Monday, July 20, 2009
As many of you know....
After a long and somewhat triumphant battle, C & D marched into heavens doors, on March 21st and March 25th 2009. They will be missed greatly, and will always be in our thoughts!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Triplets
So the triplets turned 7 in March. They are really starting to grow up. Moving into 2nd grade.
Whenever we reach mile stones I think back to the days of not knowing what would happen.
-S coded 14 times in 1 month
-Mo coded 12 times in 1 month
-E coded 3 times a day for over a week [i lost count of his monthly count].
then there is always the other factoids...
-E came home at 2lbs 13oz, not holding any food down, but perfectly healthy other then that.
[he is now our biggest / strongest kid]
-Mo could not move her self until she was almost 5 months
[at one point we were told she was paralyzed]
[she now is my wild money woman, i found her about 20 foot up a tree this morning]
-S had seizures on an almost daily basis until 2 months old
[he now is my "big thinker", he will plot out and plans just about anything before doing]
Now they all read short chapter books, they are super duper helpers at home, and they can all swim 4 laps of a regular pool freestyle. Looking back at NICU pictures I am still shocked that they are here, this big and strong, and able.
Whenever we reach mile stones I think back to the days of not knowing what would happen.
-S coded 14 times in 1 month
-Mo coded 12 times in 1 month
-E coded 3 times a day for over a week [i lost count of his monthly count].
then there is always the other factoids...
-E came home at 2lbs 13oz, not holding any food down, but perfectly healthy other then that.
[he is now our biggest / strongest kid]
-Mo could not move her self until she was almost 5 months
[at one point we were told she was paralyzed]
[she now is my wild money woman, i found her about 20 foot up a tree this morning]
-S had seizures on an almost daily basis until 2 months old
[he now is my "big thinker", he will plot out and plans just about anything before doing]
Now they all read short chapter books, they are super duper helpers at home, and they can all swim 4 laps of a regular pool freestyle. Looking back at NICU pictures I am still shocked that they are here, this big and strong, and able.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
An invasion of PINK!
So as many of you know the las time we had a baby girl was 2001... well 7 years later we have the invasion of pink that we never had.... EVER!
With M everything was purple... we both love purple.
With Mo, as the onyl girl in the triplets, we did red blue and green, mostly to stay organized.
So now R came into our world, and while she has a fair amount of pink clothing, the only pink thing she had was her bouncy seat. Well hand me down no more, today R got her very own brand new car seat!!! And boy is it PINK!
With M everything was purple... we both love purple.
With Mo, as the onyl girl in the triplets, we did red blue and green, mostly to stay organized.
So now R came into our world, and while she has a fair amount of pink clothing, the only pink thing she had was her bouncy seat. Well hand me down no more, today R got her very own brand new car seat!!! And boy is it PINK!
Monday, August 25, 2008
Toddler Talk
The 2 y/o's are starting to talk more and more everyday. Often instructing the baby as to what she is and is not allowed to do. Most often I hear "No, no baby, that's mine".
On Saturday night we had a little break and only had the toddler twins and the baby home. So we had our friends come over with their daughter. A is 2 1/2 and has leukemia, she does not get much time wiht other kids her age, so when ever we can, L&S bring her over for a visit. We had so much fun with the jumper in the yard full of balls and the new swing set [God bless my church family for getting it for us]. We had pizza and ran around. They had so much fun.
The highlight of the visit was that H got to wrestle with S. Mind you S is about the girliest girl I know, sun dress and all. H had her on the ground rolling in the grass, they both laughed, S creid a little, but all in all it was fun. So today H & P were wrestling with me. H hurt me minorly and i said ouch. He stands up turns around and says "oh no S boo boo", looks outside for her and says "oh no bye bye". I think H has a little crush on S, L is going to have to fight for her. When i asked him if he loved her he said "oh S oh love" and blew kisses.
P on the other hand uses his words for demands. " I eat now", "more milk please", "baby boo boo me", and the ever famous "no night night, no night night". For the longest time P was a fighter, and around 18 months [when R was born] they switched roles, P became the most lovable lover. I fear he is back ot being a fighter, or at least a demanding lover! I am never going to get my sons married off, they all want to be loved too much!
