A Total Hodge Podge - Part 2

Continuing on with playing catch up...

Some Summer Help

As I mentioned in Part 1 I've been feeling like things here at home and things with the triplets have been suffering a bit as I've entered the final leg of this pregnancy.  We ultimately decided that it would be in the best interest of everyone for us to hire someone to come a few days a week to help out.  I had put out some feelers with a few different people but nothing really seemed to be coming together.

And then one day my phone rang.  It was God!  Ok, not literally of course.  But as far as I'm concerned it was the next best thing and truly heaven sent.  It was a lovely young lady named Kate - a Goshen (Indiana) resident and current GC (Goshen College) student whose family attends the same church as my family.  She had come to Boston for the summer to participate in a summer internship and the part time job she had lined up had fallen through.  SHE was asking ME if I could use some help for the summer.  Though we had never met before she knew I had triplets and thought maybe I needed some help. WHAT?!?!

Kate has been an unbelievable addition to our family this summer.  The kids LOVE her and I wish we could have her 7 days a week (instead of 2).  It will be time for her to return to Goshen a couple weeks after the baby arrives and if it weren't for the fact that Nana will be here by then I honestly don't think we would let her leave!


Lobsta' Fest

Summer time in New England wouldn't be complete without a lobster and steamer (clam) boil (or 2 or 3).  A native mid-westerner, I've come to enjoy these feasts in all their yummy, messy, buttery glory.  The kiddos had their first taste a few weeks ago at a Doyle Family party.  They did rather well all things considered and each of them ate at least 1-2 bites (or more) of both the lobster and clams.  I wouldn't say they LOVED it, but it was definitely a good start.

I'm fortunate to have a husband who enjoys cracking the lobster more then he actually enjoys eating the lobster.  Yummy!  More for me!

Chef Mikie and Uncle PJ

The New Sandbox
This spring Bobby built the kids a sandbox.  I was hesitant.  Very hesitant.  I'm certain I have undiagnosed OCD and the thought of the mess...well, it made me crazy.  He did a great job and the kids love playing in it.  I've worked through most of my issues and have to admit that I absolutely appreciate the hours and hours of happy play time it has brought us (especially these days when I'm thrilled for any excuse to sit back with my feet up and watch them play)!

A few more things to cover.  Stay tuned for 'Part 3'...

A Total Hodge Podge - Part 1

If anyone out there is still checking in with this blog my apologies for my lengthy absence.  This will be a pretty random entry as I attempt to catch up.  Looks like the last post was in April...

Easter
We spent Easter in Wolfeboro, NH at Bobby's Dad's house.  It was a great weekend with plenty of chaos (5 cousins under 3) and lots of fun!

Annie, Eli, Mikie and cousin Connor watch the 'big kids' play ball outside

The cousins (minus Tristan and Sofia - we missed you guys!)

Our best attempt at a family photo

Nana's Visit
Nana came for a nice long visit the end of April.  She spent a lot of time playing with trains and the kids loved having someone at their beck and call.  It's always an adjustment (for all of us) when she leaves and we have to get back to "real life."

New Beds
Annie and Eli have been able to crawl out of their cribs for many, many months now.  We've survived thanks to the crib tents that were recommended to us by other triplet parents.  Wouldn't you know the tents were recalled 1 day before Annie's tent malfunctioned and 4 days before Eli's tent did the same.  After many online "conversations" with our triplet support network we decided to bite the bullet and transition the trio to twin beds.  We knew it was something that needed to be done (especially since we will eventually need one of the cribs for the new baby) but were intimidated at the idea of allowing them so much unsupervised freedom.  While most of their peers are already in 'big kid beds' none of their peers share a bedroom with their 2 best friends AND partners in crime.  As you can imagine there was a major period of adjusting (for them and for us) as they learned to fall asleep despite their new freedom and despite the actions of each other.  It's been several weeks now and I feel like we are back into a groove of good sleeping.  They still party like rock stars for about an hour after we say goodnight but they are safe and happy and always manage to fall asleep in their own beds.

The old...

 Cribs coming down...

