Friday, August 8, 2008

New pictures added!

My apologies, I didn't realize how far behind I was in uploading pictures. The albums have a 500-picture limit, so for the new batch I had to start a new album.

Click in there and see how much they've changed!

-John

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Big Day Yesterday!

In fact, it was such a big day yesterday that Amy and I were too tired to post this last night, so here it is today:

The triplets had a follow-up assessment yesterday and were "graduated", meaning they are on track or ahead developmentally and don't need any further follow-up assessments!

Noah is now the big dog of the bunch at 21.5 lbs, topping Emily by 9 ounces and Sydney by a full pound. He's a big eater, and I guess we know where it's all going.

Emily is still the tallest, but the others are tracking well for height (I don't have the measurements, but they're all around 2.5 ft tall).

Sydney put on a puzzle solving demonstration for the assessors, landing her at the 18-month level for her cognitive and problem-solving skills. She's officially the one to keep an eye on as far as figuring out how to get into things they're not supposed to...

They didn't rate as high on verbal skills, but Amy and I chalk that up to shyness. Our children tend to clam up around new people, at least at first. At home, I can tell you that Emily and Noah chatter to themselves and each other quite a bit, and Sydney is working out how to express herself as well.

Emily's new nickname is "Emily the Conqueror". She earned that by conquering the furniture in the family room. She can climb up on the couch and the ottoman without any help, and just this morning added the rocking recliner to her list. I looked into the family room while cleaning up the trays from breakfast to find her standing on the seat cushion, facing the chair back and rocking it while she smiled and giggled. Good job, Emily, but there goes the concept of furniture as containment...


Recently, their Grandma and Grandpa Cheesman came to visit for a few days, and the babies loved going out for walks with them! Noah even ended up with a tan line at his ankles where his socks were.

Later this month, Grandma and Grandpa Ayres will return for a visit, their first time seeing them since just after the first birthday. It puts it into perspective to think that when my parents last saw them, they weren't quite yet walking, or chattering as much. They've put on something in the neighborhood of 5 pounds, Emily's hair has filled in and started curling and Noah's had not one, but two haircuts. (He's due for another...)

Sixteen months old today!

-John

Friday, July 18, 2008

3 Busy Bees

Yes, we have 3 busy bees in our home. Noah is turning into a chatter bug, Emily is reaching everything we thought was out of reach, and Sydney, she's more snugly than ever. Most days, they play pretty well together. Oh sure, they take toys away from one another alot! We're still having some biting issues, though less frequent. All 3 have a particular fondness for bopping one another in the head with a shape, block, or anything they can hold. They are definitely understanding the word "NO" when they choose.

All 3 have great appetites. John has started making his own blueberry waffles for their breakfast. He'll whip up a batch that will get them through the week. They continue to gobble up veggies, bananas and yogurt. They are still taking bottles before their breakfast & dinner. I'm sure we'll take the bottle away soon. They drink water from their sippy cups in between.

We took our first family trip to the Indianapolis Zoo a few weeks ago. It went wonderful. John had his doubts. We missed out on several attractions because of the strollers and the crowds were thick. Even so, they got to see the Walrus and Penguins up close. We hope to have a 3rd adult on our next trip so we can see the Dolphins and some of the other animals that were impossible to see from their vantage point. We'll definitely benefit from a family pass when their a little older.

All three are learning some sign language from a great video Noah's therapist uses. John is signing to them alot. We hope this will help us communicate better while they work on their talking skills. They all continue to thrive intellectually and we're always thankful that they continue to be exceptional healthy.

Love,

Amy

Monday, June 16, 2008

On The Mend (some of us)!

The babies are doing well and finishing their antibiotics in the next couple of days. The congestion and coughs are gone. They have their appetites back and feisty as ever!

John and I are still struggling to recover from our sinus infections. It was impossible to get plenty of rest with 3 14-month olds in the house. I stayed home from work the entire week. Thankfully, Grandma & Grandpa Cheesman arrived last Thursday to give us a break. We really appreciate all they do for our family. Dad trimmed all the bushes while mom mowed our lawn.

The babies loved having their grandparents around. There is no doubt that Emily, Noah & Sydney know who Grandma & Grandpa are. Sydney even fetched Grandma's shoes when requested. She is so smart! All 3 have exceptional intelligence.

John and I went to a movie on Saturday & Sunday. Time away was just what the doctor ordered! We always hate to see our parents leave. Their help and support is invaluable. We are looking forward to Grandma & Grandpa Ayres visit in the next couple of months. They are sticking close to home for some much needed rest!

The babies experienced their swing set for the first time. Big smiles down the line! Our time outdoors is limited since the babies bedtime is 7p. We look forward to pleasant weekend weather.

