I know I keep saying this...but she really is the sweetest and best big sister!!!
M with Carter
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M with Cooper
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M with Tucker
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Love my babies!
HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!
3.28.2014
3.25.2014
Pacifier Babies
Madison never liked pacifiers, and I was glad, so I never pushed it.
With the boys I knew I'd have to be more flexible about using pacifiers. So we loaded up on a few different varieties. I try and only give pacis to them if they are super upset, or when I am trying to get them to sleep. I usually only use them as a last resort. And, I try and only bring them out after their 4pm feeding.
But, I have to admit that watching them with these special pacifiers, WubbaNubbs, they look pretty dang precious!
Carter
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Cooper
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Tucker
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In general though, Carter likes pacifiers the most, Tucker the least, and Cooper is somewhere in the middle. I've been lucky though, once Carter or Cooper fall asleep or get drowsy they generally spit them out and still stay asleep!!! Yay for that!
P.S. Pacifiers are everyone's own parenting choice, and I respect that! I'm not judging...just sharing where we are with them!
3.23.2014
A Day In My Life
I decided (a couple weeks ago) to document a random Monday of my life. I did this at least once while M was younger, but haven't done it in a while. Obviously a lot has changed in my lately, so I figured...why not give it a go again?!
2:40am - 3:30am
The boys wake for their bottles. I change them and feed them (4 oz. of formula), and get them back to sleep. Usually one or two wake up and I'll try and feed them first before waking and feeding the third.
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3:30am - 4am
I go and pump, then go back to bed.
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7am - 7:45am
At some point, after 6am two wake up, I bring them to bed with me. Sleep is crucial and worth it to me to let them co-sleep so I can get a few more minutes of sleep time. The boys (and I) sleep longer than usual, which leads to a frenzied 40 minutes of changing diapers, feeding them, and also getting M ready for school. Luckily, the boys go back to sleep after their 7am feeding pretty easily.
7:45am
M is off to school (either Josh or my Dad take her). I go and wash my face and put in my contacts and get dressed. ( I only shower every other day or so now that the boys are here!)
8am
I do dishes and minor kitchen clean up.
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8:30am - 9am
I pump....with Cooper since he was fussing. (They are getting too big now for me to hold them on my lap like this!)
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9am - 9:30am
I put Cooper in the boppy to sleep on the couch while I move as fast as possible to take out trash, clean up recyclables, empty dishwasher, sweep, pick up. If I don't clean, I'd work on TNT office stuff.
9:30am
Breakfast for me!
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10am - 11:15am
Usually one baby wakes around 9:30/10am, Cooper is still awake, so I change him and feed him, the other two wake while I'm doing this, so then I feed them, and let them have wake/play time.
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11:15am - 11:30am
Clean (or work on TNT stuff if needed)
11:30 - noon
RELAX (or work on TNT stuff). Today I opened the new Ergo baby carrier that arrived, and opened toys from the boys from our friends (The Schaefers). I think I pumped sometime here, too.
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Noon - 1pm
M comes home from school (my Dad brings her home), and we eat lunch. Today I also have time to visit with Josh and Dad for a bit. Josh goes back to work.
1pm - 2pm
Change and feed the boys and then play time. My Dad is still here to help! Yay!
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2:15pm
Dad leaves. I get boys and M down for naps. I pump. I try and eat a snack and maybe rest myself.
2:50pm
Tucker is done napping - I end up holding him and continue to try to get him back to sleep.
3:30pm
M didn't fall asleep, after an hour, I give in and let her out of her room.
3:45pm - 5pm
Wake the other boys, change diapers, feed them, and lay them back down for sleep after a bit of wake/play/have tummy time.
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After M saw me take the picture above, she wanted to take a picture of Carter and me. She did a pretty good job!
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5pm-5:30pm
I pump.
5:30pm - 7pm
I make dinner, we eat dinner, I clean up after dinner, and try and spend some time with M and Josh.
7pm
Carter wakes first. So I change diapers, and get them all fed.
7:30pm - 8pm
I give M her bath and get her jammies on while Josh entertains the boys.
