No time to blog.

Too many babies and only one mommy (sometimes all they want is me, which is sweetly annoying, especially with all the helping hands.)

Christmas was exhausting, but memorable.

We are so glad daddy finally joined us.

Catch up post containing adorable pictures later on will cover all happenings. If I ever get around to that. HA!

Some Christmas Miracles.

*Three napping babies (for an hour and a half without holding at all! I even took a shower, blow-dried/styled my hair, did my make-up and am now blogging in that time. I can't wait for consistent nap times.)

*A wonderful night's sleep for mom and babes. They were angels (except the poor dears all have the dreaded green nose-drip making their breathing a little labored, but still. . .) They all woke up for their feedings and ate well sans a reflux episode, and went back to sleep. I did have to cuddle Bennett on the couch, but I didn't mind dozing off and waking up to his angelic face.

*I've been getting better sleep, and getting out of the house more than I have in the last two months. My friends and family don't even know the feelings of gratitude I have for them right now. People keep filling up the schedule that we have, and I can't describe how humbled I am by such willingness.

Oh I love these babies and their sweet faces. Here's to more Christmas Miracles! And KC is coming on Thursday!

Why is it. . .

that when you are up most of the night with the kids, all you can think about is sleeping? And then, when they are finally, miraculously all asleep, your eyes are stuck wide open. It just figures. I gotta hand it to my brothers, their wives, and my parents for helping us through a very difficult night. Reflux is no fun. Crying before, after, and during feedings can really drive a person crazy. Do I see a dairy-less diet in my future? For better sleep, I'll try anything.

Smiles, sinuses, spit-up, siblings, and some sleep.

So, we made it across the country with a crew of four adults and three babies and made it intact. That was my mom, dad, sister Elise, and me. KC is staying to work until Christmas Eve, and then he is joining the fun. Though he did help us as far as he could go. It was exhausting, with the little sleep we got the night before, and all the falderall it takes to travel with children. They were great little travelers with the exception of Bennett's projectile vomiting all over me and him (which he continues to do about once a day). And of course I brought extra clothes for him, but not for me. I managed with the stink on me for the rest of the flight, and when we made it home we were greeted at my parents home with several of my lovely siblings and a lunch for us. And, they fed the hungry babies for me. Nice.

So since then we have had many kind friends and family come to see these little lovelies, and help out so much. Family members have also been so kind to take on some of the night shifts. I got seven glorious hours of sleep in a row the other night thanks to Jeff and Lili, mom and dad, and Matt and Courtney taking over that night shift. The best Christmas present there is!! It was especially nice because I have had a cold since last Sunday. I seriously can't go on a trip to Utah without something ailing me. I made my traditional trip to the urgent care in case it was turning into a sinus infection, as my colds often do. Add sleep deprivation with sinuses, raw throat, and itchy eyes, and it's great fun. So the extra help is greatly appreciated.

We've hit some major milestones with their first REAL smiles. It was so wonderful to see them look right into my eyes and smile at me for the very first time. And the most amazing thing was that they all accomplished this within the same 24 hours. Ruby first, then Alex the next day, then Bennett a couple hours after that. We were able to catch some pictures, though we had to act fast so they aren't so great. KC is missing them like crazy (even the crying-he must be pretty lonely), but I assured him that when he sees the smiles for the first time it will be just as adorable as the first time I saw them. We can't wait for daddy to come join the fun, being all rested and ready to hold babies. Maybe mommy will get a little break!

Seeing their little wonderful smiles for those few seconds somehow made all the hard times worth it. It reminded me that they will progress to other stages of life and won't stay in this newborn phase forever, though it feels like it sometimes since they have been like this for so much longer than they should be. They are about a month past their due date, so I am hoping to see some changes in their behavior in the next couple of months, fingers crossed.

Here they are:

Alex

Bennett (He's been the hardest the take a picture of. This will have to do for now.)
And here's the star Ruby. She hands them out more than anyone else. I just love seeing that open-mouth grim.

Yeah, we're nuts.

It's requires a lot of planning, and a lot of stuff to travel with three newborns for three weeks. Utah, here we come!

Mrs. Independent

I consider myself a pretty independent person. Almost border-lining stubbornly independent. Not my best quality, but it's me. Sometimes I feel like I am becoming a little bit too stubborn, and I reevaluate myself. I try to be more open minded, and remember that I don't know everything, and I do need help sometimes. But I like to figure things out for myself using trial and error, and/or a little research. I'm pretty good at getting the information I need for any given situation. If I need a suggestion, or advice, I'm definitely not ashamed or afraid to ask for it, but I have a network of resources that I like to turn to. It's a comfort to know that someone has been where I am before, so if something isn't working for me, I can ask what worked for them. I've found the best solutions to problems by asking family and friends. But unsolicited advice or an out-of-the-blue suggestion about how I'm going about doing things in my life isn't usually very welcome, and can get me a little annoyed. Isn't that pretty normal? I hope that I am never a person that just barges into someone else's daily doings telling them how to do this or that. Usually people have ideas and ways for how things work for them, even though others might disagree. Anyway, I'm a very independent person.

So naturally, infertility, a high risk pregnancy, and now a house full of babies have all been instances that have required a lot of patience. My independence has had to be put aside and I have needed a lot of assistance from others to achieve something that should be very personal. It has been extremely difficult on occasions, but obviously I am being taught a lesson here, and I realized that a long time ago.

I knew having three babies would be a challenge, to say the least. I wasn't naive about it. But I was hoping after a routine was in place, and the babies were on a schedule, I would no longer be so dependent (knowing full well that that was wishful thinking- but still). But of course after a couple weeks of almost no sleep and me still recovering from a very stressful pregnancy with postpartum hormones always about to surface, reinforcements were called in. My sweet friend Molly, who also happens to be my visiting teacher has recently had a baby herself and is well aware of the demands of having ONE newborn at home. So she knew that having three would definitely be an occasion for help from others. And when she called to ask if we needed any, she caught me in a very exhausted and needy state, making it very easy to accept her offer to send a sign-up sheet around church asking for helpers. Now, along with being independent, I absolutely hate inconveniencing people on behalf of myself. I would always rather be the one to help, than to be helped. I was the one with out kids and only a part time job for so long, that I was able to step in when I was needed, and it didn't really take away from anything too important in my life. I didn't ever really need much in the way of help from others, and I liked it that way. I like taking care of myself. So I never thought it would be so easy to accept help from others. The tables have definitely turned. Desperate times call for drastic measures. When I talked to Molly that day, I knew I had to accept, and what a great and humbling decision that has been. Several times a weeks we are blessed with friends, and others I didn't even know that well yet. They bring delicious food, and gifts and dedicate so much of their time to our family. They've been helping me just the way I need. It was hard to get used to it initially, but has turned into a very sweet and growing experience for me. Thank you so much to Molly and the many friends. I will never forget your generosity.

Well, I just heard and felt a giant explosion come from the bottom of my darling Alex (yes, I am typing one handed as I hold a baby) so I better get back to my mommy duties. Another trip to the pediatrician today (man, those co-pays are adding up).

Today, all I want. . .

is a shower,

to do a load of laundry,

and to be able to see the living room floor.

Is that too much to ask?!

Christmas card expectations too high?

Why, oh why, do Christmas cards have to be so difficult? It was hard enough to get a good picture of just the two of us in past years, but add three newborns into the mix, and it's a recipe for disaster. Trying to get one of only the kids just put me in a really bad mood and made me a very upset with my little ones for not cooperating, the poor babies. I guess I better get used to it. It's too bad though, cause they looked pretty cute all lined up in their Christmasy clothes, despite one or two of them crying at any given moment. But they looked ever cuter all lined up quietly in their swings. We probably won't get any cards out this year. The blog will have to be enough. Can you blame me?

Some moments with the triplets.

Just for the record, I am learning and trying to remember to not talk so much while I'm video-taping, and just let the babies speak for themselves. Please try to ignore my baby talk/mommy voice that is present in all these clips. It's almost impossible to overcome.












Some points to whoever can name the movie that we are watching.






I just want to say that this is false advertising when I say this is what they do all day long. They used to do this most of the day, but they know now that being held is much more fun. Hmm...

Scarlett was right

It is remarkable how much your outlook on life can change when you get enough sleep. Needless to say last night went a lot different than the night before. I went to take my first "nap" at about 11:30 pm, anticipating to be woken up at about 1 am to feed them according to how they'd been eating that day. They were pretty fussy, but my mom convinced me to just try to sleep, and since KC didn't have to work today, she had reinforcements if she needed them. So to bed I went, with my earplugs in. Next thing I know it's 4 am, and KC is gently waking me up to help feed. My sweet mom and sweet husband let me skip a whole feeding. That is almost 5 HOURS folks. I haven't slept that many hours in a row for who knows how long. We let my mom go to bed while we fed the babes, and at about 4:30, KC let me go back to bed AGAIN! And they slept until 8:00. That is an hour longer than usual, the little darlings. So after we fed them, KC needed a nap, and I actually didn't. The babies were sleeping really well after that and I was able to do my pilates, take a long shower, have a little me/relax time, write in my journal, eat my breakfast, and have the bottles ready before they were screaming for them. Usually I am dozing until they are starving, so I have to hear the screams as I am preparing bottles. They slept very soundly until their next feeding, and I am a new woman. I even blow-dried my hair, which is quite a luxury these days. It's just more convenient to be rested, and I actually missed the cuddle time that I usually get with them, but not enough to wake them. So we had a good night. Tomorrow might be bad again, or it might not. All I know is that right now, I am a happy mom, and I like this feeling a lot. And we're having the first snow Maryland has seen this winter, and it makes me excited for my babies' first Christmas. It's a great day.

