Happy Half-Year

One year ago, your father and I found out we were having triplets. The doctor told us he had no explanation, "it seems there may be some divine intervention going on here" he said.

At the time we did not know what we were in for. We were frightened, stunned and confused. We knew having three babies could be very complicated. We were sent to a special doctor who helped us feel calm and confident. We became excited to be blessed with such an amazing gift.

While carrying you in my tummy, things got scary. We thought you might come 4 months early, the world would have been a very dangerous place for you at that time. But together we held on. Your father and I spent a long time in the hospital so you would have more time in my tummy and less time in a lonely stark hospital bed. It worked. You three angels entered the world at 33 weeks, the average for triplet babies.

It has been a very hard but very fun 6 months. You have taught mommy and daddy a lot of lessons. We have learned to love, laugh, sacrifice and conquer.

Mia - You may look like your daddy but you take a lot after your mommy. You may come across as shy and be a little weary of new situations but once you warm up, you are all smiles and your personality lights up the room. As petite as you may be, you are not underestimated. You often accomplish things well before your brother and sister.



Marcus - Some days I may feel sad but as soon as I look at you, your smile brightens my life. You are my charmer. My sweet and sensitive prince. Already letting your sisters go first and bringing a smile to every lady in the room, you are going to grow up to make someone feel they have hit the jackpot in a husband.


Josie - Oh my dear Josie. How can a child bring a mommy so many headaches in the first 3 months and then turn into such a gentle loving soul? I love how your entire face smiles when you are happy. I am already a little jealous of your strength and strong will. If you want to be held, so be it. If you are ready to get up, we will all start our day at 6 AM. Although you are not quite ready to crawl, you will lay with your face planted into the floor and your butt up high determined to try, try, try.



This past year has been the hardest year of my life. These past 6 months have been some of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had. I never imagined 3 little souls could make two bigger souls open up and shine so bright. I never imagined parenthood being like this, some downs but always more ups and always a BRIGHT BRIGHT BRIGHT light at the end of the tunnel.

Thank you my miracles! Happy 6 month birthday!

Something Amazing Happened

Today Marcus would not go to sleep when I placed him in his trusted swing for his afternoon nap. Usually he is out within seconds of starting his swing. So, I tried something crazy....


Marcus has been sleeping in his crib for afternoon nap for 30 minutes and counting. Is my baby growing up?

The Calm Before the Storm

This is not a post about inappropriate nap locations (i.e. swings, bouncy seats) as the picture may indicate; that is a whole different post I will have to address in the next few months. Rather, this is yet another post about sleeping through the night (STTN).

I have to admit, Josie has probably been capable of STTN for the past few months. If I was regimented enough to follow any of the half a dozen sleep books I own, her and Marcus would both be STTN by now. But, I value my own sleep too much to endure a few nights of torture (constant crying).

As the kids approach 6 months and 15 pounds and 30+ oz. per day (all the "requirements" to make it through the night according to the various books I own), it is time to admit I need to actually try to implement some of these techniques if I am going to continue to complain about them not STTN.

A mentor triplet mom once told me (Mel, I think this was you) that she actually misses the night time feedings. I thought she was insane! Now, I completely understand where she is coming from. Our night feeding routine is actually quite peaceful now (NOT including Marcus's inability to sleep for 8 hours without waking up crying at least once). When Marcus wakes up sometime between 2-3 AM (not when he wakes up at midnight or 4 AM), I feed him. He usually quickly drinks 3-4 ounces and is back asleep within 10 minutes. I then quietly sneak into the girls room and feed them one at a time. Josie rarely opens her eyes for these feedings, she is only drinking 2-4 oz. This is the only time Mia will gulp down 4 oz. without wanting to take a break to play. I cherish these 30 minutes. As a triplet mom, I do not get to hold and cuddle my babies that often. This middle of the night feeding is precious one on one time. Plus, the babies are super sweet while they are half asleep. Their bodies are limp in your arms and their little fingers wrap around your index finger as they eat. After they finish their bottles their warm arms wrap around your neck before you set them in their crib. As soon as they lay down they reach for their lovey and snuggle it to their faces and go back to sleep. Truly, these are precious moments that no camera or words can capture. Getting to witness this three times a night is priceless.