We let the kids "help" take the cribs apart and really hyped it up.  They were so excited!!!

Here's what the tents looked like.  What lifesavers they were!

We had to take the murals and window coverings down and remove all the furniture.  The room looks rather bare and I look forward to the day we can hang the murals back up and return the rest of their things.  For now it's all about safety (for them AND their things).

The "new beds" as they call them.  They LOVE their new beds and when we announce that it is bedtime they run up the stairs shouting "new beds, new beds!"  They each got to pick out which color sheets they wanted.  Annie picked pink, Mikie picked blue and Eli picked green.

Baby Update
With only 33 days to go until the scheduled C-section (July 31) I think Bobby and I would both agree and admit that we are still in a little bit of denial.  We're excited, don't get me wrong, and we have been talking, planning and preparing more in the past few weeks but it still doesn't seem real and to be honest we haven't had a lot of free time to really dive into all that needs to be done.  I am most certainly starting to slow down and most days feel like I am barely keeping up with all that needs to be done for the triplets, the house, etc.  Bobby is picking up as much of the slack as he can but that also means that there are things that he is falling behind with (around the house that is - work is going well for him thank goodness).

The pregnancy is going great overall.  I am amazed with how different pretty much everything is as compared to my pregnancy with the triplets.  I've already been pregnant 4 weeks longer then I was with them and I was on bed rest for weeks before they were born.  I'm also amazed with how boring and brief "normal" OB appointments are!

The kids are intrigued with my growing belly.  We talk openly about their baby sister who is sleeping in mommy's tummy and they often give her hugs and kisses and try to offer her toys and books through my belly button.  Annie talks about helping mommy change diapers and feeding the baby her bottles and doesn't understand why I can't "wake her up" so she can hold her.  :-)


I've got a few more things to cover but I think I'll get this much posted for now.  A few closing pics...

It's a girl!

Looks like we will be evening the teams and adding a girl to our family.  We are thrilled - we'll see what Annie thinks.  She continues to say "brother" when we ask her if she wants a baby boy or a baby girl.

2 Year Updates

• 25 and 1/2 pounds (the lightest of the bunch)
• 35 and 1/2 inches tall (the tallest)
• Favorite food: "Fwise" (aka fries) and pretty much anything she can "dip"
• Favorite toy or activity: Books, coloring, singing the ABC's and dancing
• Exciting accomplishments: Twisting caps off and on, somersaults (self taught), eating with a spoon, drinking from an open cup, counting to 9 on her own (she often forgets the 4 and 6), an exploding vocabulary, and much, much, more!
• Personality: DRAMA QUEEN!  We still can't believe the NICU nurses had her pegged at 2 days old.  She is simultaneously the loving mother and bossy pants of the group.  While she likes to dictate who plays with what when, she is also quick to go to the rescue of her brothers with lovies, blankets and pacis in hand.  She is fiercely independent but always wants to make sure the boys are included in everything she does or gets.
• Early Intervention status: Still being followed by EI for gross/fine motor delays and several sensory processing concerns.  At this time her therapists still believe her "issues" are prematurity related and not an underlying diagnosis.  She is due for her 6 month re-evaluation in March and we expect that she will continue to qualify for services.  

• 27 pounds
• 35 inches tall
• Favorite food: "Shoo-shi" (aka sushi).  He asks for it by name almost every day!
• Favorite toy or activity: Thomas the Train, moon and star gazing, balls and carrying around sticks (or anything that resembles a stick)
• Exciting accomplishments:  An unbelievable vocabulary and overall comprehension/awareness for what is going on around him, excited about potty training and is consistent in telling me when he needs to go #2 (or has just finished going), fully undressing himself and almost fully dressing himself (needs a little help with his shirt), putting on his own sox and shoes, eating with a spoon, drinking from an open cup,  and much, much, more!
• Personality: Eli is 'that kid.'  The kid that if he was our only one we would think that being a parent was a piece of cake and that we were totally awesome at it.  (Don't worry, the other 2 keep us humble!)  He is happy, sweet, cooperative, happy, a great eater, a great sleeper, happy, engaging, playful, and did I mention happy?  He exudes excitement and likes to tell us all the things he loves.  ("Eli lub eyes.")
• Early Intervention status: Continues to be followed by EI for a speech delay.  He is due for his 6 month re-evaluation in March and his therapist has said that he certainly will not qualify for continued services.  He is a chatter box who repeats everything he hears and has been known to bust out 5 and 6 word sentences!!!

