The Three Musketeers Are Three Months Old!

It's hard to believe that our three little men have been around for three months already. They keep getting bigger and more active. Today, when we took pictures, the boys actually followed the sound of my voice and the flash to look at the camera. I know that they are behind kids their age, but they sure are growing up fast. Ryan and Michael laugh pretty easily now. They have some killer smiles, and James makes the greatest happy noises as he plays. Of course, Bob just put him to bed, and the noises he is making right now are definitely NOT happy ones. Our switch to an 8:30 p.m. bedtime seems to be going okay. Last night, only James woke up and needed to eat. Ryan woke up around 5:30 a.m., but I was able to rock him back to sleep. Bob actually had to wake the boys up around 7 a.m. Hopefully tonight goes smoothly as well. I really like the whole sleeping through the night idea. Once we get all three to do it, I don't know if I will be able to contain my joy.
Ryan and Mikey doing the brother pose.
James taking his toys seriously.
The guard dogs checking out the boys while they play.

Smile Like You Mean It

Change is in the air around our house. As the boys approach three months old, we are trying to modify their schedule and return to a more successful version of sleeping through the night. After our trip to Louisiana, we kind of forgot about self-soothing and patting withouth picking up. Right now as I type, it's been three minutes of James crying and it's killing me to sit here rather than run upstairs and fix it. We are going to switch from feeding the boys every three hours to every four hours. We've noticed that they don't eat all of their bottles at certain points in the day, and so we're changing how often and when we are feeding the boys. Our plan is to start at 7 a.m. and have a bedtime of 8:30. We'll see how it all pans out, but in theory it sounds good.

The boys were very entertaining today. In addition to letting the kids cry longer at night, we are also trying to let them self-soothe during the day as well. Mikey is not too fond of this plan - notice the pouting and tear. Luckily all of this drama was solved by turning the music on the activity mat back on.
Ryan has gotten so big. Not only is he a little chubby compared to his brothers, he is also longer (but Mikey has bigger feet). He has started to move his head around and look at things a little more rather than just stare at himself in the mirror. I guess his narcissus phase has come to an end (at least for the moment). As Bob took Ryan's bib off today, he decided to leave it strategically placed so that Ryan would look like the flying nun. I'm not sure who's the worst parent - the one who turns his kid into Sally Field or the one who takes the picture of it.

Around lunch time, Dennis called, and he and Bob met up to indulge in some Taco Bueno. That left me at home with the kids. Ryan and Michael enjoyed their new swings and slept through their Dad's outing, while James and I played with the cat. Emma is not too impressed that her spot on my lap has been taken by three small squirmy things. James thinks that's pretty funny.

Two for the Road...

It's official, Grandma & Grandpa Newhouse left on Monday morning, and now Bob and I have no safety net. The goodbyes were really hard. Apparently we are a bunch of emotional weaklings. Kathy started crying first, then I cried, then Bob cried, and I'm pretty sure that there was a tear in Jim's eye, too.

Kathy was a wonderful help to us, and I have to say that not only is she my mother-in-law, she's also my friend. I will miss having her around. Now there is no one to enjoy Project Runway with - I guess we'll just have to watch and discuss over the phone. Bob was really amazed at how well we all got along, and it certainly didn't seem like three months.

After our crying bout, Kathy and Jim left quickly (Grandma couldn't handle the short goodbye much less a long one). The boys waved goodbye from the driveway, and we were on our own. For our first day with a two to three ratio, I think it went pretty well. The boys were very well behaved (and very sleepy), and for some reason they took forever to eat. Luckily, they ate at a rate of an hour apart rather than three at a time. It did make for a long day as we fed babies pretty much constantly. The night was a little difficult (probably due to our weekend of excessively late nights), but we made it through albeit with only one eye open.

Sweet Baby James sleeping while he was eating.
Ryan putting his hands in the air and waving them like he just don't care.
Mikey is still a contortionist - even in his sleep.

