Eli Says Kitty

Eli has been making this fish face a lot lately

Phil and I suspected it but doubted it for about a week, but now we are certain that Eli says kitty. It sounds more like 'didy' and sometimes he adds too many syllables and says 'didididy.' He says it all the time but especially when he sees a cat. The poor cats haven't gotten much attention since the babies made their arrival but their presence is definitely felt. They are always around walking by or sleeping within eye shot of the babies. When it's meal time, Lankston, our orange cat stations himself underneath the highchairs and eats whatever the boys drop minus cheerios. Who needs a dog now?! The cats are not allowed in the boys play area and they know it even though sometimes they forget and I have to kick them out. The boys love it when they get a chance to pet one of the cats, always supervised of course because animals are unpredictable. So I guess I'm not surprised that one of the boy's second word would be kitty.

I'm sure Lankston is under there

Bilingual Triplets

I don't know how I failed to ever write about this but yes we are teaching the boys Spanish!

I am a fluent speaker and Phil is still learning but is quite advanced. Being away from my family I couldn't trust myself to be the only source from which the boys would learn Spanish so that was one of the main reasons we switched from an English speaking congregation to a Spanish one. I try to speak to them in Spanish as much as possible but many times I end up saying something in English and I quickly realize it and say it again in Spanish. I don't worry about English, they get plenty of it. Kids that learn two languages at once however take longer to speak. It used to be thought that this would confuse them so it was encouraged to teach them one language at a time. That turned out to be totally bogus! Kids are sooooo much more intelligent than they get credit for. The real reason it takes them longer to speak is that their brains are processing so much more information than your average single language child.

For example:

Oh, 'yes' and 'si' mean the same thing. So do I reply to moms question as 'yes' or 'si'?

Ok you get the point : )

We often get asked if there is anything we need, besides diaper service and baby wipes, what we really need is more Spanish children's books!

Thomas is too tired to care

I've renewed my love for the Maxi Mom carrier when I realized what a great back pack carrier it makes!

Oh Crap moment #1

The boy's Aunt Janet took these pics...

Thomas

Caleb

Eli

Eli

This is why Caleb almost always gets his own swing

Thomas

Oh Crap moment #1

I have a feeling there will be plenty more to come : )

So the boys spend their playtime in the living room where I have a super yard (baby prison) set up around the couch. When I get tired of the boys pounding on me and pulling my clothes I sit on the couch were all they can grab at is my legs. So a few days ago I left the room to go pee, I was gone approx. 1.5minutes. Upon returning I had an 'OH CRAP!' moment. I ran as quickly as I could when I saw Caleb walking the length of the couch with the remote control in one hand and my cell phone in the other as happy as can be. So now they can get onto my sanctuary 'the baby free zone.'

From 2 naps to 1 nap WHEN!?

Thankfully the boys have always been very easy going and have never given us too much trouble. By far the most frustrating thing for me and I'm sure to other parents as well is babies not sleeping when they are 'supposed' to. Many times I remember being completely frustrated and asking "why aren't you still sleeping" or "why don't you fall asleep?" Then I'd realize that the babies are growing up and don't need as much sleep as they used to. Babies do that to you, just when you think you are getting the hang of things they go and change it! They are constantly changing their napping, playing, and eating habits. And here I am always a step behind trying to figure out what's going on and what the heck to do. You'd think I'd learn by now.

This has been going on for two months now, it's by far the longest 'transition' phase we have gone through. Going from two naps a day to one nap a day. As usual I had no trouble with Caleb, he takes a 2-3hr nap everyday at 10:30am and is done for the day. The other two get so cranky and tired around 10am but when I put them down for a nap they only sleep for 30-45min tops. I try to keep them up as long as possible hoping they will get really tired and sleep longer but that only slightly lengthens their nap. Then of course they need an afternoon nap around 4 or 5pm. NOT GOOD, for three reasons. First, sometimes they sleep too long or need that 2nd nap too late in the day and are up till 9pm at night. Second, I only get 30min a day without someone being awake and can't get anything done! I like to at least eat my second breakfast and sweep the babies play area and most days I get half way through eating and someone wakes up. Third, for what ever reason when they wake up from their second nap they are SUPER cranky and clingy. One day all three needed a second nap and all happened to wake up at the same time. All wanted me to hold them and be the only one held! So I don't get to brag anymore that I've never been all alone with all three crying at once : ( I tried holding all three but that just seemed to make things worse. Oh well, we survived. I also realized that three babies crying at once isn't much worse than two crying at once (which has happened to me often) just a little louder.

You can't hardly throw a stick in Oregon without hitting a waterfall : )

The latest

The leaves are changing color and the air is brisk, nothing beats summer but I so do love sweater weather! So we had Aunt Janet come for a surprise last minute visit. We had so much fun and got to do the boys 1 year photo shoot. Pictures soon to come....

1 year (12mo)!!!

A year after triplets and we're still alive!

3/30/10 the day we found out we were having triplets!

9/28/10 my last day pregnant!

10:35pm on 9/28/10, 1st day of life on the other side

1mo

2 mo

3 mo

4 mo

5 mo

6 mo

7 mo

8 mo

9 mo

10 mo

11 mo

12 mo

I'm speechless with a tear in my eye....when I can compose myself I'll write something meaningful.

Ok I'm better now

The Parents

We are not only surviving but thriving a year after triplets. Mom and Dad are doing well and staying somewhat healthy and well rested. We have yet to go out on a date night since the boys were born. Well that's not completely true, Phil's parents watched the boys for about an hour while we went out to sushi once. We have had many many offers from friends and family to babysit but quite honestly we love spending time as a family and there is no real desire to get away from the boys. We've had more than 9 years together without kids and we've thoroughly enjoyed each others company. The boys will only be little once and we have the rest of our lives ahead of us. To be honest whenever I have to be away from them I miss them and can't wait to get back to them.

Phil and I will be 47 years old when the boys turn 18. That's when we can retire and move abroad and finish traveling the world : )

The Triplets

They look so different to me that sometimes I think people won't believe that they are identical but I get enough "how do you tell them apart" comments that it reminds me that most people don't spend day and night with the boys like we do. Of course if anyone spends 5 minutes of quality time with them they'll be able to tell them apart. Before they were born I really stressed out about not being able to tell them apart and mixing them up permanently! As long as I could see them in plain view I never mixed them up, except in pictures were I often mix them up.

The boys have been saying 'mama' for a long time now but at some point, which I failed to notice, they actually started saying it in the right context. They have been able to say dada for a long time as well but we always refer to Phil as papi or papa so they have not yet mastered that one.

They all know their names, for a while I'd call out a name and they'd either all turn around or nobody would turn. They come to me when I call their name and stretch out my arms.

They are all walking now, they started at 11 months. Some kids take their first step and that's all they need, they just start walking. Others are gradual learners as mine have proven to be. Turns out Phil started walking at 10months and I started at 11months, just another example that my boys have hardly ever been behind and are keeping their own with full term-ers.

I forgot to set up an appointment early on for their 12 month well child check up so they won't be seeing their pediatrician until 13 months. I did take them in to a WIC appointment on the 20th and they all got weighed and measured. WIC's percentiles are always different from what they tell me at their pediatricians office so I'll wait to list them later. The WIC nutritionist explained that babies weight gain slows way down when they go from not-crawling to crawling and again from crawling to walking. This is because they are so much more active and use up a lot more energy. Their pounds to height ratio was right in the middle so they have perfect BMI's!

C 18 lbs 27.5in

E 17lbs 9oz 27in

T 18lbs 7oz 27.5in (the heights might be off by an inch, I'm going off of memory since I accidentally tossed out the little paper I scribbled these stats on)

The boys are really doing great at self feeding and are starting to poo-poo the pureed meals I make them, so we are transitioning on to almost complete self feedings. I'm also starting to 'beef up' their meals, my goal is to provide them more balanced meals, I'd like to include a protein, carb and veggie/fruit at every meal. I'm also proud to say that the boys have stayed away from all junk food, no candy, no cookies, no sugary deserts, nothing too processed, and no fast food! I just have to hang in there another year to get to my goal of a good healthy eating start. Oh and did I mention a whole year where mom provided the majority of their milk (75-85%)!

Caleb

Still my easiest baby, loves to smile and scream with joy. Recently has had the appetite of a champ and gobbles up all his food. Since we got back from California he's been sleeping through the night (two down one to go)! For naps I just put him in his crib fully awake, and he's fast asleep in minutes without crying. No sleep training needed, all on his own. His Spanish nickname, coined by my sister is 'el quita jugetes' or the 'taker of toys.' He's notorious for taking toys away from his bothers.

Eli

Eli must have inherited Latin dance genes that seemed to skip me, the boy loves to dance. Since a wee fellow of 4 or 5months he's been dancing. He has his signature dance where he sways from side to side at anything that has a beat. Continues to be my singleton a.k.a. 'most difficult.' I call him the monkey on my back, he would love to live attached to me, he's the 'baby.' Still wakes up once at night to nurse, but the boy needs that extra meal! Eventually though some sleep training may be needed. His spanish nickname is 'el bailador' or 'the dancer.'

