Let me get one in, in December

Whew!  My sincere apologizes!!! I have not been with it since our trip to California.  I get stuck on what I want my next post to be about, and I have been struggling to catch the videos of each of them that I wanted to post.  Then, I started on what I wanted my approach to the Holidays blog to show.  Didn't get the pics I wanted from that.  Then, I have been lazy.  The days I keep them home have been spent in PJ's nearly every day, and then I couldn't post pics of them in PJ's...(might think I was a bad mommy).  Lets face it, most of my days are spent in PJ's... thought it only fair the kids wore theirs all day too.

So lets see...the month of December has been trying but good.  Returned from Cali, and the kids have perfected their walking skills.  Jevin walks like a little old man. He shuffles.  Deuce is the high stepper with the belly stuck out, looks like the Jim Carey Grinch to me.  Mia of course has to be the perfectionist so I can't compare her to anything.

Christmas was good. The triplets breakfast consisted of gummy worms and cotton candy! YUMMY! So goodbye puffs! You cry...a gummy worm will fix it! Marcus and I didn't get too out of control since they still don't really know what is going on.  They would start to open a gift and became more interested in the wrapping paper, rather than the cool new toy that was inside.  Then once they did notice the new toy, they could care less about opening the rest of the gifts.  They got some pretty cool stuff though! Next Christmas, if you see our living room furniture on the front lawn, it is because we had not choice...the play room is stuffed!!!! Then I find it hard to dispose or hand me down too much stuff that they already had....what if they want to play with it again?

I did put up a tree.  Originally I had decided I wouldn't go there.  Since they have started walking, I find I have to keep them out of stuff way more then when they were crawling.  I thought the tree would be one more thing I would have to fuss at them about.  Surprisingly enough, they didn't mess with it all that much.  They didn't start messing with the gifts until the gifts started to multiply, then they just couldn't help themselves. The pile of bows on the floor beside the gifts got larger and larger as the day approached.  I will say, they already have learned to shake a gift...are they trying to figure out what's in it?

Stay tuned for new "professional" pictures.  Our intentions have been to have them done weeks ago, then we got black eyes, scratches on the face, lazy parents, Holidays, traveling, ugh!! So, coming soon!  Maybe....

Lets see...We have been trying to teach table manners so we can go out in public with the triplets without calling so much attention to our table (My inner-self is so conscious of judgement with them).  We have a family sit down dinner every evening.  So much fun!  And one of them seems to always do something that makes you laugh your face off. (Look at us creating memories!) Our last Dr. Appointment, doc asked if they were eating with utensils, so it has become my first priority to teach them how to eat with a spoon by their 18mo check up!!! (Well, right after learning to ask for something...instead of screaming or whining, because all of the sudden they have started asking for stuff, fish crackers, paci's, etc.  Mia even goes to the pantry door to whine for snacks. Who taught them that stuff? I am still working on phonics! One day they will communicate with me in a way that makes life easier!)

Well enjoy...hope to be back sooner then later! Happy New Year!

Our First Plane Ride

Packed and Ready To Go!

Sorry it has been so long!  We have been fairly busy.  We packed up and flew 1700 miles across country to NOT SO SUNNY California.  Yes, I said we FLEW, with three 14 month old children on a three and half hour plane ride to San Jose, CA.  I spent a week making lists of all the things to bring, 3 days setting out 12 days worth of clothes for 3 kids, matching bows for Mia, shoes, socks, toys, snacks, jackets, car seats, strollers, baby bath essentials, thermometer, butt cream, tooth brushes, DVD player, blankies, paci's, PJ's, just to name a few.... and amazingly enough, been here for 5 days, and it doesn't seem we forgot a thing!!!! Yeah!

