Cleveland kinda rocks

Sorry it has been so long since I last posted.

So, Tate and I had plans to go away for a whole weekend last weekend and Auntie Kerry and Auntie Nancy were looking forward to spending the weekend with the boys. Thursday night I found out Nancy was sick - trip off. But Kerry convinced me she could do it all herself - trip on. But then Friday morning Kerry called and she was sick - trip off. But Grandma, Grandpa and Auntie Rhonda graciously stepped in and agreed to take the boys - trip on. The bonus was the boys' great aunts Juanita and Thelma were visiting with cousin Terri and Uncle Edgar so there were a few extra laps and plenty of hugs for everyone! I am so grateful to all of you for taking on this big (and exhausting) responsibility at the last minute. So we went to Cleveland (yes, I know strange choice for a getaway, but the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame has a Springsteen exhibit and we were able to see an Indian's game too!) We enjoyed our get away as much as you can enjoy Cleveland, but couldn't wait to get back home to our boys!

The boys and me and now Tate all have colds and Jackson & Peyton have fluid in their ears. But we're all on the mend.

Unfortunately we had to cancel a few play dates and have been couped up since fall has decided to make an early entrance around here and it has been cool and very rainy.

We have some fun planned this weekend so I promise to get a more positive post up soon along with pictures!!!!

Sunshine on a cloudy day

So it's been an interesting weekend. The boys spent the day Saturday at Grandma & Grandpa's so Tate and I could run a few errands and get some work done around the house. We started out by talking over breakfast, which is a rare treat these days. Unfortunately, not long after, Tate developed food poisoning and he was out for the count the rest of the weekend :(

The boys were great Sunday until mid-afternoon when they woke from their nap and Jackson was screaming - a lot and inconsolably - not his usual M.O. I thought maybe he was hungry and offered a snack, changed his diaper, checked to make sure he wasn't hurt etc. It was too much carrying on to be teething so I was figuring an upset stomach when Tate came downstairs and Jackson went and clung to him for a long time and then he was fine - he just needed his daddy - super sweet. Jackson also has a very compassionate heart and I believe he was worried about his daddy.

But after the snack the boys were a little restless and it began to pour rain so a walk was out of the question. So I loaded the boys in the van, we swung by and picked up Auntie Kerry and headed over to our local Meijer store. For those of you who don't have a Meijer it is a superstore with everything from groceries to deck furniture and everything in between. I like to go there because it is big and my triplet stroller doesn't stick out too much and there is room for us without getting in the way. Today I was just thinking - somewhere indoors where we can walk around for a bit but less hassle than the mall.

Bear with me, I'm just going to change gears here a bit. Aunts are fun! We are so blessed that our boys have four amazing and fun aunts that they love! Tate and I were both blessed with lots of wonderful aunts as well so we know how fun they can be.

So, Auntie Kerry nixed the triple stroller idea and said - lets get one of those carts that is a car - the boys LOVE cars. I hesitated for a second because I typically have to run scenarios in my head to see if they are possible with three little guys, but I had extra help - so YES!

I'll let the pictures tell the rest - but let me just say it was a great cap to the weekend and Tate is definitely on the upswing!

Thank you Auntie Kerry for being our sunshine on a cloudy day!

Me & the boys in their "car car." I just realized no pictures of Auntie Kerry :(

Jackson wasn't quite himself today and usually would love this, but wasn't too happy in the car. After a look at it from the outside he got back in and really enjoyed it!

Brett thinking about getting a pet? One of the bonuses of Meijer - it's like a free trip to the aquarium in the pet department!

Peyton making fish faces.

Auntie Kerry made sure Brett did get a chance behind the wheel, but this was the perfect spot for him. He could be propped to sit and see his brothers! I think Peyton was a little jealous.

We "drove" past a large bin of corn and apparently Jackson (left) and Peyton were able to each grab an ear. They didn't seem to mind that it wasn't cooked, or shucked.

There was a BOGO on sub sandwiches. Not quite on Jackson's wheat-free diet, but he thought it looked good!

More butter please!