Thomas

Thomas continues to sleep through the night. Still Mr. Confidence and does things only when he knows he can do them well. He's a total daredevil and climbs anything he can. The strawberry (hemangioma) on his head that's now covered by all his luscious hair is actually almost gone, it's completely flush with his scalp and is only a little bit pink. It was so great when his hair came in and people stopped asking me what happened to him or what the heck is that! You wouldn't do that to an adult so why do it to a baby, people are so rude! The little one next to his eye is a lot less red and more pink now so it's also on it's way out. I think Thomas likes the sound of his own voice because he loves to babble really loud. His Spanish nickname is 'el intocable' or 'the untouchable one' because he gets the most annoyed when his brothers crowd him out.

Free Range Baby

This is a Caleb-tastic post:

Here is a video of Caleb taking a walk in the park

Caleb playing copy cat yelling

Caleb doing a little walk and stopping to dance to his winny the pooh soundtrack

Before I had kids my favorite baby stage was the 0-4 months, because they are so sweet, cuddly, and love to be held at that age. My opinion is changing and I oh so love the boys current stage, I think it's my favorite now! They are so stinking cute! They are so silly and goofy and their personalities are blossoming. Caleb often will look at me with a very serious face and babble on and on about something as if he's telling me something very important. They still love to be held and kissed. They are not old enough to throw tantrums or do anything mean spirited. They get soooo excited about the smallest things. I love watching them feed them selves and the crazy expressions they make with new foods and textures. I could listen to their little voices all day long babbling. Seeing them learn to walk and try so hard not to fall but yet they do over and over again makes me proud that they don't give up . When I discipline them by yelling a loud stern 'NO' they look at me bewildered and smile. But yet they are still very much babies that need their mommy : )

Caleb eating breakfast....

Recent pics...

Caleb

Thomas

Eli

Thomas loves his car and uses it to try and scale the baby prision

Big Boy Car Seats!

The boys loved playing with the boxes

Thomas modeling the convertible car seat.

That's right they come with sippy cup holders!

Phil took this pic with his nifty fifty lens...what a handsome boy! Am I right?

I was getting literally tired of carrying the boys around in those infant car seats and always having them around the house taking up precious space. I figured since they are all walking now (just barely, they fall a lot) that soon enough I can just take them by the hand and walk them short distances making the practicality of infant car seats obsolete.

I decided I didn't want to get them used because the thought of running around trying to get three "good deals" on craigslist was waaaaaay toooooo much work right now even though the savings would have been spectacular. As I started to do the research online for the "perfect" car seat within our meager budget of $100-$120/seat. I quickly got overwhelmed and decided that since I always bargain hunt that I'd give myself a break, kind of as a present to myself. Babies r Us was having a trade in deal where if you bring in something old you can get 25% off something new. Perfect I thought, that way I can get rid of the hand-me down car seats that were about to expire anyways. As a side note THANK YOU ALL who donated their old car seats to us, they served us well! So the plan was for me to walk into the store and pick out a seat, no fussing, no research, just pick out what I liked and hope for the best. Sounds easy right? Well, when I got to the store I really stressed out, Phil was at home with the boys and I realized how much I rely on his input when making decisions. I felt very insecure about my decision until I got home and saw that Phil really liked the seats. We both agreed that they look so cushy and comfortable that we wouldn't mind riding in them as well.

They were $160 but with the 25% off they ended up being only $120, we dropped a total of $360, holy cow! The good thing is that we won't have to get anything else after them because they turn into booster seats and are rated up to 100lbs, I can't even imagine how old they'll be when that happens! Also they are rated up to 40lbs for the rear facing position, it's now recommended babies stay rear facing as long as possible since their heads are too big for their tiny necks and could be badly hurt in an accident if they were forward facing.

We can kiss our hopes of ever having two extra seats in our car, these take up a bit more room than the infant car seats, so until the boys weigh 100lbs or are 52 inches tall we'll only have room for one more. We are pretty happy with the purchase so please don't burst my bubble if you happen to know these are the worst seats in history. But if you know these are good seats or you have them too and like them, let me know! It would make me oh so happy : )

Cali Trip-part 2 (San Jose)

I'm probably related to about half the people that live in Mazatlan Mx but here in the states I have but just a few family members. Quality and not quantity is the recipe here, we were sure glad to see all the family we are closest to. We had a wonderful time and the weather was perfect in the Silicon Valley so we got to spend a lot of time outside!

