All Aboard!

In tripletland, there is nothing more coveted than a choo choo wagon (Ok. Maybe a full night's sleep is higher up on the list).  We got our grubby little hands on one in March second hand from a local triplet mom.  We finally got to try it out today.  I've hesitated because of the weather and because our sitters aren't super sitters yet.  I had the idea to prop a boppy up behind Nate to make sure he didn't flop.  We do have the model with seat belts and that made a world of difference...

Eli-Nate-Sam-Ben

Eli's gonna have some big muscles by the end of the summer!

Ben's more comfy in the reclined position apparently.

Sam is starting to wilt.

Nate's all propped up and ready to go.

Fenway Day

Our alma mater, Northeastern, has an annual alumni event and we started going last year.  It's super cheap and has lots of fun things to do...and oh, yeah...we get free reign of Fenway Park.  What could be better?  Besides an endless supply of Fenway franks all dressed up in ketchup, mustard, and onions?

Last year it was super hot and I was super preggers so it wasn't as enjoyable.  We were worried about the weather today, but it turned out to be overcast and cool and not too terrible.  We got lots of fun shots of the gang from all over the park.  We didn't brave the Green Monster because we weren't sure about the elevator situation and I wasn't going to attempt the backwards-stroller-scoot up all those stairs!

I thought this was cool because it says TEAMMATES
and there's 4 of them...we just had to pose in front of it.

We don't normally do binkies unless they're sleeping...but...
we needed to keep them happy while they were trapped all day.

After we left the park, we decided we needed to eat something other than $5 hot dogs (much to my dismay).  We found "Tasty Burger" a block away.  Dave was in heaven...

He even had to order a "Big Kahuna Burger".  He's slightly addicted to Pulp Fiction....

Sammy

Benji

Nate the Great

Yes, I even had to take a picture of him in front of the place...OY!!!

One weird thing happened while we were at Fenway though.  We were posing with the 2004 & 2007 World Series Trophies and getting our pix taken when some lady asked if she could take the babies' picture.  I made pretend I couldn't hear her and got the babies out of the way.  Dave was distracted by something else and didn't hear her so I had to maneuver both strollers away without looking like I was trying to avoid her.  Why on earth would she want to take the babies' picture?  What's the point of that?  What would she have done with it?  It's so weird.  I was prepared though because I've read on other blogs that this happens a lot...YIKES!!!  Back off crazy people!!!

Goin' Commando

Did that title get you?
Ha!
Anyway, as a Father's Day gift for Dave, Nate decided it would be a good time to go commando (not that way, you dirty birdie!).  He started to commando crawl.  We actually dubbed it the wounded soldier crawl.  He looks like the guy in the horror movie who gets shot and is pulling himself across the floor.  He intially pulled with his left arm and pushed with his left leg.  He can now reciprocally pull with both right and left arms, but still only uses his left leg to push.  I can't believe he won the crawling race!  He can't even sit yet! 

Not to be outdone by his older, but smaller brother, Sam has started going commando today.  He's still in the intial phase, but already getting around and getting into trouble.

I guess it's good that Dave constructed Alcatraz in our living room last week...

Neutro-what?

So at the boys' 9 month check up last week, they had the typical blood draw to check for anemia and lead.  Both of those were fine (which is good because when Eli had his, we discovered we were accidentally poisoning him).  The nurse called later in the afternoon to tell me that Nate & Sam's results had come back showing an issue.  I asked a bunch of questions and found out we need to go back in a month to see if it's better.  In the meantime, I fed 3 babies, changed 3 babies, fed one 5 year old, chased 3 babies and a 5 year old...you get the picture.  When I finally had time to "google" the issue (an hour later), I had forgotten what it was.  The best part was I had told my mother and Dave what it was and they didn't remember either!  Does hanging around with babies make your brain melt or something?

I was convinced it started with "nutro" and ended with "nemic".  All the googling I did only ended up with natural make up and special formula.  My mom was convinced it had "pedic" in it.  Dave had no idea.  I decided to ask my FB friends for help...not so much.  They were conviced it was anemia...I know what that is people, I would remember.  I got so worked up, I decided to call the doctor back...only problem was they were closed for the night.  Luckily they're open on Saturday so I called then.  It took them over 3 hours to get back to me and we were at a BBQ (etc, etc, etc) but they left a message and told us it's NEUTROPENIA!  OK...then I googled it...OY!  Why did I do that?

The nurse had mentioned it could just be a deficiency or they could be fighting an illness and just to keep an eye on it and to go back in a month to re-run it.  After googling it, I learned that it could be a myriad of other things including Leukemia...This is why I am no longer allowed to google!  AHHH!!!  Because it's the twins I'm in even more of a panic and can't see straight...All the medical professionals I know (the nurse at my school) told me not to panic and to settle down, that it probably is indeed a deficiency in either B12 or Folic Acid...

I'll keep you posted when we go back.  In the meantime, remember,  Google is the devil!!!

