Lots of Googlers.

If you’ve been reading here for a while, you might remember that because of this post (which still gets hits now and then-ha!) I had the rare, yet very pointless, opportunity of being the first non-sponsored entry on a Google search. Well, it has happened once again. I only realized this recently when looking at my blog stats (an interesting new feature blogger has added) and noticed just how many new hits this post has been getting. I can only imagine how many newbies to IVF start googling around for information. Every day my live traffic feed shows many new arrivals from someone googling IVF protcol, something I’m sure I did myself when I was new to the process.

As willing as I am to share these part of my life with cyberspace, after a few months of seeing new arrivals from google everyday, I’m starting to feel a little funny that my blog is so visible to anyone googling this hot topic. Makes me feel a little naked, in the virtual sense. I mean, I never wanted to go private, but I never cared about being so out-there either. I changed the title of the post from IVF Protocol Documentation, to just IVF Documentation to see if I could take the hits down a notch. I don’t think it did much in the way of moving us down the list, but oh well. I can only hope that my experience has been a small source of information to those who needed it, and that those who find my blog are nice, well-meaning, (not scary) people. And hopefully those most-likely infertile visitors look at what is happening presently on this blog for a little hope while they endure their treatments. We’ve certainly come a long way, and I am thankful every single day.

The Pink Hat

In the spirit of Easter, I thought I’d share this with you. A while ago, I bought Ruby a cute little Easter hat I found in the Target dollar spot. Knowing my girl and how much she loves clothes, I knew she’d love this new addition to her wardrobe. And she does, but a certain little boy seems to love it more. Bennett can be found wearing this hat at any given moment during the day. He finds it, probably drawn in by its brightness, casually places it on his head, and carries on with his important playing duties. This has been going on for weeks. I always ask each Elise if she has put it on him, but it’s always Bennett who does this all by himself. I can’t blame him. It’s a pretty cool hat, and it fits him perfectly. It always makes me laugh when I see him wearing it unabashedly as he wanders out of the playroom. I’m going to let him continue to enjoy it since it obviously makes him happy. Here are some moments with the famous “at”.

I’ve pulled out my more masculine hats to play with, which worked temporarily, but they just don’t catch the eye like the pink hat.

Alex isn’t completely innocent here. He has been seen wearing it a time or two, and just today he was happily sporting Ruby’s purple sunglasses.

(Then everyone had to have a pair of glasses to play with.)

But it’s Bennett who is wearing it 95% of the time. Of course this means nothing about the boyishness of either of my little men. After all, Bennett is usually playing with cars and trucks while donning the hat. But I think I’ll take the advice from my sister when she wrote about a similar circumstance in her home, and get some boy-type dress-ups, before they start demanding to wear Ruby’s tutus.

And don’t worry, Ruby does get to wear her hat on occasion. My girl does appreciate a good fashion accessory.

Adventures with Grandma.

KC’s mom came to town last week, and it was hilarious to me to watch the babies enter this new nerdy show-off stage. When they discovered that this new person in the house was here to pay attention to any and every thing they do, they just had to make the most of it. They loved doing things to make us all laugh. Ahh, toddlers. They do love attention, don’t they.

We tried to pack in all the fun we could while she was here. I’ll show you.

We thought it was a great time to try the National Zoo out. It is only a short drive away, and free (besides parking, of course) so what did we have to lose? The weather was perfect, and I think even though the kids didn’t quite get what they were looking at for the most part, they had a great time in the new surroundings. But it was packed, and they got restless so we only lasted about an hour. But still a success.

It was raining for several of the days she was here so we did a lot of lounging, and reading books.

Alex, for some reason, was having a nap boycott while she was here. Not before she came, or after she left. Just while she was here. I guess he didn’t want to miss out on any fun with Grandma in the house. Anyway, one morning I had errands to run, and didn’t want him screaming in his crib while I was gone. So while the others slept away, I took him with me to Wegmans, where he was as delightful as ever. What a difference to only take ONE to the store. Way too easy. I loved having a little shopping buddy, even if he was supposed to be napping, the little naughty. It was nice to have Janice taking care of things at home so I could go out and about.

