11 months and 5 days old

Paul, Clay, Seth - ready to go eat some breakfast!!!

I am in complete shock that this is where we are right now. I feel like I say it in every single post, but this past year has just flown by. We are just SO thrilled with how healthy the boys have been; with the exception of this week. The entire Kesler Crew is pretty much down for the count. We are all just taking care of each other at this point! We are thinking that this funk started a couple of weeks ago because we had to take the boys in for their flu shots. Paul was already not feeling well before that and now he has passed his germs over to his brothers and parents. Our poor little Clay has the worst of it though, probably because he was the last to get it. It could be worse, I know, but I am not use to having to take care of a less that stellar me, my sinusy husband, and three infants with the runniest noses EVER! I could probably win some sort of weird contest with all the snot being produced in the Kesler House.....not really....I don't even want to think about snot. Let's just nix the contest before it happens and have hopes that we are all better soon.

The boys playing in the kitchen. They LOVE that big window!

Paul and Clay sitting still long enough for me to catch their adorable faces!

There is Seth, just taking it all in....or his he plotting his next move? :)

I've really been taking time everyday to think about my life this time last year. In case you were wondering, I was LAID up in a hospital bed, and little did I know that I would be there almost a month longer. I didn't really get into the Holidays last year, for obvious reasons. It's just hard to celebrate when you uncomfortable, anxious, and just plain scared about the future to come. Being home with my boys is the sweetest thing. It has not been easy AT ALL, but it's worth it to us to make it happen and have faith that it will all work out. I am actively looking for work from home, so if any of our followers have some good leads to send my way....I welcome the conversation. I am sure that this first Christmas/NYE/1st Birthday with the boys is going to be very bitter sweet for us. My sweet little babies, I can't wait to see who they become....BUT NOT TOO FAST YOU HEAR!!!

We've been working on our holiday card to send out. It is TOUGH TOUGH TOUGH to get these guys to stay together to pose for a photo. But you all know me, when I am determined to do something I find a way to get it done! I'm sure it will be funny anyway! :)

Please leave me comments!!! I love hearing your thoughts on my blog entries. I have also been toying around the idea of doing a post where I answer questions for you. What do you think? You could post a comment or write it to me in an email. If I get some questions, I will happily dedicate a post to that. If I don't, well I may just post some questions that I know you people want to know. Let's work this out together, I'm all about the team work! Until we meet again....

10 months

Seth, Clay, and Paul (L to R)

Playing outside (Seth, Paul, & Clay - L to R)

Paul, Seth, Clay (L to R)

Wow - I can hardly believe that our little guys are 10 months old today. I was SO pregnant this time last year and now look what we have. We just look at them in disbelief everyday. We are still keeping them on a very tight schedule, it's the only way for us to remain sane! As winter is approaching our doctor has warned us about taking the boys out and having lots of visitors. You know, germs for 3 boys equals BAD NEWS!!! (Especially for their Mom who has to stay home with them.) So, fair warning - if you're wanting to visit please make sure you are well and get ready to wash your hands a LOT!!! More pictures to come soon!

Be sure to get out and vote tomorrow. History is going to be made, be a part of it!

9 months and counting

The boys are ALL over the place! They are crawling like mad and scooting around in their walkers like professionals. Shane and I are getting lots of excercise chasing after them, we're also getting bruised toes from them rolling over our feet in their walkers. It really is funny, we let them pretty much roam our entire downstairs area. They LOVE having the freedom! I'll post some more pictures soon, finding time is tough these days! ;)

Happy Anniversary!

Today is the first day of Fall and it's also our 7th wedding anniversary!

I know I say it all the time, but TIME is really flying by. I can't believe that we are celebrating our 7th anniversary already. It seems like just yesterday that Shane and I graduated college, moved to St. Louis and got married. (I would also like to note, that we dated 4 1/2 years steady before we got married....get your calculators out, that's 11 1/2 years!!!)

So, what were you all doing this time last year?

This time last year I was SO pregnant with triplets, but still having a good time! Shane and I were actually in Memphis with lots of friends for a 2-night concert run with our favorite band WIDESPREAD PANIC!!! Guess who was the designated driver for the weekend? ;) I didn't mind because I was driving our friend Chris Jenkins' awesome ride. It was such a good time, but I was SO tired. Who's idea was it to drive all the way back to our house from Memphis after the concert? Oh yeah, that would be me...I'm glad it was on the weekend.

Happy Anniversary Shane!

No turning back......

P, S, & C (left to right)

S, P, & C (Left to right)

We've achieved another milestone for our sweet boys, they are 8 months old TODAY!!! People say this often, but time is flying by - there is no turning back the clock.....

Updates on everyone.....

Clay has 2 bottom teeth, he loves to smile and show them off! He loves it when his Daddy kisses on his neck, he always throws his head back laughing. The last time I weighed him, he weighed in at about 15 pounds.