We headed out Thursday morning and I will admit, I was terrified.  3 1/2 hours in a stuffy airplane with three 1 year olds...I just knew they would cry at least 2 1/2 of the 3 1/2 hours.  Nope! We were blessed to have had three super happy babies for the whole plane ride.  Mia did fuss for about the last 20 minutes, but I will pass it off on her ears popping.  Mine were killing me on the decent so I can only imagine how she must have felt and didn't really know how to relieve them.  Luckily we had the first flight out of Dallas and the plane was pretty empty so each adult got a whole row just to ourselves with one baby.  First, we would not have been able to sit together anyway, they would have staggered us due to lapping the baby and not having all three in one row, I am assuming due to the oxygen masks in the event of an emergency, but the airline was completely accommodating to us.

We did get the excessive stares at the airport, and here and there on the plane as we were loading, (I think I hit nearly every isle passenger in first class with my over-sized diaper bag), but I am happy to report it was nothing like the freak shows I have experienced at Walmart and such.  Not quite sure why, but I still feel so "judged" when I am in public with the three of them.  Although, that is getting better too.

Triplets at play with Trevor, the Ross' little boy

Mia hogging toys at Nana's

Anyways, thus far, it has been a good trip.  The babies have been able to meet their aunt and uncles and some dear friends.  We took them to our friends house we haven't seen in over 11 years, and the kids had the time of their life. Plus, we were greatly blessed to be able to take our 5th generation picture on Saturday.

(L-R) Marcus & Deuce, Great Great Gma Georgia, Nana Julie & Jevin, Great Granny Ginger & Mia

So lets talk about the time change....time is two hours behind our Texas time. The first day the kids were ready to go to bed at 5:30 California time, so you know what that means....yep! Up at 4:00 AM.  Lucky us!  Over the last few days they have adjusted to real time, but that means when we get back to Texas, they most likely won't want to go to bed until 9:30PM for a few days....first daylight savings time, then Mountain Time all in the same month....Lord help me! And the kids have been co-bedding.  They do really well! Every now and then we have been woken by Mia pounding on the bedroom door to get out, or Deuce (somehow) getting himself under the bed.  We have a twin air mattress that fits pretty snug between the bed and wall, but he still managed to get himself between it and the bed frame...who knows....

Holy Hair!!!!!!!!!!

So I admitted a few weeks ago that I rarely brush the triplets hair, matter of fact, they had most likely not had their hair brushed in a year of their life.  I give them a bath, wash it, and when they get out I put a little baby oil in it and kinda fluff it with my fingers.  After this tiny comment, I decided I would start brushing the hair, but let me explain...this is an example of why I haven't...

So I have business in the front...and party in the back....I have no idea what to do with her hair.  I do two pony tails...not cute...one ponytail on top, nope, not cute!!  Baby oil and little bit of messy fingers on top...that works, but still so dry and frizzy in the back...ugh!

The boys on the other hand have such thin hair, so it's more like middle aged balding in front and a small get together in the back....mmmmhh!

The picture on the right depicts what brushing does to "I wanna be straight, but I am curly too" hair.

Now What????

Triplet trivia...more like twin trivia

Can you tell me who is who?  I will post the answer next Thursday....have fun!

 We'll go with
Blue:
Red:

Sorry..no prize for winning...just for fun for my loyal blog readers...

Good Bye Pink Cast!!!

Mia got her cast off today.  Dr. Barry asks, "Is Mia afraid of the vacuum at home?"  Well she is but, after 2 weeks of the blow dryer every other day, she shouldn't be, but she was given her own little head muff thingy's to muffle the sound of the saw a bit...she did very well.  She fussed for just a moment and then seemed more interested in what was going on then the sound of the saw.  Yeah!!! No more cast.  Most things in multiple life seem to become a beating every now and again...then add 10 minutes of blow drying a cast to bath time...thank goodness she got it removed today!!  Dr. Barry said she has healed very well.  She actually had broken her Tibia and her Fibula but both fractures were right above her growth plate in her leg so she should have no long term effects.  She will walk slightly funny for a few weeks, just favoring that leg for a bit, but after about 3 weeks she should be back to normal...or what we would think is normal...Mia did fracture the same leg we have been concerned with previously...we will see how it all progresses, but as of now, Dr. Barry will not need to see Mia again, although we are welcome to take her back if we have concerns in the near future.  She's doing very well. Almost as if she never had the cast on in the first place!

