Bellybuttons

Here's a corny joke for you:

Fred: Did you hear about the archaeologists who discovered Adam and Eve?
Ted: No, I didn't. Hey, how did they know it was Adam and Eve?
Fred: They didn't have any bellybuttons.

[Insert canned laughter.]

We feel sorry for Adam and Eve. Bellybuttons are quite the hot topic at our house right now, and they would miss out on all the fun. When you ask Lauren, Drew or Jack where their bellybutton is, they lift up their shirt and look around for it. Usually, though, their tummies are sticking out and in the way and they can't see it. They also like to lift the shirts of each other and enjoy poking away like they found the Pillsbury Doughboy. It's pretty funny to watch them do it; like an odd version of tag or something. Since they often have onesies on during the day to cover their little treasures up, this becomes a really fun game before bathtime when we strip them down to their diapers while we get the tub ready.

They also think it's great fun to lift up the shirt of adults and do this, too. I forgot to warn my mom about this one day as she was babysitting the triplets for us, and it gave her quite a shock. Backing up a bit, I should probably tell you first that they can't say bellybutton very well yet, so they shorten it to "butt." The second problem is that they haven't figured out which side the bellybutton is on. So, imagine my mom's surprise as she had the trio in their cribs, was walking between them to give them a last sip of water for the night, and Jack comes up behind her, lifts her shirt and says, "butt" and then starts poking around on her back. I'm sure she was wondering what in the world are we teaching these kids!? But she was polite and just asked "What was he doing!?"

So, I am hoping that this phase passes, before I have surgery on mine. Maybe I'll keep it bandaged for a while and get them really confused as to where my bellybutton is! I have mentioned in the past that the triplets have what's called an umbilical hernia. This just means that the area where the umbilical cord passed through hasn't sealed up all the way. So, their bellybutton sticks out a bit, but this is expected to heal on it's own eventually. It's a really common thing that happens to preemies. But I think the squishyness of it makes the bellybutton game that much more fun. Ironically, if they didn't have their little umbilical hernias, I may not know that mine needed surgery. I just happened to notice one day that mine was starting to look like theirs. I later mentioned it when seeing my doctor about some other stuff. Unfortunately, it turns out that mine won't heal on its own, though.

Tonight, as I was reading to Alyssa at bedtime, she showed me her bellybutton. It just struck me as I was looking at it, that this was how her body was connected to mine at one point. It was a neat little reminder of the the intimate relationship that we once had, and how that little hole was her lifeline to the world. It's really amazing when you stop to think about it. I will never understand how they form in the first place after you are born. I think it's interesting how everyone's bellybutton looks different., too. Maybe someday instead of looking at fingerprints they will look at bellybuttons, since you don't leave prints of them all over glasses. Nah......... that would probably ruin the storyline of too many movies, huh?
See what I mean about all the fun Adam and Eve missed out on? They didn't even know what a bellybutton was until they had kids!

God bless,
Amanda

This was copied and edited from our previous site on Babysites.

Humpty Dumpty and The Mall

Hello Faithful Friends,

Lately I have to say that I feel a little like Humpty Dumpty. The good times with my health just keep on coming. It makes me feel like Humpty Dumpty, because I feel like they have to put me back together again!
Right now I am on my low iodine diet again (one more week to go - yeah). This is to prepare for a follow up scan that I am doing to make sure that the radioactive iodine that I took in June got all the thyroid cells/thyroid cancer cells. My doctor said that it takes about 9 months to see if it worked, so here I am. For the most part, things are going much better this time around, because I don't have to go off my thyroid medicine at the same time. Instead, I will take shots on Monday and Tuesday that produce the same hormone that my body would have made if I went off my meds. They are really expensive (over $1000 each), so I am so thankful that my insurance paid for them! The only tough part is that the triplets have turned into locust/tazmanian devils with octopus arms. That means that all the cooking from scratch that I have to do usually has to wait until after they go to bed. It makes for long days, but at least it is just for a little while.

I also found out on Monday that I am having surgery on June 16th. This is the repair an incision from a previous surgery that I had through my bellybutton, way back in 2001. The surgery itself isn't too bad, just an hour or so and it's outpatient. The tough part for me will be that I can't lift anything over 5 lbs for 6 weeks! That will be very tough to do with the kids and I guess that means Dave will be doing all the grocery shopping this summer.

I am also going to physical therapy to get my back feeling better after the accident I was in just before Thanksgiving. They told me it would take a while to heal, since I was hauling kids all the time. So I waited a while to go back to my doctor. He took some X-rays, and they came back fine. So I am off to physical therapy, which is helping tremendously. I am glad to be getting range of motion in my neck back and the pain has gone down a lot, too!

So anyway, I would appreciate your prayers for good health for me. It's been a long time coming! Please pray that my scan on April 10th comes back clean and that I can get on with my life!

On a lighter note, I wanted to tell you about my trip to the mall today. Alyssa was at preschool and then off to a playdate with her 3rd cousin (yes, we figured out they are 3rd cousins). So, I was down to "just 3 kids". We are getting stir crazy and cabin fever as March hasn't been as warm as we had hoped. So I decided after lots of whining and crying that it was time for a change of scenery. I made the decision to take them BY MYSELF to a new mall that they had never been to before.

We got there near opening time, so the parking lot wasn't too full. This is something you think about when you get out a beast of a stroller and don't feel like being watched as you unload 3 kids. The trio was very well behaved and wide-eyed and quiet. Just inside the door I stopped and took off their coats, where we attracted our first major gawker/question asker. I've come to expect this, but sometimes you just never know what people will say or how nosy they will be. This lady could actually tell that Lauren (in her pink coat) was a girl, and was very nice and encouraging. I needed that, because as she walked away, I noticed that the beast had a tire that was getting low. I figured, oh well, we are here, I doubt there is a bicycle pump anywhere, so we are going for it anyway!

For the most part we just walked around. I met a really nice older couple at the directory map (I had to look for elevators at this mall as the stroller doesn't do escalators). This couple was really sweet and told me that they never had children of their own. They couldn't have been more positive about my kids (sadly, I can't say that about everyone), and I ended up seeing them several times around the mall. They also "rescued" me from a lady yelling across the mall to me "was it a surprise to have triplets?" I just looked at her and smiled and went back to talking to our new friends. Whew. Got out of that one.

I don't mind talking about our fertility issues with people I know, and I really hope that we encourage others who are struggling with it. We also hope that we have helped to take away some of the stigma of the whole subject that people can be really close-minded about. But there are times like these when I am surrounded by total strangers that I don't like to talk about the subject. You never know if you are opening yourself up to being judged by someone who knows nothing about you or your circumstances. I like to at least know someone's name before I talk about something so personal and gutwrenching to go through. There are also those who are just plain curious for the sake of juicy gossip. For those people who are just plain nosy, let them buy a People magazine and leave me out of it!

Oops, sorry, didn't mean to get off on a tangent there. But one neat thing that happened at the mall was that we just happened to see one of the NICU doctors that took care of Lauren, Drew, and Jack. I can't remember much of anything these days, so, of course, I couldn't remember her name (until I got a bill in the mail later that day for their NICU visit - but that's another story). I noticed her looking at our stroller as she walked by, so in a moment of boldness, I said, "Excuse me, are you a NICU doctor?" She looked at me a little funny and for a second I thought I was going to be royally embarrassed. But she said yes and that she had looked at the kids and wondered if she had treated them. I think it was a fun treat for her to get to see some of her patients and find out how they turned out (at least 20 months later). She said she would also let the staff know that I had run into her. I was really glad that I had that moment of courage, otherwise I would have missed out on a neat opportunity.

Then after she walked away, I noticed a billboard for the hospital (where she worked and where the triplets were born). What a coincidence. But not only that, as I kept walking I noticed that we had been talking next to a huge billboard talking describing the story of our friends who had quad boys - also at the same hospital! What are the chances of that happening all at once!?
So after that, we stopped for a snack, and continued walking around.

A few "what was I thinking" moments struck me as we were there. First was, what do I do if I have to go to bathroom? That stroller can't make turns very well, let alone fit into a bathroom stall and it's not like I can leave the kids with someone else while I go. Luckily, I came across a family bathroom. The stroller fit in there great, I could lock the door, and it was a break from being stared at! There was a guy in there ahead of us (whom I almost walked in on since he forgot to turn the "occupied" knob!). You should have seen his face as he walked out and and said, "Triplets???" The family bathroom was also nice as it calmed my fears of "what do I do if someone has a blowout?" It had a nice place to change diapers and everything. All three kids had done their duty before we left, though, so I wasn't too worried about that. But it was nice to have a plan of attack, if the need should arise.

Another thing I worried about in retrospect is what do I do if they all start crying? This struck me as I had to take the water cup from Jack to share with the others, and he let me know it he wasn't too happy with it. I kept getting lost in that mall (Dave has a good sense of direction, so that's usually his job!), so I was picturing myself going in circles with 3 screaming kids and a flat tire. But, luckily, none of that happened. The kids were really good. I stayed strong going through the food court with all those wonderful smells of food I can't have right now. (Oh, how I miss my cheese!) We probably got our most stares, there, too. But we survived.

We also met a very nice lady while I was backing up to throw away some rice cakes Drew threw on the ground (Drew throws EVERYTHING round!). This lady had 4 daughters and was telling me all kinds of things about her and even about potty training her kids. It's amazing how total strangers open up to you when you have a stroller full of kids. We also met up with a family with 3 kids and compared birthdays with them. Kids are always attracted to other kids. Is that called "kid-dar"? What age are you when you lose it?

But anyway, all in all, we had a pretty good trip and even got back in the van before the rain hit. Unfortunately, when it was time to load up, the parking lot was much more full. I had a truck behind me with two guys in it eating their lunch. It actually worked out ok, because they backed up when I moved the strolled behind the van. That gave me more room to work and turn the beast around - which made it much easier to load up. I wasn't exactly crazy about having an audience while I went about my chores. But, after I hurried to take the stroller apart, collapse it and put it in the van, I gave a thank you wave to them. They were laughing and I saw the one guy motioning to other to explain how I collapsed the stroller and put it in. I guess next time I do a demonstration I should put my body on the other side of it. Well, I have accepted that my family was put here on the earth for the entertainment of others. In return, I guess I am amused by how the stroller seems to get as much attention as the 3 tykes in it!

