We Give Thanks...

Thanksgiving--- one word that can stand for so many things! What do we give thanks for this year?
We thank the Lord for the miracles He provides --- obvious and subtle --- He is awesome.
We are thankful for 3 healthy, happy babies who bring joy into our lives every day. I like to go back and see our April posts of 3 fragile new lives --- proof that prayers, love, and rocking chairs work wonders.

We give thanks for family and friends who surround us, making life sweeter with every visit.
We are thankful for the men and women currently serving in our military, protecting our many freedoms 24 hours a day!

On a sillier note - we give thanks for disposable diapers, for plastic baby food containers, and mega-packs of batteries... for digital cameras that capture a million photos, just so we can get "the one" that we imagine... for DVR so we can have a never-ending supply of Barney, Dora, and Wonder Pets... for Brown Bears, Rainbow Fish, and a Very Hungry Caterpillar... for jumpies... for first teeth... and for belly laughs!

Don't forget to count your MANY blessings this holiday season!

Santa meets the Stones!

Well, the day we waited for finally arrived... SANTA came to the mall :) After making sure everyone was loaded-up on milk, the journey began.
No major meltdowns this visit, so we don't have to worry about a second trip! The line wasn't long, either!
Morgan just awoke from a nap when she met him... she was calm and managed a smile or two!
Madison was fascinated with his bling - jingle bells were everywhere!
James was tired, and really only wanted to discuss the "naughty list" that he has heard so much about!

Group photo was even more interesting. We soon realized that 3 squirmy babies could not stay on Santa's lap! We put James on the arm of Santa's chair, and Andrea hid behind the scenes, making sure he didn't fall. Madison was ready to get down and discover the glittering items around her. Morgan was enjoying being held! James discovered his Morgan's bow, plucked it off her head, and began chewing on it! We all laughed and KNEW this was a typical day with the group!

Funny how such a simple task required 5 adults - one "assigned" to each baby, one to watch the strollers & purses, and one to take photos!

We only hope our entire holiday season will be as sweet as this one --- filled with smiles, giggles, and the gift of 3 healthy, happy children!

My Favorite Room

My favorite room in the house? Not the living room with the comfy couch... not the kitchen with dinner being made... not the bathroom with a hot, relaxing shower... My favorite room in our house is simply about 3' by 5'... and it is actually a small hallway. It is the only place in our home where the 3 babies can use their jumpies and still see each other. They do a great job of entertaining each other - squeals & laughter can both be heard throughout the house! It is our nightly ritual before the last bottle of the evening - it is where we can be found working on a baby books, drinking a last cup of decaf, or reading Brown Bear for the millionth time. No matter the size of any room in any home, I believe this small space will ALWAYS be my favorite place! Here is just a small sampling of the jumps and squeals that entertain us on a nightly basis!

Let the TEETHING Begin!!!

No way... I couldn't believe it! Not teeth --- not yet! On the very day that the 3 amigos celebrated their 7-month birthday, we felt Madison's very first tooth. Lower, center-right. Amazing thing - she never let us know it was going to happen! Sure, she was chewing on everything in sight and drooling more than ever, but never really complained!
James, on the other hand, has been complaining for weeks (it seems). 4 days after sister showed her teeth, he showed us his first tooth - bottom center-left.
Morgan is taking her own sweet time, but her temper is starting to flare. Our sweet, mild-mannered youngest now gets angry at anything that she can't chew on! We have a feeling that her teeth will make an appearance any day - or so it seems by her disposition.
We are taking advantage of the amazing weather outside as much as possible! The outside photo is a typical afternoon for us... right before lunch and our nap. Getting dark? We head inside with our exersaucers, ready to catch an episode of The WIGGLES (on the TV in the back). Nights are getting easier - our last bottle is about 8:00, which means (on a good night) the last baby is in bed by 9:00... leaving mom & dad some time to clean and get ready for the next day. James and Morgan are our early risers, usually up between 6:30 and 7:15. I wish we could sit down and strike a deal with them all - somehow convince them to sleep on occasion, but no such luck!
The triplets were pleased to have visitors this weekend! Marinelle and Jeanene came for a visit & a few hugs and giggles. We look forward to seeing them again, as well as the rest of the crew!

7 Months Old!

People always told me to enjoy the babies while I could... they would grow up fast. I never believed them UNTIL I saw them change overnight! We felt Madison's tooth yesterday - first one in the group to start, so we're gearing up for the teething phase! Hard to believe these are the same babies that spent the first few weeks of their lives in the NICU!

