2008 has been quite a year...

This day last year was my original due date before we knew I was pregnant with triplets. My how things can change in a year. By my due date the kids were already almost 3 months old. Now a year later they are close to 15 months and it is so hard to believe. They really do grow up too fast. It is a good thing I am taking alot of pictures and videos, because I am already forgetting little things they used to do that really made me laugh.

We were really busy this Christmas. We drove to KC the weekend before Christmas and visited Kevin's parents for a few days. The kids did really well again with the travel and new environment. Kevin and I got to go out to dinner with a bunch of his college friends while the grandparents babysat. Then we all came back to our house for Christmas. The triplets didn't seem to care much about opening presents, but I am sure they will next year. Kevin's dad got alot of great photos though. Happy New Year from the McDonalds!

Christmas 2008

Christmas 2007

Look how tiny we were.

Testing out the new choo choo wagon.

Daddy and his boys.

Ella monster after naptime.

Cory up to something. Opening presents.
I love Christmas!!!
Am I sweet or what?

Looks like a little angel.

Time to play!

New Playroom

The playroom is finally done and the triplets seem to love it! I still have some decorating to do, but all of the toys are in there and I finally have my living room back! Well, mostly. They bring alot of toys in there, but at least I can throw them back in the playroom at the end of the day.

It is so hard to get all 3 in a pic. No smiles, but I'll take it!

Sweet K man. Cory. Watching cars drive by. Oh what fun!

O' Christmas Tree....

The tree is up and Santa has already delivered some gifts (well, my parents actually!) Yeah, a choo choo wagon. I can't wait to pull this kids around in it when the weather warms up. And I finished up my stocking project that I started last year.

Missing in Action

Sorry I have been MIA from the blog lately. We have been working on the old computer room/new kids room alot. It is finally cleaned out and we plan to move the cribs over this weekend. It will be for sleeping primarily and the old nursery (which is quite a bit bigger) will be the new playroom! I hope to at least keep the bulk of the toys in there so my living room won't look like a daycare all the time. The old computer is now in the basement and we got a new laptop (early Christmas present). So here are some great pictures of the kids from the past several weeks.

Such a goofball.

She is definitely the goofiest of the three.

In my new hat!
Always so serious when the camera comes out.

Playing in a box. Why buy toys?

Always the happy one! Just cruising around...

Stage Fright

Have you ever tried to pee in front of an audience? This is what happens when I try to take a quick bathroom break without closing the door.

RIP Formula Mixers

As of a month ago (yes I am behind) we finally finished using formula. The triplets are all on whole milk. I estimated that we made approximately 8100 bottles of formula or about 50,000 ounces. I shiver even thinking about that. We spent about 10-15 minutes every night mixing two different kinds of formula in the mixing pitchers (Kelen was on soy) and then pouring into the bottles and assembling them. And as far as how much money we spent on formula, I don't even want to do that calculation. I hope to never mix (or smell) formula again!

Happy Thanksgiving

We have so much to be thankful for this year as I look back at where we were a year ago. The babies were all still so small and fragile. It seemed like they would never come home. Now they are big and healthy and getting into everything! I love them so so so much - and everyday I think about how lucky we are to have these wonderful children in our lives.

Boys will be boys

Well, we knew it was only a matter of time until it started. That darn bannister is so interesting and when you put toys through it they dissappear! Cory has figured out how cool it is to drop toys down to the basement and Kelen as usual gets alot of pleasure out of being right by his brother's side watching him and squealing. For now it is lightweight stuff going over the edge, but it won't be long before he figures out that the heavier and bigger the louder the thud it makes.

I knew they were up to something.

Oops you caught me!

What I found when I looked over the edge.

Amazing. Balls, rings, coasters, blocks...

Look out world...

Here comes Ella! She is now pulling to standing. She started pulling up on her knees about a week ago and quickly moved on to standing and bouncing up and down and laughing of course. She is getting closer to sitting, but still not really interested in it.

I also had to take her back to the doctor again last week, she started spitting up and I suspected that the ear infection was back. Sure enough, the doc confirmed it was back and worse, so now 10 more days of a different antibiotic. Good news though - she weighed in at 17.6 lbs! Great weight gain since she stopped spitting up.

Look at me!

Our Little Pumpkins

Happy Halloween! Last year the triplets were only about 3 weeks old and so we did not really do anything for Halloween. We had to make up for it this year and dress the kiddos up. The town we live in does trick or treating the night before Halloween (I know weird) so that everyone can go to the parade on Halloween. Anyway we had our pumpkins out on "display" on our front porch for about an hour for all the neighbors to see. Next year will be more fun for them and us when they can walk around. Enjoy the pics.

The best I could do for a pic of all 3 together!
Trick or Treat!
BOO!

Ella Monster

You really expect me to wear this?

So sad.

Now I am really serious!

Brothers

These last two pics were too funny not to post. Ella is always such a ham! She is always laughing and stealing toys from her brothers. She may not be able to stand up with them yet, but she is still right in the middle of everything they are doing.

She was crawling up on top of me so fast trying to get at the camera

that it turned out fuzzy, but still shows that happy personality.

Just looks like another picture of the boys. Notice anything else?

Louisburg Cider Mill

Kevin and I loaded up the triplets last weekend and headed to Kansas City for a McDonald family tradition. Kevin's family has been going to the Louisburg Cider Mill in Louisburg, KS every fall since he was a little kid. Now he was able to take his children for the first time! Kevin's sister Sarah and her husband, Chris, and daughter, Hailey made the trip in from Cali to keep up the tradition too. This was the first time that Jim and Fran had all of their grandkids in their house together. It was a full house! But alot of fun! The triplets traveled great again. Very little crying in the van (only Cory for about 10 minutes, big surprise...) and everyone slept great in the pack n plays. I think it was a fun time for everyone.

First photo of everyone together!

Possible Christmas card photo? Awesome pic of Daddy and Ella.

The first step to making cider - wash the apples!

Ella was not so happy about the cold wind.

Cutie pie!

Stud man.

Chris, Hailey, and Sarah

Getting so big.