Another update ... of sorts

Just a quick re-cap on some happenings around here.

We went back to church again, last weekend. We even participated in the barbeque, following the service. The key to our success was extremely simple. Complete and utter containment of the children. They remained in their Peg triplette stroller ... Charlie and I ate food that other people cooked for us, mingled, ate some more, and then didn't have to lift a finger to clean our own kitchen that night. It was heavenly ... both literally and figuratively. We really enjoy this church and plan to go again, soon. The only challenge that remains is getting our kids to embrace the nursery. They ain't so nuts about being left behind.

My neck has healed, but not without a bit of discomfort lots of complaining for several days. The only thing that offered any pain relief was ice cream. Specifically, Ben & Jerry's peanut butter cup. With all of those extra 'healing' calories, I suspect the next time I attempt to roll this body over my neck, I'll completely crush myself.

The advice offered to put our kids pajamas on backwards was brilliant. The only glitch is when you have to change a diaper at 11 PM without waking up a sleeping child. It's tricky when you need to flip the child over on their tummy to unbutton them ... flip them back over to put on the diaper ... and then flip them on their tummy again, to button them up. However, my minor inconvenience was definitely worth it when you consider the alternative of three toddlers undressing themselves and fingerpainting with whatever *supplies* they had available.

As of this week, we're down to one nap. Typically, I've been holding the kids up until lunch, and then putting them down by 12:30'ish. They usually nap until about 2:30 or 3:00. However. If I notice that during the morning, they are crabby, I'll put them down at 10 or 10:30 ... and then give them some quiet "crib time" at 3:30 or 4:00. Even with this later afternoon "quiet time", the kids are still going to bed between 7 and 7:30, most nights ... and they don't wake up until 8:00 or 8:30, the following morning. Which means, I don't wake up until 8:00 or 8:30 most mornings, either.

I've knitted four blankets and am starting on my fifth. A couple months ago, I was able to round up some fellow triplet mom's to join me in a stitch & bitch fest.

We had a great time.

Unfortunately, since then - everyone's been busy with vacation, sick kids, traveling spouses ... and life. I hope to coordinate another knitting fest soon ... but regardless - I will be shipping off my first box of blankets, clothing, and miscellaneous baby supplies to South Africa in early September.

Thankfully, I feel somewhat humanitarian knitting blankets. In the picture of the blankets, you might notice a white box. That is from the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society, an organization I support wholeheartedly. However. They called me during an exceptionally hectic time (kids biting one another, kids climbing and falling off the the table, Molly crapping in the back yard - which took all my attention because I need to know where to go clean up) and asked if I wouldn't be a neighborhood volunteer for their fund raising effort. When I told them "send me information" I didn't expect that they'd send me 25 envelopes to mail to all of my neighbors asking for money. I don't mind being solicited, per se. I'd just prefer not to do it myself. Even if it is for a good cause.

Now for my question: Would it be too awful if I skipped the solicitation of my neighbors and just mailed them a check for all the money I think I'd get ($10.00) ... plus the $50.00 I'd kick in??

The new bunnie squeakles is making headway. Very slowly and cautiously, I've seen Elizabeth pick him up and give him a "squeak! squeak!" He certainly isn't interchangable with "bunny", yet ... but Rome wasn't created in a day. Appropriate analogy for a stuffed animal, huh?

All I know is that this child loves bunnies. In any form or fashion (note headband in first photo, above).

After some considerable thought - and one of our contractors asking if we were crazy when he came over to give us a bid during mealtime and got stuck in the crossfire of a toddler triplet feeding frenzy - we've decided to hold off on any interior upgrades. We are contemplating painting the outside of the house and sprucing up our back yard, but that'll be it. For now.

I have placed not one ... not two ... but three phone calls to Estate Lawyers. My goal is that by the end of the month (I'd prefer not going to commit expand on which month), I will have our "details" squared away. It's been four months since I first posted about this - but since my lag factor is 6 months to facilitate sleeping in until 8:30 every morning I'm way ahead of schedule.

If only I could apply that same logic to laundry...