Sunday, October 14, 2007

Happy 3rd Birthday to our Amazing Trips!

Today is your third birthday.

Yesterday, we celebrated your birthday at a local farm with 30 of your closest friends. The morning started out rainy and although there were some scattered showers, once everyone arrived, the day couldn't have been more perfect.

It was slightly cool and a bit foggy, but the ideal "fall" weather.

You had such a wonderful time climbing mountains of sand, taking a hay ride, exploring the pumpkin patch, pretending to milk cows, petting various animals and eating cupcakes ... that you were too wired to sleep on the car ride home. As a result, you were in bed - fast asleep - by 6:30 last night. When you didn't wake up until 9:30 this morning, your father and I, for the first time ever, considered ditching your afternoon nap.

If you'd sleep this soundly every night, we also said we'd reconsider our position on moving to a farm.

This has been an absolutely incredible year of growth and change for you in both body and spirit. It seems that over night, you have made the emergence from babies to bona fide little kids. You no longer sleep in a crib, your vocabulary has exploded, and your personalities are in full bloom. You get jokes. Sometimes, you even tell jokes. Like when William tells me that he loves the Yankees ... that's a joke.

Albeit not a funny one.

Sometimes A lot of the time, you drive us absolutely crazy - but moments later - you possess the incredible ability to completely melt our hearts. It is good that you have this capability, because otherwise we would ship you off to live with your Aunt Beth.

When your father measured you today, he was astounded that over the past 12-months, William has grown by 3-inches, Elizabeth by 4-inches, and Carolyn by 5-inches.

This helps to explain why we are spending $200.00 a week on food.

After three years, we still find it hard to believe that there are three of you. After three years, we still cannot believe that God has blessed us so richly. You are magic to us and we adore watching you grow. We love you with everything we are and are so thankful that you are here. For the record: even though the title may not be appropriate anymore, you will always be my babies.

This montage, is just a tiny snap shot of your third year.

It was a wonderful year, indeed.

23 comments:

  1. How lovely Jen- so many great memories.
    As I watched this I had three thoughts-
    1) your kids are just so cute!
    2) Don't your new wood floors look so much better than the old covering
    3)- ain't Henry lucky that he will get three pairs of hand-me-down red crocs one day!
    Glad you had a lovely day
    Rebecca D

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  2. happy happy birthday, Amazing Trips! You are three delightful little people and you are so blessed to have the parents you do.

    Glad the party went well-- and WOW at that night of sleep!

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  3. WHY am i crying at eight am?

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  4. I've been lurking! I found your blog through another blog that I read. We are in MA and I am the youngest of 7 also. Had to throw that in there...not many people can say that. I love reading your blog. Very entertaining. I have twins that turned 3 on Sept 27 and a 1 1/2 year. Happy birthday Amazing trips!

    Jeannie

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  5. You are truly blessed, what beautiful, happy, loved children.

    How do you have enough hands?

    Happy Birthday!

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  6. Great choice of music! The kids are adorable! Make sure you watch the "Letter Factory" before "Word Factory." LOL!

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  7. what a loving tribute to your amazing children.

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  8. WOW! Great montage! Thanks for the early morning cry fest! They truely are miracles, and it has been such an honor to read about them, and your family adventure, (thank you for sharing). They are wonderful. This weekend I told a friend that she just had to read your blog and see how awesome your family is, and what amazing parents you are. Great job. Happy birthday to three very special little people!

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  9. Yeah! That was a great way to start off the morning (well after my two left anyway)...Great pics...what a fun memory they will have if you do that every year. Glad the rain for the most part stopped and the party went well...

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  10. Happy Birthday William, Elizabeth and Caroline! Sounds like you had a fabulous birthday party. Can't wait to go home and watch the picture montage:)

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  11. How wonderful!!!

    Happy Birthday darlings!:)

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  12. what beautiful children you have! that montage was just delightful. thank you for sharing your incredible family with all of us!

    -lori

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  13. Jen,
    I so very happy that things turned out so well and WOW on that incredible night of sleep! I loved the montage. It was beautiful. Your kids are so lucky to have you recording their life with such great care.

    Happy Birthday Amazing Trips! May the next year bring you lots of fun new adventures!

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  14. Hi Jen,

    My name is Elizabeth, and I stumbled across your blog a few months ago, and have been hooked ever since!

    Congratulations on the third birthday of your children. You should be so proud of your accomplishment - from what I have read, you and Charlie seem like wonderful parents. It is so refreshing to see.

    Plus, you are hilarious! I look forward to reading more about your families adventures.

    Best regards,
    Elizabeth

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  15. Congrats to ALL of you for surviving the last three years...I'm sure the coming ones will be filled with even more adventures!

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  16. Happy Birthday Trips. What pleasure and excitement you have brought to me and so many others just reading all the fun things you do. Thanks for keeping us all in on the fun of raising children.
    MOM

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  17. That made me cry! Happy Birthday to three amazing trips! Sounds like the perfect celebration (and I wonder if you're on to something with that whole nap dropping thing?!?!)

    I can't see the montage because we have dial-up, but no doubt it's perfect!

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  18. Happy Birthday to the amazing threesome, and to their amazing family!

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  19. Happy birthday!
    Happy birthday!
    Happy birthday!

    I love the part about the Yankees, and about shipping them off to their Aunt Beth (the triplets, not the Yankees) (though maybe the Yankees too?).

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  20. Those pictures were great! What a fun family you have! Happy Birthday to the amazing trips!!

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  21. Happy Birthday, William, Elizabeth and Carolyn!

    I love reading your blog. It's a daily ritual at this house. I think I've read in some of your past posts that you are Red Sox fans.? I'm from Ohio, so allow me to say...GO TRIBE!!!

    Have a great day!

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  22. Beautiful -- they have grown right before my eyes just reading :*) They are just precious.

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