"Tomorrow is another day."

Last night was bad. If Mom, KC, and my kind friend Christina who was graciously helping us last night hadn't convinced me to get some sleep from 10:30 pm until the babies' next feeding (which they decided was about 1 1/2 hours later, the little schedule breakers), I might not have gotten much sleep at all. I'm not really sure if I slept much after that. They were just awake and fussy enough to keep at least two of us busy all night. When one went down, the other(s) decided to come online (KC's terms for when they start waking up by grunting and whimpering and then inevitably scream if we don't act fast), so we'd put the sleeping one down to get the other and the cycle continues. I tried to go sleep in my room between the time when one is asleep until one is awake, but it's just annoying to get comfortable for about 2 minutes before I have to come out again, so I just end up trying to sleep in the living room. At one point I just sat there praying in tears just wondering if this sleepless night would end as I was nursing Ruby, while trying to soothe Bennett (who I thought was Alex all night-oops) with a pacifier that he didn't want, and just waiting for Alex to decide join the fun. I wanted the other adults to sleep since it's better that only one of us is tired beyond all reason, rather than all of us. Of course the babies were adorable as ever with their wide eyes and cute expressions (after they were fed and content, or course) making it hard to be mad at them personally, but at the situation mostly. Eventually, when the daylight was starting to show through the windows, everyone was quiet for about an hour and I tried to doze off a bit until the hunger struck again. We all sat there feeding babies talking about that hard night we just had, and actually being able to laugh about it a little.

One silver lining to a hard night, it usually a very quiet morning, which we've enjoyed. I've even checked to make sure they were breathing a couple time since they were so still and quiet for so long. I even had a long leisurely bubble bath after a nice rest without having to rush out with wet hair to help with crying babies as can happen on occasion.

During nights like that, I try to repeat those words of Scarlett O'Hara from my title in my head, remembering that this is only a fleeting moment and I will be well-rested again some day. Just take it a day at a time, right? Good thing I love these babies so much.

An overdue catch-up of the last few weeks.

(The typo that was in the title shows what kind of last few weeks it's been.)

*The babies are starting to have more happy awake time. It seems that up until a couple days ago they'd usually just go from asleep to upset/crying. But now they like to interact with us or each other, and can actually be entertained. We might have even seen a few real smiles. They LOVE to be held. All the time. Ruby, sweet Ruby, is mostly an easy baby. She is great at entertaining herself. While the boys are just cranky more often than her. But they love the Moby. Looks like I'll be wearing that a lot these days. But it's so fun when I'm wearing it to look down and see their little faces as I putter around the house. And I love hearing their newly discovered voices as they coo and gurgle.

*At the doctor on Friday they got great reports:

Alex 8 lbs. 10 oz.

Ruby 7 lbs. 10 oz.

Bennett 7 lbs. 14 oz

All R and B are in the 50th percentile, and A in the 75th, for their corrected age (as if they were born on Nov. 21). Sounds good to me. Alex, the big boy, is quite a little chunk. Who knows why he is a whole pound bigger than the others, since they all eat mostly the same thing at the same time. He does dribble a lot less when he bottle feeds, and nurses a lot more efficiently. I'm sure the others will catch up soon enough. I love seeing their cheeks grow before my eyes. They got another set of vaccines, the poor dears. Oh, and no sign of the hernia for Bennett. Phew!

*At their latest eye exam, they all looked great. They still just need a little peripheral development, but no ROP to speak of, anymore. Let's hope it stays that way.

*They have their good nights, and their bad. When all the stars align, and they all sleep for at least 2 hours in a row (sometimes 3-4 if it's a really good night), we all wake up wondering if it really happened, since it's so rare. We take 3 hour shifts and it's pretty common to find that person sleeping with whoever decided to be fussy that night. But a lot of times more than one of us have to stay up and soothe the babies. As much as I absolutely love the newborn stage, they have been in it for quite some time and I'll be happy to welcome the new stage when it arrives. It might be nice to have a new set of ups and downs.

*Feeding times can either go really smoothly, or really crazy. Depending on if there are two or three of us here, or how many of them wake up at the same time. When all three are screaming, and only one or two of us are feeding, we have found ways to feed two, or even three at the same time with the proper positioning, while we watch them carefully since they still have a tendency to choke and dribble. It also gets a little tricky when they all have to burp. You can also find me nursing one (I rotate who gets nursed at each feeding) while bottle feeding another, or pumping while I bottle feed one or two. When they are all strong and efficient enough to prop the bottles, I'm so there.

