What a Difference a Day Makes

Updated 4/1/08 -
Okay, so yeah, I totally forgot about that 3rd little nap before dinner. Not to worry, I've added it back in. Revised schedule being used today.
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My LEAST favorite time of day is between 5:30 & 7:30pm. See, that's when the babies are generally crying loudly (Shane didn't want me to use the word "screaming") and fussy. No matter what I do, it doesn't seem to work. They fuss and cry and I struggle to get dinner ready while I juggle them and try not to lose my mind.

Not anymore!

Friday was the first day of our new schedule. After a few emails between some of the other triplet mommies in my yahoo group, I came the conclusion that I was feeding my babies all wrong: too much cereal & not enough bottles. You'd think I never had kids before! Honestly though, this time around is so much different. Aside from the fact that there are 3 of them, I nursed Zoe & Ty...a big change from bottle life. I thought I was supposed to be moving toward "more cereal, less formula". Apparently, I was wrong. The majority of the babies nutrition is still supposed to come from formula until they're 1 year old.

So, Friday, we started a new schedule. On paper, it looks like a lot more work, but it's really not!

6:30a ... Wake ... let them play quietly in their cribs until 7am
7:30a ... Bottle 6 oz
9:15a ... Nap ... no more than an hour
11:00a ... Solids ... 1/2 cup Cereal & 1 jar fruit
11:30a ... Bottle 6 oz
12:00p ... Nap ... 2-3 hours
3:30p ... Bottle 6 oz
5:00p ... Nap ... 1/2 hour-ish
6:00p ... Solids ... 2/3 cup Cereal & 1 jar Veggies
7:30p ... Bottle 6 oz
… Bed

The first key to this new schedule is that all 3 get fed cereal at the same time. So, the first thing I did on Thursday (after beating myself up about being a lousy mom) was bring the other two highchairs up and cleaned them off.

The OTHER key is that the little peanuts were going to need to start holding their own bottles. This might be a challenge. Eli has NO desire to hold his own bottle. Cole...no problem. Ava...she's maybe 1/2 way there. My theory is that if they get their bottles in their highchairs long enough, they'll catch on that they are supposed to be holding the bottles themselves. I'll keep you posted on how experiment that turns out.

Back to the schedule change...

Friday morning started great. Bottles. Cereal. No screaming from Cole when the bowl was empty (that's new). Everyone waited patiently for their turn in line. It was nice. I think it was easier because they weren't STARVING. They'd had their bottles a little while earlier, so this wasn't a race to fulfill hunger pains. Down for naps. A little resistance from Cole, but 6 minutes later, he was asleep. One hour of sleeping babies. Bottles. Happy baby playtime. Naps. Not exactly the two hours HOPED for, but they were all down at the same time for a bit. Those who weren't napping played peacefully in the Family Room. Bottles. Cereal. Here we go Ladies & Gentlemen...hold your hats...we're entering the "no fun timezone"...NO SCREAMING! 7:30 came and I made bottles in peace. Okay, so there was a little bit of crying when I started the feedings, but they were tired. It was normal fussing. Everyone finished their bottles. Bedtime.



It was a wonderful day. It was a marvelous day. It wasn't more work at all. Cereal feedings were over within 15 minutes. It used to take 45...at least! It was so nice.

Changing up naps AND feedings all at once is a bit ambitious and I'm sure we'll hit a few road bumps, but I think a few more days, and life will be a lot easier.

Ten Years of Marriage & Our Saturday Nights Still Rock!

Don't worry...I'm fully aware that this is a family friendly blog. You're not about to get TMI (that's "Too Much Information" for those of you who don't speak the language of initials).

We finished our house addition around the time that Ty was learning to crawl. So, having a baby so close to the carpet never skeeved me out. Until now. Now it's 4 years later. Now I have, not one, but THREE little people rolling and scooting on the carpet. They don't stay on the cute little play mats anymore. Especially Ava. She's about 3 days away from crawling (code blue since all the gates aren't up yet). Aside from Zoe & Ty needing to stop bringing choking hazards into the Family Room, I need to start making sure shoes are being removed when people come into the house. Especially now.

See, a few weeks ago, I got sick of the dirt spots on our carpet. So, while I he was out getting haircuts with the big kids, Shane went to Shoprite and rented one of their steam vacuums. Then, I went to a birthday party with Zoe & Ty, and he took all the furniture out of the Family Room and vacuumed it REALLY REALLY REALLY well. Once ALL the kids were down for the night, we steamed away. The carpet looks SO much better now. Not quite 100%, but I don't feel bad now about Cole, Eli & Ava being so close to it on a daily basis.

It may not be the wild and crazy Saturday night I dreamed I'd be having, but it was one that warmed the depths of my heart (I'm pathetic...)

It Started Off as a Fun Idea

With the babies being 7, almost 8, months old and all sitting pretty well with a little support, I thought it was time to start attempting a combination bath. Of course, I'd have Lindsay! I'm not crazy (open for debate), I'd never attempt it on my own. Plus, they'd be in their little blue rings to give them that added help sitting.




