Goodbye Big Toys & Hello New Playroom

Today was a very bittersweet day. The boys have been spending much more time moving around on the floor strutting those new crawling and sitting up on their own skills. With standing right on the horizon, we felt it was time to retire the jumping toys. Daily, we have been laying out blankets for the boys to play on when they are on the floor. We have finally reached the point where the blankets, no matter how large, will not contain the boys.

Our new and improved family/play room is now fully covered with soft tiles allowing the boys to roam free (sort of). We have a portion of our play yard fence in front of the fireplace, diaper champ and lower shelf of the built-in wall unit. We also place our ottoman between the love seat and the pack-n-play creating a fully contained play room where the boys can roam.

The boys seem to like their new flooring and we find it much easier to clean up. The only tiny problem so far is that Jared seems to like the edge pieces. He finds them particularly tasty and they actually function as the best teethers we own!

The bitter part of the day was moving all of the jumperoos, excersaucer and swings to the garage. It is really hitting me how fast the boys are growing up. I started to tear up as Mike moved each of these pieces out of the living room. It seems like it was just yesterday that we were getting these items at our shower and he was putting them together. One of the jumperoos has already found a new home. Until we find new homes for all of the other toys, every time I walk into the "land where toys go to die" (aka - the garage), I am reminded of how far we have come in such a short time. These toys brought such joy to the boys and help to us as parents, it is sad to see them in their new holding cell.....

Dear toys,

We loved you! When we were alone with the boys, you were our extra arms! When the boys needed entertainment, you were there for us. You helped keep the boys amused, you helped teach the boys to jump and stand, you helped soothe them while we were feeding or bathing another brother, you helped put the boys to sleep and most of all.... you helped keep us sane! We will never forget your service to our team! I hope you each receive a new assignment and enjoy your new family.

Sincerely,

Mama & Papa Darnell

Bad Blogger to Mad Blogger

I have been really busy over the past month and I had fallen significantly behind in my blogging duties. Over the past several days and nights, I have turned from a bad blogger into a mad blogger! I have created 23 new posts that include many videos and a whole lot of pictures! In addition to the posts, I have also given the blog a face lift. I hope you like the new layout.

Since I have added so many posts over the past few days, they do not all display on the first page of the blog. To help any readers catch up on our activities, I have included the link to the post in this post. If you click on the name of the post, it will take you to the post I have added over the weekend. We have experienced many firsts, turned 7 months old, took our professional photos, started sitting and crawling, met Santa Claus, had Thanksgiving, got two new teeth and had an ultrasound. It's been a busy month and the boys have grown so much over the past month that I hope you enjoy catching up on how we are doing.

October 24 – Average Day...

October 25 – When Jared Speaks...

November 3 – Ms. Hilary's Visit

November 8 – A Dog & His Boy(s)

November 10 – Grandma Sally is Here to Help

November 12 – 7 Months Old & Our 6 Month Professional Photos

November 13 – Jared's Ultrasound

November 14 – Early Signs of Crawling

November 20 – Baby & Daddy's Feet

November 21 – Breakout the Toothbrush!

November 23 – Huh what... I'm Awake

November 26 – It's Christmas Time & Time for Another Group Pic

November 26 – Playing with the "Cats"

November 26 – Our First Cookies

November 26 – Our First Pictures with Santa & Mrs. Claus

November 27 – Bathing in the Sink

November 27 – Happy Thanksgiving!!

November 28 – Baby Magnetism

November 28 – Our First Puffs

November 28 – Teeth Progress

November 29 – Just a Bunch of Pics...

November 30 – Let the Games Begin!

December 1 – Our Workouts

I hope that I will not get this far behind on posting again. I hope everyone is doing well and are getting ready for a wonderful holiday season!

Take care,

Kellie

Our Workouts

The boys have been working very hard in order to achieve their milestones. Jared and Wesley are crawling and are actually sitting up all on their own. It is very cute to go into their nursery to get them up after a nap or in the morning and they are sitting up smiling at you. Andrew is working very hard and is currently very adept at moving in reverse. I am sure that any day now he will decide to kick it into drive and he will also be crawling. What are the boys doing to reach these milestone you ask? Well everyday, the boys do their baby calisthenics. Here is an introduction to part of their workout routine.

The boys are frequently seen doing their push-ups. Here is Andrew showing off the perfect form....

They are also seen doing the upside down crab walk. Wesley demonstrates the ability to do a back bend with your head and then push yourself backwards with your legs. This can also be done with a finger puppet in your mouth (only for the professionals - do not try this at home).

But before you start your workout, you must always stretch. Jared will now lead you through a series of baby stretches.

First, stretch your hamstring from the hurdler position.

Step two, spread your legs and bend down and touch the floor.

Once you feel loose, you can move onto the final stretch move. BUT before you try this, make sure you are ready.... it's the full split....

We recommend these excercises daily and before too long, you too will be crawling like a star!!

Let the Games Begin!

As every day passes, the boys are becoming more and more mobile. Frequently, they are running into each other and getting into each other's "dance space." During each of these "interactions," the boys are starting to actually play with each other. Andrew has mastered the art of reverse and this morning he backed into Wesley and started rocking his bottom into Wesley. Here is a little look at Wesley's response....

