Merry F'ing Christmas!

Today is Christmas day and although a very nice day (weather wise and gift receiving wise), it has been one hell of an annoying baby day!  They all slept in until about 6am.  We fed everyone, changed diapers and put them back to bed, where they stayed until about 8:30am.  We got them ready in their santa suits and headed over to T's parents house.  All was fine at first, but then quickly turned into the day from hell.  There was ALWAYS one of them fussing and it felt like the day would never end.  (It's actually not even over.)  Even after getting them home, Amelia could just not be consoled - we ended up feeding her a little more, but even that was a chore and in the middle of all that, little T started to act up.  We then had both of the screaming.  They both then fell asleep - Tony took Amelia up to her crib and I took little T up a few minutes later, but only Amelia stayed sleeping.  Little T started screaming again and I was able to get him sleeping on his belly a few minutes later.  About an hour later, he woke up again and in turn woke Amelia up again.  They're both out again currently, but little T is sleeping in the rock n play because he just wouldn't lay in his crib without screaming.  It's just like we brought him home from the hospital when every night we'd have to bring him into our room to sleep.  Hopefully this is just a hiccup because of all the commotion of the day and different surroundings.
I have something weighing heavily on me tonight.  Since I'm leaving my clinical job at the end of the year, I thought I'd bring home some screening equipment from work so I can test my babies hearing.  Olivia passed her OAE testing with flying colors in each ear from 1500 - 10,000 Hz.  I was only able to test one of Amelia's ears because she was too awake at the time and right now I can't even remember which ear I tested, but she passed (in the one ear).  I'll likely test her again tomorrow.  I tested little T as well and got him to pass in the left ear, but not in the right.  Based on this, I assumed maybe he had some middle ear fluid and planned on testing him again tomorrow before I take the equipment back to work.  Well I had my little man sleeping in my lap earlier (after one of his screaming episodes) so I decided to run the OAEs again.  Left ear - passed all frequencies again - and right 'referred' again for all frequencies except 3000 - 4000 Hz.  Now I'm starting worry a bit more that it's more than just MEE.  All I can think of now is what would I do if he ends up having a permanent hearing loss.  Would I aid that ear if his other ear is normal? Could it still be just fluid?  How easy/difficult would it be to keep a hearing aid on a 4 month old?  I'd love to think that everything is just fine, but realize there very well could be a problem.  What makes me think that God would bless me with three healthy babies with no problems.  I don't know if I've done enough good in my life to have been blessed that much.
Something that I've learned or rather realized in the past few days is what real LOVE is.  I remember having a conversation with some friends about their husbands to be.  I think we were all engaged at the time or at least two of us were.  Both of them said that they loved their partner so much that they would do anything for them - even die for them.  I didn't really answer at the time, but thought about what they said and recalled that I had never felt that way about anyone.  That's not to say that I don't love my mom and day or sisters or even my husband, but I know at the time I didn't feel that way about anyone and haven't until I had kids.  I realize now that I would do ANYTHING to keep my babies safe - even kill or be killed.  Wow!  that sounds so extreme, but it's the truth.  So even after the day from hell, I would still do anything for my kids. 
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!  (the night is basically over w/o any other issues :))
Here's some pictures taken in the morning before all Hell broke loose!

Five more days!

It's eight days until Christmas and I don't feel ready or 'in the spirit' at all this year.  It feels the same as when I was in college and I had finals up until a few days before and I couldn't really afford to get anyone anything good.  Now I'm working every day - come home to jump right into mommy duty and the weekends are the same (other than going into work).  I've had a few appointments over the past few weeks because of my PITA.  I feel bad not being there to help out, but justify it to myself that if I'm not at my best, how can I be there for them.

