Fall, Football, Family and Fun

As summer comes to an end, I am looking forward to my favorite time of the year, when the leaves change, football fans are in full force and the holiday season is just around the corner.  Our summer was good, filled with lots of time outside on the kids new swing set, riding toys, and swimming. In the midst of all this fun, we did have a good 2 wks of illness in June which included pink eye going through all 3 kids and myself (all at different times spread over 2 wks of course) and a respiratory infection.  All this illness, ironically, began on my 30th birthday, confirming the stigma that comes with this birthday milestone...."everything downhill after 30!"...Surely Not! Thankfully, by the time the busyness of July hit,we were all well. The kids completed their first session of swim lessons this summer with Ms. Sue. They did well and had a great time swimming with Travis and I nearly every day for 2 wks (yes, Travis and I had to be in pool with them for this class since they are so young....Travis was very happy when this session was done!) . VBS was also in July, with focus on Fruits of the Spirit. The kids loved VBS and were so excited each night about going to Bible class. We were all pretty exhausted by the time July ended, but I am thankful we were able to do so much! August has consisted of a couple weekend trips for Travis and I, so the kids have had lots of time with grandparents lately.  I am so very thankful and grateful for wonderful parents and in laws who love my children and are willing/want to keep them to allow Travis and I some kid free time every once in a while. On a whim, I also decided to switch kids bed from crib to toddler bed a couple wks back. I had been putting this off out of total fear of the havoc it would wreak on our bed and nap time routines, but they love their big boy/girl beds and have transitioned much better than I ever expected. They actually follow my rule of " no one gets out of bed until mommy comes to get them" (for now anyways). Brooks' latest thing is to go sit in his bed and read his Bible story book. The first time he asked to do this, my heart melted. He is such a sweet, funny little boy, who is so much like his daddy in so many ways...he needs his quiet alone time too. Not much quiet time around our house these days....Brooks just needs to escape every now and then. Braden is obsessed, i mean really obsessed with the color orange right now.  I have no idea how or why this love for the color orange came about, but I do know that he will ONLY wear the orange PJ's, ONLY eat off of the orange plate with the (broken) orange fork, and wear orange shorts and an orange shirt most days of the week ( at home only, I have to put my foot down before letting him leave the house looking like a giant orange!) I am hoping this love for orange will fade soon, but it has been a good 2 months so far and I see no sign of it fading at this point. Kate is really into princesses and dolls these days and tells me regularly that she is saving her piggyback money to go to Disney world....she came up with this all on her own! She really wants to go see the "princess castle" at Disney world and visit Mickey and Minnie's house:) Oh, the mind of a child, so innocent, sweet, fun-loving, imaginative. I want to hold onto these childhood thoughts as long as possible.
In the upcoming weeks, kids will begin SCHOOL! Ok, not really school, actually it is called an infant/toddler class for a few hrs 2 days/wk, but to the kids it is School:) They are so excited to start this class in a couple wks and mention going to school at least daily now. I am excited for them because I know they will LOVE it, but am kinda sad my babies are growing up. My babies,that oh so quickly correct me these days when I call them "my baby." " I am not a baby, I am a big boy/girl" is the response I hear every time and every time my response in return "As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be".

May 14, 2013~ 30 months old

What a slacker I have been with my posts this year! Between work and kids, 2013 has been pretty busy so far! We recently took kids to the beach for the first time. We had a great trip and enjoyed the quick getaway with friends Drew and Becca Cox. The kids loved the sand, the water and playing with their friends Kinslee and Colton. I was pretty worried about the 7.5 hr drive to Gulf Shores, but we managed. The ride down went pretty well....not so well on way back home. I am pretty sure I climbed from the front seat to the back,to tend to one of the kids, 500 times....well, at least 30 or so! Overall, it was a grat trip and I look forward to the next time we are able to take them to the beach! Easter and Mothers Day have come and gone. The kids had a lot more fun with egg hunt this year and loved getting their treats in the eggs! They are understanding more these days and were pretty excited about Easter Bunny bring them a basket of goodies.
Quick individual update:
Kate: pretty much potty trained for past couple of months, but still has occasional accidents. Loves to play with her kitchen, watch TV....Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and princess, play outside and read. Just tonight I heard her singing and realized she was singing the books of the New Testament-so proud, but pretty sure Gigi gets credit for this one:). Her new favorite saying..."You're my best friend" is so sweet, but watch out bc she will change her mind on her best friend before you know it!

