Sunday, March 27, 2011

The Many Faces of Maggie

Maggie is moody. 

When she cries, it sounds like she's in pain.  She can really break your heart (particularly Robin's).  But, she has my favorite laugh of them all.  Here's a clip of her crying (notice how Izzy-B is standing independently for a moment).  The crying seems to be for attention, no?


Here's one of her laugh.  Her hair is a mess because she just got out of the bath.

Learning to Adapt

Life with triplets is all about adapting.  From the moment I was told I was pregnant with triplets, I've been adapting - starting with my birth plan.  I'm most certainly someone who doesn't like change.  I like to know what's going to happen, and I like schedules. 

I'm proud of myself for embracing the change and adapting so easily.  Every month or so, the girls' schedule changes.  I have to learn to do things differently.  For example, now that they are almost off formula, I have to prepare meals and learn to serve them.  I generally hate the whole process.  I've never been someone who likes to cook, and I certainly don't like to clean up afterward.  Washing the highchair trays after every meal is such a tedious chore for me.  For a long time (um - up until this week), I was only feeding them one solid meal per day for the simple reason that I didn't want to clean up after more than one meal.  The time has come - I must, once again, adapt.

Today, the girls got to ride in their Choo Choo wagon for the first time!  I didn't go out with Robin on their walk this morning, but he said that they really enjoyed it.  We're now ready for the warm weather to arrive so we can go to the zoo and the Botanic Gardens. 


Sunday, March 20, 2011

Push Toys, Time Outs and Sleep

Katie is so close to walking.  She'll stand independently for a couple of minutes.  She'll even eat her entire snack standing, but she just won't take that first step.  I've had this toy in the play area for awhile now, but it was in the "infant" position.  I changed it so it can be pushed.  Katie took to it immediately.  She actually walked with it first, but by the time I got out my iPhone, she wasn't into it anymore.  I guess she was being lazy:


After a few more tries, I got her to walk again. 



Maggie was in the downstairs play area, so she didn't get to try it today. Izzy-B would only do the knee-walking with it.  I wish we had more space in the play area. I'll take her outside to do this at some point.

Katie really likes to clap now.  She'll even do it when I ask her to (most of the time).  I finally feel like I have a connection with them.  They definitely understand what I'm saying.  Katie and Izzy-B definitely know what "no" means.  Izzy-B will get REALLY upset when you tell her no.  I'm not so sure about Maggie.  She's really good at just ignoring us.  She thinks "no" is funny, and she just keeps doing it.  I'm going to have a REALLY hard time with timeouts with her because she will not stay in one place.  I gave Izzy-B a mini-timeout today.  It was her and my first.  She stayed where I put her, and she was upset about it, but I think she knew exactly what was going on.  She was kicking me, and I warned her to stop.  She didn't, so she went right into timeout. 

For the first time in a really long time (like 6-8 months long), Katie wouldn't go to sleep.  She kept crying and crying.  I so wish she could just tell me what's wrong.  We each went in and rocked her once.  Then we let her cry it out.  It took about 20 minutes, but she finally went to sleep.  She doesn't have a temperature, so I wonder if she's getting another tooth.  None of them was fussy with the first "set" of teeth, so I just don't know what to expect as molars start coming in.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Fun Day

Today the girls had their last synagis shot.  I've been following the RSV stats with the CDC, and it looks like it finally might be on the downturn.  We'll have to see. 

Before we went to the doctor's office, we stopped by a lady's house who posted a triple jogger on craigslist.  I'm seriously looking for one, but I can't find one that I'm happy with.  My criteria is simple, I want the brand new $1000 Baby Jogger Summit XC.  Haha.  Maybe if our house sells.  Anyway, my main criteria is that the front two wheels swivel.  We went to see a Mountain Buggy this morning, and all of my research showed that the front two wheels do swivel.  She said they didn't, but I went to see it anyway.  A better picture or a better description would have saved me some time.  It was the Terrain model, not the Urban model.  UGH!  There was an axel between the two front wheels preventing them from swiveling.  I check craigslist at least 20 times a day to see if a new one is posted.  I'm not a patient person....  The only other option I can think of is using a friend's REI 20% discount.  Anyone, anyone...

After the girls' doctor appointment, we decided to go check out the children's section of the Botanic Gardens. We got a year membership (thank you Groupon!). The girls looked so stylin'. My only gripe is that there is no way a triple jogger will fit in the elevator. How am I supposed to take them there by myself? Today we used a double stroller and an umbrella stroller (we were hopeful that we'd have the triple jogger that we went to look at). After we left the Botanic Gardens, I decided to do something crazy. We went out to eat with the girls! I knew that the Chipotle near our house has at least 3 high chairs, so that's where we went. The girls loved their rice, beans and cheese quesadilla. Sorry Grandpa Jack, it appears the girls love cilantro!


















Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Teasing

Every day I see changes in the girls' cognitive development.  Katie can now clap, and she can point to my nose when asked to do so.  When the OT was here today, Maggie clapped for the first time.  Over the last two weeks, I've noticed an amazing difference in the girls' awareness and interest in learning.  It's like a light bulb went off.  They love looking at books and listening to me read them or describe the animals and the sounds they make.  Katie was even trying to say duck yesterday.  I still cannot say that they have said their first true word.  I do not think they are saying any sounds to which they have assigned a specific meaning.  They say da da a lot, but I don't think they know who "da da" is.  Izzy-B was trying to say ball a few weeks ago though.

The interactions they have between one another are fascinating.  Tonight after they had their bottle, Robin had already taken Katie upstairs after her bath and I was preparing Maggie's bath (in the kitchen sink).  Izzy-B and Maggie were still in their high chairs.  Izzy-B took her bib off and was leaning over handing it to Maggie.  Finally Maggie reached over to grab it and Izzy-B pulled it away from her and started laughing.  Then she showed it to her again and then pulled it back and laughed.  This went on for a couple of minutes.  It was so adorable, and I really wanted to get a video of Izzy-B teasing Maggie, but I knew if I got the camera out, they would stop.  I wonder if they have their own language.  I'm sure they do, but I haven't figured it out yet. 

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Now What?

I'm so lucky that the girls are able to play quietly in their cribs after they wake up in the morning or after their nap.  I have previously blogged about the wonderful Clouds and Stars sheets that I use and love (I have not received anything free from them).  In the past, the girls have found the zipper and pulled on it every so slightly (mainly Katie).  Well, this is what I found after nap today!  Now what?



Seriously, is it safe to put a safety pin in their cribs to secure the zipper?  How do I deal with this?

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Swings

Robin and I took the girls to the park today, and I let them swing.  I can't believe I let them touch that nasty playground equipment.  I'm working on my issues.  The swings were really fun for Izzy-B; she had such a good time.  Maggie also seemed to enjoy it, and she smiled once.  For some reason, Katie loses all of her personality when we leave the house.  She is very straight faced, and she doesn't cry or laugh or anything.  She seemed a little scared on the swings, but it was only a small twinge in her face that led me to believe that she was afraid. 

There were maybe 5-7 other families at the park.  Out of those familes - one was another triplet family and another was Robin's coworker.  How weird is that?

I really wanted to let them go down the slide, but the "little kid" playground is poorly designed.  It's nearly impossible for a parent to get to the top of the slide - the main access is a tunnel.  Who designed that thing?

Lastly, Izzy-B kept sucking on her shoe in the stroller, so that's why her shoe is wet.


















Friday, March 4, 2011

One of Those Days

Sometimes it's just one of those days:

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

First Solo Outing

It's sad really.  The girls have basically never been out of the house.  Last summer, Robin and I took them to Washington Park once, to the mall once and to my multiples group's summer picnic.  They were outside in our front yard a few times for photo shoots.  Other than that, they have only been out of the house to go to the doctor and when we moved. 

I'm really starting to get cabin fever.  I cannot wait for flu season to be over, and, according to the CDC, it has not yet peaked in CO.  Great. 

It is so beautiful out today, I just couldn't resist taking the girls for our first walk together.  I got out the triple umbrella stroller, left them in the PJs, put them in jackets with hoods and off we went.  I wasn't really sure where I was going.  I thought it would be nice to check out of the park/playground.  We walked down to the creek, then over to the park, then took the long way back up a big hill on a nice bike path.  I'm not exactly sure how much the stroller weighs, but the girls weigh about 54lbs (quite a change from the 8lbs they weighed at birth).  I was pushing at least 70lbs up that hill.  It was a good workout for me.  I think I'll try to do it everyday - assuming it's nice.  Come summertime, we'll be going to the zoo, the botanic gardens, the park, etc.  I can't wait! 

I only heard a few comments along the way.  Several of the children at the playground commented on "three babies!"  I got a few "ahhhhs" and the like.  I got one "you've got your hands full - oh my god."  And, the absolute weirdest comment ever, "are they perfect?"  I just smiled and nodded because I couldn't believe she said that, and then I wasn't sure I heard her correctly.  What?  Are you perfect?  When I was almost home, I ran into a nanny with 2.5yo twins.  We talked for a minute.  It was great.  I can't wait to do it again.  I really wanted to get the girls out and put them in the swings, but there are only 4 baby swings (I'm so glad there are 4 - most playgrounds only have 2), 2 were being used and you can't really get the stroller all that close to the swing area.  Maybe Robin and I can go down there sometime soon.

Don't laugh at their clothes!

At the park:

 By Clear Creek:

 

South Table Mountain in the back ground, some of the Colorado School of Mines buildings off to the right and the Golden Community Garden right behind the girls.
North Table Mountain:

A nice lady who was jogging stopped to take my picture with the girls:
Mt. Zion - the "M" is covered in snow: