Our new toys!

Ok, so one isn't really a "new toy" just something new to play on. The kids LOVE the fireplace. I can't keep them off of it so I decided what the hell, I'll let them play on it. They can pretty much get up & down off of something like that w/o falling over & banging their head so I'm not worried about an injury. I stay close by just in case but for the most part, they like to sit up there like big kids.


Another "new toy" is the climber/slide/swing combo our neighbor, Brittney, gave us. She is a sweetie & b/c of her, we have gotten some pretty cool toys. This was outside but since we can't seem to get any cooler than 100* now days, we haven't been outside in a week. So, I decided to clean it off & bring it in to the playroom. Brilliant if I do say so myself!

The kids LOVE to climb all over it. Now, I have learned that the swing isn't such a good idea so it has come off. And, the slide is now at the end which is much lower than original. This allows the kids to climb up & still slide down.




The kids are getting smarter every day. It is amazing to see them soak things up like a sponge. Their vocabulary increases daily. Their movements more fluid. They are little people, no longer babies. Their looks have completely changed. What a miracle life really is!

4th of July Photo Shoot

So, I have been playing "photographer" lately. Like I really need another hat to put on, right? The camera is Sheila's step-daughter's Rebel & I love it. I told everyone to save all their presents for me & pitch in to buy me either the Rebel or Nikon's version which is called D40 or D60. I really want a decent camera seeing that I will be taking lots & lots of pictures for the rest of our lives. I know it isn't a permanent thing b/c it will eventually outdate & I'll need a new one but for now, it will do.

Gabi (Sheila took these pics b/c she wanted to play w/ the camera as well.)






Sofi (I shot Sofi while Sheila kept Ian & Gabi busy.)






Ian (I shot Ian while Sheila kept the girls occupied.)

Tired Babies, Tired Mommy

Juggling everything this past week has made us all tired. Waking up every 3-4 hrs to give Tylenol/Motrin has finally caught up to Mommy. It started w/ Ian but he has now been fever free for 24 hrs so hopefully we won't have to give him anything tonight. Gabi, on the other hand, seems to be either battling a little virus or teething, either of which are causing her discomfort & a low grade fever (99-100). Seems to be most prominent at night which leads me to believe virus BUT she won't keep her hands out of her mouth which makes me think that it is teething. What ever the reason, we have also been giving her Tylenol at night. So far, no fever for her today.

Then there is the Mama Drama stuff. I went yesterday for my wonderful boob smooshing appointment. Thankfully, it wasn't nearly as bad as I had remembered. I only looked down once & that was enough for me. Poor boobs. They have been through hell & back. The good news, there is nothing there. The "lump" is gone. Don't know that it was ever there. Seems that the ultrasound showed a group of ducts close together that may have been what the dr felt. Better safe than sorry.

I also had quite a bit of blood taken yesterday so by the time I put the kids down for their nap, I was exhausted. I tried to sleep to no avail. I've got to learn how to turn the ringer off of the phone. I did manage to get some decent sleep last night though. Yes, I had to wake up to give medicine but the 2nd half of the night was solid.

I hope tonight brings a solid night of sleep for us all. My poor babies are exhausted. Ian almost fell asleep eating lunch today & that has NEVER happened. Gabi almost fell asleep sitting in my lap about 15 minutes before lunch. That NEVER happens either! You can tell waking at night to keep the fever at bay has caught up w/ us all.


Mommy & Sofi cuddling.


Gabi all snuggled in to the toy box.


Sofi & Gabi sharing a sisterly moment, in the toy box.


Mommy & Gabi cuddling downstairs on the couch.



I also want to give Todd a big THANK YOU for cooking some great steaks last night! I needed it!

Daddy's TWO special days!

This year, Todd's birthday fell the day after Father's Day so he was in for some very special treats. I had been planning for his gift for at least a month. Of course, w/ triplets, you need about that long to get things accomplished, especially if it is going to be a surprise.

Last year's gift was really special, the 1st year he celebrated being a daddy. This year had to be equally special & it is my goal to be creative every Father's Day. So, I bought a stepping stone making kit at Michael's a few weekends back & realized I would need help getting this done so I asked my wonderful neighbor, Jane, to come over & help w/ kid control. Thursday was the big day. I mixed the cement, put it in the mold, came up w/ a cute saying for the stone & idea to use the kids' handprint to create a flower.