Brooks: started using potty this week and is doing Great! No accidents all day today:) he will do whatever it takes to get a Treat! He still puts up the biggest fight about resting and would rather go ByeBye than stay home any day of the week. He may be my social butterfly as he even cries at times when we are pulling in neighborhood bc he knows we are almost home. I try not to take offense to the fact that my 2 year old hates being/returning home. He LOVES playing outside hitting the ball and "riding his bike" (tricycle).  His adorable smile and sweet facial expressions can still melt my heart.he still likes to be held more than the other 2. I try not to give in all the time, but know this will not last much longer so am enjoying holding. And cuddling with him while I can.

Braden: still so sweet,yet so strong! The 2 year old boys' strength really amazes (and kinda scares) me sometimes! He loves to wrestle with his daddy and climb and jump on anything he can find....boys will be boys! He has a pretty good arm on him, so i have learned to watch out if he has the ball! He also loves playing ball with daddy and is getting a little better at catching.  He doesnt quite get the potty thing yet, but is willing to sit on the potty in attempt to get a treat-no treats thus far, but hopefully he will catch on soon. His latest saying is "Nevermind" in response to a question he does not want to answer. He still loves his elephants and sleeps with them every night. He likes "BIG trucks", puzzles and my iPad.
 We have just ordered a playset for backyard which should be up soon. I know the kids will love this and I look forward to summer and being able to get out of house a little more. Plan to do swim lessons this summer as well, so we will see how that goes!

Terrible...I mean Terrific- TWO's x3!

At 3 months into our "2's" , I am truly learning all of the challenges that come with toddlers. Thankfully, with these challenges come some of the most wonderful, hilarious, sweetest moments we have experienced so far. Once we are able to recover from a COMPLETE meltdown over getting an orange bowl instead of blue one OR watching Thomas the Train instead of Mickey Mouse clubhouse OR insisting on having the ball your brother has-even though you have the exact same ball in your hand; we have wonderful moments of playing hide and seek,sitting down and reading a book, singing Jesus loves me, dancing around the house with momma, wrestling with daddy, hearing the kids say their prayers and/or playing our new game "pop pop pig" (named by the kids:). I love hearing them sing songs (favorites at the moment-Jesus loves me, twinkle twinkle, baa baa black sheep) and "read" their books to themselves. Their personalities continue to emerge daily, with Braden being my tough/rough yet timid and reserved child. He still loves to sleep and is not much of a morning person.  He loves to color and is definitely a "lefty".  Kate- a very much so girly girl who loves her babies and stuffed animals. She has recently learned her letters and is able to name every letter and numbers 1-10! She likes to correct her brothers and I think will be "motherly" to them as they go through this toddler phase.  Brooks is still pretty much fearless.  Unfortunately, he is still pretty clumsy, so clumsy and fearless= accident waiting to happen!  Luckily, the little guy is pretty tough and handles the many bumps,bruises and scratches he has suffered very well. Brooks new saying this wk "Thank you sooo much" is just adorable.  He still likes to get up earlier than the other two most mornings and eat a bowl of Cheerios in mommy and daddy's bed while I get ready for work. Love these little kids more than words can express! I want slow time down and always remember this time when my babies are such sweet innocent children.
2013 is moving right on by and I can hardly believe Feb is already almost over! I have been pretty busy the past few wks working on some things for the house.  I got a crazy idea to redo/paint our dining room furniture and move it into kitchen. I am very pleased with how well it all turned out and  think it fits well in our kitchen area.  Next project will be to refurnish my now empty dining room then I will tackle the kids rooms. I am learning that a house is a constant 'work in progress' and is never done, so no reason to rush....it will get done when it gets done:)

11 days before Christmas 2012

Wanted to share this poem I heard earlier today.  Very moving and uplifting when thinking about the terrible tragedy that occured just less than 1 week ago in Newtown.  I am still terribly saddened by this unthinkable act of evil and very thankful for every day I am given with my precious children.

11 Days before Christmas 2012

T’was 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38

When 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven’s gate.

Their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air,

They could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.

They were filled with such joy, they didn’t know what to say,

They remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.

“Where are we?” asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.

“This is heaven.” declared a small boy. “We’re spending Christmas at God’s house.”

When what to their wondering eyes did appear,

But Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near.

He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same,

Then He opened His arms and He called them by name.

And in that moment was joy that only heaven can bring

Those children all flew into the arms of their King.