On a side note I made the most fantastic roasted garlic hummus today!!! As for recipie i will have to figure it out, i just tossed stuff together.
On Saturday night we had a little break and only had the toddler twins and the baby home. So we had our friends come over with their daughter. A is 2 1/2 and has leukemia, she does not get much time wiht other kids her age, so when ever we can, L&S bring her over for a visit. We had so much fun with the jumper in the yard full of balls and the new swing set [God bless my church family for getting it for us]. We had pizza and ran around. They had so much fun.
The highlight of the visit was that H got to wrestle with S. Mind you S is about the girliest girl I know, sun dress and all. H had her on the ground rolling in the grass, they both laughed, S creid a little, but all in all it was fun. So today H & P were wrestling with me. H hurt me minorly and i said ouch. He stands up turns around and says "oh no S boo boo", looks outside for her and says "oh no bye bye". I think H has a little crush on S, L is going to have to fight for her. When i asked him if he loved her he said "oh S oh love" and blew kisses.
P on the other hand uses his words for demands. " I eat now", "more milk please", "baby boo boo me", and the ever famous "no night night, no night night". For the longest time P was a fighter, and around 18 months [when R was born] they switched roles, P became the most lovable lover. I fear he is back ot being a fighter, or at least a demanding lover! I am never going to get my sons married off, they all want to be loved too much!
On a side note I made the most fantastic roasted garlic hummus today!!! As for recipie i will have to figure it out, i just tossed stuff together.
Friday, August 22, 2008
peircings and parents
I have 5 piercings. the normal old holes in the ear lobes that i have had since i was 6 weeks old, 2 cartilage piercings on my left ear and a curved industrial in my right ear. Aside from the holes in my head, I am a cargo short wearing, Life is Good addict, pho-hawk sporting, Birkenstock wearing kind of mama.
Today we went to the doctor for C & D. While sitting there in the waiting room this gentleman sat down next to us and Con remarked "wow you have a lot of holes in your face, my mommy is a doctor she can fix them". [note: mommy gave Con stitches about 8 months ago] The man turned and said no i like the holes in my head, but thanks for the offer. He was so overly polite, and patient with my nosy 5 y/o . This mother on the other side of the room huffed, and shook her head in disapproval. [this from the mother that had no control over her 2 children, while my 5 i had with me sat in seats and munched some goldfish]
At the end of our appointment we ended up back in the waiting room, waiting on scripts, with the same polite, hole bearing, gentleman. His daughter [3 y/o] sat very nicely in the chair, and i remaked about how polite and nice they both were. He said thank you and then cracked a joke about how that other mom was so worried about her image, that her kids were turning out to be animals. With that her two sons came flying back into the waiting room wrestling, and managed to knock my stroller over [thank God i was holding R], break a chair, and kick a little girl in the leg. The mother didn't even look, she just kept chatting on her phone, and telling the nurse that the doctors office should do for her, she should not do for them. as she walked out the door her boys ran behind screaming as if she were going to leave them there.
This really made me realizes where my priorities were. My kids wrestle at home, not to the point of breaking things, but there is a time and a place for almost everything.
Then driving back through Philly I saw a bumper sticker on a car in front of us that said "Piercings don't define the Parent", then stopped a a traffic light i realized it was our hole filled daddy. I really am still amazed by just how superficial many people in our area are!
Today we went to the doctor for C & D. While sitting there in the waiting room this gentleman sat down next to us and Con remarked "wow you have a lot of holes in your face, my mommy is a doctor she can fix them". [note: mommy gave Con stitches about 8 months ago] The man turned and said no i like the holes in my head, but thanks for the offer. He was so overly polite, and patient with my nosy 5 y/o . This mother on the other side of the room huffed, and shook her head in disapproval. [this from the mother that had no control over her 2 children, while my 5 i had with me sat in seats and munched some goldfish]
At the end of our appointment we ended up back in the waiting room, waiting on scripts, with the same polite, hole bearing, gentleman. His daughter [3 y/o] sat very nicely in the chair, and i remaked about how polite and nice they both were. He said thank you and then cracked a joke about how that other mom was so worried about her image, that her kids were turning out to be animals. With that her two sons came flying back into the waiting room wrestling, and managed to knock my stroller over [thank God i was holding R], break a chair, and kick a little girl in the leg. The mother didn't even look, she just kept chatting on her phone, and telling the nurse that the doctors office should do for her, she should not do for them. as she walked out the door her boys ran behind screaming as if she were going to leave them there.
