Triplets Turn!

Lots has been going on and I still intend to go back and update on our lives over the summer, but I decided that if I wait until I have time to do that, I will never start blogging again! Which is not a good thing, because I pretty much use this as my journal to remember these crazy days of our children growing up. And that seems to be happening way too fast lately!

School started today for the triplets...I cannot believe that they are old enough and it is really, really odd and super quiet to have just Hannah and I at home for several hours. I have a lot of mixed emotions right now about them going. I want to homeschool so you can imagine how difficult it is to send all five, and especially the little three. I didn't want them to go to school until they were four if they were going at all. I only wanted them to have one year of preschool if they were going to go. I wanted them in Sumner for preschool - same as Austin and Aidan. I most certainly didn't want them going five days a week at three years old. I sure didn't want them riding a bus so young. And I most definitely didn't want them being gone from 7:25 until 1:00 every single day. Things change and don't go as we plan. The Lord has plans - plans for good and not to harm - plans to give a hope and a future. And when I step back and realize that I am not in ultimate control that it is up to God what happens in our lives then I also recognize the wonderful things that have come out of them going to school. They are very ready to go themselves. This gives them an opportunity to be with other children during the day. They are immensely enjoying preschool and can't stop talking about it. Their teacher is amazing and really does have their best interests at heart. Tripoli may not have been where I wanted them to go originally, but it sure is now! Tripoli has an excellent program that includes special education. Mrs. E is a special education instructor. Taking the bus makes them feel like big boys. They love Miss Becky, their driver. They get speech therapy twice a week, instead of once a week. Their other IEP goals and needs are met on Fridays, when the class size is much smaller. We are getting at least two more minds observing all three of them, but especially Nathanial and already things are sparking a "hmmm...." reaction. This means maybe, just maybe, we are closer to a referral to figure out what exactly is going on in that little brain. I am getting a lot of one-on-one time that Hannah is just soaking up and loving. Hannah and I are able to go to story hour and enjoy ourselves. I don't have to grow additional limbs to go to story hour! Hannah and I get errands done quickly and easily. Even though I was not prepared for everything our therapists had suggested way back in January of last year, I know that after much prayer the best decisions for them have been made. I know that God's love and desires for Nathanial, Ethan, and Noah are far greater than mine.

So, as they headed off for school on their very first day....I took lots of pictures!

Nathanial is ready!

Ethan is ready!

Noah is excited!

So excited....and a little unsure.

Of course I had to take another picture - with all five of my boys heading off!

Daddy 'herding' everyone to the waiting bus.

Now we're all a little nervous; but we never did cry!

Away they go!!!

Austin and Aidan's first day walking to school together...

Summer's Almost Over

Tonight we had our preschool open house. Summer's almost over and it's almost time for school to start. :( Because Nathanial, Ethan, and Noah will be taking the "bus" to school, I took this opportunity to snap lots of pictures that would otherwise be taken on the first day. I am not going to take them nor follow the bus on the first day of school for a multitude of reasons.

Lined up on the little stars!

Having some tool fun and discovering a new addition
to the preschool since last spring - a hamster!

Nathanial playing in the kitchen.

Ethan playing with the tool bench.

Noah chatting with a new "friend."
(Somehow I think he'll be just fine making new friends!)

Nathanial can barely be torn away from the
fascinating gerbil!

All three checking him out.

Nathanial showing Hannah.

Noah playing with puzzles.

Ethan dressing a baby.

Nathanial playing with a puzzle.

Between their social story books, their teacher taking the time out to visit with the boys at their home, the open house happening just two days before school starts, and lots of conversations about the bus, Miss Becky, Mrs. E and Mrs S, and school, I believe the boys are as ready as they'll ever be to start school!!

Wordless Wednesday

Guess what we've been up to lately...

{I am also fully aware that it has been a l-o-n-g time since I have posted anything...life's been crazy busy, but I'm planning on working on something this week!}

Preschool Program/Last day of Preschool

Yesterday was Aidan's last day of preschool!! Because the weather was so icky all winter long, he never got to do his program (kept getting canceled). They finally decided to wait until spring and I loved having it at the end of the year. He did a great job and is now so very excited to start kindergarten in the fall (if the dead heat of early August qualifies as "fall").

I will be uploading some videos later - Noah is not being cooperative right now!

Color Scavenger Hunt Walk

Because the weather has been just beautiful (high 40's and 50's), we have been able to take a few walks. Today, we took a Scavenger Hunt for Colors walk...specifically, the colors Aidan is working on in Preschool - black, white, brown, blue, and red. It was fun.

Our walk was filled with TONS of brown - like lots of fun, muddy, brown puddles to jump in: And, of course, lots and lots of white snow everywhere still

We saw the neighbor's red, white, and blue flag blowing in the wind:Aidan got out his red with white and black Harley Powerwheels at the end of the walk We can't forget the white with brown trim and black tires bus - affectionately known as "Bertha"

The white and brown bare tree branches were very pretty for a change

A red with white writing wagon and black wheels that (oops) got left outside way back in November

The red fire hydrant

Lots of black tires at the tire shop

Aidan's red, white, blue, and black bike

Blue steps; blue and white bucket; white post at the vegetable stand a few blocks away

Aidan's blue and black helmet; our blue stroller, Nathanial's blue coat

A red and white sign on a brown post

Preschool!!!

Aidan started preschool yesterday and it went great! He wasn't so sure Sunday night that he really wanted to start school and was pretty nervous. Monday morning he got up and didn't say a whole lot about it, but then started asking when he was going around 10. I told him after dinner and he then couldn't wait to eat.

At 12:10, we packed everyone up and headed for school. He went in like such a big boy, hung up his bookbag, and got out his "homework". He noticed two little girls sharing their homework and he jumped right in and showed them. Then he went in and found his name, got a sticker for his name, and found his seat. They have free play at the beginning and he picked out a book to read and sat down with it. I then left. When I picked him up, he was so happy and had so much fine, but also really worn out. He slept for about an hour when we got home. He loves it and I am so thankful that it went well!

We introduced sippy cups to the babies and they had so much fun with that. They have been trying to figure it all out and discover what it might possibly hold. Nathanial and Ethan have figured out where to put it and how it works, but can't quite get too much out yet. Noah is having a little bit more difficult time with it.

As always, there are photos on the dropshots page. From now on, I will be using this for our updates because I fear they are going to delete the babies' webpage when they turn one. I have added links to both the babies'website and the dropshots page on the bottom right of this webpage.