Mardi Gras

We just got back, late last night, from one of the best weekends we've had with the babies yet.

We took them to Louisiana (Shreveport) to visit Sue, Marty & the boys for Mardi Gras!

Everyone was there, Aunt Pammie & Jason, Grammie, Aunt JuJu & Uncle Josh, Sue, Marty, Robert & Daniel (who did a mighty fine job of hosting us all), Granny & Papa, Grandma & of course our little family of five...

We left on Friday night and made our journey to Shreveport. This was the babies' first big car trip, first trip to another state (this officially happened at 11:52pm as we crossed the Louisiana state line!) and first overnighter. The babies did EXCELLENT in the car, only requiring a few stops to stretch their legs.

Lathan & Aunt Pammie at Burger King during one of our pit stops



Lauren, Daddy, & Jason (We caused a little bit of a scene for this small town restraunt!)



The babies enjoyed a vanilla milk shake!!!

Logan



Lathan



Lauren



We arrived in Shreveport pretty late but the party had just begun! The Great Aunt Sue had all kinds of food and beverages waiting for us and we all stayed up talking well into the wee hours of the morning (including the trio!). Unfortunately the babies forgot that they stayed up all night and were ready to start their day at 6am sharp, barely hours after they first went to bed.

Later that day, we started getting ready to head out for the parade. It was extremely cold outside so we bundled the babies up in a couple of layers and then finished them off in their new puffy snowsuits...they looked like Marshmellows!


Lathan




Daddy pulled the choo choo wagon down the street to the parade route. The babies created their own sort of parade as we passed people on the streets. I told Patrick that I was going to teach Lauren the Miss America wave for next year!!!



Daddy, Mommy, Lathan, Logan & Lauren



Aunt Pammie & Jason



Aunt JuJu & Uncle Josh (& Emmy!)



The preparation for the parade was exhausting for the babies...they fell asleep!

Logan




Comfy in their snowsuits, they're all asleep!!!




They weren't asleep for long, the parade started with a fire engine blowing its horn! The parade had begun!!!

***Unfortunately, I didn't get the best pictures which is why I NEED the new Canon Rebel (I'm trying to convince Patrick that this is how we need to spend our tax return, he disagrees). I will admit though, that I had the camera on the wrong setting! Shhh...don't tell!!!***

A little of the action...


Lathan & Aunt JuJu, Logan & Mommy, Lauren & Daddy (& Uncle Josh)



On one of the first few floats, was my Godmother (Nanni) and her family. Once they saw us, they unloaded tons of beads our way!!!

Logan & Mommy



Sue, Marty & the boys




Lauren, Daddy & Daniel




Logan & Mommy waving for beads



Robert & Daniel



Lauren & Daddy, Logan & Mommy




Logan & Daniel



Lauren & Daddy



Lauren & Daddy, Aunt Ju Ju & Uncle Josh




Lathan wasn't too fond of the noises that accompanied the parade. He was much more content napping on Grammie, away from all of the action.



Lauren & Daddy Standing With Our Sign which was a huge hit, literally. People on the floats would just throw the beads at the sign (which Papa was kind enough to hold for most of the parade)! (We even had two people IN the parade take OUR picture!!!)



Logan probably enjoyed the parade the most. He would laugh and kick his feet as the floats drove by.

Logan & Aunt JuJu




Aunt Pammie (She pities the fool...)



Lauren & Mommy, Logan & Aunt JuJu



The Gang...minus The Great Aunt Sue & Uncle Marty. I think they had started cleaning up and missed the photo.
:(



When we got home, Granny & Grandma were waiting. So were Uncle Marty's Red Beans & Rice and Sue's Pink Pantie Pulldowns

Logan & Granny




Lauren & Grandma



Logan & Jason



Triplets Eating Dinner



Lathan & Aunt JuJu, Lauren & Grammie



Logan & Sue




Lathan & Aunt JuJu (Emmy was trying to hog the camera, silly girl!!!)



On Sunday, we took the babies for a walk over to see Mrs. Whitecotton (Mrs. Harriett's Momma!)

Lauren & Sue, Logan & Grammie



Mrs. Whitecotton had an adorable little doggie that Logan fell in love with!

Logan, Mrs. Whitecotton and Coco




And then it was time to say goodbye. We loaded up the car(s) and said farewell to our Shreveport buddies.

Robert



On the road again which meant more movies...


