids were so excited to see their Poppy and Grandma Gail. What was really cute is that they thought we were going to their "Beach House" because the last time we saw them was when we all stayed at the beach. I had to keep telling them that Poppy and Grandma don't live at the beach house! Although it was a really short visit, we all had a great time.

So next it was off to NY. The kids did really well in the car -- a lot better than I expected. Of course, having a DVD player in the car helps tremendously! We brought some of their favorite movies and toys and they did great. We stopped at a rest station and let them run around for a while. They didn't really want to get back into the car, and in the end we used bribes of toys and sweets. It was supposed to only take us 8 hours or so, but with some traffic delays and stopping it was more like 12.

When we finally got to Rochester, we split up and I went off to Canada and Season and the kids made the rounds with friends and family. We hooked back up after a few days and had some fun with our friends Laurie and Mary. We crammed a lot of fun stuff into a short time and boy did we wear them out!

On the way to my sister's house Will announced he didn't feel well and then proceeded to puke all over himself. Having gone through this before on our beach trip, Season and I were prepared and had him and the car all cleaned in up in no time and we were back on our way. He had (still has) a bit of a cold, so it was hard to say if it was car sickness or something else.

We had a great time visiting with my family. Lily especially loved playing with her older cousin. I think the boys would say they liked the cupcakes from Aunt Kathi the best. And, we had a fun time getting some good family pictures of all of us! But, once again the visit was all too short and it was time to hit the road again. We really wanted to stay longer, but we thought it would be better to split up the trip back too. So, we left after dinner and just drove as long as we could stand it. Will did get puke one more time, but after that it was smooth sailing.

Of course there are pictures of everything we did on flickr (use the link below). I arranged the pics in groups, so be sure to check them all out - like the pumpkin patch, preschool field trip, vacation fun, etc. http://www.flickr.com/photos/weethree/

Dance class and wee3 antics

The kids have been taking dance classes and they really like it. They especially like having ballet and tap shoes. They don't let parents in to watch and I'm dying to see what class is like. It must be just adorable to see all those little 3 year olds dancing! They do have a few times when parents get to watch and I can't wait. I'll definitely be video taping that (if they let me I guess -- and if not, I'll still try to sneak it!) They are also going to be in the Nutcracker. They are cast in "Maypole - Act II."

Other cute stuff: We've had our first case of faking sick to get out of school. I couldn't believe it. It was Avery and he faked coughing and said, "cough cough...I too sick to go to school....cough cough." Nice try though. I'm in serious trouble with that. I was worst about not wanting to go go school. Karma and all I guess.

We also were having some regression with the potty training. We realized the accidents began right around the same time that the reward incentives stopped. So, we instituted a new "poop in the potty and get a balloon" system. The kids just love balloons and will do most anything to get one. So that has really worked. So far anyway!

Potty Training Update

We had our first "no accidents at school" day!!! Of course we are still having accidents -- lots of accidents really -- but we were very excited to have all three have an accident free day at school. Will is almost completely potty trained. He rarely has any accidents and sometimes he just runs into the bathroom all on his own. Lily is doing really well too. She doesn't like to go to the potty in public and she has a tendency to hold it as long as she can. Sometimes we just have to convince her she really needs to go! Avery is a bit more wishy-washy. I think its more that he doesn't want to stop whatever he is doing to go. And, it is often hard to get him to come inside to go too. But, he gets really excited and proud of himself when he does do it. They all do. They love to get their stickers put on their charts. When they fill up a card they get a special day out with mom or mommy. Will and Lily have already gone to Tweetsie Railroad with Season and Avery is going to get to go on a hike as he is a total nature boy.

Visiting Poppy and Grandma

Season took the kids to visit Poppy and Grandma and everyone had such a good time. They kept them really busy with trips to the playground, out for ice cream and running around. They also went to a carnival and there was one of those big bouncy houses. Lily and Avery loved it, but Will got scared and Aunt Fleming had to climb in to rescue him. There was also a giant inflated slide. Check out the pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/weethree/sets/72157601902829526/

Kinder Soccer

The kids go to soccer twice a week for 45 minutes. The first day we couldn't really get anyone to participate -- they would rather just run around and pick up rocks. The second time they really loved playing a dribbling game version of "green light - red light" and they got a big kick out of freezing when the coach yelled red light. But, soon after that they were dropping like flies. Avery was the first to quit and Lily followed soon after. Will stuck it out for a while longer, but I don't he was all that happy about it! In the end, I love it because they have the kids run up and down the field a few times which works wonders for bedtime! And, of course I love it because of the great photo opps: http://www.flickr.com/photos/weethree/sets/72157601911559511/