Alas, Josie and Marcus are at the point where they are eating out of habit. They do not need those 3-4 oz. in the middle of the night when they are taking in 30+ oz. plus veggies and cereal during the day. Plus, at some point I need to stop going to bed at 8:30 PM. When Max is home over the holidays we have agreed to try to let Josie and Marcus CIO (cry it out) to get them through the night (Mia is still little and is ravenous at night as she tries to catch up to her brother and sister. She is not interested in solids, we cannot get her to eat enough during the day and she is not ready to STTN). These nights will not be sweet and peaceful. I am not looking forward to it! I am cherishing these last few peaceful nighttime feedings.

FYI, I do not expect wonderful sleep once the kids are not eating at night. Marcus continues to wake up and cry at random times throughout the night. I can only hope it improves after CIOing through nighttime feeds. However, I was talking to a professor of mine yesterday who has twins. He said "There will definitely be a day they STTN. My girl STTN WAY before my boy though. I think my boy finally started STTN around 1 year". Yay, just what I wanted to hear!

Are Boys Harder?

Having multiples allows you to see obvious differences in your kids. I think when you have children one at a time, you probably forget some of the more difficult days; otherwise, why would you keep having them? Kidding of course! The kids each excel on different milestones at different times. Marcus is working on fine motor skills like holding objects. He loves reaching for and feeling faces right now. Strong Josie excels at gross motor skills like lifting herself up on her hands. I found her in her crib this morning high on her belly trying to peak over the rail of her crib. Miss Mia dabbles in a little bit of everything, gabbing, rolling, and grabbing.

As a parent of mixed sex multiples you also notice differences in play preferences even when they are playing with the exact same toys. Marcus already is enthralled with balls and likes to try to catch them if you toss them in his lap. Meanwhile tough Josie will just let it hit her in the head, completely ignoring it and fragile Mia will cry (I assure you, it is a soft ball). Marcus also already loves to be tossed and jostled while little Mia hates rough play.

From the beginning, I can't help noticing which kids require more attention and make life a little more challenging. We all know by now Josie can be a tough chick. However, overall she is able to calm herself and her outbursts don't tend to last long. She also has always been a pretty good sleeper, a HUGE help to a tired mom. I have talked to many parents of infant boys and girls and the parents always talked about how their boys were such screamers when they were young and seemed to have more trouble sleeping at night then their girls. Talking to new parents, it does seem like the parents of girls have a little easier time then the parent's of boys (sleeping through the night by 6 weeks, give me a break!)

I have noticed Marcus has required much more attention than the girls this past month. He gets frustrated very easy during tummy time and gets bored of activities quickly. At night, he is waking up every few hours screaming. He is not easy to soothe either. Could it be teething? Maybe but my gut says no. Besides the fussiness, he has no other signs of teeth coming through. He has always been a crier but as the girls grow out of the fussiness and become independent, Marcus seems to still need so much attention. I will find the girls in their crib in the morning playing by themselves, chitchatting to the butterflies on the wall or just munching on their hands staring at the ceiling. Marcus on the other hand, cries as soon as he wakes up and usually has to be put in his swing to keep him happy. We did a modified version of crying it out to help the kids get down to one feed a night. It worked gloriously with the girls. I wake up and feed them around 3 AM and they are right back to sleep. I rarely hear a peep out of them until I walk into their room in the morning. Marcus does not seem to get it. He continues to randomly cry at night. It is not hunger because if I offer a bottle he only eats an ounce or two. Last night it lasted 2 hours (even after giving him infant Tylenol, just in case it is teething).

Is it true what people say? Are boys more difficult as infants than girls? If you ask me, YES! Maybe not for the first few months but they seem to take longer to learn to entertain themselves and self soothe. Also, as a fellow mom once told me "the boys scream so much louder than the girls".

Fellow multiple moms of mixed genders, what do you think? Singleton moms, do you honestly remember the difference between your boys and girls as infants? Veteran moms, is it flip-flopped as teenagers (if so, Mia is going to be a handful at 15!)?

Time Goes On...

I admit, now that I have become one of those "facebook crazies", I don't update my blog as much as I should. Facebook is so easy to use but it doesn't offer the luxury of bragging on my kiddos like this blog which is especially dedicated to them does.


