Happiness is sharing a piece of freshly baked bread with my daughter as we do the shopping
Happiness is getting a hug from my son and realising he doesn't want to let go to quickly
Happiness is watching my husband walk through the door with a smile on his face every afternoon
Happiness is eye contact with Ailah and receiving a huge first smile
Happiness is having healthy children - 5 of them!
Happiness is watching family smother my children with love
Happiness is taking Amali for a trail ride on her pony for the first time in months
Happiness is Dylan turning his head when he hears his Daddy's voice
Happiness is watching a woman tenderly help her elderly father into the car
Happiness is having wonderful friends
Happiness is dipping freshly made cookies into a cup of tea
Happiness is hearing your children play with each other
Happiness is realising Isaac did not feed through the night, but slept til 4am
Happiness is seeing the look on Amali's face when her little sister smiled at her
Happiness is watching father and son hoon around on a motorbike
Happiness is listening to Daddy tell his daughter he'll take her clothes shopping
Happiness is having the gift of fertility, easily
Happiness is watching Daddy and the older children making themselves dinner together
Happiness is gazing at 3 sleeping babies, all facing the same way
Happiness is being told by my daughter that she loves me. Every day
Happiness is watching my peacock sit at the nursery door
Happiness is having a daytime nap, snuggled up with one, or more, of my babies
Happiness is going for a walk while my daughter rides happily beside me
Happiness is playing with my little filly for the first time in 9 months
Happiness is feeling content.
Thursday 18 October 2012
Friday 12 October 2012
40 Weeks!
Happy due date to me
Happy due date to me!
Happy due date to meeeeee,
Happy due date to me!
October 12th. 40 weeks. Looking at the babies now, all together they've put on about 1kg, I reckon I could have carried another kilo. Hehehehehehe!
I thought I'd share lots of pics of myself, Daniel, Jordan and Amali as babies, as well as the triplets. You can see a huge resemblance between us and some remarkable likeness in some!
Happy due date to me!
Happy due date to meeeeee,
Happy due date to me!
October 12th. 40 weeks. Looking at the babies now, all together they've put on about 1kg, I reckon I could have carried another kilo. Hehehehehehe!
I thought I'd share lots of pics of myself, Daniel, Jordan and Amali as babies, as well as the triplets. You can see a huge resemblance between us and some remarkable likeness in some!
Here is me aged around 7 weeks, and Daniel around 3 months.
Jordan and Amali
I never realised how much alike they looked until I put these two photos side by side.
Ailah and Amali
Ok, so she doesn't have the roundness yet, but you get the general idea!
Isaac and Jordan
He has Jordan's huge eyes.
Amali and two shots of Dylan
You can tell he got her chubby cheeks!
And this is just to show that Amali and Ailah have more than looks in common. Little wrigglers!
This is Amali the first time she slept in her pram. Needless to say I did her up from then on.
Something funny occurred to me over the last week. I look at Dylan and think 'gosh you're huge!'. In actual fact, he's 3.2kg now. Amali was 3.8kg born. Jordan was 4.2kg born. Puts it into perspective doesn't it?
Monday 8 October 2012
1 Month Old (a little late)
Can you believe it? I can't! My bubbas are 1 month! It seems like only yesterday I was sitting in the Special Care Unit gazing down at my newborn triplets. I wonder how many years I'll say that for.....
So, it's still pretty easy. I won't lie, there are hard times. About 6-8pm. Witching hour (or 2). They are a little unsettled and really want to just be held at this time. Which is not possible. It may sound harsh, but until you've had more than 1 new born, you probably won't understand! And I mean that in the nicest way!
You just can't hold them and cuddle them to sleep (apart from the above photo, this does not happen!). I only have 2 arms, and usually one is doing something with the other children or making dinner. I let me babies cry. I don't really do 'cry it out', but I am getting them to self settle. Dylan does it himself 80% of the time, Ailah about 50% of the time and Isaac about 20% of the time - that's without dummies.