Surprisingly enough, the cast was in pretty good shape, slightly dingy, but no scary stuff on the inside, like crushed fish crackers or rotten bananas!!

Lil' Bo Peep has Found Her Sheep!

Saturday we loaded up the truck and headed out to the pumpkin patch.  We spent a little time feeding the animals.  It was cute, but the kids would rather have ate the feed so they needed a bit of assistance.  Shoot, the pumpkin patch should have paid us...seems we were a bit more of an attraction then the goats and painted hay bales. Many oooo's and aaahh's and questions, and whispering...I am getting better with it though. We got a few good pictures here and there, but turns out the older they get the harder it is to get any good pictures of the three of them all together.  

Trick or Treating went well.  We stopped at our first house and each of the babies got a sucker and we really didn't need to go anywhere else, but we tugged on. They took to trying to eat the sucker, paper and all, and they could care less about anything that happened after that.  By the time we had made it around the block they had eaten the whole sucker, and every piece of candy in their buckets was sticky, as were they. It was a good time and created good memories. They were so cute!

ChooOOOooo ChooOOoooOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay...so the choo choo post...I have seen the Cox Quads walking the boys and girls several times in their choo choo, and I finally decided that I had to have one.  I went to Step2.com  and low and behold...the beloved choo choo had been discontinued!  They had the trailer....a lot of good that would do me with out the engine!!! Okay, Now What!??! Next best thing...EBay!  I check EBay and they were selling them for over $100 a car.  So fine, maybe I don't need it that bad. Thankfully, Step 2 was busy working on a new version to come out in fall...so I patiently waited.  Finally, courtesy of Nana! We got our choo choo.  I tracked that package like there was a million dollars in it. I checked the front door no less than 4 times the day it was to arrive.  FedEx delivered it at about 5:30, and of course I had to open it immediately and put it together (Never mind my husband had just arrived home after a week long business trip).  Then...I even let the triplets stay up late (7:30pm) for their very first ride. After all is said and done, I absolutely love the Choo Choo more than they do.  Don't get me wrong, they LOVE it too, but it is absolutely Mommy's favorite thing since the Pampered Chef pitcher. It is much easier to maneuver than the triplet stroller.  It turns corners like a race car.  The seat belts are great, and it has under-seat storage in the front car.  Love Love Love it!  Each time I take them for a walk I say "Choo Choo" and they know we are getting ready to leave.  They even try to say "Choo Choo" too, but it could be mistaken as "Cookie" if you don't know the difference in their phonics.

So, I set up my own "Pimp my Ride" shop and pimped out each baby's car.

Cousin Hayden and the boys

Well, coming up, we are hitting the pumpkin patch this Saturday....then Halloween # 2...I haven't been this excited since I was 7, Can't wait till Sunday... the triplets were only a month old last Halloween & we were so blessed to have them home with us already!!!! We will see how it goes this weekend...costumes are so cute!  

Sticks & Stones....and big people beds...

Well, this is definitely not a post I was hoping to have to make anytime soon.  Well, probably ever, but it will be part of our life for the next two weeks so I might as well share.  I was hoping this would be a happy blog!  I have been hoarding "choo choo" pictures for four days, then Mia has to go and break her leg!!!!

I think I mentioned in my last post, or two, that we had a visit to the ER while we were on our trip to Kansas. I was told she had a bruise.  If she wasn't putting weight on her leg in 7-10 days to take her back to the doctor for new x-rays. She started bearing weight on it after about 4 days, but she was walking on her tippy toe.  We watched for a few days hoping she would start putting her heel down.  Well, the day I went to make an appointment I look over and she is walking (cruising) heel down.  Whew!! No worries.  She went about 4 days, getting around like normal.  Monday, I notice she is fussing and when I picked her up she wasn't wanting to straighten her leg.  As I also mentioned in a previous post, Mia had diaper rash from the 8 poopy diapers a day (I might be exaggerating), so I thought, "Hmm, it must irritate the diaper rash when she moves her leg."  Went to change her diaper and the diaper rash is nearly gone.  So I grab her leg to put the new diaper on and she cries.  I move her leg around, she cries.  I move her foot around, she cries.  First thing Tuesday, we went to see Dr. Reyes.  Doc sent us for x-rays.  I get a call at about 2:30 saying it is fractured and I need to take her to a specialist.

