Play Time!

Little Daniel loves his new activity mat!

When he kicks the little piano at the end,

he is rewarded with a little song.

So fun for baby -

and a lifesaver for Mom, too,

because it buys me 10-15 minutes of time with my arms free!

 Daniel likes his swing and bouncy seat, too,

but not nearly as much as that piano activity mat!

Bath Time

We're still working out the kinks in our new life with three kids.

(Any and all survival tips are welcome!)

Things can get pretty darn hectic around here!

Lately, we've been trying out a bedtime routine that involves

bathing all 3 kids at the same time -

Kate and Matthew together in the big tub

and Daniel in the baby bathtub on the floor.

The Downsides:

- It's really noisy

- We inevitably end up with tons of water on the floor

- It takes the full attention of 2 adults

The Upsides:

- All 3 kids end up (mostly) clean

- It's actually a pretty fun way to spend our family time together

Besides, there's nothing sweeter than a clean baby!

Disney on Ice

Kate and Matthew really enjoyed Disney on Ice!

We got to see all of the Peter Pan characters,

all of the Lion King characters,

most of the princesses,

and The Mouse himself!

The kids enjoyed the ice skating...

but the sno cones were a huge hit too!

Our First Field Trip

A couple of weeks ago, I got to chaperone Kate's very first school field trip.

It was something of a rite of passage for both of us -

and we both loved every minute of it!

We went to the National Gallery of Art - via Metro!

Kate was actually pretty "in" to looking at the art

for about an hour.

She now reports that Picasso and Matisse are her favorite artists.

I can't wait for our next field trip!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day

from the Three Amigos!

Talking to Gran

I was pretty sick for over a week -

so my wonderful Mom came to the rescue!

Sometimes I need her as much as my little ones need me -

and I am so thankful that she was willing and able to come take care of us!

As most of you know, my mom is the "Baby Whisperer."

So, she and Daniel are like two peas in a pod.

Can you see the adoration in his face

as he "talks" to Gran?

Snuggle Time with Siblings

Kate and Matthew both love to hold Daniel.

They call it "snuggle time" and

we try to help them get in some snuggle time

in every day!

(Notice that Matthew is holding Daniel's hand.

So sweet!)