Cousin Itt

Remember Cousin Itt from the Addams Family show? When Blondie starts talking gibberish fast, that's exactly who she sounds like. It's funny to listen to.

Vacation With No Illness

What a nice time we had with the father here on Christmas vacation. It's the first time he's taken vacation this year and hasn't gotten sick because one of the kids has been sick. Let's hope being well continues for a while.

Time For A New Ride

It seems that the kids are growing out of their triple stroller. We have one by Baby Trend, but Blondie is getting so tall, she's running out of room in the middle seat. We're thinking about getting one of the Runabout strollers. They are more expensive, but it should be the last stroller we buy. Do any parents of multiples have one of those? Is anyone familiar with them? If so, please let us know.

Merry Christmas!!!

What A Bunch Of Monkeys

See No Evil

Hear No Evil

Speak No Evil

Photos Added

Clean To Filthy In No Time

It's amazing to see how fast everyone and everything gets dirty at meal times. Since all 3 have been working on their feeding skills using a fork and spoon, they can get themselves, their highchairs, the floor and sometimes the wall, dirty in less than 5 minutes. Sometimes it would be nice if we could just use a garden hose to clean them and everything off after eating.

When They're Good, They're Great - When They're Bad...

Last night was an unusual one with the kids. All 3 were misbehaving. No one wanted to eat. They were hitting each other. All wanted to be held at the same time. It was almost too much to handle. It was unusual because all 3 aren't usually like that at the same time. Most of the time they are very well behaved. When they are, we sometimes realize just how easy we have it with triplets.

"Baby Jeez"

Yesterday, Aunt J stopped by and brought some Christmas books for the kids. Squeaky's favorite is "The First Christmas". She loves to open it and exclaim "Baby Jeez" as she points to Baby Jesus laying in the manger.

Photos Added

Sick of Being Sick

We're nearing the three week mark of at least someone having the sniffles. Everyone had a cold. They were starting to get better and now they are sick again with another cold. It must be a different virus that hit the second time.

Scared Of Santa?

Are your kids scared of Santa? Take heart - so are these.

Baby

According to what our kids say, everyone and everything is a baby. That's the new word and they use it for everything. It's funny how when they start using a new word. They use it over and over.

Applesauce

When it comes to introducing new foods, we've found that applesauce is the best for masking the flavor. We can usually get all 3 to eat new food when we add some applesauce. It sure is nice when you find tricks like that.

Cooking For 5

Since the kids are eating regular food, it's taken some adjustment for us to cook for 5 instead of 2. We have to make larger portions. Sometimes it's difficult to know how much to make so everyone has the amount they want. If we find it difficult now, I hope we get better at judging amounts to fix before they reach their full eating potential.

They Have Names

Have I blogged about this before? I can't remember. I've just recently become upset again when people refer to the kids as "the triplets". Even though they are triplets, they are individuals. They have different names and personalities. It just bothers me when people refer to them as one entity and strip them of all individuality.

More Climbing

The father was sitting in the floor Saturday morning with the kids when he noticed Blondie doing the following - She moved the push car to a tote we have in front of an end table. He watched to see what she was going to do. Within a few seconds, she had climbed to the top of tote from the push car and was headed for the top of the end table before the father picked her up and stopped her climbing adventure.

Photos Added

New Challenges For Us

This morning, Little Man used a push car as a ladder. We had just walked out of the living room and returned to see him standing on the couch. At the same time, Blondie was starting to climb on the car and get up there too. Squeaky was just watching. I guess she was waiting for her turn to climb up.

This brings new challenges for us. We'll now need to remove items from end tables because they'll be able to reach them. We had babyproofed to a certain height and now we'll need to go higher. It also brings the new problem of them climbing and then falling. I guess that means we'll have to be very careful about leaving them alone in the living room.

A Few New Photos

Patience Deficit

With triplets, it takes all the patience you can muster. It seems that I use all I have with them, which means I have little to none for others. It's really sad, but that's the way it is. There doesn't seem to be any at all when it comes to idle chit-chat. I guess this also comes from the streamlining of life that is a necessity with multiples.

