A Day In Our Life

Sooooo......I finally decided I wanted to document another day in our life before M started preschool.

I started out really good with snapping pictures...but it fizzled out as the day progressed...kinda like I do, too. Haha. I think I stopped getting pics at around 3:30pm. Oh well. I'll try to do better next time!

 

Anyways, for everyone who says, "I don't know how you do it!?!" This is how!

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Madison is 4 years old, and the boys are 7 months old.

2:30am - I wake to some fussing on the monitor. It's Cooper (which is out of the ordinary) so I rock him for a few minutes, and put him back in his crib asleep.

5am - It's Cooper again waking me up! I let him fuss for a couple minutes, and he falls back asleep. Yay!

5:20am - I get up and grab my bottles and pump. (I usually pump anytime between 5am and 6:30am for 30-40 minutes.)

6am - I'm finished pumping and storing my milk in the fridge. Next I go and wash my face, put in contacts (I only shower every other day), fold some laundry, and then do some work in the office. I head upstairs around 7am since I know the boys will be awake soon. I check FB and send some texts.

7:15am - Tucker and Cooper wake up. I change their diapers and get them dressed. They play on the floor a bit.

 

7:30 - I unload the dishwasher, and start warming their bottles, and feed Winky.

7:35am - I hear Carter talking/babbling, so I get him up and he gets a new diaper and gets dressed.

7:40am - I feed the babies their bottles, and eat my oatmeal while sitting next to them.

8am - Madison wakes up. I help her get dressed and do her hair.

8:10am - Babies are done, so they play while I do some cleaning/picking up around the house, and M watches some TV.

 

8:20am - I go and play with babies.

8:35am - Madison eats breakfast, and I feed the babies some oatmeal mixed with applesauce.

 

Angry babies waiting for their oatmeal.

 

8:50am - I clean up after breakfast, vacuum while M entertains the babies, and clean some more of the kitchen.

9:10am - Move the babies back to the floor to play.

9:25am - Change the babies' diapers, zip 'em up in their sleep sacks, sound machine goes on, and I lay the babies down for naps in their room.

9:35am - Babies are fussing a bit, so I watch/listen to them on the monitor while Madison watches a show for a bit, and I snuggle with her on the couch

9:50am - Babies are asleep. M and I move down to the office so I can work for a bit. She keeps herself busy by coloring, stamping stuff, cutting paper, playing, and asking me a million questions.

11am - We head upstairs for a quick lunch before the babies wake.

11:20am - Babies wake, so I change their diapers and feed them their bottles.

Noon - I pump while the babies play and watch The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. M does a great job of entertaining them on and off, too. While pumping I entertain myself on my phone by checking FB, texting a friend, and singing random songs for the babies.

12:35pm - I finish pumping, clean up, and start preparing the babies some lunch.

12:40pm - I feed the babies some sweet potato and of course M wants a snack. Once everyone's done eating, it's time to clean up, and head back to the living room to play.

1:20pm - Time to change diapers and get them back in their sleep sacks for naps!

1:30pm - They are all fussing in their room. M and I step outside for 5 minutes to pick her raspberries, and when we return the babies are sleeping! Yay! We play with her puzzles for about 25 minutes. Then, it's back downstairs to try and get one or more work items completed in the office (and to waste time checking FB). I also finish folding the laundry.

**I should note that it's extremely rare that all three nap so well for BOTH naps. I usually get at least an hour each time for both naps from all 3. If one wakes early (almost always Tucker), I get him out and have to entertain him for a bit.

3:10pm - We head back upstairs. I get out the bottles to warm and preparing for the boys to wake. M gets to pick a show to watch on her Kindle.

 

3:15pm - I hear Tucker let out a wail. I run and grab him and set him up with M.

 

3:25pm - C and C start fussing. So they are out next.

 

3:30pm - Babies get new diapers, and drink their bottles.

 

Annoyed that I'm taking their pictures instead of feeding them. Poor starving babies!