After calling the specialist, making Mia and appointment through my sobbing, I rushed to pick up her x-rays for our 8:15am appointment this morning.  Yep, buckle fracture in her lower right tibia.  So, we headed out early, dropped the boys off at the Granny's, and off to Dr. Barry's

So there we sit.  Dr. Barry asking what had happened.
 I explained what a great mommy I had been 2 weeks prior, the ER visit, the diagnosis, and then the accident on Monday; thought maybe big boy Jev had fell on sissy's leg, but through a few conversations, it seems she may have fallen off of the bed again.  He explained the fracture was new.  If she had broken it 2 weeks prior they would be able to see the healing in the fracture, and the x-rays showed a new fracture. This was a bit of relief as I had sat and pondered all day yesterday about how I felt like such a bad mommy for possibly letting my lil' Mia run around with a broken leg for two weeks. I just felt so bad for her having to have that pain and not being able to fix it. So I doped her up with Ibuprofen and carried her around for 5 hours.  Needless to say, her night was pretty sleepless (as was mine).  She woke ever 45 minutes or so from about 2:30 am on.  Poor baby!

Mia was casted.  She did so well.  Dr. Barry says she will wear it for 2 weeks.  The break was high enough it will not affect her growth and she should be just fine.  She shouldn't have any long term effects. And the best part!!!!  I can bathe her in it!!! Thank goodness!  I was picturing sponge baths for 2 weeks...or what kind of tape should I buy/use....or grocery bag or trash bag... You just have to blow-dry it afterwards.

I suppose everyone should stay tuned for a happy choo choo post soon...

A few more pics

Just a few more pictures, because I can't help but share them...I love them

Jevin

Mia

Deuce

While I'm here...I thought I would add, I have came to the conclusion my finger just might smell like Desitin until the triplets grow ALL of their teeth.  Hand soap is no help. Even scented (expensive/Bath&Body) hand soap does not get rid of the antiseptic smell.  I am half way to soaking my fingertips in bleach water!  Might need to start buying diaper rash cream by the case! Mia and Jevin have had horrible diapers for two days...poor little butts!  Did I mention I am tired of poop?  I am not positive of the cause...could be teeth, could be milk, but they were pretty constipated when they started whole milk, so I am guessing it is teething.  Their diet has not really changed.  It's weird too... it hardly smells...I have to discern poop from the legs or back of the diaper. So sad...my little baby butts...

Mia's foot/leg seems to be improving.  I caught her many times today putting her heel down.  She has mostly been walking on her tippy toe with a slight limp (well "cruising", none of them "walk" unattended yet).  What a relief!  How could I live with being the cause of her pain....momma's little Mia....I beat myself up enough about that...add Deuce's little accident to that, which we won't talk about...we'll just say I must be the mom of the week...yeah right!!!!! I told everyone, being a mom of multiples, I am obviously dangerous to my own children.  All their ouchies so far have been inflicted by my obvious lack of attention or foresight to the inevitable. Lessons learned...I can say that!  Trust your stupid intuition!!! Should have known better, and my gut told me otherwise each time.  No matter the inconvenience or the extra work...it is usually worth it! Needless to say, you won't see any pictures (new pictures) of Deuce man until the scab on his forehead goes away.  I definitely don't need to be reminded of that! 

Well, I have spent way more time writing then I intended.  Enjoy the pics.  Write you soon...

Triplets first road trip...

My sister and I took our kids back to our home town for a visit with family and friends. I was a bit nervous about a 8 hour (usually 6 without kiddos) road trip with 5 kids 3 and under, but surprisingly enough it went pretty well. Many of my family members and friends had not met the triplets and and with them just turning a year old, I thought it appropriate to go and let those who hadn't ventured to Texas yet, meet the babies.

