Day 2 of Day Care and Day 1 of Back to Work for Mommy

So today was the 2nd day that the girls went to the child development center and it went wonderfully! Everyone is so great there and they get so excited when we walk in! They all go "Oh!! Here comes the triplets!!" The girls teachers name is Joy and she is really sweet! She is always saying how pretty the girls are (well OF COURSE they are LOL) and how good they are. I am happy that they are "behaving" themselves during the day! I have noticed on their report cards that they seem to be staying awake a bit more during the day as well so I am hoping that might make a difference in their sleeping... only time will tell for sure though!
As for Mommy's first day back to work - it was nice. Everyone was SO sweet to me saying welcome back and they missed me and of course - all of the "You look great!"s were a wonderful boost to the ego! Now if I can just get a bit more sleep - it'll be good.

2 Days late but Happy 3 Month Birthday Baby Girls!

Ok so I am 2 days late in doing this - but Happy Birthday Baby girls!!!
Gosh - Cant believe that they are 3 months old already! What a crazy 3 weeks it's been for us since the girls came home!
It has REALLY been a huge adjustment for us let me tell you! I love them SO much but damn can they be frustrating too! Whew!
I go back to work on Tuesday and the girls start daycare on Monday. I am actually looking forward to it to be honest – I need that break from them and the adult time for sure. All my kudos to stay at home moms – I couldn’t do it! It is A LOT of work for sure!
Other than that – the girls are doing really well! Kat is up to 8.5lbs, Leigha is 7lbs 11 oz and Taylor is 6lbs 11oz. Kat is SUCH a little butter ball! It’s so funny to pick her up and then pick up Taylor afterwards – you almost launch Tay over your head! LOL We went to the cardiologist last week for a follow up on the hole’s in Kats and Lee’s heart and they have outgrown them so that is great news! We are still having trouble getting them to sleep through the night so I started giving them a bit of rice 2 nights ago and it seemed to work a little – I gave them such a small amount because I was scared to do it – but I am slowly working more and more in. We really need them to sleep longer than a 3 – 4 hour stretch because it takes us about 30 -45 minutes to feed each one so we are just finishing up feeding the last one and the first one is waking up again! I think in the last 3 weeks I am averaging about 4 hours of periodic sleep a night – its really hard but I wouldn’t change it for the world! They are so much fun and so cute – just can’t wait until they get a little older!

Sleeping through the night

WAHOO!!!! Taylor slept through the night 2 nights ago and Kaitlyn slept through the night last night! Now if we could only get Leigha to do it - we'd be rocking!! Yippee for big girls!

Chunky Monkeys

The girls got their 2nd synergy (RSV) shot yesterday and did really well. Taylor was a little cranky so I had to sleep with her last night – but Kat and Lee Lee were rock stars! We did give them Tylenol as a preventative type thing and it worked really well. Thank you Nani for the suggestion!
They were also weighed and measured again and they have grown quite a bit!
Kaitlyn is now 7lbs 15oz and 18 3/4 inches
Leigha is now 7lbs 5oz and 17 inches long and
Taylor is now 6lbs 3oz and 18 3/4 inches long!
Can you believe Kat is almost 8lbs now? She’s a little chunky monkey!!! They are right on track for their weight gain - the nurse said they like them to triple their weight in the first 3 -6 months and they are all either over or right at that number!

They also were re-tested to see if they could be taken off of their oxygen. Kat passed the room air test and will be tested for an extended time next week. If she passes – she will be off of the O2 then! Yippee! Taylor and Leigha still need it for a little while longer - but all in all they are doing awesome!!
They are still only sleeping about 4 hours a stretch so we are definitely hurting on the sleep scale but as everyone keeps telling me - it won't last forever! LOL
They also have been released to daycare so they will start at the child development center at the end of April!

To be or not to be....

So I have been feeling this way for the last couple of days since the girls have been home and I have to say it - I give MAJOR props to women who stay home all the time with their children.
I am ready to go back to work.
As much as I love my girls and would jump in front of a speeding car for them - they frustrate me to no end. I am amazed at how in love you can be with your children while being completely frustrated with them at the same time. I know that our situation is not normal by any stretch of the imagination and that our frustration level is increased more than usual, but we wouldn't change it for the world. We couldn't imagine one of the girls not being here but I won't lie and say that it has all been roses and posies either. It is HARD work - it is frustrating - it is tiring - it is emotionally draining - and it is the best thing in the world all at the same time!

Having said that - I also know myself and I know that I NEED the outside stimulation. My career is important to me - I have worked VERY hard to get where I am and don't want to walk away from that. I am ready to go back to work and see my crew and my friends there, I am ready to deal with the stupidity of the hoops we have to jump through, I am ready to do things 40 times because people don't get all of the information up front and I am ready to get my butt chewed out for something that someone in my crew did wrong - but most of all - I am ready to be "Sherry, Installation Manager" and not just "Sherry, mommy of the Triplets".
Not that the two can't mix or that I don't know it is all about balance - but for me - that balance is combining the two rolls. Being a mother is the best and hardest thing that I have ever done - but I wouldn't be the mommy that I am without being the employee that I am as well. I think my manager summed it up best in my performance appraisal when she said 'Sherry has the innate ability to get more work done than the average person could. She is very organized, very likable and has the ability to stay focused and on track no matter what is thrown her way.' I hope those qualities bleed over into my life as a mommy as well and that my girls can look at me as a role model as to how to be a great mother while maintaining their own identity. That is more important to me than I realized - that I am not only defined by my status as a mother - but also as a friend, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, and mother. Being a mother is a hard fought dream come true for me and I am thankful for the blessings that God has given us. I feel like since we fought so hard to get to this point, that I shouldn't feel the frustration that I do because after all - I wanted this right? Yes - I did - we did. At the same time I can't help but feel like I am doing something wrong when they cry for no reason and I don't know why - or that I can't get them to sleep in their cribs so they are sleeping in laundry baskets - or when they throw up their bottle because I didn't hold them long enough after they ate because their sister was crying for their bottle too- or when I get frustrated and raise my voice to them. I know in my head that I'm doing everything that I can for them and in the grand scheme of things - who cares if they sleep in laundry baskets - but my heart hurts sometimes because I wonder if they will resent me when they are older because they didn't have my undivided attention - they have always had to share us. Guess only time will tell - It's all about balance right?

First weeks home

The girls have been home for a little while now and we are so happy they are home - and SO exhausted! It is really hard taking care of 3 newborns! It feels like all we do is clean bottles, fill bottles, feed someone, change diapers, and wash clothes. Then we do it all over again!
The girls are eating about every 3 hours so needless to say we aren't getting much sleep.
We have also discovered that they are scared of their cribs and since we were told not to let them sleep in the same crib together due to SIDS, the only other thing I could think of was to put them in laundry baskets - so that's what we did!
Taylor has a bit of reflux - so she is sleeping in her papason chair (thank you Laura!) and Kat and Leigha are sleeping in the baskets. It is working out great so far! Now, I just have to figure out how to acclimate them to the cribs. I have been asking my friends who also have multiples for their suggestions and have gotten some pretty good ones - so we'll try some of those. I am amazed at how different the information is that everyone gets from the hospitals. We were told not to let them sleep together at all but several of my friends have put their children together in the cribs and weren't told that at all.
We also had to complete infant CPR, watch about a half a dozen videos, and do a car seat trial before the girls were released to us, while others just walk right out with their kids. Makes me wonder if it wouldn't be beneficial for all new parents to at least be required to take infant CPR but who knows. Amazing how all places are different.
That's about it for now - Leigha is starting to sqwuak so looks like I am back to feeding or changing someone! LOL Any advice anyone has is MUCH appreciated!
Here are some recent pics of the girls -

Taylor and Daddy all tuckered out


Taylor


Leigha and her milk mouth :)


Leigha and Kaitlyn holding hands - is that not THE cutest thing ever?


The new sleeping quarters. For the low low price of $7.99 you too can enjoy this type of comfort! LOL (Kaitlyn)


All of the girls together - Look how small Taylor is compared to Leigha and Kaitlyn! Little tiny peanut!