4pm - Grandma Tracy arrives! :-) I remove their helmets so I can clean them. Tracy plays with the babies and talks to M, while I clean the helmets, load the dishwasher and do some more household tidying up.

4:30pm - A family friend, Maureen, arrives. Maureen and Tracy are watching the babies for a bit while M and I go out to dinner together. We all visit for a while and play with the babies and M.

5pm - I put the helmets back on C and C. Madison and I leave. I am excited for some 1-on-1 time with my baby girl. On the way home we call Josh.

6:20pm - We arrive home. Tracy tells me that one of the babies cat-napped for a bit. Maureen leaves.

6:30pm - I grab Tucker and put him in the baby carrier in hopes he'll cat nap. I feed Winky. I fold some more laundry, then get Madison's pajamas out. Tracy and I entertain the babies and visit. The babies go in their exersaucers for a bit at some point. 

 

7:25pm - I have Madison get her pajamas on and get ready for bed. I also get out her clothes for school tomorrow. I lay them out in her closet so I just have one less thing to think about the next day. (I don't always do this...but did tonight since tomorrow is her first day!)

7:30pm - I start the bedtime routine. I move all the boppy pillows in their room. (I still feed them on the futon bed.) Then, I change their diapers, zip them up in their sleep sacks, and prepare their bottles (8 oz.). I feed the babies in their room in the dark. The sound machine is on. Tracy spends some time with M and reads her some book in her room.

 

Formula at night. Love the Baby Breeza!

7:50pm - Babies finish their bottles. I give them hugs and kisses and lay them in their cribs. Tracy heads out, and I spend a few minutes snuggling Madison before closing her door.

 

8pm -  I head to the kitchen to finish loading the dishwasher and tidying the kitchen and living room. I pack Madison's lunch for tomorrow.

 

8:30pm - I finally sit down. I find something to watch on TV. I start pumping for the final time for the day. I surf FB and IG on my phone, I text Josh a couple times. I check the monitors on and off (yes, I still have a video monitor in M's room, too.)

 

10:30pm-ish - I put my pumping supplies in the dishwasher and start it, let Winky out, and GO TO BED.

 

A few things to note:

-Josh was gone this week, otherwise, he's obviously around to help in the evenings.

-Baths for the boys happen only a couple times a week. I always bathe them on the same day, one at a time in a row...takes me about 20 minutes total.

-If I have to run errands or schedule appointments, I'll do it from 9:30am-11:30am, or 1pm until 3pm during their napping times.

-During their naps I usually try and be productive...either down in the office or working on things around the house. Occasionally I just relax...but not often unfortunately. Just too much to do!

 

So...that's it. A day in our life.

Also...check my beautiful kiddos that were a part of this product review at SAHMreviews.com!

 

Triplets - 6 and 7 Months Old

Ah. My first missed monthly post. When I finally got around to documenting their 6 month of life...it was already a week and a half away from 7 months. So, I told myself I'd have to get their 7 month post done ON TIME. Whoops again. I'm only two weeks late...*sigh*

 

(One of my favorite pictures of the boys.)

 

We have been BUSY BUSY BUSY at the Smyser house these last couple months of summer.

 

So much is going on with the boys...so prepare for a looooooong post...with lotsa typos because it's 11:30pm, and I'm tired...but I'm also determined to get this done.

 

Happy 6 Months BOYS!

 

At their 6 month appointment (on August 1), here were their stats:

Cooper and Carter were both 18 lbs. 10oz. and about 26 inches, and Tucker was one pound less, and one inch longer than his brothers. Carter and Cooper are heavier and stockier, and Tucker is leaner - totally different body types.

 

 

 

 

A couple out takes

 

 

They have definitely gained weight since then. Here's their 7 month pictures. I'm going to have to stop using my cell and get back to using our good camera. They move SO much and so many of the pictures are blurry.

 

HAPPY 7 MONTHS Smyser Trio! 

 

They are still squeezing into size 2 diapers, but should probably be in 3s. They wear 4s overnight!