We rented a van (obviously none of us have a vehicle equipped for 5 car seats), loaded up and left out Friday morning. I took a blanket we could spread out and let the kiddos out for a little romp. We stopped twice for diaper changes and 20 minutes of frolicking in the grass. Much of my time on the stops was spent yanking babies away from dog turds. (Why....what happened to the pooper scooper?) Never the less, I found I will need to teach them what "No, stay on the blanket!" means, but the blanket idea was brilliant. There is no way they would have made an 8 hour trip without being able to get out of the vehicle for a little bit. Although this picture the blanket looks rather small, out next stop, we doubled the size...

We got to Kansas Friday evening, and the visiting started. We saw Great Grandma (NaNa) MeMaw & Papa. And time for bed! I stayed with one of my bestest friends. For the first time in the triplets life, we co-bedded. The first night was something horrible. Shaye Shaye has a big doberman that obviously was not used to little baby voices in his house so he barked they cried, they cried he barked, and we were up until after midnight. Ugh! The next morning the big doggy was a big baby and wanted to lick and play with the babies so bad he was ridiculous. He loved them to death. Each morning we woke up I could hear him whining, he wanted to see the babies. The following nights went pretty well...I remember thinking the bed looked like baby war grounds when they were all asleep; babies everywhere. If they woke in the middle of the night they would scoot across the bed until they hit one of my body parts (neck, knee, foot) and fall out as soon as their head touched me. Needless to say, they slept better then me.

Sunday evening, Mia fell off the bed...not while she was sleeping, but while my back was turned to get something out of my diaper bag (what a good Mommy I was)....I didn't know at the time that something was hurt. Monday morning she pulled herself up and started fussing. She wouldn't put any weight on her right leg...I let her go through Monday, hoping Tuesday would improve. Tuesday came, and she still wouldn't put her foot down so we spent 3 hours at the ER having ex-rays (said Mia, "Nice Mom...spent 3 hours in ER for a stupid contusion when I could have been eating or sleeping! stupid..."). Then how do you explain to a doctor that you weren't really paying attention, so you don't know how she landed. Then add a little black eye from hitting herself in the face with my keys, and a slight diaper rash...Lord, I just knew they were going to call child protective services on me. Luckily, they diagnosed a contusion...bruise...If she isn't putting any weight on it by Tuesday then she needs new ex-rays. Dr. said their bones regenerate so fast you can't really see a break until the calcium can build up in the fracture. However, it seems she is starting to at least put her foot on the floor now. Hopefully she is getting better. Only me....The rest of the ni-night times went pretty good. No fussing!

Trip went pretty well other than that, except for the fact that the boys were excessively needy. I guess there were just so many new faces and places, they just weren't all that comfortable. They wanted to be held most of the day and fussed the rest. I decided that I would not take them on another trip, without Marcus (or the Granny), until they can walk, feed, and pee by themselves. Poor babies...it might have been tougher on me then them. I haven't been alone with them for a full week since they were three months old, and they slept 19 out of 24 hours a day back then. Never the less, it was a good time with family and friends. Good to see everyone I love so much, and want them to love so much.

,

Took the kids to the park for the first time Monday. Dad has an awesome camera and we/he got some good pics. They had a blast other than the small chill in the air.

We got home Thursday...you could just tell they were so glad to see Daddy and super thankful to be back in their own home. They played like crazy in the play room...it's as if they had brand new toys they forgot about. They went to bed very nicely...sure they were happy to sleep in something with bumpers and rails again.

Top 5 Must Haves for Multiple Mommies

Being a new mommy, I never really knew what we would need for our triplets. And of course, what we did do to prepare never really seemed good enough, but over the last year, I have come to realize just how much stuff you get and don't really need, so I thought I would post a little something on my top 5 must buy things...all the rest of it probably just collects dust. Of course this is outside of the car seats, strollers, clothes, baby beds, burp cloths, bottles, etc.

