The Only Guarantee in Life is Change

The only guarantee in life is change. This I learned many years ago.

After much consideration (and stress) we have decided to put the triplets into day care instead of hiring another nanny. I am really nervous about this but the last couple weeks can’t happen again. We were prepared for our nanny to call out sick every once in awhile but we were not prepared for her to have to leave suddenly and indefinitely (due to uncontrollable circumstances). When we interviewed for a nanny before, the babies were still in the hospital and I was on maternity leave so we were lucky to have the time to devote to make sure we picked the right person. This time we do not and I don’t want to feel rushed into making such an important decision. This way if we end up not adjusting well to the day care it will buy us some time to search for a new nanny and take our time with the process. Right now I find myself rushing home from work to help Tommy who has been with the babies all day by himself and working from home at the same time. And I am rushing out the door in the morning, leaving Tommy with the babies, the laundry, the dishes, etc., to go to work. We have been fortunate to have some friends of the family helping us periodically which has honestly saved us. We are doing our best to give 100% to every aspect of our lives, and each other but it’s tough some days, being pulled so many directions. It’s nothing we can’t handle. Hey, given everything we have been through, we can handle almost anything, but it’s certainly not always easy. When it comes right down to it though, I am not facing anything that other parents out there aren’t facing, trying to juggle it all. This is not a new concept for a lot of you. This is part of being a mom, I get it now. And just as I learned when I was pregnant, I have a new found respect for all of you, moms and dads that is. I am learning as I go here. Anyway, one of us staying home with the baby’s full time is just not an option at this point. So off to day care they go. I feel like we had them cared for at home with a nanny when they really needed it, when their bodies were still premature and their immune systems weak, and during RSV season. Now they are thriving, and the doctors say they are bigger than most 7 month old premature babies. Yay! I feel like they are ready to go into the world and conquer it! In day care they will get to interact with other babies and there will be people there that can play with them and help with the developmental stuff, which honestly, our nanny did not have a lot of experience with. Yes, they will likely get sick more often, especially at first, and although I hate the thought of them being sick, I hope it will build their immune system. I seem fine with this all now; however I know on their first day I will probably shed a tear or two and worry about them all day long. They start July2nd. Eeek. This is a huge change for us. Trusting other people with our precious babies outside of our home where we can’t keep an eye on them. I have to trust this is the best thing for our family though.

We had an appointment with the developmental pediatrician today. The babies are doing so great. Both Mickey and Georgia can sit unassisted for short periods of time, although Mickey probably more so than Georgia. Mickey has two teeth now on the bottom but the girls are still waiting for theirs. Jolynne is holding her bottle on her own for the most part. It’s a little heavy at the beginning but after she drinks a little she does very well. Mickey’s head shape and torticollis is much improved. They do not think he will need a helmet, although he still orientates and uses his left side much more so we need to work with him on that. Georgia is still our biggest at 16 pounds, 6 ounces. Mickey comes in second at 16 pounds 1 ounce and our peanut Jo, is 14 pounds 8 ounces. Georgia and Jo are the same length but not width J at 24 inches long, and Mickey is longer than both of them at 25 ¾ inches long. Although their adjusted age is 5.5 months, their size and development is more like 6.5 months which I am happy with. They will be 8 months next week and I feel like they are catching up. I hope the move to day care will not be too difficult for them. It will probably be harder on me than them I am guessing. Time will tell.

At the end of the day, even with the stress lately, the good always outweighs the bad. If I am having a bad day, I can pick up my babies and hold them tight and know that all is good with my world. Being a mom to triplets, just like everything else in my life has only made me stronger, wiser and with a greater appreciation for family and the little things that so many take for granted. I try to make a conscious effort no matter how stressed I am to stop and be grateful for all the blessings in my life and I try not to get to frustrated with the every day stuff that really when we think about is not all that good of reason to be frustrated, but I have my moments just the same. Don’t we all? This blog is an outlet for me and reminder of all that my babies have overcome. Their strength is an inspiration to me and hopefully others as well. So, that is part of why I write here, to keep all these life experiences and theirs close to mind and close to my heart. I know I am probably biased because I’m their mom but just look at them – they are AMAZING!