9 month check up

Dave had the "pleasure" of bringing the boys to their 9 month check up today.  They only needed 1 shot so he got off pretty easy.  They did do a blood draw though, but just a finger prick so still not too terrible.  Here are their stats:
Ben:  Height 27"
         Head 44.5 cm
         Weight 17 lbs 7.8 oz
Nate:  Height 27 3/4"
           Head 45 cm
          Weight 16 lbs 4.1 oz
Sam:  Height 28 1/2"
          Head 45.2 cm
          Weight 18lbs 5.8 oz

They are still maintaining their weight order since birth.  Sam is the size of a "normal" 9 month singleton.  Ben & Nate are good sizes for their adjusted ages.  Nate is soooooo small compared to Sam.  You can see it in their trunks/bellies and even the way their clothes fit.
We get to stop the vitamins!  YAY!  We get to stop Ben's nebulizer (or as Eli calls it...neblee-i-zer).  Double YAY! 
They've got some "typical" delays in a variety of areas (Ben-expressive language, gross motor, fine motor; Nate-gross motor, fine motor; Sam-fine motor).  I crack up when I read other baby blogs with babies around the same age as mine...(and by crack up, I mean get really frustrated and want to cry).  Some babies at this age are composing symphonies, others are preparing for triathalons, and others are working on becoming fluent in their 4th language.  OY!!!  I know I'm not supposed to compare...these guys were born 9 weeks early.  That's a major deal in developmental-land.  The SPED teacher in me knows this, but the mommy in me is in denial about this.  Eli reached all of his milestones exactly on time...so I'm a little stressed.  I know I need to chillax and get over it, but I CAN'T!!!

Finally...

the cup has come back to Boston...
YAY  BRUINS!!!

Eli
Ben-Nate-Sam

...like my Rock reference???  Did you even catch it???

Flag Day

Happy Flag Day!!!

Eli
Nate-Sam-Ben

Triple Dunk!!!

The boys were finally baptized!  We were stalled on so many counts.  #1 we had to wait for RSV season to end.  #2 we had to wait until after Lent.  #3 we had to coordinate 6 Godparents, a priest, and a church.  It finally all came together and came out beautifully (well...the weather was a bit stinky...).

Sammy

Nate

Ben

I'll add more pix later once I can upload some more...

9 months old!

Holy Smokes!  The time is flying by much too quickly for my liking.  The boys are 9 months old today!!! 

Go Bruins!!!
Nate-Ben-Sam

Swings and Things

Being that summer is finally upon us here in New England, I kept pestering Dave into getting a swing set.  I wanted something that would hold 4 swings so all the boys could be on it together.  I had a budget of $500, but of course all the ones I liked were $1000 and up.  Dave started patroling Craigslist and found a few that were doable, but they kept getting snatched up before we could get to them.  Then he found one for free!  It was a first come, first served thing so he had to act fast.  He sent his cousin, Matt, up to get it and start disassembling it.  He joined up with him a bit later.  It was a BEAST!  They managed to get it to our house and put together the swing section, leaving the fort section for later.  It needed all new swings, but I didn't care...I got the thing for FREE!!!

Sam

Nate

Ben

Eli

Sam-Nate-Ben-Eli

 Thank you Uncle Matt for helping with the swing set & the fort!!!

I think we've established that I love to put my children in hats.  The cuter the better and who doesn't love a baby in a bucket hat???  I do!  I do!!!

Ben

Nate

Sam...see his chompers???

We also experiemented with bathing all 3 at the same time in their bath seats...

Ben-Sam-Nate

Tooth Count 2011:
Sam = 2 (almost fully erupted)
Nate = 2 (barely erupted)
Ben = 1 (barely erupted)
Let the drooling begin!!!

Truly Blessed

When I found out I was having triplets, I never imagined the community that I would join.  It is truly amazing the way triplet moms (& dads) band together in good times & bad.  I have made so many "friends" online that have helped me through so many things.  I look to them daily for advice and laughter, tips and stories.  They have also helped me realize how truly blessed we are.  People whose only triplet experience is ours, have no idea what issues being a preemie can bring.  So many families have endured serious health issues or other chronic problems, or have even seen one of their babies get their angels wings way too early.  Every time I read one of these stories I thank the big guy upstairs for giving me three healthy, happy babies.  Recently the Bissing family sent their little warrior, Owen, to watch over his brothers in heaven.  Our belly buddy Linus is home with his brothers, but will inevitably need more heart surgeries in the future.  There are countless other families whose stories tug at my heart and ground me.  When Ben is being a cranky-puss, I am thankful.  When Nate & Sam are wrestling and pulling each other's hair, I am thankful.  When I have to play Binkie BINGO at 2AM, I am thankful.  I will always be thankful for the 3 amazing boys I have been given.

Little Owen's assigned color was orange (his brothers are green & blue...sound familiar???).  His mom asked people to wear orange the day of his funeral to show support.  We were a day late, but here are the boys showing their support and rockin' their (or should I say, Nate's?) Orange for Owen.

Nate- Sam-Ben