One by one, the kids were brought over to the wet stone. Gabi didn't do so well the 1st time around so I literally had to start all over. Then Sofi thought it would be cute to grab the cement so I let it be. Ian was last but did the best. Then it was time to decorate. Jane kept the kids busy while I finished up. After the kids went down for their nap, I took the stone next door for "hiding".

All in all, for our 1st ever craft project, it went smoothly.



Sunday morning, Todd woke up to 3 happy babies. We went to the playroom & gave Daddy his gifts. First, he got the stone. He loved it! He also let the kids explore the stone. It says, "DAD YOU ROCK". Hehe...get it. Rock = Stepping STONE




Then he got his sign for the garage.



Finally, he got his newest picture for his office. This is a tradition. He gets a small version & a big version. The small one goes to the office, the big one stays home & gets hung on the wall. He got the big picture for his birthday.


Todd is a wonderful daddy. He really enjoys being w/ the kids & has special things he does w/ each one. I think that on top of his favorites is when the the girls cuddle him at the same time. It is so sweet to see him w/ Sofi & Gabi sitting on his lap. He is beaming w/ pride! I love him very much!

He also had a birthday. I didn't get pictures but he got a big picture & a shirt from all of us. I wanted to make sure each day was celebrated seperately b/c if it were me, I would want that too, not just 1 big gift. For dinner, he got the pizza of his choice from his fave pizza joint, Tony's. We hung out on the couch together & watched some good tv, something we rarely have time to do. All in all, besides Ian's ear infection, I think Todd really enjoyed both of his days.

Daddy, we love you!

Ear Infection

Sorry, I haven't blogged b/c Ian spiked a fever last night, 103.4, & we were up worrying & giving him the Tylenol/Motrin regiment. I promise to get a BIG update tomorrow. Just didn't want you all thinking we dropped off the face of the planet. Tonight should be smoother since we just got the antibiotics in the poor guy. Honestly, if it weren't for the fever, I would have never known. Ian was acting totally normal. As a matter of fact, we broke the fever last night in less than an hour. It went back to 98.7. The fever stayed away all day until naptime. He woke up w/ 102.2. Still acted normal though. He's a tough SOB. Thank God it wasn't anything the girls could get. Sick babies SUCK.

I also want to tell my wonderful hubby, the best father in the world...HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Another Successful Playdate!

I know it seems weird that playdates are such a big thing but they really are for me. Susan & her trio came over this past Wednesday. This time I was on my own territory so I wasn't quite as nervous. All I had to do was make sure the gate was up in the living room & that there were plenty of toys (eh hem...got that covered) & we were set. Ok, I even put shorts on the girls. I didn't want them thinking I was an unfit momma (kidding). I mean, I do have some kind of reputation to uphold.

Susan's (I'm really a bad person b/c I can't remember her name to save my life) mom also came along w/ her & the kids. She is the sweetest lady. Gabi took to her & insisted on sitting in her lap a good portion of the visit. Sofi had a favorite too. Susan. She wouldn't leave her alone or get out of her lap. When it was time for them to leave, Sofi cried. I'm not talking a little cry. She was super sad to see her go. She stood at teh gate for a good 5 minutes after they walked out the door & cried. I haven't seen her act that way towards anyone!

I had a little follower too. Ava crawled everywhere I went. She wanted to hang out w/ me. It was cute. We even talked about leaving Ava w/ me & sending Sofi home w/ them. I think the kids got along beautifully. In 2 wks, it will be our turn to go back over there. I *think* Susan's place is a bit more toddler proofed (wink, wink).

The boys were typical. Very content doing what they were doing. Andrew was fascinated w/ this Winnie the Pooh toy we have. Susan couldn't believe how long he sat up.

I have to say, the stimulation for all the babies was good. I'm glad to give them the opportunity to play w/ others. They tend to be rougher w/ one another & I'm always concerned that they will be rough w/ others but they do pretty well.

Here is a picture of sweet Ava chasing me <3!


Sofi sitting in Susan's lap.

