18 months old today!

We still constantly refer to them as "the babies". As in, "The babies are napping... It's time for the babies to eat... Grab clothes for the babies... What are the babies into?.... Can you take a baby or two with you to the store?".... and on and on.

But I look at the above picture and must acknowledge.... our babies are not really babies anymore. They're little boys.

And these little boys are quite the movers and shakers lately. They know what they want to do, communicate it to us and go for it no matter what. Even if that idea is, "Let's climb on top of ____ and get into ____". Fill in the blanks with whatever.

As they grow, their unique personalities blossom even more. They are each so different and so wonderful in their own right.



Group pictures didn't go as well. Finn is already done!



My big time 3 1/2 year old!



A big leap that I've noticed lately is that Colin and his brothers are starting to be able to play with each other. Sure Colin's ideas are much more advanced, but he seems to have figured out how to include them (when he wants to). I can almost envision the day when perhaps I can cook dinner while they're all nicely playing together.

Case in point:

The choice was to either figure out a way to share the car or take turns. I gotta give it to them, they sure figured out a way to share!

Another thing I'm starting to notice is that wrestling is already common occurrence in our home. What is it with boys that makes them tackle each other out of nowhere??

Love these boys!!!

Building a backyard play set

So while I was taking a much needed break with my girlfriends last weekend, Chris and my in-laws held down the fort. They even found time to start our next little backyard project:

A play set for the boys!

I'm SO excited about this!! While there are playgrounds relatively close by, it's still not always easy (for us at least) to safely manage four kids at the playground, especially when three of them are 14 months! I find it especially difficult when a playground is crowded and each boy wants to go in different directions and/ or eat wood chips and sticks.

A swing set in our backyard just made sense.... plus, we may have kind of promised c one as an enticement on those days he was sad about moving. "We're going to get a swing set at our new house!" we'd say and hope it somehow softened the transition.

Turns out though, they can be quite expensive! Oops, didn't really know that before hand.

After a little perusing over on craigslist (with four boys we've learned to embrace second hand gems!), we found one being sold by someone who'd never even opened the box! Can you believe that? So we got it for less than half of the original cost. Chris had to drive about an hour to pick it up but we think it was well worth it!

Here are the guys- Chris, his dad Marv and Colin, hard at work on Sunday:

Colin, "cutting" the boards for Chris and Marv.

Carter likes it!

And we officially have three little walkers!

Everett and Carter

Everett has been walking for a little over a month (he basically runs everywhere now!), Carter started walking last week and yesterday Finn took his first steps!!

Watching Finn today was just so exciting! I'd seen him take a few steps the day before and today he seemed even a little more sure of himself.

I'm up!

Steady...

Movin'!

(meanwhile it looks as though Carter has taken a face plant in the background)

Still up! Woohoo!

(Carter still face planted....)

You boys are at such a fun stage!! I love it! On Saturday we got to spend the whole day together, just us, while Chris and Colin went to Holland to move some stuff in and do some work on the new house. We had such a wonderful day, complete with your first steps Finn!

Congrats!

Today I forgot to take Carter to his PT appointment, forgot to let music class know that we couldn't make our make-up class and forgot where I parked when I went to pick up milk at Target. It was one of those situations where I was walking aimlessly through the parking lot pressing the unlock button on my keychain and listening for the sound... for wayyyy longer then I'd care to admit.

I think I have too much on my mind.... need to find ways to slow down.

However, we did make it to the park today which was great!

Finley

The other boys were there too.... just didn't get to snap their pictures today. Sadly, the swings are really the only thing they can go on lately because they don't yet have shoes!

It's on my to-do list.... :-)

Lately...

Lately, life has been extra busy and my blogging has lagged! It's been an unexpectedly busy week for our family and we made some big decisions which I can't wait to share details about soon as I can...

In the meantime, in other news.... this is what's been going on:

Everett is taking steps! 

He still prefers crawling (which is fine with us!) but slowly and steadily he's been walking more. 

And big brother Colin is there to catch him when he stumbles. Wait, is he catching him or tackling him??... hard to tell in this picture :)

*****

We also got new booster seats.