*We made an entire Thanksgiving dinner. Too ambitious? Maybe. Did we enjoy it when we were done? Yes. So we ate at 7 pm with fussy babies in our arms. At least we got our fix of Turkey with all the trimmings. You kind of need it to welcome the holiday season, don't you think? We tried to make shortcuts, but kept adding things to the list. It was exhausting, and a huge mess, but at least we tried to be festive for the babies' first Thanksgiving. I must say, Mom was the one who took charge of the feast, and did most of her tasks with a baby in tow. What a woman. Words can't describe what she's done for us. But that's an entirely separate post.

*We've been getting some wonderful helpers from my ward. It's so great of them to dedicate their precious time to us. And man, is it nice. I have been able to clean the bathroom, get some exercise, take some naps, do some laundry, blog, take a long shower, and eat a meal without a baby in my arms, among other things. Things I kinda took for granted before. I don't know if I could ever thank my friends enough for what they're doing for us. They do have families of their own after all. I hope to pay it forward someday.

*We're had some out of town visitors lately. My dad came and hopped right into the baby fun. He changed, fed, rocked, swaddled, and everything else that these babies require. I guess once you step into this house, you better be prepared to get yourself elbow deep in babies. My sister Amber also came with her 7 month pregnant belly. She's always good for a laugh. And that we did, until we cried. It was nice to break up the monotony of the daily grind and add a little fun. The pictures tell all.

*We like to do "drive by outings" where we drive to our destination, babies included, but only one person runs in to Target, Five Guys, the Gap, Costco, or Einstein Bagels, to name a few. This is nice because the babies love the car, and we get to get out of this house without exposing them to too many germs.

*Some of my clothes are actually starting to fit again. Yes, they are more snug than they used to be, but at least I have more than a few shirts to choose from every morning. Not that I actually get ready for the day or anything.

*Here's a camera dump from the last few weeks.



I'm hoping to get a video post up soon. Hoping, being the operative word. I hope to get a lot of things done, of which only a few actually do.

Happy due date, babies!

That's right. The babies are due today. We can now officially start looking for developmental milestones. All that they've learned up until now has just been bonus. So they are pretty advanced at nursing/bottle feeding for newborns, if you think about it. I would've loved for them to make it longer in the pregnancy, but I have been able to cuddle and kiss them for two months longer than if they were born full term, so I consider myself lucky. We are so happy to have these three sweeties in our home (even when they are all being naughty). I love sleeping with them cuddled on my chest with a blanket over us. I love nursing them while I play with their little fingers. I love bathing them and washing their hair with those really soft brushes and Baby Magic baby wash. I love finding KC holding at least two of them after I have taken a good nap. I love the quiet after a feeding and they are all rocking in their swings breathing deeply. I love kissing their little lips. I just love this little family of mine. It's been an unforgettable couple of months. I love you, babies.

A Poem

Triplets

to Alex, Bennett, Ruby

Six little ears
Three little noses
Thirty little fingers
Thirty little toeses.

Three little babies all in a row
identical twin boys,
one with nail-polished toe
girl a copy of her brothers,
but wears a red-honeyed bow.

Three little babies
lulled in their swings,
now to do the laundry
and other pressing things.

Three little babies
out for their first walk
soon a squeak, a grunt, a squawk
they're a hungry bunch.
They've only paraded half a block
and it's already time for lunch.

I asked Grandma Jan
when she was onesie folding
who was her favorite little babe
without a pause, she said,
"That's easy to answer
it's the one I'm holding."

By Great Grandma Julie.

Dare I say. . .rested?

Thanks to some reflux meds for the boys, three swings, and a lot of hoping and praying, the babies all slept well last night. They still woke up for their feeds every 3 1/2 hours, but they ate quickly and went right back to sleep, which hasn't happened for quite some time. I haven't slept two or three hours in a row for weeks. This came just at the right time. Thank you so much babies. I can see the light! Let's hope this wasn't a fluke.

Maybe I'll feel up to posting some pictures since my eyes are actually staying open, and the boys aren't screaming due to reflux every 20 minutes, the poor little guys. We shall see.

Baby Land.

