Week 49

Que the circus music!
Look Opa!
We love this thing!

Week 49
BUSY, BUSY, BUSY! That's how I like to describe our lives. Life has been so crazy. The boys are
getting so active it's hard for me to get anything done anymore. Now that Max is walking and the other two proficiently walk holding onto to things, there is no stopping them. I have to watch so they don't crawl behind the couches, pull the curtains down on their heads and crawl into the fireplace. (Don't worry about the fireplace, you have to manually turn on the gas to ignite it and we are getting an insert before winter.) They have broke the floor lamp and the table lamp needs to stay unplugged so come evening we are pretty much in the dark! Aside from Dr's appointments, daily outings, Soccer games and normal summer parties and activities, I guess you could say the backyard has become our sanctuary. The pool, water tables, kiddy slides, swing set and new wagon really seem to be keeping the kids occupied.

David is taking a weeks vacation finally! The week before the boys birthday party so that should be a huge help. We plan on taking a lot of day trips that week and hopefully getting ready for the big birthday bash.

A little pregnancy update. We are now over 4 months pregnant. The baby is beginning to really move around and is growing, growing, growing. My belly is definitely expanding like crazy now and although I feel huge I am not nearly as big as I was with the boys. One year ago this week I was SOOOOO Big that I thought I would explode!!!! That seems like a million years ago!

Week 48

Our little fishman
Max was so funny, he kept drinking the cool water with his hand.
Emerson was cracking himself up.
Alex thought the water was a little too cold for the 90 Degree day!

Week 48

All is well on the Stinner front. We all had a pretty bad summer cold this week but it didn't seem to deter us from our normal routine. The boys still slept through the night and despite some nasty runny noses, they where all in pretty good spirits. The weather has been extremely hot and rainy so it is hit or miss with outdoor activities. Austin is spending lots of time in the pool and is becoming a much better swimmer. I was a little worried about his swimming skills since it has been a year and a half since he took lessons. However we bought him a swim suit with floats built into it and this seems to give him the confidence to be a little more adventurous. Although he has never and will never be in the pool alone, it's good to know that the suit he wears doesn't allow him to go under the water. The pool is 52" deep, so you can understand my concerns. The babies have all been in the pool at some point. They have sat on our lounger with my sister Gabrielle and their Dad and all seem to enjoy the splashing. I haven't wanted to actually submerge them yet because of them being under the weather. I wouldn't want anyone to develop an ear ache on top of everything else.

This weekend was pretty fun filled. Austin went with my sisters to the beach and than off to my Mom's for a weekend where he is the center of attention. I was glad that he was able to get some time with kids his own age. He is very close with Adrianne's other nephew and niece and he has a friend he "hangs out" with next door to my mom. David, the triplets and myself went festival hoping! On Saturday we ventured out to the Italian Festival and ate until we couldn't eat anymore. The boys tried lots of new foods and seemed to enjoy the attention. We saw another mother of triplets and she had the most amazing wagon! We got the information and on Sunday evening sat down and ordered it. Hopefully it will be here by the time we go to the Erie County Fair. The boys love their Radio Flyer wagon, but unfortunately it only seat two. We had planned on buying a second one so we could fit all 4 of the "little" babies but than saw this one and had to have it! All 4 of the babies (including #5 for next year) will have their own "train car" with a seat belt and cup holder. All the cars attach to one another and we even purchased a 5th cargo carrier for all the kids diaper bags, coolers and other equipment. It's very exciting! Hey, I will have 5 kids soon! Any little thing that makes my life easier...I'm all for it! On Sunday we went to the Canal Festival. This was interesting since the weather was horrible. Two minutes after we left the house it began to rain! I don't mean a little sprinkle! I mean a full on monsoon! It was awful. It than slowed to a light drizzle so we pulled into a parking lot, paid for parking, pulled the stroller from the van and than started to get the babies out when, you got it, the storm kicked up again. David being the Tech savvy man that he is, got out his cell phone and watched the storm on the Internet and said it would pass shortly. Needless to say, I was skeptical but we waited it out. A half hour later all was well and we went to the festival will minimal interruptions. We of course had the onlookers and the pointers. Which by the way just infuriates me!!!! I truly hate it when people point! It's so rude. We met another woman who had triplets. They where 38 years old. The two girls, I should say woman, where with her and they had a great time playing with the babies while we talked with the woman who was so interesting. She had all the same experiences that we are having and she gave us hope that things get better when they get older! Not with the triplets themselves but with the stupid questions and onlookers. I guess it was nice to speak to someone who knows exactly how we feel. She was so positive! She just kept saying how God gave us these babies and we are so blessed. That's exactly how we feel and it was great to have someone else acknowledge that instead of always hearing the negative. Anyway, the boys again ate their way through the festival, hot dogs, German sausage, french fries, funnel cakes and salt potatoes. It was wonderful. I can't wait till the Fair!!!! Let the circus music begin, the Stinner Family is coming!

Week 47

Emerson
Alex
Max walking to Austin

The new pool and swingset! Yet Austin has nothing to do?
Mom can we go outside??

Week 47

I know every mother thinks their children are the most amazing kids in the world. I mean there couldn't possibly be any children more wonderful than mine, right? The truth is I'm sure other kids are just as wonderful as mine but this is my blog and I choose to believe my children are the absolute most amazing little human beings on earth! I still look at my kids in such amazement. They have come so far in such a short amount of time. It's just so unbelievable sometimes, that a whole year has past since I was pregnant with them. Last year at this time we where still setting up the house(we moved at the end of June), we where frantically buying things for the babies and everyday just praying that they would stay in just a little while longer! I remember how HOT it was. Walking anywhere...even to the bathroom would cause my legs to swell so bad I wanted to cry. The pain in my mouth, from swollen gums kept me from sleeping and my only solice was the shower. I could let the cool water run over me and just cry and cry. I can still remember not being able to breathe well and thinking if they didn't come out soon my stomach would surely explode...I thought it impossible to stretch my belly even one more inch! Now 11 months later, I reflect with great joy on that time and so look forward to pregnancy #2 with baby #5 and all of the ups and downs it entails. The next 6 months will be tough but think about the last pregnancy and what we got from that. This one should be a piece of cake!

We had a great week. The boys went are spending lots of time outside enjoying the weather, when their wheren't torrential downpours! Max is walking, I mean running everywhere. He walks more than he crawls and is ALWAYS on the go now. The good news is he is sleeping more since he poops himself out running all over. In fact all three babies are finally sleeping through the night. Oh my goodness, it's wonderful 9 hours of solid sleep make all the difference for them and us! Emerson is doing so well. He is fluently walking all over the furniture and can definitely get where he needs to go! He is my music lover too. If he hears music he stops and dances, with rhythm! Definitely takes after the MAMA! He turns every toy into a musical instrument! I can't wait to get them drums. I think he'll love them! Alex is the blabber. He talks so well he can pretty much mimic all simple sounds and can get his point across with the words he knows. Austin is enjoying soccer and all his weekly activities that keep him occupied! Now that the pool is up and running he is sure to swimming up a storm most afternoons!

We had our second ultrasound and baby#5 is doing great. Growing just the way it should. We still don't know the sex of the baby . The next test we should be able to tell.

Update

UPDATE!!!!!
I just wanted everyone to know that Maxim is walking!!!! On Tuesday Max started to venture out on his own and was taking several steps between the couch and the Mama! Now, only two days later he is pretty much walking everywhere. He looks like a little drunken sailor, but he is walking. He's so proud of himself and gets so excited that he knocks himself over saying "yay"! I just wanted to share our joy with all of you! God help us now...they're really mobile!

Weeks 45 & 46

On Sunday, the boys played on the slip n slide!
Between the heat, pool and slip n slide the boys where exhausted!

Our living room is now the worlds biggest play pen
They loved to play on Austins old Jeep...as long as it was stationary!

Our Little Soccer Man
Alex looks like a little redneck!

Max cheering on his big brother
Emerson loves those beads...Hey, they're green!

Weeks 45 & 46

Summer is a beautiful thing. The Stinner family has been out and about. We are trying to go out and do more activities with the boys. We pretty much take them everywhere we need to go. As you can tell from my last blog entry that I sometimes have less than 100% patients with peoples ignorance when it come to the triplets. Aside from the occasional upsetting comment our outings are fun and adventurous. The boys love to go shopping, stroll the parks and play with their toys in the yard. They are definitely enjoying going to the park every week and watching Austin play Soccer. What an adventure though to get 3 babies and all their stuff ready to go plus Austin and all his soccer gear and than try and gage when we'll be home so I know what exactly to prepare. Than pray that David gets out of work on time to meet me at home to help me get in the car with the 4 car seats and my pregnant expanding belly! Wheeeeew! That was exhausting to even think about.
We have purchased our pool and it will be installed soon. This should be fun. The boys LOVE the water. Austin swims like a fish and can't wait to spend his days lounging and working on his tan! The triplets love their baby pool and on any given day you can find three nakey babies in their little purple pool in the yard. We have bought them little floaties and can't wait to see their reaction when in the big pool. We where unable to put the pool where we had originally wanted so that was disappointing but as long as we have it...life is a dream. The boys went to the doctors for their checkup and all is well. They are all on the charts as far as height, weight and head circumference. The doctor seemed amazed at their progress. They are all completely age appropriate for 10 1/2 months and not 8 1/2 months like the should be. She was so thrilled that Max and Alex are taking steps and that Emerson is up and "cruising" along the furniture. We are so proud of our boys! Preemies! I think not!
The babies 1st birthday party preparations are underway! I have set the date, ordered the invitations, made the guest list, rented the bounce house, established the menu and purchased some decorations. I still have to order a cake and rent tables and chairs as well as a million other things. You wouldn't think this all would be so difficult, but in the middle of the rest of the ciaos that is our life some of these tasks are daunting. I am also looking for someone to do balloon animals and possibly face painting. My research is finding that most of the people that do that are CLOWNS! Ooooh scary! You all know about my unhealthy fear of clowns! NO CLOWNS! I know the babies won't remember all this but, we will and quiet frankly isn't the party always for the parents anyway!
Austin is doing so much better now that the summer is underway! He has a routine established and that seems to make it all better. He is spending a lot of time out of the house and is having one on one time with his Aunt and both grandparents. He also has a standing playdate with his buddy Zack and that is a great tool when he isn't quite being a good boy or when I need him to do something. Call it blackmail, I call it creative parenting! Since we have hired our Nanny I have been able to spend more time with Austin. This seems to help. God help us when the new baby comes! Imagine...4 jealous kids!
A little pregnancy update...All is well here. We are now into the second trimester and my waistband is quickly expanding. This makes some everyday tasks harder than I expected, but that's OK! David and I will go for an ultrasound on the 9th. I'm pretty positive they will not be able to tell us the sex of the baby. So for all of you who want to know....TOUGH! I was thinking we may keep it a secret until the baby is born! Won't that piss everyone one off! HAHA, you will have to wait and see!