And as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,

One small girl turned and looked at Jesus’ face.

And as if He could read all the questions she had

He gently whispered to her, “I’ll take care of mom and dad.”

Then He looked down on earth, the world far below,

He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe.

Then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,

“Let My power and presence re-enter this land!”

“May this country be delivered from the hands of fools,”

“I’m taking back my nation. I’m taking back my schools!”

Then He and the children stood up without a sound,

“Come now my children, let me show you around.”

Excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran,

All displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.

And I heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,

“In the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT.”

Holiday Happenings

A wonderful Thanksgiving day has come and gone, leaving a month full of holiday fun (didnt mean for that to rhyme, but it sounds kinda catchy:) with birthday  parties (both young and old!), fun programs for the kids, hunting trip for Travis, and lots of shopping for me:)  I know some people do not care for this time of year, but i love it!  I love the shopping, wrapping Christmas gifts, Christmas music and receiving Christmas cards in mail from all of our wonderful friends and family.  A new tradition has also made this year even more fun for myself and the kids.  The first question I hear each morning is "where elf"?  I was hesitant to get an elf this year, thinking they wouldnt understand it, but boy do they!  They love coming downstairs each morning to find their elf, usually somewhere "way up high"-- to keep them from being able to get him down.  Our elf is unnamed at this point, and goes by "Mr. Elf", but hopefully will have a proper name by next Christmas.  The kids are really big on "baby Jesus" right now (I think it is due to a combination of bible class and some Christian videos we have that they LOVE!) and when I asked what they wanted to name their elf, they immediately said "Baby Jesus".....after trying to explain to 2 year olds why our elf could not be named baby Jesus, I decided to stick with Mr Elf for the year and let them try again next year!  Travis is gone for the weekend on a hunting trip that he has been looking forward to for quite a while, leaving me to referee the little ones alone.  I hope he has a great time because he definitely owes me big after this! Even though he is gone, we have a fun Saturday planned with Kate and I going with friends Becca and her dtr Kinsley to a program, while the boys spend the morning at our church kids Christmas party.  Next weekend, we are planning to take the kids to Shrek on Ice with wonderful friends Adam and Lane Booten then having our first "Christmas" with the Morris family.  I know it is stereotypical, but I cant help but think how blessed we are, especially this time of the year!  Merry Christmas!

Tutus and Ties Birthday Party

Hard to believe the kids have just had their 2nd birthday party!  The day was wonderful filled with a house full of a wonderful family, 3 happy toddlers and more toys than we have house for:) Though it was a little (okay, a lot!) crazy at times, the kids were great and LOVED all their new gifts!  I am so thankful to be part of such a loving, generous family! Looking forward to the holidays that are now just around the corner!