I didn't have to change a single poopy diaper in 5 whole days, my longest stretch yet, thanks to my mom and sister : ) We had the baby monitor set up so we could hear when the boys woke up from their naps. I tell you, a baby would cry and I'd have one butt cheek up when I'd realize that my mom was already half way there! It was great.

The boys got to meet their only surviving great grand parent, at a whopping 84 years old she was more than excited to do a triple hold, she even suggested it herself! Might I dare to say this is the oldest triple hold on record? I'll contact the Guinness Book of World Records after I finish writing this post.

Since the fam in SJ didn't get to come to any of the three baby showers we had in Portland, my mom decided to throw us a delayed baby shower. It ended up being a fiesta of epic proportions: bouncy house, cotton candy machine, party favors, cake, that white jello with fruit (delish!), and of course to top it off a pinata. The boys got some good loot too, winter clothes (for next winter tho), lots of age appropriate toys (much needed), and cute stuffed dogs that are actually sleeping bags!

Despite the boys being run down with colds we ventured out to the Flea Market for a dose of some culture. This place is a Mecca, it's enormous with carnival rides, live music, and anything you can think of to buy, especially if it's bootlegged. We bought some super cute shirts for the boys but they probably won't be able to wear them for a couple of years : (

Our last day there we went to a 50% off sale at this thrift store that for some reason I always find awesome stuff at. I scoured the store and found some cool new threads. To end the night we went out to Chinese food and the boys behaved terribly. That was the second time in a row, two strikes and you're out boys! That's it, no more restaurants for these guys, not unless they have a huge play area.

Here is a movie Phil and I put together, enjoy....

Cali Trip-part 1 (Davis)

Who do you NOT see in this picture...ME : )

The Road Trip Down

I tried to make it as painless as possible and try to keep the boys usual routine. The plan was to leave at 3am and drive till 8am, the boys pretty much slept most of that time. Our first stop was at a grocery store, I nursed all the boys in the car and Phil and I took a bathroom/coffee break at the store. We drove to a nearby park to feed the boys their breakfast and let them burn off some energery. Unfortunantly I didn't think to bring a blanket and the grass was all wet from watering (of course it's 8am!). Thankfully their were some bucket swings and we were able to swing the boys long enough for the grass to dry some. The boys got good and tired, they all nursed once again and back in the car it was for another 3hrs drive. We stopped at a Starbucks were I nursed the babies and fed them their lunch. Since we were only 2.5hrs away from our destination and it was over 100 degrees outside we decided to make it a quick stop and keep going. The boys did great for most of the trip, Thomas was kind of loosing it the last 1.5hrs but was not too bad. Caleb did well and slept most of the time he was in the car. Eli I think is made to travel since I never heard a peep out of him and he was awake a lot of the time.

Davis, CA

It's hard to get all the Pittsenbarger side of the family together considering one brother is in China, one sister is in Australia, the other sister in Utah, and the Pitts trips are in the PacNorthWest. We got close but no cigar. When we arrived all of Phil's brothers and sisters (families included) were there to greet us, except Garret which was not able to make the trip out from China were he is currently teaching English (so jealous). Immediately everyone crowded around the triplets still in their car seats. This would have scared most babies but these guys have absolutely zero stranger anxiety and I think they welcome the attention. After hugs and kisses all around the boys were put down to play and they went absolutely wild. It's not everyday they get a new landscape to play in. So many new toys and things to explore. We had a blast and we pretty much stayed at Phil's parents house and visited with family and friends as they came by. We had a family dinner party were the boys got to meet the extended family as well. It was also going to be a dual baby shower for Phil's cousin Gabrielle but she went into labor two weeks early and had the baby the night before. She was dead set on making it to the party but thankfully her doctor did not allow it. Especially since half the family caught a bug that was going around triplets and mom included! We are no strangers to sickness since even through much precaution the boys have pretty much gotten something every other month since they came home. The boys got their first fever and dose of Tylenol ever in Cali : (

First Steps in Cali

They came crawling and they left walking! I looked over at Thomas and he was standing with two toys, one in each hand. He wanted to get to a chair that was approximately one step away. I saw him look at his toys, then the ground, then the chair. What to do what to do? I could tell he really didn't want to let go of his toys so he just went for it. One big step toward the chair! A couple days later we went to Brit and Jehan's (Brihan, whom we went camping with earlier this summer) house for dinner. With a little encouragement Eli took a couple of steps towards Jehan's sister Jade. Then Caleb took a couple of steps toward Jehan.

We are a little insane about pictures but we never feel like we take enough. With over a 1000 pictures its too many to choose from so Phil and I put together this movie....enjoy!

Triplets in Cal_Davis from Janet Pittsenbarger on Vimeo.