Remember Growing Up?

Remember when you were growing up and how you played outside all day? We do. Things are different now though. Are kids safe to play outside untethered like we did? Here's an interesting article on MSN that the father ran across.

Sleep

Last night, we were up a lot with the kids. No real reason that we know of. They were just awake a lot. It sure makes it difficult to make it through the next day when you lose sleep. It also makes you realize how you get used to getting a full night of sleep when you don't get one. It reminded us of those sleepless nights that we used to have with round the clock feedings. Whew, I'm glad those are behind us.

That's Not Funny

Squeaky was feeling poorly yesterday. With all the symptoms, I called the nurse-on-call at the pediatrician's office to ask a couple of questions. As the conversation was ending, the nurse mentioned that we should clean all the toys so she wouldn't get the illness again. I mentioned that we had triplets. When I did, the nurse laughed and said, "Well, all 3 will probably be sick soon". That really isn't funny to me.

Go Blondie Go

Blondie started walking more yesterday. She was the last to do so. She took about 6 steps before deciding to crawl. Until now, she had only taken 2 or 3 steps at a time.

You Should Write A Book

Lots of people have told us we should write a book about our experience as parents of triplets. We're not sure that's something we want to tackle. We're not even sure how we would start the process. And how would we find the time to write the story? It sounds like an interesting idea, but we're just not sure it's for us. Has anyone reading this written and published a book? If we took the time to write a book, would you read it? Let us know what you think.

Strings and Fuzz

What is going on with Little Man? He's eating strings from everything. He'll even lay on his belly and try to eat the fuzz from the carpet. He's not happy just chewing on teethers and toys. He seems to prefer strings and fuzz.

Subculture

The father was talking with a coworker about triplets. They were discussing Mothers of Multiples meetings, special conventions for multiples, special strollers for multiples, things like that. The coworker pointed out that being a family with multiples is like being part of a subculture. We had never thought about that before, but it's true. What a unique and rewarding experience it is to be a part of something like that.

Some Halloween / Fall Photos Added

Toys In The Attic

The father has been saving toys from his childhood in the attic. He has started bringing some down for the kids to play with. It's fun to see the old stuff he saved. Weeble Wobbles, Tonka trucks and other items. They are still in good condition. It's like reliving a childhood again to see them.

Elmo

We allow the kids to watch 30 minutes of television each day and that's usually the last half of Sesame Street. That's because Elmo is on during that part of the show. They love watching, especially Blondie. She squeals and giggles when he comes on the screen.

I Think I'll Walk Today

Little Man surprised us today. This morning, he stood and walked halfway across the living room. Much further than the few steps he had been taking. We now know he walks as fast as he crawls too.

Back to the Dentist

We took the kids back to the dentist for another checkup. This was their second visit. We've started taking them every 6 months. Yes, we know, they have started going earlier than most other children do.

They didn't do much. Just a quick check to look for any cavities and a check on progress. The girls have their first year molars. Little Man's haven't started coming in yet.

Walking

Everyone has started walking some. Actually they have been for almost a month or more. Squeaky takes about 9 steps in a row at the most. Blondie takes 1 or 2. Little Man seems less interested in walking. He moves faster by crawling. We'll occasionally catch him taking 2 or 3 steps, but that's about it from him.

Photos Added

What Happened?

We've been so busy we haven't had time to update the blog. Sorry about that. We'll try to catch you up.

Kitchen Helpers

Recently we decided to surrender one of the drawers in our kitchen to the kids. They love being in there while we're cooking. The drawer is filled with measuring cups, plastic cookie cutters and other plastic kitchen items. They love pulling everything out and playing with the items on the floor.

I've Never Heard Of That

Last week, Little Man was stricken was a case of Roseola. We had never heard of it before. I'm sure we'll run into more illnesses that are unfamiliar to us as the kids get sick at different times.