This really made me realizes where my priorities were. My kids wrestle at home, not to the point of breaking things, but there is a time and a place for almost everything.
Then driving back through Philly I saw a bumper sticker on a car in front of us that said "Piercings don't define the Parent", then stopped a a traffic light i realized it was our hole filled daddy. I really am still amazed by just how superficial many people in our area are!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
A Note on C & D
I have received many messages about the status of C & D. Well all around they are not doing too bad. They could be doing better, but hey this is C & D we are talking about.
Seeing as it is 10:12 at night I am going to write this and pre apologize if it is a ramble.
Con is doing better that D. David has been running a low grade fever pretty much since June. This is a huge cause for concern of infections and with a house of so many kids this is tough. C & D's room is off limits to all kids, the one powder room is C&D only, and the family room is C&D only. The biggest breaker of this rule is the tiny little 13lb baby girl who for some reason is totally in love with Con, and will do any thing to crawl or couch cruise into there. They are both on 24 hour feeding pumps, and are supposed to eat as much as they want, and anything they want. The goal at this point is to fatten them up. However, when you are a 23lb 5 y/o you have plenty to go to fat. They actually are to the point of skinny-ness where they are having trouble maintaining / regulating body heat. Pretty much at this point we need to make sure they have at least 3000 cals a day. They are also on a super reduced activity "diet". Pretty much they are instructed to sit around and eat as much as possible [the total opposite as mama]. They have watch so many videos, and played video games. I even pulled out a VHS player, and started having them watch movies i liked when i was younger. [as a side note: my kids are totally not used to tv time I actually think they are starting to hate tv]
As it looks now they will start school as normal on the 3rd with everyone else, however they will each have a one on one nurse, extra snacks, a feed pump, a lack of being able to play, meds out the wahzoo, a wardrobe of clothes in case they are hot or cold, and a ton of extra prayers. Could Conor and David start Kindergarten any other way?!?!
For now we are hoping and praying that things will turn around. We have the NICU Grad BBQ on Saturday evening, and with 7 NICU Grads in this house, this is like a family reunion for us! We are really hoping that they will be level enough, and feel up to going. Honestly I would rather go for 30 mins and they say they don't feel good and want to go home then to not get to go at all.
OH......
On a good note R is 8 months old today.... she is full out crawling, can make it all the way up the steps with mama right behind her, is couch cruising everything, and can let go and stand there a few seconds! I fear she will be walking very soon, and then there goes any chance of me using the potty alone!
Seeing as it is 10:12 at night I am going to write this and pre apologize if it is a ramble.
Con is doing better that D. David has been running a low grade fever pretty much since June. This is a huge cause for concern of infections and with a house of so many kids this is tough. C & D's room is off limits to all kids, the one powder room is C&D only, and the family room is C&D only. The biggest breaker of this rule is the tiny little 13lb baby girl who for some reason is totally in love with Con, and will do any thing to crawl or couch cruise into there. They are both on 24 hour feeding pumps, and are supposed to eat as much as they want, and anything they want. The goal at this point is to fatten them up. However, when you are a 23lb 5 y/o you have plenty to go to fat. They actually are to the point of skinny-ness where they are having trouble maintaining / regulating body heat. Pretty much at this point we need to make sure they have at least 3000 cals a day. They are also on a super reduced activity "diet". Pretty much they are instructed to sit around and eat as much as possible [the total opposite as mama]. They have watch so many videos, and played video games. I even pulled out a VHS player, and started having them watch movies i liked when i was younger. [as a side note: my kids are totally not used to tv time I actually think they are starting to hate tv]
As it looks now they will start school as normal on the 3rd with everyone else, however they will each have a one on one nurse, extra snacks, a feed pump, a lack of being able to play, meds out the wahzoo, a wardrobe of clothes in case they are hot or cold, and a ton of extra prayers. Could Conor and David start Kindergarten any other way?!?!
