2 1/2 years oldI can't believe my babies.... toddlers are 2 1/2!! Oh, the time is really flying by and I just wanted to take some time and write down a few things that go on in a day in the life with my three 2.5 year olds.
Here is our schedule and no, it's not followed daily, but we try. It is getting harder with everyone wanting to "do it by themself"!! Everything is taking a LOT longer, but they are doing great ;)
The kiddos usually wake up around 7:30/8:00ish and stay in their beds & chatter until 8:00am. Then I go in & get them (one of my favorite parts of the day!) I love their greetings... "I awake" "Good morning Momma" "I ready to get up" and all other sorts of things... you never know what Brooklen is going to say, she has all sorts of off the wall sayings. I get their diapers changed & it's off for breakfast at the table in booster seats. Everyone has to climb up themselves & snap their straps- yes, themself! Their favorite breakfast is pancakes & they can usually eat almost 6 pancakes between the 3 of them. They also have a can of fruit (pears, peaches or oranges).
After breakfast we brush teeth and comb hair. I try to get their hair combed while they practice brushing their teeth & getting a drink of water, by themself. Then I try to pick out some clothes & we head downstairs to get dressed & play. Right now we either watch a little Sesame Street, but they are starting to lose interest. They are preferring Mickey Mouse & Handy Manny, so we try to watch a little something while we try to get dressed. Caitlen is doing the best at getting dressed by herself (she's had more practice w/ the stripping at nap & bedtimes) but they are all trying.
After everyone is dressed we have a little craft time. We usually color with crayons. We may be trying markers after Christmas... washable markers! It's pretty funny watching them choose what color of crayon they want: Austen always wants blue and just blue, Caitlen wants purple and sometimes green and Brooklen likes pink, orange or red. We have also played with playdoh and I'm trying to come up with other fun crafts to do. We play with cars, our baby dolls or blocks.
Lunchtime is between 11:30 / noon. So, we head up stairs for usually a sandwich or noodles and a veggie. Then fresh fruit and maybe yogurt covered raisins, a few M&M's or something for dessert.
After lunch & clean up we've been watching a show, either Mickey Mouse, Handy Manny or Backyardigans. Then it's time to change diapers and read a few books before nap time usually between 1:30 & 2:00pm. **Caitlen still needs a reminder to keep her clothes ON! She goes for a few weeks w/o taking them off & then out of the blue I'll find her stripped down, little stinker.
They usually nap for a couple of hours. Caitlen is the biggest stinker when it comes to napping, some days she skips nap & we enjoy some one on one time. But I'd prefer she still nap a couple hours, I'm not ready to give up "my" time for me in the afternoon, that is usually when I try to walk some on the treadmill, catch up on a soap, read or just listen to the quiet! The girls have each crawled out of the cribs, but really only a couple of times. I'm sure big kid beds are in our near future.
After nap we either play upstairs while I fix dinner or head back downstairs (where most of the toys are) to play until daddy gets home or it's time for dinner.
Dinner is around 5:30pm which is again a sandwich, noodles, nuggets or something me & DJ are eating and a veggie. Then fresh fruit as a “closer”.
Then is their time to play with daddy since he's been gone all day. We run around playing hide & seek, run & have daddy throw them up in the air & horsey rides.
Then around 7:00pm it's time to brush teeth, change diapers, get on p.j.'s & read a few books before bedtime between 7:30-8:00pm.
We still have the gates at the top & the bottom of the stairs, but they are all doing great on the stairs. We'll probably keep the one at the top of the stairs on for a while just so no one falls down and gets hurt.
Their little arms are just getting longer each day & we have to keep moving stuff higher & higher & watching where we leave our beverages or they get split with little adventurers trying to get them!
Austen: Almost always goes to sleep without any problems. Just hug & kiss, lay in bed, cover up, sometimes sing the ABC’s, Rock a Bye or Lullaby w/ him and he is good to go, great sleeper! He can walk up the stairs alternating feet. He likes to play with his cars, blocks & read books. Loves the books where he has to find the item in the picture.
Caitlen: Is our ornery sleeper. She just isn't as tired as the other 2, but I still make her lay down at nap & bedtime at the same time (for now) If she is awake during naptime for too long I'll give her a book to read & after about an hour of quiet time, if she is still awake I'll get her up. Caitlen doesn’t like to go to sleep mad, if she is crying give her an extra hug & kiss, cover her up & she'll be good. Caitlen likes to sing Lullaby and Twinkle Twinkle before she goes to bed. Caitlen wants to do EVERYTHING by herself "I do it" is her most frequent saying. She is getting really good at getting dressed and getting most of the stuff she needs (wants)
Brooklen: Usually goes to sleep pretty good, but is the one that wakes up in the night the most. Not sure if she has nightmares, vivid dreams or what, but she doesn't like it when something wakes her up & she sometimes struggles to fall back asleep. We just go & rub her back for a bit and that usually helps.
They all love to tell knock knock jokes & I think they know 4 or 5 jokes. I love it when they tell them to each other, it's just too cute. Here are their 3 favorite knock, knock jokes to tell:
Knock, Knock Who's there? Justin Justin who? Justin the neighborhood
Knock, Knock Who's there? Banana Banana who? Knock, Knock Who's there? Banana Banana who? Knock, Knock Who's there? Orange Orange who? Orange you glad I didn't say banana.
Knock, Knock.. Who's there? Tank.... Tank who?... You're Welcome
They also all love to read, which I just love because I'm not a big reader, but I wish I was & want my kids to like to read. They love the look & find books and there are a few books that they can read to us!
Most of the time they play great together and try really hard to take turns with each other. I love to watch them with each other. Taking each other their toys, making them pretend pancakes, helping them up when they fall.
One of my hopes for them is that they stay the best of friends and always help each when needed, especially when they fall. I think being a triplet is such an awesome gift they were given . They get to enjoy everything with each other. Yes, I do think they miss out on some one on one with mommy & daddy and other things, but having each other,
always having each other, is such a great gift!
Oh, sniff... sniff... my babies are growing so fast. It's hard to believe they are 2. It's hard to believe just how much they have learned and how much they have grown. I do try to sit back each day and enjoy them for who they are & how great they are doing. Yes, they do stress me out and send me close to the edge, but everyday they always make me smile. Happy 2 1/2 birthday my babies!
Austen isn't a fan of the cold weather and snow, he was the first to want to come in. So, me & Austen headed inside to make some Hot Chocolate for everyone to enjoy. We've been watching The Polar Express (oh, the kiddos LOVE it!!), so while we were enjoying Hot Chocolate we sang the song "Hot, Hot, Hot Chocolate"
The 2nd trip to see Santa was at the MAMOM (Marion area mother's of multiples) Christmas party which was at the Playstation (the kids had a blast there!) Santa & Mrs. Claus were both there, but the kids wouldn't get close enough for a picture. They barely got close enough to grab a candy cane from Mrs. Claus. This was a fun visit though because we had more time in the room with the Claus' and we chatted with them for a few minutes from about 3 feet away.
Here are a few picture of the kiddos Christmas morning opening gifts. Yes, they love their Santa & Mrs. Santa hats and just had to wear them =)
The girls enjoying their trikes and princess shoes.