Forgot to Add the Comments Made to Me on the Way to School

First, I arrive at the school and the assistant principal unloading the school buses walks towards me and points and says "Hey, you're bring more kids to school than my buses."

Walking in pushing my big triple runabout stroller, several people "Awe, how cute", "That's a lot of babies", and my favorite "Damn, that's a big stroller" and yes he said "damn" in front of Elementary School kids and it was not a quiet one either. I'm pretty sure it was a daddy dropping off kids.

Walking out the same assistant principal tells me I need to paint the stroller yellow and make a sign that says "School Bus" on it. Flashbacks of Pimp My Stroller came back to me.

We take the long way back to get a little more outdoor time even though it was very hot outside, I pass by a walker with a dog and we have to stop b/c Andrew and Nate are barking at the dog and the lady says "So which of these kids are yours?" When I replied all of them I think she about passed out. I also felt like adding "Yeah, and I just dropped off my Kindergartener too."

We'll venture back to the school around 3 for pick-up. I'm sure I'll get even more comments then. I may even take the side-by-side triple stroller then with all three babies. People loves to stare when I go out.

First Day of K

Logan was very excited to start Kindergarten. Last night I joked with him about going on up to the school and spending the night so I didn't have to get up early and take everyone to school to drop him off. Well, he thought I was serious. After his bath, he went to his room and couldn't figure out what to wear or take to school with him to stay the night there. He took me seriously and was disappointed when I told him he couldn't spend the night.
I made Logan some homemade muffins for his first day. (You know those kinds that you buy a bag, add water, stir, fill the cupcake pan, bake for 15 min.)
When Logan got to school his first job was to unload all of his bookbag items into his pail with his name on it. His teacher asked me to not to help. I couldn't help it. I had to at least do the zippers.
Logan's class is the "Monkey" Class. Appropriate, very appropriate for Logan.

The Other Three on Logan's First Day of Kindergarten

What is Andrew Thinking?

"Please, somebody, take big brother to school. Hurry!"

Think I should do this to our strollers?

Pimp My Stroller

6 Month Anniversary

Madelyn has officially been a part of our family for SIX months now as of today. How did we celebrate? Hum, well, we didn't. I did sneak in a nap today. Doesn't a mom of three one-year olds deserve that? I've been having lots of back pain this week and I needed some rest. I think I injured myself throwing Madelyn up in the air congratulating her on her first steps, but I really don't know what did it. It could have been anytime or combination of picking up the three younger ones.

We did last night take Madelyn to her first Chinese restaurant in America. We actually had planned on going to a new Hibachi Grill and Buffet nearby but when we got there, it wasn't open yet. We had a flyer in the mail this week with prices, directions, etc but no where did it say it hadn't opened yet. Anyway, we decided to go to a Chinese restaurant buffet. I think Madelyn, Nate and Andrew ate more than any of us. Thank goodness they still eat free. I split my fortune cookie up between these three and Madelyn got part of hers stuck on her finger. I took a photo of this with my phone but I haven't yet figured out how to download those photos yet.

It's also been 2 years since our DTC date. Between that date and Gotcha, it seemed like time went by so slow. A good bit of that time I spent pregnant with twins and was sleep deprived. The past 6 months though seems like it just flew by. My days seem to be shorter now probably b/c rest times never occur anymore.

Madelyn still only takes a couple steps at a time and she is not happy to do that for us. She gets mad when we try to make her walk to us, at least to me she does. She seems to walk to her daddy and big brother more eagerly than she does me. I probably push her too much but darn I'm ready for her to walk. I have two walkers and one crawler and it does slow us down. Going outside would be so much easier if she walked b/c she panics when her legs touch grass and she screams loud enough for several neighbors down the street to hear. She could also keep up with her brothers faster when they play AND she would be less of a target to the twins. The boys love to sit down on her and lay on her when she's in the floor. Also, she sure would be cuter in those long dresses if she's standing and walking around. Dresses handicapp her now. She can't crawl and slips and falls down if she has on a dress. I have several dresses for her she can't wear right now that I'm anxious to see her in. After they all walk, next thing I'm teaching them is how to come down stairs safely.

Happy Annivesary to all of the families in our travel group!

Again, Never Trust QUIET One-Year Olds

I left a box of oatmeal on the table. OOPS! Andrew everyday climbs onto the table about 100 times a day at least and this day was no different. When we caught them, Andrew was on top of the table pouring the oatmeal out of the box and playing in it on the table like it was snow.
The other two were in the floor doing the same with the oatmeal. They slid their hands through it along with their bodies making some interesting "oatmeal angels". They all had it in their hair and all over their bodies.