For now we are hoping and praying that things will turn around. We have the NICU Grad BBQ on Saturday evening, and with 7 NICU Grads in this house, this is like a family reunion for us! We are really hoping that they will be level enough, and feel up to going. Honestly I would rather go for 30 mins and they say they don't feel good and want to go home then to not get to go at all.
OH......
On a good note R is 8 months old today.... she is full out crawling, can make it all the way up the steps with mama right behind her, is couch cruising everything, and can let go and stand there a few seconds! I fear she will be walking very soon, and then there goes any chance of me using the potty alone!
Schedule
So many of you have asked me...
As a mom of 9 how do you manage it all or what kind of schedule do you have?
Well schedule is 75% of how I do it! {5 % is help, 10% insanity, and 10% God}
Our week days are pretty average at the moment. M S Mo & E are in camp every week day until 3 days before school starts. C & D are pretty much couch bound. H & P are you normal old crazy insane 2 y/o boys. Then there is R, she is my God sent, generally the most easy going baby EVER! Mommy is working full time at the moment, 7:30-3 at the office, and then teaching a class every night.
5:15am I wake and drive to Starbucks {aka HEAVEN}
5:30am Mama kicks Mommy out of bed and into the shower/ R gets up to nurse
5:45am mix and pour in more formula into C&D's feeding pumps
6:00am Wake M S Mo & E to get ready for camp
6:15am Scrambled eggs, toast, canadian bacon, and apple juice for kids
6:30am H & P wake, climb in their seats, and sit and eat [they usually finish first]
6:45am Make sure Mommy is out of the shower and almost downstairs/ toddlers on potty
7:00am Bus pulls up out front / shove Mommy [w/ eggs and C bacon on toast out the door]
7:15am Put laundry in /clean up kitchen
7:30am Nurse R
7:45am Toddlers on potty
8:00am Get toddlers outside to play
8:15am Round 2 of laundry
8:30am Wake C & D
8:45am C & D eating / toddlers on potty
9:00am R down for am nap
9:15am Round 3 of laundry
9:30am Playing with kids
9:45am Toddlers on potty
10:00am Playing / Go for a walk
10:45am toddlers on potty/ make lunch
11:00am Toddlers and R eat lunch/ nurse R
11:45am Toddlers on the potty
12:00am Outside play
12:45am Toddlers on potty / R nurse / C & D sit to eat
1:00pm H & P & R go down for nap / C & D put in a movie [they fall asleep]
1:00pm-2:00pm Mama has self time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2:00pm Unload/ load dishwasher
2:15pm Hand wash dirty pots & pans
2:30pm Start folding laundry
3:00pm R up to nurse
3:15pm R back to sleep / finish folding or hanging clothes
3:30pm Big kids come home and shower
4:00pm Prep dinner
4:30pm Toddlers & R up / toddlers on potty
4:45pm R nurse / everyone else outside
5:00pm Make dinner
5:30pm R eats / toddlers on potty
6:00pm Mommy gets home / dinner
6:45pm C D H P & R bath [honestly often all of them bathe together]
[due to C & D's Mic Key's I need to bathe them, and this is my one super lazy thing I do]
7:00pm Everyone in PJ's / R nurses / family TV time
7:30pm R down for the night
8:00pm Toddler potty / big kids in bed reading
8:30pm All in bed lights out [except M] / Mama and M time
9:00pm M in bed
9:30pm Pack lunches for tomorrow / set out clothes
[our kids clothes are not stored in thier rooms]
10:00pm Mama and Mommy get in bed to watch tv [i might see 5 mins]
1:30am Randomly R will wake to eat [this is a 1-2 night a week thing now, not every night!]
Some days it changes a little, but that is a perfect day. As doe school year it is not much different, just C & D are not home, and evening outdoor play turns into homework time. Also Laundry is not every day, i have double washer and dryer, so in 3 rounds i get done 6 loads, which is about 4-5 days worth of laundry. There are little things not listed here either like med times, and the fact that i fill the toddlers sippy cups 15 + times a day [i will allow this as long as it all makes it into the potty].
