I taught her well...

That's right Asjia...it doesn't matter what your hair or outfit looks like, as long as you a rockin the high heels life is good!

I guess investing in a TV that could be mounted on the wall in order to keep the kids from standing right in front of it really didn't work after all.

Holiday Weekend

We just Love Love Love these 3 day weekends! First and foremost...our thoughts & prayers go out to all of the fallen soldiers. Thank You to each of them and those still fighting for our Country. Regardless of how I or anyone else feel about the War in Iraq or War in general, these young men are the reason we sleep comfortably at night without the sounds of sirens and bombs tormenting us. Thank You for your courage & self sacrifice.

On that note, we had a great time celebrating the weekend. Saturday nights dinner was great at Buca di Beppo. The kids had just enough petience to sit through dinner...YAY! Sunday we spent with the 3lb crew BBQing and letting the kids be kids. We always have so much fun with them and it means the world to me that our kids have eachother too! Monday was nice and relaxing. A little shopping, burgers on the grill, and family time....what's better than that?

It's the little things...

Can I just tell you that I am so excited about Saturday's dinner at Buca di Beppo that I couldn't care less about the craziness involved with taking the triplets out to dinner! They can go right ahead and throw spaghetti wherever they please, I have been craving this for about a year now so, BRING IT ON...mmmmmm

What's up with that?

Ok...so i know Im a little blog happy today but I am a tiny bit dissapointed with the Gap right now. I have been waiting for them to get the Gap Red products for kids and finally they get it....ummmmmmm, but it only goes to 24mos!!! What is up with that? Only infants want to contribute to Aids in Africa? I have plenty of Red for myself and I wanted my bambinos to get with it too.....what the heck were they thinking??? I think I have to send them a little note for this one!

sick babies...

Well the last couple of days have been terrible for the boys. It was really strange, I was doing the dishes and realized there was silence. I peeked around the corner to find the triplets all standing around a puddle of throw up on the floor...yuck! I was confused because everyone seemed fine & I couldn't figure out who had gotten sick. I ushered them into the living room where my next surprise awaited me. Someone had gotten sick all over every piece of furniture in the whole room. It scared me that I had not heard anything and I felt terrible. Needless to say, it was all down hill from there. Luckily it only lasted about 24 hours, probably a flu bug. Asjia & I managed to escape it, but I felt so bad for her. She could see her brothers were sick and she was concerned, but at the same time she still didn't understand why they got priority in my lap. These are the painful parts of having multiples...at times you could really use an extra set of hands and maybe an extra lap too! Today we are all better, Thank You God!

had to show you...

cherish the moments

Yep, we be dancin fools. I caught a glimpse of Kyle's eyelashes today that took me back to when he was a newborn. Something reminded me of his sweet, tiny face brand new. It's crazy how the time has passed and crazy how it feels as though they have been with me for a lifetime. It's a tough task to cherish each moment, but so necessary. I wish I could freeze these images in my mind forever. No picture would do it justice. Every stage, the backround noise, the scent...they change so quickly. Recently I heard a quote with so much meaning behind it, something to remember as each day is there and gone so fast... "every 60 seconds you spend angry, sad, stressed, or frustrated is a minute of joy and happiness in your life that you will never get back"

weekend of *fun *fun *fun

Our weekend was surprisingly relaxing for having so much fun! We spent saturday lunching with our BFF's lala, nana, & miss bebe :) After disrupting all of the good people at Chevy's we made our way to the park and played ourselves to sleep...yay! Saturday was supposed to be my night out but things happened and we ended up lounging on the sofa watching movies. That was actually much needed. Christian was here this weekend and we all snuggled up together. Sunday was great fun at "The Taste of Arlington" with our extended family(the 3lb crew) again...we love them. Yes we were stared at and heard the famous one liners, but it was great to get out in the sunshine and socialize. Food & friends always= good times! Sunday night was family dinner @ the Jones' we had a good time catching up with the fam and playing with cousins, and did I mention there was cheesecake... made it all worth it *wink*

spring carnival

We had lots of fun at the annual spring carnival for our mutliples group!We were even brave and managed a fun dinner with our friends afterward, fun fun fun! Being a part of a multiples group is a great way to bounce ideas off other Mom's & it's nice to know that you are not alone in this crazy experience:)I am most grateful for meeting one of my best friends Angie through our club! Which reminds me of a funny story I must tell:

So my kids are 7 months old & I decide I am brave enough to take a trip to the mall semi-solo. I bribed a teenage neighbor girl to come as an extra set of hands in case of any obstacles. We strolled into Claire's as part of the "helping out" deal and the sales associate is going nuts over the kids. She gives me three lollipops for them and I kindly say no thanks. But, she pushes them at me and says, "just in case you have an emergency". I thought to myself doesn't she see that they are just babies, they don't eat candy yet. Well, low and behold we get out of the store and start walking to my ultimate destination, Baby Gap, and the kids decide to go nuts! Being a new Mom & relatively inexperienced with outings to the mall, I feel my face get hot and red with embarassment. I felt like I stood out as it was walking around with triplets, but now they were all very upset. So I look around and decide, what the heck, let me pull those lollipops out and test the theory... SILENCE:)

Now, mad dash to the Gap! Im shopping around and I see this couple with two strollers and 3 babies which appeared to be the same age. I asked the question that I myself answer day after day to curious onlookers, "are they triplets?" They both kindly answered yes. I said, "wow, I have triplets too". So they get excited and look over. Imagine this...my kids are all hanging out of their stroller drooling over the lollipops in their mouths, dressed like toddlers who had just come from the park. Theirs are all perfectly snuggled into their infant carriers in their little bundle me's. Oh how sweet they looked. We both asked almost simultaneously how old eachothers kids were, "mine are 7 months" I say. "really, so are ours!" OMG, talk about embarassment! My kids were looking & acting much more like 2 year olds at that moment and the embarrasment I had felt during the crying fit could never measure up to the embarassment I felt at that moment. In hindsight the contrast between us was straight up comedy. Needless to say, I quickly lost interest in my Gap mission and left swiftly. Turns out several months later that I would show up at their house for a playdate organized by our multiples club, it just so happens she's a part of it too! We recognized eachother and laughed about it. Funny how things happen, I almost died of embarassment that day at the Gap and now look, she ends up being one of my most best friends! Angie, I hope you know how much I luv you and how glad I am that you are in my life!

A little taste of winter, literally! Finally the snow made a quick appearance, and we managed to get in some playtime. We made snow angels & a snow castle in the back yard. Just when I was about to stop Asjia from eating it I realized that after eating a zillion handfulls of snow as a child, I am still alive and well. No worries!

the triplets turn 2!!!

Wow! Two years have flown by. Time to embrace the terrible twos! We are really looking forward to potty training and getting out of the highchairs...yay! Bottles and pacifiers are a thing of the past, and soon so will diapers and dirty highchairs! It has been such a joy to watch my kids grow and change and see the excitement in their faces when they figure something out & discover new things. I can't wait until the warm weather rolls in and we can actually get down the stairs and in to the car fairly independently...that means lots of good times at the park and out and about!

It scares me to think of just how fast time has passed. Pretty soon they will be in school and I will not know what to do with myself. Second thought, I have plenty of ideas on what to do with myself:) One thing about multiples that makes me feel a little sad is that when these sweet stages are gone, that's it, I will most likely never experience it again. That is why I suck it all up and constantly have the camera in everyones faces, sorry!

Happy 2nd Birthday Little Angels! Mommy Loves You!!!

Christmas 2006

We were so Blessed to have Nina, Grandpa, and our Aunty Jacquie & Sammie here to celebrate the holidays! It just would not be the same without them. The toy situation was a bit out of control, it looked as if we put toys r us out business...lol Asjia had handfulls of hotwheels that she would not share, while mason was preoccupied with sitting in Asjia's new doll stroller. He couldn't understand why it collapsed every time he sat in it. Kyle on the otherhand loved his new vaccuum. He refused to part with it during naps and even in the highchair. It was hillarious. So serious that Chris and I ended up making a trip to Target to get two more so the fighting would stop. It seems like I have waited all of my life for this, to have my kids & my family in my home celebrating Christmas together. It feels good to be all grown up and have life feel complete. I know that the years will just continue to get more exciting during the holidays as the kids get older and understand more. Can't wait!

just when your about to loose it, they make you laugh!

thankfully kids have a way of reminding you just in the nick of time that the laughs are so much more abundant than the cries...

halloween 2006

it was a crazy adventure! we went to the mall to trick or treat with the 3lb girls and wow, we had no idea what we were in for. lets just say...paparazzi! there were a few times when we simply could not get through, one in particular that i snapped a photo of. overall, we had a great time collecting candy for daddy;) the kids were all adorable, we were lions and they were chickens...too funny!

our 1st trip to the zoo!