My feeble attempt at getting the 6 kids in 1 picture.


Besides playdates, we have been busy getting things ready for our 2nd Father's Day. Can't say anything b/c Daddy reads this.

Mama Drama

Yep, that is right. I've got some drama to deal with. Ok, I shouldn't say it is really drama but it is all about me. Ah, these wonderful kids really did a number on me physically. Let's start from the beginning.

Some of you know I have been battling recurring mastitis. Something I don't really like to talk about b/c I get the whole, "Why don't you quit?" line from people. The truth of the matter is Ian isn't ready to wean & sometimes as a parent, you do what you have to do to provide. Sure, he is almost 15 mths old BUT he is also the babe that is most susceptible to getting sick & it affecting him greatly so w/ that said, we are still truckin'. He only nurses twice a day, which is fine by me. I love the cuddle time. Don't worry, the girls get PLENTY of mommy time throughout the day.

Back to the topic. Sorry about that. Recurring mastitis. I think that my 1st bout from back in Feb was not treated correctly. Nothing against Dr. A's nurse but from everything I have gathered, treatment should be 10-14 days & I only got 7 days worth so of course the mastitis came back again in March. Same course of treatment. Then again in April, May & now June. Hmft. What gives? I decided it was time for a 2nd opinion.

I went to my GP this time. I also went in armed w/ information as to why *I* thought I was getting it over & over again. She is a smart lady, I tell ya. She beat me to every single thing I was going to point out. I'm going to get bloodwork next week on Wed to check for anemia which I think I still have left over from the pregnancy. She also believes that there is a primary infection, likely MSRA, that is causing the mastitis to return over & over again since it is the resistant strain that I keep getting. We are treating that now w/ 3 wks of ointment in my nose. EWE.

While I was there, she went ahead & did a breast exam. Here comes the drama. Ok, not really but yeah. She found a lump. Yep. A lump. Not too worried though. I have had a cyst removed in the past, about 7 years ago so this isn't unfamiliar territory. I go next week for a mammogram. Yay for boobs getting squooshed (um, ok, not really yay). I also get an ultrasound on the left breast. Loads of fun, eh?

Laying down on the table reminded me about my ab muscles. See, I am pretty sure they separated w/ the pregnancy & so I asked her to check. Yep. Sure do have some separation right down the middle. I have to say, it has gotten better but you can definitely tell. Well, as she was pushing down on my abs, she asked if a certain area hurt. Um, no. She looked at me & said I had a hernia. HA! You have got to be friggin' kidding me?!? Jesus! Anything else?

So that's my story & I'm stickin' to it. Wish it weren't so but it is. I'm not stressing about it. What will be, will be.

Better than baby snuggles...baby KISSES!

Ok, that pisses me off. This thing is suppose to auto save, right? Wrong. I just lost my really long post! Grrrrr...let's try this again, shall we?

Now, I have to say as much as I like the snuggles, the kisses are by far the best part of being a mommy, especially when I get them for no reason. It is so easy to forgive or forget something they have just done as soon as they plant that slobbery kiss on my face.

Each has their distinct style. Ian is true to his sweet personality. He closes his eyes & leans in oh so gently. His lips stay fairly closed & he does it just right. The expression on his face, priceless.

Sofi on the other hand, is the exact opposite. She goes in for the kill! Her mouth is wide open w/ a mouth full of slobber. She isn't gentle what so ever. They are still wonderful & well worth wiping off the slobber w/ the back of my hand.

Then there is Gabi. Not sure if she just isn't all in to it yet or what but her kisses are hard to come by. I'm actually hoping that she continues playing hard to get for many years to come!

Besides kissing, we have been doing quite a bit of reading. We LOVE to read. They are really getting to a point of enjoying themselves, even taking the books & reading by themselves. It is great! After ever meal, I give them books. Gabi is by far the one most interested in reading. She has a story for every page, even pointing things out & often reading to Ian. It really is the cutest thing ever!

Sofi is a solo reader & she quite fickle when it comes to her books. She is a speed demon & once finished, tosses the book to the floor as if it has nothing left to offer. If for some reason there isn't another book directly in front of her, she steals them from Ian.

