Sick boys

(Aidan on the couch last night, out cold, before I moved him to laying down.)

Noah and Aidan have had terrible colds for the last few days. I finally took Noah to the doctor because he is so whiny. Nothing major with him. Both his ears were a little red and had minor viral infections, but nothing needing an antibiotic (hallelujah!). He is also teething. She thinks that the teething is the major factor for him, because he's just miserable. But he has a high fever that wasn't being helped by Tylenol. That brought it down to 101.5, so still a miserable baby. So he is to have alternate Motrin/Tylenol every four hours and his ear-numbing drops.

I sent Aidan to school yesterday and when I went to pick him up, his teacher said that he had been coughing the entire day. I felt so horrible! He wasn't that bad in the morning. He had a cough and runny nose and I thought about keeping him home, but staying home for a cough? He had no fever, so I sent him.

When Megan came to watch the kids so I could go work out, I took Noah to the doctor instead. I came home about 5, then went to work out. By the time I got back at 6, Aidan was sound asleep on the couch. She said he had been that way for a while. I left him be. I finally woke him up at 8:45 to take him temp, he was starting to feel really warm, and get him to bed. His temp was 102.8, so I gave him motrin and took him to bed. He was out cold within two minutes. He woke up at midnight, but we were still awake with a very whiny Noah, so it wasn't a big deal, to go potty, then back to bed. I figured he'd be up by 4 (his normal wake up time is 6, and that's when he goes to bed at 7:30), and he was up again at 2 to go potty, then 4. He told us it was "morning dark" (which is what he calls 6) and time for cartoons. We told him they were not on yet and go back to bed. He slept until 4:30, then Steve went downstairs with him. He turned on cartoons and was sitting up, but 15 minutes later, he was out again. He came back upstairs and got in bed with Noah and me (Noah slept with us because he was miserable in his crib) at 8 and right now, at 11:50, Noah and Aidan are still sound asleep. I am not waking them. I keep going in every 15 minutes to check them, but clearly, they need to sleep whatever this is out.

I will say that my reality is now warped. Austin is at school and Nathanial and Ethan are the only ones up with me. This is so easy! To have only two children to care for! It's odd because two years ago, I thought only Aidan was a challenge some days...and now two infants is nothing!

Everyone better be better by Sunday!!!

Aidan and Noah sound asleep on Mommy and Daddy's bed at 11:50 a.m. --->

Big Boys!

The triplets have their first birthday party on Sunday, so I decided they probably should look more like little boys than little girls. Today, they got their first "real" haircut. Nathanial was really very good and sat almost still, never tried to touch the scissors. Ethan was all over the place, including trying to grab the scissors. Nathanial and Ethan didn't even cry. Noah screamed through the entire thing....and he was just a witness! They do look much better now.

Nathanial:

Ethan:

A Year In Review

Please turn off the music by scrolling all the way to the bottom of the webpage, hit stop or pause, then you can hear/view this.

From the Mouths of Babes

Aidan is so funny and forever coming up with hilarious sayings. He certainly keeps me on my toes!

Today, he told me that there was one lucky kid in our house. I asked him who that lucky kid might be. He said "me!" I asked him why he was so lucky and he started chatting about a lot of different things. Then I said that I thought I was the lucky one, because God gave Aidan to me. He said, "Yep, I had a name tag on on the clouds (I imagine he meant heaven) and God looked at it and said 'This doesn't say Jesus, it says Aidan!' So, he put me in your tummy!" He was so serious too. It was just really cute.

He really makes me think sometimes.

12 Years - 5 Boys - 1 Sailor Suit

For Austin's first Easter, I bought him the cutest little sailor suit. I couldn't part with it and now I am so glad that I didn't! I have taken all five boys pictures in that same outfit, as of today. It started out with the outfit, a hat, and a little red tie - Austin had the whole thing. The hat didn't make it through the ensuing eight years, so Aidan had the outfit and tie. The tie didn't make it through the next four and a half years, so the triplets just have the outfit. Here are all their pictures. It has only been worn 6 times. Austin wore it twice - pictures and Easter. The rest have only worn it for pictures, since seasons didn't work out.