What a week we've had. The days seem to go by so quickly when you are working around a 3 hour feeding schedule. We did fortunately find out that we don't need to wake the babies up in the middle of the night to feed anymore. That would've been nice to know. But the nurse that does our home visits says it's a-okay to leave them sleeping. Of course, ever since then they have been waking up like clock-work to eat when we've been waking them up in the past. And now even wake up earlier sometimes. And if one wakes up, we just wake up the other two, so we don't have to wake up an hour later to feed them. It seems they all take their turns being the fussy one at night, and sleep like angels during the day. Actually, it's usually one of the boys. Ruby is a little Angel day and night. So, it's all a game of what's-going-to-happen-tonight around here. I think I'd rather just set my alarm for 2 and 5 am to feed them like we've been doing, than be disappointed that they wake up. The nights can get pretty frustrating, especially since their not even technically born yet, so they still are a bit slow and uncoordinated. Sometimes each of us might get a couple hours of sleep during a whole night. But even as tired as I am, or as hard as it is to keep my eyes open in the middle of the night (my mom describes it as having toothpicks in her eyes), it seems that they are always so sweet, and lively at night, making it hard to be upset that they woke you up (though I still manage to harbor some harsh feelings at times). Especially Ruby. Her eyes get so wide when she eats. I love it. Those little faces aren't hard to love. And as a lot of you have reassured us, this stage doesn't last forever (I try to repeat this over and over to myself when I am having a meltdown).We try to make the monotony of the feedings fun sometimes by having bottle races, or watching movies. I really am trying to enjoy my tiny babies and sweet middle of the night moments while I have them. It seems every night one of them needs a little sleep on mommy's chest time, and I don't usually have a complaint about that.

So, onto some fun things going on over here. Auntie Melody and Gabe came to visit this past weekend. The time always goes by WAY too fast when we're together. It was so fun to see Gabe's big smiley face that I haven't seen since he was a newborn. And he has grown quite a bit. I'll miss those chubby cheeks and his chattering in the doorway bouncer. They fit right into our baby lifestyle. Melody helped out so much, holding and feeding as we needed her, provided her little one didn't need her at the moment. We had a great time comparing the sizes of Gabe and the triplets. They look a lot different in size now, but sometime down the road they'll be so close you'd never know there was such a difference. They are almost the same age, after all. We miss them a lot, and Juju and Jonny that didn't join them. Hopefully the Robinsons and the Rehjolecs will all be together someday and we won't have to say goodbye anymore. It really isn't fun to say goodbye. I can't wait until we're neighbors like we always said we'll be.

The weather was perfect for their stay, and we are able to take several walks. It was the most perfect fall weather you could ask for, and it was nice to get the babies out into the fresh air. It's a good way to get out without having to load them into the car, or exposing them to germs by going somewhere where there are a lot of people. I hope we get a few more days like that this year. This is the slide show from Melody's blog.

We love you guys!

Well, this house is all baby these days, with the 'round the clock feedings, loads of laundry and constant hum of the dishwasher running to wash all the bottles. We also rearranged the furniture to make it easier to maneuver around this place. The babies just sleep in the living room in either the crib, the swings, or the moses basket. We usually take shifts sleeping on the couch to sooth whoever it fussy. Sometimes that person actually gets some sleep. It nice to have them in the open area so we all have a place to sit and feed, and it's closer to the kitchen to prepare bottles. It's amazing how transformed into baby-land this place is. Pacifiers everywhere, diapers withing an arms reach, empty bottles on the end tables, and burp clothes on all the arm rests.

Being preemies, they need a lot of follow-up appointments with several different doctors. On Tuesday we had one with the Pulmonary Pediatrician to talk about the boys' monitors. The doctor was happy that he didn't see anything alarming, and says that we can take them off the monitors when they are being supervised (which is all the time since they sleep in the living room, but we put them on in the middle of the night when we might be sleeping), and we are to go back in a month, which will be a couple weeks past their due date, to take them off for good.

That same day we had to see the Ophthalmologist for an update on their eyes. They have a mild form of ROP, Retinopathy of Prematurity, where the blood vessels in their eyes aren't growing properly. But like it said, it's mild, and we just have to keep a close watch on it so that if it doesn't resolve itself, we can have it corrected. It's pretty scary looking, what the doctor does. First they get a series of drops while we're in the office. We have to wait in the waiting room for about an hour and a half for their eyes to dilate, and then when we get taken back, they get some numbing drops. They are then swaddled to keep their arms out of the way while the doctor uses a speculum to pry their eyelids open. It is horrible looking, and the babies get very upset. I didn't watch, but KC had to hold them still while it was being done. The poor babies. It was only about 30 seconds to a minute of torture per baby, but it's so sad to hear them cry so hard. I always try to put my emotions aside during important procedures, since I know it's important. We get to go through all that again in about two weeks. Hooray.

And we went to the the pediatrician again today for some vaccines. The fun never ends. They didn't love it, but didn't cry for long either. I am supposed to wake them up to eat right now, but I'm afraid they;ll be really cranky when I do. Oh dear. They are turning into giant babies, Alex being the biggest at 7 lbs. 1 0z., Ruby second at 6 lbs. 11 oz., and Bennett 6 lbs. 10 oz. Soon I won't be able to hold them with one hand anymore. I am so glad they are growing like they should. We did find out that Bennett my have a hernia, and we're keeping a close eye on him to see if that's what it really is. The poor thing would need surgery. The doctor says it's a very short, outpatient procedure, and it's not something to be too alarmed about. But who wants surgery? We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. So we go back in two weeks. These trips to the doctor are wearing me out. Especially when they are after a fussy night, like last night. I wonder if I'll ever feel rested again.