Baby snuggles are the best!

What can I say? That has got to be one of the best parts of being a mommy. I love when my kids need to just chill out w/ me. It is normally right after they wake up from their nap. Yep, the only nap of the day. *sigh* Although I can't complain b/c they sleep for 2 hours. I can get a lot done in 2 hours.

Back to the cuddles. Love it! They are at the perfect size where they fit right in the crook of my arm & in my lap. Of the 3, I have to say that Sofi takes 1st place when it comes to cuddling. Not b/c of HOW but b/c of HOW MUCH she likes to cuddle. It really doesn't matter w/ who either. She will get her paci, blanket, & then come sit in your lap. She will crawl on the couch & snuggle right in to the crook of your arm.

Gabi is in close 2nd now days. She has been really in to snuggling. It is so sweet. She will just lay right on you & let you rub her back. She LOVES that. I LOVE that hence the reason for this post, LOL.

Ian snuggles when he is nursing. He loves his bedtime nursing session & is just the sweetest boy. He will also snuggle me right after he wakes up in the afternoon. Sometimes I think he will fall right back asleep but he just lays there w/ a little smile on his face like there is no other place in the world to be.

The only thing that bothers me, they cuddle when it is just us & I can't get pictures :( . That sucks. I'm going to work on that. Until then, the following pics will have to do! They are all from the couch, our favorite place to play now days.

4th of July Hair Bow Give Away :)

Go check out my SIGnature Creations blog & see the beautiful bows I am giving away! Yeah, I'm plugging my business. I need some work & why not see if anyone here needs head bows, tutus, or diaper cakes? Yes, I am shamelessly plugging my home business BUT the bows are super cute & they are FREE! The link...

4th of July Bow Give Away

Ian Update

I think it has been a while since I have really updated on Ian's progress. I know I mention things here & there but I wanted to post something just about him & what he has accomplished.

As many of you know, he got sick w/ the flu back in January. About 3 hrs after we had put him to bed, he woke up & was having difficulty breathing. 15 minutes after that, he started to seize which ended in an hour long ordeal, a trip to the hossy in an ambulance, & a very long night to later find out it was the flu along w/ a febrile seizure. They said he had a complex febrile seizure. He was allowed to come back home 2 days later on Saturday. The following Tuesday he had another seizure but it only lasted 3 minutes. We were going to the pediatrician anyway so we went about our morning & told her what happened.

Apparently it isn't abnormal to have another seizure w/i the same illness. The difference is that Ian became very lethargic after the 2nd one & was no longer able to guide food to his mouth, sit up or roll over, things he had been doing for quite some time. I called the pedi the next day & she reassured me that it was the flu that was kicking his ass.

Long story short, I insisted that Todd take him to the ER once again but this time to one of the best children's hossies in the nation. They admitted him IMMEDIATELY & 2 days later a verdict came in. They diagnosed him by exclusion (meaning they couldn't find anything else wrong w/ him) with post-infectious cerebellitis. They ruled this through a series of tests (CT scan, MRI, spinal tap & x-rays) which were checking for meningitis, encephalitis, epilepsy, etc. Everything came back amazingly normal which gave us comfort to know there were no long term consequences.

Basically his immune system attacked his brain. His motor skills were lost, all of them. His muscle tone was "floppy" meaning they didn't have any power to sit up or roll over or anything else. Not only that, he would try to move his body & rather than it doing what his brain was telling it to do, that part would move spastically. Having this happen to a 9.5 mth old is VERY rare, so rare that his attending hadn't seen a baby w/ this since her residency. They couldn't even tell us what to expect or how long his recovery would be. Not only that, there isn't much out there on the net that gave us anything to go off of.

Instead, he was referred to Early Childhood Intervention b/c he was now officially developmentally delayed. Luckily, Ian was recovering quicker than any of us expected. It has been a long road.

Let's celebrate his accomplishments! My sweet boy (anyone that knows him will say he has the best disposition of the 3 babies, so kind & sweet, always w/ a smile even when he was his sickest) is now able to crawl on his hands & knees, sit from laying, pull to standing on anything, & has been working hard to stand on his own. He is still a bit shaky when he is standing, a neurological side effect that he should outgrow. He was in shoes for 2 mths straight to help him w/ balance & stability & has now been given the go ahead to not wear shoes in order to strengthen his feet/ankles. We are hoping to avoid braces BUT if he needs them, we have no problem getting them.

