Binkie Free!

The biggest news of the month is we are binkie free!  At around 18 months when we moved our naps up to the nursery we left the binkies in the nursery as well, and last summer when they stopped naps, it narrowed down having their binkies only for bed at night.  Sam has never used a binkie and is still my thumb sucker, but to the other two their binkies were the center of their universe.  I didn't really want to do a cold turkey at the time for night as well, because it definitely soothed them for sure.  If they woke in the night, they would roll over, find it and go right back to sleep.  In late January I noticed they weren't relying on them all night anymore, and I was ready to lose them.  The day we moved them into twin beds I decided to just bite the bullet and endure a week of hell.  I was hoping the excitement of new beds would work in my favor.  I must say I was pleasantly surprised at how it went.  There was a lot of asking the first night (first 40 min they went to bed) but not crying or screaming for them, just asking over and over.  The second night she asked 3 or 4 times, Danny only once.  By the third night they were a distant memory.  I'm not sure if I timed it just right, but I was kind of kicking myself for not doing it earlier thinking it was going to be a disaster.  Sometimes the anticipation is worse than the actual event.  

Some other updates, we enjoyed a sickness free March.  Super happy about that.  The low dose of steroid we give Elsie in the nebulizer every night seems to be keeping everything at bay.  And since I find her to be the sickness starter in the house, everyone else is also benefiting from it!  '

The kids watched Scooby Doo and loved it.  They call it Scooby Dooby.  I loved Scooby Doo as a kid, and my mom used to say she had to threaten to shut it off so I would get ready for school in the morning.  I have a Scooby Doo waffle maker and so I took it out to make Scooby Doo waffles next weekend.  Stay tuned for the pics!

We went and watched Erin run the New Bedford half marathon.  It was soooo cold.  I had hats and mittens for them but the wind was really kicking making it for a tough 20 minutes waiting for her to run by.  We felt so bad for her, running in the cold wind, but she rocked it!  Can't wait to go watch her in the Boston Marathon next month.

Sammy and Elsie are all about holding hands.  This used to be the toughest part of bringing them places, that they flat out refused to hold each other's hands.  Everyone wanted to hold Mommy's and they totally resisted holding each others.  Then one day, I told them to hold hands and they did.  Then I noticed when they were playing outside they would hold each other's hands and play and run.  It's really cute to watch.  Danny is still not having it, but hopefully he'll join in soon. 

When they are not holding hands, they are pushing each other.  Or kicking, or hitting, or biting.  Lots of fighting going on.  So much fighting.  Everyone wants the other one's toys, or to go first, or to pick which movie we watch, ay yi yi. It makes for challenging days.  Mommy does a lot of yelling and time outs.  I feel like every conversation has the same sentences.  

1.  "(Insert name of triplet A, B, or C), let's sit down and eat our lunch (or any other request)"

2.   "Are you listening? "

3.  "That's 1.  I want you to sit down and eat your lunch please"

4.  "That's 2.  If you are not sitting and eating your lunch you are going to time out upstairs"

5.  I only get to this sentence with Elsie mostly.  "Ok let's go upstairs"

The boys definitely stop at 2.  It's unusual when I threaten time out for them to continue.  Danny sometimes, Sammy almost never.  The only time outs Sammy has if it is in an instant one, like hitting or biting.  But Elsie.  Oh Elsie.  That girl is something else.  She is relentless.  Doesn't quit.  And then tries to cry and say no when the sentence is delivered.  It's the same thing EVERY TIME.  There are some days she goes upstairs half a dozen times.  She comes downstairs and picks up right where she left off.  I was joking with my cousin that I don't understand why she isn't picking it up like the boys, because I NEVER give in or change the rules.  I follow through every time, so she knows if I threaten she is going upstairs.  But she pushes anyway.  I told her, she's got nothing on me.  She will lose this battle of wills every time.  It's exhausting for sure, but I figure she's gonna get it eventually.  And if not she'll be 18 in just a short 14.5 years.  

Enjoy the pictures and videos!

My leprechauns!

Queen Elsa

Enjoying Cold Stone with Sandy

He can sit all by himself in the chair now

Just a girl and her Daddy, in their jammies, on their phones

Danny wants to join in that snuggle

leaving Ikea with new beds

I was looking for bed sets, and the kids picked out these blankets, so this works for now.  They love it

Auntie Tracey let Danny borrow this night light from Jazzy and he loves it

loves his Snoopy shirt

love that smile

of course we have to have a Star Wars shirt

off to Friendly's with Grammie for a St. Patty's Day treat

She loves her grilled cheese

in Mommy's glasses

getting so big

bought these stick ons for $1 on clearance the week after Valentines.  Best $1 I ever spent

He loves me

Playing together happily (doesn't happen often)

Waiting for Erin to run by.  We are FREEZING!

holding our signs

Sammy realized if he held it up in front of his face it blocked the wind a little

 

Erin and Nick came to visit after the race and Elsie was soaking up some reading time with them

watching Spiderman on the TT (TV)

holding hands

practicing for summer

she doesn't like when he takes off her bubble, but she's getting better!

Elsie was taking a nap and the boys were all about a snuggle with Mommy

We went and watched Jimmy at UMass playing Rugby, another COLD day, where is spring?

The kids were just as excited to play on the rock as watching Jimmy.  Every few minutes Danny would yell GOOOOOAAAAALLLLL!

Mommy doesn't allow tablets all day, so when she does they soak it up. 

Daddy taped the light switch to keep her from waking her brothers with the big light. And yet the light is on and the tape is on her shirt.  And she is so proud.