8pm
(Attempt to) put babies to bed.
8:30pm
Put M to bed
9 - 10pm
Entertain/hold babies during their 'witching hour.' Josh and I watch some TV together. I pumped, too.
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10pm
Finally, my day is almost over. I get bottles ready, change babies, and feed babies for their final feeding of the day.
10:45pm
Bed for the boys and me.
Whew. I'm tired just from typing this!!! lol. Shortly after this post, we started scheduling help from 6pm-9pm about 4 or 5 days a week. This is the busiest time for our family with dinner, feeding babies, pumping, M's bedtime/bath, and the boys' 'witching hour.' Help during this time is much appreciated! M only gets a bath when we have help over. And, the boys get baths about once a week for now (usually on Saturday). I have been having help over Saturday mornings while Josh works at the accounting office.
We do like to keep Sundays all to ourselves for just our family time.
I know in the near future my needs for help watching the babies will also change as I will need to do more office work for TNT...but who knows how the boys' schedule and napping will change, too. For now, I just try and go with the flow.
I hope to record random days of our life here and there again. I know it will be fun to look back on. I already read some of my days with M when she was a baby, and loved the memories!
Monday, March 3
2:40am - 3:30am
The boys wake for their bottles. I change them and feed them (4 oz. of formula), and get them back to sleep. Usually one or two wake up and I'll try and feed them first before waking and feeding the third.
3:30am - 4am
I go and pump, then go back to bed.
7am - 7:45am
At some point, after 6am two wake up, I bring them to bed with me. Sleep is crucial and worth it to me to let them co-sleep so I can get a few more minutes of sleep time. The boys (and I) sleep longer than usual, which leads to a frenzied 40 minutes of changing diapers, feeding them, and also getting M ready for school. Luckily, the boys go back to sleep after their 7am feeding pretty easily.
7:45am
M is off to school (either Josh or my Dad take her). I go and wash my face and put in my contacts and get dressed. ( I only shower every other day or so now that the boys are here!)
8am
I do dishes and minor kitchen clean up.
8:30am - 9am
I pump....with Cooper since he was fussing. (They are getting too big now for me to hold them on my lap like this!)
9am - 9:30am
I put Cooper in the boppy to sleep on the couch while I move as fast as possible to take out trash, clean up recyclables, empty dishwasher, sweep, pick up. If I don't clean, I'd work on TNT office stuff.
9:30am
Breakfast for me!
10am - 11:15am
Usually one baby wakes around 9:30/10am, Cooper is still awake, so I change him and feed him, the other two wake while I'm doing this, so then I feed them, and let them have wake/play time.
11:15am - 11:30am
Clean (or work on TNT stuff if needed)
11:30 - noon
RELAX (or work on TNT stuff). Today I opened the new Ergo baby carrier that arrived, and opened toys from the boys from our friends (The Schaefers). I think I pumped sometime here, too.
Noon - 1pm
M comes home from school (my Dad brings her home), and we eat lunch. Today I also have time to visit with Josh and Dad for a bit. Josh goes back to work.
1pm - 2pm
Change and feed the boys and then play time. My Dad is still here to help! Yay!
2:15pm
Dad leaves. I get boys and M down for naps. I pump. I try and eat a snack and maybe rest myself.
2:50pm
Tucker is done napping - I end up holding him and continue to try to get him back to sleep.
3:30pm
M didn't fall asleep, after an hour, I give in and let her out of her room.
3:45pm - 5pm
Wake the other boys, change diapers, feed them, and lay them back down for sleep after a bit of wake/play/have tummy time.
After M saw me take the picture above, she wanted to take a picture of Carter and me. She did a pretty good job!
5pm-5:30pm
I pump.
5:30pm - 7pm
I make dinner, we eat dinner, I clean up after dinner, and try and spend some time with M and Josh.
7pm
Carter wakes first. So I change diapers, and get them all fed.
7:30pm - 8pm
I give M her bath and get her jammies on while Josh entertains the boys.
8pm
(Attempt to) put babies to bed.
8:30pm
Put M to bed
9 - 10pm
Entertain/hold babies during their 'witching hour.' Josh and I watch some TV together. I pumped, too.
10pm
Finally, my day is almost over. I get bottles ready, change babies, and feed babies for their final feeding of the day.
10:45pm
Bed for the boys and me.
Whew. I'm tired just from typing this!!! lol. Shortly after this post, we started scheduling help from 6pm-9pm about 4 or 5 days a week. This is the busiest time for our family with dinner, feeding babies, pumping, M's bedtime/bath, and the boys' 'witching hour.' Help during this time is much appreciated! M only gets a bath when we have help over. And, the boys get baths about once a week for now (usually on Saturday). I have been having help over Saturday mornings while Josh works at the accounting office.
We do like to keep Sundays all to ourselves for just our family time.
I know in the near future my needs for help watching the babies will also change as I will need to do more office work for TNT...but who knows how the boys' schedule and napping will change, too. For now, I just try and go with the flow.
I'm SO SO thankful for family and friends who have been helping.
We wouldn't be making it without them!
I hope to record random days of our life here and there again. I know it will be fun to look back on. I already read some of my days with M when she was a baby, and loved the memories!
3.21.2014
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3.14.2014
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3.08.2014
Triplets - One Month Old
Ok...I've been working on this for a couple weeks...but I vowed to get it done this week. So...this is kinda more like a 6 week update. It's kinda of funny that I'll be trying to get their 2 month update done is just a couple weeks!!!
I can NOT believe the boys are ONE month old already. It really seems like just yesterday that I was complaining about being SO big and pregnant. And now they have been with us for 4 (ok 6 now) weeks!
Anyways, I am trying to get this recorded as soon as I can. I know if I don't make it a priority now, it probably won't get done. And if it doesn't get done, I'll probably regret it someday. For Madison's updates they were always a mish-mash-hodge-podge of whatever I was thinking and could remember. So, I guess we'll see what happens!
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All their weights are approximate (I didn't attempt to measure their lengths) since they did not have a well-check appointment at 4 weeks.
COOPER
Weight: Approx. 7 and a half pounds
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Cooper is still our li'l peanut. And, 'Peanut' is our nickname for him.
He tends to be the easiest going, and most content overall.
He seems to be a 'daddy's boy' and searches for Josh when he hears his voice.
Cooper has a tiny red birthmark on his right foot. One way to tell him apart from Carter (for now). Our doctor told me it could fade over time.
He is the most likely to take a pacifier. He has a special green one that he had while in the NICU.
Cooper's cry is similar to Carter's. But, I'd describe his cry as the saddest, and he often gets a big frown right before and during crying. He definitely looks the most sad and pathetic when he is crying.
TUCKER
Weight: Approx. 9 lbs.
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Josh has nicknamed him 'Meat Ball' because he has the chubbiest face of the three. We also call him, 'Tucker-Boy' (nick name courtesy of M).
He is more of a 'mama's boy.'
Tucker tends to look kinda angry the most, but makes the best facial expressions. He will take a pacifier sometimes. Usually though, he sucks a few times, realizes nothing is coming out, and then spits it out and gives us an angry cry.
His cry is the angriest sounding, and is the loudest of the three. He also tends to snort when he cries. He has the most distinctive cry of the three.
CARTER
Weight: Approx. 9 lbs.
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He is the fussiest of the three, and seems to like being held the most. He is not necessarily a mama's boy or daddy's boy...he's a "I just want ANYONE to hold me - boy!' lol! You will think he is calm and ready to be laid down, and then as you walk him to their room, he will quickly open his eyes and peek at you, letting you know that he knows what you are about to do! His only nick-name for now is, 'fussy pants' lol!
Carter has the most sensitive digestive system. He has to be fed slowly (although he sucks fast, so you have to help him eat slowly), and he has to be burped often. He (and his brother Cooper) are the most likely to spit up on you.
Carter's cry is similar to Coopers...but not quite as sad sounding.
