Watch Out - The Bug is Going Around

All THREE babies have the stomach bug. Andrew has been the only one to vomit but they all have diarrhea. It's awful! So far Tony, Logan and I have not caught it. Our house stinks. The carpet and furniture probably needs a professional cleaning now. We're getting close to finishing a box of diapers that was just opened (and this was a box bought at BJ's Warehouse).

If you ever clean poop off a baby and it's not his, you might be a parent of multiples

So, who ate who's poop?

Madelyn is known for her blowouts. We even had her rechecked for parasites again recently and all this came back negative. The latest is this may be a problem due to all the antibiotics she took after coming home.

Sunday and Monday were no different with pooping and blowing out all day long. Monday while the three babies were eating in their highchairs, Madelyn blew out. I thought I had smelled something but wasn't sure who it was. I took the boys down first and then Madelyn was last. As I pulled her out, I didn't know it was down her leg so it got all over my arm and clothes. I quickly headed towards my bedroom where there's a changing table. I got her stripped down and to the tub to wash her off and then back to the living room I go b/c I had left the boys in there.

As I walked into the living room, I discover Nate has poop on his hands and face near his mouth. I don't know if he ate it or not but it was right at his mouth. I put Madelyn in the floor (no clothes on so I was chancing it happening again) and learned it was in the floor. She must have made some droppings on our way to the changing table and that's what Nate got into. I quickly grabbed towels and threw them on the spots in the carpet to cover it up while I cleaned Nate up to keep the other two out of it. (That didn't work by the way b/c Madelyn crawled over and started playing with the towels.)

I rip Nate's clothes off and put him in the sink and wipe out his mouth and clean him up. I still had the carpet to clean up after that and the tub, sink and changing table.

Nate has been running a fever since yesterday afternoon off and on. If he still has it in the morning I think we'll be making a trip to the doctor to make sure it's not related to this incident.

Parents of Multiples

Tony found this list and it is so true. Almost every bullet point applies to us. I copied some of the ones from the list I especially believe to be true.

You know you have Multiples when……


Your stroller has it’s own zip code. (A few months ago I posted some photos of my strollers. I've sadly given some away since then.)

Dinnertime is officially declared an Olympic Event (This is an understatement.)

You consider going to the hospital for any procedure a vacation. (I actually asked my dermatologist a few weeks ago if she could admit me for something. I said I didn't care what for just get me an overnight stay. She laughed and tried to come up with some bizarre diagnosis but I ended up back home.)

You are the only parents who can utter, “Stop playing with that, it’s not YOUR penis” with a perfectly straight face. (I think this happens every bath time.)

You arrive at your doctor’s appointments early just to read the magazines in peace. (Did this for my last dentist appt.)

Root canals are a great chance to catch up on your sleep. (I told my hygeinist to take all the time she needed cleaning my teeth b/c I had a babysitter. I even said a root canal would be fine - joking of course.)

You laugh at singleton moms that are struggling to get their stroller out of the car. (I laugh at singleton moms that take so much time to put the covers over shopping buggies and public highchairs too. I ain't got the time for all that.)

You wonder how come singleton moms need a diaper bag the size of a suitcase, while you travel with enough for your babies in a bag half the size. (My Expedition IS my diaper bag. I just carry a few diapers and a case of wipes in my purse.)

You can unload two, or three babies (or more) from car seats and put them in your stroller WHILE you are laughing at the singleton mom getting her stroller out of her car. (Been there, done that)

Your husband has seriously tried to motorize your stroller. (Ever tried pushing a back to back to back triple stroller? It's need a motor.)

You can hold both infant car seats at once and still have a spare hand to hold your 2 year old’s hand as you go to your car. (Did this before Madelyn except it was with a four year old.)

There is no room in your refrigerator for food, all available space is occupied by pre-prepared bottles of formula. (Close....freezer space occupied frozen breastmilk for a while.)

You can pump (breast milk), feed the babies, and read a book at the same time. (Time to read? I could do the first two while chewing gum, talking on the phone, and probably change a diaper at the same time.)