Sometimes it's worth cleaning up the mess when you can catch a few moments of silence in this house.

Why am I the one awake?

Five nights straight Madelyn cried off and on after being laid down to sleep. About four of those we listened to her off and on up to midnight and continously checked for diaper blowouts and took her milk. Now tonight she is sleeping and I'm awake. What's up with that? I'm wide awake and it's been a rough day. I should have crashed hours ago.

Madelyn is finally going to go see a Pediatric GI doctor. She continues to have poops from under the chin to the back of her neck and it smells so bad it could kill anyone walking by. Thank goodness this last one Tony was home for and he got the honors of cleaning her up. I called her pediatrician's office today and told them everything we've tried up to now has not worked and it's time we get another opinion. We can't keep watching for leakage in the carseats and highchairs everytime we smell something bad. We've pulled off the road a few times to rip her away and hose her down on the side of the road. We've changed her diet and limited her liquids. We tried the entire lactose intolerance route and taking out milk and everything with milk in it and it didn't work. We tried culturelle OTC medicine and yogurt made to help with the digestive issues. No sign of relief for this girl. It could take up to a month to get in or longer to see the Pediatric GI doc but hopefully he'll figure something out.

Andrew is still speuwing too but the other end. Since the stomach bug went around with the kids, he gets a belly ache and barfs. Some days he skips. He's been labeled a reflux baby since he was born and just hasn't grown out of this yet. Today he was acting very slow and not himself. When he cuddles, I know he's sick. He even fell asleep in my arms. That never happens anymore with him. He upchucked food again today and took another nap afterwards and by the evening he was back to himself. Poor baby...just don't know what to do about him.

Nate has entered the terrible two's. He really is a sweetheart but darn if he don't get ticked off about something and start screaming and it does not stop. Andrew is more of an all day screamer and we're getting used to this but Nate's tantrums are crazy. They don't last that long but he does a quick change over from sweet little boy to "what the heck is wrong with you" child.

Tomorrow a few of the moms of Logan's friends and I are having cake and ice cream for the boys to celebrate their going off to school next week. Awe! My baby boy has grown up. He needs school. He's ready for it too. I know he'll enjoy it, at least the first year anyway. He needs to make new friends his age and get away from the babies for a while. Many ask me if I'm sad and right now I know this is going to be so good for him. I'll miss him but I'm still close by b/c we just live five house back from the school.

Think I can get some sleep now? Doubtful but I'll try.

Close up of Madelyn Sleeping While Standing Up

 

Check out the tongue and floppy cheeks

Madelyn fell asleep standing up on the couch I was cleaning in our playroom. We bought a new carpet cleaner last week with upholstery attachment after all the vomiting and diarrhea from the stomach bug passed around the house. I decided to clean this old, ugly couch that I've had since before we got married we keep in our playroom. She hasn't been sleeping at night so of course she was exhausted but I have never seen her do this before. I tried transferring her to her bed and she woke up but went back to sleep not long after.

Our Newest (Used) Stroller

I had two triple strollers before this one. One is an awesome triple jogger I've posted photos of before on this blog. However, it doesn't go through doorways so taking it out in public indoors was not going to work well. The other one was so hard to push with heavier toddlers that I was going to break my back using it. Last week this one was posted on Craig's List and I discovered the seller lived about a mile from me. Runabout Strollers brand new are expensive. I think we got this at a steal used. I took it on a trial run to the school that Logan will be going to this morning to make sure it would go up the hill in the back and it's perfect. (We live in walking distance to his school and there is no bus that comes to our house so I will be walking all the kids every day unless it rains.) My only two problems with this stroller is that it doesn't fit well in my Expedition unless I take it apart and it has no drink holders for the kids.

My stroller that was so hard to push has been given to a new mom of triplets. It works fine for smaller babies b/c they don't weigh down the stroller and make it so hard to push. I took it to her last week and she was very thankful for it. She hugged me very tight (and I'm not a huggy type of person) and it felt so good to know how much she appreciated it. I had bought it used and it was pre-owned before that owner but it still had some life left to it. I think this will be the last stroller we ever purchase. :)

First Solo Steps

Madelyn took her first solo steps today. I came home from taking Logan and Madelyn to get their hair cut and walked in to sit her down but she stood instead. I got in front of her and encouraged her to walk towards me and her feet moved about three steps before falling. YEAH!!! Let's get this girl walking. Yeah, I know that means she'll move faster but it also means more independence and she'll stop crying everytime she's tired of crawling and wants us to pick her up. She'll be able to catch up with her brothers when playing or can walk in the grass outside instead of being scared to sit down in it. I'm ready for her to walk.

