just for the record books....

since josh has been down for the count, i have been the sole bath-giver for the past month or so. not a big deal-he entertains the other 2, or mom comes over and entertains, and i bathe, lotion and dress. It works out well because which ever baby is bathed first gets fed first by josh while i bathe the 2nd, then he feeds 2 babies, and i bathe the third, then re-situate so i can feed 2. sort of like an assembly line rotation deal.

WELL....see this adorable face...

out of the past 3 baths she has gotten....she has pooped in the tub 2 of those times!!!!! talk about disgusting! i'm not one to shy away from poopy diapers...even when zach squirts it up his back to his shoulder blades, then somehow manages to get it all over the front of me in the middle of the portrait studio (after pictures thankfully), but something about soaking in your own poo grosses me out....and it is not easy to clean up effectively. so here's how it goes down: the poor girl gets in the tub....there's a little bump in the bottom of the tub for their hiney to fit in so they can semi-sit up, and before i bearly get soap on the wash cloth...there are bubbles in the tub coming from the girl.....then, even though i am in high speed mode just incase what i think is going to happen happens, a little poo starts creeping up the side of the ramp under her....then i scream "SHE'S POOPING IN THE TUB" or as i did tonight "SHE'S DOING IT AGAIN!!!!"....then i grab her out, hold her over the toilet (just incase she's not done), and wrap her in a towel, then hold her or pass her off to my mom, and josh rushes in to clean out her tub...b/c i frankly think it's gross. i really don't like the idea of a bath anyways-soaking in my own filth is gross enough....but soaking in your own poo is just. plain. nasty.

My adorable babies are getting so big!!!
Attitude update: Zach has taken over the "fussy pants" title though...he is either SO happy and smiley or SO whiney and sad. Avery had been very funny and pleasant lately. She thinks it's hilarious to get dressed and just giggles away! She takes everything in and loves to look around. Colby is just a big boy. As long as his belly is full...he's happy. He likes to stand up and sit up like a big boy and is already in a bigger size clothes and diapers than the other 2!

Look at these two with their heads up!! Watch the video...one of the learned how to roll over!!

(Just in case you can't tell...avery is on the left, and colby is on the right!)

Update on josh's back: he's still down for the count. he's been back to work a few days, but on light duty. he got a steroid shot today....so we're hoping for some relief!!

Photos Round 2

Today Kara and I took the kids to get some pics done. This time we went to a photo studio in West Chester. It came recommended from other parents and it was awesome. The photographer and her assistant worked quick, took great shots, and were very hands on with the kids. I think I can speak for Kara and say we were both impressed and will go back. The best part is, we spent about 2 and a half hours there (and the kids were great, very minimal crying) and we walked out with pictures in hand. We also got a disk with all 140 + pictures. I selected a small handful to post just to show off. And I do mean SHOW OFF. I hate to brag, but we have some good looking kids. It leaves me scratching my head and wondering where they get the looks from because I don't think it is me. One of the few traits they got from me is sleeping habits. They can go down for 8 to 10 hours at a time overnight. LOVING IT!! Anyways, not much else going on around here. I have been off work for over a week now and it is great spending time with the kids and Kara. It will be sad to have to leave them again when I go back!

a few reasons for this post.....

Reason #1: To share this video with you all....sorry about taking it sideways...but it's worth the strain in your neck to see it!

Reason #2: I need a fully functioning partner...and haven't had one for a week!

Josh hurt his back. Not doing anything specific. He's had a bulging disk, and it just decided to flare up this week. But this time, by "flare up" i mean, laying on the floor or the couch-all day, writhing in pain, not sleeping well, and trying to fight being treated as a 'patient' instead of a 'big-boy'. All you women out there know that men are not good patients to start out with, but i think this back issue is even worse than being sick. He feels like he should be fine...until he tries to do something....but he's so stubborn that he tries to do those 'somethings' way too often! He's been to the dr, had an mri, but at this point his next scheduled visit is thursday with the chiropractor (who just stretches him out....not solving the problem), and SEPTEMBER 8TH (that's a long time a way!) with the potential surgeon to get a steroid shot. I have finally accepted that i will get less sleep than i like, and have to do all the chores by myself, but i need him back before sept. 8th!!! even when he works, i can count on him helping with dishes, making formula, laundry, trash, picking up around the house etc. etc.....but all he's good for this week (which is better than nothing!) is getting a baby placed on his belly and handed a bottle, all while he lays on the floor to feed them. He's a great cuddler too, so the babies are happy to cuddle up on his chest if they are fussy so i can get some things done, but i can only take so much of this routine!!! (sorry had to vent!)