You look at a closet full of diapers and think “I’m running low” (YEP)

A regular sized pack of diapers lasts only 3 days. (YEP)

Every morning you mentally prepare yourself for the worst before your enter “that” bedroom, (naked toddlers, wet bed sheets, diapers on the floor and three little voice saying “poop, poop”) (Nate and Andrew's room has a bottle of spray air freshener at the door as soon as I open it.)

You can throw French-fries to the rear set of seats without looking and none end up on the floor. (I've done this with chicken nuggets, animal crackers, and pretzels.)

You can change diapers standing up, while in line, at the Children’s Museum. (I can change diapers in my lap no matter where I am.)

You feel like a sheepherder instead of a parent (especially when it's nap time or bed time.)

You have people asking if you run a daycare because that’s what your yard looks like. (NO, I get asked this if I go out ANYWHERE.)

A trip to Walmart for diapers is a vacation even at 1:am. (Wal-mart actually has short lines at midnight and much quieter.)

Your stroller costs more than your first car. (If we had bought our triple stroller brand new, it probably would have cost more than my first car.)

You can hold at least three conversations at the same time. (Three? More than that.)

You no longer have a proper name you are either “The lady with Triplets (Quads, Quints) or Moooooooooommmmmmmmyyyyyyyyyyyyy (Yep)

You find yourself singing songs from the Wiggles while at Walmart (I sing kids songs all the time not realizing it until later that I was singing this or whistling a tune from one of the kids cd's.)

You have diapers in your purse, in the glove compartment, your desk drawer and in every room of the house – just in case. (I've got diapers in the laundry room, garage, etc.)

You hope that the FDA counts ketchup as a vegetable. (It really is.)

You stop and tell a co-worker that you are “going to the potty” (I've said oopsy-daisy bumping into someone.)

Every square inch of seating in your vehicle is taken by car seats. (This is almost true. I actually tried to get three boosters in the backseats to transport two more kids and they wouldn't fit but I still ended up with 3 seats in the middle and 2 in the back.)

Your monthly grocery budget is greater than the annual budget for the State of Rhode Island. (Yep, and it gets worse everytime I go)

Four hours of sleep is “fully rested” and falling asleep over the kitchen sink is a “fulfilling nap” (I think I nodded off writing the last sentence.)

The first thing you ask upon arriving home is for the poop and pee report. (Logan yelled out in the restuarant last week to Tony while he was coming back from the bathroom from changing Madelyn's diaper "so how bad was it?")

2 minute tasks take 30 minutes because you have to keep returning to the play room to break up fights, peel the kids from the wall, change a diaper you can actually smell from the next room, break p more fights, remove a child from the top of the couch, perform surgery on the VCR because there is an UFO inside of it, fill sippy cups back up with water because whatever was in them disappeared mysteriously (only later when you sit down on the couch you will find where it went) remind them not to jump on each other, break up a few more fights and change more poopy diapers. (I can't get nothing done around here.)

You not only are familiar with what a 300 count box of Kleenex looks like when they are all removed from the box one at a time, but you know for a fact you can’t put them back because you’ve tried. (Since Madelyn came home, I've had to keep Kleenex here at all times and all three of the little ones have at least once pulled the tissues out.)

You curse stores for only having two of something in a package, or for only having two of something on their shelf. (About did that at Wendy's yesterday for only having two highchairs.)

You agonize over what it will be like when they get to school and you have three teachers to visit on parent night, three different sets of homework, and your babies aren’t even out of the Nicu Yet. (We thought about this the day we found out I was pregnant with the twins and became DTC.)

Everyone in the neighborhood knows who you are, even though you’ve never met them before. (This one is so TRUE. Someone stopped me one day and said "aren't you the ones with all the babies?")

The grocery store clerk has commented on the 6-9 gallons of milk you buy each week, telling you it would be cheaper to buy a cow. (Good thing Food Lion has a buy 6 get one free deal)

You’ve ever truly considered strangling someone who said, “you’ve got your hands full” or “I’d shoot myself”. (How many times have I said this on the blog alone?)

You’ve ever been so sleepy that you can fall asleep with the baby lying on your chest and fail to wake up despite the fact that the baby is screaming directly into your left ear. (Yep, except now it's when they scream in the baby monitor.)

You are both shocked by the rudeness, and amazed by the kindness of strangers in the same 60 seconds upon entering Walmart. (YEP)

Walmart is probably your favorite store, since its open till Midnight, diapers and formula are cheaper there, and they have triplet carts. Oh, and you consider going to Walmart at 11pm “going out” (At least once a week.)

If you’ve ever charted poops pees and food intake. (Yep, for all the boys I did and now I don't chart but I keep a mental chart on Madelyn b/c of her lactose intolerance.)

You consider a sale on diapers better than sex. (Diaper deals are awesome. I was so excited when Target recently had a buy one get one on Luvs.)

You have to wash the dinner dishes by hand because the dishwasher is full of bottles. (Been there. Now the top shelf is taken up by sippy cups.)

The clerks at the grocery store have to regularly restrain you from pummeling any singleton mom that takes the last multi seat-shopping cart. (I fume at seeing one child in the extended carts at Wal-mart, BJ's and Target)

You know what its means to “live better through chemical intervention” (I need to find out if this is really true.)

You are both revered and hated by the staff at your pediatrician’s office. (I recently had a letter sent to our ped - long story.)

You no longer have to wonder what a “poop painting” would look like. (Andrew has really done a good job at this one)

The awareness of silence strikes terror into your soul. (Now I'm to the point that I don't care b/c it's occupying them and giving me a bit of silence for just a little bit of time.)

You know the black market value of a Runabout stroller. (Yep, just looked that one up recently.)

You consider cereal dumped on the middle of the floor, not to be bad parenting, but rather a unique picnic breakfast! (I have fed them like dogs in a plate on the floor and let them go at it. They love it.)

All kids are aware that any sippy cup left unattended is fair game. (The boys take and share all the time. Unfortunately Madelyn likes their cups and she can't have whole milk.)

Whining is heard not just in stereo, but in surround sound! (so true)

You go to an amusement park with your triplet stroller only to realize YOU’VE become the source of amusement, or you go to the Zoo and find the other visitors watching your kids more than the animals! (I hate being stared at.)

You use the word singleton. (I even call Logan a singleton now.)

You need a hitch for your stroller (Yep)

You refer to your babies as A B and C (I have done this.)

$15.00 baby outfits seem too expensive. (Holy cow! I'm thinking $5 each is too expensive with three babies.)

You laugh at singleton moms for sterilizing pacifiers. You can’t stop yours from sucking on each others fingers, nose, ears, toes etc, so you just shake your head because you know those germs are building up their immune system. (who has time for this.)

You intentionally feed all 3 kids from the same spoon and bowel even though one is sick, because you can’t bear the thought of 3 consecutive 2 week cold sessions, you’d rather have them sick at the same time. (Yep, done this and still do.)

You don’t mind taking a shower, with the door open, and with an audience. You are just glad to be able to get a shower. (I never shut the door going to the bathroom.)

After 20 minutes in the car you realize you are not only listening to the kids tape, but you are singing along with it, and there are no kids in the car. (Yep)

The $250 travel system stroller that singleton moms complain about being too big, look like toy strollers to you. (so true.)

You do things with your feet that you thought you never could do (or should) (Yep)

You’re not sure if what you squeezed on your toothbrush was toothpaste or diaper ointment, but you’re too tired to care, and too tired to check, so you keep brushing anyway. (Last night I had to actually think about which one is toothpast and which is the soap.)

All of a sudden everyone you know, knows someone with Twins. (this gets so old hearing this)

You have to spend an entire evening at high school conferences because you have to see 24 teachers. (This will happen in several years.)

You consider leashes a viable safety option (I actually had to get a stroller out just to go to the end of my driveway to catch the ice cream truck - and my driveway is only about two car lengths long.)

Velcro is your new best friend. (We have imagined so many inventions with velcro involved.)

You burst into laughter at the site of a diaper Genie… AS IF….!! (Trash our diaper genie a long time ago.)

Duct tape practically pays for itself. (Same ideas go for velcro.)

You no longer have a coffee table, end tables, or lamps in your living room, and everything else is 4 feet off the floor. (Lamps definitely disappeared. The end tables are now being pushed around all over the house like toys.)

Your home has become a complex maze of gates, locks and barricades. (so true)

Your kids have never actually walked through the zoo or store, because getting out of the stroller is NOT an option. (so true.)