Of course this happened on the way home. When will kids ever learn? I mean, this can’t be more comfortable than his cozy crib.

KC and I were very happy to go out a couple times while we had a willing babysitter. Every time I go to the Cheesecake Factory, I feel like a tiny person in a giant’s house.

We got restless waiting for the rain to let up, so we went to the mall, and a couple other places just to get out.

And we decided to just brave it one day, and go to Watkins Park to see more animals. This is just a great place for my animal-fascinated children.

Another day looked like good weather, and ended up being too hot. We tried out the Arboretum with all the open space for them to roam. Still a bit of a task letting them run around when it’s not 1:1. That outing was kind of a bust, with the heat, traffic, and cranky kids, but we got out anyway, right? We should’ve at least stopped by the fish. Oh well.

We made up for it by enjoying a walk around the lake on a gorgeous day. That’s always refreshing.

As soon as we cleaned up the guest room, the kids were more than ready to reclaim their playroom territory.

No adults allowed.

Thank you, once again, for all the help and fun times Grandma!

The Day Has Arrived.

Today was the day. The day that our whole family went to church and actually stayed for all the meetings. . .kind of. We did arrive late (I really wanted them to have a morning nap, which they did happily) and missed most of the first hour, but it’s a start. We strapped them into the stroller which we decided would be the best way to transport them from the car to the classroom as bulky as it may be. (They are fast these days, and it’s not too ladylike chasing kids in all different directions in a dress. And I don’t like making other people help us in and out every week.) We fed them some cheese sticks, crackers, and freeze-dried apples and called it lunch since it was about 11:00. As soon as that organ started playing postlude music, we headed to the nursery. I was actually nervous, and feeling a few butterflies in my stomach. I’m not sure if I was excited, scared, or anxious. When we joined the other five kids, and noticed a couple of the leaders were absent, we thought we’d stick around a while to see how things were going, along with a few other parents. The babies, of course, were thrilled with the the plethora or new toys (I’m making some progress in my germaphobic ways. . .I think). Ruby went straight for the dolls and strollers, surprise surprise, and the boys were very excited about the balls and giant Legos. One of the boys, Bennett I think, even ran up to me with bright eyes and speaking some happy gibberish to and show me the awesome toy he found. They weren’t shy with the other kids, and I think even found comfort in having each other. They were completely at ease, and were having a great time. After a little while, I went to Sunday School, and KC to tend to some business. My triplets were all in the hands of other people while I just went off on my own. Weird.

I was completely restless, looking at the clock every two minutes. I guess KC had returned not long after I left to lend a hand, and when I went to check up on things after my class, I was glad to see he was there to help. It was snack time. Capri Suns and Goldfish Crackers. It was adorable when I walked in and saw them sitting at the table with all the other kids. I couldn’t believe how old they looked. It made me a little sad, and proud at the same time. They were fine, having fun eating away, but I’m glad I came to check up on things. As sweet as it was, my kids and disposable straw-type drinks still have a way to go. They do great with sippy cups since they can’t squeeze those. But juice boxes/pouches are another story unless I hold it for them. They were all soaked soon after they were given this new and interesting object. We took off both of the boys’ soaked pants, which made for a great look for the rest of church. I ended up staying there for the third hour while KC took Ruby to his class and walked the halls a little for the last few minutes. I think she may have been getting a bit overstimulated from all the excitement. I think we all were. I sang a few of the kids' favorite songs. They joined me in the actions while the other kids just stared. Maybe I’ll have to join the nursery for some singing time now and then.

All in all, I’d definitely call the day a great success. They were very well-behaved, played great with the other kids, which didn’t surprise me at all, and the best part was, WE ALL got a nap when we got home. A second nap is very rare these days, and how I needed it! I hope that turns into a Sunday tradition.

I know they’ll be fine without us. I stayed with them mostly for my own peace of mind. I’ll be a lot more comfortable when the other leaders are there to help. It’s weird to see how normal my life seems to become as the months pass by. Where have my tiny babies gone, and who are these darling little people?