Austin - 6 months

Aidan - 10 months

Nathanial - 11.5 months Ethan - 11.5 months

Noah - 11.5 months

To Bed We Go

Every afternoon for their nap and every evening for bedtime, Nathanial, Ethan, and Noah take themselves upstairs. It's a little like setting cattle free. They "sense" the gate is down, race over to check it out, and sure enough!, it's down!!! Then starts the race to the top of the stairs. Usually when this happens, the first to start the race is the last to finish. Today, I got out the camera to document the event and sure enough, they had to prove me wrong. Nathanial got to the steps first, but Ethan passed by the first step and finished first. They usually wait until after the landing to slow down and lose first position. Little stinkers!

Guys!! The gates down!!!


Here we go...


Ethan's reached the landing and is rounding the corner...

Ethan's first, Noah's second...Nathanial is on the landing.Noah and Nathanial...better hurry up!!Almost to the top!!Whew! I finally made it up!

Last one up the stairs, still the first one in my crib. Night-night Mommy. Night, Night!"See you in a couple of hours, Mommy!"

And then, I come down stairs and listen to them chat to each other for at least a half hour prior to falling asleep. It's one of my favorite things!

No More Bottles!!

Yay! I can officially say that we are no longer taking any bottles! It has been a week and Nathanial, Ethan, and Noah haven't had one.

I forgot to inform Steve I was removing bottles from their diet, so two days after they had had no bottles, they got one. I had to take Austin to a doctor's appointment and we didn't get back until after bedtime. I asked Steve what they ate and he said "Nothing, I just gave them a bottle." Ahhhh!!! I thought my plan was foiled, but it turns out they were OK with it. They haven't had one since that night. They are still sitting on my counter, but I am now ready to get rid of them.

Their new routine is to get up and have Cheerios and fruit with a cup of formula; lunch with formula; snack at 4 with formula; and supper at 6 with formula. It's working fantastic and will hopefully make the transition to milk a little smoother. I would like them to be done with the formula on their first birthday, but they don't go in for their one year appointment until the next Friday. I'll talk to him about it then. We have enough formula left over to last until the end of February, so if they stay on it longer, that's fine, too.

I just cannot believe almost an entire year has passed already with them and that they gave up bottles so easily!

Aidan's Program

[Note: You can turn off the volume on the song if you scroll all the way to the bottom, then push pause.]

Aidan finally had his "Christmas" program this morning. I was afraid school would be delayed again today, but alas, it wasn't, so the program happened. Aidan was so cute! None of my pictures turned out worth a hoot (holding a squirming, upset little person doesn't make for very good pictures), but a couple of videos turned out semi-watchable. Nathanial and Ethan were very proud of their big brother and clapped and clapped after every song.

The triplets had quite a shock. They haven't been in their stroller in a couple of months and boy were they upset by it! They hated it! Oh, no! I was planning on using that for the next, say, ten years. Guess I'll have to come up with another plan. They did not like being corralled, tied down, nothing. Thankfully, a fellow multiple mom helped me out and held one of them while I worked on the other two. Nathanial tried standing up in his stroller and getting out, when I put him back down and tried to make him "happy" by not strapping him in. Never again.

Here's a couple videos of Aidan. He did an awesome job and was sooo cute. He's the little guy in the middle of the row on the floor with the red sweater on (if you can see him!).

Ring The Bells:

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Bell

Santa's Helpers:

Elves Working Hard:

Are We Ready Yet?

Happy New Year:

Up All Night

Ethan kept waking up during the night. It did not make for a very happy mommy. I gave him Tylenol every time he woke up, but it still took him a good 2 hours to get back to sleep each time. Then he'd sleep two hours, and be awake again.

Halfway through the night, I realized how far we have come in a year. Two solid hours of sleep in a row five months ago would have been heaven!!

He's starting to get a little better today...hopefully it keeps up!

Sick Baby....Again!

Ethan woke up this afternoon from his nap burning up. I have a feeling if I hadn't gone up for the other two, he would have slept right through.

I had some warnings that he wasn't feeling well, but I just thought he was tired. He fell sound asleep in his moon chair, after I got done taking a picture of all the boys together. Then he didn't eat much of his lunch, which I also thought was because he was tired. I guess not.

Hopefully, the Tylenol will kick in soon. He's still pretty sleepy and just laying on my lap. Terrible that I don't mind them being sick when it means I get some serious snuggle time in...

Snow Day!

We woke up this morning to about 8 inches of snow and no school. Austin was thrilled, but I wasn't so happy.

Steve was going to try to go into work, but he couldn't even get out of the driveway with our minivan. He shoveled instead. I asked Austin one time, once, one time, to help him shovel....and he did!!!! I was flabbergasted. He didn't even come in early, didn't complain, just helped. That is a major miracle these days.

As soon as the snowplow went down the street (about 10:30), Steve took the Excursion to work. He got there fine, to my relief.

I just hope they don't delay/cancel school tomorrow, because that is the "new" day for Aidan's program!

Austin's New Glasses

I finally talked Austin into a pair of glasses slightly outside his comfort zone (but not terribly), and just different from what he usually buys. His last three pairs have looked so similar that you wouldn't know he ever got a new pair. Not this time. These look great on him. You can't see in the picture, but they have a lime green layer under the blue and they have blue sides with lime green dots. He looks great! (He wasn't happy about me taking the picture, though.)

No More Bottles??

I think we might be totally done with bottles. That's a mixed emotion....thrilled and sad. Last night, the babies had over 8 oz of formula in their sippy cups with supper (they normally have five), so we decided to try going to bed without a bottle. Their nighttime bottle is usually a nightmare anyway. They are not hungry because they just ate and they want to play. Only Nathanial eats more than two ounces, and he eats a max of about four. We figured if they cried, got up in the night, or woke up early, we'd add back in the bedtime bottle. None of that happened. They were a little stunned at first to go to bed without the bottle, more out of habit than hunger, though. All three just looked at us a little funny, but noone cried.

They woke up at about 7:30, which is the time they have been getting up the last few weeks, so that wasn't early for them anymore. Instead of giving them a morning bottle, I tested giving them breakfast with their formula in a sippy, fully prepared to give bottles. They already have a sippy cup of formula with lunch, snack, and supper, so why not breakfast? They had cheerios and bananas and seemed very happy with the new routine. They have not missed the bottles at all. Noah reached over and stole Ethan's sippy when his was empty, but I just added more formula to his and he was happy as a lark again.

I can't believe it, but I think that it is highly possible we are completely done with bottles. Wow....I honestly didn't think we could get rid of them this early or easily. I wanted them done by their first birthday, but was also prepared to let them go a little longer. No such problem. I'm excited to be finished, but also sad as it is another milestone that is gone...

A Prayer Answered

I have been wanting to join The Body Station (our local gym) since the triplets were born, but didn't feel like I was ready to really commit to doing it nor had the time/money to do it. I decided that was where my Christmas money was going to go and I was ready to commit. Then Aidan decided that it would be a most wonderful idea to color a huge circle in red lipstick on the living room floor to "keep the triplets in." Yeah, that worked well for him. All that ended up happening was he got in a lot of trouble and babies smeared their way out of the circle. I was steaming mad and Steve just informed me that was exactly why he is so resistant to new carpet. My argument was that now we really needed new carpet. He just laughed and said, yeah, when Aidan graduates. Uhhhh....I'm pulling my hair out here!

Needless to say, my Christmas money was spent on a new, large area rug (thanks Ken and Lee!) to "cover" the nasty living room carpet...at least in the whole red-lipstick area.

Now my option was to use birthday funds to cover the membership, but I knew I wouldn't make enough and would still be over $100 short. So I was trying to get creative and realized I just might have to learn how to use Steve's Total Gym until I could raise enough money. I knew I couldn't talk Steve into letting me spend that and I knew I'd feel incredibly guilty taking it when it can be used for so many other things right now.

Out of the blue yesterday, a lady I had met at a garage sale two summers ago called me and asked if I had any baby stuff left and would I be willing to sell it? Would I???!???! Of course I would! She came over yesterday afternoon and bought a ton of clothes and our swing. I was more than a little sad to sell the swing because it was still in fantastic shape and part of me wants to hang onto it forever because "what if" we need it again. Logically, though, I know that it will more than likely never be used by us again and why hang on to something forever, just in case?

The answer to the prayer is I am only $25 short of my goal and Steve is letting me join and take that money! Woohoo! I do not feel guilty doing that because I know we can afford $25. We can probably afford the entire membership fee, but I would just feel guilty taking it all. I know if I prove to Steve that I use it, he'll gladly pay for it next year.

Megan, our usual sitter, is willing to babysit three days a week right after school for an hour (cheap), so I can go, too. The other two weekdays I am going to go at night so Steve can be home and I'll figure the weekends out.

Now I have the money, the sitter, and no excuses. I am very excited to get started! I know it's going to be very hard work and I know I am going to get tired and discouraged at times, but I really need to do something. After the triplets were born, the weight just fell off (thanks mostly to nursing and PCOS). I walked two miles every night and that helped immensely. Unfortunately, it got very cold very fast this year and the triplets got much busier, so by the time they were in bed I was exhausted. Which means that then my eating went out the window and I've gained a lot of weight back. I was frustrated, but I know I can do this if I really put the effort into it...and now I'm ready!

Noah's Turn

It appears it was not the eggs that made Ethan sick, as today Noah is not so well. He hasn't actually gotten sick, his is the other end. I am not sure which is worse...he's already had three baths today. Ugh!

He's also pale and looking a little under the weather. Good thing we got lots of Pedialyte yesterday...today it's Noah's turn for it!

Now I just hope I don't wake up tomorrow and Nathanial has it!

Sick Baby

I woke up at 1:30 am to hear Ethan coughing, so I went in to check on him. Just as I opened the door, I heard him gag and then throw up. Poor little guy. So, we got in the shower and got on fresh jammies, then he came to bed with Steve and I. He decided that meant party time and he just grinned at me. Then, he got more and more excited until he was sitting up, chatting and laughing. Yeah, I don't think so. I took him back to his room and rocked him until he was sufficiently drowsy, then laid him down and rubbed his back until he was really drowsy. All in all, it was 3:45 by the time I got back to bed and I was beat.

Steve woke up with him around 7 and discovered he had gotten sick again, so we decided no church or Sunday School for the triplets today. I needed sleep and Steve needed to take care of babies, so I could sleep. I took Austin and Aidan, then came home to rest for an hour, then Steve went to the traditional service and I took Austin and Aidan to our regular (contemporary) service tonight. It works well for us to do it that way when someone can't go.

We gave them scrambled eggs for supper last night, so I am hoping it wasn't the eggs that made Ethan sick. But he has had them once before and did OK with them. Plus he was running a low-grade fever and just looked very icky all day. I don't think it was the eggs, but he isn't getting any again for a while, just to be sure!

A Fun Day

Today we went to dinner with my mom and her husband, my grandparents, and my uncle and aunt and their kids. It was a lot of fun. My uncle's kids are the same the same age as Austin, so they always look forward to seeing each other and have fun together.

It was a relaxing day and a nice time. Austin was very upset because he wanted to go back to my uncle's house to play with Alex and Sam, but it got late fast and we still had a bunch of errands to run. For how close we live, we don't see them that often. I promised Austin that we would have to find a day for him and Aidan to go visit them for a little while...and just do that. It's just hard finding time to do anything lately!

We went to Texas Roadhouse (I love that place), and unfortunately, the discovered it was my birthday and wanted me to get on a saddle in front of everyone to wish me a happy birthday! Ugh!! Thankfully, Aidan wanted to get on for me and he took my place! Nice of our waitress to announce that I was 20 today....I did appreciate that!

Happy Birthday to Me

Today is my birthday and I am just really not into birthdays anymore. It isn't all that exciting for me, but it still is for the kids.

Aidan woke up and came in and told me "Happy Birthday," which was very sweet because he wasn't reminded to do it or told to do it. Then he kept asking when Grandma and Grandpa were coming....because if it's your birthday that means everyone is coming to your party! When it came time to go to school, he got himself all in a tizzy. He was so upset because he didn't want to "miss" my birthday. I think he was still convinced that I was supposed to have a party. I assured him we wouldn't do anything until Daddy got home.

Austin didn't really acknowledge my birthday, but I didn't figure he would.

My father in law had called earlier in the week and instructed Steve and I to get a cake and what to put on it. It was so nice to get a cake that I didn't make or order and didn't dictate what it would say.

We did have my "party" when Daddy got home, which I think Aidan was disappointed in. We had supper (roast, so I didn't have to cook much!), then had my cake and opened my presents. Even though it wasn't exciting for Aidan, it was a nice evening.

Haircuts!

Austin and Aidan were in desperate need of a good haircut. Their normal barber's mother passed away, so he was not available. I called my hairstylist and she was able to do it. When they go to "Barber John" with Steve, he takes a one-cut-fits-all approach, which makes me very happy because it's just a short little boy cut, nothing fancy. Austin has been begging for a butch for a long time, and I am vehemently opposed. I just don't like them. One day, he asked Barber John for one and he asked Austin to read the sign on the door. Austin said "John's Barber Shop." To which he replied, "Exactly...that means I pick the cut." I can send Austin in alone and know he's going to come out with the perfect cut.

This time, we all trouped into my salon. That was quite the experience. I generally go at night, so I don't have to take any kids and this time I had all five. Whew....never again! Aidan was first up. She cut it short, like I asked, but then she asked him if he wanted some colored gel and a spike. I really didn't think I would like it, but it is the cutest haircut he has ever had! It just suits his little personality. He has asked a few times since then to have me spike it (with orange gel) and while we don't have the orange gel, I have spiked it and it's adorable!

Austin's hair is a challenge for the most experienced of stylists. He does end up with a near-butch every single time we go in because at the crown of his head he has soooo many cowlicks, it's just a straight line of stick-up. It is also extremely thick and very wiry. This time, she used that to his advantage and also styled his into a spike. His isn't as obvious as Aidan's because his hair is so much thicker, but it looks really nice. He, though, doesn't like to do anything with his hair, so I have had to initiate the styling with him. The orange in his hair looked almost red and was really a nice color with how dark his hair is. I was surprised I didn't mind the orange! I let them both keep it in, too, for one night.

An Ice Cube

Noah had his very first ice cube today. Stollen from Nathanial, who realized just how cold it was after one lick that he gladly gave up what he stole from my water. I didn't get the initial reaction, which was a horrible "What is this?!?!?" face, but I did get the rest...

Hmmmm....maybe this isn't too bad.

Wow...it's kinda big!

I can't quite close my mouth...

Ohhh, now it fits in my cheek! What is this marvelous invention?

Still in my cheek!

It's all gone...do you have another?!?!?

Back to School!!!

Austin and Aidan are back to school today! Yay!! It will be so nice to be able to get back to routine and "normal" again.

Austin came home and was a little upset about his grade on his semester test in math, but he said he tried his hardest and he just didn't understand it. He also said it took him the entire class time to finish it, which is most important because he rushes everything to get it done so he can read. He also had a boy who was put into his enrichment study hall that he doesn't get along with and was upset about that. Thankfully, his favorite teacher is in that study hall, so I told him to speak with her before study hall and ask her if she can help to keep him away from Austin. I'm glad he trusts her enough to do it, because he said he will. He's in the study hall because they limit it to 15 students and it has a certified teacher in it. It is more structured than the "regular" study hall and more peaceful. The other study hall is just all the kids in the library. It can get a little chaotic and he needs small and peaceful. But it is mostly for kids who have trouble in school keeping their grades up (hence the certified teacher in it), and this child did poorly last semester so was moved into that study hall. At least he'll only be in it with him 3 days a week.

I have been kind of bad about posting lately, but hopefully with school back and getting more into a routine, I will be able to post more often. I did back date some posts, so you can check back further if you want.

A Little Sad...

Today we took down the tree and while we did that, I realized that the babies are getting too big for the changing table. Not only that, but we don't use it for anything anymore, other than storage. I decided it was time to take it down. We have been giving them baths upstairs, then heading into their room to dress, read a book and have their last bottle of the day. That takes care of needing pajamas downstairs. Or any of their towels, wash clothes, lotions, soaps, shampoos, etc. also. That leaves only diapers and wipes and I can probably find a less bulky and space consuming way to place that.

When we put the tree up, we moved all the excersaucers upstairs "for the time being," and came to the decision we don't need those anymore, either. So I am giving one to my cousin and will give the rest to the crisis pregnancy center or sell them.

The living room looks so bare without the changing table or excersaucers and yet there are still so many toys and other baby notions, most people probably wouldn't notice the change. But I do.

I have been adjusting their daytime eating schedule so they are ready to give up bottles on their first birthday. Now they are having breakfast with sippys and a bottle if they want it in the morning, lunch with a sippy of water at noon, a snack with a sippy after their nap, supper with their sippy, and then a nighttime bottle, which they usually don't want either. The first couple of days of no 4:00 bottle was rough on them. They love that bottle and that was going to be the hardest one to get rid of, which is why I eliminated it first. They have stood and Nathanial and Noah tried very hard to get their bottles out of the dishwasher the second day, but soon discovered I wasn't giving in. At least they haven't been too upset and are thrilled with their new routine of sitting in their highchairs and getting cheerios and fruit for a snack now!

Noah started waving bye-bye and saying bye-bye a few weeks ago and Ethan quickly followed suit. Nathanial is just now starting to do it. Noah is also signing more and all done, and Ethan is pretty quick behind him. Ethan shakes his head "yes;" not to anything in particular, but he likes to do it. They all clap and will do so big when they feel like it, also.

All these changes are making me a little sad. They will be our last children (unless there is a natural conception, which isn't likely) and I am having a hard time with them getting so big so fast. All these things are so little when they are separate, but it just feels like all of the sudden they are zooming full-speed ahead to toddlerhood and I am not wanting to give up my babies yet!!

Another Day Alone!

I don't know what I am going to do with myself! Sue, Steve's sister, has been wanting to watch our boys while Steve and I go on a date. Steve is almost impossible to get to go on a date and has been putting if off. So, during Christmas break, she asked if she could take them all and I could have a day alone to do whatever I wanted.

I took the boys to her house this morning and I almost didn't know what to do with myself. She lives right in the middle of Dubuque, Cedar Rapids, and Waterloo. I really wanted to go to Cedar Rapids, but ended up going to Waterloo because I had pictures to pick up. I had lunch with a great book at Panera and then went leisurely shopping. Leisurely!!! Noone to nag me for a toy (Aidan), noone to nag me about when we will be finished (Austin) and noone to drag in and out and in and out of carseats, carts, and strollers. And, most importantly....NOONE looked at me!!!! I blended!!! Noone was gawking, noone was blatantly talking about me in stage whispers behind my back (people, I can hear you and I would much rather have you ask me to my face than say things right in front of me...at least wait until I am out of earshot), and noone asked me 5 million questions. I know this sounds rude. I am truly thankful for all of my kids, but it was fabulous to get out alone. And even more fabulous to go back to being a "normal" person who had nothing interesting to stare at.

I felt kind of bad because I dropped off the boys at about 10:30 and didn't get back until almost 4:30, but Sue was fine with it. They were even all asleep when I got there! So we stayed until everyone was awake and then came home.

It was a great day to have to myself and I loved it!!!