Grandma and I took the boys for their 15 month well checkup on Tuesday. Here are some stats on the boys:

Brett: 29 inches long

17.2 pounds

I know some of you will see that weight and be surprised, but on our end it was reason to celebrate. Brett has been "stuck" at 16 pounds for several months and had a nutrition evaluation 2 weeks ago and gained almost a full pound since than! Brett is tall and way too light for his age, but some of his coordination issues include his difficulty with suck, swallow and breathe - something most of us do naturally and never give a second thought. He even has to work hard at eating - but he is doing great!!!!

Jackson: 30 inches

20.6 pounds

Peyton: 30 1/4 inches

21.4 pounds

So Peyton - the youngest of the bunch by 1 minute - was the smallest when born and is now the biggest!

Jackson and Peyton are also on the skinny side. About 50th percentile for height and between the 5-10 percentile for weight.

The doctor's orders: Use more butter!

3 more monkeys at the zoo!

We finally got a nice warm weekend day (we've had rainy or cold for several weeks) so Sunday Tate and I loaded the boys into the car and headed to the zoo!

Aunt Gina, Uncle Dan, Frankie and Karissa gave the boys a zoo membership for their birthday - what an awesome gift!

The boys seemed to enjoy the people watching more than the animals but we got some pointing and excitement for the zebra (aka bra to Jackson & Peyton), we stared at an elephant and made elephant noises and although we passed by a rino, hippo and camel they kind of blended into the rocks and dirt and weren't really moving so they didn't register on the boys' radar.

We took a break for lunch which is when I realized I hadn't packed a bottle for Brett - not good. I've packed a bag for outings a ton and never forgot anything that I know of and of all things to forget - ugggh. So our visit was cut short, but we probably wouldn't have stayed much longer anyway. We didn't get to the Children's Zoo where they can pet and interact with the animals, but that just leaves more fun for next time.

The good thing is that Tate and I now have a better idea of what to bring and learned the stroller is not the best mode of transport at the zoo. A wagon for J & P will allow them to get in and out easier to see animals - sitting in the stroller we realized their line of site pretty much hit the fence on most exhibits. And Brett might do better in an umbrella stroller. The great thing about a membership is we can go all the time!

I think the boys liked the change of scenery and Tate and I really enjoyed it and seeing the boys' first zoo experience was lots of fun.

Here are a few pictures from our family outing!

Sunscreen time! We ran into a Tennessee Vols fan who was excited to see Brett's bib - she said "Go Vols! We don't see to many Vols fans in these parts!"

Tate & Brett & giraffes

Hey Jackson! We're riding an alligator!

Let's go over there now!

Which way to the zebras?

Brett taking an elephant ride

A dinosaur (at least something makes our stroller look small :)

Shoe shopping

Peyton and Jackson, ever since they were rolling around, have loved shoes. They use to pull Grandma and Grammy's slippers off and play with them and even now will play with their own shoes or try on whatever shoes are laying around.

So I guess I shouldn't be surprised that they were such good boys on their first shoe shopping excursion. Grandma and Granddad wanted to get the boys their first walking shoes as part of their birthday gift (thank you!) and now that J & P are steady on their feet we planned an outing to the mall.

I was a little concerned at first when there was only one person working and we were third in line. All the boys were contained in the stroller, but starting to get antsy. But before we knew it - it was their turn and both boys stood nicely to be measured, sat still while they were getting their shoes laced and were pretty proud of their new white walking shoes!

Brett isn't ready to walk yet and will likely be getting leg braces so we will have another outing when he is ready for shoes.

Here are some photos:

Peyton gets measured

Jackson getting laced up

While seeing how their shoes felt J & P looked around scoping the selection for next time

After shoe shopping we headed to the food court for lunch - all the boys were well behaved (doesn't Grandma look proud!)

When we found we were able to fit on the elevator with our giant stroller (a very tight fit) we headed downstairs to see the train but couldn't get a ride because the conductor was going on a lunch break as we pulled up. But there was a big display of teddy bears! We window shopped - seeing stuffed dogs, giraffes and Mickey, Minnie and the rest of the gang in the Disney window. We also chilled out by the fountains. It was almost nap time and it seemed to have such a calming effect on them - especially Brett!