Love,

Amy

Monday, June 9, 2008

Sick, sick, sick, sick & sick!

Let me repeat, sick! Our entire family is under the weather. John and I took the triplets to see their pediatrician this morning. Diagnosis--ear infections (first ever). I then saw my GP this afternoon and got confirmation of a sinus and ear infection. After putting the babies to bed this evening, John visited one of our local Immediate Care Centers and received his sinus infection diagnosis. Can you say, "when it rains, it pours." The last 4 days have been pretty miserable.

This past Saturday, we found ourselves flooded in from excessive rain. We lost electricity for several hours, but were fortunate that our home (in particular basement) didn't suffer any damage. I was a little panicky because we truly couldn't drive away from our home. All streets were flooded and main roads closed. Our nearest major highway, I65, was closed as well. The babies were coughing bad and I was scared we might need medical attention. John called the Johnson County Emergency Services department and verified we would call the Whiteland Fire Dept if we required a rescue. Thankfully, we were able to weather the storm (no pun intended).

Anyway, we are exhausted and medicated. It's time to shut the lights out. Goodnight!

Love,

Amy

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Welcome June!

This past week has been busy and fun with my family. We went to 2 cookouts, including one on Memorial Day at my sisters. The babies had lots to experience at Aunt Jenny's. Grandpa Cheesman pulled them in a red wagon and they slid down a slide for the first time. Emily really travels around Aunt Jenny's home. She was even spotted by Grandma Cheesman running down the hall!

We had our first family outing to the Children's Museum on Thursday. Sydney & Noah rode on the carousel but Emily was frightened by the loud music. She'll get another chance when we visit the zoo. While the babies napped in the strollers, John & I had the opportunity to explore the museums newest exhibits honoring Ruby Bridges, Ryan White, and Anne Frank. All were part of a series highlighting those who were victims of racism and prejudice. It's quite emotional but educational. We ended our day in Playscape, a play area for children 5 and under. They enjoyed playing and climbing on the foam mats.

Anyway, all 3 really crack me up. The girls keep chanting "me, me, me" and while playing with Noah yesterday, he laughed like we've never heard before. Kisses (licks) are plenty and they all love being cuddled. Emily is the first to climb furniture. She successfully climbed on top of a storage cube twice, shortly followed but a tumble into the toy box. Oh, she turned the lock on the door to the garage. She's unstoppable! Sydney has great recognition. Just name a specific toy/stuffed animal, and she'll find it. Sydney really is sensitive and enjoys being in our arms. I hope she always displays love and affection like she does now. Noah loves to play rough house with daddy. Specifically, he loves to dive onto & over John. This is what we call "daddy on the floor" time. He's really displaying a bashful side. It's so adorable! This look will always be etched in my mind.

Well, I must sign out for now, but rest assured, I am committed to adding update frequently.

Love,

Amy

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Oh, how time flies!

Let me start by saying---WOW (for those of you who don't know, Emily went through a stage of using this expression a lot).

We celebrated the triplets 1st Birthday on April 6th with a Baby Einstein theme. Sydney wore her cake while Emily & Noah were more conservative with theirs. Be sure to check out our photo album for the party pictures.

The Ayres household is buzzing with activity. Emily, Noah & Sydney are all walking and doing a fine job. They love to play a game we call "Where's _____." The babies play by walking behind a big man's recliner in the corner. We'll then ask, "Where's Emily, Noah or Sydney" and they walk out from behind the chair. It's very entertaining.

We graduated to Vitamin D milk and table food exclusively with their 1st birthday. They have great appetites and do a really good job eating with their fingers! Some of their favorites include bananas, yogurt and lima beans. Noah would eat forever if you let him. He tends to cry in protest to having his hands & face cleaned off. This signals the end of meal/snack time and he doesn't like it.

As most of you know, John is a full time stay-at-home dad. His new job started April 7, 2008. He is doing a fabulous job keeping them on a sleeping/eating/playing schedule. They are learning so much from him and Baby Einstein. Right now, we are working on recognizing body parts (eyes, ears, mouth, nose and toes). Oh, and John is teaching them to hi-five. It's so cute!

They are all growing mischievous. The girls recently discovered the top drawer of their chest and emptied out the socks. Daddy has now added safety latches so we don't have to clean up after each nap. Noah's working on his biceps by doing pull ups at the pack-n-play, safety gate and kitchen table. He's so strong!

At last check, Emily weighed 19 lbs, Noah 18 lbs 8 oz and Sydney 18 lbs 4 oz. All three are hitting their milestones and thriving as expected. We are so thankful to have healthy, happy and loving children. They are very affectionate and love one-on-one time with us.

Next week, we plan to visit the Indianapolis Zoo and the Indianapolis Children's Museum. We'll post pictures soon so please check back.

Love to All,

Amy