Tobie here: Had to finish and add more to my thoughts from the other night. Last night Drew and I slept in his room for the first time. I had to stay the night with him to help him acclimate. We did just fine and I think he likes sleeping in his crib.

Paige update: the girl is smart and crafty. I swear she is going to be trouble. The things she finds funny scares me. She'll throw a toy=laugh, hit Cole on head with toy=laugh, offer a toy she's holding only to snake it away at the last second=laugh, steal toys from Cole=laugh. What is that?!!! Cole gets hiccups and he cracks up, Paige has to do something naughty to laugh. And Eric wants another girl?? Don't get me wrong…I love her to death, there are definitely many layers to her. And it's great watching her learn and respond to the world around her.

Another Cole update: he can't get enough of Moxie. It's like this last week he really discovered her. He chases her around the house and I swear he says "dog" then when she's not looking he lunges at her and jumps on top of her. Good thing she's so patient. I've caught him sticking his fingers all over her face in fascination and she just takes it. I miss Homer but when I watch Cole with Moxie I'm very relieved that Homer is not around. He just wouldn't have dealt with Cole the same way Moxie does.

The kids had their first swim lesson on Friday. Our girl A that used to come over in afternoons before we hired J is a certified swim instructor. She left us over the summer to do swim lessons full time. She took one kid at a time outside leaving the rest of us to watch out the window. This is one of those times that I'm kind of sad to have more than one kid. It would be great if we could all be in the pool together, but regardless I'm glad the kids have an opportunity to go swimming and learn some cool stuff. They didn't seem to like the lessons, but Eric and I took them swimming today and as soon as we put on their little swimmer shorts they were begging to go outside. The best part of swimming in the morning is they take long naps afterwards!

So lastly since it's really late I'll leave you with a funny story. Drew has been acting up right at bedtime lately so Eric holds him while I give Paige and Cole their bath or vice versa. Then Eric holds both P and C in the recliner for bedtime snuggle and bottle/sippy cup while I console Drew. Then I put Drew down and grab either P or C and we put them in their respective beds. Sound complicated? Anyways tonight I grabbed Cole from Eric and as I lifted him I felt some gurgling in his belly. I said to Eric, "I have a bad feeling about this" and Eric said "about what?" and I made a motion like Cole was going to puke. I started to say good night to Cole and give him a bedtime kiss when sure enough he vomits in my face. Normally this would be horrifying, but Eric was belly laughing so hard it was hard not to laugh myself. Weird how vomit can make you feel so good. I haven't laughed that hard in a while.

Doesn't Drew look just as big as Cole?

Tobie here: Day two on my own and life is groovy. I shouldn't say I was completely on my own. Grandma and Aunt Kim stopped by this morning and Liz..you're awesome…thanks for hanging out with us in the afternoon. But despite my visitors, I think I'm going to go it alone once my girl J leaves us to go back to ASU in the fall. This week and next are a good indication of what lies ahead for me and Drew will only be bigger and more manageable in five weeks. He will be able to sit up and may even be on rice cereal. His naps will be more predictable. I'm excited. I can do this.

Cole has been talking up a storm for a while now. Lately I've noticed though that he is really trying to communicate with me. He goes "Dada DAAAda did go do ba da did that" then looks at me like "what do you think about that?". Sometimes I answer with "yeah" or "really" and he responds to that by looking at me like I'm crazy. It reminds me of when I'm blabbing to Eric and I ask him what he thinks about something and he responds with "uh huh, okay" and I know he wasn't listening. I just never know how to respond to Cole.

Had more to say. Didn't have time to blog about Paige, so here is a cute picture to tide you over.

Tobie here: Those of you who I requested to check on me to see if I was still breathing or had been eaten alive by two toddlers and a baby…I'm okay. I gave Drew a bath the other night and some water splashed onto my cell phone so it's been on the fritz. Hence I don't appear to be able to receive calls..but I do get the voicemails. Anyways…the first day with three babies and no help seems to be going alright. We're halfway through the day and everyone has been most pleasant and accomodating. Woo hoo! Mostly we're just bored because it's too hot to go anywhere (and too difficult with just me) so if anyone is in the neighborhood and wants to stop by…I'd love the conversation!!