Our current schedule is that they eat every 3-4 hours. They eat about 3.5-4 oz. each feeding. I'm pumping as much as I can, so they get about half breast milk, and half formula in a 24 hr. time period. I thought I'd be more motivated to work on increasing my supply...but I just can't seem to find the time. So, for now, I'm satisfied with them getting half and half. It's a bit overwhelming to think of myself pumping for a year...so for now, I don't have any plans for how long I will and will want to pump.
I am able to feed all three by myself and care for them on my own. Although it's nice during the week to have an extra person to help here and there. During the night I'm pretty efficient and have a system down for getting them all fed and back to sleep on my own, too.
During the day, they are awake for about an hour or so, and then I usually lay them down for naps. It seems to be working ok for now. Most of the time at least two of them will sleep for a good hour or two...and on good days all three will sleep! Usually one will boycott nap though, and I just got an Ergo carrier so I can still have both hands and can carry whoever is boycotting nap. Between their 7pm and 10pm is their 'witching hour.' Usually one or two is fussy...it makes for a long three hours. But, we are surviving!
For now, Cooper is in a crib, and Carter and Tucker are in the rock-n-plays for sleeping They all seem to like being swaddled for now. Occasionally they will all, or two of them will share the crib together. I am sleeping in their room with them for convenience for all of us. I plan to do so until they are sleeping more regularly through the night. It works best for all of us, and so I can tend to their cries so that M doesn't wake up either.
I am actually getting SOME sleep. :) I usually get about 2-3 hours in a row twice during the night. After their 10pm feed, they are usually up around 2am and then again around 6am to eat. Their 2am feeding is the longest since I pump after feeding them. I try and nap once during the day...but I usually end up skipping the nap in favor of relaxing or doing other stuff like cleaning or office work.
At 6 weeks (since this is when I'm finally writing this) they are all growing out of newborn size clothing. It still fits Cooper of course...but they are all kinda right in-between newborn and the 0-3 month sizes. I will probably be washing the next size clothing this week or next. They are also now in size 1 diapers. Eeeee...I can't believe they are already pretty much out of 'newborn' size stuff!!! Cooper could probably still be in newborn..but we ran out, and I'm making the size 1s work for now.
Of course M had to get in on the photos! Madison is SO great with all her brothers! She loves fetching and throwing away diapers, and taking their empty bottles to the sink. She also loves on them and gives them lots of snuggles.
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I can NOT believe the boys are ONE month old already. It really seems like just yesterday that I was complaining about being SO big and pregnant. And now they have been with us for 4 (ok 6 now) weeks!
Anyways, I am trying to get this recorded as soon as I can. I know if I don't make it a priority now, it probably won't get done. And if it doesn't get done, I'll probably regret it someday. For Madison's updates they were always a mish-mash-hodge-podge of whatever I was thinking and could remember. So, I guess we'll see what happens!
Carter, Tucker, and Cooper. Not the most comfortable outfits. And, the boys were really sleepy.
All their weights are approximate (I didn't attempt to measure their lengths) since they did not have a well-check appointment at 4 weeks.
COOPER
Weight: Approx. 7 and a half pounds
Cooper is still our li'l peanut. And, 'Peanut' is our nickname for him.
He tends to be the easiest going, and most content overall.
He seems to be a 'daddy's boy' and searches for Josh when he hears his voice.
Cooper has a tiny red birthmark on his right foot. One way to tell him apart from Carter (for now). Our doctor told me it could fade over time.
He is the most likely to take a pacifier. He has a special green one that he had while in the NICU.
Cooper's cry is similar to Carter's. But, I'd describe his cry as the saddest, and he often gets a big frown right before and during crying. He definitely looks the most sad and pathetic when he is crying.
TUCKER
Weight: Approx. 9 lbs.
Josh has nicknamed him 'Meat Ball' because he has the chubbiest face of the three. We also call him, 'Tucker-Boy' (nick name courtesy of M).
He is more of a 'mama's boy.'
Tucker tends to look kinda angry the most, but makes the best facial expressions. He will take a pacifier sometimes. Usually though, he sucks a few times, realizes nothing is coming out, and then spits it out and gives us an angry cry.