We took them to our pediatrician yesterday, November 6th, which was their 7-month b-day. Our original visit was only to receive the 2nd part of our flu shot. The nurse asked if we wanted weights, and I thought I might as well. Good thing we had 3 adults in the office! In the course of only a few minutes, they managed to turn the little room into a zoo! Morgan quietly watched, hands folded across her chest. Madison grabbed as much paper from the examining table as she could and tried to hold every inch. James wanted in on the fun and was mad when Madison took his fair share. After watching James and Madison scoot around the table, trying to eat the paper, arguing with each other, & pulling the cords away from the wall, reality set in.
I turned to mom and asked, "It's not going to get any easier, is it?"

"No, honey, just different."
We finally had to laugh, watching the little ones, & realizing that we had neither been weighed NOR received our shots at that point and we were already exhausted!

Most current weights:
Morgan - 15 lbs, 3 oz.

Madison - 17 lbs, 9 oz.

James - 17 lbs, 15 oz.

Growing like weeds... what a hoot!

Jump, Jump, Jump!

When we got the news that we were expecting triplets, WAVES of emotions washed over us! We were excited and scared to death, we experienced panic and joy... there aren't enough words to describe it! Once we settled in with the idea and began preparing for the new arrivals, the fun began. One of the very first dreams I ever had (and believe me, I had many) was one that left me smiling when I awoke. I had a dream that we had 3 "jumpers" hanging from the door sills with 3 giggling babies bouncing, smiling, laughing, & squealing at the dog. I knew that morning that Jumpsters would definitely be on the baby registry! With the help of generous friends, we did receive 3 jumpsters, and they have been BY FAR my favorite toys! They keep the kiddos happy, busy, and really wear them out! After a long weekend, we followed the usual night routine --- dinner, short nap, playtime, then jumpsters to drain the extra energy from the little bodies before the 8:00 last-bottle-of-the-night. When they were all playing, I grabbed a cup of decaf and sat to enjoy the show. Even Shelby decided she wanted to get into the action, & was quickly greeted with happy squeals. We all laughed and wore ourselves out... & a long night's sleep was enjoyed by ALL :)

Halloween - Goldilocks & the 3 Bears

How do you put the triplets and family dog in the same Halloween photo? Goldilocks and the 3 Bears!!! We knew the chances of us taking the kiddos to a pumpkin patch AND having everyone be in a good mood was very slim, so we brought the patch to our back yard!

The kiddos really didn't seem to mind the bear hats, so we were in luck! Shelby would pose for a few pictures, and then become distracted by a squirrel, bird, or other backyard creatures! I think Shelby did enjoy the photo shoot - I can almost see her smiling in the pumpkins! As the picture time was winding down, we were visited by the Stone Grandparents (Pops & Grams) as well as cousin Zac Ridner! What a special treat! We were lucky that our little ones stayed happy enough for a few family photos for about 10 minutes before things changed. Madison remained excited to have visitors, James grew tired of the ordeal and wanted to rest inside, and Morgan fell fast asleep on Grams' lap!

God IS so good! Our Baptism...

October 18th - what a GLORIOUS day! The sun was shining, temperature about 75 degrees, and we were surrounded by our family and friends :)

Our babies were baptized at 8:30 at St. Mark Lutheran Church. The ceremony was seamless! We were joined on stage by Godparents Tom & Carol Winn and Brian & Amy Berger. We were ALL amazed at how well the babies did! The pastor asked if we had been rehearsing at home :) Good thing the babies have always enjoyed bath time - I think this may have really helped!

After the ceremony, we returned home for snacks, cake, and fellowship. We could not have planned for a better day - but then again, I know that this day was in Someone's Master plan - He knew it all along :)

6 months old!!!

Guess who turned 6 months old!! Amazing how many things can change in only 1/2 year!

Our 6-month check up went VERY well! The kids all received their shots + flu vaccine... & they were not very happy!

Our doctor was VERY impressed with their progress... here's the latest:

Morgan - 14 pounds, 1 oz - 25"

Madison - 16 pounds, 1 oz - 26 1/2"

James - 16 pounds, 10 oz - 27"

Never in a MILLION years could I have guessed their weights 6 months ago when they were in the NICU! Only through prayers & master helpers have they done so well! Thanks to all of our family and friends who have ever grabbed a bottle or said a prayer for the Stone family!

Snugglies from Tyler and Linnea

We had a very busy weekend last weekend (as stated in the previous blog posting). When Linnea came to visit, along with 1-year-old Tyler, they brought the sweetest gift... SNUGGLIES! Linnea hand-crafted these small blankets with ribbons on the edges. James and Madison were intrigued by the feel of the fabric, but Morgan wanted to check out all the ribbons! Kept them occupied for a while, until one-by-one, they started drifting off to sleep. You can see Madison was the first to go - she always has been our good sleeper :)