Riding Bikes

Everyone can ride their bike now and they have so much fun. Most of the time they ride around in circles on our patio. Its about 10x12 and the three of them speed around with near misses laughing all the while. It brings to mind those stunt riders you see riding in the giant globe cages at the circus. We live at the end of a remote street and there are really aren't many other houses anywhere nearby. So sometimes we all go to the road and they ride around with a bit more space. I wonder how long it will be before we take the training wheels off! Here are the pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/weethree/sets/72157601902771572/

Silly Summer

We are having a fun summer. The kids are so silly they just keep us laughing all day. They all love to dress up and where all kinds of crazy combination of things. We have been working on potty training and it is going pretty well so far. Will is the best at it so far. He just lets us know he has to go and we run to the nearest bathroom. Sometimes he just runs into the bathroom and goes all by himself! Lily also is really good about it. It took her a little while longer to get into the routine, but now she lets us know all the time. Avery doesn't really like the idea too much right now. He'll go if you ask him, but he doesn't seem to realize when he needs to. He drinks so much water that he usually can go anytime you ask him!

Season started a sticker chart to reward the kids when they use the potty. After they fill up their charts they get a fun outing all by themselves. Will and Lily have earned enough stickers to do something fun this weekend, so Season is going to take them each out to Tweetsie Railroad Amusement park nearby. The LOVE Tweetsie...there is an actual real size train that they can ride, plus all the other fun kid rides like boats, planes, etc. Link to more pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/weethree/sets/72157601377287549/

The Hair Cut

Avery's hair was just getting out of control. He was starting to resemble Ellen Degeneres so much that I was thinking about sending in a photo to her website! But, he would not let me cut it. We tried getting his haircut at the place where his dadaw gets his cut, but it didn't really go that well. So, we kept putting if off, hoping I guess that it would just magically stop growing or something.

Then, his dadaw said that he would take Avery with him when he got his haircut on Saturday. Avery really wanted to go on a outing with his dadaw, but still wasn't buying into the whole haircut thing. I quickly resorted to bribery and offered him the prospect of getting a firetruck he had been coveting for weeks. Bingo!!! He was off in a flash. Later that day he came back with his dadaw and memaw and proudly showed off his smartly clipped locks. Here is pic of dadaw and Avery showing off their new haircuts!

First Day of Pre-School

The kids were so excited to get their own backpacks (or packpacks as they say.) And, they were also very excited about going to school. We all got up and had breakfast together and then everyone brushed their teeth, got dressed, put on their shoes and combed their hair (with a teenie bit of help from us) and we were ready.

They had a great first day and no one cried at all. In fact, it was a very special day because each kid went to the potty and did not have any accidents. We were very proud!

They will go to school half days, 8:30 - 12:00, mon, wed and fri. They eat lunch at school too, so they each got to get a new lunch box too. Of courese, there are plenty of pics on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/weethree/sets/72157601370936332/

Fun shots on flikr

I've posted some great shots that Season got the other day while the kids were playing outside. http://www.flickr.com/photos/weethree/sets/72157600841764129/

Music Camp Crafts

Each day the kids came home with something they made that day at camp. They made tambourines and drums and even came home with kazoos and recorders. Those were a bit loud, thank you very much! Cute stuff though and kids were so proud.

Early Mornings (for us anyway!)

Well, let me tell you it was quite an adjustment actually having to be somewhere each morning by a certain time. Here are some cute shots of the kids first thing in the morning. The class didn't start until 9 am, but it might as well have been 6 am to us! We have had it quite leisurely as far as the kids sleep habits go. They generally do not get out of bed until 8 or 8:30. So having to wake them up and get breakfast, etc was an adventure in timing and patience. Also, we have really been working on potty training this week, so everyone had to use the potty before they left. As an aside on that topic, Season read that one way to approach potty training multiples was to start with the same routine each morning, and then let them go back to diapers for the afternoon and evening. They are all at different levels so its kinda of hard to coordinate everything.

Pre-School Music Camp

The kids went to a music camp this past week. It was held at the same place they will be going to preschool. They really liked it. I thought that it might be hard to leave them there...but they didn't care at all. The teacher pointed out that is probably because they were all there together, so they didn't feel like they were left alone anywhere. In fact, on the last day when I picked them up, I couldn't get them to leave! We were the last ones out and their teacher, "Miss Paula", had to tell them to mosey on!

