One crazy, difficult, wonderful year!

I feel so extremely happy to be at the 1 year mark! I started to say it's been the hardest year of my life, but it really hasn't been. Mainly because this was a joyous event in our lives. We have 3 HEALTHY, BEAUTIFUL BABY GIRLS! I have an AMAZING, supportive husband, and our families and friends have been there to help carry the load as well. I've said it before, and I'll say it again - God knew what He was doing when He blessed us with these girls. He knew we had the support group needed to make it through. I know, I know, we're not done yet - but one difficult year down! Woo hoo!


I'll never forget bringing them home from the hospital a year ago...they checked us out late, so we didn't get home until 9:30/10:00 at night. The babies were too small to even fit in their car seats... we had to roll up burp cloths under their diapers, so the straps would fit right. Just the other day, I moved the straps on the car seats to the last rung. They've changed so much! The whole way home with them, I kept having Matt turn the van lights on, so I could make sure they were still breathing! What a scary feeling!!! So glad that part is over.

One big new thing for us: Last week, the girls switched to regular milk and most of the time they drink it out of sippy cups all by themselves! Do you know how HUGE that is for us?! It might be an ordinary thing for someone with 1 baby, but for someone with 3 babies... it's HUGE!!! When the babies were little, the feedings were an ENORMOUS part of our day.... feeding every 3 hours, and by the time we were done, we really only had 2 hours in between. Having people scheduled to come at almost every feeding.... Seriously, my life revolved around FEEDING THE BABIES!!! Being independent of holding bottles, is a feeling that is so hard to describe!! And, I'd be remiss not to mention the MONEY we're going to save now that they're off formula. Here's the pic I took (from my cell phone) to commemorate the joyous day! Oh! And the bottle cleaning!!! No more assembling, cleaning and disassembling bottles!!! Hee hee! (Ally is off bottles all together... Izzy and Abby still take a bottle twice a day).

L to R - Izzy, Abby, Ally

Matt and I went on our trip to Dallas this last weekend and had a great time. We left at 9am on Saturday and got home at 6pm on Sunday. 33 hours away with no babies! Ok - so Matt had a better time than me, but I'm still glad we got away. I missed my babies' little soft cheeks terribly. We drove down to Dallas, shopped at the Outlet mall in Allen, then went to the Cubs/Rangers game. The game was good and the Cubs won, so Matt really enjoyed it. Afterwards, we took a pedi cab (bicycle cab) back to our hotel (It was just a few blocks, but that poor guy definitely earned his money that day pulling me and Matt)! We had a late dinner and a drink at a bar/grill next to the Hotel, where we met lots of other Cubs fans. Again, Matt was really in his element - talking sports and enjoying himself. I couldn't help but think: "I don't belong here... I'm a mother of triplets... I should be at home with my babies!!!" It wasn't so much that I felt like other people thought I didn't belong, it was that I thought I didn't belong! I guess when your world revolves around something long enough, it becomes all you know. Anyway, I got over it... didn't want to spoil everyone's good time. We SLEPT IN the next morning, ate a late breakfast, then drove home. A very nice trip... the sleeping in was my favorite part! Ally and Izzy stayed with Matt's parents at our house and my mom took Abby to stay with her. I printed them off a schedule that included everything from the babies' menu to the sleep preferences and insurance information. I was really trying to make it as easy as possible on the babies and their caretakers (thinking sticking to their schedule would keep the babies happy). I think everyone enjoyed themselves, though I heard they were a bit tired afterwards! :-)

Here are a few things the babies are currently doing:

Izzy learns really fast, and I can teach her to do little tricks very quickly. For example: If I ask, "Izzy, how old are you?" She holds up her little pointer finger to indicate one. If I ask, "Izzy, are you mad?" She makes a mean face and breathes in and out of her nostrils. If I say "clap your hands", she'll clap her hands (even if I don't make the motion). She started walking on May 6th, but is walking well now. Izzy says "momma", "hi daddy", "lala" and something that sounds like "ball".

Abby is taking a few steps here and there, but is still pretty unstable. A few more weeks, and she'll have it. She's very attached to her sleep animal (a little frog/blanket my mom got her - aka srog the frog) and wants to take it with her everywhere. She says "momma", "daddy", and lots of jibberish with "d's" in it. She's getting a little more aggressive with her toys and loves to tackle her sisters and hug on them. It's so funny to watch when she's in one of these moods. She also claps on demand or when I chant "patty cake".

Ally has been taking a few steps for a while now, but just walked all the way across the room last night (see video above). She is a busy little baby - always hard at work playing on her little toys. We often make fun of her, saying, "oh I have so much to do... first I have to push these buttons, then I have to bang these cups, then I have to go play music and dance to it... I don't know if I can get it all done!" Ally can say "Daddy", "momma", "papaw" and something that sounds like "dog". (She loved the dog we saw at a friends house a few weeks ago).