I LOVE them!

Previously we'd been using some ikea highchairs that were fine... but truthfully these are working WAY better for us. Anything that makes our everyday activities, such as mealtime, even the slightest bit easier, overall makes a huge difference in our day. 

Yup, I used to get all jazzed about things like a new restaurant opening... now it's getting new booster seats!

I got these from a fellow triplet mom who lives out in the suburbs. We've never met but through a series of coordinated exchanges (I contacted my friend who works in the burbs to see if she'd bring them back to the city for me, the triplet mom contacted her and after a series of texts, dropped off the seats one afternoon at my friends work who then delivered them to me). Operation new booster seats started because I'm part of an area online triplet group. This group exists for the sole purpose of supporting each other through this unique and sometimes challenging journey. I've been SO grateful to have a group of moms to turn to with questions and to respond to when someone says something like, "Hey, I've got two booster seats left at our house that my kids aren't using anymore. Anyone want them?"

We do!!

I like the two that we now have so much that I'm going to be on the hunt for a third... I hope I can find the same make and color. But even as I type that I'm thinking really, who's kidding who... nothing in my house really matches anymore.... it's all a big mishmash of toys, strollers, and baby gear!

If you somehow found this blog because you are expecting triplets (or any multiples for that matter), I hope you can seek out and find a local group, whether online or in person, to reach out to for support.... and second hand items! It has made such a difference to us.

 Don't you just love baby feet sticking out from under a highchair?

This is what our living room/dining room looks like around meal time. And because people have asked how I feed them, I take a big bowl of baby food, one spoon and go down the line, mouth to mouth. Early on I tried using three separate spoons until I realized that they pretty much share all germs anyway and it's was a lot more efficient to use one spoon and quickly go mouth to mouth. 

******

Colin and Chris have been busy doing yard work with all this warm weather we've been having. This is our cute little city front yard. Doesn't take long to mow! Colin tends to it well though. He's way into mowing it, pulling any weeds that he spots, and racking it. I can't wait to see if his love of "working" continues as he gets older!

********

Lastly, tomorrow is Chris's birthday! I have a little something special planned.... shhhhhh....

Reminder that I'm a boy mom #5

Photo curtesy of Colin

Today I got suckered into mowing the lawn and I am not a mow the lawn kind of girl. Never have been. But I could tell, he was not going to take "no" for an answer.

All morning:

"Mommy, mow lawn???"

"Moooooommmmmyyyy...... mow lawn??" (I should note that every time he says this, he acts as though it's the first time he's presenting the idea and each time says it in a way that conveys, "I've got a brilliant, novel idea!!!")

"Mommy mow LAWN!"

"Mow lawn NOW!" (mad face emerges)

"Wanna mow lawn mommy?" (sweet voice again)

After listening to this all morning, sometime around 3:00 I caved,


"Fine. Let's go." 

Embarrassingly, I had to ask my 2 year old son how to even work the mower. He explained that he wasn't allowed to touch it (due to the blades and all) but he walked me through the steps with his words and exuberant hand motions.

Just as I started he yelled, "Stop!"

"Clean poo poo"

Awesome. Now I get to clean up the dog's poop. Another job I avoid if I can. Colin thought it was the best activity ever. I just sort of feel like I deal with enough poop throughout the day that I shouldn't have to deal with the dogs either.... but I digress.

There we were, me mowing the lawn and Colin following close behind with his own mower and continuous instructions for how I could improve. How lucky I am that he'll correct me if I'm not doing it right :)

He thought it was the greatest thing ever and even stopped to take a picture (I needed proof!). After cleaning up dog poop and mowing, we pulled weeds. Colin showed me what to do.

As I was mowing the lawn, I once again, just like so many times before, thought about how when I was little and pictured being a mom, I didn't really envision this kind of stuff. Somehow I envisioned myself having tea parties, playing house and using an easy bake oven. Maybe I'll still do those activities someday with these boys.....

But for today, it's all about yard work.

Learning as I go.

