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.

Then and Now

I wanted to post some pictures and stats to show what a difference a year makes.

Kelen Thomas (AKA The K-man) at 11 days old

2 lbs 1 oz 14 inches

At home 3 months later
8 lbs 19.5 inches

12 months old
18.5 lbs 27.3 inches

Currently cruising, saying dada, and has 2 teeth

Ella Marie (AKA The Ella Monster) at 9 days old
2 lbs 4 oz 14.3 inches

At home 3 months later
6 lbs 4oz 18.3 inches

12 months old
16.3 lbs 27.5 inches

Currently army crawling, saying dada, and has 1 tooth!

Cory James (AKA The Cor-Man) at 3 days old
2 lbs 5 oz 14 inches

Finally home 3 months later
7 lbs 11 oz 19.8 inches

12 months old
18 lbs 28.8 inches

Currently cruising, trying to climb out of crib, saying dada, and has 5 teeth.

Together for the first time!

Together at the birthday party.

Party Pics Finally

I am finally posting about the birthday party! Sorry it took so long. Kevin and I both got the stomach virus going around and were stuck in the bathroom for about 24 hours each. Thankfully, we didn't have it at the same time. Then Ella started projectile vomiting every night after her bedtime bottle. Totally gross and messy! It didn't seem to bother her much though. I took her to the doctor and she had a small ear infection which was causing her reflux to flare up. As soon as we started the antibiotics the vomiting stopped and she hardly spits up at all now, which is great! And the boys are still teething pretty bad and have had fevers off and on. But enough excuses, here are some pics from the birthday party (thanks to Jim). Also, here is a youtube link with a slideshow of all the great pics Jim took that weekend.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivWjsFbCyjg

Some of the decorations.

The birthday cupcakes.

Why is everyone staring at us?

New family photo.


This looks like fun! Afterwards....
Quick bath in the sink.
Ella was not impressed with her cupcake.
This stuff is good!

Posters I made for each kiddo with pics from each month.

Boo-Hoo

We went in for our 12 month check up yesterday, which meant shots for everyone - 4 each to be exact. Alot of tears and pouty lips! They were super cranky yesterday and still today. I hope this passes soon. Otherwise everyone looks good and we were given the all clear to switch to whole milk! YEAH! No more mixing formula! Kevin said he was going to smash the formula mixing pitchers! I promise to get pictures up from the party this weekend when the kiddies are feeling better.

Happy 1st Birthday Kelen, Ella, and Cory!!!!

I can't believe my babies aren't babies anymore! As of 3:56pm today they are a year old. They are the most healthy, happy, beautiful babies we could have ever hoped for. A year ago today was the most stressful, emotional, scary, yet happy day of our lives. I remember the doctor telling us that she was going to have to deliver me because labor was continuing to progress despite their best efforts to stop it. I was so scared for my babies and totally unprepared to deliver 3 months early. We didn't even have names for them yet! I remember hearing their tiny weak cries and seeing each of them briefly before they wisked them away to the NICU at Children's Hospital. The whole experience was so surreal. I went from no children to 3 in a matter of minutes. The following three months that they spent in the hospital was the hardest time of our lives. There were times that we were not sure we would bring home 3 babies. It seemed like it was one problem after another, but they made it through all of them (thanks to the outstanding care at St Louis Children's Hospital). And now you would never know they were preemies! We are so blessed!

The birthday party turned out great! Thanks to both grandparents for all of their help and for all of our great friends who came to celebrate with us! This week I will post pictures from the party and more on how the triplets are doing now a year later....weights, then and now pics, and other fun details. Stay tuned........