Big Milestone!

I just wanted to quickly share something big that happened today... Eli got his first teeth! It's the two bottom middle ones, and they're just barely poking through. OK, if you have kids you probably know how this feels - it's so exciting! And if you don't, I understand if you think this excitement is ridiculous - I mean, it's not a surprise that he got teeth, right? But for some reason, I was so filled with happiness when I felt those two little buggers.

First of all, if you read earlier posts, you know Eli is "sensitive" - especially with napping. He has been getting better, but still doesn't usually nap really great. Well, today was especially tough. That kid hardly slept at all. So I was just laying with him trying to get him to settle down to sleep, and he grabs my finger. I think, "If sucking on my finger will make you feel better, then go for it" - I truly don't usually stick my fingers in their mouths. And that's when I felt them! Poor little dude - no wonder he was having such a hard time the last couple of days!

So after I got over my excitement I immediately ran and rubbed around on Zach's gums - he was having a hard time too. Nothing there yet, but I'll bet he's not far behind. Now every time they're having a hard day, I'll be examining their gums!

Eli is no longer "the toothless wonder"!

Growin' Right Along

Eli, Zach and Luke

Hi! It's been too long since my last post - sorry! I know you all want to know what's happening with the boys. They are doing awesome! I'm simply amazed. When these three were a couple of weeks old, I was so worried about them "developing correctly", which I thought was dependent on what I did. Thank goodness that with time, I'm starting to understand that this really isn't about parenting skills - it's about God's amazing creation. These kids are growing and doing things that I never knew they would, let alone that I taught them to do. Here's a summary of what the little sweeties have been up to lately:

Eli

He loves to play in his new ExerSaucer. I never knew these things existed, but they are so cool! Eli has been able to figure out how to move around in it and to make lots of the toys do what they're supposed to. His second favorite thing to do is play with his toes. He is a little moody sometimes, but he loves singing - even mine. I'm not being modest - it's awful. But it always calms him down. And he has the hugest, sweetest smile first thing in the morning. It's so precious.

This is as close to his sweet smile that I can catch, and it's not even close!


Luke

He loves reading. Even if he's a little cranky, as soon as I start to read he gets happy. You should see the way he smiles when we're reading - so cute! He also enjoys his toes immensely, but he has another trick he's really good at - rolling over! He flips right over now, but it took him a while to work it out. It's so amazing to watch these little critters grow!

Luke with his favorite book, "Flyaway Ladybug"

Zach

Zach is just a mellow dude. He's happy most of the time, no matter what we're doing. Luke and Eli are really happy too, but Zach just seems content. He likes to roll over too, and just yesterday got up from a nap with a nasty looking red spot above his eye. Luckily it was gone this morning. but he definitely goes a few rounds with the crib now! Zach also has perfected what I call "the lip flutter" - does anyone know what I'm talking about or what it's really called? Anyway, he blows bubbles and makes noises as he vibrates his lips - it's just so sweet!

Zach during one of his naps

All of the boys are now eating cereal, vegetables and fruit. So far they seem to like everything, although Zach makes a disgusted face with his first bite of anything. They're each really learning how to eat well, and the mess is much less than you'd expect! I know, just wait til they're feeding themselves. I'm planning on making the most of the nice AZ weather to eat outside as much as possible!

They're also napping pretty well now. We went through some tough times getting napping down, but generally they nap at the same time and do pretty well. We're still working on it, but we've already made a world of progress.

We've had lots of friends visiting lately, which has been awesome!! Shout out to Sue in Butler and all of her coworkers who follow the blog!

Hope you enjoy the new pictures.

Playtime in the newly redecorated "kids room"

Zach Update

Hi all! It's been a busy couple of weeks with friends and family in town, so I haven't had a chance to blog much. Don't have a lot of time today either, but I wanted to give you all an update on Zach's surgery.

It went great! That little man is s super trooper! He had to fast for 7 1/2 hours before the surgery and never got cranky. They took him in around 10 am, gave him some gas through a mask which put him out before he had to have an IV and breathing tube. The doctor came out to see us at 11:15, and said that he had a hernia on his right side as well as his left. We were so glad we gave consent to have his right side examined as well, because we might be in this same position in a couple of months if we hadn't. So they fixed him up! He has a 1-1/2 inch incision on both sides of his groin which are sealed with glue. That's cool, because we don't have any special incision care. We gave him pain medicine all day yesterday, so he was a little druggy all day, but didn't seem to be in any pain.