Baby update!  Amelia, as of her 4 month pediatrician appt weighed in at 11 lbs, 9 1/2 oz.  She's been eating like a champ ever since we got the new medium flow nipples - maybe she was just sucking so hard before that she tired herself out with the slow flow ones!  She's still not able to eat as fast as her brother and sister, but she's always done within 20 minutes.  She's consistently eating 5 oz. and at night she's been eating 6oz.  She'll sleep from around 9pm to about 5:30 - 6am.  We've noticed that she doesn't like to eat if she has a wet diaper, she'll just put her hands out on yours and push them away from her.  She's typically a very happy baby and will give you the cutest little smile if you smile at her.  She gets a little cranky at bed time - when you put her down on the changing table and put some lotion on her, she starts to get pouty and starts to cry.  I think she doesn't want to go to bed, but she'll fall asleep in her crib within a few minutes.  Amelia was the first baby to roll over from her back to her belly.  The actual roll was not observed, but was found on her belly after being put down on her back over at T's parents house after a big day out to the farmer's market in Hamilton this past Friday.

Little Tony weighed 13 lbs 10 oz. as of December 9th.  You can tell he's he's the heaviest and has the best neck control of the three of them.  He's also a pretty happy baby, but lets you know when he wants his diaper changed or when he's hungry.  He's been eating 5 oz consistently during the day every 3.5 - 4 hours, and 6oz at night.  We're considering bumping him and Olivia to 6 oz because they seem to get hungry within 3 hours instead of 4!  I can't believe how big he's getting.  I had him laying on the bed the other day and measured him up against my leg and he's as long from my foot to above my knee.  He hasn't rolled over just yet, but he can definitely roll onto his side from his back and he no longer likes to lay on his belly like he did just a few short months ago.  That was his 'go-to' position if you couldn't settle him down, but I find it doesn't work anymore.  I came home from work the other day and he was 'talking' up a storm - so cute - and I absolutely LOVE to watch his facial expressions when he sees one of his sisters.  I really have to get a video of it because it's so cute to watch.  He's been sleeping pretty well too, but the past few nights he wakes up in the middle of the night either cause he's hungry or wet, but last night he slept the whole night so hopefully we're back on track.

Olivia is also a great eater and also sleeping through the night.  She's no longer the first one to wake up every time like she used to be.  As of her last ped. appt she weighed 12lbs, 13 oz.  Again, I know I sound like a broken record, but I can't believe how big she's gotten - from her tiny little 4lb 5 oz beginning to almost 13 lbs in 4 short months!  She also loves to 'talk'.  She can get quite loud and excited with her babbling and she also gets the greatest facial expressions when she's sees her brother or sister.  She's not quite sure what to make of them sometimes, but also smiles at them.  She's a pretty happy baby, but she has her days!  She's likely just a few more days away from being able to roll over from her back to her belly.  She gets so close sometimes, but not quite - even though she was credited with her first belly to back roll a few days ago. 

Overall, everyone is doing really well and I can't complain for the most part - they're all good babies - it just seems like they all get a little ornery around 4-5pm (when I get home) - even on the weekends I noticed it around that time so it's NOT just me :)

It's like a day care!