His cry is the angriest sounding, and is the loudest of the three. He also tends to snort when he cries. He has the most distinctive cry of the three.
CARTER
Weight: Approx. 9 lbs.
He is the fussiest of the three, and seems to like being held the most. He is not necessarily a mama's boy or daddy's boy...he's a "I just want ANYONE to hold me - boy!' lol! You will think he is calm and ready to be laid down, and then as you walk him to their room, he will quickly open his eyes and peek at you, letting you know that he knows what you are about to do! His only nick-name for now is, 'fussy pants' lol!
Carter has the most sensitive digestive system. He has to be fed slowly (although he sucks fast, so you have to help him eat slowly), and he has to be burped often. He (and his brother Cooper) are the most likely to spit up on you.
Carter's cry is similar to Coopers...but not quite as sad sounding.
Group shot. I guess getting dressed and having their pictures taken really wore them out.
Our current schedule is that they eat every 3-4 hours. They eat about 3.5-4 oz. each feeding. I'm pumping as much as I can, so they get about half breast milk, and half formula in a 24 hr. time period. I thought I'd be more motivated to work on increasing my supply...but I just can't seem to find the time. So, for now, I'm satisfied with them getting half and half. It's a bit overwhelming to think of myself pumping for a year...so for now, I don't have any plans for how long I will and will want to pump.
I am able to feed all three by myself and care for them on my own. Although it's nice during the week to have an extra person to help here and there. During the night I'm pretty efficient and have a system down for getting them all fed and back to sleep on my own, too.
During the day, they are awake for about an hour or so, and then I usually lay them down for naps. It seems to be working ok for now. Most of the time at least two of them will sleep for a good hour or two...and on good days all three will sleep! Usually one will boycott nap though, and I just got an Ergo carrier so I can still have both hands and can carry whoever is boycotting nap. Between their 7pm and 10pm is their 'witching hour.' Usually one or two is fussy...it makes for a long three hours. But, we are surviving!
For now, Cooper is in a crib, and Carter and Tucker are in the rock-n-plays for sleeping They all seem to like being swaddled for now. Occasionally they will all, or two of them will share the crib together. I am sleeping in their room with them for convenience for all of us. I plan to do so until they are sleeping more regularly through the night. It works best for all of us, and so I can tend to their cries so that M doesn't wake up either.
I am actually getting SOME sleep. :) I usually get about 2-3 hours in a row twice during the night. After their 10pm feed, they are usually up around 2am and then again around 6am to eat. Their 2am feeding is the longest since I pump after feeding them. I try and nap once during the day...but I usually end up skipping the nap in favor of relaxing or doing other stuff like cleaning or office work.
At 6 weeks (since this is when I'm finally writing this) they are all growing out of newborn size clothing. It still fits Cooper of course...but they are all kinda right in-between newborn and the 0-3 month sizes. I will probably be washing the next size clothing this week or next. They are also now in size 1 diapers. Eeeee...I can't believe they are already pretty much out of 'newborn' size stuff!!! Cooper could probably still be in newborn..but we ran out, and I'm making the size 1s work for now.
Of course M had to get in on the photos! Madison is SO great with all her brothers! She loves fetching and throwing away diapers, and taking their empty bottles to the sink. She also loves on them and gives them lots of snuggles.
Happy ONE MONTH, boys!
(Can't believe we're already half way to TWO months!!)
3.01.2014
VIDEO Post - M's Hat Dance
On Friday M had her first performance on a stage for an audience!
It was International Week at her school, and her class learned about Mexico for the week. On Friday I was able to watch her and her class perform their "Mexican Hat Dance."
Enjoy!
How cute is she?!?!?
My favorite part is when she realizes she's crowding the little girl next to her, but quickly finds and gets back to her blue spot on the floor.
It was International Week at her school, and her class learned about Mexico for the week. On Friday I was able to watch her and her class perform their "Mexican Hat Dance."
Enjoy!
How cute is she?!?!?
My favorite part is when she realizes she's crowding the little girl next to her, but quickly finds and gets back to her blue spot on the floor.
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