This morning, he seems like he's back to his "old" self! He got pain medication at 5 am, but when he woke up for the day he was alert and really playful. It doesn't seem to be bothering him at all. Babies bodies are so regenerative, that it really helps them to heal quickly.

We're soooo blessed! It's a huge relief to have this behind us! Thanks for all the love and prayers - we felt every one! I'll blog more with new pictures soon!

4 month appointment

Yippee! Our first short outfits from Aunt Claudia!

Well, the boys are actually 18 weeks now, but they went on Thursday (March 4) for their 4 month appointment. Generally, they are all doing great! They're growing consistently and doing most of the stuff they're supposed to be doing. One thing they're supposed to be doing now is grabbing at toys and other objects. They grab their clothes, the changing table sides and especially my hair, but not at toys yet. The doctor is not concerned - she thinks they'll be doing this soon, as do John and I. This is maybe one of those milestones that is affected by their being born early. We'll just give them a few weeks before the discipline begins. Just kidding!!!

Here are the vital stats on each of the boys: (percentile in parenthesis)

Luke

Height: 25-1/2" (69%)

Weight: 13 lb. 7 oz. (13%)

Elijah

Height: 26-1/2" (92%)
Weight: 15 lb. 7 oz. (59%)

Zachary

Height: 27" (96%)
Weight: 15 lb. 14 oz. (68%)

Our big thing now is working on sleeping in cribs for naps. I was totally scared of this, but it's going better than I expected! Definitely not great yet, but I think they'll get the idea sooner rather than later. We really need to do this for their safety (they're starting to roll around) and for my sanity!

Here are some new pics. We went on our first family outing that was not a doctor's visit last Saturday. It was the third birthday party of a set of triplets I've come to know since these boys came along. We had a great time... the boys are really good in public and of course they're a hit everywhere we go!

A friend, Deanna, and two of her thirteen year old triplet boys.

They were so sweet and just loved the babies!


Birthday girls!

In case I don't get to blog again, please keep Zach in your prayers. He will have surgery next Thursday, March 25. We have to be at the hospital at 9 am - not sure what time the surgery will be. John's Mom is coming to stay with Eli and Luke while John and I go with Zach. It should be a simple and outpatient, but I just feel for the little guy when he comes out of it. He will be groggy, and I know my throat always hurts from the breathing tube. The doctor said that if everything goes well, he will feel like himself by that evening. We are so blessed to have so many friends and family supporting us through all we go through, and I KNOW that prayer works. Thanks and love to all!!

Update

Here's just a quick update on how it's been going. It's now been over 1 week since the boys and I have been going solo, and we're all still kickin'! It actually has been really OK - I'm not going to gush and say it's been all easy. There are times when 2 (or more) of the boys are cranky at the same time, and I just don't know what to do. But God has really blessed us with 3 calm, easy boys and I couldn't ask for anything more.

It really helps that they are sleeping really well at night. They go to bed between 8:30 and 9 and get up around 6:30, so that time to sleep really regenerates me. On the weekends, John gets up with the boys so I always have that to look forward to, since I am a sleeper at my core! Naps during the day aren't going as well. They nap together in the morning really well, but then in the afternoon, they fight sleep and don't end up sleeping for much time at the same time. I have decided to let this go until we go to the pediatrician on Thursday. At that time, I expect she'll let us start feeding the boys cereal, which I think will make a big difference in their sleeping during the days. I will post an update after the Dr. appointment so that you can all see how they're doing. The other big thing is that I hope we'll be able to schedule Zach's surgery after the appointment. I really want to get that taken care of!

Other than that, the boys are progressing great! Zach is super strong. He stands up a lot and the big thing is that he rolled over last week! I was so proud! Now he wants to roll everywhere, so we have to watch him so carefully. Eli is happy boy! He loves to be awake in the morning - not so much in the evening! He has a huge smile and adorable dimples that he shows every chance he gets! Luke is so serious and inquisitive. He loves when we read and is generally just a good boy. They are all sitting up pretty well with some help, and they grasp toys but don't grab for them so much yet.