Wesley first starts by grabbing and tugging on Andrew's shirt.

When this tactic proved unsuccessful, here was his next step....

Congrats Welsey, this was enough to move Andrew or at least get me involved so that I helped move Andrew along. As said in the title of this post.... let the games begin!

Just a bunch of pics...

As I know that some people check this blog and only care about the cute pics, I thought I would catch up on some cute pics that have not made it into another post.

I took a copy of this picture to a conference in early November to show off the boys. I left it at our company booth while I attended a workshop. When I returned this pic was gone. Interesting....

This is the first pic of all three boys sitting all together. The boys start the day dressed in the same outfits and then are changed if neccessary. Andrew always seems to get a wardrobe change during the day (and doesn't he look happy about it).

Please ignore the hazardous electrical cords in this photo. This was taken before the boys were moving around. We have since moved the cords out of their play area.

The boys in their workout sweats which were a gift from Ms. Heather. Thank you Ms. Heather...

This picture was taken at Grandma Sally's house over Thanksgiving. During our last two trips to Grandma's the boys were photographed in the chair behind them. The boys are too big to fit together in the chair. They are growing so fast!

Here are some pictures of Andrew......

And some of Jared.....

Last but not least, Wesley....

These boys are the sweetest and funniest people I have ever met!! The melt my heart and make me smile everyday!!

Teeth Progress

Last week, I posted a fuzzy pic of Jared's two new teeth. I was able to get a really great photo today and thought I would share! I have started brushing these fancy new teeth and he seems to really enjoy it. I have also started brushing Andrew and Wesley's gums so they do not feel left out.

Our First Puffs

Since we have had some cookies, we decided to try some other finger food. We offered the boys some puffs and it was interesting to see their reactions. The boys were a little surprised by the texture and were not very excited about this new experience. But their little faces made it a humorous experience.

Andrew - not too sure of this new way of eating. However, he managed to keep the puff in his mouth...

Jared, our wonderful eater, was not too keen on the puff. He had trouble keeping it in his mouth which you can see evidenced by the get away puff below his lip....

And then there is Wesley. Much like the others, he was not over joyed with the puff and his puff also tried to make a get away. Can you find the missing puff?

The boys are growing up so fast (how many times have I said that?). It is really excited to watch them experience everything new from eating a small puff to meeting Santa for the first time. It is an honor to be a mother to three terrific little men and I look forward to many more firsts that I am able to experience through their eyes.

Baby Magnetism

The boys are currently displaying the close connection that they have and hopefully will always have with each other. It appears to be magnetism that they just can't resist! When the boys start to play, we will place them in a very peaceful triangle with them facing each other. Within just a matter of minutes, this peaceful baby tripod will turn into one big baby pile. Here are a few pictures that demonstrate what I am talking about...

Peaceful babies...

Big pile of babies...

Here we go again. Here are three sweet and peaceful babies playing calmly...

And again... big heap of baby...

The boys are all on top of each other but aside from the occasional unintended kick or hair pulling, they seem happy like this. They just like being close to each other.

Brotherly love is beautiful!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Our first Thanksgiving with the boys was wonderful! We traveled to Grandma & Grandpa's for the week. We traveled to Brandon on Monday evening after the boys had their bedtime bottle. This travel time seems to be the best time for the boys because they sleep for the majority of the trip.

Prior to hitting the road, we weighed the boys. I knew the boys were getting big and with the weight limit on the infant seats at 22lbs, I wanted to get an update. Jared weighed in at 21lbs, Andrew weighed 19.5lbs and Wesley remained our peanut at 19lbs. Based on these weights, I think this might be our last trip in the infant carriers. It is going to be a little bittersweet to retire the infant carriers and transition to the big boy seats.

Uncle Lance and Aunt Kim were going to the beach for Thanksgiving (typical Floridians) so they would not be with us for Thanksgiving dinner. Because of this, they came over for dinner on Tuesday evening. Pooka and Aunt Joan also came over for dinner on Tuesday evening. The boys were very happy to visit with everyone and were even more excited to be pampered as they were getting ready for bed. Since the boys have been holding their bottles, we have not been holding them as much to eat (sad, I know). We had enough arms this night so the boys were treated like the superstars they are!! Jared was so use to taking care of himself when Uncle Lance would try to hold his bottle, Jared would get a little upset. Lesson learned... don't try to get between Jared and his bottle.

On Thanksgiving, the boys woke up and spent the morning watching the traditional Macy's Thanksgiving day parade. In the pictures you can see them chillin' in their bouncy seats watching the parade. The parade coverage was long enough that they watched the beginning, took their nap and were awake in time to see their new friend Santa and Mrs. Claus (for Jared).

Later in the afternoon, the boys took in a little traditional Thanksgiving football. We were joined for Thanksgiving dinner by Aunt Pam and Zack. Zack enjoyed playing with the boys and entertained them by flying a paper glider all over the living room.