We Survived A Movie

Last night was Family Night at church. They were having pizza and showing a movie. We decided to take the kids and see how things would go. We were a bit surprised. Everyone was gathered in the gym area to eat and watch the movie. That made it easy for us to put the kids in booster seats on the floor and feed them. They seemed to enjoy watching the people. Little Man enjoyed it a bit too much. He wouldn't eat because of all the activity so we had to feed him on the way home.

Unexpected Hiatus

After an unexpected hiatus, we're back.

Eating Time

We've been struggling with eating time and trying to come up with items for the kids to eat. For us, it's difficult to keep coming up with difference trpes of finger food for them. I was searching the internet for some menu items and came across this site - Wholesome Toddler Food. The site provides nutritional information as well as menu items and recipes. And a lot of the items can be frozen and reheated later. That's a great time saver for multiples.

2 Are Easier Than 3

Yesterday the father and I took the girls to the doctor and left Little Man with his aunt and cousin. He didn't need to go, so there was no need to take him. No offense to parents of twins, but two kids are easier than three. We were amazed at how easy we could get around. One parent for each child. It was a breeze. I'm sure this is a common discovery among parents of multiples though. When you have 1 or 2 less than the normal amount of children, it would naturally seem easier.

Standup Comedian

Little Man is turning into the standup comedian in the bedroom. He gets in his crib, stands at the railing and greets everyone when they come in. In addition, he stands there and "talks" and seems to tell jokes to his sisters. They just stand at their crib railings and laugh at him.

MMO and MOPs

This year, in addition to taking the kids to a weekly Bible Study, I'm taking the kids to a MOPs program and a Mothers Morning Out. Two weeks ago, we started the Mothers Morning Out. Wouldn't you know it? Just after we started that, the kids got colds. We haven't been able to go the the MOPs program yet, we've missed one Mothers Morning Out and Bible Study and have been out of church for two weeks. Everyone seems to be almost well by now, so hopefully we'll get things rolling again this week.

Marathon Training

When someone starts training for a marathon, they always start small. Maybe a half mile run, then a mile, a mile and a half and on and on. They keep working until they build up their strength and endurance. I think the same applies to being a parent of multiples. You start out thinking I can't handle this. Eventually you develop your strength and endurance. Before you know it, you're doing more than you thought possible. It isn't easy at that point, but you're marveled at what you can do.

I thought of this because of what I've seen when people come to visit and help with the kids. They might only be there for an hour or more, but in that amount of time, you can tell they aren't used to "running the race". It shows when they get ready to leave. They seem exhausted and overwhelmed at everything that has happened during the time they were there. And to you, it's just something you're used to doing every day.

New Toys = New Fights

We introduced a new walk behind toy this weekend that I bought at the Moms of Multiples consignment sale. We already had two and needed one more so everyone could walk with them at the same time. As soon as we put it out, everyone had to play with it right then. No sharing. They just swarmed around it like bees to a flower. They started fussing at each other and biting each other to try and get each other away from the toy. It was a nightmare.

Now that the newness of the toy is gone, they aren't as bad playing with it. This makes me think of another problem that hasn't occurred yet. If they are like this now with one toy, what will they be like at Christmas this year with more than one new toy?

No More Bottles

This weekend, we switched to sippy cups all the time. So far it hasn't been a problem. We hope they just forget about the bottles.

Five Years Ago Today - 9-11

Has it really been five years? It seems like only yesterday. The world is a different place now. What will it be like when our children are grown?

Finished With The Sale

The consignment sale was this past weekend. I brought more back home that didn't sell then I wanted to, but I'm pleased with what did sale. I can't really look at it as any kind of extra cash though. The money made from the sale just rolls over into new clothes for the coming seasons.

Remember When...

The hardest thing about getting items ready for the consignment sale is remembering when the kids wore the tiny clothes we're selling. It seems like only yesterday when they were that small. Almost every item we've put on a hanger brings back some memory. And they're just over 1 year old. What will this be like in a few more years?

Consignment Sales

It's time to buy clothing for the next seasons. I'm trying to keep up with local consignment sales so I can get some good buys. This year I'm also going to try to seel some items at the Mothers of Multiples sale. It's difficult finding time to sort and price items to sale. We'll see how that goes and how the items sale when I have them ready.

Differences

When you have one baby at a time, I just can't imagine you can keep up with exactly who did what and at a certain age. It's amazing to watch the kids develop at different rates. The doctor told us early to not compare them because they would develop at different rates, and it's happening. We see little things that occur and each one is doing something at a different time. Right now, Squeaky is so close to walking, Blondie is just starting to stand on her own and Little Man seems to have no interest in any of that. It would be hard to remember this if they were different ages and we wouldn't see how differences occur as each one grows.

Photos Added

Not You Too

Oh no. We now think Blondie has started biting too. Squeaky has a place on the back of her hand.

Chomp Chomp

Squeaky has started biting others. We noticed teeth prints on one of Little Man's hands. We wondered who did it and why we didn't hear screaming when it happened. Later the same day, when Squeaky and Little Man were standing beside each other, she leaned over and tried to bite his arm. It doesn't seem like she's doing to be mean. Since then she's also tried biting us. It seems like she's doing it in play, but we've got to put a stop to it.

On The Verge Of Walking?

Could Squeaky be on the verge of walking? When she pulls up on something, she lets go and stands for as long as she can. Then she just plops down and laughs.

Sniff Sniff

Who gets the sniffles in the middle of summer? Kids, that's who. All 3 are snotty and it's no fun. At least all 3 have gotten sick closer together so maybe it won't last for 2 complete weeks.

Copy Cats

The kids are really starting to copy us and each other. It's something to watch how quickly they can pick up an action and mimic us. Interesting and a bit scary at the same time.

Sippy Cups

We've been trying to transition the kids to sippy cups from bottles. It's been a slow process. They drink juice well from a sippy cup, but they don't do well with milk from one. No difference in the cup, just the contents. We can't figure it out. We just keep being patient and try to help them get used to milk from the cup.

Oh, the mysteries of parenthood.

Church Directory Photos

This past Saturday, we went to church for the directory photo. Things went surprisingly well during the photo taking time. The kids didn't start to get bored until we sat down to look at the photos. Squeaky was wiggling so much we could barely hold her. Little Man was trying to grap everything within reach. Blondie was the best one. She just sat and took everything in.

During this "unruly time", the photographer wanted us to give her a list of people that would like to have a photo. This was just a ploy so she could say "You need to order X number of photos for everyone". The father just said "How about giving us a price list and we'll decide on how many and what size". That seemed to be the simplest solution. That didn't work for the photographer. She started in with "Well, if you order more photos, you get a bigger discount". Blah, blah, blah. Either she doesn't have kids or couldn't see the impatience of our kids. It didn't take long for us to grow impatient too. Why couldn't they just give us what we wanted rather then making us sit there and listen to a sales pitch? Is it just me to think this would have been easier? It was like trying to control animals without a cage while listening to a lecture.

A Week With No Posts?

Where has time gone? A week has flown by and we haven't added anything to the site.

Taste Testing

Why does everything have to go into the mouth except for new food items? We've been trying all kinds of new self-feeding things and the kids seem to be very cautious about putting them in their mouths and tasting them. This isn't the case though with every toy, stuffed animal, piece of clothing, etc. that they come across. They like to touch, poke at and throw the new foods onto the floor, but it takes a while for them to warm to the idea of eating them.

Photos Added

I Feel Like A Diaper

Yesterday wasn't the best day for me. Everyone decided to wet me, and worse (you know what I mean), when I was changing their diapers yesterday. I think I had a total of 4 "accidents" happen to, um , I really mean on, me. That must be some type of record.

PC Problems

We've been having with the computer at home so the number of posts has been limited lately.

Bumps and Bruises

All the pulling up sure is creating lots of bumps and bruises on the kids. No matter what we do to protect them, they seem to end up with a new bruise every few days.

Time To Eat

It's funny to see everyone when it gets close to time to eat lunch or dinner. They start lining up and crowding around the gate to go to the dining room for their meal. It's like seeing cattle come to the barn at feeding time.

Where Have My Babies Gone?