 

They are still in 6 month clothing, but I've washed all their 9 month clothing, and am waiting on a few more items in the mail from Carter's (love their Labor Day sale). We'll switch to 9 month any day now...once I accept the fact that they are ready...

So...as of today 7 months (and two weeks)

COOPER

2 bottom teeth and 3 top teeth coming in

He easily rolls both ways, and is starting to get up on all fours and scoot

He can sit unassisted

He is most entranced with Madison

He is a bit quieter and tends to be more content than his brothers. He loves sharing his smiles with you. He's the first to show being a bit overwhelmed with unfamiliar with new people.

He loves watching the TV the most

He is working on holding his bottle - does ok eating purees, usually the first to get disinterested in eating though.

 

 

 

 

TUCKER

No teeth - but lots of chewing on his fingers

Finally started rolling more from his back to belly, manages to wiggle and roll around everywhere

He is the most sensitive for the three...a drama king for sure. Tends to cry the easiest and the most.

Definitely most attached to me. :) He's my "Mama's Boy!"

He can sit unassisted, but is the wiggliest of the three, still

He LOVES loves LOVES laughing

He is the most interested in eating purees and opens his mouth the biggest for his bites.

 

 

 

CARTER

2 bottom teeth, and 2 top teeth just starting to come down

Rolls to his belly immediately, loves army crawling and rolling to get where he wants to go - we have a feeling he will continue to be the first to do everything.

In fact - just TONIGHT he went from his belly to sitting unassisted ALL BY HIMSELF!

He is the sturdiest sitting unassisted

He sticks out his tongue when he's happy or concentrating

He's most attached to Josh

He can hold his bottle!

 

 

At around 6 months we started solids/purees.

Their first food was avocado! They all like it. Sweet potatoes were next, followed by green beans. I also stated breaking up those little puffs for them to try. They also get some baby oatmeal mixed with applesauce, and have tried banana. I am going to try carrots next. I also got some of those Baby Mum-Mum things to try this week. We shall see if they are ready for those or not. I have not done a lot with letting them try feeding themselves, yet. But, hope to do more of that now. I am also going to

get some sippy cups (the weighted straw ones) for them to start practicing with sometime.

 

 

I am still pumping so they receive about 2/3 breastmilk and 1/3 formula. I only pump 3 times a day now...I was thinking of quitting soon...but now that we are headed into winter and cold season. So...for now, my short term goal is 9 months, and my ultimate long-term goal is still 1 year.

 

They are on a pretty good schedule right now with 2 naps (and a cat nap in the evening). They sleep from about 8pm until 7am. I have a 'day in our life' post coming soon!!!

 

The helmets are going just fine! I'll have to do a longer post on their helmets one of these days. We'll get updated measurements next Thursday at their appointment. For now, they've had them for 6 weeks. No issues. They sleep and play just fine. And, we can see improvements already!

 

Random things about the boys:

They've been out to a restaurant twice now!

They go grocery shopping with us usually weekly.

They respond to their names, and the word, "bottle."

I'm starting to sign the words, "eat," "milk" and "all done."

They all love chewing on their lovies, blankies, and fingers, and anything else they can get a hold of.

They tolerate their baths, and seem to be okay with them. I still bathe them one at a time.

They all love watching The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, especially the "Hot Dog Song" at the end.

They love 'jumping' and bouncing. 

We need to get their 'baby jail' set up soon...I'm dreading it for some reason. We have the baby gates purchased.

Watching them interact is amazing - a special part of being a triplet.

They happily play independently now - LOVE this!

 

FAMILY PHOTO - The Smyser6

 

Oh, and do you know what's wrong with this picture???

Yep...when I started their group shots, I took like 20 pictures before I realized what was wrong. Doh!!!

 

Again - THANKS SO MUCH to all our family and friends who help us out all the time. It takes a village - and we are so thankful for the 'village' that loves us and our children.

 

Seven...almost eight months, and I seriously can't belive it. Our life is indescribable in so many ways...exhausting and exhilarating, challenging but rewarding, and filled with more love and laughter than we could have ever imagined.