First off, whoever designed National Zoo should be talked to! Pushing a stroller, especially a triplet stroller up those hills is a serious workout...whew! We had lots of fun at the zoo with our Auntie Tori & cousin Charlie. The elephants and Girafe were favorites I think. I can't wait to try this again next year. Hopefully the kids will be old enough to walk around without getting tired!

Vacation to Jamaica

JAmaica Jamaica...
Well, our trip was AWESOME! What an incredible experience. It was not exactly easy with the kids but the surroundings made it all worth while. The flight there was great, coming home the kids were a bit burnt out. They loved the water, especially Mason. Asjia hated the sand on her hands and feet and would have much preferred lounging in the sun on a chair all day instead of playing on the beach. The food was incredible, and the people were so beautiful. We were very warmly welcomed and the whole staff knew all of us by name....wow. That's not easy for most people to memorize! We had such a good time with our Auntie April, Darrick, and Shay. We can't wait to go back, it was truly something to remember!





Kyle loving the baech...


Asjia in her favorite spot, doing her favorite thing...


Mason is my water baby...

kids at 18mos.

boys 1st haircut

This was one funny experience! Kyle was cool & calm, like he had done this a hundred times before. Mason on the otherhand, let's just say the guys ears are probably still ringing in the barbershop...lol

kitchen sink baths...

Guess it's about that time. We are outgrowing the kitchen sink and it's time to move on to the big bathtub!

Big Boy Kyle! He loves to splas, and in the kitchen sink it looks more like a tidal wave! Definitely ready for the tub!

Asjia like s to pretend she is doing dishes, maybe we can start traing a little early?

Mr. curious trying to figure the whole spout thing out.

triplets first birthday

welcome "asjia simone"

finally, my dream of having a baby girl is answered. i remember the one thought i had when we were told we were having triplets was that i had pretty good chances of having a baby girl like i had always imagined. she was delivered between her brothers...only 1 minute apart for all three. she came out quiet and worried me. she needed a little oxgen but her little face was so beautiful. she was also big and healthy at 5lbs 14oz and had a head full of hair! she was so fun to watch during all of my sonograms. she would always hear our requests for her to nudge kyle and make him move for us. she was smart in the womb and she continues to surprise me with her smarts and intuition to this day. she is my sweet girl, mommie's helper, and someday my little partner in crime...lol

welcome "mason alexander"

oh boy...where do i start with this one. he has definitely been fiesty from conception...lol mason moved and kicked so early and so much throughout my pregnancy that at times i really wondered if i would have excessive stretch marks on his side! like a mommy of triplets has any mercy when it comes to stretch marks, why did i even bother worrying about that? mason kept me entertained. i would often worry about lack of movement and i could always count on a response from him with just a little nudge. he came in to the world screaming and has not stopped since....whew! he is my clown, always a smirk on his face, big flirt, and very healthy set of lungs to let you know when the joke is over!he was smallest at 5lbs 2 oz and i think i will always think of him as the "baby".

welcome "kyle reid"

my sweet kylie bear was the first to arrive in this world. he was big and strong weighing in at 5lbs 15oz. he had a nice hefty cry and then silence.he is my observer. he was such a quiet boy in the womb, and his personality has stayed consistent with that. he had such a beautiful round head and for the first 8 months or so, big blue-grey eyes. i remember having to stretch my arm down very far to rub his part of my belly and give him affection during my pregnancy, i always felt bad that my other two got so much touch. i have since made up for any time lost:)

the happiest day of my life

*writing this in hindsight*

after 3 loooooong months on hospital bedrest, today is the day. i woke up this morning with no idea today was the day. i had my early morning wake up by one of the residents and answered all of the blah blah blah questions. after eating my yucky breakfast, i turned my attention to tv and braced myself for another long day. i was wearing a pair of yellow pj's with cherries all over them that my mom had sent to me. after my first round of monitoring, dr. al-khoutly comes in to check on me. she looked at me symapthetically and said, "you are very uncomfortable aren't you?", of course my answer was yes. not even 30 minutes later she was back to alert me to call my my husband chris, today was the day! a few hours later nurses were in and out of my room moving my decor(i literally lived there) to my new post-pardum room. the whole situation was so sureal. i had prayed, pleaded, and begged for this day and finally it was here. i suddenly was so scared and wanted to get dressed and make a run for it. i wonder if anyone would notice? no one would pay any attention to a woman resembling shrek walking down the street in a hospital gown would they? i seriously considered it...