ABR

I ate way too much tonight.

It was a Shredded Beef Nachos Supreme kinda night over here. You really should make them. Here’s how:

Follow this recipe to make the most delicious cheese sauce. (Or just follow the whole recipe. I just don’t always have it in me to make everything from scratch these days. I just go ahead and buy the salsa verde and regular salsa.) Sometimes I just use rotisserie chicken, or grill up a couple chicken breasts, but today I just put a flank steak with about a cup of salsa verde slathered on it in the crock pot for about 7 hours (and used the leftover juices as the broth in the cheese sauce). Whatever meat you choose, shred it up. Open a can of refried beans and warm it up a little. Add a little water if you need to make it easier to pour/spread. I’ve also just used black beans before. When everything is ready, assemble. Spread a layer of chips, followed by beans, meat, cheese sauce,  and a little shredded cheese, and repeat another time or two. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes to get it all bubbly and crisp. If you’re like me, cilantro is necessary to this meal. Apply it liberally, and whatever other toppings you like. Sour cream and fresh guacamole are also non-negotiable for me. Eat immediately. Easily one of my top five favorite things to eat/devour.

Consuming that most delectable meal, with roasted corn on the cob and chili butter on the side (thanks Ribeiras), with great company, while all the babies silently snoozed away, made for a very, very fine rainy Saturday evening. And these bad boys made it even better.  

Much more to post, but I’m kind of in pain right now, so after I digest.

Picture Party

It’s time again, for another picture update. Let’s take a look in my past few folders and see what we have.

These boys definitely have a special bond.(Anyone need a plumber?)

We have a feeling these girls will be the best of friends as they grow up. Even if they don’t always live so close to each other.

There was a little mix up when getting dressed one morning. Apparently Ruby thought she was a model at a photo shoot.

Ruby insisted (as in, whined loudly until I gave it to her) that she hold this huge ball on our way to the car.

This is what happens when there is more playing than sleeping during nap time.

Being creative during play time.

Bennett must’ve been one tired boy. Didn’t even care that he threw all his blankets out.

And doesn’t this look comfortable.

Alex was so tired one day, that he fell asleep during lullabies right before we put him to bed. A rare, and precious occasion.

A favorite hang out is this tiny window ledge. They all attempt to stand on it now and then, which makes mom a little uneasy.

After cleaning out the basement (Hooray for spring cleaning!), we brought up a few things we were getting rid of. The babies were very excited to see their old stuff again. Ruby even insisted I put on her old winter suit, that clearly didn’t fit anymore.

This happened about a block before we got home. And of course they thought they’d slept enough and wouldn’t take a nap when we got inside.

My mom sent my very old Raggedy Ann doll to us. Ruby was completely fascinated, and for a couple days wouldn’t let it out of her sight.

When it’s nap time, I tell everyone it’s time to go get our blankies, and Alex runs to the door saying, “ beeky, beeky,beeky!” This kid loves his blanket a little too much for my taste, but at least it gets him excited for nap time.

Orange rolls for us girls during priesthood session. I have to remember that I do still bake now and then.

Here’s Bennett-thoven creating a musical masterpiece. The piano is becoming a favorite toy lately.

The kids were insanely happy when we let them loose in the back yard one Sunday afternoon. They enjoyed getting into the recycling bin, trying to eat acorns, and almost falling down scary steps. It didn’t last long.

Elise and I tried it another day with the play yard. Still a hassle, but the kids loved it.

Bennett and his Peek-a-Boo obsession.

Why the fascination with shoes?

One of the times Ruby would NOT put down her baby for lunch time. She even fed her some sweet potatoes.

Alex, just cause.

Bennett, chillin’ with dad before bed time.

Another one of Elise’s bright ideas: “ Em, let’s connect the boys with their overalls!” It’s like I’m the only adult around here. That girl keeps me young.

Ruby must’ve been going for the smokey eye look when she wacked her face on the window ledge. Elise and I have considered doing the other eye to even things out.

Thanks for coming. See you at the next picture party!