Ten Things I've Learned Since Becoming a Triplet Mommy

1.  How to use every extremity I have at one time.  Hold baby 1 with one arm, balance her bottle with my chin, put a pacifier in baby 2 who is sitting next to me, and bounce baby 3 in a bouncer with my foot that is on the floor in front of me.

2.  Multi-tasking... playing with the babies on the floor, updating my fantasy football team, and watching Grey's Anatomy (my one show I've kept up with) all while going back and forth to do the dishes and laundry.  Easy Peasy.

3.  Keeping a schedule... This keeps me on track.  This helps me know what to expect from my babies and helps them know what to expect next.  It gives me time to interact and play with my girls when they are awake and get stuff done (like eat and pee... but not at the same time, gross) while they are sleeping.  Sometimes it doesn't always work out and I may have one (ahem... Mallory) being fussy during nap time but we roll with the punches and get back on schedule the next feeding.

4.  Just live with the smell of spit up.  Its not worth changing your clothes, that is unless you have vomit down your shirt or between your legs... those are mandatory clothing changes in my book.

5.  People are more generous when you have 3 babies.  Maybe they feel pity for us, but we think that we have spent less money so far on 3 babies than we would have if we only had 1 baby.  We are so appreciative of everything we have received from family and friends.  

6.  You are a walking freak show when you go out.  Everyone stares, most people point or whisper to each other, and some just ask you the most personal questions.  I've just learned that we get a lot of attention and just go with the flow.

7.  Never say No to help or to a meal.  Yes, I have my schedule down but if someone is willing to help that helps me get more stuff done around the house and possibly get a nap.  I still have help every Monday, Thursday, and Friday.

8.  Bedtime/mealtime/"witching hour" is the most exhausting.  Between the hours of 6 and 8 PM, Brian is getting home from work, we want to cook and eat dinner, the girls want to eat dinner, and Ryley wants to play... All while the girls need to be occupied 100% or they will all be crying. 

9.  The crockpot is my new best friend.  I can use nap time in the morning to prepare something in the crockpot that will be ready to go at 6 when Brian gets home.  That way we can eliminate cooking from the item above.

10.  It is the best job ever.  I love every day and wouldn't change a thing.  I feel so lucky to have 3 babies.  Besides, I get to hold a baby whenever I want to :)

Triple Play: 5 Months

How old?  5 Months.
 

Our weights? S: 11 lbs. 7 oz.  T: 13 lbs. 7 oz. M: 12 lbs.
The girls are wearing 3-6 months clothes.  Taylor has gained the most weight this month.
 

Our sleeping patterns?  Our sleeping is about the same as it was last month.  They will go 1-3 nights in a row sleeping through the night and you think they have the hang of it when... Nope, the next night you're up every hour with someone.  I think they go through growth spurts where they need a little extra food.  Sometimes when they sleep through the night, they don't even act hungry in the morning and other nights they wake up at midnight starving.  I'm still trying to figure it out.  They also take a 2 hour nap in the morning and a 2 hour nap in the afternoon.
 

Our eating schedule?  They eat every 4 hours during the day about 6 oz.  They only get 4 oz if they eat in the middle of the night.  We started the girls eating rice cereal with a spoon.  Sam didn't care for it, Mallory was okay for about 3 minutes, and Taylor was all for it.  She will take her food however she can get it.
 

Our favorite foods? Breast milk.  Won't try anything else until 6 months.

 

Our likes?  Singing, lifting us in the air, funny noises, standing with assistance, putting our hands in our mouths, and watching the kids games on the Kindle.  S: Mommy in the mornings, tickling her tummy, lying on her back, and her pacifier.  T:  grabbing and bringing toys to her mouth, jumperoos, tummy time, and food.  M:  Being tipped upside down, standing, observing, and rolling. 
 

Our dislikes?  The hours 6-8 PM.
 

Our favorite games/toys?  The exersaucer and jumperoo are the new hits this month.  They keep the girls occupied.  Taylor is grabbing and reaching for everything, especially a new game I have on the Kindle.  Mallory is creeping and rolling during playtime.  Sam likes to look at toys while lying on her back.  Ryley is also more interesting to the girls now.
 

Our milestones?  S: She giggled and is getting more coordinated with her hands.  T: Giggled and rolled back to tummy.  M:  She giggled and is beginning to creep.  Its more of a smash her face in the ground and dig her feet in to the ground to push herself, but she is on the move.

Things we do to make Mom and Dad smile?  Being so happy in the mornings, giggle, our funny faces, when we talk to each other or the dog.
 

Our pictures
(They are all wearing my baby dresses... I must have looked good in baby blue)

 

Boo Boo Boo! A Triplet Halloween!

Unfortunately this year we were unable to host our annual Halloween party.  We are a little too busy and I can't even fathom getting all of the Halloween decorations down from the attic.  Just thinking about it makes me sleepy.  However... this year I got to take my kids to the pumpkin patch and dress them up for the first time.  So much fun and my girls are so darn cute.

 

And now, in their Halloween pajamas... (They were loving the camera this day)

 

 

Happy Mallory.

 

And for Halloween, the girls dressed as Mini M&M's.  (Mom and Dad were regular sized).

 

 

 

The girls with their grandparents



Our little M&M family.  What a great life I have :)



Triple Play: 4 Months

How old?  4 Months.
 

Our weights? S: 11 lbs. 6 oz.  T: 11 lbs. 11 oz. M: 11 lbs. 4 oz.
The girls are wearing 0-3 months and 3 months.  A few newborn clothes still fit depending on the brand.
 

Our sleeping patterns?  We have all slept 12 hours straight at night!!!  Amazing, I'm so proud of my little 4 month olds.  They don't do it consistently but about every 3rd night they sleep through the night.  If they wake up, it is between 3 and 5 AM and it may only be 1 or 2 babies.  But at the most, we only have to do one feeding during the night which is a huge improvement from those first couple of months.  The girls also take about a 2 hour nap in the morning and a 2 hour nap in the afternoon.  We try to keep them awake in the evening, however they may take a 30 minute cat nap before the long sleep at night.
 

Our eating schedule? We eat every 4 hours.  My goal is to start at 8:30 AM then again at 12:30 PM, 4:30 PM, and then about 7:30/8 PM.  They can't quite make it 4 hours the final feed of the day.  I think it is mostly because they are tired.  They also get rice cereal in their milk before bedtime (for reflux).
 

Our favorite foods? Breast milk.

 

Our likes?  Swings during nap time, our pacifiers, and milk.  S: Sleep, lying on her tummy, waking up in the mornings, and Daddy's funny faces.  T: Looking in the mirror, grabbing toys and bringing them to her mouth, mobiles, and tummy time.  M:  Being held and being able to see everything around her, she wants all of the attention, she also likes rattles and lights.
 

Our dislikes? Being put down and poopy diapers.
 

Our favorite games/toys?  Our favorite play time is in the morning after our first feeding.  The girls are always so happy and this is when I get some good pictures.  They play with their toys that make noise or light up.  They have begun looking and cooing at each other which is so cute.  They like to sit in their bumbos so they can see more or lie on their backs in the play gyms.  Also, the bouncers occupy them while Mommy cleans or cooks (or blogs).
 

Our milestones?  S: She rolled from her tummy to her back, brings her hands to her mouth, and imitates your voice.  She is doing a better job at holding up her head.  T: She is reaching for toys with intention and grasping them.  She is so close to giggling but hasn't quite got it yet.  M:  She imitates sounds you make and looks at her sisters.  She has been rolling from her back to her tummy and bringing her hands to her mouth.

Things we do to make Mom and Dad smile?  Smile at us, look at us in the mirror and smile, cute faces we make, when we sleep through the night, and when we do something new.

Our pictures

 

My Girls

Samantha (Sam, Sammy, Sweet Sam)
 

