What we did in September, part 1

I didn't really think we did much in September... it felt like a slow and lazy month. Then I went through my instagram feed and I guess we were a little active after all!

We went to the Children's Museum.

I made a garlic press tray to work on fine motor skills. The object was to pour water from the pitcher onto the sponges, place a sponge in the press, then press the water into the empty bowl.

Miller was really into it. Look at that concentration!

I went to a movie with my mom and Emery, and my littlest sister babysat the boys. They made a massive blanket fort that they loved so much I kept it set up for 2 days:

Marshall continued to run in to see Emery each morning:

I thought the boys needed to be held a lot as infants... then I had this one. Most days I wear her between 8-10 hours, then rock her for a few more. I don't mind, because I know one day it will be a distant memory. And since I wear her I still have two free hands to play with the boys and do chores, yet she feels like she's being held. It's a win-win. Here she is in the moby wrap:

Peacefull sleeper:

8 weeks!

Lots of made up inside games when it was too hot to play outside:

Miller developed an obsession with lemons:

Emery sleeping in the maya wrap (ring sling) while I made dinner and cleaned the kitchen.

Marshall stopped wanting to take baths or showers. So I started making them more enticing. I told him he didn't have to shower, but I had a new game called "balloon party." They loved it.

We took the kids to a local feed store that was having a petting zoo and bbq lunch:

Emery got cuter day by day:

One day Marshall told me they wanted to "play something messy." So I got out paints, shaving cream, water, brushes, and told them to have it it.

I'd say it was mission accomplished.

In so many ways, I feel like going from 2-3 kids has been easier than 1-2. One of the biggest ones is because Marshall and Miller entertain eachother. This day I walked into the living room and found them giggling and whispering together on the floor:

Emery started getting more expressive:

We made a few morning masterpieces.

My sister got Emery this beautiful dress. I kept waiting for a special occasion to put it on her then decided to just have a fancy day at home before she outgrew it:

This is what is actually going on outside the frame 99% of the time I'm trying to take her picture:

I tried to teach Miller how to play hide-and-seek. He doesn't quite get the hide part:

Jerad and I got out for our first date night with NO kids. My little sister, her boyfriend, my mom, AND my dad came over to watch the kids for 2 hours. They survived and we had fun. We had dinner at Firestone, then went to Cold Stone for dessert.

I tried to get a picture of all three. Pretty impossible.

9 weeks:

I pulled out the Halloween costumes to see if any fit. Then I died of cuteness:

They wanted to wear costumes the next day too while they pretended to drive Jerad's Plymouth. This is the face Marshall makes when he makes monkey sounds:

I made a dessert sensory box:

The little monkeys loved it:

Baby war cry:

At least twice a week we do a "treasure hunt" on the walking trails in the green belt across from our house:

They also like making mud:

Needless to say, I wash a lot of laundry.

Matching skeleton sweats:

I froze a bunch of toys in ice blocks, gave them some tools, and told them to get the treasures.

They stayed busy for an hour and a half:

Sleeping in our bed:

Jerad was FINALLY home for one weekend day and I begged him to build a few things I've been saving from Pinterest. He built this awesome water pipe thing to go over their water table. It's all adjustable and they've played with it daily since. It took him about 30 minutes and $5 since we had most of the fittings already:

He also built this "pirate ship" that's been floating around Pinterest. I love how open ended it is. We had all the wood, and I made the sail out of an old sheet. We only had to buy the pulley and rope so this cost under $10 as well!

We took a family trip to the beach. It was the first time we'd ALL went together. All 3 kids, all 3 dogs.

It was a blast. The dogs and kids were so well behaved I'm almost feeling brave enough to try it alone. Almost:)

We're in a good groove. I'm trying to save money so I try to entertain the boys at home as much as possible. Marshall goes to preschool on Monday and Wednesday. I try to get as much cleaning done on those two days as possible because I only have Miller running around making messes:) I also try to take him somewhere like the park or to PetCo (to look at the animals) or something fun so he gets a little "one on one" time... well, we have Emery too so it's not really one on one but there is no older brother to boss him around. We go to the Children's Museum and Library each once per week. I try to get all the grocery shopping done on Sunday. I was doing it while Marshall was at school so I didn't have to lug three kids with me, but Marshall really likes pushing the little carts at Trader Joes. We've been meeting up for playdates or hosting them at least once a week too. Now that I'm not going back to work, I'm really thinking of starting a preschool age co-op, and a toddler one as well.

So, that catches us up through the first half of September!