May your life be full of amusement, too!

God bless,
Amanda

This was copied and edited from our previous site on Babysites.

Just the Facts

We had a checkup with the trio yesterday, so I thought that I would give you their updated stats. They are all doing well, expect for some colds and Jack having infected ears. Multiples are often behind verbally as they aren't talked to as much as singletons. However, the doctor said they are doing great in that department and are maybe a little ahead.
JACKSON
Height: 32 3/4"
Weight: 24 lbs 2 oz
Teeth: 16
Favorite food: fruit
Nicknames: Jack Attack, Jacky, Tank
DREW
Height: 33 3/4"
Weight: 25lbs 8oz
Teeth: 8
Favorite food: bread
Nicknames: Drewski, Drew boo
LAUREN
Height: 32"
Weight: 22 lbs
Teeth: 15
Favorite food: sausage
Nicknames: Laurenowski, Warren, Vicky Vampire, Honey bee
Here's Alyssa's stats from her 1/24/08 checkup (4 yrs)
Height: 40"
Weight: 34 1/2 lbs
Drew is gaining on her!
Nicknames: Sweet pea, Sweetest of the peas, Aly Grace, Sweets

This was copied and edited from our previous website, on Babysites.

It's the Little Things That Make You Smile

As you can imagine, life in our house is pretty chaotic these days. The workload alone keeps me hopping and I have accepted that my house will never win any "Housekeeping of the Year" awards. But as I stopped to catch my breath, I realized that there are lots of little things throughout the day that make me laugh or smile. Here's a sample of some moments that made me smile the last 24 hours in our house:

* As we sat eating dinner, we looked over a Drew, who was supposed to be happily eating his yogurt out of the suction cup bowl we bought for such an occasion. Instead, he has stuck it on the patio door behind him.

* In the morning, before I get the little kids out of their cribs, I have to give Drew his medicine for acid reflux. I give it to him by syringe and then rinse it out. I forgot to shut the bathroom door, so when Jack was out of his crib and noticed it, he stood looking at the door saying "ut oh, ut oh."

* Alyssa likes to hold blank photo albums and flip the pages as she "reads" stories that she has made up for us. (It really confuses the triplets when she is done and they grab the same album and see nothing on the pages.) One of my favorites is the story about Daniel from the Bible. She ended it with "and Pharaoh hit him with the car."

* Lauren fell down the stairs (she only has access to two of them). I wasn't there to see what happened, so I was quizzing Alyssa for some clues to which injuries I needed to nurse. When I asked Alyssa where Lauren hit, she said, "on the wall." I guess next time I'll have to specify "Which part of Lauren's body was injured?"

*Shortly after I got Lauren to stop crying, Jack changed from quietly sitting next to me on the step to balling his eyes out. Then when I thought out loud "Why is he crying?" Alyssa said, "Mommy, he's got a ball stuck in his mouth." After I was sure he wasn't in any danger (it was a ping pong ball that we had confiscated a while back), this made me laugh out loud. He kept getting madder and madder. It reminded me of the scene in airplane where the woman has eggs coming out of her mouth. You just never know what you'll see around here - especially when you think all the ping pong balls have been hidden for months.

* A couple of minutes after Lauren and Jack both calmed down, someone decided it was a brilliant idea to bang their head on the wall. This made the other kids laugh. The next thing I know, all 4 of my kids are purposely banging their heads on the wall and giggling about it the whole time. At least I didn't have to worry about their injuries anymore!

* In the morning the kids like to look out the window and watch the bus go by. The triplets can all say "bus" now. It's so cute to look at them all from behind staring out the window. But now when they look out the window they say bus. They seem confused that it's not there all the time.

* When it's time to get dressed, Alyssa often likes to pull her nightgown down just below her shoulders and wear it hula style and do a little dance. But today she has gone through a growth spurt and can't wear her nightgown that way anymore. She cried hysterically, because she can't do the hula in it anymore.

* The kids fight frequently over the toy of the day. Today it was the giggle stick. There is something about these little people with big heads, not much hair and short stubby legs duking it out that makes me laugh sometimes. You don't have to teach them to act like siblings. It just comes naturally.

* Alyssa and Lauren were walking around the obstacles on the family room floor. Alyssa informed me that they were mermaids and they were trying to avoid the sharks. Who knew we could fit in an aquarium in that room, too?

* Thanks to several generous people, we were able to cash in 3 gift cards and get a small bounce house for the kids to burn off energy in. It's so fun to watch them bounce around and see their hair stick straight up as the static electricity builds up. Lauren is a manic in that thing and her little body bounces so high, that sometimes I think she will bounce right out of it.

* Alyssa loves to dance all the time, so naturally, the triplets want to be just like their big sister. Whenever we put music on now, the triplets bop up and down and twirl around. It's really cute when all 3 of them do it at once.

* As I was in the kitchen working, I looked over and Alyssa and Lauren were sitting on the Dora beanbag chair together. Alyssa was "reading" her little sister a book. A few minutes later, the boys joined them and I had all 4 kids perfectly posed for a picture.

* I was holding Drew on my hip and we were near the kitchen counter. He decided out of the blue that it was just hilarious to bend backwards and rest his head on the counter. I still don't know why that was funny.

* The triplets are just getting to the point where they are starting to run everywhere. They are still pretty new at it, so sometimes their little legs don't work too well. It's cute to see as the stumble a bit on the way to their new adventure. Sometimes they like to run to the front door and back. Sometimes they make a sound like aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh. They seem to enjoy hearing how the sound changes as their feet hit the ground and change the vibration of it.

* As I was going about my daily chores, I happened to look across the room to see Alyssa hopping across the floor like a bunny.

* Before we eat, I load the triplets in their booster chairs and put on their bibs. This is something we call "lock and load." Jack got a little impatient today and for the first time just crawled right up into his chair and was sitting there waiting for me to buckle him into it.

* I remember a time when the kids didn't even know how to feed themselves finger food. Now, as I dish out the food, they point to a spot on their tray and show me where they want it.

* I forgot to space out the kids enough when I put them in their seats for lunch today. Next thing I know, Drew is grabbing Jack's bib and strangling him with it.

* During lunch time Alyssa fielded a phone call for me. She said, "Mommy, it's for you. It's the operator."

* A little bit later into lunch, Alyssa asked me, "So mommy, how was your day?" You would have thought she hadn't been with me all day, including first thing in the morning when she woke me up!

* Often when Jack is sitting in his chair, he will say "Mommy!" If I respond with "Jackson" he says "Mommy again and we go back and forth. The really funny thing is that the way he says it, you would think he was in the mafia or on the show "The Sopranos."

* After lunch, loading the dishwasher is quite a challenge. Not only do I have to keep little people away from the knives, but I also have to keep them from crawling into it. So instead I turn it into a game that they can help me close the door. Then I thank them by "giving them dawg" (hitting our fists, kind of like gimme 5). But I have to give dawg to all 3 of them then.

* Later I looked over at Lauren, and she is just babbling away on her toy cell phone. I don't know who she has to call at the age of a year and a half, but it sure did seem important.

* We have some of those plastic frogs that you push down the tail and then they jump up high. The kids were bringing them to me and just giggling as they flew threw the air. They were trying to do it themselves, but just don't have the finger strength yet. We also found the windup bunny that goes around in circles. You would have thought I had taken them to a carnival!

* I had a bit of a cold, so Alyssa spent the day nursing me back to health with homemade pretend plastic cherry pie soup. It was delicious. I think.

* The closet in the kids' room has become a mess of once sorted shoes. It was all over when the kids decided that was a fun place to play. Lauren brought me a shoe to put on and it was a summer sandal I had been wanting to check the fit on anyway. It fit just right, but I told Lauren that I had no idea where the other one was. A couple minutes later she came back from the abyss of the closet and handed me the other sandal to put on. She wore them for an hour, too!

* Later, as I held Drew again on my hip, he decided that he had to have my thumb to eat. It wasn't time for him to eat, he just thought my thumb was a luscious thing to chew on at that instant.

* In the family room where the kids like to play, Lauren decided to climb up on one of the little shelves and laid down for a bit. Life is rough at her age.

* It is so precious when the triplets want something like a ball and I give it to them and they get the sweetest smile on their face.

* Alyssa did a curtsey. Lauren wanted to be just like her sister, so she tried to do a curtsey, too. The only problem was that she had pants on and didn't have much to grab to do a curtsy with.

* For some odd reason, the kids think it's really fun to take off my shoes. So when I actually sat down for a minute, there is Drew taking off my shoe.

* Last but not least, I even had a moment to laugh during naptime. I was enjoying the peaceful calm time of the day, but I was also looking out the window to see if it was freezing rain or snow coming down at this point. I happened to be looking when the mail lady came by. Evidently, it was freezing rain, because as she went to deliver my mail, I noticed her pull out a mallet and pound on my mailbox to get it open. Isn't it a federal crime or something to beat a mailbox with an object like that? Yet it was the mail lady who did it! That explained why our mailbox was so bent. I thought it was so punk neighbor kids. I never would have guessed it was a federal employee!

I just never know where my laughs will come from around here!

God bless,
Amanda

This was copied and edited from our previous site on Babysites.

Kiddos Update

Hi Everyone,

Sorry it's been over a month since we have updated the website. We have been busy as you can guess. It's actually a good thing, because we have gotten to do some fun social things, like watch the SuperBowl with some friends and today we had a fun playdate. We haven't had too much of that the last two years, but people have actually been brave enough to invite us over lately! So anyway, here are some much overdue updates on the kiddos.

