A Week of Firsts and Lasts

We had a week of firsts, not for babies but for mom. I had been mulling it over in my head and trying to come up with a plan to bathe the babies all on my own. I'd done it before when we were still using the baby bathtub but now that they are using the bath seats it's a little bit trickier. I spent the first half of the morning juggling the babies and setting up the bathroom just so. I had to have everything I needed so as not to "feel" like I need to run out and get something during bath time (not that I'd ever leave them alone in the bathtub). Also, I needed to be able to set the babies on the floor and not have them get into the toilet or trashcan. First I cleaned the bathroom (floors and tub) then brought in a panel of our baby fence to block the toilet. Next I set up the bath seats in the tub and filled it up with water. I dragged all the babies in and then we proceeded with bath time. It went very well, only I was completely exhausted when all was said and done. I can do this again but quite honestly I don't want to. The following week when we did bath time (two persons this time) and in a split second Caleb lunged out of his bath seat head first into the water, it scared the crap out of all those involved. That was the nail in the coffin, I don't ever want to go through that by myself so until the boys are a little easier to handle bath time is a two person operation.

the set up

Babies in waiting

Mohawks!

9mo check up

Since no shots were involved with this well child check up I figured I'd attempt it solo. My plan was to get to the clinic parking lot and nurse the boys in the car. They hate being in their car seats unless the car is moving so I had Phil take out the extra seat in the van so that the two that were not nursing at the moment could play on the van floor. It worked out great, only that all the parking spaces were taken so I had to park in a garage which made it really dark in the van. Oh well the babies didn't seem to mind. So it was the double stroller and I carried the third on a baby carrier. I brought a Bumbo along to help me juggle the babies, which worked out great but since they can easily jump out of them I had to keep a close eye on whoever was in it. Caleb at some point ended up on the ground but didn't seem phased by it. Next check up is at 1year and there will be 5 shots so I might try to bring two others!

I have always avoided reading those "what you can expect" or "what your child should be doing" books for a couple of reasons. First, all babies develop differently and I don't want to be mentally tied down to what a book says and then if my baby isn't developing accordingly feel like there is something wrong when there isn't. Second, since the triplets were born pre-term they are technically playing catchup to full term babies so let's just say I was a little self conscious.

Their pediatrician reenforced what I already felt in my heart. Except for the very beginning these guys have developed as if they had been full term. Being premature has affected them in the least. All their milestones have been within normalcy. So I'm doing away with their "adjusted age," forget that, we are beyond that and probably always have been!

Everyone is getting taller and gaining weight. A relief to see after Eli went on a food protest for two days (still was nursing normal). Sometimes a meal here or there is rejected but never for two days! Here are their weights and heights:

Caleb 5th percentile for age 16lbs 8.6oz, 26.89in

Eli 1st percentile for age 16lbs 4.5oz, 26.14in

Thomas 5th percentile for age, 16lbs 10.1oz, 26.18in

A Few More Updates

The boys are down to two naps a day instead of three now, it's very liberating because I have more time before babies get tired and cranky. This is why I've been more willing to try things on my own. No more swaddling, we had to phase it out, much too hot for that. We also just said goodbye to their last swing and the jumparoo (jumping chair), they are too big for them and were getting bored by them. Also, about two weeks ago Caleb and Eli caught up to Thomas, they don't "drag" crawl like they used to. They all crawl on all fours and boy can they move fast!


Bye-bye swing, we're big boys now!