Fall...

has arrived in Chicago (at least for today!).

It was cool, crisp and going outside required a sweatshirt. 

I thought I'd be all sad to see summer end but the coolness of today made me excited for fall.

I'm watching Chris and Colin climbing the tree in the front yard while cooking chicken, salad and potatoes for dinner (real chicken for Chris, fake chicken for me).

The triplets are sound asleep.

In the center of our dinner table sits two tall fancy candle holders with ivory candles all lit up. Like the ones you'd see at a fancy restaurant (not that we go to any anymore!). We rarely use them but tonight I thought, why not??

For some reason, this transition into fall also feels like a time to make new resolutions. Maybe it's because this past year has been so crazy, now that things are starting to settle (somewhat), I'm feeling driven to set some goals.

Like cooking dinner for my family again.

Eating together, the original three, after the babies settle in bed.

Exercising.

Today, exercise did not happen- unless running up and down the stairs about 30 times to put babies to bed, do laundry, fetch babies, and constantly run to grab items forgotten on other floors, counts. 

But tonight, we'll eat together as a family, with tall fancy candles to boot. 

I love how Colin is giving a thumbs up in this picture. He cracks me up.

One week home!

We've made it through the first week at home! In truth it has been easier than I imagined (knocking on every piece of wood in this room...). The first night home Chris and I stayed up together through the night to feed the babies (they eat every three hours right now), sleeping for short bursts in between feedings. By morning we were exhausted and immediately decided that we could handle feedings on our own and divided the day/ night into shifts. As a result, we're each getting at least 6 hours of straight sleep per day/ night. We've also had amazing help from my parents and many meals dropped off by friends, which has helped more than words can express. 

The hardest part, if there is one right now, has been accepting my own limitations for what I can/ can't give these babies. I wish that I could nurse them all on demand, but I'd loose my mind. I wish that I could immediately pick each of them up as soon as they cry but if I'm at the changing table with one, or feeding someone a bottle, the others need to wait a minute. It's a constant juggling act. 

This is a totally different experience than mothering one newborn baby. Not better or worse, just different. With my first born I never had to think about how much I'd held him over the course of a day. However with these boys, I sometimes wonder, "Did I hold each of them enough today?" Like all babies they have their individual differences and unique needs. One's a champion nurser and would love to nurse all day if he could. Another loves to be held and is happiest in my arms. Still another is so content that if I don't watch myself, I could forget that he needs to have time to eat first and be held too! When I notice myself getting overwhelmed by these factors, I try and remind myself to just savor this experience for what it is and stop worrying about what it isn't. Most importantly I try to stay in the moment with each of them, with whatever we're doing, and enjoy the ride. 

 

12:50 a.m, watching my babies sleep.

Welcome home boys!

On Tuesday, April 12th, exactly two weeks after being born, all three of our boys got the okay to come home! Needless to say it was one of the very best days of our lives. In the morning we woke up knowing that three of our boys were still waking up in a different location, hooked up to monitors, and that very night we went to bed with all of our sons sleeping under the same roof. There was such a sense of peace and joy just knowing that we were all finally together. 

One of the things that will stand out most in my mind was what it felt like to finally lift them up and hold them without any monitors or IVs attached.

c' ya nicu!

Colin crawled right in the car to see the babies. I love his expressions in these photos because he looks excited.

 You can see all of Colin's tools in the bottom right corner. He immediately dumped out his tool box and started showing all his tools to the babies. He even got out the tape measure to measure them. 

Colin was also very eager to "help help" as he says. He pulled over one of his little chairs all on his own, climbed up and said, "help help!" It melted my heart to see him so curious and actually happy about these little guys. He did a great job of handing me a diaper and other essentials.

 Family Pic! 

If we look happy in this picture, it's because we are! 

Our family feels so complete.

 I had to include this picture because I was cracking up that Colin kept wanting to shine his work light on the babies.... as if to inspect these new creatures suddenly moving in on his turf. We had to keep telling him that the babies don't like the light shining directly in their eyes. 

I know they'll be fast friends.