While the boys were taking their afternoon nap, we had our adult Thanksgiving dinner (ummm!). After the boys woke from their nap, it was their turn to have Thanksgiving dinner. I know it is a little early to introduce meat to the boys but I could not resist. The boys ate baby food turkey dinner which was turkey and sweet potatoes. I am sure they did not notice the difference but I thought it was only too appropriate to have turkey on Thanksgiving.

With all of the activity during the day, the boys were very tired when bedtime rolled around and it was definitely time for bed. They all got a little fussy but once everyone was bathed and dressed, they were quickly in bed. Over the week, Daddy was not feeling well and was battling a cold. Get well soon Daddy!

Lastly, I thought this "shot" was too funny! Below you see a bottle representation of little family. Daddy's bottle, Mommy's bottle and the boys' bottles....

We had a wonderful and memorable first Thanksgiving!! We hope that next year we are able to get together with all of our cousins included our new little cousin Laura.

I hope everyone else had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Take care,

Kellie

Bathing in the Sink

The boys have officially outgrown their baby tub and we are transitioning to the sink. Within the next couple weeks, we will make the transition into the big tub. The boys are very good sitters but we are both a little nervous about having all the boys in the tub at the same time. On Thanksgiving, the boys took their baths in Grandma's sink and I was able to get a couple pictures of Andrew. After Andrew, I was busy with rub downs and jammies to take pictures of the other boys. Andrew looked like he was hanging out in a hot tub!!

We tried baths in the sink one time before we were at Grandma's house. During this effort, Jared was first and I was able to get his picture.

Don't worry, we will get a picture of Wesley. When I get his picture in the sink, I will make sure I post it as well. You may notice that when the boys have wet hair, all three have curls! Jared's hair is actually getting quite long and we have a lot of fun playing with those curls.

I remember giving these little babies their first baths and they just screamed. They have all learned to really enjoy bath time and I am sure being with each other in the bath tub will bring on an entirely new element of fun. Bring on the bath toys!!

Our First Pictures with Santa & Mrs. Claus

Tonight we took the boys to the Brandon Towncenter to introduce them to Santa Claus! The boys have started to get a little skittish around new people so I was nervous about them meeting Santa without getting upset. Someone told me to get the pictures done before Thanksgiving and I say THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for this advice!

Santa took a "reindeer break" between 5pm & 6pm. The boys, Grandma, Daddy and I arrived at the mall around 5:30pm. Grandma volunteered to save our spot at the front of the line while the boys, Daddy and I walked around the mall. We returned a little before 6pm to join Grandma in line. At 6pm, Santa and Mrs. Claus walked out to take their seats and we were the first to meet them after their break.

We were very happy to have Mrs. Claus in the picture as well or there would not have been room for all three of the boys! As soon as we handed the boys over to Santa and Mrs. Claus, we heard the sound of birds chirping and trumpets blaring.... this was the sound of Jared falling for Mrs. Claus! We had trouble getting him to take his eyes off of the fair Mrs. Claus long enough to take a photo. As soon as the camera would snap, he would immediately turn his head to stare longingly at Mrs. Claus. It was very funny! When we were picking the boys up to leave, Mrs. Claus asked his name and then waved and said, "Goodbye Jared." I think we will have to make a special trip to Brandon for pictures next year to see if the love will survive the year long separation.

In addition to the Jared & Mrs. Claus connection, the other comic relief was Andrew's left shoe. I think it must have fallen about four times during our turn with Santa and Mrs. Claus. While we were unable to capture smiles in this photo, the boys were just WONDERFUL during this experience. I was really nervous about them taking this photo without crying and I was pleasantly surprised. Here is the photo.....

Happy Holidays from Team Darnell!!

I almost did not post the photo with this post. We are using this photo for our 2008 Holiday Cards. I know this ruins the surprise but I could not wait..... it's too cute and I am so proud of my little fellas!

Our First Cookies

Tonight, we are planning to venture out to the mall to meet Santa. Because of this outing, we are going to be a little late having our dinner. We decided that today would be the day that we offered the boys their first cookies to put a little extra in their bellies before we leave for the mall. As the boys woke up from their afternoon nap, they each were given their first cookie. Each of the boys were in a little shock and looked like little squirrels as they nibbled on their cookie.

Wesley was the first to wake and Grandma was able to give him his cookie....













Then Andrew woke up to join the party....













Last but not least, Jared was awake and enjoying his cookie....













One last note.....

Please don't tell Andrew and Wesley but, this past weekend Jared was experiencing his first cold and was not able to sleep due to the congestion. He seemed so sad that Mommy decided to offer him a cookie while the other guys were sleeping. Here is his real first cookie pic....

Playing with the "Cats"

Have you ever used a laser pointer to play with your cats or your dogs? Well, apparently babies are just as intrigued by a laser. Mike decided he wanted to play a little with the boys and they were very interested in this moving spot on the floor. The video starts with Wesley and Andrew trying to catch the red spot and then Jared tries to catch the moving spot. During Jared's segment, you can actually see him strut his new crawling skills. Yes, Jared is starting to actually crawl. Yesterday he also started sitting up all on his own!

Enjoy....