• 28 and 1/2 pounds
• 34 and 1/4 inches tall
• Favorite food: Anything and everything - a great eater.  Recently went for a 3rd helping of curry lentils.
• Favorite toy or activity: Trains, Elmo videos, electronic devices and exploring, exploring, exploring
• Exciting accomplishments: Identifies many letters of the alphabet on sight (I promise this isn't anything we've pushed him to do - I credit Elmo), undressing himself, eating with a spoon, drinking from an open cup, and much, much, more!
• Personality: Very emotional!  He has the highest highs and the lowest lows and is absolutely our little love bug.  Mikie knows no strangers and greets everyone he meets with a big smile and open arms.  Gives the BEST hugs!  Curious and busy!  Loves to hug his brother and sister.  Super-duper playful and LOVES an audience to laugh at his antics. 
• Early Intervention status: Does not receive EI services (he "tested-out" at his last evaluation 5 months ago).  While he is not as verbally advanced as his older brother he is certainly talking within an age-appropriate range.

(Oops!  I thought I posted this entry several weeks ago!)

Our little surprise!

I started this blog when, after 3 years of struggling with infertility, we found out that we were expecting triplets.  Never in my wildest dreams did I or could I have imagined that we would someday be making an (almost) equally shocking announcement.  We are expecting a baby this summer!

To say that we are shocked is a MAJOR understatement.  And while we are excited now, those first few weeks were tense.  I mean really...4 kids?!?!  4 kids under 3?!?!  4 kids in diapers?!?!  A family of 6 living on one income?!?!  What?!?!  And please don't tell me that God has a sense of humor...I mean...really...this is no joke.

Shock and awe aside we feel incredibly blessed - we've been given a special gift and along with it the opportunity to "enjoy" a single pregnancy and eventually a single baby in a ways we can only imagine (yes, of course we have enjoyed and continue to enjoy the triplets!).  And so as I've said before...the journey continues...

A day in the life...

Routine continues to be the key to our survival, sanity and happiness and I'll admit I run a pretty tight ship - especially Monday through Friday when I am home alone all day with the trio.  The kids know the routine and occasionally will tell me what is coming up next.  They love their naps and are happy to go to bed at night (for now).  All we have to say is "time for night-night, everybody up, up, up" and the 3 of them take off running to their room.  I can't imagine how I would cope if sleeping were a struggle, especially at nap time - I soooo need the afternoon break!

At 2 years of age, our typical daily schedule goes something like this...

7:30-7:45am - they start waking up, talking happily amongst themselves

7:45-8:00 - the talking turns to complaining and we know it's time to start the day

8:30 - breakfast

9:00 - get dressed

9:30-12pm - attend or host play dates, meet friends out and about, run errands, play together at home, etc.

12:30 - lunch

1:30 - go down for naps

3:30-4:00 - wake up from naps

4:00-6:00 - attend or host play dates, meet friends out and about, run errands, play together at home, etc.

6:00 - supper

7:00-7:30 - pj's, brush teeth, wind down, read books

7:30 - in bed, lights out

(Wow, when I see it all written down it looks a little crazy...it certainly doesn't feel as strict and structured as it looks!)

Happy 2nd Birthday!!!

Though their birthday is already a month behind us I can't believe that Annie, Eli and Mikie are 2!  When I reflect back on all that has happened over the past two years it truly blows my mind.  I remember when the mere thought of surviving two years with triplets seemed too overwhelming to imagine and to be honest I don't remember as much about their first 730 days as I would like.  But here we are...we all survived...and I couldn't imagine it any other way.

Here are a few pictures from the big day...

Opening gifts

The spectators

Enjoying new toys

Bring on the cake!

Happy Birthday Munchkins!!!