I'm starting to feel more confident in their abilities. If you talked to me at all during the first couple of months, I was so afraid that they weren't "doing" enough "stuff". I've finally realized that God created us to learn and advance even if your mommy doesn't really know what she's doing. So I'm a little more chilled out now, and just enjoying where they are in life, knowing that if they're loved a lot and kept safe, they will be just fine. (Talk to me after reading one of those "here's what your child should be doing books" - I'm a basket case again!)

Eli is on my lap now, and I really want to post, so no pictures this time:( Rest assured, they're beautiful and happy and I'll post some next time!

16 weeks!

This pic is self-explanatory! Adorable onesies

from my great-aunt and uncle in PA

Wow, can you believe it? The boys are 16 weeks old now, so it's probably time to start calling it 4 months. It seems like a tiny miracle that we've all made it this far, but as they grow, I think we're all starting to get used to the idea of living and working together. When the babies were first born, of course I knew they would grow up and develop, but I guess that with lack of sleep comes lack of brain power and I never had the vision to see that things would be different. I thought, "How can I go without sleep for months?" and "Will they ever do anything?" Well, I have some answers now that are heartwarming for a first time parent!

Sleeping is hugely improved. Last night, Luke woke up around midnight. They went to sleep at 9 pm, so this was not when he was supposed to get up at all. He had been doing this for a couple of days, so I let him cry for about 15 minutes then he went to sleep. Then, around 2:15, Eli got up. I let him go for a while then tried to chill him out by rocking him with a pacifier. This didn't work so well so I gave him a small snack at 3. After that, he slept with the rest of the guys until 7 am. So two events all night - not too bad. I long for the days of easy bedtimes and zero events through the night, and I know that this will come eventually (maybe when they're 10??). For now, with three babies, I consider myself lucky! Daytime napping is still not very consistent - it's hard to get them all to sleep at the same time so that I can get some things done. They generally start out well but as the day progresses, napping gets more sporadic. I'm hoping this will change once they can start eating cereal.

As for the "doing stuff", I'm amazed at how they've changed. They have toys that hang above their bouncy seats and play gyms, and they all bat at those pretty accurately. They will sometimes hold a rattle and try to eat stuffed animals that are around. They love their fingers and play with them a lot; when that gets boring, they try to eat their fingers. All three are babbling now, which is one of our favorite activities! Zach probably does the most, then Luke, and finally Eli. We encourage it every time they say "Goo" or "Ahuuu", and in the back of my mind, I wonder if I'll ever regret the encouragement. I mean really, if we have 3 kids that talk as much as me, poor John will never get a word in!

Luke, Zach and Eli in hand-knitted camo sweaters

made by a friend of a friend - aren't they sweet?

The other major events we've been having aren't anyone else's ideas of major, but it's our lives! My Mom's friend Mary came to visit, so I have to give a shout out to the staff at HCQU, who have followed the triplets since before they were born and are always so kind and supportive. Hey everyone!

Dulcy with Zach, Robin with Eli, Mary with Luke

I went to a dinner with a bunch of triplet and quad moms one night. That was both encouraging and deeply disturbing. I'm really not sure if I left more or less secure, but at least I got information! One thing that really disturbed me was talk of duct-taping diapers on. Really? That and all that it implies scares the... well, let's not go there. At least I saw a lot of normal-looking, healthy-looking women who still had hair, and their kids were generally older than mine. And I got out for a night, which was fun.

Mom and I took the boys on their first field trip to the Arizona Rock Museum. This is a 1/4 mile walk that takes you past original Indian pictoglyphs, which are like hieroglyphics but just pictures that the Indians either painted or etched. Some go back 7000 years. It was really cool, and the boys did their best at being good and looking cute. They still seem to be the main attraction wherever we go. A nice lady took our picture (Since I forgot the camera) and said she'd send it to me, but I haven't received it yet.

Oh, we also had another photo shoot with a budding professional photographer. I've attached some of the pictures - I think they're great! The boys are really getting to be little hams - they're so used to having a camera in their faces it doesn't bother them at all!