after a couple of hours in triage, i was wheeled in to the o.r where there would soon be a crowd of more than 15 people. the whole process was so quick and such a blur from that point. i remember pulling my oxygen mask off because i felt like it was suffocating me, i remember them rocking my body back and forth, i can remember the look on chris' face, and then....

the sweet sound of my little angels first cries. what a moment. to see each one come in to the world and hear their cries...nothing can describe this moment. i remember EXACTLY what each one looked like and how they sounded, that memeory is forever.

thank you dearly to God for this tremendous blessing...i often wonder why he chose me? i never felt deserving of such an amazing blessing, but i am flattered. thank you dearly to all of my friends & family who helped me get through such a trying time in the hospital. thank you to dearly to all of the wonderful nurses and dr. al-khoutly who helped me to get my precious angels here safely. and last but not least, thank you dearly to my husband who was there by my side day and night & still somehow managed to function at work and remodel our home while i was in the hospital....you are a rockstar.

we are having TRIPLETS!!!

It was June 16th 2004

I should first start by saying that all I have truly ever wanted in life was to be a Mommy. I have always imagined myself with a big, happy family. For the first few years of our relationship Chris and I had assumed that this just was not a biological possibility for us. I had been married before and never gotten pregnant when most people would have, and with terribly irregular periods I figured something was wrong. I had done much praying about it and always remained hopeful. I always felt so guilty(the Catholic in me*haha*) asking God for this gift knowing that I would have gladly accepted it before we were actually married, and secretly wishing it would happen NOW! I was ready to start a family! We were busy planning our wedding and we decided I should see a fertility specialist since my GYN did not seem to share our concern over my irregular periods- I had not had one in 8 months at that point! I scheduled an appt. and shortly after found out that I was not ovulating on my own. My Doctor put me on a low dose of Chlomid, as well as a horomone to trigger my period to try and jumpstart things. Our plan was to get the eggs flowing & the body regulated so that we could hopefully get pregnant as soon as we got married...if it happened before then we would count our Blessings and still be over the moon.

Month 1 on Chlomid, Chris and I loose all sight of the fact that we are in the middle of planning our wedding and we continue on having loads of that pre-marriage pre-children sex and just "see if it works". In all honesty, I think we were in disbelief that it would work. We both wanted to have children together so badly and I think somewhere in the back of our minds we thought it would never happen for us.

Beginning of month two, after following close instructions from my Doctor, I waited to see if my period started on its own- it did not. In the case that it did not, I was to take a pregnancy test. To make a long story a little shorter, I did, it was barely positive and we were in complete disbelief. Could the test be defective, possibly on the shelf to long at Target? Could it be true? Could I really be someone's Mommy someday soon???

After confirming the positive reading with a blood test, we were thrilled that our doctor had scheduled us for an early ultrasound. It was perfect, we were a week away from flying out to Las Vegas to vacation with my family andI had always imagined the day that I would surprise my parents with that very first photo of their grandchild. I was diligently planning a creative presentation of our big surprise...

As the sonogram began, Chris moved to my side & the Doctor & Nurse stood together reading the screen.I could barely stand not seeing, all I wanted to do was see something that reinforced thatI really was pregnant...please someone tell me Im not dreaming! so the Doc starts counting 1...2...3..and looks to the nurse. she says yep, that's three. meanwhile, as this was the furthest thing from my mind, Im wondering when they will stop the Doctor lingo and show me something. The nurse looks over calmly and says "your having triplets". Her and the Doc both giggle, and Chris' face looses all color(note-he is a Black Man). I said, "baby, they are just joking...lol" and they both shake their heads no. "We don't joke about things like this" she says. "There are three heartbeats, all beating equally as strong"...That moment was what I imagine an out of body experience to be. I saw myself lying there, but never in a million years believed that what they were saying they were saying about me. ME? TRIPLETS? I always dreamed of having one child, and I thought twins only happened to super lucky lottery winning type of people, but never ever imagined triplets as a possibility for me. Surely this was a mistake...

My Doctor, God bless her, was a bit nervous sending us out of the office. She later admitted her reservations & told me that we were both pale and silent. Chris & I had met eachother that day and driven separate cars. We sat together in the parking lot just staring off, not knowing what had hit us. We parted ways, pretty much silently and drove home. I think we walked around for a good week in complete shock before the excitement began to surface. We would have to hold in the big secret for just a few days longer before we dropped this bomb on the rest of our unsuspecting family!