Logan watching Finding Nemo


and more pit stops. Once again we stopped at Burger King to let the kiddos rest. We let them share a Twinkie (what's a road trip without junk food???)


Logan



Lauren




Lathan



and then changed them into their jammies.

Lauren



Logan & Jason




Lathan & Aunt Pammie



Once the cars were filled up with gas and our bellies filled with food, we got back on the road to finish our trip.

Now we're home and trying to get back into the swing of things. Luckily, Daddy had the day off which made it much easier!!!

And even coooler...only 4 more days until we get to see Aunt JuJu again!

Standing

We had a great time last night. Grammie kindly offered her babysitting services and gave Patrick and I the night off. We were laughing when we got home, thinking about how last year for Valentine's/Patrick's Birthday we had a private room at Jaspers with a big group of family and friends and ate something crazy like a 10 course meal, with lots of drinks (my drink of choice being Sprite due to my triplet pregnancy, but Patrick put away enough bourbon with the two of us), and fancy deserts. This year we went to Chili's, had a coke and a water and finished the night off with a stop to Kroger's to pick up baby food! We talked the whole night about how much we loved the babies and how we couldn't believe how lucky we are. When we got home we couldn't resist and sort of woke them all up (Lauren and Lathan were already stirring) and had a late night play time. We are so incredibly blessed and love how much the little things make us so happy these days!

Little things like babies learning to stand up!

Lauren, Lathan & Logan (Logan is watching tv AND standing...now that's talent!)




Logan...this is by far his most favorite toy. He is very territorial when it comes to "his" table and has been known to yell and push the others off if he isn't in the sharing mood!



Lathan, Lauren & Logan (He is sharing for the moment, he may have not realized they were standing there yet!!!)



Look ma'...no hands!!! (ALMOST!!!)

Logan is ALWAYS on the go and always seems to be testing his limits. His curiosity and fearlessness have taught him one thing for sure...the word no! He doesn't say it but he shakes his head and he understands what it means. Now when I change his diaper and he starts to roll over (nearly falling off the bed or changing table) he quickly turns back straight and shakes his head "no". So smart!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Wishing you all a Happy Valentine's Day...



and a VERY Happy Birthday to the best Daddy in the whole wide world!

(He even gave Lauren pink roses last night in honor of her first Valentine's...how sweet is he!!!)

We love you Patty Wack!!!

P.S. Our Valentine's picture is entered in the February Shutterfly contest. We'd love to have your votes again!!! http://photocontest.shutterfly.com/action/photocontest/vote?entry=177917 THANKS!!!

Celebrity Look A Like

As I was digging through old pictures I found this one of Aunt Pammie. Remind you of anyone???





Aunt Pammie (left) 1982
Lauren (right) 2007

Uncle Aaron & Aunt Ali

This is kind of neat...

When I was in high school I was on drill team - The Highsteppers. Most of my friends today are still those friends that I danced with many years ago, Natalie, Amber, Kristen, Sara, Emily etc. What's really neat about this is that one of my drill team friends, Ali, is about to be related to my babies! I just think back to 10+ years ago, goofing around with Ali and I imagine telling her: One day, I am going to go to college and become close friends with your boyfriend (now fiance - Aaron). He is going to introduce me to his cousin (Patrick) and we will marry and have triplets. Then, you and Aaron will marry and you will be my babies Aunt (I know its not technically their Aunt, but you get the idea). Kind of hard to follow, but its just one of those fun things!

Maybe a little less complicated (and more fun) to tell in pictures)...

Daddy (Patrick) and Aaron grow up together - cousins.
Uncle Aaron is the cute blonde and Daddy is the big boy who looks like he is about to deck little Aaron, possibly for stealing all of the presents!!!





Daddy & Uncle Aaron. Too cool for words.



Meanwhile, Mommy begins to dance and makes the junior high drill team, as does Aunt Ali.



I wasn't really close with Ali until high school when we stood next together, two hours each day, during practice for our high school drill team.




During this time, Ali dated Aaron. Aaron and I graduated together but didn't really know each other too well until our freshman year of college. However, once we met up that first semester, we spent pretty much every minute together. We had some of the same classes and spent hours and hours together goofing around, I mean studying, in mine and Natalie's dorm room.



We had so much fun with Aaron! He let us practice different hair style techniques...




And even taught us some tips of his own...



Aaron was our hero on numerous occations, this one especially when he came to our rescue and trapped a mouse that had found its way into our kitchen thanks to the construction in the field behind our apartment.



Natalie had a boyfriend at the time and Ali and Aaron were "on a break". Neither Aaron nor I had a car our first year so our primary means of transportation was often Aaron's cousin, Patrick (aka Daddy). The following year, we all moved out of the dorms, Aaron into an apartment with Patrick and Natalie and I a few doors down in the same complex. All of our friendships grew stronger and Patrick and I started dating.

Daddy, Mommy & Uncle Aaron '97



Throughout our college years we all remained the best of friends. I remember MANY times laying out by the pool, studying at the same time I'm sure, and telling Aaron that I was just positive that some day he and Ali would get back together and that someday they would marry. Fast forward a couple of years and now today, we are just weeks away from that actually happening!


This past weekend, we celebrated Daddy's birthday with his family and got to spend some time with Aunt Ali and Uncle Aaron.

Logan LOVES Ali...he must sense her wild side!!! They make goofy faces at each other and somehow she always manages to put him to sleep!



Logan and Ali (The weekend before Thanksgiving)



Logan, Aunt Ali & Uncle Aaron




I just think it is so neat that friends I've had for years, are now the people who my babies are related to and that we'll all be spending our holidays together from now on!


The End!

March of Dimes

We're training for our March of Dimes WalkAmerica this spring. Grammie took us for a test drive in our Choo Choo Wagon...its PERFECT!!!

Isn't She Lovely

Playdate at Market Street

Today we had a playdate with our "multiple" friends!

Bobbi Jo brought her 4 babies (Madison, McKinley, Kennedy & Taylor) and her little girl Reagan, and Jessy had her triplets (Willem, Nickolas & Emmy) plus Remy & Jolie. We met up at Market Street and enjoyed the warm weather and the sun, a very nice change from the dreary, cold weather we've had here lately.


Logan, Lathan, Nickolas (I think ???...Nickolas and Willem are VERY identical!!!), Emmy, Taylor and Kennedy is in the background with Isabel (Jessy's Nanny).




Instead of crawling around each other, the babies would just crawl over the others to get where they wanted. Shortcuts as Jessy called them!




Willem & Lauren



Lathan & Reagan




Logan




One of Bobbi Jo's pretty little girls. I'm guessing Kennedy???



Another pretty Wells girl...maybe McKinley!!!







All of the strollers...




Lathan, Reagan & Jolie




The Sleepy Robinson Triplets (Nickolas, Emmy & Willem)




Bobbi Jo and all of her girls!!!



Bobbi Jo and Jessy took their little ones home and then Aunt Pammie and Grammie met up with us. It was pretty warm so we let the babies play in the water fountains. They loved it! Lathan & Logan couldn't stop giggling!!!

Lathan



Logan




Lauren (She wasn't sure about it at first but once she saw the boys laughing she started to smile.)




Lathan, Logan & Lauren

Just a couple of pictures...

Three babies looking at the camera, smiling (or at least presenting a pleasant expression), sitting up, all at the same time...pretty much impossible. I guess that's what PhotoShop is for anyway. (Maybe that's why I like sleeping pictures so much!)

Grub

The trio is working hard on gaining weight.

We've started giving the babies three meals a day of baby food (bottles in between). A typical meal consists of a meat/veggie combo and a fruit or dessert. Usually during the lunch or breakfast get together they'll split either a banana or a diced fruit cup. At every meal they get the Gerber Puffs and today we added scrambled eggs. What does that all add up to???
In one week (7 days) they consume...

* 6-7 Large (24oz) cans of Enfamil formula
* 126 jars of level 2 baby food (2 jars per baby, per meal, although sometimes more. Logan has been known to require an extra jar and we don't hold him back!)
* About 5 bananas
* A couple of fruit cups
* And a whole lot of Puffs...a can only lasts about 2 days (though most doesn't end up in their mouths, instead we find them all over the floor, in their clothes, their hair and yes, even in their diapers?!!?)

All 126 jars (7 days worth) takes up a lot of space so the most we ever buy for is 5 days at a time. Here's what 5 days of baby food (90 jars)looks like...



(If you're ever in need of empty glass jars, you know who to call!!!)




And I thought this was funny. A lot of times in the afternoons, I'll turn on the music and dance with the babies. If I'm fixing their food they'll all sit in their chairs and usually kick their legs and smile while I dance for them. On this particiular day however, they all looked at me like I was nuts. (Lathan seems a little entertained but watch Logan...I really think he thought I was losing it!)