We put Cole in first. He didn't really know what to make of it, but after about 3 minutes of semi-shock, he started reaching for the water behind Eli to splash. Apparently, he didn't realize there was water in the WHOLE tub and he could splash right in front of his own seat.



Eli was the MOST unsure. He didn't even suck his thumb for 5 minutes! He sat completely still, all wide-eyed, arms spread straight wide out to his side. He did start kicking once he realized it was a bath and kicking would cause splashes that would keep Cole a little further away from his chair.



Ava...well...she caused quite a stir. She slid right down in her chair and didn't look comfortable at all. So, I added a hand towel under her and she seemed MUCH more comfortable. Little did we know...



Let's just say that the bath time was a little short-lived. We had to execute the Bathtub Emergency Evacuation Plan (I think you know what I mean here)! The boys went to the "holding tank" in my shower where they were supervised by Zoe, until it was their turn to be washed down. Ava went straight into the sink and was hosed down immediately.

Two hours later, everyone was clean, the bathroom was disinfected, and Lindsay and I were exhausted! BUT...we DID get some cute pictures, right?

As Promised...

The Triplet's First Easter that Wasn't

It's really quite simple: I've been in denial for the past 7 months. No more. It's truth time. I've got triplets. I can't POSSIBLY do everything. Sometimes, I'm going to be disappointed. Sometimes, I'm not going to be in control. Sometimes, what I want, isn't what's going to happen!

In this case, the plan that didn't come to fruition was cute little, coordinated Easter Outfits and trip to church for the whole family. This would, of course, be followed by an afternoon at my in-laws (complete with egg hunt) and an evening at home watching Season 3 of LOST (We're late-comers to the Lost Party...so we're very thankful for Netflix).

The triplets never made it out of the house Sunday. Saturday night was a rough one. Ava's still not feeling well. Cole's not sleeping so great either (must be the congestion). Needless to say, Shane & I didn't sleep that great either. The first thing to go was the outfits. Zoe & Ty got to wear theirs, though.

Nana gave Zoe gloves, so of course, Zoe wore them, along with all the pink accessories she could find (including the pink sunglasses she got in her Easter basket) and the "click clack", high-heeled shoes that she made me search the mall for on Saturday.

Notice Ty's bandaid? Long story short - He and the neighbor boy were playing Saturday afternoon, and somehow Ty was hit in the head with a shovel. I'm just thankful it wasn't worse. He didn't even go for stitches (although he probably could have used one or two.)

Next to go? Church. Shane took the big kids, I stayed home with 2 very crabby babies and Eli. Ava's got a diaper rash (probably from the antibiotics) so bad that it makes me queasy. When they got home from church, I packed up "the big kids" and went to Easter dinner at Shane's folks'. The egg hunt was first...and it was a hit! Since Shane missed dinner, Mom & Dad brought all the desserts to our house for a 2nd round of yummies. By the time that visit was over, we were too exhausted to watch more than 1 episode of Lost (which ended in a totally cliff-hanger).

So, there aren't any cute pictures of Cole, Eli & Ava. The jury's still out as to whether or not I return the unused outfits or save them for next weekend when we head up to CT.

24 hours has helped me get over the disappointment of missing a pretty big "first".

Bad Blogger...Bad Blogger!

I'm so sorry it's been so quiet on this side of the fence the past few days. I promise I'll have great stories this week like: "The Triplets' 1st Easter That Wasn't", "Why Ty's Wearing a Band Aid on his Forehead", "The Exciting Ways We Spend our Saturday Nights", etc.

But for now, I'm just REALLY thankful that this week is over! Aside from the highlight of seeing my parents, there just isn't anything positive and uplifting to write about. Sorry!

So...we'll make long stories short:

• Ava has her first ear infection...and bronchiolitis (whatever that is) so she's on tons of meds (fun)
• Shane was in Thailand all week
• Cole & Eli both have colds too (Please Lord, keep it out of their ears and chest)
• American Express are morons
• Bergen County (NJ) moms need to calm down about their kids' YMCA swimming schedules
• The UConn Huskies have left me heartbroken with their NCAA Tournament performance (or lack thereof)

You get the picture. But I DID say that I had a great time with my folks, right? I love watching them with my kids (especially my Dad, because he turns to mush). "Granddad" & Ty spent an hour and a half at the library on a rainy day reading tons and tons of books. Ty had blast! Plus, he got to ride in Granddad's van...a big highlight!

So for now, I'm going to go celebrate my Risen Savior and thank Him that his mercies are new EVERY morning, Hallelujah!

Have a wonderful Easter, everybody!

SO Proud of My Little Chef Friend!

First, I should probably explain, I'm not really sure she considers me a friend. See, she's really my Sister-in-law's friend, that I've taken on as my own. Believe it or not, I've known her since she was in high school, and I actually even taught her Sunday School Class at one time. But I'm living vicariously through her at the moment! (See, one of my favorite shows is Top Chef and I totally think she should apply...sorry...off topic.) She recently opened a business on Etsy (I didn't know what it was either, but I think I'm starting to figure out it's an online store for people who make their wares.) Anyway, back to my "friend"...