Alyssa is enjoying preschool and especially loves the weekly assembly of the classes in the chapel to sing. The snacks are a big hit with her, too. She is learning how to trace letters, what sounds letters make, and thinks she can read already (we call it memorizing). She has just started really playing with baby dolls a lot lately, too. One day she walked up to me with 3 baby dolls in her arms and said, "Look Mommy, I have triplets." She has been a huge help with the babies, most of the time without being asked. She often takes their coats and shoes off when we get home from somewhere and during bathtime she even takes off diapers and shampoos heads. Alyssa continues to be immersed in pretend play. Sometimes she chooses to playact rather than read bedtime stories. Dave doesn't do it her way, though, and sometimes that frustrates her. She loves princesses and dress up. Cinderella is her favorite movie right now, too, especially since she got a Cinderella doll and the movie for her birthday. Now that she is a 4, we have moved her up to the "big girl" class at church, and she seems to really enjoy playing with the big kids. (She didn't want to leave the nursery at first, because all her siblings were in there together.) She is already talking about how she wants to have a princess themed party for her next birthday (not until December). She told me the other day, "On my next birthday I will be 5. Can you believe it?" Then a few minutes later she declared, "When I'm 5, I'll get to drive the car."

Lauren has turned into the sweetest little thing and is so mellow and easy going these days. She loves to be held and often says "up" so I pick her up. She loves getting dressed and will bring coats and shoes to me. Sometimes she gets mad when I dress Alyssa first in the mornings, because she likes it so much. A couple of weeks ago in the church nursery they had to keep her coat on her, because they said she got so upset when they took it off. She loves to talk and learn new words and point to things in books to show what she knows. She also gets the cutest smile on her face when I can understand what she is trying to tell me. When she gets upset sometimes, she gets so distraught the she just lays her forehead on the floor. She is a tiny little thing, but still holds her own and bites when needed. But she will also share, like the other day when she had a ball that Drew wanted and she gave it to him (not right away, but she did willingly give it to him). She is also getting pretty good at feeding herself yogurt on a spoon. She is still fearless and I have yet to see her afraid of anything. She is my adventurous wanderer who likes to go off and explore new things. She is starting to show some motherly instincts with her brothers and seems to like routine. She is very social and always seems to be checking on what everyone else is up.

Jack still loves to figure out how things work. His favorite right now is the safety gates mounted to the wall. Yesterday, he even figured out how to latch it on one side. He also loves closing doors, but was mystified recently as to what happened when I stuck a foam block in the way to keep it from closing. He has the funnest squeals when he is excited about something and often says "ut oh" when something drops on the floor. He enjoys books a lot, too, and before bedtime and naptime he sits down in his crib with his arm around his teddy bear and "reads" books. He is definitely going to be a red head and throws the full tantrums by flinging his body back and usually hitting his head on the floor (which just makes him madder). We have been trying wheat occasionally with the kids and they still don't tolerate it that well. Jack seems to have the hardest time with it. But he has also put on weight well now that it is out of his diet and his appetite has really come back. He also snuck up on the table and ate his big sister's peanut butter sandwich one day and got hives. Peanut allergies can be serious, so now we have an epi pen in the diaper bag in case he has trouble breathing. Yikes! He is very aware of everything going on at mealtime, and keeps score to make sure he has gotten the same food as everyone else. Jack also loves to talk on the phone, it doesn't matter if he has a pear slice or a piece of foam in his hand. Whenever the urge hits him, he just babbles away and asks Mom and Dad to talk on the "phone", too.

Drew continues to be our physical guy with the jolly temperament. He can throw a ball about 7 feet and is pretty good at playing mini hoop in the bathtub. The kid LOVES balls and the fastest way to make him smile is to give him one. He also loves to tackle his siblings, even Alyssa. She agitated him today and he responded with a pretty good take down. Usually, it seems like he is just bored and needs something to do, but putting the coats on the kids seems to trigger his instinct to tackle, too, for some odd reason. He also loves to cuddle, too, and loves to be held like Lauren. The kid has a very high pain threshold. If he gets hurt or has to have his hand smacked to stay away from something dangerous, sometimes he laughs. He also cues us off to when he is going to do something mischievous by giving a deep laugh on his way to his next mission. He often trips on the walk over, because he gets so focused on what he is doing. He still loves to eat and has learned to tell us the sign (from sign language) for eat when he is hungry. When he cries, it is just this sad pathetic cry that makes you almost feel sorry for him. But overall, he is a pretty tough kid that I predict will play football someday. Drew has also really gotten attached to his teddy bear, which he calls "Ba ba." Often at night when we check on him, he is sleeping on Ba ba as a pillow or has his arm around it.

Overall, as a family, life is seeming more normal, whatever normal is for us. Maybe I should say it's more balanced, as we are getting out a bit more, like taking the kids to the grocery to get out of the house for a while. We tried feeding the trio off of plates for a brief period, but that got too messy when they figured out how to make them projectiles. Once a day we give them a bowl and spoon. They are starting to get the hang of it. We are also very thankful for some suction cup bowls that we found to make this much neater of an event (thanks Munchkin!). Our kids are starting to play together now during the after dinner sugar rush. It's fun to watch them chase each other around and laugh and play. Alyssa also likes to walk one of her siblings around by the hand or arm around the shoulder and pretend they are walking through the forest. The kids also like to play ring around the rosy and sometimes we can get the little guys to play hide and seek (or sometimes it turns into "Hide the Lauren.")

Climbing continues to be a huge issue for us. First we tried putting the kitchen table chairs underneath the table, intertwined with the legs. Well, now they are smarter and stronger and that doesn't work. So we have to keep the chairs in the dining room (on the other side of the baby gate) to keep them from climbing and messing with the TV and tearing pictures off the walls (lucky they haven't figured out how to climb the kitchen counters yet). The only furniture we have left where they play most of the time is the couch. It is a full time job trying to train them to sit and not stand or jump on it, but they are slowly getting the message (or maybe sick of hearing about it). I am told by other triplet moms that they will soon start climbing out of their cribs. So now we need to get some crib tents to keep them from hurting themselves, because we are NOT ready for big kid beds yet. We put books and stuffed animals in the their cribs to distract them, but usually Drew and Lauren throw all of theirs on the floor or pass them to Jack (who's crib is in the middle). We also got bad cabin fever a couple of weeks ago when we were all sick and couldn't go to storytime, preschool and Bible study. So I cashed in some gift cards and we got a bounce house. That has been a huge blessing. Jack was terrified of it at first, and would only play with the box it came in. Now they all bounce happily away in it, and I am looking forward to burning off lots of energy with it the next few months.

The trio is also learning like crazy right now. We are teaching them the parts of the body, and it's cute to line them up and watch them point all over. We are also doing animal sounds. They know what sheep, snakes, cows, owls, and ducks say. However, somewhere along the way they got convinced that doggies say "kak kak" (quack quack). We are trying to undo this with little success. So now everytime my mom's dog comes over, they point to him and say "kak kak." The also know how to say a few other things like "ni ni" (night night) "appasaw" (applesauce) "ba" (ball) and "bus" comes out pretty clearly (we say bye bye to the bus every morning as it goes by during breakfast). They are learning each other's names and can point to the right person when asked. They have been doing sign language for a while, and do the sign for "more" all the time when they are eating. The cutest of all, is that they can now blow kisses, too!

Well, that's about all for now. Hopefully soon I will find some time to post some pictures. I need to write some Christmas/December thank you notes first, though! Oh and do my taxes while the weather is crummy. First, I need to wrap the presents for the birthday party this weekend. Oh, I also need to get out some bigger clothes for the boys. And I've gotten way behind on laundry. I also really want to put the pictures that we took last spring in frames. Oh, and I probably should go through the stack of Christmas letters on our mantle and update our address book. But first I should probably get some crib tents soon before we need them. And I also need to hook up the printer that hopefully works with our new computer that we had to buy when our other one crashed before I print the taxes paperwork. Oh, and I forgot to decorate with Alyssa for Valentine's Day......................

God bless,
Amanda

This was copied and edited from our previous website on Babysites.

Grocery Rescue

Merry Christmas everyone!

Dave here again. We've had a fun Christmas experience so far, and it's been fun to see the babies and Alyssa open presents and play with new toys. Amanda and I sang "Happy Birthday" to Jesus with the triplets, and we look forward to the day when we can explain to them the real meaning of Christmas.

Amanda's family came over for Christmas dinner, and being the genius that I am, I did some last minute grocery shopping the night before Christmas. Oh yeah, by the way, all the stores apparently forgot to call me to let me know they close early on Christmas Eve. Isn't Christmas Eve the day when all males go shopping for gifts? How dare all these stores close and deny us men time to shop! Thankfully, Walgreens was open, and they had the items we needed, and Amanda made an incredibly tasty lasagna that would have made Garfield proud.

Yesterday, the day after Christmas, I decided to take Alyssa and Drew to the store with me for a quick grocery stop. It was about 10:30 in the morning, and I told Amanda that I would be quick because lunch for the triplets was at 11:30. Being the experienced shopper that I am, I even made a grocery list in the form of a map, so I could fly through the store.

Alyssa likes going to this particular store, because they have these little kid cars attached to the grocery cart, so that she can pretend to "drive" the grocery cart. Well, usually, there are two steering wheels, but this one only had one because one had broken off.

So, we're flying through the store at an efficient pace, when Alyssa whines to me, "Daddy, my wand fell." (Alyssa was allowed to bring her little princess wand into the grocery.) Now, the problem was that she was placing the wand in a hole where the steering wheel normally is, and she dropped it into the plastic encasing (the kid's cart). I'm not sure even how to explain it, but basically, her 6 inch wand was inside the kid's cart, and I had no idea how to get it out.

This happened right next to the customer service desk, and fortunately for us, the head honcho was right there, and he was determined to rescue the wand for Alyssa. We used Allen wrenches, Phillip's screwdrivers, and needle nose pliers to rescue the wand. We tore apart this cart for about 45 minutes just to get the wand out for Alyssa. Now, some of you may be saying... "All this just for a wand?" ABSOLUTELY!!!! A 4 year old's princess wand means quite a bit to her, and as the mission control director said in Apollo 13, "Failure is not an option!" So, they will continue to get our business because of their desire to make a little girl and her daddy happy.