#1 Mixing pitcher from Pampered Chef--my most favorite favorite Favorite purchase.

#2 Pack n Plays- We did 4: 2 in our bedroom and 2 down stairs.

#3 Swings-they don't have to be all fancy and expensive, but I do recommend that you don't by

the same swing x 2 or 3 or whatever. You might find your baby will perfer a certain swing

over the other.

#4 Boppy pillows

#5 Bottle props

We also had Bumbo seats which were convenient and nice to have, but didn't make my top 5...sorry to the Bumbo lovers...

That was in the beginning....my new Bestest purchase we have ever made...a baby gate!!! Screws to the wall, has a latch and hinges...saved my life!!! Skip the tension gate! Hated it! It was like playing twister at the bottom of my stairs. "Hold this part with the left hand, the book on the right with this knee, the book on the left with that elbow, and you have your free hand to push the bar down"....and you better have it on the right notch or you're screwed...gotta start all over. Of course our builder could have built our walls straight...that would have helped. Whew!! Just glad that thing is gone!

I'll give you a few cute pics while I am here...Mia, funny girl...decide

d it wasn't as much fun to push the toy as it was to be pushed on the toy...Diva in training. She, for some reason, decided to sit in the push toy, got Deuce to push her around for a bit. Thought it only fare she push her brothers...did for a minute and wanted Jev to get out of "her" toy.

Deuce pushing Mia............................................................guess we need to teach her to share....

Oh yeah...a few exciting things have happened in the last week....big baby car seats...they love them...they don't stop babbling when we are in the car. The first day it was so funny...babble babble babble...all the way home...then I have noticed myself needing to pay WAY more attention to the road...I can't help but turn around to look at them, they love the new view so much...

Then...switched to milk a few days ago. Marcus said once we ran out of our gallon water that we mixed for formula he wasn't buying anymore. I secretly contemplated

buying more water while he was at work, because I was slightly nervous to switch, but turns out they are doing great on it...and I don't have to mix formula at 6 am anymore....love love love it! How easy is that!? And milk is on sale for 99 cents...can you freeze it?

The Triplets are One...and tons of fun!

Well, the triplets are one today. Surprisingly enough I am doing much better than yesterday. I have sang Happy Birthday, no less than 9 times...they just smile and sway. They have no idea what I am saying, but they still like it. Instead of my usuall "Goooooood Morning!" I greeted them with Haaaaaapy Birthdaaaaayyyy!" And they just smiled as usual. Totally oblivious to what today means to them. So, of course for my memories, I put on little birthday hats and tried to take pics. They were more concerned with trying to rip each other's hat off rather than smile for Mommy. Mia of course couldn't leave hers on long enough for me to get a good picture of the three of them. Deuce was more concerned with what was on Jevin's head and visa versa. Then all the fun ended because Mia had to snap Jevin in the side of the face with the strap on his hat. Lovely....

9/22/09.......................Mia .................... Jevin ..................................... Deuce

Mia ...................................................Jevin .....................................Deuce

These pics are some of the few I have to put into perspective how tiny they were! Check out those Paci's & Jevin's Wubba Nub is nearly as long as his body...such crazy-ness! They were between 4 and 5 lb. when they came home. Yikes!!

We had a small birthday party for them Saturday so I saved those pics for today's post. Mia was horrible. She love the stinkin' mess out of her smash cake. She nearly ate half of it and then wanted to fall out when we took it away for fear she might make herself sick. I am sure Mia sneezed icing for 2 days. She looked at the boys like, "What's your problem, if you don't want yours, I will eat it when I am done here." The boys were either too sleepy, or they didn't enjoy the smashing at all. Deuce held his fingers up after touching his cake like "eewww my fingers" and shook his hand to get the "stuff" off.

It is rather odd though. We had the party Saturday, and for some reason, to me, they woke up different babies Sunday. Mia hasn't stopped babbling since. I don't know what "ba-cow" means but Mia says it over and over and looks me in the face like she knows what she is saying. I am sure she does, but Mommy doesn't!

So look out toddler-hood....here we come!