Schedule Means EVERYTHING!!!

When it was just Logan around, we had somewhat of a schedule. Did we break it? Of course. All the time. Was I strict with it? Nope. I usually had a round-about time of when he ate, when he napped, etc when he was a baby and into the toddler years.

With three babies, schedules mean everything. I don't think anyone with multiples would argue with me over this. Do we break these schedules? Yes, but not nearly as often as we did with Logan. The kids current schedule is:

Wake-up: 7-7:30
Breakfast: Immediately after getting up and changed. Madelyn must have a cup of milk before ever making it down the stairs. Feed Immediately and bananas must be part of this feeding. If not, Andrew will let everyone in the neighborhood know he has not had his "nana, nana, nana, nana, naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa."
Playtime: After eating they get some playtime, Baby Einstein DVD's, Wiggles, Sesame Street or whatever they want to do. Usually this involves some sort of destruction of the kitchen, living room, playroom or any other room they find a way into.
Snack: 9:00am If we make it this far
Lunch: 11am (If they are really tired, I may give a snack and put down for nap right before this but if they can make it further they get lunch)
Nap: 11:30-1:30 If one wakes before then, I don't care. He/she stays in crib as downtime. There is usually no crying and screaming once they wake up until after this 2 hour mark.
Snack: 2
Free play, fun, whatever until Daddy gets home
Dinner: 5:30-6
Bath: 6-6:30
PJ time after bath
Some family time after getting into PJ's
Milk before bed: 7pm
Once they are done with milk, off to bed.

If they get off this routine and what I mean is I change around a meal time or change a nap, they get all messed up.

Today Tony and I had the wonderful opportunity to spend some time together without kids. Aunt Kricket watched the kids for us at her house. We planned nap time in the car driving about one hour to her house. Only 2 out of 3 babies slept. Not good. They did great there. No problems that I'm aware of (she'll probably comment here) BUT when we got home, actually before getting them out of the vehicle, the nightmare began.

It just takes one to scream and they all scream. If you are not here to see it, I don't think you would believe it. It doesn't matter who starts it but it's usually Madelyn or Andrew that starts it. Tony described Andrew's screams today as the same no matter what's it about and it's so true. He said Andrew has the same loud scream when he drops a sippy cup as one might if their leg was being taken off by rabid badgers. The same was true tonight. I finally got them calmed down by a banana. Logan wanted a banana too but the boys did not want Logan to have one. I had to make Logan hide in the laundry room with his banana and they still stood at the laundry room door screaming for his banana even though they just ate one themselves. The twins didn't stop until I put them in their cribs and left the room tonight. Madelyn still screamed for a while after being put to bed. Thankfully they are all asleep right now.

I'm too scared to leave the house with these three during the week alone not only b/c it's hard to get around with three babies, but the fear of what I have to face when I get home and they are tired, hungry or just for the heck of it want to scream and drive me absolutely batty.

This week I tried something new with Andrew's screaming fits b/c they are so frequent. I set up a pack-n-play in my bedroom and everytime he started up with me screaming I took him and sat him in the PNP and left. I'd go back and try to calmly talk to him while he's panting for breathe and he'd start back again. This is not working effectively yet but hoping soon for results. Nothing else has worked so far either so hoping and praying I'll find a solution soon.

Tomorrow we'll aim to get back on schedule. It's Sunday and again we'll probably miss church or try to split up and take Logan at least. If we all try to go it takes forever to get us ready to get out the door and when we get home we have to start damage control b/c they have missed snack, and lunch is rushed to get them to bed asap for nap time.

I've discovered that many parents of multiples have nearby help (by means of family next door or moved into the house with them) or nannies. We have neither. I can definitely see the convenience of that. When I'm asked in public "how are you?" I just respond "I'm surviving." I know we'll make it and when we're old and feeble, they better remember what we did for them and put up with all these years and get us into a very nice retirement home.

Having Fun at Encouragym

Ain't I cute???

"Aunt Ne-Ne brought back five bags of clothes from her sister-in-law's house. Her daughter was no longer wearing all of these clothes. This little dress was one of my Mommy's favorites out of all of those hand-me-downs. I even let Mommy put a pony-tail in my hair while she played dress-up with me. My mommy pulls my hair when she does that. Somebody needs to teach her how to do that gently."

Cute stuff from 2 of the munchkins

Cute #1

A Few days ago, Melissa took Logan and Andrew up to Walkertown to visit the best neighbor in the world, Ni-ni (aka Stephanie)

As usual, Logan came back with some sweets, and this time a book about American History for beginning readers. It tells all about various things from US History. The last page shows a picture of Astronauts landing on the moon and planting a flag.

After finishing the book, Logan said "I think the Astronauts went to the moon so they could go shoot the aliens." And no, I haven't started reading Science Fiction books to him. Yet.


Cute #2

We have been working on some baby signs and animal noises for the babies, and so far, the boys can bark when they see a dog, Do the hand sign for Milk, and several other basic ones.

Well, Over the weekend We got a new carpet cleaner, that is mostly gray, with a long gray hose. Nate was walking by the box, then he looked real closely at the picture on it, and started doing the sign and noise for an Elephant. Not sure if he thought it WAS an elephant, or just looked like an elephant, but either way, it was incredibly cute.

Family Update

I haven't posted much lately b/c we have been dealing with sicknesses...me included. I'm finally as of tonight able to take in food and not disperse it immediately.

Last week before everyone started getting sick, Madelyn and Logan had their check-ups. Madelyn now weighs 24lbs 1oz. I forgot height but Tony was told she was off the growth chart for height for her age. We knew that had to be the case b/c she is slightly longer than the twins. She still weighs less than them. We're not sure that will last because she has picked up an appetite. Now that she has discovered how to pick up food and also how to swallow and not gag, she devours food faster than anyone else in our house. If she sits close to her brothers, she takes food from their trays. When she gets out of the highchair she starts looking for food on the floor. We wanted her to eat and now she can't stop eating. We used to be so frustrated with her and how she would not swallow food or open her mouth and how she spit out her food and now eating is her favorite hobby. Her belly bulges out of some her shirts now.

The pediatrician has limited her fluid intake due to her diaper blow-outs. She has not been happy with this. She loves to drink and gulp down her milk as soon as a cup is put in front of her. She doesn't know what "sip" means. She also steals sippy cups from the twins. I don't mind the sharing part BUT their cups have whole milk and she's drinking soy milk. We're trying to solve the GI problems, not make it worse so we have to make sure she is drinking from her own cups and not theirs. She's been on a medication to hopefully help with her frequent bowel movements and it seems to be working okay so far but I'm not convinced yet she's cured.

She still is not walking but hopefully she'll be doing this soon. She cruises more but she's still wobbly. She was only approved to have occupational therapy once a month through CDSA. Her other therapist we had every week changed jobs so CDSA is in the process of searching for another so it may be a while before she gets back into therapy.

The three little ones are into the "I am NOT sharing" stage. Madelyn is bossy too. The boys got it, she wants it. I've seen her push and bite to get a book, toys and to get onto the ride-on toys we have inside the house. She is truly a spicy girl. Today I witnessed them arguing over a door being open or shut. Nate and Andrew were on one side of a Weeble Wobble toy that had a drawbridge type door. The boys would open it. Madelyn would fuss and close it. The boys would fuss and open it. Madelyn would fuss and close it and this went on and on until I couldn't take it no more and took the toy away.

Logan only has a few more summer vacation weeks left before school starts. I'm going to miss him but I am really ready for him to go. That sounds awful to say but I have his best interest in mind. He NEEDS to get out and be around more kids his age and not be stuck at home with me and the babies all day. I'm excited for him. I think he'll love school. He's got a new Power Rangers bookbag and new Transformers shoes thanks to his Ma-maw. We've already bought his school supplies. This week he mastered operating the satellite remote and now can find his own shows already recorded and play them or delete them (uh-oh). He told me today he was smarter than his teacher. I kinda doubt that.

The other boys are growing up so fast. My baby boys are making some animal sounds now - not many words though. Nate looks so much like Logan. Andrew still has a baby look to him.

Tony and I have discovered that it's easier to take on two babies to one adult easier than four kids to two adults. Why? I don't know. A few times recently for a day we've split up where I've taken two and went one way and he's been left home with two. I feel like I'm on vacation only watching two kids. All four are together all the time and maybe it's a break for them too to split up so they become easier to manage, less fussing, less whining. What will it be like when Logan goes off to school? Hum?

Playground Photos

One day this week we actually had a day with no vomiting, no diarrhea, and Logan's loud mouth was off to "Safety Town" and the three babies and I made it to the mall I learned my lesson......Don't do this again by myself.

Pretty in BLUE

 

 

My mom saved this dress of mine so I would have it for my daughter one day. I only have this one and one other which is a 3-6 month size so she never got to wear it. This dress is a 18 month size and it's tight up top on Madelyn. The buttons holes are torn, the belt is missing and it's definitely got some wear and tear to it but I wanted to try it on her and see what it looked like on Madelyn. She looks adorable (but then again, she's adorable in anything she wears).