Well, that's it for now. We hope you all had a Merry Christmas!!!

Take care.
Mr. Mom

This was copied and edited from our previous website on Babysites.

Bath Time

Hi everyone, Dave here.

It seems forever since I've last written a journal entry, so I may be a bit rusty. Why write another journal entry? Well, one word.... triplets! They are so unbelievably challenging right now, but they are becoming more fun each and every day.

Amanda may have already written about this, but if she hasn't, we moved Lauren's crib in with the boys. Why? Well, she was having a hard time falling asleep at night, and we felt it may be because she felt left out. The transition has actually gone pretty well.

Another thing we did to put them all together was to clump them together in the bathtub. Before, little Jack would have a panic attack, which would translate to Lauren and Drew getting a bit nutty. As they've grown older and "matured," I thought we'd try putting them together again, and they've done pretty well. The hardest part is getting them all undressed and in the bathtub before they pee everywhere. Once in the bathtub they tend to start splashing the water, they giggle, and have fun. Drew is the "best" at not crying when we pour water over them, but Lauren and Jack are getting better at not crying, too.

Typically, when we pour water over Jack's head, he usually stands up and wants out. Lauren usually just starts crying. Tonight, Amanda started filling up the bathtub, and obviously the first minute is usually cold water until it starts heating up. Well, curious little Jack decided to lean over for a close look, and he ended up tumbling over into the bathtub. Now, think about what your reaction would be if you were a naked 1 year old who just fell into a very cold bathtub! So, it was expected that throughout the bath he wanted to get up and get out. So, we washed him quickly and got him out.

Drew now wants the choice seat of being by the faucet. I turned the water on to rinse Lauren and Drew, but I guess Drew was thirsty because he kept putting his mouth under the faucet for a quick drink. Also, he "accidentally" turned the shower on, but thankfully, the water was warm and it only took me a second to turn it off, or else Lauren would still be screaming by the time you are read this.

I got Lauren out of the bathtub, and then I got Drew. Now, since Lauren and Jack had already gotten out, the bathroom floor had a few wet spots. Want proof? As Drew left the bathroom, he found one of those wet spots and did a big time slip and fall, but he's fine. Once they all were all dressed, we read some books in Lauren's old room, and we said our prayers. Then we always tell the babies that it's time to go "night night" in their cribs. There is nothing like watching three little babies in their sleep sacks waddle from one room to another. They are starting to better understand us, but we're still hoping Lauren learns the phrase 'NO BITING!" soon.

Well, the eyelids are getting heavy, so I think it's time for me to waddle to my bedroom and snooze.

Take care!
Mr. Mom

This was copied and edited from our original website on Babysites.

My Life is a Sitcom

People ask all the time what life is like for us with 4 kids under the age of 4. I think now it is really getting to the crazy stage that people imagined it would be. Sometimes I feel like I should look around for the cameras, because it almost seems like their are producers and writers mapping it all out, and we are just along for the entertainment. I couldn't make some of this stuff up if I tried. So let me tell you about my day today.

To get you up to speed, I'll have to give you a little background information first. A week before Thanksgiving, I was rear-ended. Alyssa was the only one with me, and the damage to the minivan was minimal. The accident really wasn't that big of a deal, I was just sitting at a roundabout (those of you from here can guess what city I was in), waiting for my turn, when the lady behind me bumped me. She was very nice and apologetic. I didn't see her coming, however, so my neck snapped back. I spent 3 1/2 hours at MedCheck to find out I have strained muscles in my neck and back. Other than a really bad headache the day of the accident, that's the only injuries we had - thank God! The best thing for me to heal is rest. Ha! Like that will happen in my life! The doctor understood, as he had twins and 3 boys after that. He just said in my case it would take a lot longer to heal, but overall I should be fine. He gave me a prescription for muscle relaxers, that I was a little hesitant to try. Do you remember Jenny from 16 Candles who was so loopy at her own wedding? That's the last thing I want to feel like in my job. But, I was told I can also use heat and Advil to get me through the day.

I've also been having bad insomnia again. So after waking up every hour or two, I finally started my day. Well, I should make that Alyssa started my day. She came in at 6 am wondering who was in the shower. At first I thought she was sleep talking, but then I realized she probably heard the toilet flush. We got her to climb into to bed with us and told her it was too early to fix her oatmeal. Dave had to get up and take his shower by then anyway, so I got her to lay with me until he got out. Alyssa usually doesn't get up until Dave has left for the day, but it was nice that he was still there. He fixed her breakfast so I could hop into the shower.

Afterwards, Alyssa wanted to watch cartoons, so I got her dressed and set up to watch her show before I tackled the babies, who were now up. As it turned out, we had a mess on our hands. Let's just say Drew had it coming out of both ends and needed a bath right away. Just before leaving for work, Dave changed Jack for me, but had to put him back into his crib while I finished bathing Drew. At least that was one less stinky diaper I didn't have to change. Poor Lauren was also stuck in her crib and they weren't too happy. Drew just seemed stunned as to why I would want to dunk him first thing in the morning. But I quickly got some clean pants on him and his siblings, too, and let them play around upstairs in their bedroom.

Then it was time to detoxify Drew's bed. I got the washer started (our laundry room is upstairs) and started making trips back and forth. Luckily, all the toys in Drew's bed were machine washable! After my second trip to the washer, the trio had figured out the laundry room was a fun place to play "demolition crew." At one point, they had drying racks and vacuum parts all over the floor in a such a way that I couldn't get in through the door. This did not make me happy as I was carrying some stinky stuff! Then when I tried to start the washer - nothing! Tried a different setting - still nothing. Unplugged it and plugged it back in - nothing! I ran back to get my last load and pleaded with God how I would lose it if I had to deal with a wet, soggy, stinky load of laundry and a broken washer. He had mercy on me and it started up when I finished loading it. Thank you God!

The next mission was to get all 3 kids downstairs with as little hauling as possible. Lauren and Drew went down on their tummies pretty well. Lauren seemed in a race, but she and Drew were done racing while I chased them before Jack realized that the gate at the top of the stairs was open, luckily. That left only one kid to get downstairs.

Then it was off to get formula and breakfast. My husband is so thoughtful and always makes some formula and sets out the breakfast supplies for me. However, today only having 2 sippy cups of formula ready to go made for one angry triplet. Jack was the unlucky one who got there last and started showing off his redheaded temper again. But I got him a drink quickly and was able to get breakfast set up for the trio. By this time, Alyssa's quota of cartoons were over, and she decided she wanted to sit on my lap while I fed the babies. I tried to explain about the boo boo on my back and how it would hurt, so she left me alone for a bit. About 2/3 of the way through the oatmeal, everything Drew had consumed made a second appearance. I had another fun mess on my hands to clean up. The poor kid was looking pasty white, so I felt badly for him. So once I got him and his chair cleaned up, I let him sit on my lap while I finished feeding the other two. Well, Alyssa didn't like that one bit, so she snuck back up on my lap, too. At least by then I had gotten some Advil into my system! The rest of breakfast was luckily uneventful. So I cleaned up the breakfast mess and the kids played, or perhaps you would call it resumed the destruction of the house.

I was happy for them being occupied, so I could call about getting our van fixed. The insurance company found a shop that was only 4 miles away, which was nice. As the phone rang, I looked at the calendar trying to figure out which day we could do without our only vehicle with 4 carseats in it. The lady answered the phone "Oh, you’re the Honda Odyssey!" Huh? Most people answer the phone with “Hello"!!! I said, “Wow, you are good!” I can understand that Caller ID would tell her who I was, but does Caller ID now include the make and model of your car now? Evidently, she was expecting my call and had all my info from the insurance company. Things like that can really freak people out who are already spacey from Advil and muscle relaxers!

After getting the babies dressed for the day, I noticed Jack's diaper showing that he might have Drew's illness, too. More fun to look forward to on this dreary rainy day! Then, I tried to catch up on some email, and warn the babies NICU nurse who was supposed to come over for dinner tonight to stay away. (That will teach us to invite anyone over for dinner!)

Then Alyssa came over whiny and crying to be picked up. My first impulse was to try to explain about the boo boo on my back again, but then I looked at her. Ut oh! She was pale and pasty white, too. They were falling like dominoes. It could be me and 4 puking kids by the end of the day. Yikes! So I took my shivering daughter to the couch, bundled her up with 2 blankets, and convinced her that she could wash all her germs away if she drank enough Pedialyte. Of course, we usually only buy clear Pedialyte for situations such as these. Guess what, today we were out of the clear. All I could find was orange. That will be another fun mess to clean up. I told her if she felt the urge for anything to leave her body to please throw the covers off and sprint to the bathroom, where I would meet her.

On the way back to the kitchen, I realized what was my nice clean house last night has now turned into an obstacle course. So what did I do instead of picking it up - take a picture! And since misery loves company, I sent it to my husband in an email telling him that the kids had cleaned the house for him. By this point, Drew was at least feeling a little better and the color had returned to his cheeks. Maybe he had pity on me and was trying to help clean up as he pushed his toy vacuum cleaner around. Alyssa decided that Daddy needed to know that she had a fever, so I helped her call him and leave a voicemail.

After watching Lauren pull two pairs of sock off, I gave up on keeping her feet warm. Jack was crawling in and out of the cabinets and the drawer under the oven. Drew was walking across the floor with a baseball in his mouth. And Alyssa was playing at the kitchen table, using the Game of Life as another backdrop for her pretend play. That, along with sternly reminding the trio to stay on their tushies when climbing furniture rounded out my morning.

Next, I fed them lunch and I was relieved that it was uneventful, except for Jack losing patience over being in the highchair instead of booster seat (they take turns in it). Alyssa ate a little and made just one fairly tame trip to the bathroom. I was starting to believe that I might not be living out the pie eating scene in "Stand By Me" after all. Yeah!

So after lunch I went about cleaning up the high chairs when I heard a high pitched beeping sound. It was Jack. He had found the phone. I forgot to hang it up when Alyssa called her Daddy. So I pulled the plug from the wall to prevent him from calling China. (He's also been known to call his grandparents, too.) After I got the phone away from him and heard an ever louder redheaded tantrum from him, I plugged the phone back in and it immediately started to ring. I thought that was odd. Thanks to Caller ID, I saw "Out of Area" and decided not to answer it, as last time I did it was a telemarketer. Then I get a second call and it was from the same number. Then I started to get suspicious that maybe Jack did get a call out. I unplugged the phone again and hit "Redial". Sure enough, up popped the same number that the Caller ID had just shown (with several extra digits behind it). Yikes! They were coming after me. What does etiquette dictate you do for this situation? Call and apologize? Call and make Jack apologize? Hope they go away? Never answer the phone again? I decided to ignore it and hope that it went away. They didn't call back at least.

Whew, by this time it was only noon and I was completely exhausted! I knew today would be an adventure, but this is not what I had in mind! At least it was nearly naptime and cleaning the kitchen was such a lost cause that I didn't feel too badly lying down myself. During my nap, I had a dream that I was nanny for a lady with 6 kids! Am I a glutton for punishment or what?

But I am thankful to say that the rest of the day went pretty well, and no one else threw up. Alyssa told me that she felt much better after her nap and that she washed all her germs away, but she still had her fever.

Dave went and got the estimate on our van done, and for some reason came home wanting to talk about getting toys out of our house after the pictures I sent him. Hmm, I wonder why? It's not like Christmas is coming and we'll get more or anything like that.

No wonder people are so amused watching us. There's always something going on here. Like I said, it's like a sitcom.

God bless,
Amanda

PS I wrote this entry during a break my husband was nice enough to give me after dinner. When I came back downstairs, I was greeted with, "Guess which one of your children is going to have a black eye tomorrow?" Ei yi yi! I'm scared what tomorrow's episode will bring. Evidently, it will include Drew with a black eye.

PPS I did have one really precious moment today I wish I had videotaped. Alyssa was doing her ballet dancing to the Sound of Music soundtrack, Lauren was trying to twirl around and imitate her, and the boys were watching and clapping their hands in their own toddler way, as if to cheer them on. It was too cute.

This was copied and edited from our previous website on Babysites.

Medical Update

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to give you a quick update on how we are doing. Thanks so much to all of you who have been asking. The trio is doing much better now. Things were pretty much back to normal in the GI department, so I decided to try some wheat in their diet. (They have been completely off wheat for about a month.) Well, that led to a couple more days of diarrhea, so I guess they aren’t ready for that yet. I may give the doctor a call and make sure that sounds normal to him (that they aren't ready for it yet).

We are finishing up another round of colds and fevers. I suspect that Jack had roseola. He had a temp of 104 and then got the rash a few days later. Lauren had a high fever, too. But the good news is that the kids seem to be doing much better now. They are so much happier, too.

As for me, I am doing pretty well, too. I went to my endocrinologist and he's very happy with how I am doing. My last TSH test was 1.7. This is within the normal range, yeah! However, it is higher than the previous one, which was 1.4. Also, to suppress the potential regrowth of cancer cells, it is recommended to get my TSH down to 0.5. The only way to do this is the raise the dose of thyroid medicine that I am taking. So he raised my dose of Synthroid back up to 125 micrograms. I was taking this before, but after 6 weeks I had way too much in my system and even got hand tremors. So I have been on 112 micrograms (the next lowest dose). Unfortunately, after a week back on 125, I am getting bad insomnia again. I don't want to go back to the 112, as I also had much lower energy (which is obviously in great demand with my crazy life). I have a good friend who is a pharmacist who mentioned some people take 112 one day and 125 the next. So I think that I am going to try that next.

I’m glad to report that I am doing so well, that my doctor doesn't want me to come back until May or June! I haven't gone that long without seeing a doctor for 2/12 years! In April (while Dave is on Spring Break), I will go have a follow up scan to make sure that the radioactive iodine worked. It's a pretty involved 5-day protocol (but not much I have to do except for the last day). But I won't have to go through "slugfest" again this time. Yeah! The best news of all, though, is that I have actually had times between all this bouncing around with thyroid med doses where I feel pretty good. Make that better than I have felt in 2 years! So that is so encouraging to me. It's a little tough when I am feeling so good to want to stay that way, but instead I swing back and forth between a hyper, moody insomniac to a lazy bum who is numb to the world. But I am hopeful that the end is in sight and I am very close to getting back to myself someday soon. Thanks so much for all of you for sticking by me through all of this.

Want to hear one last good thing that happened to me!? I didn’t change a single diaper yesterday! It just kind of happened by luck, but that hasn’t happened since the babies were in the NICU. And today I only changed 2 diapers. Is my husband awesome, or what!?

God bless,
Amanda

http://four-and-no-more.blogspot.com/

This was copied and edited from our previous website on Babysites.

Day of Firsts

Today was a day of firsts for us. It was Alyssa’s first day of preschool. I was trying to be supermom and take her myself (with the triplets), especially since this was a new school. Well, of course, we were all late. I was actually doing pretty well staying on schedule, except I didn’t leave time for taking pictures. I had a very reluctant model this year. She wouldn't take a picture outside like last year!

At this preschool, being a few minutes late means that you have to go around the long way, because a lot of the doors are locked, so we were doubly late! But, the teacher was very understanding, even though I felt like the worst mom - being late for the first day of school. I was really proud of Alyssa. She took it all very well.

After that, I figured that since I had everyone else packed up, we might as well go somewhere. I had heard the mall was quite an adventure, so I figured I might as well give it a try. Besides, I was itching to try out the new stroller. So off we went. The comments started right away in the parking lot. A car pulled over and a guy told me he had never seen a stroller like that. After asking me several questions, I asked him if he had kids. His reaction was pretty funny, as if he was taken aback that a total stranger would ask such a personal question!

As it turned out, I got there before the mall opened. It was snack time by then, so we ate our snack outside. It was a beautiful fall day, so I didn’t mind a bit. I was just hoping the trio didn’t get too squirmy. I knew I had to keep moving to keep them happy. Well, the mall soon opened and I didn’t even think about the implications of getting there right when it opened. There were lots of store clerks standing around waiting for something to do. So the staring and comments were over the top. It got to be a game after a while. I tried to guess how long it would take someone to spot us or point us out to the person they were standing next to. The shocking site of us made some people lose all manners and point right at us! I think I was especially amused, because people only knew half our story. Imagine what they would do if Alyssa was with me or they knew I was recovering from cancer!

Overall, we had a good time. Since it was their first time to the mall, Lauren, Drew and Jack were looking all around, even at the ceiling. I took them past the TV section. It’s like Vegas for babies - complete overstimulation of the senses. We went through the toy store and the pet store (almost didn't make it around some of the tight corners in there!). Jack clapped at the end of the pet store, as if to say “I really liked that!” I even treated myself to a Blizzard at DQ, which was a challenge to eat while pushing the stroller. It seems I eat a lot more junk food when Alyssa isn’t around, probably since I don’t have to justify it to her. I was glad I did, though, because a dear old man who could barely walk lit up when he saw the babies and stared at them the whole time I was waiting for my treat to be made. He told me he had to adopt both of his children, which I took to mean he struggled with infertility as well. That’s one of the best joys of having these babies in our lives. We get to share in the joy just their very presence brings into the lives of others. It’s an honor to get to share them with our community.

After 45 minutes of gawking, pointing, gasps, questions and comments, I had had enough and was worn out. The babies did really well, but I think they were ready to go, too. I wrote down below all the comments that I could remember, with some editorial comments by me in [brackets] afterwards. Enjoy reading a taste of our lives!

God bless,
Amanda

“Wow, is all I can say.”
“Did you have to special order that stroller?”
“You’ve got a truck full”
“You’ve got a train full”
“You’ve got your hands full!” [Wish I had a free diaper for every time I heard that one!]
“3 babies!?”
“Look, triplets!” [while pointing right at us as if we were blind]
“Triplets?” [This happens a lot, as if people can’t believe their eyes.]
“You are a brave woman.”
“There’s a busy lady.”
“You can do it all by yourself?” [I wondered if she thought I was never alone?]
“What are their names?”
“How old are they?”
“I’ve never seen a stroller like that.” [Sometimes the stroller gets more comments than the 3 babies in it.]
“Oh my!”
“Look triplets!” [Pointing us out to a co-worker. Nothing says “freakshow” like that, huh?]
“God bless you!”
“They’re adorable!”
“Are they all identical?”
“Are they all boys?” [Lauren was in a pink dress!]
“Do twins run in your family?”
“None of them are crying. What did you do?” [I told her I have a great big God and walked off.]

This was copied and edited for our original website on Babysites.

I Did It!

Don't you love that feeling of accomplishment you get when you are completely intimidated by a challenge, but then you end up conquering it!? I've had a lot of those lately.

When we took our first trip out-of-town (to Chicago for the triplets convention), I was so nervous and wondering what I had gotten us into. (We paid the registration before I found out I had cancer, so there was no backing out!) As it turned out, I forgot to pack a few things, but it went just fine, thanks to all the help that we had from the grandparents. That was such a freeing feeling to know that we could actually go places with this crazy clan of ours. Granted, I spent the entire day before we left packing, but we did it! Then the next weekend, when we went to Evansville for a family reunion, it went much more smoothly. Just like most things, practice makes perfect (or at least better and easier). Then we got really crazy and tried outings like going to the zoo and the state fair. It probably wasn't the smartest idea to go to the zoo 2 days after Alyssa stopped wearing diapers, but there never would be an opportune time for us anyway. And yes, Alyssa did have an accident out in the middle of the grasslands, in front of the two ladies that gawked at us more than anyone else in the last year. And yes, I got dehydrated, because I don't handle the heat so well while my body is all out of whack. Sure, the boys both had a screaming fit that wasn't so pleasant and there were comments about how they weren't happy. But, we got through it and had some fun times. The state fair went a little better. We were so blessed with perfect weather. Alyssa was a champ at using public restrooms (and someone even left a balloon behind for her in one of our stalls). Jack was upset that Drew kept leaning on him in the double stroller and kept shoving him off (it's starting already - ask my sister about crossing THE LINE in the car). But, it was still worth it and fun to get out of our house and experience life again, if but a little bit.