Starting in the fall i will have a little more time as we will have some help. Her name is Kyla, she is 22 years old, and going to school in the evening for education. She will be doing laundry, general kid room cleaning, and organization. She will also get to play and have fun, and be an extra set of hands at Little Gym. If all goes well and I trust her alone with the kids, I will probibly sign the baby up for Little Gym so her and I can go alone.
Dishwasher calling.... bye!
As a mom of 9 how do you manage it all or what kind of schedule do you have?
Well schedule is 75% of how I do it! {5 % is help, 10% insanity, and 10% God}
Our week days are pretty average at the moment. M S Mo & E are in camp every week day until 3 days before school starts. C & D are pretty much couch bound. H & P are you normal old crazy insane 2 y/o boys. Then there is R, she is my God sent, generally the most easy going baby EVER! Mommy is working full time at the moment, 7:30-3 at the office, and then teaching a class every night.
5:15am I wake and drive to Starbucks {aka HEAVEN}
5:30am Mama kicks Mommy out of bed and into the shower/ R gets up to nurse
5:45am mix and pour in more formula into C&D's feeding pumps
6:00am Wake M S Mo & E to get ready for camp
6:15am Scrambled eggs, toast, canadian bacon, and apple juice for kids
6:30am H & P wake, climb in their seats, and sit and eat [they usually finish first]
6:45am Make sure Mommy is out of the shower and almost downstairs/ toddlers on potty
7:00am Bus pulls up out front / shove Mommy [w/ eggs and C bacon on toast out the door]
7:15am Put laundry in /clean up kitchen
7:30am Nurse R
7:45am Toddlers on potty
8:00am Get toddlers outside to play
8:15am Round 2 of laundry
8:30am Wake C & D
8:45am C & D eating / toddlers on potty
9:00am R down for am nap
9:15am Round 3 of laundry
9:30am Playing with kids
9:45am Toddlers on potty
10:00am Playing / Go for a walk
10:45am toddlers on potty/ make lunch
11:00am Toddlers and R eat lunch/ nurse R
11:45am Toddlers on the potty
12:00am Outside play
12:45am Toddlers on potty / R nurse / C & D sit to eat
1:00pm H & P & R go down for nap / C & D put in a movie [they fall asleep]
1:00pm-2:00pm Mama has self time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2:00pm Unload/ load dishwasher
2:15pm Hand wash dirty pots & pans
2:30pm Start folding laundry
3:00pm R up to nurse
3:15pm R back to sleep / finish folding or hanging clothes
3:30pm Big kids come home and shower
4:00pm Prep dinner
4:30pm Toddlers & R up / toddlers on potty
4:45pm R nurse / everyone else outside
5:00pm Make dinner
5:30pm R eats / toddlers on potty
6:00pm Mommy gets home / dinner
6:45pm C D H P & R bath [honestly often all of them bathe together]
[due to C & D's Mic Key's I need to bathe them, and this is my one super lazy thing I do]
7:00pm Everyone in PJ's / R nurses / family TV time
7:30pm R down for the night
8:00pm Toddler potty / big kids in bed reading
8:30pm All in bed lights out [except M] / Mama and M time
9:00pm M in bed
9:30pm Pack lunches for tomorrow / set out clothes
[our kids clothes are not stored in thier rooms]
10:00pm Mama and Mommy get in bed to watch tv [i might see 5 mins]
1:30am Randomly R will wake to eat [this is a 1-2 night a week thing now, not every night!]
Some days it changes a little, but that is a perfect day. As doe school year it is not much different, just C & D are not home, and evening outdoor play turns into homework time. Also Laundry is not every day, i have double washer and dryer, so in 3 rounds i get done 6 loads, which is about 4-5 days worth of laundry. There are little things not listed here either like med times, and the fact that i fill the toddlers sippy cups 15 + times a day [i will allow this as long as it all makes it into the potty].
Starting in the fall i will have a little more time as we will have some help. Her name is Kyla, she is 22 years old, and going to school in the evening for education. She will be doing laundry, general kid room cleaning, and organization. She will also get to play and have fun, and be an extra set of hands at Little Gym. If all goes well and I trust her alone with the kids, I will probibly sign the baby up for Little Gym so her and I can go alone.
Dishwasher calling.... bye!
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