He has made up much of the ground that he has lost. He is vocalizing more & trying to mimic sounds & actions. He can now feed himself quite well which is a blessing in itself b/c it was very hard to see the girls becoming so advanced & leaving him behind. This boy has really been to hell & back. I couldn't imagine thinking one thing like moving my arm & then it doing something completely different.

If it hadn't been for the wonderful team of neurologists that were pouring over his file after hours & calling us from home w/ their thoughts on what was going on, we may have had a much worse situation on our hands. All it took was 2 rounds of steroids to stop the antibodies from attacking his brain. What a simple solution for such a complex problem.

I'm putting some links that explain further what Ian went through. It is expected that he will make a full recovery & be right on track developmentally. I want to remind people of what we went through & let them know that you have to follow your instinct. I *KNEW* something was wrong w/ my little boy. I agonized over it for 5 days. I wish I hadn't waited so long but I thought that our pedi knew what she was talking about. Turns out that she never had a patient that experienced post infectious cerebellitis (or post infectious ataxia). We don't blame her & still go to her. She even asked me to keep a log of his developments. She now has a copy.

Post Infectious Ataxia
Cerebellitis
Febrile Seizures
Types of Febrile Seizures

I hope this will give others the opportunity to be introduced to cerebellitis b/c God knows I knew nothing about it, not even febrile seizures. Give your loved ones an extra kiss & squeeze tonight.

Pictures as always!

Ian chillin' out, mommy's view.


Gabi & her ever present cheesy smile.


Sofi from mommy's point of view.

Things that make my life easier.

What does a mommy really need? I'll tell you my thoughts on this have changed over the past year. Having triplets means keeping it as simple as possible at all times (or close to all the time). I find myself thinking, "If I only had one then I could do _______." Fill in the blank w/ just about anything.

Let's talk clothing. I take care of the trips by myself all day long & love doing it but I don't see the need to get them all dolled up 1st thing in the morning. Hell, we don't even change them in to PJs at night. They just sleep in their onesies. During the winter (Can you call it that here in TX???), the kids get footed PJs but otherwise we live in onesies. No shorts, no bows, no extras. Period. Now, when we go out, I do put shorts on them & shoes. Oddly enough, although I do not dress the girls identically, I do coordinate them & normally put matching bottoms (shorts, jeans) on them.

Why? Because it makes my life easier. Not having to change the kids from PJs to clothes every morning saves time & the struggle. You know what I mean. The kids are at that age that dressing them is quite challenging. So, the rule of thumb around here is less is best.

Bibs, ah...nasty ol' bibs. I have the perfect solution to them. These are made by Kiddopotamus. Link below to the actual product. Honestly, these are the coolest bibs, by far better than any other bib I have had the pleasure to come across. Why? Because I don't have to wash them in the washer. I can clean them after every feeding by simply rinsing them in the sink & letting them air dry. They are ready by the next feeding. I could go on & on about these bibs. They are the only ones we will use (except for the really cute ones Grandma Donna & Sheila got them for when we go out).


Kiddopotamus Bib

I am very thankful that someone was innovative enough to figure out these bibs. LOVE THEM! Can't say enough good things about them. When I was using regular bibs, I was going through close to 12 a day, one per meal b/c they would just get so nasty that I couldn't justify using them again. That means I would have a load of bibs every other day. Totally sucked. Now I don't have to worry about disgusting bibs b/c these are made of rubber.

**Disclaimer: I suppose this is a product endorsement although I'm not getting paid. I just wanted to let everyone know that these bibs are bad ass!**

Before I was a mommy...

things didn't bother me like they do now. Really. For instance, I was talking to my wonderful neighbor, Jane, when I noticed this preteen driving around in a golf cart, like he always does. I turned to Jane & asked, "Does that bother you?" She said it did & surprisingly I agreed with her.

There was a time before I was a mom that I would have though "Wow! What a lucky kid! I would have DIED to drive around our subdivision in a golf cart. COOL!" Now, not so much. This made me realize that there were lots of things I considered cool before I was a mommy & now I think they are quite rediculous.