My latest challenges came when Dave when back to school. His first day at work was August 13th and I was scared! The hardest part for me is that I just don't feel comfortable with what my body is capable of doing. There have been so many times this summer where my body has just conked out (due to not enough thyroid hormone). It's a lot like a car that has run out of gas. You can push on the gas pedal all you want, but if the tank is completely empty, you aren't going anywhere! But I am glad to say that Dave's first day back went very well. Now the second day, that's a different story. But at least I know that I can do it, and that builds my confidence immensely. I even got up the courage last week to take all 4 kids outside by myself. It went pretty well, and I really enjoyed it. Today I tried taking all 4 kids by myself on a walk and that didn't go so well. My body just isn't up to that yet, and Alyssa was having some serious "Grandparents detox." (You aren't truly a parent until you have to go through that, huh? It's like an initiation ritual!) But maybe in a month or so I'll be up to it. That's life, you just have to jump in a try sometimes. Sometimes it works out, and sometimes you say "I'll never do that again!"

Another problem that I have to overcome, now that Dave is at work, is how to cart all these kids around all by myself. When you have triplets, there are all kinds of things to consider. For the summer, we used the quad stroller we were given (by a total stranger from Louisville, KY!) for walks around the neighborhood. The biggest problem with it is that we can't haul it anywhere. It doesn't fold up, it's too big for the back of our van, and we don't have a hitch to attach a rack for it. I also think the kids will start kicking each other in the back before too long, as the seats are close together. The other problem with it is that our fair-skinned kids aren't shaded at all. You can buy accessories to get around this, but then you have to decide whether it's worth it to invest the money. When we went out to the fair, zoo, etc, we would take the double and single strollers we were given before I was even pregnant with the triplets (neat how that worked out, huh?). These both have little canopies on them, and we aren't nearly the freak show when we go out on the town with these. Sometimes Alyssa likes to push Lauren in the single stroller, too, but she tires of this after a while. (Otherwise, she could push a stroller when I take the crew out by myself.)

So then, we have what's called a Triple Decker stroller. When the triplets were newborns, this was our best option, as the other strollers were built for kids who can hold their heads up. The Triple Decker is basically a frame that we could snap all 3 infant carriers onto, which made getting in and out of the car easy. I used it a lot when I took all 4 kids to Bible study by myself this spring. But now the trio has outgrown the infant carriers. Dave liked to keep it simple and used the two strollers when he took all 4 kids for walks at the park. (He was actually spotted pushing both strollers by one of the moms in my triplet group who told me all about it, not realizing it was my family!) I couldn't do that, though, because I'm not strong enough to push two strollers by myself right now. I won't bore you with all the options I looked at and consulted others with, but I decided to try to upgrade the Triple Decker myself. You can buy seats from the manufacturer, but they are $75 each. So I found directions from another triplet dad for using those seats you put on a bike for carting a toddler around. One of the challenges is that the seats have to be sturdy, yet removable to fold up the stroller to put it in the van (or accessing the storage underneath). I have spent several days shopping for supplies and figuring out the directions. Our model is newer than the guy who wrote the directions, so I kind of hit a wall. Do I go for it or bail and return the seats? I decided to go for it. I tried my own invention for attaching one of the seats using the hardware that came with it for attaching it to a bike. I drilled plastic, I attached bungee cords, nuts and bolts, and my strong manly husband helped me with the parts I couldn't do, and helped me think of another way to get around one last problem I was having. It worked! I felt exhilarated. What a sense of victory and accomplishment I have now! And I did it all for under $100! It's just in time, too, because Alyssa's first day of preschool is tomorrow, so I think I'll take the whole crew for a grand sendoff. Who knows, I may get crazy while Alyssa is at school and take the whole trio to the mall by myself, too, for the first time.

My kids are learning to master all kinds of new things, too. Alyssa is doing great with the potty training, starting a new preschool class, and learning to use adult utensils. Jack, Drew and Lauren are learning new skills left and right: walking, clapping, saying words, climbing, and a little sign language. I'm sure that they have times they feel overwhelmed or like they'll never get it or like they want to quit, too. But that makes it that much sweeter when we can celebrate those time where we can say, "I did it!"

God bless,

Amanda

This was copied and edited from our original website on Babysites.

2 Stories

Here are two stories we shared with our partygoers at the triplets' first birthday party. Enjoy.

PERSPECTIVE
A new mom, awake every three hours at night with her first baby, thought she had her hands full - and she did. Then she met...

A new mom of twins, exhausted from being awake doing double duty while trying to master the art of feeding two at the same time, thought she had her hands full - and she did. Then she met...

A new mom of triplets, learning to juggle three babies with only two arms, while dealing with intense sleep-deprivation, thought she had her hands full - and she did. Then she met...

A mom of a new set of triplets who had a toddler still in diapers and several school aged children, spreading herself in many different directions at once, while dealing with intense sleep deprivation, thought she had her hands full - and she did. Then she learned of...

A mom of who just gave birth to her second set of triplets within two years, still changing diapers of a trio of toddlers, while dealing with sleep-deprivation, with a bigger life change than she could ever have imagined, thought she had her hands full - and she did. Then she saw the program about...

A mom who just gave birth to her 16th child, adding to her 15 children all under the age of 18, juggling so many different tasks to keep her busy family cared for, thought she had her hands full - and she did....

Each of the moms thought they had their hands full, and then they met... a woman who would never know the joy of carrying, giving birth to and nurturing her very own baby, and each of those moms were glad they had their hands full.

Perspective is everything.

FUNNY STORY

In a maternity waiting room, three expectant fathers waited nervously. Finally, a nurse came out and called for Mr. Smith. "Congratulations," she said, "you've just had twins!" Mr. Smith was surprised, and remarked how unusual, as he'd just taken a job working for the Minnesota Twins.

After an hour or so of pacing, the nurse came out for Mr. Jones. "Congratulations," she said, "you've just had triplets!" "What a coincidence," he said, "I've just taken a job at Triple A, how odd."

At this point, the third man jumps up and runs screaming out of the waiting area, "I work at 7-11!"

This was copied and edited from our original website on Babysites.

Be Careful What You Wish For

I've been told that there's an old Spanish proverb that says, "Be careful what you wish for, for you just may receive it." Well, that's happened to me twice this last week or so.
My sister was in from Hawaii for Christmas, so we got to spend it with my family, and then saw Dave's parents a few days later. Everyone has been so great about being flexible and doing what works for us best. I kept mentioning that I really needed to get out of the house. (Christmas shopping was actually something I looked forward to doing -- I had to be alone and I was getting something big done!) Dave has been great about letting me get out as much as possible, but it's been a long couple of months as the kids have had lots of colds.
So anyway, we planned one evening at my Mom's, one at our house, and one at my Dad's. Well, as you may have read already, I spent most of Christmas Eve at the hospital with Jack, so that threw all of our plans out of whack. We didn't even open any presents until the 26th! I have to say it was kind of nice not to have the focus be on presents, though. We had some nice family gatherings squeezed in with some good food, and that was great for me. Somehow I don't think next year Alyssa will wait to see what we got her until the night of the 27th, though!
So now I find myself at the hospital once again. This time I am here with Drew, and we are next door to the room where Jack was. At least Drew was nice enough to get sick during the day instead at night! He also has RSV and a couple of small places with pneumonia on his lungs. He's actually been on antibiotics since Thursday, so he should be getting better soon. He wouldn't eat very well for us this morning, and it seems he got dehydrated. He had a scalp IV put into his head (not fun for baby or Mom!), but it fell out. But now he is doing so much better that they are letting him keep it out, yeah! He still has electrodes on his chest and his toe (also known as the ET phone home light). He's had some breathing treatments that seem to help, and so far he hasn't needed oxygen. He definitely looks better than when we got here, so I am so grateful to see my little boy doing better!
I never thought I would use my NICU knowledge again, but it's just like riding a bike, I guess. Drew is on all the same monitors he was as a newborn. But I have learned a lot, too (like double check what the ER doc says with the pediatric hospitaltician). I think the boys have learned a lot, also. It didn't take them long with all the poking and prodding to look at everyone who came into the room with distrust. It's like their little faces were saying: “What are you going to do to me?” But it seems that most of that is over now - thank goodness!
I have to say that it's much quieter here than at home, but when I dreamed of peace and quiet, this is not what I had in mind!!!!! We are at a new hospital, though, that is more like a hotel than anything. So if you have to be in, this is the way to do it! That will teach me to wish away my life or want other things, huh? Hopefully, we'll get some rest and be home soon. I am fighting a sinus infection, too, so I need some shut eye myself.
As for Jack, he is doing much better. Yesterday, he really smiled a lot and seemed like his old self. He is still wheezing a little bit, but the RSV lasts around 2 weeks, so that's expected. Lauren is hanging in there so far. She is starting to wheeze and cough, too, though. She is also cutting her first two teeth, so that is making her nice and cranky!
So we could really use your prayers for our family to get healthy and stay there. 2006 has been quite a tough year, and I have to say I'm kind of glad to see it go. I'm looking forward to 2007 and the fresh start (and hopefully sleep!) it will bring.
God bless you all and Happy New Year!
Amanda

Copied and edited from our previous page on Babysites.

I Knew There'd Be Days Like These

Hello everyone!
I thought today would be a good day to give you a taste of what life is like for me. Today was actually an exceptionally bad day, so it will be therapeutic for me to write about it, and that much more amusing for you.
Let’s say for simplicity that my day started at 7:45 am (you know I was up before then, right?). I awoke to the sounds of the babies grunting/crying and Alyssa yelling “MOMMY!” over the monitor. I was dreaming about a friend of mine getting married in Las Vegas, and I struggle to switch gears from what was evidently some pretty deep sleep up to full speed Mommy. I decided to go for Alyssa first, because, let’s face it, there’s not much the babies can do if I ignore them (plus sometimes they give warning cries and go back to sleep).
I went in to get Alyssa and she wanted her breakfast. But she also informed me that the babies were crying, and they are hungry. I grabbed some dirty bottles from last night, took Alyssa downstairs, and heated the water for her oatmeal. Then I went back up to get the bottles that are made for this feeding and Drew. He makes this terrible noise now when he is hungry, ever since he went on the antibiotic for his ear infection. As I picked him up, I realized that he is wet all over his back. So I put him in the Pack ‘n Play by the changing table, assemble Alyssa’s oatmeal, and go upstairs to grab another baby. Lauren is still sound asleep. She shares the crib with Jack and has scooted so their feet are touching - so cute. So I picked up Jack and he is wet, too. I guess it’s time to bump the boys up to size 2 diapers. I grabbed the cooler of breast milk that needs to go into the fridge, and went downstairs and put Jack next to Drew and run upstairs to get Lauren and the bottle bundles (they help me feed 3 babies at once). I took her downstairs and put her in the Pack ‘n Play by where I feed the babies (so this became the uncontaminated area). I got Alyssa’s Princess bib on her and got her red juice in her purple cup with the lid and let her pick which color Hello Kitty vitamin she will eat (these are all very important details to her). Then I set about the task of detoxifying the babies and putting dry clothes on them. Alyssa finished her breakfast while I am doing this (amongst continual cries of hungry babies scattered throughout the downstairs). I grabbed a wet paper towel to wipe her face off and the globs of oatmeal that have fallen on the floor. I told her she needs to wash her hands and set up her little stool in front of the bathroom sink so she can do it herself (also a big deal to her). She immediately goes into hysterics all over the floor, because she wanted to wash them in the kitchen sink (did I mention she went to bed an hour late last night?). This was her second tantrum of the day; the first one was over some playing cards.
Drew is changed by now, but between the changing table and setting him next to Lauren, he has developed another wet spot. I decided to ignore it, because I have 4 screaming kids to deal with. I got Alyssa somewhat calmed down and got her into the bathroom. She wanted to put on lotion, but not to wash her hands (this is a big change from the kid who used to carry bars of soap constantly and washed her hands neurotically during all my ultrasounds). I told her I’d give her lotion after she washes her hands. She goes into another tantrum. Honestly, a few hours later I can't even remember how that saga ended.
I then worked on getting Jack and Lauren dry pants and bottles made. I set the babies up to feed with the bottle bundles. Then along comes "help." Alyssa’s new thing now is to help feed the babies, which she thinks is pretty neat. Lauren is her favorite victim for this. She does an ok job, but you have to watch her like a hawk, which is not really what I needed when I had 2 other babies to watch eating at the same time. Lauren got frustrated that the bottle kept going in and out of her mouth and started screaming. If Lauren is not happy, she makes it very clear - I dread her temper tantrums in the future. Luckily, Alyssa soon lost interest and went off to play.
By now it’s almost 9am and the babies still aren’t done feeding, so I resorted to turning on Dora to distract Alyssa so that I could fully focus on the task at hand. I finally got the babies fed, grabbed some breakfast and checked my email. I wrote my poor husband a long email titled “issues” and proceed to discuss things like our bug infestation and bumping the boys up to the next size diaper. I will forget to tell him about all this by the time he gets home, otherwise. I also got an email sent off to the nurse who took my blood to see if I’m still anemic or just tired because of my life! Then I suddenly remembered that I haven’t changed Alyssa’s diaper yet today. Luckily, it is a commercial during Dora, and she is willing to lay down for me to change it.
Soon it’s time for another feeding and Lauren woke up a little ahead of schedule. I got ambitious and decided to nurse her, especially while Alyssa is being entertained by the electronic babysitter. Drew woke up when I was almost done, making his horrible noise again. I got him a bottle from parts that are still in the dishwasher and needed the water shaken off them. I finished off Lauren, who took a quick nap and then decides that she was hungry again, while I am also feeding Drew. Jack woke up and wanted his turn. I got really ambitious with him and decided to try out the Podee bottles that allow him to self-feed. On the way to make his bottle, I noticed that the nice man from the Purdue extension office has emailed back that he does think we have fleas. Without a dog or a cat in our house, though, he thinks they will eventually die off and vacuuming will help tremendously (like I have time for that). The nurse also emailed back that I'm not anemic. Just my triplets making me exhausted, I guess. I got Jack’s bottle assembled and it doesn’t work because I used the wrong kind of nipple. I opened a new package and give him that one (you can tell he isn't a firstborn, since I didn't even wash it yet). He eats about an ounce, and then falls asleep. Then Alyssa decided today is the day that she wants to go on the big girl potty for the first time for me. The babies were still feeding, but almost done. I decided to interrupt their meals to seize this opportunity, and Alyssa gloats over her moment of glory. During this time of gloating, I finished off Drew's feeding and I got Alyssa and I some lunch. I was blessed to have wonderful leftovers from a dinner that a friend had brought over Monday. But before I finished my lunch, the doorbell rang. Alyssa got up to see who it is. It was grandpa. Whew, otherwise I wouldn’t answer the door (even though Alyssa is staring out the window) as it is noon and I am still in my nightgown, haven’t showered yet, and my house looks like a tornado hit it. I gave up on the Podee bottle with Jack (after several times of sticking it back into his mouth - I was warned they have to be older for their suck to be strong enough for it to work). I fed him a "real" one, with my Dad’s help to get it down, while Jack comes in and out of naps. My Dad graciously listens to my grumbling about how these bugs have sent me over the edge, and rewards Alyssa for the potty event by giving her a nickel. Lauren woke up hungry now and I made a bottle for her. She eats some and falls asleep for my Dad, while I cut apart and label my Dad’s copies of the first portrait of the triplets (they are almost 11 weeks old now and he doesn't have any pictures when friends ask to see them). Drew and Jack wake up and want to be fed, so I start bottles for them. My Dad helps keep their bottle bundles propped up, while I finish up Lauren’s bottle and she goes back to sleep. My Dad mutters something about this place being a zoo and soon leaves for home. It’s time to put Alyssa down for her nap, so I interrupt Drew and Jack’s meals, since they are sound asleep anyway. Alyssa insists on wearing her 2 princess skirts to bed and then we climb in to read stories. I somewhat enjoy her first choice, called I Love You, You Stink. It’s a series of letters kids wrote about their siblings. My favorite was from Timmy who has 5 sisters and asks to please have a brother. The second book is Oh the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss. I have read this book twice a day for about 2 weeks, I think. I grumble inside at the thought of reading it again. I have it almost memorized and can read it fast, like a white man trying to rap (no offense to Eminem). I say a quick prayer, give Alyssa a hug, and she tells me that I stink and I need a shower. I head downstairs to finish feeding the boys and notice I have a voicemail. I decide it can wait until the feeding is over, especially since I want to try to get the babies all eating at the same time again. A few minutes later, I noticed that Drew is wet again after he does some serious grunting, and I chide myself for not getting those size 2 diapers out yet. Towards the end of the feeding, I noticed Drew starting to make gurgling sounds that can only mean bad things are coming up. I moved Jack off my lap with one arm (not good for my back that is supposed to be healing) and head for the kitchen. Just inside the vinyl kitchen floor (which a dear friend of mine mopped for us yesterday), Drew lets loose. Half goes on the floor, half all over him and me. But for round two I make it to the kitchen sink, where luckily the washcloths from last night’s bath are still drying, so I have something to mop us up with. I get him changed, finish the feedings and check voicemail. One of our “Tuesday night nannies” has called and would like to introduce her surrogate granddaughter to the babies. It’s 3pm and she called 2 hours ago, but she is very gracious about not hearing from me sooner and the tornado that hit my house. We had a nice visit and I am grateful for friends like her that I can tell, “I knew there would be days like these."

Amanda

This was copied and edited from our previous website, on Babysites.

Family Update

Here's some details to update you about our family.
First backing up to fill in some details.
We would like to announce the birth of our babies on July 21, 2006:
*Lauren Diane was born at 2:11pm. She weighed 5lbs 6oz and was 17 3/4 inches long. She was named in honor of Amanda and her Mom (Marilyn), who both also share Diane as their middle name.
*Andrew "Drew" Jonathon was born at 2:12pm. He weighed 5lbs 3oz and was 18 1/2 inches long. He was named in honor of Amanda's Dad, John.
*Jackson "Jack" Robert was born at 2:13pm. He weighed 4lbs 6oz and was 19 1/4 inches long (Alyssa was only 19 inches!). He is named in honor of Dave, who also shares Robert as his middle name (in honor of his Uncle Bob Pampe).
Proud parents are Dave and Amanda and big sister Alyssa.
Current updates:
*Amanda is now home for the hospital. The babies are still there in the NICU, however, with no commitments from the doctors as to when they can come home. Alyssa is delighted to have both Mommy and Daddy home with her and asked if she could come with us when we went home from the hospital tonight. She is doing pretty well and seems happy, but probably has no clue what has been happening to our family.
*Amanda is getting better each day. She is walking more and more and making progress. She hasn't been getting much sleep lately as she gets up often to "feed" the babies. She definitely feels much better than she did while she was pregnant, though.
*Our babies are doing remarkably well and we are so filled with joy to be with them. It is so much more fun for us the second time around with all the first-time parenting fears out of the way. They are all in isolettes now (off the baby warmers, but not in an open air crib yet).
*Their bilirubin levels are still climbing, but not enough to put them under the lights yet. We have enjoyed getting to feed them many bottles and hold and cuddle with them. They have all nursed at least twice also. They are all in separate bays, though and haven't been able to see each other. Alyssa also isn't able to see them while they are in the NICU.
*All the babies have lost weight, as expected, and are under 5 lbs now. Jackson has lost the least amount and is now putting on weight. Gaining weight is one of the criteria they must meet before going home. As of Monday night weights, the other two were still losing some weight. The doctors aren't concerned about this, though.
*All the babies are also having a common condition where their heart rates slow down (called bradycardia). They are able to "self correct" this and bring their heart rates back up on their own (although sometimes they need a nudging). The doctors don't seem too concerned by this, though. We forgot to ask if this is something they can come home with or not.
*Drew was on the apnea machine for one day, but is off now. All babies are now off of their IVs and are only "wired" now with the monitors for oxygen, heart rate, breathing, etc.
That's a quick snapshot from us.
Lots of love, hugs, kisses and thanks,
Dave, Amanda, Alyssa, Lauren, Drew and Jack

This was copied and edited from our previous website on Babysites.