Paul also has 2 bottom teeth, whenever we hold him he holds on SO tight....it's just the cutest thing. He is VERY aware of his brothers and loves to reach out and touch them when he is near Clay or Seth. He also loves it when his Daddy tickles him, his laugh is SO cute! The last time I weighed him, he weighed in at about 15 1/2 pounds.

Seth is the "King of all Teeth" - he has 2 bottom teeth and has 2 top ones coming in! (He's ready to eat one of his Daddy's steaks.) His laugh is funny, there is really no way to describe it. Only his Daddy can find his tickle spots and make him smile, but I can just look at him and he gives me the sweetest grin. The last time I weighed him, he weighed in at about 16 pounds.

3 boys

Here are pics of our happy boys! Can you guess who is who?

New gadgets

(Left to right) Clay, Paul, & Seth enjoying their new highchairs! No more feeding them propped up in their boppy loungers, they are strapped in now. Our first feeding went very well!

The boys trying out their new bottle holders from Yaya and Papa Al. I would recommend these for any parent with multiples! They are SO light and easy to use. Why didn't I invent these?

Adventure for 4

Clay, Seth, Paul, and I decided to take a little adventure today. We went to the pharmacy, grocery store, and to visit their Dad all by ourselves!! Now, this is not our first adventure in the car with just the 4 of us, but it is our first adventure OUT of the car.

Going to the pharmacy and to see Shane was easy as we didn't have to get out of the car. It was the grocery store adventure that would be the REAL test. I have to give kudos to the staff at our local Kroger, they were so nice, friendly, and helpful. Picture this: me walking through the grocery store with Clay in the backpack while pushing Seth and Paul in the double stroller. We were getting a lot of looks! It was kind of weird having people just stare....don't you know that as soon as I would look at them they would turn and look in the other direction. Others would look at me with this unmistakable expression as if seeming to say, "that poor girl". I just kind of chuckle inside at all of these people, they have no idea how great it really is.

It was too hard to push or pull an actual grocery cart while I had the double stroller and Clay with me, so I decided to get just a few things and put them in the bottom of the stroller. Thankfully, I was able to get what I needed quickly. As I went to check out, a Kroger employee unloaded my stroller of goods while another bagged my items and got a cart to help me outside. They helped me unload the items in my vehicle and I was thrilled with our accomplished adventure!

In the words of my dear friend, Krilecia, I am embracing my new life. This little adventure was tough; a real work out! But now I am confident that I can take the boys out on my own - people staring at us and all!!! :)

Big Boys

Everyone sitting around watching CARS!

Seth (L) and Clay (R) playing together.

Paul (L) and Clay (R) playing together.

Seth wants you to meet Frank and Lefty, who appeared over night!

The boys went in to see their doctor last week for a check-up and more shots - UGH!!!! They all did VERY well and were just glad to get it over with. We did get news that we can switch their formula from the expensive high calorie formula to the regular Similac Advanced. The switch went very well, I don't even think they noticed. The boys are also doing really good eating their cereals, fruits, and veggies. It's messy, but they enjoy it!

We've also had a change in their sleeping habbits this week. They are FINALLY sleeping through the night! YIPPEE!!!! They still stir in the wee hours of the morning, but they are getting there. :)

Now on to their new weights: Seth - 14 lbs, 13oz and 27 inches long. Paul - 14 lbs, 3oz and 26 3/4 inches long. Clay - 13 lbs 10oz and 26 1/4 inches long.

We just can't believe how much they have grown! They are getting to be such big boys!

Hanging out with the boys

The choas that surrounds "feeding time"! :)

How cute are they? (Paul, L/Clay,R)

Need I say more?

Seth - entertains himself!

Paul (left) Clay (right) - aren't their legs cute?

Seth (left) Paul (right)

Clay

Everyday changes.....

Paul

Clay

Seth

Here are some recent photos of the boys. They were all taken one morning after they finished breakfast. Don't they all look happy? They are all really good babies and seem to always be happy. Usually, the only time they get upset is when they're tired or hungry. (They get that from their Daddy!)

We've taken a couple of road trips and the boys have done SO well when we travel. It's a hoot to see my Tahoe loaded down with babies and all of their gear. Honestly, it wears me out to pack up all of their stuff. I am a list maker, so I make lists of everything we'll need a few days in advance. Don't you know, that I usually forget something....these kids are sucking away my brain cells!

The nights have gotten better. They boys are sleeping a LOT longer and we are SO happy! We usually have them in bed around 9:30pm and they are sleeping until about 4:45am. They will get up and take a bottle, then go back to sleep for a few hours. We can not wait for them to sleep on through. Because they are sleeping longer they are skipping a feeding. I use to make 18 bottles for a 24 hour period, now I make 15. It still equals out to A LOT OF FORMULA!!!

The boys are eating cereal now, with a spoon, and we're trying some fruits and veggies out with them. Let me tell you, it is NOT easy to feed them. It takes about an hour to get through each meal and it is really hard on my back. (I should note that my back is still not right since giving birth.)

Seth, Clay, and Paul are all REALLY good at flipping over. Seth is a little ball of energy, we know it won't be long until we have 3 crawling babies all over our house! It's going to be complete madness I'm sure!

We also discovered that Seth has 2 teeth!!! I can hardly believe it, but he does. His 2 bottom teeth just appeared over night and he is just TOO cute! He loves to smile and show them off. They don't seem to be bothering him that much, probably because he sprouted them overnight. ;) He gets those pretty teeth from his Mom. Yaya (my mom) told be that my big brother, Ben, and I both got 2 teeth in when we were 3 months old. So, Shane and I are curious to see when Clay and Paul will start getting some.

The number 3 is BACK. I'm turning the BIG 3-0 this Friday, the 4th!!!! Yaya is going to babysit so that Shane and I can go to a local Blues Festival - we are SO excited. :)

We go back to the doctor next week with the boys for a check up. I will post new stats on them then. Until then.....

Some new pics

(From left to right) Clay, Paul, & Seth

My first lilly to come out in my new lilly garden.

Clay, hanging out with his cousin Avery

Clay, playing with his cousin - Ana Collins

P ... being silly

(From left to right) Paul, Seth, & Clay

We're still here.....

Wow! I have NOT had time to post any new blogs in a while!!!! I know it probably goes unsaid, but it sure is hard to find the time when you have 3 infants to take care of. :)

We just got back home from taking the boys on their first BIG road trip. We took them to our "home" town and it was really not that bad! I had no idea what to pack, so we just took a little bit of everything. It was about a 2 hour road trip and the boys pretty much slept the whole way in the car going and coming. It was SO nice to get them to our home town and see so many people. We stayed at Nana and Big Daddy's house and did not leave, it was so nice having everyone come see us. In the past when we go "home" we usually spend most of the time driving from one place to another. We had a lot of visitors, but it was nice to just sit still. The boys got to meet Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Second Cousins, Great Aunts, Great Great Aunts, Great Uncles, Great Grandmothers, and LOTS of friends that have been waiting to see them. It got REAL crazy at Nana and Big Daddy's Saturday night, but the boy were eating it up - they LOVED getting all the attention, I loved just having a "break"!

I'll post some new pictures soon. I promise not to wait another month to update!

Our next adventure

So, we all ventured out to Wal-Mart today. Shane had 2 of the boys in the double stroller, and I had the other with me in a cart. We split up when we got there so that Shane could exchange some formula while I grabbed a few things. We were feeling adventurous, but we didn't want to make a whole day of it or anything. We just wanted to get what we needed and get out. You know, just to try it out.....

We got a lot of looks from everyone, but we were practically running through the store. So, no time to sit and make conversation or anything. The few people that were around us long enough to get a sentence out kept saying, "Is that 3 babies?" I wanted to say, "No, people it's 5!" You know, just to get a good laugh. I felt like Bill Engvall....."here's your sign."

We did meet a worker at Wal-Mart that had twin boys that were born 4 months early and in the NICU for 4 months. Both of them had to have a couple of surgeries. Don't worry, they are doing great now - 16 months old according to their proud Father......Boy, my family sure has been fortunate!

Off we go!

Getting ready for our big adventure!

Mom and the boys

Seth & Paul

Dad and the boys

This one is just a funny picture!

Here are some recent photos of our crew. We decided to take the boys on a picnic Sunday and it was really nice! The weather was perfect and the boys did really good. We took them for a walk and then sat for a picnic. Thinking back, I don't think any of them got upset the whole time! It was really awesome.

Three!

If April showers do bring may flowers, I hope they won't be drowning mine! I can't wait for some prettier weather. We are so ready for May to get here so that we can leave the house with the boys. All of us are looking forward to getting out and doing something as a family - it's been a while! I am sure it will be an experience worth sharing with all of you. Something for all my readers to look forward too......

The boys are 3 months old - TODAY! We can hardly believe that we've already had them for 3 months. It has made us realize that time truly does fly by. The boys are growing and changing every day, each of them with their own distint personalities. It's amazing to just look at our 3 babies and know that they were all created at the same time. It still blows my mind.

Hanging out

Paul, Clay, and Seth

hanging out in the recliner

Luke and Clay

The boys

Here are some recent photos of the boys. As you can see, Luke had to make his way in there too! I'm sure some of you are wondering why Luke is in the house and in these photos........hasn't he been banished to live outside? Well, Luke has been letting us know in his own way that he is not an outside dog. Since his last little adventure cost him a trip to the vet and 5 staples in his leg, we have temporarily allowed him back inside. We'll see how this works out!

Seth (Big Boy)

8lbs 6oz

Paul (Sweet Pea)

7lbs 6 oz

Clay (Baby boy)

7lbs 4 oz

The boys hanging out together

(Paul below, Clay & Seth together)

Our first snow in our new house

Our house, early that morning

Our back deck

Part of our yard and the land behind us

Our LONG driveway - yes that's ice!