Our Last Days of Freedom

Sunday was a dream day for Bob. Not only was it the opening of game for the Cowboys at the new stadium, we also went to the Ranger game, and tailgated with good friends and family. We had a wonderful time, and I only had to call and check on the boys a couple of times. Grandma Kathy, Melanie, and Aunt Faith stayed with our little guys so we could reap the benefits of all of the cash we've sent to Jerry Jones in the last couple of years.

In the morning, Bob and Jim loaded up the stuff for our tailgate. They did an excellent job - the only thing we forgot were plates. (Ooops). We met Stephen at Hill Gilstrap, and the four of us found ourselves a good spot to tailgate in Lot A. We picked up the seats Dennis provided at will call (which were fantastic - 8 rows up behind the plate). The Ranger game had a great start. Around the 6th inning, I decided to go shopping (it was really sunny outside, and I figured it was one of my only opportunities to enjoy air conditioning). I found some great shirts for the boys and heard the demise of the Rangers season on the radio while I debated over a grey or red shirt for myself (I couldn't decide or bring myself to pay $30 for a t-shirt, so it was a fruitless endeavor). Despite the horrible outcome, the game was fun. Jim, Stephen, and Bob are happiest watching baseball, and it was nice to be in their entourage.

The post-game tailgate setup was pretty smooth. Putting up the tarp with more than two people (especially ones with strong fingers) was so much easier. The fajitas turned out pretty well, and Sue & John Paul came by as well as Rob & Marc. It was a lot of fun. Probably the best part of the day was the tailgate. It's so much fun just to hang out and visit with people that you don't get to see very often.

About 5:45, we started across the parking lot and stopped to take a few pictures of the great shining orb. We kept walking and walking and walking. Apparently, they blocked off the route to the stadium that we thought would be the fastest route to our seats. So after walking to Oklahoma and back, we got stuck in a Party Pass crush. After wasting a few minutes getting bumped into by people of dubious body odor, we found the entrance and our section.

There are good parts to our new seats and some not so good parts. I have some choice language which should not be broadcast on a public forum about the party pass. It sucks for the people standing, and it seems like you're running the gauntlet to get back to your seats from the bathroom. Hopefully in the future, there will not be so many partiers. Jerry certainly did not mention the mad crush when he sold us that overpriced seat license. The bathrooms were much nicer than the old stadium - all the toilets I used were firmly bolted to the floor, so that was something new. Unfortunately, I think our new seats are much higher than before (the players look much smaller), and I found myself missing the people we used to sit around - the guy with the gnome, the fat dancing man, the old couple, and even the scary lesbian lady. No matter how new and shiny the change is, I just don't dig change, and there seems to be a whole lot of it in our world lately.

The unveiling of the star and the Ring of Honor was neat. The boys were upset that they did not have the superbowl banners out, but Bob thinks they must be saving it for next week. I did enjoy seeing the Bushes do the coin toss. The game could have had a better outcome, but it was exciting. I think it was a good day, but I was happy to get home to the boys (even if they were asleep and didn't notice my presence or lack thereof).

I Saw the Light

When you are a young girl imagining your future, unless you're nuts, you never imagine yourself with triplets. I have to say, that this journey has been amazing, and I would have never even dreamed of how special a baptism could be. Our church family has been absolutely fantastic to us, and Bob and I could not be more grateful. We feel as though everyone has had a special part and connection to our family, so when we realized that the date we picked for the baptism was scheduled to be a single service for the entire church, it just felt right. Even before we got pregnant, Bob and I have enjoyed baptisms (although some of us complain about the lengthy service), we really love to see the kids and to watch Pastor John trot them out for all to see. So, today was our turn, and I have so say that it was a truly memorable day.
We started with James (everything seems to start with James - as it should be for the first born). He did fantastic. My mom held him, and I was so amazed that my feisty little man who HATES bathing almost as much as he hates poopy pants endured the wet head without a peep. He looked great in his Grandpa Jim's gown.
Mikey came next, and I was worried about him since he was a little fussy as Bob held him and we watched James get a dip. Despite his apprehension, he did just as well. No scream at all. Joseph and Stephen did great as the proud godfathers. I was really happy that all of the kids got a special gown, and Mikey wore mine (which was originally my mom's).
Ryan was last, and he'd seen the wet head his brothers had and he wasn't too sure about it. Bob and I love to watch Ryan when he gets startled - he jumps and waves his hands around (poor kid gets that from me - every single time the Rangers score a home run and he fireworks go off, I jump despite the fact that I know it's coming). Unfortunately, I did not extrapolate this to it's ultimate end - unexpected water on the head equals big jump. I almost lost the poor kid in the baptismal font. It was definitely a scary moment for mom. Despite the narrow miss, he did great as well. I know that my grandma would have loved seeing him sporting her gown. I was so worried that it would not fit, but he looked perfect in it.
Overall, it was pretty much a perfect day. Bob and I are so thankful to all of those who came to share the day with us. It really meant the world.
Here is the big moment times three including the antics of our future gymnast.