I don't drink much anymore. If you knew me before, you could qualify me as a social drinker that liked to have a good time, especially on the weekends. Now, I'm good to go if I have a couple of beers. I don't even do that every night. I can't justify getting drunk anymore. What if something happens & my kids need me? Getting tipsy is more than enough & rarely at best. I'm sure this will change in time but for now, with them being so helpless, I will choose not to drink much.

I use to scoff at the thought of purchasing name brand grocery items but I find myself buying Tyson Anytizers all the time b/c that is what my kids like. Too bad they don't have an off brand for those Anytizers. I just give something up that I would like. Also, I get the kids Goldfish. They don't have a generic for that either. Hmft.

That is another thing that has changed, giving up things I would get myself so that my kids will have instead. I use to have a pretty good salary. Looking back, I spent it all frivolously. I don't have much to show for it. There is so much I didn't need. Wish I hadn't spent it all.

Bowheads, man...what can I say about that? Um, I never understood the need for ribbons & bows. Now that I have 2 girls, fa-ged-about-it! Seriously, if they would keep the bows in, they would be wearing them all the time. I think it is super cute! My girl will end up being bowheads unless they are tomboys & the likelyhood of that happening is pretty high since I was one.

Once upon a time, I thought breastfeeding past a year was weird. Yeah, not so much anymore. I've posted about it before. If you want to read the whole shpeel, here is the link.

Extended Breastfeeding

I use to frown upon those mommies that took their kids out in onesies. I just didn't understand but now I do. Not that I go to the dr w/ them in just onesies but they pretty much live in them unless we go out in public. For our evening walks, I don't put shorts on if they have a onesie on. I've got 3 kids to keep up with. Sorry!

I don't think I would have ever grown a garden but now I am seriously considering it for next year, as well as making my own mulching pile in the backyard which leads me to think about recycling. I did it sparingly in the past. Didn't think much of it. Now I am making more of an effort. I having shopping bags & rather than getting the plastic ones, I carry those around anywhere I go whether it be to the grocery store or the arts & crafts store. We also recycle plastic & I save all our papers for my parents to use. Who would have thunk? Me, a more earth conscience adult.

Speaking of home grown gardens, thank you Jane for giving us cherry tomatoes. Sofi & Ian loved them. Gabi, in true form, did not.




I know there is more that I want to say but I can't remember. It's been a long weekend! I can say this, there isn't anything I wouldn't do for my kids, to keep them safe & sound. They, along w/ Todd, are the core of my being.

Doing things we shouldn't be doing, hehe!

Over the course of the past month, these kids have started testing limits. Not that they weren't before but now they really & in ways that could give them a big bump on the noggin. I'm not sure how to handle the climbing except to be there just in case b/c it is obvious that it isn't going to stop. Rather than fight what seems to be natural in their development, I am going w/ the flow.

Sofi seems to be heading the way in climbing. We have this really neat activity table that was given to them by Julie & Sofi has managed to figure out how to sit & stand in the storage compartment.



Here are all 3 playing on the couch. I'm not sure what the fascination is BUT they LOVE being on it. They can't stop giggling & hopping around. Geez, just sitting on the couch makes them break out in a huge smile!



Sofi also likes to pull up the mats we have on the floor, especially the border. It is driving me crazy! I just gave up putting the border back on.


One last thing, this is mommy related. Ian woke up the day before yesterday w/ his thumb a bit red & slightly swollen. I figured it was a bite of some sort, probably a mosquito. As the day went on, a small clear blister formed & I did something *I* shouldn't have. I squeezed it. Oops. His thumb got huge & then I got that sick feeling in my stomach & thought to myself, "Oh shit. I did it now." We ended up in the dr's office, just to make sure I hadn't done some irrevocable damage. He got some antibiotic ointment along w/ oral antibiotics. Todd said not to give the oral b/c it was evening & we didn't want him to go to bed w/ a new med so I waited until the next day. By that time, the cream had done a good job so I played dr & decided not to give him the oral. Anyway, just another learning experience. Being a 1st time mom can definitely be challenging.