There have been some big changes this month. I guess we have toddlers now and not babies. For the longest time, it seemed like no one was going to crawl. Little Man started, but the girls couldn't seem to figure out how to do it. This has all changed. In the last few weeks, all 3 have started crawling everywhere. They love to stand and try to pull up on anything they can. It's nice to see them grow, but I miss my babies.

Sad Article

I guess this article caught my eye because I'm a parent now. It discusses the amount of time typical working parents in the UK spend with their children daily. Only 19 minutes. The amount of time can't be much better in the United States.

Out and About

Over the past few months, we've been doing a better job of getting out with the kids. Sure, we've been going to church, short trips to the park and stores and some street festivals, but I'm talking about going to restaurants to eat, extended periods at the park, things like that. It doesn't sound like that big of a deal, but it is. We have to plan what we need, pack it, get it loaded and then get the kids ready and loaded into the van. A short trip very quickly becomes a half day event. Here's a recap of some of our outings.

A few months ago, our first adventure at a restaurant was going to a barbecue place. (Yes, DML, you know where we're talking about.) They have picnic tables outside so it was easy to leave the kids in their car seats, put them on the table and enjoy our barbecue sandwiches. The kids enjoyed their Cheerios and the attention of the other diners.

One day we spent an extended period at the park. We pushed the kids around and just made the best of a day outside. That day we decided to count the comments we received from people. Within 30 minutes, we heard 22 comments from people about triplets. This has to be the funniest thing we heard - "Are they natural or did you do drugs?". How do you reply to that? "They're only 90% natural and 10% artificial." The best part of the day was meeting a mom with 5 year old quadruplet boys and a 7 year old daughter. It was fun sharing stories.

Last night, we went to a local pizza restaurant. This was only the second time we've been inside a restaurant to sit and eat. The kids were well behaved most of the time. After about 40 minutes, they started to get restless and we had to leave, but not before Little Man spilled a container of Cheerios on the floor. We hope the people cleaning the restaurant aren't too upset about that.

Photos Added

3 + 4

After Triplets, Woman Delivers Quads.

Oh my!

Moo

After the one year appointment, we started the transition from formula to whole milk. It's gone smoothly. Blondie has to drink Pediasure once a day to help her increase her weight. It has a higher calorie content than whole milk. With all 3 drinking whole milk every day, we go through so much milk we're wondering if we should get a cow.

Cell Block 3

We've finally installed all the gates to keep the kids in certain areas and out of other areas. It was too much to handle trying to keep them corraled. It's like having a little prison. Little Man watched the father install one of the gates, and within minutes of the installation, he was at the gate trying to open it using the foot pedal that he had seen the father use. He's a crafty little thing.

Another Back Update

I'm happy to report that the herniations aren't severe enough to require surgery or bed rest. I'm starting physical therapy to help the situation.

1 Year Appointment Update

Here are the weights and lengths from the appointment -

Little Man - 18 lbs 13 oz, 28 1/2" long
Squeaky - 20 lbs 1 oz, 28 5/8" long
Blondie - 15 lbs 13 oz, 27 1/4" long

The worst part of the appointment was the immunizations. There were 4 and 1 was really painful. They still have sore legs today.

1 Year Appointment

Tomorrow is the one year appointment. More immunizations. A time to check on growth. A time to check on this virus that has all of us, including the parents, in it's grip.

Another Virus?

It seems that another virus of some kind is working it's way through the kids. Per kid, it seems to be about 48 hours of fussiness. They're wanting to sleep a lot during that time and eat very little. Are all kids this sick? It seems like ours get any type of illness going around.

Confusion Again

What happened when they turned 1? It seems like the things that made them happy, helped them eat, etc. have suddenly changed again. We're working on getting the new solutions.

Another Great Video - Outside Looking In

Here it is.

This one shows what it's like when you go out with multiples. Some curiosity is normal, but some people just go too far. We've always felt the stares and heard the comments, but this is an interesting view just to see how people really act. And yes, we've heard comments like the ones in the video.

You Have To See This

Thanks Chelle for this great triplets video link.