Lock Up Your Daughters!

Above is the photo that I promised my husband in January. When we went to see AC/DC, I told him that if he bought me a shirt and horns, we could dress the boys up in their AC/DC onesies and take a family photo. I originally said we'd make it our Christmas card, but a girl has a right to change her mind (and shamelessly toy with her husband to get an extra souvenir). Anyway, for those about to rock, we salute you!


A couple of days ago, Kathy and I dressed the boys up in jammies that my grandma got for the boys. I knew they had hats with them, but I had no idea that they were so cute. We couldn't resist a patented Newhouse photo shoot in the big chair. The boys hated having their eyes covered, but they endured the floppy hats for their mother's sake.


Ryan and Grandma

James and his favorite pacifier.

Mikey posing for the camera.


Yesterday, Jim came back from LA to spend some time with the boys and rescue his wife from the harsh taskmasters who have turned her in to Cinderella, the grandma years. We brought the whole gang to the airport, and I think we attracted a lot more attention than George Clinton and the original Hulk who were hanging out at the baggage claim.


Grandpa and Ryan.


Tomorrow is a big day for the kids. They are being christened and their parents have invested a small fortune in BBQ from Lee's to celebrate. It's cowboy day at church, so in addition to their special gowns, we've got jeans and jean bibs to sport after the big event. In order to get everybody out of the house on time, we bathed the boys today. Bob decided that Mikey's towel made him look like Obewan (I'm sure some Star Wars dork - probably my husband - will criticize me for my misspelling, but unfortunately the Force does not work on spelling).


Well, I'd better get the last minute things taken care of and head to bed. James has a message for the dads of the world...

The Grand Tour

The Newhouse family has returned to Haslet. Thursday night, we spent the evening with Uncle Jud & Aunt Lupita. It was really nice to catch up with them.


On Friday morning, we packed the car, fed the boys, had a projectile vomit (thanks to mom's failure to burp properly), and said goodbye to Grandma & Popo Gejo. I think they might have actually been sad to see babyland load up and head home. We really enjoyed our week with them, and the boys did an excellent job of adapting to the new environment.


We took the scenic route home from Louisiana and made a couple of stops along the way. Our first stop was at Uncle Zach's house. Bob and I were a little apprehensive about parking at his place since the last time we parked a car there it got stolen. Thankfully, after visiting for a couple of hours and feeding the boys, our car was still there when we returned. It was nice to see my brother, and I was thankful that the boys are still too little to be thrown about in the air - I have a feeling we aren't too far from that kind of excitement.


From Zach's house near downtown Houston, we made the trek across town to the Gabriels (on Friday afternoon of a holiday weekend with zero visibility out of the back window - Bob loves my ability to pack 700 things into a 5 hour period with extra challenges along the way). Seeing the Gabriels was definitely worth the traffic. We had a nice meal of fajitas, and the girls loved seeing the boys. They were so excited when we brought the boys upstairs to see their rooms. After dinner for all - boys included - we loaded up and headed home.


Our trip was great, but I sure was happy to pet Emma and put the boys to bed in their room so that they could get a good night's sleep and be well rested for Uncle Stephen's 21st birthday party.


Due to the momentous nature of the 21st birthday, James, Michael, and Ryan purchased some hooch for Uncle Steve. The boys made sure to wear their Ranger gear to Stephen's party, and when we got there, he was sporting some Texas gear as well. Juan and Andrew were good sports and posed with the boys (I told them they were absolutely NOT allowed to corrupt my kids when they turn 21).