I wanted to take some individual pictures. The pictures are a little dark, but I'm choosing not to care.

A

B

R

Oh, and we wanted to see how Alex likes the bumbo. Of course we know he's not big enough for it yet, but it was good for a laugh.

And a video for fun.

So, now that the honeymoon stage it over, I'm trying to evaluate how things are going. I knew having these babies would be a HUGE challenge, but also equally rewarding. I was right. We have are highs and our lows. Right now they are all sleeping, I think. I better get some rest. Or do the laundry. Or take a shower. Or eat something. Or pump. Or make my bed. No, rest sounds the best.

A few words to describe my life lately.

Very tired. Lots of bottle washing. Laundry galore. Feeding charts. Grunty noises. Burps. Hand sanitizer. Dr. appointments. Adorable faces. Poop analyzing. A few tears (mommy and babies). Very tired. Lots of smiles. Pumping. Nursing. Swings. Baths. cuddles. Cat naps. Millions of kisses. Did I say very tired?

It's been crazy at times, but also wonderfully wonderful. Enjoy the after-bath hairstyles.

A

B

R
P.S. If you look at the close-ups of the boys, you'll notice a chin zit that Bennett is sporting. It's been there for weeks. It used to bug me, but now I am very glad it's there because it's sometimes the only way to tell them apart (and Alex's painted toenail-sorry buddy) now that they are so close in weight and Alex's chub doesn't immediately give him away.

I should be sleeping.

Yes, sleep when the babies sleep. Isn't that the rule. I do my best, and sometimes actually succeed. But I just had to get a few things down.

We had a little photo session after their baths this morning. KC's sisters made them these cute onsies with their names on them. We have to give a picture of them to the NICU for the "Wall of Fame". I thought these little shirts would be great for that so everyone would know who is who. They were very cooperative, and were so awake and alert. Here are a few.

And I thought this was a great portrayal of our state of being after a night of feedings. Funny how they are in the same position. Like father, like son, eh?

I'm constantly in awe at what is taking place in my life right now. I do have my moments of weakness when I'm too tired/impatient to fulfill all my responsibilities as a mom of three, but I'm learning. Their little faces just make me melt every time I see them.

The evil plot.

Ruby: (whispering) Hey you guys, what do you say we all plan to poop right when mom is putting us in our carseats.

Alex: Hmm, I think that can be arranged.

Bennett: I'm totally in.

First days home.

This post has been in the works for quite sometime, so I'm hoping it actually gets posted this time. Bennett is on my lap as I type. The three of us have had a great time with the babies these past couple days. It's just amazing to have them here. I can't get over it. Of course there are times when they are all crying because they hungry, or for many other unknown reasons, and we all feel a little spent, but before long they are all sleeping and I forget I was ever overwhelmed because they are so angelic, peaceful, and adorable. My mom is a HUGE help with the feedings, and nights, and meals, among other things. We are just having so much fun cozying up and watching old movies while we are constantly feeding, and changing the babies. I also get to keep pumping to provide the milk for the third that doesn't get to nurse at every feeding. Hooray. They take turns, you see. But even amidst all that craziness, I have actually been able to get quite a few things done, and treated myself to a nice bubble bath. KC has taken the last few days off of work, and we're all getting this 3 hour feeding routine down. There are still come kinks to work out, but they all get fed. That's the important thing.

I have to say one frustration is waking up the babies to eat when they are sound asleep. Especially in the middle of the night when we want to sleep ourselves, but until they are big and strong, they have to eat all the time. It will be wonderful to let them sleep to their heart's desire. Of course, by then, they'll probably rebel, and wake up every 3 hours or less just to be funny.

Our biggest adventure was taking them to their first appointment to the pediatrician. They love riding in the car, we found out, and actually behaved extremely well for the doctor. They hardly made a peep as they all laid on the table wearing only their little diapers. It was so cute as were near each other skin to skin again. They haven't been like that since they were born. It was pretty funny when Ruby turned toward Alex and started licking his forehead. I guess she was a little hungry. He didn't seem to mind. And man, the boys sure are looking more identical everyday, especially when they are naked and right next to each other. The doc had only great things to say about my little loves, and we are happy to see that they are gaining weight well. Ruby at 5 lbs. 12 oz, Alex 5 lbs. 11 oz, and Bennett at 5 lbs. 4 oz. My, how my babies have grown.


We were fortunate to have a nurse from the hospital come do a follow up assessment at the house to make sure they are gaining weight well, and doing what they should. They passed her test, and she'll come do that again in a week to make sure all is ship shape. And a week after that we have appointments with the Ophthalmologist to see how they eyesight is developing, and another doctor to see about taking the monitors off. It's always an adventure to leave the house with everyone.