Ahhhh, dummies. The most wonderful creation and also the worst. They are a complete Catch 22. Jordan had one until 6 months old when he got his first cold, had a blocked nose and that was it. Dummy gone. I gave Amali one when she was about 5 weeks old, and she turned into a possessed baby so I promptly got rid of it. Now, 3.5 years later she still sucks her fingers.........hmmmmm.
I do use dummies with the trio. Dylan has only just started liking one, which I'm not sure I like! Isaac is quite dummy dependent and Ailah usually only when she is unsettled. I'm in two minds. I will keep you updated on that one!
I also do routines. I use that word carefully. I am still flexible, but I keep and eye on the clock somewhat. Here is our daily routine:
5-7am wake, changed and fed, settled back to sleep
9-10am wake, changed, 'play', fed and settled back to sleep
12-1pm wake, changed, 'play', fed and settled back to sleep
3-4pm wake, changed, 'play', fed and settled back to sleep
6-7pm wake, changed, 'play', fed and settled back to sleep - this one usually takes a LONG time
8:30-10pm, wake, 'play', bath, fed and settled down for the night
They then wake between 1-2am are fed and put back to sleep, I only change them if they have a poo
And then we do it all over again!
And I'm sure this is about to change. As it will many times over. But it works for me. Lots of people ask me about feeding. If one wakes and another looks to be stirring, I wake that one as well and feed both together. Then the 3rd. If one wakes and no one else is stirring, I feed that one by itself and then wake the 2nd and 3rd. If all wake - I may put one in the swing or lie them next to me with a dummy firmly held in their mouth!
Yes, sometimes all three cry. Can't be helped. It's going to happen and there isn't always going to be someone else around to pick them up.
And no, I'm not super mum. I get cranky at them. I've had a few teary moments. It IS hard sometimes. But I get over it. I have to. 90% of the time they are fantastic and easy. And I move on, life's too short to stress over things.
I have learnt that this past week in a big way. One of the pregnant triplet mums from Australia lost 2 of her girls to TTTS (Triplet to Triplet Syndrome) at 18 weeks. A terrible tragedy for her. And then the HOM (Higher Order Multiples) community was rocked again with the death of beautiful April. A beautiful 12 week old girl, who leaves behind her brother and sister triplets. She died in her sleep, SIDS. She was perfectly healthy. My heart stopped when I found out. I know it's naive, but you just expect after going through a high risk pregnancy, premature newborns and NICU time that it's enough. You know? Then this poor family gets hit it the most heartbreaking way. April, and many others who are now angel babies will be remembered by us on October 15th - Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. Light a candle, let a balloon go, anything, even a moments thought. If you know someone who has experienced loss, don't be afraid to talk to them about it. Say their child's name. Acknowledge their baby. Acknowledge their grief and let them know you are there for them.
I'll also be sending love across the oceans so my beautiful American friend to remember her angel babies.
So, it's still pretty easy. I won't lie, there are hard times. About 6-8pm. Witching hour (or 2). They are a little unsettled and really want to just be held at this time. Which is not possible. It may sound harsh, but until you've had more than 1 new born, you probably won't understand! And I mean that in the nicest way!
How I spend witching hour when it gets really bad - note the two sleeping babies? Cheeky buggers.
You just can't hold them and cuddle them to sleep (apart from the above photo, this does not happen!). I only have 2 arms, and usually one is doing something with the other children or making dinner. I let me babies cry. I don't really do 'cry it out', but I am getting them to self settle. Dylan does it himself 80% of the time, Ailah about 50% of the time and Isaac about 20% of the time - that's without dummies.
Ahhhh, dummies. The most wonderful creation and also the worst. They are a complete Catch 22. Jordan had one until 6 months old when he got his first cold, had a blocked nose and that was it. Dummy gone. I gave Amali one when she was about 5 weeks old, and she turned into a possessed baby so I promptly got rid of it. Now, 3.5 years later she still sucks her fingers.........hmmmmm.
Ailah having mummy snuggles
Jordan having some quality time with Dylan and Ailah
Gandi having her first triplet cuddle on her birthday. Isaac is on the left, Dylan on the right.
I also do routines. I use that word carefully. I am still flexible, but I keep and eye on the clock somewhat. Here is our daily routine:
5-7am wake, changed and fed, settled back to sleep
9-10am wake, changed, 'play', fed and settled back to sleep
12-1pm wake, changed, 'play', fed and settled back to sleep
3-4pm wake, changed, 'play', fed and settled back to sleep
6-7pm wake, changed, 'play', fed and settled back to sleep - this one usually takes a LONG time
8:30-10pm, wake, 'play', bath, fed and settled down for the night
They then wake between 1-2am are fed and put back to sleep, I only change them if they have a poo
And then we do it all over again!
And I'm sure this is about to change. As it will many times over. But it works for me. Lots of people ask me about feeding. If one wakes and another looks to be stirring, I wake that one as well and feed both together. Then the 3rd. If one wakes and no one else is stirring, I feed that one by itself and then wake the 2nd and 3rd. If all wake - I may put one in the swing or lie them next to me with a dummy firmly held in their mouth!
Yes, sometimes all three cry. Can't be helped. It's going to happen and there isn't always going to be someone else around to pick them up.
This is how they look when I put them down for a sleep.
This is how they look at the end of a sleep. I had no idea a 4 week old baby could move this much. That is Ailah.
And no, I'm not super mum. I get cranky at them. I've had a few teary moments. It IS hard sometimes. But I get over it. I have to. 90% of the time they are fantastic and easy. And I move on, life's too short to stress over things.
I have learnt that this past week in a big way. One of the pregnant triplet mums from Australia lost 2 of her girls to TTTS (Triplet to Triplet Syndrome) at 18 weeks. A terrible tragedy for her. And then the HOM (Higher Order Multiples) community was rocked again with the death of beautiful April. A beautiful 12 week old girl, who leaves behind her brother and sister triplets. She died in her sleep, SIDS. She was perfectly healthy. My heart stopped when I found out. I know it's naive, but you just expect after going through a high risk pregnancy, premature newborns and NICU time that it's enough. You know? Then this poor family gets hit it the most heartbreaking way. April, and many others who are now angel babies will be remembered by us on October 15th - Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. Light a candle, let a balloon go, anything, even a moments thought. If you know someone who has experienced loss, don't be afraid to talk to them about it. Say their child's name. Acknowledge their baby. Acknowledge their grief and let them know you are there for them.
Ailah
Dylan
Isaac
I'll also be sending love across the oceans so my beautiful American friend to remember her angel babies.
3 times the love.
Tuesday 2 October 2012
The First Few Weeks
I have decided to share with you all the 3 images of our babies entering the world. Taken by Emily Black, they are very tasteful and I don't think they will offend anyone. However, I have put them at the end of this post, so if you think you will be offended, don't scroll all the way down!
So it has taken me ages to find the time to write this! Even as I do begin to type, I have Ailah in my arms hiccuping like mad. But don't get me started on hiccups! That's a whole other post! Honestly though, things have been great. I've been going out with them (and the older 2) and it's pretty easy. They sleep so well (except for today) and it just takes longer to get them all in/our of the car.
They are all feeding roughly every 3-4 hours still and pretty much go straight to sleep afterwards. I've just noticed them having more awake time in the last few days, it's nice to see little eyes open wide, beginning to explore the world. Albeit a fuzzy world! We have a great night time routine. They wake from their last nap at about 8:30, I bath the first two (separately), dress them, wrap them then it is boob time and bed. Then repeated for the third bubba. Usually they are all out by 10pm and I jump straight into bed. They then wake about 1-2am and then 5-6am. It takes about an hour to feed all three and they usually go straight back to sleep without any fuss.