You make a grilled cheese sandwich, put it on a little green plastic plate , and cut it into little tiny pieces. Then you realize the kids are napping and the sandwich is for you. (I have cut my PJ sandwish up before after putting the kids down for a nap forgetting it was my sandwich.)

You don’t think the Suburban is a large vehicle. (Our Expedition ain't.)

When hearing of a new pregnancy, you first question is “just one?” (Lucky.)

The lady at the drive through at McDonalds knows your name. (and what we order everytime)

You don’t want to potty train because the though of trying to take all 3 to a public bathroom yourself sends shivers up and down your spine. (I dread this.)

Your pediatrician’s office recognizes your voice. (Yep and I think I hear a moan after I first speak.)

I only deleted a few from the original list that didn't apply to us and I think I could come up with several more.

Please don't call me Granny

I know I just had another birthday and already feel old enough but when someone actually thinks I'm a grandmother, that just makes me feel even worse.

I met a friend at Wendy's resturant today and as were trying to figure out seating arrangements (BTW, this resturant only had TWO highchairs - I should have had a talk with their manager about this but I didn't) the elderly man that was cleaning around the tables ask me while I'm holding Madelyn "Is this your grandbaby?"

Oh my goodness......he thought I was a grandma. I look at my friend and smile but not the kinda smile when you are happy but the kind that says "I can't believe he just asked me this."

I smirk and look at him and say "no, this is my child." He says back, "Oh, I didn't see the resemblance."

Then this same man says "You know we got them coming in all the time here." THEM? What did he mean by THEM?

I think I'll dye my hair black. Think this will help stop some of the comments about Madelyn being my child?

A New Milestone...

Now Madelyn is standing up on her own, both after letting go of something and standing up all by herself in the middle of the floor.

No walking yet more than a couple step stagger to fall onto something, but I wouldn't be surprised if she is really walking soon.

Not gonna try this again

 

I had to cut Madelyn's nails so I got this not-so-bright idea to try to paint her toenails for the first time. The bottle said it dries in 60 seconds - well, that was a lie. First I had to fight off the boys to do this and find a position to hold Madelyn to be able to hold her feet. Her 2nd toe tends to overlap over the big toe so it kept rubbing off the paint. She also has the tendency to curl her toes in like a newborn baby does with his/her feet. She wanted to touch and hold the brush and wiggle and squirm and fuss and in the end, she was crying, Andrew got hurt falling down beside me b/c he wanted to do the painting and Nate squeeled b/c he wasn't getting a turn to have his painted. AND the polish looks horrible on her toes. She's even got polish on her legs. It's going to be a while before I attempt this again.

Goodnight Sweethearts

 

The BIG Question

Logan asks me "Mom, do you know how to make a BABY?"

Uh oh was my first reaction

Me - "Yes"

Him - "How, how, ................how, how...........how" etc...

Me - "Well, I know but let's wait on your daddy to get home and ask him. I'm busy right now."


I knew this would come one day but not today.

What's up?

It's been a while since I've updated on Madelyn's. It seems like she still has a ways to go to catch up to her age, but at the same time she has come so far since Gotcha. She's crawling, pulling up, cruising some on the cough and table and the best of all is she is feeding herself and eating table food. We no longer have to spoon feed her. Unfortunately if she doesn't like it or doesn't want it, she will drop the food on the floor.

As for her health, she definitely has some allergies. We just don't know what they are though. She still has a runny nose. Not just a slow dribble. Many times during the day it is so thick running down her face, into her mouth (yeah, I know, gross), and she smears it across her face with her hands up to her head and into her hair. Everything we own seems to have been smeared in snot the past four months. No allergy medicine has worked so far.

Not only are we dealing with this nose, she still has diaper blow-outs. Wednesday we went out to eat for my birthday and she blew out on the way to the resturant. Then she blew it out again on the way back home. Yesterday she had runny diapers too so I decided to cut out all dairy to see if this is part of the problem. I've tried every soy milk plus whole milk. At one time we thought the diarrhea was from the antibiotics but she's been off of these for over two weeks now. Her poop smells like sulfur also. Thanks to google, I got some more ideas of what could cause this and one of those was giardia.