Fall Fun 2012-10/22/12

The past month has been filled with some good and memorable times.  Travis and I ran our first Warrior Dash with friends Drew and Becca Cox.  It was a fun and dirty 5K run filled obstacles and mud pits you must get through to cross the finish line.   We have been trying to soak up the beautiful fall weather lately, attending MTSU football games, playing outside and having a blast with our first time fingerpainting (which turnied into bodypainting) with Lane.  The kids were so funny with the fingerpainting activity and really showed their personalities that day.  Kate, of course, loved the paint and did not hesitate to dive in and get dirty.  Braden was pretty much indifferent, painting a little here and there.  Brooks was hilarious, not wanting to get too dirty or get paint on him.
Kate has hit a new stage--the "I want no one except momma" stage.  Honestly, I do love how much she loves me right now (as I know this is only a stage that she will too soon outgrow), however, it does make the balancing act of sharing myself b/t all 3 of them a bit more difficult.  I figured out just today that Kate and Braden are getting their 2 year molars which has also increased their aggitation level.  Kate has been waking up 2-4 times every night for the past 2 weeks and Braden has been literally chewing on his fingers.  I am sure Brooks will have his soon as well, as he has started drooling nonstop lately.
Braden had his first haircut last week.  His hair on top is not too long, but he was starting to delevop a mild mullet in the back, so we had to get a trim!  He was so good!  He sat in the chair like a big boy, not fussing or whining even one time!  I was so proud of my sweet little handsome man.  Brooks joined Braden and had his 2nd cut and did great as well!  I was one proud momma, getting to tell people that both of the handsome boys were mine! 
We had our family/ 2 year old pics taken last week.  To say the photo session was TERRIBLE would be quite the understatement. As we arrived for the photo session, I felt calm and prepared.  Everyones clothes had been ironed the night before, I had all the necessary accessories with me and even decided to bring some props of my own for some photo ideas I had.  It is funny/sad/frustrating how quickly all my plans went right down the drain.  Everyone gets out of the vehicle looking so nice and in I thought good moods.  I planned the kids day around the pics, so everyone would be rested with a full belly and ready for great pics.  We had practiced our "CHEEEESE" face for 2 weeks and thought we were ready for the day until we walked up to meet our photographer (who did great on our pics last year) and her husband who was with her to assist.  The next thing I knew, I looked down at Kate (who was of course in my arms) and realized she had closed her eyes and would not open them to look at the photographer.  I think she thought it was funny at first, as she was acting a little shy, hiding her head in my shoulder, but for the life of me, I could not get the child to open her eyes!  So, here we are with the photographer and one of my children has decided to squeeze her eyes shut and will not open them for anything!  Thankfully, Brooks and Braden were loving the camera that day and doing a great job hamming it up, which gave me time to try to coax Kate into opening her eyes.  Eventually, after abour 20 min of her literally walking around with her eyes closed (holding my hand of course), she decides to open her eyes, but would still not step 2 feet away from me.  Oh the frustration, knowing you are paying good money for someone to come take your kids pics, and then have your daughter act this way!  She finally opened up a little and gave us a couple very brief periods of smiling, hopefully enough to have at least one decent shot of her, but our photographer definitely earned her pay that day.  I havent seen the pics yet, but am not getting my hopes up too high that we have a lot of good shots after a day like that!
As I looked through the calender earlier today, to see what we had going on in the next few weeks, I realized that the holiday season is rapidly approaching.  Between Halloween, Kids SECOND Birthday!, Thanksgiving and Christmas--the rest of our year is looking pretty busy!  Over the next few weeks, I want to savor my ONE  year old babies.  This year has passed by so quickly and I can not believe they are almost 2! 

So long summer

Hard to believe that summer 2012 is officially over!  It was a hot summer, we were able to enjoy some good times outside ("outeye outeye" per my kids); but I am now really looking forward to some cooler fall weather.  I love all things fall--beautiful fall colors with changing leaves, fall food, football and fun holidays.

This summer was filled with more "firsts" for the Morris triplets.  Our first trip as a family to the Nashville zoo, first outing to the Discovery Zone with Lane, first haircut for Brooks, and our first family camping trip to Fall Creek Falls.  We did quite a bit of swimming/splashing at Pops and Losi's/Gramps and Gigi's pools and had fun cooling off in our own baby pool as well. 

As the kids continue to grow, they reveal more and more of their unique, individual personalities.  Kate is definitely a "girly girl".  I came home recently to find her wearing multiple bracelets (toy rings) on each arm prancing around in my shoes---Adorable!  She still loves her baby and Teddy and doesnt go anywhere far without them.  She needs to have her booboo's kissed and prefers to be "lolo" (lotioned) regularly. Her vocabulary grows daily and has progressed to 2 and 3 word sentences now.  She has learned to say "hold me" and therefore, wants to be picked up a lot now!   She repeats anything said around her and loves to sing (often hums the tune of Twinkle Twinkle).  She knows her colors and can count to 3 (sometimes:)--sorry for so much bragging, remember this is written by a proud mama!   Brooks still loves to look at books and "read" them aloud.  He loves to play "upsairs" on the slide and has mastered the color/shape sorter puzzle.  His vocabulary is also growing daily .  He loves playing with our phones and began saying this word ("phone") just this week.  Braden loves working puzzles and is great at buiding towers with his blocks (future engineer???).  He also likes to look at books and push anything not nailed down to the floor (including his brother and sister at times!)  I believe his vocabulary is comparable to Brooks, neither are quite as extensive as Kates, but definitely evolving on a near daily basis.

They are all great at playing together sometimes, but other times (more often than not lately) they prefer to fight over a toy/item the other one has (for example, I have 4 different mops/brooms--enough for everyone!, but each time I pull one out to mop, all 3 will fight over the same broom/mop!!! ) The tantrums have begun occurring more frequently and are much more dramatic lately.  I feel we are just entering the terrible 2 stage and honestly fear what we have in store for the next year (or two).   I feel the " time out chair" will be a frequently visited spot in our house over the next couple of years!