Houston, We Have a Website Problem

Hi everyone!
We hope all of you are doing well. Due to the website problems, we haven't been able to log on for awhile, and we obviously haven't been able to keep you updated on things. To be honest, not a whole lot has changed. Amanda is REALLY uncomfortable, as the babies are now getting bigger and bigger, and there's just not a lot of room left. Her contractions have been under control, and she continues to amaze me with her positive, selfless attitude. I'm very blessed to be married to such a strong Christian woman.
So, many of you are probably wondering...How much longer? Well, if I knew, I would tell you. My hypothesis (yes, science geek is back!) is that it'll be in the next week or 2 at most. The doctor will probably do an amniocentesis (they get some of the amniotic fluid from each of the babies' amniotic sacs) to test to see how well their lungs are developed. If they are all developed, then the babies will most likely come out. So, please keep praying for Amanda and the little ones.
Lately, we've had a flurry of activity in our household. We've had visits from Uncle Ben, Aunt Caroline, Aunt Fran, Great-Grandma, and for two days now, we've had the joy of having Uncle Bob (who is presently putting together an aquarium swing. Thanks!!!!) and cousin Erin at our house. Our family and friends have been incredible to us, so please know how thankful we are. Alyssa has loved all the visitors, and she feels so comfortable with Uncle Bob and Erin that she decided to play soccer in the backyard with just a diaper on. (Hey, it was like 100 degrees in the shade today, and she spilled blue icy stuff on her princess Barbie jammies.)
Alyssa continues to be a joyful blessing to us. I've been teaching her about Jesus, and lately, I've tried to get her to tell me where Jesus lives. So, I point up to the clouds through her window and say Heaven. One time I asked her, and I pointed through the window again, wanting her to say Heaven, and she said that Jesus was on the window.
Another funny instance is I gave her some cheese lately. Now, Alyssa loves cheese, as do I. So, I was cutting some Habenero Hot Pepper Cheese (her Uncle Mike would love this stuff), and she wanted some, but I told her it was spicy. She's had "spicy" chicken strips before, so she somewhat understands what spicy means. Anyway, I gave her a little piece, (Yes, another stupid dad decision!) and the next thing I see is a little 2 year old girl not quite understanding why her mouth is on fire. Little whimpers were coming out of her mouth, and she then asks me for a paper towel. She takes the paper towel, and starts licking the paper towel to "wipe off" the hot stuff on her tongue. Now, one of my favorite movies is Dumb and Dumber with Jim Carrey. In one scene, they dare each other to eat an incredibly hot pepper at the same time, and it obviously about kills them. To cool off their blazing tongues, Jim Carrey grabs a ketchup and a mustard bottle, and squirts them on his tongue at the same time to get some relief. So, I guess we had a Dumb and Dumber moment (I sure do have a lot of these!) with cheese lately.
Well, that's about it for now. I'll give another update after Thursday's doctor's appointment.
Until next time...
Mr. Mom

This was copied and edited from our previous website, on Babysites.

Baby B Passed!

Hi everyone!
As you could tell from the title, Baby B "practiced" breathing during the ultrasound today. We're very happy about how it went, and on Thursday we'll do it all over again with another round of biophysical tests. Amanda is doing pretty well physically, but laying on a bed for so long is starting to get to her. If you've never seen the Bill Murray movie, Groundhog Day, you should, because it sort of reflects what Amanda's days are like. In the movie, Bill Murray keeps reliving the same day over and over again. Needless to say, Amanda feels as though each day is the same. To her credit, however, she is unbelievably positive and willing to do whatever is needed to take care of the babies. She often says that the more she has to "suffer," the less the babies have to suffer when they come out.
Alyssa still continues to make us laugh and cry throughout the day. A couple of days ago, she and I went to visit one of my best friends (James). We had lunch at a Subway, and afterwards, we went out to James' car. He travels with his big lab doggy, Pete. Alyssa loves doggies, so she went out and had fun petting Pete. After a few minutes (yes, she has the attention span of a flea), she stood behind me as I was saying my goodbyes to James. Well, the next thing I hear is a male stranger mumbling about something being yucky. I turned around to see my 2 year old with her hands in the cigarette can, holding about 5 cigarette butts. I ran over and told her to drop them immediately, which only made her upset. Usually, I try to reason with her about these things, but holding 5 used cigarette butts in her hand just made me want to vomit, so I threw them back and told her to never, ever touch them again. The screaming and kicking which ensued was quite the site to see, let me tell you. I'm not sure if she thought the cigarette can was a miniature sandbox or what, but that was pretty nasty. Although she briefly had nicotine stained hands, she was able to go home and see her Uncle Ben, who is visiting for a few days for a wedding.
Well, that's about it for now. Please keep praying for Amanda and the babies.
Take care. Until next time...
Mr. Mom

This was copied and edited from our previous website, on Babysites.

Appointment Update

Hi everyone! We're doing pretty well, and this is going to be a short journal entry because a certain 2 year old (who by the way decided not to nap today) wore me out mentally and physically today. Have you ever had one of those days where you just want to go in the backyard all by yourself and just scream? My day with Alyssa was like that.
Anyway, the doctor appointment went pretty well today. Baby A and Baby C passed their tests within minutes, but Baby B (a boy) didn't show signs of practicing breathing. What on earth does that mean? Well, we hope it means nothing. Baby B was pretty active, so it passed its amniotic fluid, fine motor, and gross motor tests, but it didn't "practice" breathing. When they "practice" breathing, they're really just taking in amniotic fluid. They don't start breathing oxygen until they are born. So, because Baby B was so active, the doctor almost just told us to come back in a week, but to be safe, we're going back on Monday to check on Baby B. What if Baby B isn't practicing breathing on Monday? We have no idea! So, we're just trusting God that He has everything all worked out and that His will will be done. Sooo.....please pray that Baby B "wakes up" for the appointment on Monday, and that he practices breathing.
On a lighter note, our brother-in-law (Ben) is visiting with us for a few days because his cousin is getting married. So, Alyssa was very excited to see her Uncle Ben tonight.
Well, that's it for now. See, it really was a short journal entry. Please keep praying! God is good!
Until next time...
Mr. Mom

This was copied and edited from our previous website, on Babysites.

Happy 4th of July!

Hi everyone!
We hope you all are enjoying a peaceful 4th of July. I've been praying to the Lord that Amanda's delivery date would be at least July 4th or beyond, so I'm thankful to God that He's blessed us with a "long" pregnancy. July 4th is one of the best holidays, because it lets us reflect on the blessings God has given this country. I look forward to the day when I can explain to Alyssa and the triplets that we live in the greatest country on earth, and that the freedom we enjoy so much here came at a huge price that is worth fighting for.
"OK, enough Patrick Henry, how's Amanda doing?" Amanda is still hanging in there, and I'm constantly amazed by her positive attitude. She's been on bed rest for about 3 months now, and I think it's safe to say that most of us would go coo-coo by then. The babies will again have biophysical profiles this week (they're every week from now until they are born), so please pray that all goes well and that they all pass their tests like they did last week.
How's Alyssa? She is...well...Alyssa. She's a funny and cute little pile of energy that never ceases to amaze me. Over the past 5 days, she's gotten to hang out with all of the grandparents, and everyday continues to be an adventure with her. Yesterday, Mommy (bladder infection) and Alyssa (sore tummy) weren't in the best shape, and Alyssa has had some pretty big blowouts. One resulted at 2:30 a.m. last night, but she seems to be doing better. With all of these blowouts, though, her tushy gets pretty sore, and since I dedicated almost an entire journal entry to her last "diarrhea episode", I won't bore you with any more details, but I am a bit nervous...ok, terrified... on how tonight's bath will go.
Speaking of baths, Daddy did a dumb thing a few nights ago. Alyssa gets a kick out of seeing daddy blow bubbles from the bathtub water and making funny noises. Well, I thought I would do something different, so after I blew bubbles, I drew in some water in my mouth. I was going to show Alyssa that I could "spray" water from my mouth like a water fountain. (We're still trying to teach Alyssa how to spit her toothpaste from her mouth, so I view this as a learning experience for her!) My plan was to "spit" the water right past her face in a nice stream. For whatever reason (can I blame it once again on being a guy?) I chose to aim about 2 inches from her face (again, not thinking clearly). Obviously that was a little too close, because I ended up spitting water right in her eye! She was just shocked that her good ol' Daddy would hurl water right in her face. Good one Dad! So, once again, I tried to be funny, and I ended up making my 2 year old upset. Now, everytime I go to blow bubbles in her bath, she's going to hold up a washcloth so she won't get showered with Dad's spit. Poor thing.
Alyssa has been scared of getting in a pool, so this incident couldn't have helped any. Yesterday, however, she seemed OK with water because she liked getting sprayed with the hose. (It was in the high 80's/low 90's up here yesterday). We went out to water some of my tomato and pepper plants, and Alyssa started to try to drink the water coming from the hose. Because she was in her Elmo jammies and they got wet, she wanted her Elmo jammies off. So, it was quite a sight seeing little Alyssa running around in the front yard with just tennis shoes and diapers on, and she enjoyed getting sprayed with water. (I'm not sure how the neighbors reacted seeing a half-naked 2 year old playing with water, though.)
Well, that's about it for now. The next update will be Thursday to let you all know how the doctor appointment went. Take care and enjoy the fireworks tonight. (Due to our DST time change, Alyssa will be in bed before the fireworks starts, so we're going to watch Elmo's fireworks on PBS at 8:00.)
Until next time...
Mr. Mom

This was copied and edited from our previous website, on Babysites.