Here are some more pics of our first couple days at home.
Here's to more strength and naps as they days go on. These babies are worth every hour of sleep I don't get.

Whoa babies!

We have three of them. In our house. What?! As of about 2 pm this afternoon we now house a family of five plus one guest. Things are going okay so far. We'll see how I am after a night with them here. But oh boy, are they cute. I love just walking around with any one (or two) of them in my arms. You should've seen the parade we made as we were leaving the hospital. Yeah, we're gonna be busy, but what's a better kind of busy to be? I don't foresee much blogging in my near future. I'll do my best.

Maggie Simpson impersonator

This video was taken a while ago. It makes me laugh. And, I don't really know who made that silly name tag in Ruby's crib. I guess I could've been more creative with crib decor, but I didn't want them to get too comfortable there.

Only mere hours before my babies are home. This is better than Christmas. I've been going nuts all day with nervous excitement. I hope I'm able to sleep tonight.

The calm before the storm.

Up until today we weren't exactly sure when these babies were going to take up residence in their more permanent home with us. But we got the news from the doctor that we are only a couple days away! We were given the choice to either take Ruby first, and then add the boys a couple days later, or just take her at the same time. Looking at the challenges facing either of those options, I chose to have them all home at the same time. I couldn't bare to split them up for any amount of time, not to mention having to go back and forth to the hospital. So, all at once it is. And we are pretty positive that this will all take place on Wednesday night!

Ruby doesn't need one but the boys will still be on monitors just to play it safe, but that is fine with me. Better to be safe than sorry. It may be only for a couple weeks, and it's worth it for them to come home sooner. I just can't believe that this extended amount of time we've had at this hospital is almost over. We've been there everyday for the past 2 1/2 months. It's going to be a pretty hectic couple of days getting all their discharge stuff taken care of, and mom and I are in a kind of survival mode, trying to gear up for a life quarantined indoors with the babies. As nervous as this makes me, and as much as I know I'm going to miss my sleep, I seriously couldn't be more excited to have my babies in my arms whenever I want.

When they were first born, I was a little scared of their fragile and frail little bodies. I knew I couldn't take care of all of their needs in that state, so I was so happy to have the wonderful nurses and doctors doing that for me. But ever since they've been getting plump and eating well, I've been aching for my little ones to be in my own house, knowing that I am ready to take on the challenge. I am so in love with these babies. It gives me butterflies thinking of them so nearby. I feel as prepared as I could possibly be in this situation. I've spent so much time with them that I feel like I know their needs and wants already. I have my mom here to help with whatever I may need from her, and KC is the best dad a child could ask for. I think we're a great team for these babies to come home to. I'm not saying I don't freak out at times, but those feeling usually subside when they are replaced by excitement and joy when I think of having the family I have prayed for for so long. Oh man, this is gonna be fun.

I can't wait to welcome you home,

Alex,

Bennett,

and Ruby!
By the way, as much as we'd love for friends to come meet the littles, the doctors have been very adamant about making sure we don't let anyone with as much as a little sniffle come near them if we can help it. We're not even supposed to take them anywhere but the doctor all winter. If you want to come play, we'd love to see you, but would really appreciate it if you have a clean bill of health when you do. Thanks!

Little naked faces

I went into the nicu on Tuesday to find that both Ruby and Bennett were gavage-free at last! It took me a second to realize what was different since I didn't even really notice the gavage any more. I just LOVE those beautiful faces free from all tape and tubes.

The doctor has now put them on Ad Lib feeds, meaning, they are no longer required to eat a certain amount, but they can decide when they are done. There is a maximum amount that we don't want them to exceed, but if they don't finish it all, or fall asleep before it's gone, it's fine. And they can nurse as long as they want and count it as their entire feed since they are getting so good at it. We usually let them go for about 15-20 minutes, and then give them a bottle, to make sure they are eating enough. But looks like these little chunks are gaining just fine to start a normal eating regimen.

And something else crazy, they are starting to grow out of some of their preemie clothes and are starting to wear newborn sizes. At least A and R. It makes me want to celebrate and cry all at once. But the newborn sizes are still loose, and the preemie sizes are still fitting fine, so I'm going to squeeze them into those cute little clothes as long as possible. It will be fun to save my favorite outfits for each of them to keep and be amazed at later. I'm going to miss those tiny little clothes, but I love that my babies are growing well. It's just happening so fast.

The latest goings on.

So, I have some catching up to do. I have a feeling these blog posts will be a lot more concise as I get busier/more tired, so aren't you glad you don't have to read through my rants and ramblings much longer? Well, I might sneak a long post in now and then. Anyway, Here's what's been going on over in these parts.

Visitors:
The babies have had a lot of visitors lately. KC's mom and dad came to meet the crew last weekend. Now the babies have met all their grandparents. These little ones will never have a lack of attention. We had a few fun days while they all got to know each other.

Janice with Alex
KC and Clyde with Bennett and Alex. (Sorry Ruby, I don't have any picture of you with G and G Robinson.)
My Grandmother, and Aunt Eileen swung by during their East Coast travels. I was so glad they could make it, since I have no idea when Grandmother would've seen seen them, living in Utah. It may be a long time before we travel with this little family of ours.

Grandmother with Bennett
Eileen with Ruby and Alex

My sister Cami also came to join the fun a few days later. Remember how she used to live here? Yeah, it was fun to pretend she did again. She took some beautiful pictures of my loves while she was here, (I used a couple in the previous post.) I'll give you a slide show to ooh, and aah over later on. I can't wait for the rest of my siblings to meet their new niece and nephews.

Alex

Bennett

Ruby
Baby shower:
I have some pretty amazing friends. They have been with me on this fertility journey from the very beginning. The support has been never-ending whether it was during IVF, adoption, pregnancy, or mothering. Saying all that makes me seem like the neediest, most high-maintenance friend you could ask for (which is probably true), but they have always been there to listen to me, pray for me, or lend a hand if I needed one. A few of them threw me a most wonderful shower. It has had to be postponed a couple times for obvious reasons, but it finally happened, and was a blast. I still couldn't believe it was me and my babies that the shower was for. Everyone was so generous, and I have some serious thank you note writing to do. Though, thank you will never be enough to some special people that have done so much for me. I don't think I deserve such loyal and loving girls in my life. Anyway, it was very memorable, and we are well stocked for these babies!

Jeans:
I bought jeans. And they fit. This deserves it's own category, as I thought it would never happen. Yes, they are bigger than I was before, and they are pretty dang tight in areas, but at least I can look a tiny bit put together if I must. Of course the yoga pant get put right on the second I come home.

Turing 25:
My birthday was Monday, and I must say, I actually forgot about it for the few days leading up to it. I guess I can see how these sort of things can really take a back seat when you throw kids into the mix. And it was a little sad that Melody wasn't here (but she's coming in a few weeks, so not too sad), though we did talk a couple times, and I was serenaded by the Rejholec family, including Juju, singing Happy Birthday. Definitely a highlight of the day. And thanks to a wonderfully kind friend for giving me a gift certificate to a spa, and Facebook for altering everyone of birthdays, and of course kind friends who remembered (something I am not good at, so I was very impressed), it was a great day of pampering, friendly emails and phone calls. The hour-long facial I got at the salon was heavenly, especially since that's where I've been holding most of my stress and concern for the past few years. Of course I couldn't let the day for by without seeing the babies, since this is my first birthday as a mommy. But I did let myself have a break from the early morning and late night with them (my usual routine, so I can squeeze and nap, and chores in the middle). KC and I took the night off and went to dinner. The two of us haven't done that for a while, and I think it will be a while before we do it again. It was hard to think about anything else but the babies, but we tried. We like to make their facial expression, and actually KC does it pretty well. And a couple of my friends and I went to get a pedicure last night, mostly to get one last one in before I'm stuck at home for a long time, but we can count it as birthday fun as well.

Well, that's that. Not as concise as I thought. I'm sure that will change when there are babies screaming to be fed and whatnot. Speaking of the littles, Alex was really gearing up to come home, but he reminded us that he is still a little tyke, and like to get a little too relaxed sometimes and sets off some alarms, extending his discharge a little. This is normal, and since he is now taking all his food by mouth instead of by tube, it's probably wearing him out a bit. He just needs to build up the strength and coordination. In time, of course. No need to rush him. Especially since my mom isn't coming until Saturday. Ruby is the least dainty eater of the three. She can really chug that bottle down. Those cheeks get bigger by the day. She loves to stay awake after she eats and see what's going on, while the boys like their sleep. (Sounds a little like their parents.) Little Bennett still gets pretty tired during feeds, but he is a great nurser. It took him a while but when he figured it out, he really knew what he was doing. They only get to nurse 1-2 times a day since it requires more strength and it wears them out. But they really love it, and so do I. They are all gaining weight like they should, and it feels weird to say that 5 lbs. is just around the corner. And we are now in our own private room. They moved us there to make room for other new-comers in the big room. It's nice to be all to ourselves. Oh, how I love my little cuddlers. They really loved having bubble baths the other night. They are getting so chunky, yet they're still so little. As much as I want them to get stronger and bigger, I do love this size.

AlexBennett

Ruby
So, back to my mom. I can't wait for her to come. The babies have changed so much since she left. We are going to be pretty busy around here, and she is so kind to dedicate so much of her time to my family. I'm going to love learning from her. Bring on the babies!