Just when we thought we had a plan...

I thought it might be time for a new blog update. I remember the days when I was updating the blog at least once a week. Now I am lucky if I can get to it once a month. This time last year I think I was already on modified bed rest or getting close to it at that point. I spent a lot of time lying on the couch with my feet up and I had the time to write and post pictures. Now everything I do is on my phone, because I am never sitting on the couch with my feet up and if I am it’s after the babies are in bed and I am too tired to write. So funny how different everything is now. I went from being super bored out of my mind on bed rest to spending every day in the hospital for three months after the babies were born, to trying to juggle caring for them, playing with them, work, dogs, and somehow be a good wife, daughter, sister, and friend to everyone else. Sheesh! I am sure I am making lots of mistakes, but hey what can you do? These last couple weeks have been especially chaotic. Our nanny who we love and the babies love is very sick and not able to help us any longer. We are very sad about this, but mostly sad about her situation. She is very young and facing an extremely dangerous illness. Its life or death, so I guess our situation seems pretty simple when you think about it. And it is. When I think back to how close we were to losing Jolynne those first few days, this is nothing really. Nothing we can’t handle. So, we are looking for a new nanny, someone as patient and flexible as the last one, and on top of that trying to find a new home for one of our dogs, Maddox. It’s a very tough decision and one I won’t speak too much about because it’s just very hard, but we know as spread thin as we are now, we cannot give him the love and attention he needs and deserves.

The babies are growing so fast! They are 7 months now, 5.5 months adjusted. They are all over the place! Jolynne is scooting everywhere. If she sees something she wants she starts moving towards it. She’s the smallest but she gets around more than the other two. She and Georgia are really starting to act more like the twins that they are. They make some of the same facial expressions and sounds and its really stinking cute! Mickey, our big, strong boy, is very sensitive. He doesn’t like loud noises or running water, or really any water very much. He doesn’t like to be out of our sight and he doesn’t like to wait for his food. He is very demanding. He yells a lot when we are with the girls and slams his hands down in protest. I think he thinks he is an only child. Oh boy, is he in for a surprise! They are so great though. Their personalities are so awesome. We have started taking them out more to restaurants and other people’s houses. It’s a lot of work, it’s a process, but nice to be out and about, and also make us appreciate the days we are just at home with nowhere to be. For awhile there we both felt kind of stuck at home with the babies. I think we are all becoming a little more mobile now. I am really looking forward to them being able to hold their own bottles. Right now we have bottles 4 times a day and baby food three times a day and we are doing it all. When they can hold their own bottles that will at least free up a little time, so that we can be doing other things, like laundry! LOL. We do baby laundry every day. First of all we have to change their sheets every day because they drool and spit up all over them during naps. The activity mats and blankets, same thing only worse! And their high chairs are a disaster. When we get done feeding them, there is mush everywhere; the seats, the trays, their clothes, their hair, their legs, the floor, and I’m sure the walls are next. It’s almost a full time job just trying to keep all their stuff clean! BUT, it’s also very entertaining! Sometimes, I sit back in awe of them! How wonderful they are and when they look at me and smile, I am puddy in their hands. Sometimes I do wish I had more time to spend with each of them. When I leave for work they are just waking up and when I get home, I am here for one round of bottles and dinner and baths before bed. Remember with three babies everything takes three times as long, so the one thing you are missing is that one on one time that I sometimes wish I had with each of them. But I am triple blessed and wouldn’t have it any other way. I thought to myself today when I started to stress about finding someone to watch the babies until we found another nanny, there is no time to stress, only do, and so I did.

Family Swimming Picture with Special Guest, Matthew (my nephew)

Nana and Georgia

Georgia 7 months

Jolynne 7 months

Mickey 7  months