Still able to do a few "daddy" things from the floor....

Or the couch...

Reason #3: It's ok to be a stalker. (at least the secret blog follower type!) (but not in a creepy sort of way...so if you are a creeper and follow our blog, STOP!)

What i mean is that when Josh and I write these blog updates, we really don't know who reads them. It goes out into cyberspace, and is fair game to whomever finds it! We have 35 "followers" (which means you have signed up on our blog to follow us), but everywhere we go, we find more people who read them religiously! Which is fun! I'm glad people think we are at least semi-interesting and take the time to check and see if we've updated. I actually follow a handfull of blogs too....some of people i know, and some of people i don't know. My absolute favorite blog is one i stumbled upon of a lady who lives in California who has triplet 4 year olds and a 2 year old.....who i refer to as "my friend jen". The catch is, she's not really my friend....b/c she doesn't know me, and i just know her through her blog. But she is such a good writer and never has a dull moment! I check at least once a day for an update, and was really upset when she went on vacation for over a week with no updates!!! So i do feel sorry for you if you look forward to an update from us daily, and don't get one nearly as often as you'd like! Sometimes it's because we're too busy (duh!), but othertimes it's just because we dont' really know what to write. The kids are great, they're eating, sleeping, pooping, smiling, and sometimes crying....but that's all typical baby stuff, and unless we go on an outing, or something major happens, we don't feel like we have too much excitement to write about! I know there are more than 35 of you out there that read this....but we don't know who you are! BUT, there is a place to comment on our blog. After you read it, you can add a comment...so if there's ever any questions you would like us to answer in a blog, or comments you have to make, PLEASE DO! Don't be a secret stalker like i am!

Here i am with the bottle propped under my chin so i can scroll through 'my friend jen's' blog with the other hand!

a few comparisons

Little Zach 3 months ago on 5/6/09.....Zach today, 8/9/o9

Little Avery on 5/6/09...................and today

Colby and daddy 5/6/09...........and today

(that was 2 updates in 1 day! hope it holds you over for a while! =)

4 month old babies!!!

My arms are full of love!!

updates from the dr on 8/7/09...

Avery (aka "S.F.P." (sissy fussy pants), "beautiful girl")-11lbs 4oz....10th %ile in height and weight for a 4 month old!


Colby (aka "monster", "big un", "happy boy")-13lbs 9.5oz...25th %ile for height and weight for a 4 month old!

Zachary (aka "Zach-man", "Zacher")-12lbs .5oz...10th %ile in weight and 25th %ile for height for a 4 month old!

All 3 are VERY healthy babies! We got the 'ok' to stop the high calorie formula, no more vitamins, will be starting rice cereal in about a month, and fruits and veggies shortly after that! They are sleeping at least 7 hours through the night....so that makes it nice for us! I just can't believe how fast time is flying by!


The babies are growing more into their own personalities by the day...and the boys have done a switch-er-oo since they were born. Initially, we called Zach "mr. laid back" and Colby was a little more high maintenance....but now Zach is a little more whiney and as long as Colby has a full belly, he's the happiest little smiley guy! Colby talks a lot too...even more than his sister! (i don't expect that to last long!!) and Avery has maintained her princess status....still needy, drama and high maintenance....but too cute for words! When she's in a good mood...she's in a GREAT mood. She has a little laugh that sounds like a cough, but is definitely a laugh. Zach has been smiling more and more too. He was the last to smile, but now does it a lot and loves to have his cheeks played with! He's still the most active and will probably be the first to crawl and tear around the house!

We have continued with our outings....have gone to dinner a few more times, went on some walks, went to the park, and went shopping...without daddy this time =) (but we had lots of hands to help!!) Last week, my Aunt Lisa, Uncle Tom and their family from Florida (aka the extra hands while we were shopping!) came to visit. They were over just about every night to hang out with me and the babies! It was so nice to have the extra hands around...but even nicer to have people to talk to! It gets a little lonely talking to the babies with no response all the time!

We also had a great visit with my mom's side of the family...and all the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th (and probably more) cousins! It was a beautiful day, the babies were in great moods and loved all the attention, and it was nice to be out of the house!!

Fun at the park...

Our Happy Family!

The reason we are so happy...