We went to the Dr. last week for the girls' one year check up. If I ever need a pick-me-up, Dr. Gordon's a good person to go and see. He always has very good things to say about my parenting skills... probably says it to every parent, but I love hearing it! Izzy was 29 inches long (50th percentile for height), and 17 lbs, 15.5. oz (3rd percentile for weight). Abby was 28.5 inches long (25th percentile for height), and 17 lbs, 6.5 oz (3rd percentile for weight). Ally was 30 inches long (75th percentile for height), and 20 lbs. 5.5 oz (50th percentile for weight).

It's getting pretty hot out, but we still try to get out of the house now and then. We play on our swing in the back yard (a birthday gift from Matt's parents), or go for a walk in the new wagon (a birthday gift from my mom).

Here's a pic of the girls taking a ride in their wagon.

The babies all have 6 teeth - 4 on top and 2 on bottom. Here's a pic of the babies brushing their little teeth after bath time. (They get to "brush" after mommy brushes them). P.S. Apparently Abby has learned how to pose!


This next part may bore you to death, so feel free to skip. I just wanted to copy/paste the schedule I left for our parents when we went on our trip. I figure we may find it funny someday!

Saturday
9:00 Cheryl arrives – Matt and Kami leave (HALLELUJAH!)

10:30-12:00 Babies nap

12:00 Babies eat lunch
· Mac & cheese + peas
· Avocado with lime juice
· Baby food (fruit) if still hungry
· Sippy of milk

12:30 Paula comes to get Abby. (Don’t forget packed bags and toys. Will use pack/play and high chair at her house)

2:00 Sippy cup with whole milk

3:00-5:00 Babies nap – all babies use sleep sacks – all babies sleep better with fan on - if wake up before 4:45, let them cry it out. Do not let them sleep longer than 5 or won’t sleep at night.
· Ally needs paci and goes in pack/play
· Izzy goes in crib
· Abby needs srog the frog and goes in pack/play

5:30 Dinner with watered down apple juice (1/4 juice/ ¾ water)
· Baked potato with a little butter + broccoli
· Mushed banana w/ applesauce
· Supplement Baby food if still hungry

7:30 bath and pajamas

8:00 night milk
· Izzy and Ally – full sippy cup
· Abby – 6 oz. bottle of milk

8:30 bed – all babies use sleep sacks - all babies sleep better with fan on- let them cry it out until they fall asleep (usually no longer than 20 min, if any crying at all)
· Ally needs paci and goes in pack/play
· Izzy goes in crib
· Abby needs srog the frog and goes in pack/play
Night time info – if a baby cries in the middle of the night, make sure ok (no fever, clean diaper), put them back to bed to cry it out.
A Baby may wake up when sun comes up – let her talk/cry it out. I usually get them up at 7:30/8:00.


Sunday
7:30/8:00 Breakfast – Put babies in high chairs and let them eat Cheerios while you get cereal and milk ready. Cereal mixed with milk and fruit baby food – cereal consistency about how you would like to eat oatmeal. After cereal, give them a few ounces of milk in a sippy cup.

Cheryl - I usually get babies dressed for church, then lay them down for a nap from 9:40-10:20. (This way they get some sleep. They may not sleep, but either way, you have a chance to get ready for church).
Mom- Since you have to be at church at 9, so Abby will not get a nap, but should be ok. Just make sure the nursery workers have Cheerios to make her happy. (tip: you may try leaving her in her car seat while you practice – she might fall asleep.)

12:00 Lunch
· Baby food – 1 tub vegetables, 1 tub fruit. Cheerios to munch on & a Sippy cup of milk.

2:00 Sippy cup of milk.

3:00-5:00 Babies nap – all babies use sleep sacks – all babies sleep better with fan on - if wake up before 4:45, let them cry it out. Do not let them sleep longer than 5 or won’t sleep at night.
· Ally needs paci and goes in pack/play
· Izzy goes in crib
· Abby needs srog the frog and goes in pack/play

5:30 Dinner (we should be back by this time)



Medicine dosage (if needed):
Tylenol - .8 ml
Benadryl- ½ tsp

Emergency Medical Info:
Insurance – United Healthcare, Health Plan: xxx-xxxxx-xx, Member ID: xxxxxxxxx, Group #: xxxxxx, Member: Matthew D. Martin

Social Security #’s
Isabelle Rae:
Abigail Haley:
Allison Michelle:

Primary Care: Utica Park Clinic, Dr. Richard Gordon