My Babies-Free Vacation

Yes, yes, yes... My husband and I decided it was best for us and the babies if we took a much needed long weekend vacation to Cozumel in October.  We booked our trip back in August (during the height of my exhaustion) and we decided on an all-inclusive, adults-only, relaxing time away to rejuvenate and ultimately be rested parents when we returned.  I started prepping weeks in advance.  I had a typed up schedule for the girls, I had scheduled at least 2 people to be here at a time (everyone came to our house rather than carting the girls and all of their stuff to the grandparents houses) and we had enough frozen milk for all 3 girls for 12 days so we knew they would make it the 4 nights.

They all fit in a carry on but people may have suspected something when going through security...

 

So on Thursday morning before the girls woke up, Brian and I walked out the door, drove to the airport, boarded a plane, and flew to Mexico leaving our 4.5 month old triplets with our family and friends.  I had to separate what we did just there because that day I had to take it one step at a time.  I was going to miss my girls so much and it helped me to think, "ok, I'm just getting in the car" and then "I'm just going through security" etc.  Once in Cozumel, we rode in a shuttle to our resort and never left until it was time to come home.  The weather was pretty crummy the whole time.  It rained most of the time and we only had a couple hours of sunshine on our last 2 days.  We splurged and got a 2 story room that had a pool on the roof (awesome, right?) but it was too cold for me to ever get in to... bummer.  Brian hopped in for about 4 minutes our last day just to say he got to use it. 

 

Snorkeling off of the pier at our resort.

 

 

 

 

Our one excursion was scuba diving.  Brian and I love to scuba.  We were recommended Diving with Alison and it ended up being an awesome experience.  It was raining, but that doesn't matter when you are under the water.  We did 2 dives, the first being Palancar Caves.  There were swim throughs which we had never done before.  The coral was so beautiful and once you got to the edge of the reef, it was just darkness which I had never seen before.  You were looking at a huge drop in depth in the ocean and it was just like a huge sheet of dark blue.  It was very daunting but very cool.  At our second dive (Paseo de Cedral), it was a drift dive so you don't have to do much swimming and you just ride the current.  We saw a couple sea turtles, beautiful fish, lobster, octopus eating a conch, and a moray eel. 

 

 

I think this picture is so cool with NOTHING behind me... just the open ocean.

 

My traditional upside down vacation picture.

 

Sting Ray



 

Barracuda

 

Octopus eating a conch.  Brian was the only one that saw this but luckily he got some good shots.

 



 

Lobsters

Cow Fish
 



 

We first saw this sea turtle as it was ascending to the surface.  When it descended, it swam right between our group... pretty neat.

 

 

I was the one to first spot this moray eel.  We got to watch it swim between the reef.

 

Some video clips we captured during our dives.

 

Our trip was nice and relaxing.  I got to take a few naps, sleep in (until Brian woke me up), and drink a few beers.  But, this was the first vacation where I looked forward to coming home.  I missed those cute little baby faces and I wanted to hold them so bad.  Of course, our flight was delayed so we didn't make it home to see them before they went to sleep, but nothing was better than seeing them smile at me when they woke up the next morning.  Just priceless.

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 :)