I was just looking around the house and noticing all of the 'stuff' we have for the babies.  We have two large swings and two small ones, two space-saver high chairs, two rock n plays, one r/her rocker/vibrating chair, three car seats, one pack n play with a 'jungle' in it, and two other activity mats.  All of this in our living room!!!  This doesn't even include the rest of the adult furniture or fact that the Christmas tree is up.  I guess we like giving each baby their choice in what to sit/lay them in, but it's getting a bit crowded.
We had a pretty good day.  The babies have been sleeping from 8:30pm to about 7am for the past few nights, but I of course am used to them waking at 4am to eat, so I naturally wake up then and check the clock every 1/2 hour until they do wake up.  I went to get bagels - I told T that I would get bagels weeks ago, but never did, until today!  So we had breakfast, T went for a hair cut and then cleared the back yard of leaves.  I got some things dose in the house, including finally filling out the Similac multiples formula offer.  I actually did fill out one a while ago, but I guess it was an old form.  I also got to fill out a little more in the baby books that T has been hounding me to do.  I had to look through my camera and my first sonograms to find out some of the info - like when did I first learn I was pregnant.  Interestingly enough, it was January 1st that I took a home pregnancy test that came out positive.  T and I had been in Las Vegas between Christmas and New Years and I had underwent my IUI toward the beginning of December and I remember choosing NOT to drink during the whole trip just in case this month was the month it would happen.  During the trip, my breasts were tender and I was more tired than usual which I knew could be signs, but I had mis-read other things in previous months so I didn't want to get my hopes up.  But sure enough, I WAS indeed pregnant - and with triplets - I could never have imagined my life now back then!  I then had to wait another few days/weeks to go back for my blood test - until I had missed my period by a few days.  I had a blood test that confirmed everything and then went in for a sonogram.  T went with me for the first one and they discovered three sacs!  I don't really remember much of my thoughts at the time, but I remember looking over at T and he had a huge grin on his face - sort of shock, but mostly pure joy!  It was too early to hear heart beats, and I recall them saying that sometimes one doesn't make it but that I'd be coming in again the following week for another US.  Well, long story short, all of them 'made' it - and we wouldn't change a thing!
One final thought  - related to the title of this post - I'm feeling like my job and some of the people I work with - (ok really just one in particular )is acting like a big baby.  I'd just like to thank you for letting me know that you're going my book over my paperwork time or reschedule patients in 1/2 the time that is alloted for the test or that my patient was rescheduled at all.  I'm totally being sarcastic here.  I know I'm leaving the job, but I thought you could at least treat me with respect during my last few weeks.  I don't want to leave angry, but these things are really trying my patience.

Rolling on by...

I can't believe how the past 4 months have seen to have flown by.  Later this week, my babies will be 4 months old and it seems like just a few weeks ago, I brought them home.  They've also gotten so much bigger.  I remember them being the length of my arm and how they'd fit three across in the pack n play the going across the narrow end and now I don't even think they'd fit across the long way!
They are much more enjoyable these days.  I get home and I get smiles all around.  They all have noticed their hands and Little T has been seen removing his pacifier from his mouth and holding it in his hand.  He also likes to grab one hand with the other.  Speaking of pacifiers - he's the only one that consistently takes it any more.  The two girls only take it once in a while and end up finding their thumb to soothe themselves.
One final update - Olivia rolled over from her belly to her back.  T layed her on her belly in the crib and I looked at her a few moments later and she was on her back!  We tried to turn her back over to see if she'd do it again, but I think she expended all of her energy doing it the first time so we could not replicate it.  I'm sure soon enough she'll be rolling all over the place and the first time won't seem so special, but it's special right now!  A few minutes later, we were watching Amelia in her crib and she went from her back to her side.  It looked like she was trying to roll over to her belly, but she couldn't quite get all the way over.  Soon enough! 
The babies had visitors yesterday - T's friend from work - Jason and his wife Michelle.  They got to hold, feed and talk to the babies.  They also had another visitor today - our neighbor Beth came over to help feed them and even changed a diaper.  She brought over some dinner - jambalaya - it was very good and nice that T didn't have to cook for a change.
Well it's almost time to feed them again - and then time for bed for everyone.

Taking the plunge!

Well, I made the decision!  I've decided to resign my position at the hospital and accepted a position at another hearing aid manufacturer.  My employment is contingent upon passing a background check and drug test.  The suggestion was made that I wouldn't actually give notice until I knew I passed the background check, but I'm living on the edge a bit and I plan to give notice tomorrow so I can start the position on January 3.  New year, new job!  I'm just glad that my supervisor and director were pretty cool about me leaving - well as 'cool' as they could be - I know they're not happy about it, but they both understand that it's something I need to do for me and my family.  It's more money, less stress - or at least a different kind of stress, and did I mention more money!!