One Year Ago

What a difference one year makes. Happy Birthday to you, Little Man, Squeaky and Blondie!

Preemies

At the last Mothers of Multiples meeting, I was given a copy of Preemie Magazine. If you have a preemie, had a preemie, or are expecting preemies, check it out. If you are the parent of a preemie, you can get a free one year subscription.

Photos Added

First Birthday Party

We had the birthday party on Saturday afternoon at church. Blondie didn't want much to do with the birthday cake, but Little Man, and especially Squeaky, enjoyed playing with theirs. Little Man had no interest in wearing a birthday hat, but the girls didn't seem to mind. It's so funny to see their different personalities. We've added some photos to look at.

Birthday Party

On Saturday, we had the one year birthday party for the kids. We'll try to have some photos posted soon.

Back Update

Well, it's official. An MRI shows that I have 2 herniated discs. No wonder I've been having back pain. I go to a specialist next week to see what can be done. I just pray this will respond well to treatment.

Here One Day, Gone The Next

Recently we were listening to a radio show about children. The host was talking about how the first three years of their lives seem to take forever to go by. Once they hit around three years of age, the time flies and suddenly they are eighteen and probably headed off to college. It made me start to think about something that will happen to us. All three were here one day and one day they'll all possibly be headed off to college. What a change that will be. Okay, now I'm sad.

New Seats

We've decided to go with car seats that will grow with the kids from now until they age out of them. They are foward-facing seats that convert to booster seats when needed. We hope they last for 7 years. Little Man and Squeaky will be ready to go into their new seats soon. Blondie still has to gain some more weight before she'll be ready.

If I Had A Dollar For Every Time ...

We took the kids to the doctor today and then shopping for the next size car seats they'll be going to after their first birthday. I don't know how many people stopped us and said "I bet your days are really busy". What are you supposed to say to that? Something like, " No, they tend to take care of themselves and I have it easy".

Photos Added

A Great Read

Thanks to the Curletto family for posting a link to this story on multiples. Do you have multiples? Expecting multiples? Do you want a true glimpse into the world of multiples? It's a must-read.

Back Problems

Having back problems is bad enough. Having them with triplets is horrible. There seems to few opportunities to take it easy and rest my back. I'm just thankful the father and friends have been here to help me out.

Getting Out

This past Saturday, the father and I were actually able to get out on a date. (Thanks P, A and H for watching the kids.) If my memory is correct, this is only the second time in almost one year that we've been able to get out to eat and go to a movie. It's easy for time to pass quickly. Before you know it, it's been months since you've had a break and you just don't realize how stressed you are from being with the kids all the time. It can't be healthy for us or them. It was nice to get away and remember that we're more than just a mother and father.

Wow!

You know, there are still days when I get up and still can't believe I have triplets.

Shopping For Multiples

When you're shopping for multiples, it's important to get the best deal you can because you're buying for 2, 3 or more. It doesn't matter what you're shopping for - clothes, diapers, toys or anything else. We take advantage of the children clothing sales we know about. We've also been blessed with family and friends that have given us clothing, toys and more. (Thank you!!!) We were reading the Curletto family blog and they mentioned getting an MP3 player for their toddlers from this website. Do you know of other places online that have great deals in items for children?

This Must Be A Game

Last night, the girls were as wild and unruly as they could be and Little Man was the best kid in the world. They must be playing some sort of "I won't eat tonight if you won't eat tomorrow night" game with us.

Why Won't You Eat???

Little Man has decided that he just doesn't care for solid foods anymore. We have no idea why. He was fine until he caught a cold last week. He's over that now, but he still just doesn't care for solids. He fusses when when try to feed him. It's very confusing and frustrating. Any ideas from the parents out there?

Late Spring/Early Summer Colds

Those nasty colds have returned. It's no fun when all 3 are sick.

How Exciting

Last night at dinner, I was holding Squeaky. She looked at the father, waved her hand and said "Hey, Dada". It's the first time any of them have said that together. All 3 say "Mama", Dada" and "Hey", but that's the first time they've put the two together. And without any prompting or coaching from us. We were so excited.