The 1st to potty on the potty!

You'll never guess. Not in a million years. Um, unless you read FB & then you know. Yeah, we expected Sofi to be the one. Nope, no chance in hell.

It was IAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our boy can't talk but he sure can pee in a pot!

How it happened. Besides the obvious interest they all have in the potty, I put them on their own Sunday evening after baths & thought for sure they would pee since one of them always manages to pee somewhere on the floor or carpet after getting out. None, not a drop.

Then, yesterday. They were all fanatical about the potty. They sat on them for over an hour in the evening after Todd got home. Sofi ALMOST went poo. Almost. But she got scared or it hurt or something. Didn't happen. Didn't matter how many times I put her back on the pot. She just wouldn't do it. Eh, ok. What ever.

Then...

tonight was bath night. Potties after bath once again as Todd & I watched.

Hoping.
Praying.
Just one spray.

You should have heard us encouraging the kids. So funny! Yes, we were even making the pee sound. You know the sound I'm talking about...pssssss, pssssss. And then, out of no where, Todd starts yelling, "Ian is peeing, Ian is peeing!" I think he scared the pee back up. Yes, seriously, back up. Ian looked up at his Daddy, so proud & yet probably wondering what the big deal was.

We did the potty dance. We high 5'ed one another & then we high 5'ed Ian. Yes, this was the highlight of our day. Of our month. Maybe even the year.

Ian is finally the first in something positive. We couldn't be prouder!

Leg Braces

Let's see, this all started in October w/ the recommendation that Ian wear AFO's, hinged ones. That meant they wanted his foot/ankle to not extend past 90 degrees but wanted him to be able to flex his ankle (opposite of pointing).

Why? Well, that damn cerebellitis robbed him of stability & allowed his muscles to reform incorrectly. Specifically, his calf muscle on the left side redeveloped a bit short causing his foot to pronate. They thought it would be a much quicker fix if we got AFO's (ankle-foot orthoses, orthosis = brace). So, hesitantly, we agreed.

You know, no one wants their kids to wear these big bulky braces. That's just the truth. It opens the door for some to ask questions or to assume the worst of a situation. Luckily, we haven't encountered this. Wonder if it is b/c we just don't go out as much? Could be. Also, they are a pain in the ass. Putting them on 2-3 times a day. No fun. Good thing Ian is just an easy going kid. He doesn't seem to mind at all.

We were initially told he would wear them for about 3 months. That came & went in February. I decided to ask the lead PT to come to the house & assess him. The discussion ended in Ian still needing the braces & reassessing his feet in 3 months which coincided w/ the timing to visit Hope Orthotics for a brace fitting follow up.

Then, last month his PT assistant said it was time to take him out of the braces a majority of the time & probably move to something called a Sure Step support system. I was so stinkin' excited! Just in time for the unGodly hot weather that has already arrived. He only had to wear them outside. YAY!

This, of course, was a short lived situation. The lead PT came back out to assess him again. Mind you, the last time we saw George, there was talk of spring loaded braces for sleeping to help stretch out that calf. I was a bit nervous but very hopeful & excited about ditching the AFO's. Did I mention they get stinky? Ewe.

The good news? No spring loaded braces & his right foot is ready to be out of the AFO & graduate in to a Sure Step. The not so good news? His left still needs to be in an AFO. My one leg wonder. Great. 1 big bulky brace.

Eh, progress is progress. My concerns are superficial. In the long run, this is the best time to do this. We wouldn't want him wearing braces later when other kids will notice & tease him. AND, since the AFO's hinder movement, like running, it is better now than later. We are hoping for another 3-6 months in the AFO. Oh, gotta mention that he only has to wear it 75% of his waking/moving hours. At least he gets a little break!

I just keep telling myself that Todd & I will remember, not Ian.

Happy Mother's Day!

I'm not sure what to say. Being a mom is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Seeing those smiley faces every morning puts me in an automatic good mood. Today, I wouldn't change a thing. It has been beautiful thus far. And b/c I'm not really good w/ words, I am going to link to a blog post a dear friend, Julie, wrote. It brought tears to my eyes b/c THAT is what being a mommy is all about. God bless her. She is a wonderful woman.

