It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

I still can't believe that we have three kids this Christmas. I sometimes stop, look around and laugh at how quickly we built a family. Everybody is doing great. I think it is safe to say that we've officially dropped one night feed. It's been two weeks of skipping the midnight feed and it's been really nice to get that little bit of extra sleep. I mean really nice. The first time they sleep through the night, I'm not going to know what to do with myself. Everybody told me that the sleep deprivation is the hardest part but I couldn't have possibly understood until living that way.

These little elves are becoming more and more awake and alert during the day and noticing us more which is just so cute. Julia reached up and grabbed my lip when I took her out of her crib the other morning as if to say, "Good morning, Mom. Thanks for coming to get me." She's really into throwing up all over us. Bill was the latest victim and it was a big mess. You can almost see it coming, as if it's happening in slow motion. She starts a slight gag and then BAM you're covered. And it really has an odor to it that just isn't all that pleasant. She always smiles after it happens, too. I'm sure it is because she feels better but it does look a wee bit sinister, like she's letting us know who's in control here.

I walked Finn yesterday and I'm positive he was ashamed to be seen with me. I was actually ashamed to be seen with me. I was wearing my long, red terry cloth bathrobe with a short, puffy winter coat over it. The pajama pants were aqua with lime green polka dots and I had on Bill's shoes (way too big) because I couldn't find my own. I still had my eye patch (for blocking the light while sleeping) on but I pushed it up onto my forehead so it resembled a sweatband... and I'm sure my hair wasn't very attractive either. And, of course, you go out like that -- even at 6:00 a.m. -- and you will be forced to shamefully wave at a neighbor who's leaving early for work. Poor Finn. He was once the kind of the world. The adjustment to life with triplets has been hard for him, too.

Bill and I went out to lunch by ourselves yesterday. That was really my first outing that didn't involve a doctor's visit, and it was really nice. I think we both just worried the whole time that the kids would be cold in the car while we ate --- Just kidding. All three were home with Grandma. Anyway, our little date was great. We were going to go to a mall to shop for Christmas but decided that might be too much too fast. When you don't go out in public much, the thought of a jam-packed mall at the holidays is not at all appealing. We apologize to all those people we would have bought gifts for.