Now I'm wondering if her giardia went away. Remember me posting about the last giardia test and how I rushed it to be tested but they refused to test b/c I didn't have her name on the container. They called about 10 minutes after I left the lab but called my home and not my cell and I didn't go straight home from there. The first person I spoke to after I called back made it sound like Madelyn had to redo it b/c the sample wasn't there in one hour. It was but wasn't tested in time b/c of the lack of name. Then I got a call the next day to come back and label. They kept it in the fridge. Even though they knew that was ours I was suppose to run back up there and put her name on it. To shorten the story I eventually got up there and labeled it and in a few days they called to say it was negative. Now we wonder if that refridgeration kept the test from showing up positive. Could she still have this parasite? I took another sample today and should know something next week. If this is not the case of the diaper explosions I really don't know next what it is. I'm still keeping her off dairy for a little while just to see if this has anything to do with her poop.

Yesterday she also gave me a scare. I took her and all three boys to the podiatrist with me. It wasn't planned but I had to b/c the doctor's office called me thinking they switched the orthotics they gave me with another patient so I took off with all of them. I unload and take all the kids in. After I check in, everyone is staring at the kids and I look down and Madelyn's face is red. It gets worse. Her face looked like she had broke out in hives. It was horrible and it was getting worse every second. I already had a call in to her pediatrician about the giardia test so I was hoping they would call right then or I was even considering taking off to Urgent care or ER. She wasn't crying but I was about to b/c it just looked awful. I waited in this doctor's waiting room and watched her in my lap seeing if it was going to bother her and it never did. After I was done there and we were ready to leave, her face started clearing up. It still had red spots on it but it was nothing like it was when I first noticed it. Today she has four spots on her face that did scab over but doesn't seem to bother her at all. Our guess is something bit or stung her and she had a mild allergic reaction to it.

She has a physical on the 30th and I'm writing everything down on paper before she goes to ask the doctor about. I really want her tested for allergies. From the non-stop snot to the swelling on her face and possible food allergies if she tests negative for giardia.

Oh, and the biting, that's getting really old. She bit Nate so hard this week she drew blood. This one was from fighting over a plate I had put down with a snack on it for all three to share. Then yesterday she and Nate were fighting over a Little People toy and she bit him on the hand. She does the same to Andrew too. If they have something she wants, she bites. Nate has a scream that we know he's hurting so I find his bites earlier. Andrew screams the same whether he's in pain or just b/c he wants to scream so I never know if he's hurting or not. She bit Logan too this week on his side.

I'm hoping to have Madelyn baptized soon. We haven't chosen a date yet. I was given a beautiful white dress as a baby gift with no name tag that I was wanting to use for her baptism and have questioned who gave it to us to let them know but I haven't found out yet. It even came with adorable matching white shoes.

Happy Friday the 13th!

Shake, Shake, Shake

Missed these Stinkers

I just got back last night from a weekend getaway with no kids and no hubby. I went with three other ladies to Myrtle Beach - all stay home moms. We didn't get into any trouble. We didn't do anything wild and crazy. We just enjoyed having a break from screaming kids and not having to answer to "mommy, mommy, mommy....." all day long.

I was glad to have that break but I sure did miss them. Everytime I saw a preschool age kids I thought of Logan and how much fun he would have had in the pool or playing in the sand at the beach. Then I would see a toddler and think about Nate and Andrew and how much fun they could have in the one foot pools or riding with me in the lazy river. And then of course I'd see some cute little girl in a pink little swimsuit and think of Madelyn and just how darn cute she would be in her bathing suit and splashing in the water.

When I walked into the house last night Andrew was the first to run and greet me with a big smile and hands held out to pick him up. Nate looked at me funny but eventually he couldn't stop giving hugs and kisses after I sat down. Madelyn cried b/c I walked past her and didn't pick her up but she crawled to me eventually and gave lots of hugs and smiles. Logan made me a card that said "Welcome Home Mommy" and had a picture of him and me on it.

I think having this break does make us all realize how much we really love each other when we don't see each other everyday. I don't think I could have been away any longer than those three days without them. This morning the screaming has started back, the crying, the demanding of food or milk and just overall meaness but I love these kids more than anything else in the world. I think Tony and I are going to plan a getaway together in September for our 10th anniversary just for a weekend. I think we could use it but I sure will miss these kids again.