Julie's Blog Post

To all the mommies, have a beautiful day!

Boys will be boys.

Our favorite playdate friend came over on Monday. Jude & Ian are buds. They hang out together. I think Ian likes having another male around. Well, as boys would do, they started climbing. Aren't they adorable?


Looks like Ian is about to get in to some mischief.


I <3 this picture of the boys! Jude looks so innocent! Wonder if Andrea would agree to Jude's innocence?

Changes are brewing.

I don't really WANT to change things. I don't really HAVE to change things. But if I am to be a good mommy & wife, I MUST accept the challenge & get ready for the changes that are in store.

What may seem regular to a parent that has 1 baby at a time rather than a litter like me, is that these changes are no big deal. For us, it is monumental. Huge. Ginormous. Yes, I said ginormous.

What changes? Eating family dinners & big kid beds. The latter will NOT be addressed until absolutely necessary. Like totally & absolutely necessary b/c after tonight, the thought of them being able to get OUT of their beds is not even a possibility.

You see, they went to bed at 7pm. We heard squealing which happens occasionally. I heard Sofi saying "mo-mo", translation...more-more. I decided to go set them straight. To scold them, & then lovingly give them a hug & tuck them in AGAIN, for the night. What I saw when I opened the door...just a pleasant reminder why we will NOT rush in to real beds.

Every.piece.of.bedding.

Out.of.the.crib.

E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G.

And what did I do? Giggle. Couldn't help it. At least they were still in their cribs. So, at almost 8 at night, I took each kid out & started remaking their cribs.
You would have thought the fun would end there.

No.

For another 15 minutes I heard squealing & honestly, I'm scared to go back up there. I really don't want to remake 3 cribs. Not tonight. No thanks.

That's the long & short of big kid beds.

Now, for dinner. The kids eat at 4. It's time to start eating as a family. One issue. No table. Well, we have a dining room table but that is my workspace. Yeah, I could give it up & wouldn't have a problem if I could put all my sewing & business stuff somewhere else.

Besides, we have a master plan. Now we have to get moving on it. We have a house built in the 70's & it was popular to have a bar counter. Problem is that w/ a family of 5, it isn't big enough. So, our plan is to cut it off & extend the regular counter in to a table. This way, I can cook & the kids & Daddy can sit & watch. Then we can all sit down together. Now, we just need to actually get it done.

Anyone want to do free labor? I'd be glad to sew something for you. Seriously.

The changes are coming. We will tackle family dinners first. Then the beds. Oh, the beds. Maybe not for another decade.

Sewing Adventures, cont.

I got a new serger. It's a machine that does this cool stitching that saves lots of time & is just really good for more commercial type stuff. In other words, the stitching is more durable along all the seams. Everyone knows what I'm talking about, you just don't know it. Look inside your shirts or shorts or pants. Yeah, that funky stitch that looks really complicated. That's it.

Did I really need it?

Yep.
No doubt.

It speeds up the process of sewing 2 pieces of fabric together. Makes life easier & honestly, w/ triplets, well worth the $179 I spent. B/c not only do I need some extra time, I also need a great deal & you can bet this much, I got a great deal! The serger was $340 & I got it for $179 & free shipping. HA!

The best part? I went to the Sewing Warehouse to buy a gathering foot to make fun ruffles & the guy there showed me how to use my serger to make them.

OMG.
H.E.A.V.E.N.

I plan on making this really cute dress for the girls.



And a few pair of these really cute ruffle pants.


Ok, more than a few pairs. I can't help it. I'm addicted.

And, I've been making these really cute bloomers. They go down to right above the knee. I'm thinking these will be great for potty training. No buttons. Ah.


Oh, & here is a shameless plug for the FREE pair of ruffle pants I'm giving away on my SIGnature Creations Blog cuz you know you want a pair for your little girl.

MWUAH!
Astrid

Let's Dance!

Yeah, the temper tantrums can drive you insane BUT when you see THIS, you can't help but smile & giggle.



And if that isn't cute enough, Gabi had to get in on the action.



Now, that is what being a parent is all about! One day, they won't be so kind to one another. For now, this is priceless!