Always Order Dessert is the name of her store. After reading a few of her recipes and talking to my SIL, she sounds like an AMAZING cook. I have to make another admission: I've never actually EATEN anything she's made. But take a look at her blog. You'll be right there with me...ready to order cookies for Sunday's Easter dessert, too.

So PLEASE...take a little gander at her Etsy store & while you are there, you can see so many other handmade goodies, too.

The Big Kids

About a week or so ago, I posted a 7-month update on the triplets. Since then, I've started feeling a little guilty that I didn't write anything for "The Big Kids". So, here you go. An update on them. No weights (partly because I don't know them and partly because it's not as cute at this age) but I'll do my best to capture the "essence" of them...



Zoe Christine
aka: Zobo, Zo, Zoe-palooza, Christine

highlights:

• 5, going on 16
• Kindergartner (and doing quite well, despite being the youngest in her class)
• Very helpful and proud big sister
• Has more energy than I ever thought possible for one person to have
• Totally thinks she should have a working cell phone

big fan: purses, high-heeled shoes, pink, purple, nail polish, jump-roping, hanging upside-down, swimming, gum, Peanut Butter & Fluff (thanks Cool Shannon)

not so much: being told what to do

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Ty Douglas
aka: TyTy, Ty-D, Dougie, TyBo, Douglas, Cheetah

highlights:

• 4 years-old
• Always smiling (except when he's exhausted)
• Says the funniest stuff
• SO easy to hang out with all day
• Will probably be bored in Preschool next year since he's just started spelling words
• Recently caught on to the whole "Star Wars, Superhero, boys like this stuff" stuff

big fan: Yankees, Baseball in general, blue, Computer Games, My Friends Tigger & Pooh, Easy Mac, riding his bike, Outer Space

not so much: dinner (unless it's Easy Mac)

6:45am

Have you ever had your doorbell ring at 6:45am on a Thursday morning while you're trying to get your 5 year-old daughter ready for the bus? Well, I can now say...I have!

Guess who it was? The Best Buy delivery guys. Surely, I was seeing things. I mean, they were scheduled to come between 7am & 9am, so they weren't going to show up until 8:59am, right?

WRONG! For the first time in my life, the delivery guys were early. Go figure!

Now, to the good part. What they brought me...

Tah Dah! My new Washer & Dryer!
(That's the fancy stand that Shane made me so they'd be a little further off the ground and we wouldn't have spent $400+ on "bases". And the one Shane made fits my baskets under it.)

One of the advantages of having triplets, is how (relatively) easy it is to talk my husband into new appliances. After all, I'm now doing 1000 loads of laundry a day (okay that's a slight exaggeration). So these way cool new washer & dryer are going to help me get that done...more efficiently. I think I sold Shane on the "it uses less water", "I can do more at one time", "The dryer turns itself off when the clothes are dry", "It'll pay for itself in a year" arguments.

But the best part?

The entertainment it brings the kids!

On the downside...there does seem to be a problem now:

See, I love DOING the laundry now with my new toys, but I seem to be struggling with the whole FOLDING aspect...

(By the way, in the picture of the washer & dryer, did you notice that there was YET ANOTHER load clean and dry...waiting to be folded & put away!?!?!)

7 Month Break Down...

Cole Richard

aka: Coley, Cole Dog, Chunk, Frank the Tank, Loud-Mouth Larry, Butterball, Bubba

highlights:

• 20 lbs. 15 oz. (total weight gain so far = 15 lbs. 12 oz.)
• Can (but rarely) roll both back to belly and belly to back...always toward food!
• Sleeps through the night (8p-6a)
• Drools through 2-3 bibs a day...but not a single tooth in sight.

big fan: food, the Johnny Jumper, the ExerSaucer, splashing during baths, grabbing at things and holding on for dear life

not so much: watching anyone eat when he's hungry, getting his face wiped, shots, swings, cold bottles (which is ironic, since you'd think he'd just be glad to have food)

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Eli Robert

aka: E, E Dog, Medium

highlights:

• 15 lbs. 9 oz. (total weight gain so far = 11 lbs. 5 oz.)
• Rolls...both ways
• Sleeps...a lot...and wakes up quietly & just lays in his crib (what a joy)

big fan: his thumb, his other thumb, smiling, kicking during baths, touching people (like resting his hand on your cheek while you're sitting with him on you lap), sleeping (anywhere and everywhere at anytime)

not so much: Ummm...I can't think of anything. He's really an easy-going, low-maintenance baby.

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Ava Barbara

aka: Ava B, Barbara, Barb, Beanie, Babs, High Maintenance, Princess, Peanut

highlights:

• 14 lbs. 2 oz. (total weight gain so far = 9 lbs. 13 oz.)
• CHAMPION roller
• Days away from crawling (if she could just get her forehead off the carpet)
• Another big drooler...and also no tooth prospects to speak of

big fan: attention, rolling around on the floor, trying to crawl, being tickled

not so much: being awake and alone in a room, getting her nose wiped, sitting in a stinky diaper for ANY period of time, not being addressed when she begins "speaking"