Dance Lessons

The trips went to their first dance lesson fri afternoon. We signed them up for a summer session 1 day a week for the month of July. They were the only kids in the class for this first session. Turns out they won't do as much if I'm around. They kept running back to me and not listening to the teacher. I tried to leave the classroom, but then the boys kept leaving the room. So, although they prefer not to have parents in the classroom during the class, Season and I ended up trying to sit quietly on the sideline.

Lily really took to the class and had a great time. She did everything the teacher told her to do with a big smile on her face. Will seemed to take it or leave it. He was interested in some parts but wouldn't always do what the teacher wanted. I think he had fun though. Avery didn't really do well. He spent 1/3 of the time on my lap, 1/3 of the time trying to touch stuff he wasn't supposed to and finally a 1/3 participating in the class. I say "participating" because he mostly just wanted to run around. Could be that it was because I was there...so we will see how it goes next week when I'm not there.

The kids also start music camp next week, which is a program that runs 8-12 mon-fri for one week. It is being held where they will be starting pre-school in August, so it will be a nice introduction to their new teacher and the whole concept of going to school. We signed them up for mon, wed and fri mornings and I think it is going to be really good for them and Season. She really could use a break!

And, to top off the summer activities, the kids also start swimming lessons. They go every night for 45 minutes for 2 weeks. We are pretty excited about that too because its something we can all do together. Lily is the big swimmer of the bunch and I wouldn't be surprised if she does her first solo swim this summer!

wee three sing for you

I'm playing around with the video part of blogging now. I had the video camera out and the kids started singing so I put together a quick little video. See what you think. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f15TUAXmL5k

Update on Avery's Stitches

Avery got his stitches out and his cut is healing really well. He has a Y shaped scar and we have been putting some scar serum on it to try to minimize it. You are supposed to put it on 3 times a day - and most days we get it on at least twice. Its not that bad, and he is so young, I'm hoping it will be barely noticeable when he is older.

Playing Outside

We got the kids a little pool and sprinkler for the backyard. As you can see, they really like to run around and splash in the water. We also just signed them up for swimming lessons in the town pool. It will be their second session of swim lessons because they also went last year at the pool at the local YMCA. They all love the water -- Lily especially. She likes to have you hold her on her stomach and help her swim all over the pool. The boys really like to jump in the water from the side. Anyway, here are the pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/weethree/sets/72157600664198693/

Mother's Day

This post is a bit late in coming, but we got such cute pics on mother's day that I wanted to make sure everyone could see them. I have been trying and trying to get a pic of the trips together - something that has been really hard to do ever since they learned how to walk! So I have been chasing them around with a camera hoping that the three of them will stand or play near each other and look my way. It never happens. It never even occurred to me to just ask them to pose for me. On mother's day I was so desperate to get a group pic because they were all dressed up and cute that I finally blurted out, "will you all pose together for mommy?" They just looked at me and said, "okay!" I was thrilled and took about 100 pics in 5 minutes! Anyway, I have a whole bunch more posted here too: http://www.flickr.com/photos/weethree/sets/72157600663353977/

Vacation at Rodanthe Beach

Season's Dad and Gail, invited us to their vacation beach house in Rodanthe Beach, NC and we all had a spectacular time.

We took a ton of pics and you can see them all here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/weethree/

First 2 Wheelers!

We got the kids bikes for their 3rd birthday. They are super cool and the kids look so cute all decked out in the various safety pads covering 85% of their bodies. the helmets make them look like giant walnut heads. Lily is the biking star so far. she climbed right on and almost immediately took to pedaling. The boys on the other hand prefer to sit proudly on their bikes while one of us many minions push them around - feet never actual touching a pedal. They will do a bit of steering, but prefer to have that done for them as well : ) well...maybe I'm being a bit too harsh on the boys...Lily is a hard act to follow when it comes to athletics. she is a natural athlete. She even fell down twice and skinned her knees - and although she was crying a bit - she got right back on the bike and kept riding.

Avery Gets Stitches

Avery gaves us a huge scare a few weeks ago. He was running in the hallway and fell on a toy and cut his head open. We rushed him to the hospital and he got stitches. It was all terribly awful and tramatic for all of us. he had a bad reaction to the stuff they gave him to calm him so instead of being calm he was like a beligerent drunk. But, he got the stitches out 5 days later and we are working on minimizing the scar. He talks about it sometimes, but i don't think he remembers much of it.

Wee Three turn 3!

We had a small party in our backyard to celebrate the kids' birthday. Everyone had a great time running around and chasing balls and bubbles and playing with all the new toys. There was tons of cake and ice cream, or course and the kids ate and ate and then had some more. I think they couldn't believe their good fortune! You can see all the pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/weethree/sets/72157600664603322/