Finally, the biggest event - my Mom left on Saturday. I'm officially on my own during the days, and this is my first day. So the real reason for this blog is to ask for prayers! Seriously! I think the fear of the unknown is the worst for me right now, because I've never had the babies alone for more than 3 or 4 hours. I can handle short chunks of time, so I'm just going to focus on getting through hour by hour, instead of the big picture. I have a lot of people who have offered support, and I will take them up on it if I need to. I'm not sure what this will mean for blogging - things may start to take a decidedly darker tone! I hope not. I love these guys so much, and I've learned over the last 4 months that things change, get better, and with God and my friends and family with me, we can handle anything, as evidenced by us surviving this far!

Eli, Zach (top), and Luke

Zach

Luke

Eli

Amigos Update

Hi all! Sorry it's been so long since my last post - I hope everyone is well! We are just truckin' along here, so I haven't had a lot that I thought would be interesting for you all to read, but the boys are definitely changing all the time. I thought I would go describe a day and let you all know what we do and how life goes for the boys.

The boys get out of bed at 9 am (I'll write more about the sleep situation later!). They are generally so happy when they wake up - it's my favorite part of the day. Here are pictures of each baby smiling:

Luke

Eli

Zachary

They eat and I wash and dress them each separately while the others are in their bouncy seats. I usually put on a Baby Einstein video while this is happening. I know, I know - I don't want them to become little couch potatoes but I don't think they're all that impressed with TV yet anyway. They just like the bright lights and music. After they've all been changed and are ready for the day, it's nap time. Nap time isn't really going so well yet. Sometimes one or more sleeps right after they eat, and sometimes one or more stays up for an hour or so then sleeps. We're trying to work on getting them to nap at the same time, because that would free up time for me to do stuff, like blog!

They eat again at 12 - we are on a every three hour feeding schedule. After this feeding time I usually try to read to them in their bouncy seats. We have two books we read most - "The First Read and Learn Bible" and "The First Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes". I'm starting to memorize the books so that I can make eye contact and try to hold each boys' attention. They seem to like it pretty well, actually. Then they usually play on their play mats for a while, and I try to give them some belly time. This is important for babies who don't sleep on their stomachs. It helps them to build their neck and upper body muscles so that one day they can crawl. They used to hate it, but it's not so bad any more. Today they were on their tummies for about 10 minutes, and Zach and Luke did really well lifting up on their arms and turning their heads around from side to side. Eli wasn't that into it today but he's pretty good too. Here's a pic of them on their mats, although this is an old picture. They're a lot bigger now and can only go one to each play mat (or else they kick each other too much!).

Zach, Eli and Luke

If they have a rough time sleeping, we put them in a swing or hold them one at a time. I try to spend equal time with each baby, and I think it usually evens out over the course of a day.

We also have been taking some excursions now that my Mom is here. We have gone to the mall twice. That's an experience! People just stop and ask questions and check the babies out continually. I really don't mind because I never am really that into shopping - I just want to get me and the boys out of the house every once in a while. I think we bring joy to people in different ways. Older people think it's such a blessing and a lot of people have never seen triplets before. For the young people, I think they're just happy it's not them, and maybe they don't think their life is so tough after all!! People are so nice though. We also take them on walks on the wash. The wash is a small ravine area that's designed to capture rain water when it rains so that the streets aren't flooded. We have paved sidewalks on either side of the wash and it's only a couple of blocks from our house. The boys don't like it all that much - they usually sleep - but again, it's good to get some fresh air once in a while.

They also like to play dress up in Mommy and Daddy's favorite sports gear. OK, they don't like that any more than they like anything else, but here are some cute pics!

Eli (doesn't love getting his pic taken), Luke (always alert) and Zach (never really seems to care!)

Zach, Eli and Luke (see above caption!)

John is home for the 6 pm feeding and he plays with the boys a lot after this. They love to talk to their Daddy - Zach babbles the most, then Luke and then Eli. They each have really distinct voices - it's so cute! Every third day I give them baths and they have come to really enjoy bath time; well, about as much as they like anything! They were really good last night, and when they're really good, it's such a fun time.

We feed them for bedtime and put them down to sleep at 9 pm. Since this blog has grown so long, I think I'll save the sleeping discussion for next time. Stay tuned!

Big events coming up are professional pictures Friday and Grandma Lee, Grampa Jay and Great Grandma Britt coming to visit on Sunday. Of course the Super Bowl on Sunday as well. FYI... they boys have put their odds on the Saints, and I think it's a pretty good bet! More to come soon, I promise!