So, kuddos to Josie and Mia for learning to turn from their backs to their tummy's on their 5 month birthday (they have all been turning from tummy to back for months). I know before long, they will be rolling around the room. Kuddos to Marcus for grabbing at EVERYTHING now. All the kids are eating cereal now. It is exciting but a little nostalgic to see these milestones go by. Since these WILL BE OUR ONLY CHILDREN, each milestone reached is the first and last time we will experience the pride that comes along with it.

Along with the nostalgia of milestones come and gone I have been a little envious of the typical new parents who have one baby at a time. There is no denying life with triplets can be a little restricting and take a bit of extra work. Here are a few complications of life with 3 babies:

- Going anywhere takes at least 15 minutes to prepare.
- Forget about running into the store to grab a few quick items
- We rarely travel to anyone's house anymore. If you want to see us, you'll have to come here. Besides that, our babies are preemies so we have to be extra cautious of any illnesses getting passed around.
- Almost a year has gone by since we have seen some of our friends
- Taking our child out to a restaurant...I can't even imagine..
- Hiring a babysitter - It is tough to find someone with the experience to care for 3 infants.
- I take about 20 trips up and down the stairs each day between the 3 kids.
- Craziness of trips away - It is great to go out of town to visit people but it is also complicated. The daily business of triplets does not go away, there are still a ton of bottles to wash, formula to prepare, laundry to do, etc.


Since this is such an honest post, it is only reasonable to share the unbelievable joy of having triplets.

- Being greeted by three smiling faces every morning melts your heart
- Watching siblings share such a close bond is amazing. Mia screamed at the doctor's office the other day after her brother and sister received their shots just as loud as if she had already gotten the shot herself. At the same time, she laughs when Marcus giggles as if she was experiencing the "funny" firsthand.
- The amazement in people's eyes when they see triplets.
- The feeling of accomplishment watching each of my three healthy thriving babies fall asleep each night.
- Being able to compare each of the three VERY different temperaments of our clan.
- Watching our kids grow up together
- Having a complete family in one go.
- Love x 3

Yes, having triplets can be challenging, isolating, and downright tiresome. However, this unique and magical experience is a blessing. We are so grateful for each day.

Truly, our life may seem hard to comprehend to some folks but it seems quite ordinary to us. Love, fun, adventure x 3, yippee!

4 Months and Counting...

Our 4 month visit to the doctor went well, besides the shots that is :) Imagine 3 nurses, 3 trays of shots and 3 screaming babies all squished in one tiny room, yep it's always fun! The kids are still small for 4 months but are great sizes for their actual age, 2.5 months. More important, their growth curves are right were preemies should be:

Marcus - 13 lbs. 2 oz.

Jocelyn - 11 lbs. 11 oz.

Amelia - 10 lbs. 12 oz.

Marcus and Jocelyn are still struggling with reflux but we expect improvements in the next month or two. I expect they will also drop that darn midnight feeding soon..please, please, please! The past few nights we have successfully been letting the kids CIO (cry it out for all non-moms) through the midnight feed. We decided this was ok since they were barely eating anything when they woke up. It has been working great, they go back to sleep within 10-20 min. But, last night Marcus was very persistant. After 45 min. of crying, he fell back asleep for 30 min. before he woke up screaming again. We gave in and gave him the bottle and he ate a whopping 7 oz so obviously he was hungry. This sleep training is so confusing! They still all get up for the 3-4 AM feed very hungry. THERE WILL BE A TIME THEY SLEEP THROUGH THE NGHT, THERE WILL BE A TIME THEY SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT!

We just added rice cereal to their diet. It may be helping with Josie's reflux (thank goodness!) As you can see, it is also really helping the kids sleep through the night ;).

A few more pictures to share:

It is becoming obvious who the kids resemble:

We think Josie looks just like her Uncle Nick

Mia is a spitting image of Max

The verdict is still out on Marcus

I've started jogging with the kids in the evenings. I LOVE this stroller. So do the kids. They are all smiles as they take in the world around them (so much for napping on walks though). We do get much more attention since people can actually see the babies.


Finally, here is a video of the girls gabbing. Turn up the volume! As you can see, Mia is going to be our chatterbox.

My Favorite Things About Fall

Coffee - Coffee always tastes the best on crisp fall mornings and I love to indulge in good coffee. Currently my favorites are Door County Harvest Blend and Starbucks pumpkin spice late.

Pumpkin - pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin coffee, pumpkin pie, pumpkin scones, pumpkin bisque, did I say pumpkin pie?

Dark Denim - I know I don't leave the house most days except for a walk. And even though my clothes usually end up caked in spit-up, I still wear my dark jeans! There is something that screams sexy about fitted dark denim in the fall. Even if I'm a stay-at-home mom with triplets, I still love how my dark jeans make me feel.

High heeled loafers - Once the temperature is in the 50's, my open toed shoes get packed away. No more running to the store in flip-flops! I love the sound of my heels clicking across the grocery store floor, and I don't feel quite as short.

Oranges and Browns - I love wearing these colors and being surrounded by them. They make me feel cozy.

My new favorite thing about fall....
Babies in Halloween outfits! I can't wait till they can go trick-or-treating!

A few new things I'm not so fond of:

All the extra clothes the babies need to wear. Pants and socks are a must now. Plus, Mia is in the habit of constantly pulling up her shirt so she has to have a onsie on under her outfits. Then getting the babies ready to go on a walk is a 15-20 min. ordeal. We have to make sure they have socks on, which they usually have kicked off during the day. The only way to get their socks to stay on is to put shoes over them. Then, they all struggle as we get on their coats. Finally, you spend a good portion of the walk pulling up the little hats and/or hoodies that slip down and cover up their eyes. I'm starting to miss the hot onesie days of summer :)

A Lesson in Letting Go

I admit, since having the babies I have been a little uptight. If the babies start the day off schedule, I feel like my day is chaos. I worry if they don't finish their bottles; lately I have been known to lay awake at night thinking, "great, since their bellies aren't full they are probably going to get up at 2 AM instead of 3, then they will get up again at 6 AM instead of 7 AM, they won't be able to stay up till 8:15 AM which is morning nap time and the whole day is going to be off!" I become flustered if their 5 PM catnap is too short and worry about their constant excessive spit-up, normal for reflux babies. In short, I have become a tight-ass.

I knew things had gotten bad when I could no longer get back to sleep at night after getting up to tend to the babies. I knew I needed a break when I was counting down the days to my dentist appointment, looking forward to the 1 hour of peace and quiet away from the kids. I knew I desperately needed to get away when the dentist said "it looks like you may have a cavity, we should go ahead and take care of it now but it probably would be ok till your next appointment in 6 months" and I thought this was great news, happily making the appointment for the following week.

So, Max and I booked a night away at the Umstead Hotel in Cary while Grammy G and Aunt Cid graciously watched the babies. I was nervous to leave the kids for 2 days. Before we left I was constantly worrying. "What if the kids refuse to nap, what if they forget to swaddle them when they try to put them down for naps, what if they don't eat well, how will they find time to get the bottles done...they don't know how much planning it takes me to fit everything into the day. Plus, what if they rock them to sleep and then the kids expect to always be rocked to sleep, there may be permanent damage to the routine." I left them a detailed schedule with instructions galore, I must have told Max a hundred times before we left, "I sure hope they stick to the schedule." I was eager to get away but ancy as we walked out the door.

We started the weekend with a 4 mile run in Umstead Park. It was the perfect way to get my mind refocused for the weekend. After our run we checked into the Umstead Hotel and spent the day getting treatments and basking in the glorious spa. Around lunchtime I realized I was no longer antsy about the babies. In fact, I wasn't worried about them at all. I felt light and completely in the present moment. I realized I had let go! My babies were in great hands and this weekend was about Max and I. Alleluia I was completely baby free!

The hotel was gorgeous and the experience left me refreshed and recharged. I woke up a few times Saturday night but immediately realized I had no reason to get up so went right back to sleep. I think I slept 10 hours. We enjoyed time by the pool (I love NC, there are days you can enjoy the beautiful fall colors and bask in your bathing suit by the pool at the same time), drank wine, enjoyed the 5 star food, and drank more wine :) We didn't even call to check on the babies until right before we left on Sunday.

A walk around the lake

The hotel grounds

By the pool

When we walked through the door Grammy G gave me a huge hug and said "you are an amazing women, I bow down to you." "Hmmm, things must have gone well" I thought. The truth was the kids were great on Saturday but Sunday they did get a little off schedule and the day was a little choatic. But, all the babies were happy and well and no permanent damage to the schedule was done :) In fact, they all only got up once during the night and slept great, no one needed rocking :) This morning I am back to reality. Marcus does not want to nap and I'm behind on my routine already. BUT, I am present and relaxed. So what if Marcus doesn't sleep great this morning, he is bound to catch up this afternoon. I realize that these moments are too fleeting to constantly be worrying about schedules, patterns and amounts. This past weekend came at the precise moment when I really needed to just let go.

We had an amazing time this weekend, thanks Grammy G and Aunt Cid! You guys did a great job with the kids. They miss you already! We are already looking at places for our next getaway. Grammy G and Aunt Cid can tell you what a breeze watching the kids was (wink, wink), any takers?

To Roanoke We Go

We packed up the van again last week and headed to Roanoke to visit the granparent's Roanoke home and all our family friends. Max was out of town so Grammy P. jumped right in and lent a hand with the babies. The kids slept on the 3 hour ride and managed to stay on schedule during the stay...crucial for all our sanity! It was a gorgeous evening so we got to take some great fall photos. My parent's neighbor, Stephanie (who has twins herself), tracked down a few baby items such as a swing (unfortunately Marcus cannot live without a swing but that is whole other post), a boppy (another triplet essential) and a floor gym so we had less to pack. Thanks Stephanie for all your help and for taking such great fall photos!

My awesome childhood friend Carly, got the babies one of the best presents ever, DIAPERS! I just had to take a picture of the babies with her gift:


We are desperately waiting for our babies to sleep through the night. Yes, I said "waiting". Is that funny? They still get up two times during the night to eat. I tried shushing them back to sleep once instead of feeding them, it was so much work for just an extra hour. I forsee "sleep training " being a very grueling process. For now, these babies are my excuse for going to bed at 8 PM :)

A few more pictures

Short and sweet today, just a few pictures to share:

Josie - our spirited child, Mia - our princess, Marcus - our flirt


I still can't believe we are a family of 5!

We have turned a corner folks....

They say that 6 weeks is the peak of fussiness. Alleluia, they were right! Things around our house are very different then they were 1 month ago. Our babies celebrated their 3 month birthday Sept. 29th but the BIG news is they are now 7 weeks adjusted and things around the Gravitt household have just gotten much happier. We are surrounded by smiles and giggles and the BEST news yet...the babies almost always go right to sleep not only in the evenings but also for their morning and afternoon nap! In fact, last night was my first night alone with the trips and it went wonderfully. Now I never felt depressed but I have to admit, I had some rough days....I am a mom of triplets after all. However, these smiles and healthy sleep habits have to better than any anti-depressant medicine out there :) Ok, I have to admit I have found a secret weapon to get us through the witching hour, the hardest part of the day...


I am relishing the next few months, I hear teething can be a b@#&!

We recently had a photographer come to our house to take some photos. I know I said the kids were all smiles but after an 1.5 hour photo shoot, things are bound to get messy. I absolutely love this pic of Marcus with the girls!


This picture makes me laugh. Mia is our precious princess. A pretty pink dress fits her personality perfectly. Josie on the other hand is slightly out of place in a frilly dress. Here she is a little disheveled. Her dress doesn't sit quite as dainty as Mia's and her bow looks a little more like a sweatband. Gotta love it!


Our photographer did an amazing job and we will be sure to post some of her outstanding pictures (of three happy babies) very soon!

Weekend Guests

Here is a little piece of heaven...two men taking care of babies while the girls have a beer. We really enjoyed having our good friends from Richmond down this past weekend. Grammy P. was nice enough to sit with the babies while we enjoyed an evening out on Saturday night. I love being with my babies but it is these outings away from them that are crucial for my sanity. Thanks Grammy P! It was great to see you Shannon and Topher! I think Mia is missing her Uncle Toph already ;)


The kids are starting to give lots of smiles! Of course trying to capture all three smiling faces is a bit difficult but we captured Marcus here. On another posotive, the girls are starting to sleep from 6-8 hours at a time (~7PM-~1AM) during the night. Of course our biggest, Mr. Marcus usually wakes up by 12 AM. Therefore, I'm up to feed him at 12 and then get in about another hour or of sleep before the girls are up. I used to go ahead and wake the girls up to get all three done at once but I want the girls to get in the habit of sleeping longer. Hopefully Marcus will join them VERY soon. Grammy P has been nice enough to take Marcus to sleep at her house a few nights which is a TREMENDOUS help. I'm starting to wonder if I will ever sleep for more than 2-3 hours at a time....

What the Heck?

Marcus makes the funniest faces. This is one of his classics. I call it the "what the heck?" expression.


Just an FYI to anyone who has been intending to visit but hasn't had the chance yet. RSV season is quickly approaching. We will be posting more info on the seriousness of this disease (including death) to preemies as it gets closer. Our babies are considered high risk for contracting RSV and we intend to take every precaution to keep them out of the hospital. RSV season runs somewhere from mid-Oct. to May. If you would like to visit, we would highly encourage making a trip to see us before November (I promise this isn't a secret plea to come help us out one weekend soon :)

They Aren't Going to Stop Us

Courses on raising multiples say you will not leave the house for the first year. Well, we set out to prove them wrong by taking a weekend trip to the beach (with grandparents of course). I wish I could say it was a breeze but as you can see, packing alone was an event. This is just the 3 babies "stuff" and it includes 2 pack n' plays, 2 packs of diapers, 2 boppy pillows, a cooler full of bottles, a breast pump, and the list goes on...


We only took the babies out on the beach for about 20 minutes. The cool breeze and the sound of the waves put them right to sleep. Grandma and Grandpa Gravitt were nice enough to take the babies shopping with them while Max, Luke and I caught some rays and enjoyed the water sans babies!


The kids had a great time playing and exploring their new environment. Of course we got a ton of attention everywhere we went.


Grandma and Grandpa Gravitt let the girls stay in their room on the vacation. They sure were a handful but I know the grandparents had a great time with them. Josie was extremely excited about her new surroundings. She probably slept as little as Grandma Gravitt. They both seem a little tired here.


Although it was a lot of work taking a vacation with 3 little ones, we all had such a great time. A special thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Gravitt for giving mom and dad a great weekend. We know working on 4 hours of sleep a night can be tough. And keeping those babies straight at 4 AM can be a lot harder than one would think ; )

For anyone who knows Josie...

If you've had the pleasure of seeing Josie's "true colors" on a trip to our house, this picture is for you! Our little girl does have a happy side! Here she is having a blast with Max and Uncle Nick.

2 Month Check-up

Mia, Marcus, and Josie

Our trio is 2 months old already! I can't believe it...actually, yes I can but I bet you can't :) Here is a progress report on the kiddos.

Marcus - Weighing in at a whopping 9 lbs, 11 oz, he is now on the growth charts at 10%! Remember, this is for his actual age of 9 weeks, pretty amazing considering he was 7 weeks early. Marcus is our inquisitive child. He has the biggest eyes and could beat you in a staring contest hands down. He is a little fussy right now as he battles a nasty case of reflux. He was just switched to a new medicine that seems to be helping. When he is feeling good, he loves to cue and watch you. We have gotten a few smiles from big man Marcus.

Josie - Not far behind Marcus, she is now 8 lbs, 9 oz. Josie has lived up to her nickname in the NICU, our rockstar. She has quite a personality and does not hesitate to let us know when she is a little angry. The girl has a set of lungs on her that she is not afraid to use. Josie's trademark has to be her strength. She was the first I felt kick at 17 weeks. She has superb head control already and is one tough cookie. Not a surprise, she is a redhead. Josie was also the first to give us a smile although they prove extremely hard to come by.

Mia - Still the tiniest but growing like a weed, Mia is now 7 lbs, 7 oz. If we had 3 Mia's, we would probably think triplets were a breeze. Mia is extremely laid back about everything. She doesn't demand a lot of attention and entertains herself already. She is the only one that is not battling typical preemie issues (reflux, constipation, colic, etc.) Extremely photogenic Mia is often mistaken for a doll. She is precious without a doubt but trust me, the little princess can get angry from time to time. Her biggest complaint, the pacies that just won't stay in her mouth!

The kids can be a handful at times. If one starts screaming about something, they tend to feed off each other and we end up in a screamfest. At the same time, when they are all happy the cuties cue at each other. There are times when they all want to be held which is a real challenge. However, there are plenty of times we count our blessings. They are great sleepers.. We can put them in their cribs awake at night and they will almost always put themselves to sleep. They still eat every 3-4 hours at night but they usually always go back down. I am eagerly waiting to wake up at 5-6 AM one of these mornings and realize the kiddos slept through their 2 AM feeding.

Big credit to my fellow triplet mom Amber for providing some of the following info from her blog (The Hughes Triplets):

We have gone through 1500 diapers

We have used about 2300 oz of formula

We have done ~75 loads of baby laundry

We have run the dishwasher full of bottles 130 times

And it has only been 2 months. Look at those darlings though, gotta love it!

That's One Hairy Boob!

This video shows what happens if anything round gets too close to Marcus's hungry mouth!

A New Schedule

I wanted to update on the triplets and my schedule. The trio is now 8 weeks old (2 weeks adjusted). They are well out of their preemie stage and have all the typical newborn behavior. Our new schedule goes something like this:

CRAZINESS AT ALL TIMES!

Ok, not really since I have a second to still post to my blog. But, our schedule is definitely not as structured as it was the first few weeks. The babies stay awake a lot more so I don't have nearly as much time to keep up with chores. Because of this, I have hired a mother's helper. She comes on Monday and Thursday afternoons and does baby laundry, prepares formula, etc. She also helps with the babies during the infamous "witching" hours when the babies have lots to complain about.

I have dropped several pumping sessions per day. Where I was pumping every 3 hours, I now am down to every 5-6 hours. This leaves me much more time to spend with my awake babies. They now get breastmilk at 3 of their 8 feedings. I still think it is about half their overall volume since they are starting to eat so much less at night. I originally wanted to provide breast milk for three months. I think I will make this goal...only 1 more month!

Although they are not close to sleeping through the night, the babies do sometimes go for a 4 hour stretch at night. I also stopped pumping at the 12-1 AM feed so get to sleep from 10:30 to the 3-4 AM feed (Max does the 1 AM feed). If life was perfect, the babies would go right back to sleep after each feed and I would get 7 hours of sleep every night. BUT, there is always that one baby who either throws up, has a dirty diaper, is very gassy, or is just plain fussy between feedings. This prevents "perfect nights".

What makes it all worth it - The babies are adorable! They are starting to coo and Josie MAY have attempted to give a smile the other day. Everyday is an adventure! Each of these days are precious and a true gift.

Juggling those babies...that's how I lost weight!

Update on getting back in shape: Here are a few pictures of how I managed to lose all but 7 pounds of my baby weight (I'm still going to need that tummy tuck though) . During the "witching" hours (5-8 PM), everyone is a bit moody. You have to be creative to keep them happy. You also have to be creative to get workouts in. They love movement so there couldn't be a better solution!

Lunges with weights - works thighs and butt
Plies with shoulder raise- works inner thighs and shoulders

We also walk anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour every day. I also have been known to walk around the house with two babies in my arms. This includes repeatedly climbing stairs. One to two times per week I also am able to get a spin workout in. I try to eat several small meals throughout the day and make sure I get in plenty of whole wheat, vegetables (salsa is my favorite way to squeeze these in) and fruits (my desert every night is angel food cake, fresh strawberries, bananas, a small scoop of ice-cream and coolwhip).

Update on life with triplets: We love our help! When my mom walks through that door every day I breathe a huge sigh of relief. We love having visitors to hold and feed babies (yes, you are welcome to come by ANYTIME!) Max's parents come down often and give Max and I a night out. Aunt Katherine, Uncle Ben and Uncle Nick stop by on weekends to lend a helping hand. We probably get anywhere from 3-5 hours of sleep a night (thus the quick and disjointed post). We are both tired but having a wonderful priceless time with our trio. Here are a few more recent pics...

Mia and Jocelyn looking pretty for our trip to visit our UNC family.

Max taking over for a bit after returning from work

Pics and 6 Week Progress Report

For the next year or so, we will consider chronological and adjusted age when we talk about baby milestones. Check out how big this trio has gotten in 6 weeks!

Actual Age = 6 Weeks
Adjusted Age = -1 Week

Mia Then - 2lbs. 12 oz, 16.5 inches Mia Now - 5 lbs. 14 oz, 19 inches












Marcus Then - 4 lbs. 11 oz, 18 inches Marcus Now - 7 lbs. 15 oz, 20 inches










Josie Then - 3 lbs. 15 oz, 16.5 inches Josie Now - 7 lbs. 4 oz, 19.5 inches









Me and my new job. I found this hat while unpacking and put it on for kicks. I realized when I went to bed that I still had the hat on. Welcome to my life...And all three crazies...Again, welcome to my life :)