Ailah is still the smallest, I have been giving her top up feeds of expressed breast milk 2-3 times a day if she doesn't feed very well. She's not putting on as much weight as the boys so hopefully this will help her. She has the longest lashes and super cute lips. I can't wait to see if her hair will be curly like Amali's! She manages to wriggle out of her wrap and even nappies. I'd say she'll be the first to crawl and walk if that's anything to go by! Isaac and her are currently fighting for the 'most annoying' triplet trophy!
Isaac is by far the loudest baby I have heard. He has an ear piercing scream that goes straight through you! If I had 3 Isaac's I'd be in trouble! But, he has the biggest eyes and is generally the most awake. He likes sleeping on his side, but only during the day. He loves his dummy. Grrrrr, don't get me started on dummies either!
Dylan is still huge - but it's funny, looking at him I feel like he is this huge baby but Amali and Jordan were born bigger than what he is now. He is my 'good' baby. He feeds perfectly, then goes straight to sleep. He has wet nappies and pooey nappies and barely needs a burp. If I had 3 Dylan's I'd be one happy mumma!
But jokes aside, sometimes I look at them and realise that I have 3 babies!! It is such a surreal feeling, I suppose only one that other triplet mummies can understand. Things have been so good, I'm literally waiting for it to get harder. I know it will. I'm not that naive, and if today was anything to go by.......!!
As for me, due to it being school holidays I get to have a sleep in every morning so haven't needed too many naps during the day time, but that will all change next week. I'm feeling pretty fantastic, my tummy is going down nicely, I only have back pain if I'm not wearing my support band, and even then it's not too painful. A lot of people have asked about 'down there' - well, I'm pretty good. My pelvic floor has held out pretty good and I feel very 'normal' down there. My nipples are taking the strain very well and only get sore after Ailah has fed really bad and I haven't corrected her. Seeing that this is a 'warts and all' blog, I will keep putting belly shots up from time to time.
The one on the left was taken on Day 4 while still in hospital, the black and white ones were taken at 2 weeks post partum.
The birth pictures are below. Just scroll down if you want to.
So it has taken me ages to find the time to write this! Even as I do begin to type, I have Ailah in my arms hiccuping like mad. But don't get me started on hiccups! That's a whole other post! Honestly though, things have been great. I've been going out with them (and the older 2) and it's pretty easy. They sleep so well (except for today) and it just takes longer to get them all in/our of the car.
My first outing by myself with the older kids in tow.
Chilling at the park
They are all feeding roughly every 3-4 hours still and pretty much go straight to sleep afterwards. I've just noticed them having more awake time in the last few days, it's nice to see little eyes open wide, beginning to explore the world. Albeit a fuzzy world! We have a great night time routine. They wake from their last nap at about 8:30, I bath the first two (separately), dress them, wrap them then it is boob time and bed. Then repeated for the third bubba. Usually they are all out by 10pm and I jump straight into bed. They then wake about 1-2am and then 5-6am. It takes about an hour to feed all three and they usually go straight back to sleep without any fuss.
But jokes aside, sometimes I look at them and realise that I have 3 babies!! It is such a surreal feeling, I suppose only one that other triplet mummies can understand. Things have been so good, I'm literally waiting for it to get harder. I know it will. I'm not that naive, and if today was anything to go by.......!!
As for me, due to it being school holidays I get to have a sleep in every morning so haven't needed too many naps during the day time, but that will all change next week. I'm feeling pretty fantastic, my tummy is going down nicely, I only have back pain if I'm not wearing my support band, and even then it's not too painful. A lot of people have asked about 'down there' - well, I'm pretty good. My pelvic floor has held out pretty good and I feel very 'normal' down there. My nipples are taking the strain very well and only get sore after Ailah has fed really bad and I haven't corrected her. Seeing that this is a 'warts and all' blog, I will keep putting belly shots up from time to time.
The one on the left was taken on Day 4 while still in hospital, the black and white ones were taken at 2 weeks post partum.
The birth pictures are below. Just scroll down if you want to.
I only have the small size for now. I think they are very tastefully edited! Thank you once again Emily. (Thats meconium - baby poo - coming out of Dylan's bum!)
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