Our first born.  She has been strong from the beginning.  She was also the first baby we were able to hold.  A head full of hair... so unexpected but O so cute.  In the NICU she liked to sleep which has continued to be true.  She was our calm sleeper at home during the first month or so.  Until she began having acid reflux, she is now a little more fussy but still loves to sleep.  When you put her on her tummy, she normally dozes off but recently she has been trying to lift her head a little.  She just started rolling over and wiggling her arms and legs when she plays.  She snuggles up so sweetly after she eats even though it is supposed to be play time and it is so hard to peel her off and keep her awake.  The mornings are my favorite time of day.  Mostly because the girls are so happy.  Sam especially.  She has been known to sleep for 10-12 hours and wake up with a huge smile on her face, just ready for the day.  I love the way she smiles at her Daddy.  It melts my heart.  Sam has always been really laid back and most of the time just goes with the flow.  She can typically be pretty patient while she waits for her turn to eat.  She loves her red dog wubbanub (pacifier) and has also started liking to put soft things on her cheeks.  At about 6 weeks old, we discovered she had an allergy to dairy and now at about 3.5 months an allergy to soy.  By Mama avoiding these foods, she is a much happier baby (and has less rashes).  She is affected the most by her acid reflux and seems very uncomfortable sometimes after she spits up.  We call her the silent spitter-upper though because she secretly does it when you don't notice for a few minutes.  Poor baby.  Sam, my precious Sam, I love you so much!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taylor (Tay Tay, Taylor Tot, Tootin Taylor, Twisty Taylor, My Piglet, Spazz Monkey)

 

A little lazy from the beginning with her eating.  She stayed in the NICU one day longer than her sisters.  She was smart though, and realized that she could just get her food through a tube rather than having to work at eating.  She makes the cutest noises and also the most unladylike noises.  I'll never forget the squeaking noise she made the first time I held her.  It brought tears to my eyes, it was the sweetest thing I had ever heard.  She continues to make that noise when she sleeps.  I leave the monitor on at night towards Taylor so I can fall asleep to her precious snores.  On the other far end of the spectrum, she has the loudest, smelliest farts and burps.  The girls all eat the same thing, but her baby toots are just so stinky.  Also, she burps louder than any other baby and most adults.  It makes me giggle every time because you would never believe someone so tiny can make so much noise.  Taylor is also our wiggler.  She is capable of staying awake a little longer than her sisters and just stays constantly moving, which is probably why she eats the most now.  She lifts her head so high and keeps it there while on her tummy.  She was the first to swing her arms towards toys and loves to sit in the bumbo.  She does really well at occupying herself and really only cries when she is hungry and she wants food NOW.  She may wine or yell for her pacifier but soothes herself pretty well.  This is good when she has two needy sisters.  Taylor is growing like a weed and is beginning to pass up the other girls.  She loves to look at herself in a mirror and smiles so big sometimes.  I just know a little giggle will come out any day.  I can't wait to hear my babies laugh.  Taylor has been lucky enough to not have any allergies or acid reflux (so far).  She is able to eat all of that milk I had stored up in the freezer that Mallory and Sam can't eat now.  One of the many perks of having triplets.  She did have a clogged tear duct for about a week but it didn't seem to bother her one bit.  She also is the spitting image of her Daddy as a baby.  Taylor, my baby with a thousand nicknames, I love you (and all of your sweet noises)!

 

Mallory (Mal Mal, Mal, My Gerber Baby)

Born last and the smallest but definitely our overachiever.  She pulled out her feeding tube in the NICU and never had to have it put back.  She ate well and would have probably gone home sooner from the NICU if she was not a triplet (they like to keep them together).  Since getting home, she has been the first to do almost everything.  First to roll from tummy to back, first (and only so far) to roll from back to tummy, first to track objects, and hold her head up on her own.  She is so observant and wants to be held so she can see what is going on around her.  Mallory also has her moments.  She is smart enough to know that if she cries, someone might come pick her up.  When you are trying to sooth her in the middle of the night, she finds that nook in your neck and presses her head up against you.  It is so hard to put her down after she turns so sweet and snuggly.  She also knows when she is tired and declares it is nap time (by crying).  Once you lay her in the swing for a nap, she falls right to sleep.  She is not a fan of changing clothes and loves to be dramatic about it.  To me, she looks just like the Gerber Baby.  I love that when I walk in a room or she hears my voice, a huge grin comes on her face and her blueberry eyes light up.  Poor Mallory has also had some yucky times... when she was about 6 weeks old we found out she had an allergy to dairy and then at about 3.5 months we found out she had an allergy to soy.  That means no dairy or soy for this Mama.  She also developed an umbilical hernia which worsened but has since improved drastically.  She had a clogged tear duct right before 2 months old that kept discharging yellow yucky stuff.  And to top it all off, she also has acid reflux.  She can be a bit dramatic at times, but Mallory is cute as a button when she has your attention.  She likes to look at lights and is beginning to bring toys or blankets to her mouth.  Mallory Ann, I love you with all of my heart!