After such a busy week, we decided to just hang out a home rather than take the circus to church. The boys slept almost all day and didn't even really wake up to eat or play. All that being cute wears them out. Hopefully the fact that they slept all day doesn't come back to haunt me as I am on for the night shift. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Jumbalya, Crawfish Pie

Grandma & Popo Gejo, Kathy, Bob, the boys and I all loaded up last night and took the hour drive to the middle of nowhere to enjoy some great cajun music and food. The car trip was fun for all except Kathy who was squeezed in the back between two boys and a little isolated from the conversation (although we did try to talk really loud to include her). As we drove, the only elevation on the horizon was the trash dump. It felt good to drive through all of the rice and sugar cane fields, and it made me remember the drive to Gramps and Grams house from when I was a kid.



We rolled into the limestone parking lot, and unloaded the triplets. Grandma had to make sure that the boys were all on show before we entered, then we took the circus in. Aunt Dana's article is still in the foyer, and the decor is still tacky. We sat at a long table in front of the band and put the boys on the table (which I'm sure was driving my husband crazy - all of the literature included with the car seats expressly forbid placing the carriers on any kind of high, flat surface).



We ordered bite gator and angels on horseback to start the feast. After we all ate, we pulled the boys out of their car seats and fed them, while we enjoyed the music. There was dancing, and a really large man who was a very light on his feet dancer gave the boys a ten dollar bill. (Very sweet, but it kind of shocked Bob).



While we were there, a large group of Menonite people came in, and at that point, I felt as though we were no longer the most interesting people in the joint. We all had a great time and took lots of videos and pictures. Here are some videos of all of us enjoying ourselves.



The boys getting a taste of south Louisiana. I guess they aren't too sensitive to loud music.



Popo Gejo and I take the boys for a spin on the dance floor.

Mikey the Entertainer

Lately, the boys have been doing things to entertain us. Mikey loves to smack his lips and chew on anything when he's hungry. We took this video of him a couple of days ago right before he ate. A good mother would have probably put the bottle on, but Mikey's mom found the video camera.

Over the River & Through the Woods...

...to Grandmother's house we go! It's official, the boys have made their first road trip. Bob, Kathy, and I decided to get out of the house for a bit and find some new walls to look at and what better place to do it at, than Grandma & Popo Gejo's house? We are currently in the middle of Babyville South listening to Squeaky (i.e. James) tell us all about it while Mikey sleeps and Ryan entertains himself in the lamb chair.

Leaving the house for just a couple of hours is quite a production, so when we made the decision to head for Louisiana, I was a bit apprehensive. In fact, Bob has been talking about going to visit his sister in Tyler for quite a while, and I've been hesitant to embark on even a two and a half hour trip. In hindsight, the road trip with infants is not as bad as anticipated. The packing is another story all together.





On Saturday, we took a tour of Babyland and tried to decide what the essentials were. We decided on three pack & plays, two chairs, two activity mats, 150 diapers, 2 boxes of wipes, all their clothes and sleepers, all the bottles (about 20), all the prepared formula, and the triplet stroller. On Monday morning, Bob packed up as much as he could while still leaving Kathy enough stuff to make it for a couple of hours while we took James to the doctor. When we got home, Bob shoved the rest of the essentials in the back, we loaded up and headed out.



Backing out of the driveway was quite a feat as there was absolutely no way Bob could see out the back window. Surprisingly, we left at noon, right on schedule. We stopped to feed the boys at the Mecca of beef jerky - Woody's. Bob gets irritated by my need to stop at the same places along our route, but the boys had to make their first stop at Woody's. We fed the crew in the car, and it took about an hour. We didn't stop again until we made it to Sulphur.





We set up Babyland and fed the boys. I don't think there's much room to walk in the house now, but we sure are having a good time. So far, Uncle Frank, Aunt Vera, and Jamie have stopped by to see the crew.





Tomorrow, we are taking the kids to DI's for some cajun grub and music. I'm hoping my boys will take me out for a dance or two.