Questions

People often ask me, "What's the hardest part of having 2 year old triplets?"

Here is my answer...

HAVING SICK KIDS!

(The picture above is from this past week...our latest flu!)

3 times the germs, 3 times the puke, 3 times the awful diapers...and still only 2 arms/parent...

In the past 7 years, I've NEVER seen Peter sick. NEVER. This year...he's on his 3rd flu.

Build up some immunity babies!

Another question I get all of the time is, "Are they all pretty similar, or do they have different personalities?"

I see a common thread of happiness running though my kids. Even strangers comment on how happy they are! Every time I hear that, it makes my heart smile!

Certainly though, each child is an individual.

Brynn:

Brynn is "Mommy Jr." Even though she was born second, she acts like the first born. She is a pleaser.When her sisters cry, she will rub their backs and say "it's okay!" If she is being naughty, she knows it and she quickly apologizes. She shares well. She LOVES Dora, even more than the other 2. Her favorite song is "Away in the Manger" and she sings it at the top of her lungs. She's mommys helper and a very happy spirit!

Leah:

Leah often reminds me of a mini-teenager. She likes to carry a purse, wear lipstick, beads, and high heels. Last week when she stayed at Mimi's house, she got into her pink PowerWheels Jeep and Mimi asked where she was going.

"Are you going to work?", Mimi asked.

"No," Leah said, "I'm going shopping!"

Leah thinks "share" means "give it to me!" She is just a tiny little peanut who knows what she wants and isn't afraid to get it!

Maryn:

Maryn is cut from her own mold. She is NOT influenced what-so-ever by what ANYONE else thinks. There is no use in trying to convince her to change her mind. If she doesn't want to say she is sorry, she doesn't. She will sit in time-out for 10-15 minutes until SHE decides SHE is ready to say sorry. If she wants to be loving, I'm convinced she is the best cuddler in the world. She has a belly laugh that is contagious. She would have been a great only child. Her very favorite thing is one-on-one time with mom and dad.

The third question most common question is "Can they tell each other apart?"

The answer is no. Not all of the time.

If Leah sees herself in the mirror, she thinks it is Brynn.

If Brynn sees herself in the mirror, she thinks it is Leah.

Maryn calls both Brynn and Leah....Leah.

Sometimes Brynn corrects her.

Last week, Maryn and Brynn were fighting over "car space." (You know, the whole "don't look out my window" thing that kids do.) Anyway, Maryn yelled at Brynn, "Leah, don't touch me!" Brynn VERY loudly corrected her, "I'M BRYNN!" Usually, though she just lets it go.

I often think our family would be such an interesting "subject" to study in the whole nature v. nurture debate. All raised in exactly the same way, at exactly the same time...

and so WONDERFULLY different!

What We're Up To...

Monthly Ear Infection Count:

Maryn: 3

Leah: 3

Brynn: 2

At least we're not scared at the doctors office anymore!

Potty Training Successes:

Leah: 2

Brynn: 1

Maryn:0

We've shelved potty training for a while. After a few bottles of carpet cleaner, we decided to wait a few  more months.

Episodes of Dora watched....countless. Mom and dad can hardly take it anymore!!!

They have actually had to Google a couple of Spanish words to see what we're saying! So much for High School Spanish! ;)

We're learning more and more each day. "Like sponges" they say!

Today at dinner, Leah told mommy that dinner was "delicious!"

BIG word for a 2 year old!

Maryn is FREE of her CAST!!

When we went in on Monday to have it taken off, she cried and asked the doctor to put it back on!

Little pumpkin wasn't sure how to walk without that cast after 8 weeks! She's still hobbling around. Hopefully she gets more confident soon!

In picture contest news...we won! Thank you for your votes! We're hoping to get some photos this summer. We'll be sure to post them!

Enjoy your week!
Love,
MBL

Millions of Time-Outs, 3 Fish and 1 Little Baby

Hi Everybody,

It's Maryn!

I guess don't really mean to, but I've been kinda naughty lately. (good thing Santa already came!)

I heard mommy say something today about me being "terrible two." I've been getting time-outs. They make me really mad.

Mommy puts me in time-out until I say I'm sorry for throwing toys or hitting.

I don't want to say I'm sorry! So I sit there, and I sit there, and I sit there....I scream, but I don't say I'm sorry for as loooooooooong as I can hold out.

Today in the car, I hit Brynn 'cause she was bugging me. Mommy saw me and she got really mad.

She turned around and said, "Maryn, no hitting! Keep your hands on your lap!" I didn't want to keep my hands on my lap, so I looked my mommy in the eye and grabbed Brynn's arm and held on as tight as I could.

I wanted her to know that I didn't WANT to keep my hands to myself.

My Mimi told me that my mom used to listen to a record (whatever that is?!) when she was a little girl about a princess who said, "I want what I want and I want it now."

I think that's me.

Mom and I are probably going to spend lots of time in time-out together.

On a more fun note, I wanted to tell you about our new family members.

We got fishies yesterday from our "auntie" Nikki. They are beautiful. One is blue, one is yellow and one is orange.

I named mine Bubbles, Brynn named hers Brynn (fitting!), and Leah named hers Swim. Mommy let us pick the names.

We like to ask mom or dad to carry our fish around so that they can watch us play. We say hi to them first thing in the morning, and blow them kisses goodnight. We make sure that our puppy Reese doesn't get too close. "Auntie" Nikki said that our fish live for a really, really, really long time. That makes us happy....for some reason mom and dad's smiles weren't as big as ours!

We also got to meet baby Henry yesterday! Oh, we just love him! He borrowed Brynn's blankie; we helped feed him a bottle and everything! Hopefully he can visit again soon!

Wish me a fun weekend with no time-outs!

Love,

Maryn

ATP

One of our pictures has been nominated for the best picture of 2009 by Annie Torrini.
If you have a second, please go to http://atorriniphotography.com/ and vote for picture #1.
If we get the most votes, we'll get a free photo session in 2010.
We'd love some more pics of the girls!

Thanks for voting!

Hoarder

Have you seen the show "Hoarders" on A&E? Don't be surprised if you see my youngest child as the subject of that show 20 years from now.
Today at school, we walked into the room, and Leah began her hoarding.
She gathered her favorite doll, 3 bottles, 1 blanket, 1 purse and a plastic hamburger and carried them around with her for the next hour and a half. (not exaggerating....90 minutes!)
Now, look at her hands....they aren't that big. It took some good moves to carry all of that stuff around. I heard another parent yell across the room, "Get that girl a cart!"

She also lays claim to things at home....mainly, the train set. It isn't good enough to have one train. She needs all 4. She knows that if she puts them down *POOF* they'll be gone. So, she carries them around for the day. (or hides them in one of her secret spots)

Better start her therapy now!

Some Wedding Pictures

We did it! We were beautiful flower girls for our Uncle Nick and Auntie Jenny. We even walked down the aisle. (We walked with our mommy and daddy, so it wasn't scary!)

Here are a few pictures of us that our Grammy and Poppa took. When we get the professional pictures, we will post those.

We have to go to bed, but we'll tell you more about the wedding as soon as we get some more pictures.

Congrats Uncle Nick and Auntie Jenny!

Love you!

Grammy reading to us before the big walk down the aisle:

Snack Time:

Leah pooped out after the big day. So much fun!:

Maryn and Papa:

Dancing Queen:

Brynn on the church stage. She thought it was pretty cool and kept saying "Ta-da"!:

A practice run down the aisle:

Rehearsal:

Mom and Dad at the rehearsal: