Gus, Kate and Claire

Toddlerville...

2010-01-03T12:50:00.017-06:00

Hi, Friends and Family,

The name of our family blog spot is Gus, Kate and Claire: Life with triplets...the fun has just begun! That name has never been more appropriate than it is right now...

During the past few months, I have gone from being the mother of three infants, to being the mother of three almost 18 month old TODDLERS. Wow! They walk, run, climb, hit, bite, hug, give kisses, chase the dachshunds, blow slobber on the windows, do things to try to make their dad and I laugh at them, love wagon rides and running amuck in the pasture, ask for snacks, climb into cabinets, demolish the play area in a matter of 60 seconds -- flat. If you have ever had a toddler, then, you know the drill. LOL!

I have to say, the infant phase of raising triplets was tiring, but blissful and relatively easy for me most of the time. I had it down pat -- or so I thought. I forgot that my home would soon be turned into "Toddlerville", a blessed, wonderful, chaotic, funny, overwhelming, sweet, loving, fun, exhausting, busy place to be...

One thing that I have been learning the hard way as I do my best to raise my little ones is that I am no longer independent. I need help -- lots of help -- and almost on a daily basis (although I do not have help on a daily basis...I'm not independently wealthy LOL). It has become a family affair just for me to go to the grocery store, go to a doctor's appointment (mine or Gus, Kate and Claire's), get my hair cut, etc. In the summer months, I can load-up Gus, Kate, Claire and their wagon and make a quick Wal-Mart/Target run for a couple of items. But, in the winter months, that's just not possible. They do not need to be out in the cold drizzle around sick people, so, I wait for them to go to bed at night and then go run my errands after Chad is home. And, God forbid if I am sick or if one of the babies happens to be sick...it's all hands on deck. I got sick with what I really believe was H1N1 back in September. At the same time, Gus had an upper respiratory infection, Kate and Claire both had ear infections. Kate also got Roseola right on the heels of the ear infection, and I was so weak and faint that I nearly passed out while I had one of my little ones on the changing table. It was the most helpless, frustrating, overwhelming feeling to not be able to care for my own little ones. Chad had to come home from work. Chad's mom had to take days off from work. They were caring for my sick babies while I was drifting in and out of sleep and sweated down with fever. I am thankful that I have family to help me in those times of need. But, what mother does not want to be with her sick child? God has been working with me on releasing this need to be independent and in almost constant control of my surroundings here at home for quite some time. Thankfully, He is a very patient God, even though I am a very stubborn child!

Of course, illnesses aside, safety in general is a top priority around here. Chad and I are both finding it more and more difficult to keep our little ones safe, especially when we are here with them alone (only one of us). Our house has been stripped bare of anything that they could fall off of or that could fall on them. Anything that could poison, suffocate, impale, electrocute, etc., is no longer around or has been moved to a higher location. Shades are pulled-up. Select doors are kept closed. Baby gates and outlet covers have become the best inventions ever. Even on a good day, I need two of me just to keep them safe. I feel like I am always in a state of HIGH ALERT. Most moms wish they had a clone on most days. I don't think that's unique to moms of multiples! LOL! I always feel that I am in perpetual "head count" mode. LOL!

Yesterday, I ran into a sweet, dear friend that I had not seen in quite some time. This friend is so pure, so kind, so loving and truly radiates the love of God in all that she does. She has truly given every aspect of her life to Him, and it shows. We had a quick visit at a local supermarket, and she said in her sweet, Indian accent, "Being a mother is a wonderful blessing, but it can be so tiring and overwhelming." When she said that, my tears started to flow...tears that I have held back for months. She said what was on my heart, and I didn't have to say a word. My tears said it all. She knew she was right, and she gave me a big hug and promised to continue to pray for me. True friendship...what an amazing blessing.

Just the day before the supermarket encounter, another friend gave me a beautiful James Avery "motherhood" ring for my birthday. She hugged me and told me she thinks I am a good mom. Wow...I needed the hug. I needed the love and encouragement. Now, the ring is such a sweet reminder of the love and care that my friend expressed to me.

So, yes, I am feeling overwhelmed. I am feeling exhausted, tense and tired (most days, I am wiped out by noon, and it is still almost six hours until Chad comes home). But, I also feel blessed and happy to have these three delightful, funny, sweet, loving, busy toddlers. Such an emotional roller coaster! In the past, I have felt that I could not be honest here on my blog about these feelings of being a mom to three toddlers because it seemed that my honesty about feeling tired or having a bad day only brought comments like, "Be careful what you pray for...you wanted kids, and now you have them." Or, "But you have so much to be thankful for...it could always be worse." Receiving comments like these made it hard for me to be honest or vulnerable. And, I want to be honest and vulnerable with you, my friends. This is so important, especially when my blog is about family life/faith. I feel that it is important to share the ups, downs, joys, trials of raising triplets here because what I am going through just might help some other mom feel that she is not alone. Just because I am having a bad day or feeling tired does not mean that I do not want my children or that I want to go back to my life before kids or that my heart is not filled with gratitude to the Good Lord for my husband, children, friends and family or that I cannot see that I am beyond blessed. It just means that I am tired and overwhelmed for the moment and that I need a loving friend or family member to listen to me. I do not want my human emotions to be mistaken for ingratitude or whininess...

If you choose to continue to follow this blog, I might make you laugh. I might make you cry. I might even make you mad. And, that's all okay. I mainly just want other moms to know that they are not alone in the joys and sometimes trials of raising little ones...

If I have given the false impression in the past that I have it all together or that I am "Supermom", I am sorry, because that is just not the truth. No one has it all together, really. We are all just doing the best that we can...

Blessings to you and yours and much love to you all.

Leslie, mom to Gus (Climber Extraordinaire), Kate (Helper Extraordinaire) and Claire (Talker Extraordinaire)

P.S. The above picture from left to right with new sippy cups and shades: Kate, Claire and Gus in his new Romo jersey. This was just taken New Year's Day.

Update on Gus, Kate and Claire

2009-08-10T20:36:00.007-05:00

Okay, so, now I am the mother of three, thirteen month old children. Wow!!

Here are the latest little facts about Gus, Kate and Claire...

All of the babies are now feeding themselves finger foods. Their favorite finger food is pancakes. I cut the pancakes into tiny bits (toddler sized) so that they babies can easily eat them. Kate is a virtual pancake vacuum cleaner. That child can EAT some pancakes.
All of the babies now have at least four teeth...2 on top, 2 on bottom with more coming in.
All are still sleeping through the night (thank you, God, for being merciful to us in this matter).
Kate and Claire have been making the "Mama" sound for quite some time. But, now, it appears that they really say "Mama" and mean ME. :o)
Gus actually says "Dada" more than Mama, which is cute. Chad loves this!
Claire loves music. She really enjoys the "Hokey Pokey" song on one of the CDs we have for all of the babies to listen to. I made the mistake of picking her up and actually DOING the Hokey Pokey WITH her, thinking I could stop at will. I was wrong. She threw a FIT when I tried to put her down mid-song. Anyway, Claire's version of "Hokey Pokey" is waving her arms around in the air, which is SO adorable.
Gus can dance. He jigs his torso around and bounces up and down on his heels, which is SO funny! It looks like he's got his dad's "rhythm".
Kate listens to music and flaps her arms around -- a little. She is the logical baby, so she prefers playing with the shape sorter and then sifting through piles of those little baby board books. She is a great page-turner.
Claire is my little clone.
Kate is starting to look more like Chad at times.
Gus looks like both Chad and I.
I have been taking the babies to the mall at least once per week for an air-conditioned stroller ride. They seem to enjoy it, and I enjoy it, too. It gets us all out of the house and into different surroundings for a little while. I always do this when it is NOT close to a nap or feeding time so that we are all in a good mood.
Claire is a dare devil. We have a small slide in our play area. She will climb up it and then just FLING herself off, assuming that we will just magically appear and catch her. Scares me senseless!
Kate also enjoys the slide. She climbs-up, then stands on the platform and gazes out at "her" people like she is on a balcony and wearing a princess dress and tiara.
Gus is ALL boy. He loves the slide. He will climb up it and slide down it (with help on the down part) for long periods of time. He looks so proud of himself!
All of the babies are now standing-up very well and are "cruising" from one piece of furniture to the next.
Kate has been known to take 3 hour afternoon naps. THREE HOURS, folks!
Claire will nap for about 2 hours. YAY, Claire.
Gus naps for 30 minutes. HOLY MOLEY!!
All of the babies have attempted to whack, push and bite each other at one time or another. I cannot tell you how many times per day I hear myself saying, "No bite/no hit/no shove." Yes, they understand the word "no". Sometimes when I say it to one baby, all of the babies will stop what they are doing and look at me.
My stone fireplace hearth is now covered in bed pillows, topped by an old bed spread so that the babies will not knock themselves out and have an ER visit. I also took down the living room drapes because I was afraid that if I didn't take them down that the mini-mob would take them down for me. Oh, well. It's not forever. Their safety is more important than home decor.
Gus can climb -- very well.
Claire can slam doors -- very well.
Kate is fast -- very fast.
It takes me 30 minutes, five times a day, to clean the babies' high chairs after they eat. Yep...it's a total disaster.
Chad and I took Gus, Kate and Claire to visit an elderly (in her 90's) friend of ours and her two sisters (also in their 90's). I thought the babies were going to destroy the place...especially Claire. She was in fine form. The ladies were very gracious, though, and Chad and I did our very best to corral our little curious mob. In spite of the chaos, the sweet ladies seemed to really enjoy the visit. They laughed at us -- ALOT!
Kate has an "attachment object". This object is a small, soft little velour blanket that someone had made for her when she was born. I have been calling her "Miss Linus", you know, like Linus from Peanuts who always carried his blanket. We caught Kate crawling with her little blanket in her mouth. I guess she figured out that she could have her blanket with her at all times if she did this. Yes, Chad and I have made a note that we can never (NEVER) misplace this little blanket!!
The babies have been going to church nursery each Sunday for a month. Each Sunday, Claire cries. Each Sunday, all of the babies stare at the nursery workers as if the nursery workers are from another planet.

As you can see, Gus, Kate and Claire are keeping Chad and I HOPPING! We are still having fun! Sure, there are some difficult days, but that is to be expected when raising three completely different little human beings, right?

On a more serious note, please keep Gus in your prayers. He has been having some issues with crying for long (LONG) periods of time since December/January. We do not know what is wrong. This crying could be related to some sensory integration issues because he was premature. We are having him evaluated.

Chad and I will be taking the babies to Dallas tomorrow to see their developmental specialist. Pray for a good report.

We love and miss you all.

Leslie

P.S. Pictures from top to bottom: Chad kissing Gus; Gus, Kate and Claire in "ball pit" at our house; Claire laughing in ball pit; Gus laughing in ball pit; Gus/Kate/Claire visiting our elderly friend; Claire, destroying our elderly friend's couch; Chad holding Claire and our elderly friend holding Kate.

Happy Birthday, Gus, Kate and Claire!!

2009-07-09T08:00:00.006-05:00

Hi, Everyone,

I wrote this on the babies' birthday (July 9th), but I am just now getting around to posting it...

As most of you know, today is Gus, Kate and Claire's official FIRST BIRTHDAY! Chad and I just cannot believe it! It has been an incredible year for Chad and I to literally see the hand of God in our lives and in the lives our children. We have experienced what we believe to be miracles overflowing! In spite of the statistics and in spite of what we were told would probably happen during my pregnancy, we have three healthy, happy little ones.

If you didn't believe in miracles before, I hope that you do now. I hope that when you think of Gus, Kate and Claire you will also remember that God is good, He loves you, He is merciful and He is still a God of miracles.

Thank you all for your prayers for our family. Because you prayed for us, you are also a part of these many miracles...

So, you are wondering how their first party went, right? Well, it was so fun! The babies were so sweet. The girls were dressed in little pink tutus, with big bows in their hair and t-shirts with cupcakes with "1" on them. Gus was in little khaki shorts with a t-shirt and a camo "1" on it. The babies' MeMe and Poppa Bear, Poppa and Ma DJ, Great MamMaw, Uncle Matt, Aunt Brandy and Cousin Hunter, and Auntie A and Uncle T-Boy came to help celebrate. Gift opening went slowly...the babies were easily distracted, so that part was pretty funny. But, of course, the grand finale for them was the CAKE. Each baby had their own "smash" cake with their name on it. When presented with his cake (while only wearing a diaper and a birthday hat), Gus kicked-back in his high chair seat like he had been eating cake every day for his entire life...he ate half of that little cake! Kate, also wearing only a diaper and a cute little birthday tiara/hat, looked at the cake, touched the cake, briefly tasted the cake and then flipped-out because icing was on her hands. Claire, also half naked and in a birthday tiara, was pretty laid-back about the whole thing. She took her time looking at the cake, playing in the icing and attempting to eat some of the cake. It was a HOOT! We all sang "Happy Birthday" to each baby...

I posted a few pictures so you can see how much fun we had! (from top to bottom...picture of Kate, then Gus, then Claire, a family photo and then a cake photo).

Happy Birthday, Gus, Kate and Claire! Your dad and I are so glad we had you. You are blessings that fill our daily lives with joy. We love you!

Update on Gus, Kate and Claire

2009-06-03T20:31:00.005-05:00

Hi, Everyone,

Well, we have three little busy bodies on our hands! So much has happened since the last time I posted. I will just hit the high points...

I celebrated my first Mother's Day...WOOHOOO!!
Our family participated in the Parent Commitment/Baby Dedication Service at our church on Mother's Day. My Maw Maw and Uncle David, Chad's parents, dad, Jill, Matt, Brandy, Hunter and Hannah all came to share in the day with us, which made it even more special. Matt was our extra "baby holder" during the service. He did a great job!
All are crawling! Yippee!! Claire has been scooting around for quite some time...she still isn't on her knees. But, she looks like she is swimming on the floor. LOL! She is FAST! Kate was the first to actually crawl. Gus has been crawling for a few weeks now. When he decided to crawl, there was no struggle for him. He just did it.
All have two bottom teeth. Sweet, quiet, loving Baby Claire is a biter...she will bite to move her humongous brother out of her way when she wants something...we are having to tell her, "NO BITE, CLAIRE!!").
All can open cabinets. Gus and Claire closed-up Kate in the toy cabinet the other day...fortunately, Kate was so absorbed in playing with the toys in the cabinet that she didn't realize that she was being held captive.
All are holding their own bottles, which has taken feeding time down from about an hour to about 15 - 20 minutes. Another WOOOOOHOOOOOO!!
All are enjoying Stage 2 baby food. We are advancing them to more and more textures very slowly due to their previous feeding issues/aversions. They are making progress.
All are pulling-up. Yikes.
They all really enjoy books. They really like the "touch and feel" books with the different textures. And, they have a terrific attention span for most books...seriously.
All are babbling and saying "Mamamama" and "Dadadadadada" and "Babbababaa" and various other noises.
They are playing well with each other and even make each other laugh.
They all still sleep in the same room at night and are still sleeping well through the night. But, for naps, I had to start putting them all in different rooms. Why? Because my girls were "talking" and laughing with each other for 45 minutes when they were supposed to be napping. This threw the nap schedule WAY off for a couple of weeks because they were just starting to fall asleep when Gus was almost finished with his nap. Having them napping in different rooms is working like a charm.
Gus is covered in bruises from his rowdiness and lack of fear of injury. Good grief.
Speaking of Gus, he reminds me of a baby rhinoceros...he is SO rowdy AND, he makes these little snorting noises when he is trying to play a little bit rough. LOL!
Lesson learned: Never (and I mean NEVER) give one baby a sippy cup without giving the others one, too (immediately). I made this mistake the other day and got mobbed.
Kate is doing much better with being touched and wallowed by her brother and sister. She does not freak-out anymore when they come near her, which is great progress for her.
The babies all swam in their little splash pool for the first time last week. Claire didn't have a care in the world...she is a true water baby. Kate didn't like the water for long because it was COLD (which was mom and dad's fault completely). Gus liked it and would play a while and then would take a break...then, he'd want back in again.
Claire continues to be my tiny "stick-tight"/shadow. She wants ME and doesn't like it when I am far.
Gus went through a phase of screaming and crying for 45 minutes to an hour -- four or five times daily -- for a few months. At first, we thought it might be reflux. So, he's back on medication, which has decreased the crying. Now, we realize that part of this behavior is just his temperament. He wants things how he wants them and when he wants them. Oh, boy.
I had my first outing ALONE with all three babies this week. It was just to a follow-up appointment, so it was short and sweet. Claire was fussy, but otherwise, the outing was uneventful. Whew!
They all love it when Chad or I just plop in the middle of the floor and rest on our backs. They climb on us, pat our bellies, pull our hair, squish our noses, wallow us, etc. They love it and we do, too. It is SO funny to be clobbered by such a tiny little mob!
All of the babies are sampling Cheerios. Gus and Claire just play with them. Claire will gag if I put one in her mouth. Gus could take or leave the Cheerios. Kate is in TOTAL focus with the Cheerios...busy, busy, busy...and she is learning how to put them in her mouth herself.
Kate and Claire adore eating bananas. Kate loves fresh mango and bananas. Those girls can put away some bananas!! Goodness!
We now bathe all three babies together in our big bathtub. This is definitely a two person job. Holy Toledo!! One baby splashes and face plants into the water while another baby is trying to climb out while another baby decides to bite the other baby....I could go on and on...but I won't.
Gus, Kate and Claire had their first overnight visit with their MeMe and Poppa Bear (Chad's parents) a couple of weeks ago. It went really well. I'm not sure who had more fun...Chad's parents or the babies.
All of the babies continue to be healthy. No illnesses...so far...thankfully.
The babies will be 11 months old on June 9th. Where did the time go?
On a more serious note...Due to a skull malformation, Gus will be wearing something called a DOC band from the end of June through September. The skull malformation is due to his unfortunate position in the womb. I like to say that he had the bottom "apartment" and that his sisters had the upstairs penthouses. In other words, he was SQUISHED. Please keep him in your prayers because he will have to wear this 23 hours per day, and the band cannot get wet. So bathing, swimming, dressing, etc. will all have to be planned and not exceed one hour.
Question: Is anything ever REALLY baby-proofed??? I think NOT! Inability to baby-proof EVERYTHING = exhaustion/paranoia.

Chad and I are enjoying being parents so very much. It is one-hundred times more difficult than we could have ever imagined. But, it has also brought us more joy than we could have ever imagined. We are so blessed and so thankful for our sweet little ones.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers. With God's help, we are doing our very best with Gus, Kate and Claire.

Love to you all,

Leslie

In Loving Memory of Paw Paw

2009-05-13T11:42:00.003-05:00

In Loving Memory of our Paw Paw, Charles Strong...

Dear Paw Paw,

We are so glad that we had a chance to know you and be snuggled by you. Thank you for loving us and praying for us before we were even born. Thank you for being such a good Paw Paw. We love you and we will always miss you.

Love,

Gus, Kate and Claire

March of Dimes/March for Babies Walk

2009-04-26T20:31:00.005-05:00

Hi, Everyone,

Saturday was the March for Babies walk.

It rained, but not enough to be miserable during the walk. The walk organizers shortened the route because of the rain. Gus, Kate and Claire did great -- they were just along for the ride. No one fussed, and they did not get even a little damp, thanks to the humongous visors on their strollers.

The main reason I am writing about this is because Chad and I want to say a great big THANK YOU to every family member and friend/co-worker who donated money on behalf of Gus, Kate and Claire to this cause. Because of you, our Moms of Multiples team raised $3065 for March for Babies! YAY!! THANK YOU!!

Also, Chad and I viewed March for Babies day as a day to celebrate the fact that we have three NICU Graduates who are healthy, happy and thriving in every way possible. We are so blessed and so thankful! To celebrate, we gave each baby a big old smooch from us. Notice that they are wearing NICU Graduate t-shirts from March of Dimes. :o)

Love to you all, and thank you again for your generosity.

Leslie

P.S. The top picture, left to right: Claire (in recline position), Kate, Gus. The next picture is of Claire being smooched by us. The next is of Kate being smooched. Then, the next is of Gus being smooched. Oh, and the humongous bruise in the middle of Gus' forehead is from his "meeting" with the See 'n Say toy. Goodness, the bumps and bruises have only just begun!

Happy Easter!!!

2009-04-13T19:52:00.004-05:00

Hi, Everyone,

Chad and I hope that you all had a very Happy Easter!

Chad and I took the babies to Landmark Baptist Church in Mt. Enterprise to celebrate their first Easter. For those of you who do not know, this is the church that Chad grew-up in, and I was a member there for a while when Chad and I were engaged/newlyweds. So, Landmark has always been special to us. We are THRILLED that Gus, Kate and Claire finally met all of the sweet people who had prayed for them for such a long time!

So, our Easter went like this:

We left here at about 7:30 on Easter morning. We fed the babies their breakfast and plopped them into their car seats while they were still in their pajamas. We drove straight to their MeMe and Poppa Bear's house (in the rain) and fed them again and then we all got dressed for church. When we got to the church, Chad's dad met us at the door to help us unload and carry Gus, Kate and Claire. We took the babies into the sanctuary just before Sunday school got out. When we got to the sanctuary, we discovered that our niece, Hannah, had made a sign that said, "Reserved for Moore Triplets and Family" and placed it on the end of the pew! Now, if THAT doesn't make a person feel special, then I don't know what will! Chad and I put the babies on the pew while they were still in their car seats. As people got out of Sunday school, they stopped by "The Moore Pew" to say "hello" to Gus, Kate and Claire. The looks on Gus, Kate and Claire's faces were priceless! Their eyes were SO big as they watched all of the new and interesting faces around them. Everyone that stopped by to see the babies was SO nice. Chad and I also had just a few minutes to chat with some of the other parents. It was great to see the Jones twins -- they are BEAUTIFUL -- we had heard so much about them that it was wonderful to be able to see them and chat with their parents for a few minutes. And, one really big treat for me was that got to see Mrs. Jan Creel. I have to tell you that she is one of my "mom" inspirations! She has raised four AMAZING children (they are all grown now). Out of those four children, she has a set of twins, Austin (babies' honorary Uncle Austin and my "brother from another mother") and Tiffany. I always think that if Mrs. Jan could manage with four little children all so close to the same age and maintain such a sweet spirit and so much faith, then I can manage, too. She is my real life "Jon and Kate Plus 8" role model!

Of course, we also saw two sets of great-grandparents (Matlocks/Charles Strong) and my dad and Jill (Poppa Wayne and Ma DJ to the babies). It was great to see everyone all in the same place. My dad was a good sport and toted Kate and Gus around a little bit. He also helped us load the babies back into the car once church was over.

Prior to the sermon, we had a chance to take the babies down to the front of the church for their official "viewing" (I borrowed that word from Mrs. Deanna). Chad was able to thank the church publicly for their prayers for us and the babies. We fully believe that our babies are alive and well because of the prayers of many. It was wonderful to finally be able to thank just a few of our prayer warriors all in one place. To God be the glory -- great things HE has done!! Thank you, Lord, for saving our babies! Thank you for giving us such a sweet Easter Sunday with friends and family. Thank you, Lord, for our prayer warriors!

Once the sermon started, Gus and Kate did really well and sat with Chad, Matt, Brandy, Hunter and Hannah. But, poor little Claire went into meltdown mode. At first I thought it was because she was overstimulated with the new surroundings, new noises and faces. But, I soon discovered it was because she was exhausted! Church started right about the time she would normally be napping. So, we went and found an empty Sunday school room, and Claire zonked-out on the floor on her little blanket for the remainder of the service. Claire is usually a quiet baby and doesn't protest too much about anything. I'm not too worried about this because when she needs something, she will let it be known! She SCREAMED and SCREAMED loud and then SCREAMED some more until I put her down for a nap. Yes, I'm a little slow, but I finally got it! Meanwhile, Gus was enjoying being in church and looking around and listening to the music. And, apparently, Baby Kate decided that she wanted the tour of the rest of the church, so her Uncle Matt obliged and took her for a little stroll (thanks Uncle Matt and Aunt Brandy).

My only disappointment about the church experience was that I was unable to take all of the major family photos that I had planned to take once the service ended. I had planned to get pictures with The Moores, The Cooleys and The Matlocks. But, Claire fell asleep and I wasn't going to wake her for a few photos. One thing that pregnancy, bedrest and being the mom of baby triplets has taught me is that I AM NOT IN CONTROL!! No, correction...it has taught me that I am DEFINITELY NOT in CONTROL!!! :o) So, the big family pictures will have to wait just awhile longer, but that's okay.

After church, we had our first Moore Family gathering where everyone was present. It was so great to finally have everyone under the same roof! We had a terrific Easter lunch, and then MeMe and Poppa Bear gave Gus, Kate and Claire personalized Easter baskets filled with a few toys, new sippy cups and some really spiffy sunglasses. Our nephew, Hunter, loaned Gus his John Deere cap, which was really nice of him to do. He even posed for a few pictures with the babies so that we could get the first pictures of all five grandchildren together. Our niece, Hannah, spent most of the afternoon on the floor with Gus, Kate and Claire and getting to know them better. And, by the way, Hannah is FABULOUS with the babies. She is such a tremendous help and is so loving with them. We took TONS of pictures, needless to say!

I could just go on and on because it was so exciting for Chad and I to finally have our babies out and about and to admittedly show them off just a little. It's okay to be just a little proud of our babies, isn't it?

It was just such a great first Easter. We are SO blessed, but, I have already said that! :o)

We love you all,

Leslie

P.S. Kate is wearing the mint green dress with white bunnies and Claire is wearing the pink dress with chocolate bunnies. The pictures of the babies in car seats are of them sitting on the reserved church pew with cousin Hannah (left to right...Kate, Gus then Claire).

Update on Gus, Kate and Claire

2009-04-02T10:18:00.005-05:00

Hi, Everyone,

A couple of Saturdays ago, we went to Mt. Enterprise to Chad's parents' house. We had a great day! Gus, Kate and Claire were able to spend time at their MeMe and Poppa Bear's house for the very first time and visit with their GREAT grandfather, Charles Strong. I took tons of pictures. If you are on Facebook, you have already seen some of those. This half day trip was a great learning experience for Chad and I on what we need/do not need for trips. We looked like the Beverly Hillbillies because our Expedition was so loaded down!

Gus now has two little teeth, and he is also sitting-up all by himself. He is still rolling to get to where he wants to go, and he is starting to scoot just a little more this week. He is extremely accident prone (I know..he's a boy...I might as well get used to it). He has already had a small black eye from having his arm slip out from under him on the play mat. His face met-up with a baby rattle. Ouch! Now, he has a small bruise on his forehead because his head met-up with the "See And Say". Poor little guy! Otherwise, he is still rowdy, sweet and jolly!

Kate also has two little teeth. She has been sitting-up the longest, so she is the most stable at it. She prefers to sit as opposed to be on her tummy. She will roll to where she wants to go, but does not really scoot that much yet. She does do a maneuver that looks like she is bobbing for apples while she is on her belly. She is trying to figure out how to get herself to move forward. She will also tuck her knees underneath her and get into a crawl position, but then gets frustrated because she does not know what to do next. She is still a little anti-social with Gus and

Claire and is not fond of having them touch her or her toys. I think that the poor little thing is still in denial about the fact that she is a triplet and that someone will be in her space for the rest of her life!

Claire does not have teeth yet, but it looks like she will just any day now. She can also sit-up, but prefers to roll around on the play mat. She is now able to scoot herself forward -- very quickly -- and get to wherever she wants to go, which is great, but scary. She looks so proud of herself! She is a snuggler, so any toy that is soft is what she loves. We are trying to stay away from too many stuffed animals, but we do have some "snugglies" that she loves (has a stuffed animal's head attached to a blanket). She enjoys studying Gus and Kate and just loves being near them. She is a very content baby.

Otherwise...

We are still planning on visiting Landmark with the babies at Easter. We are excited that we will get to see everyone -- it has been such a long time!

We are still looking forward to the March for Babies walk that is coming-up at the end of April. Thank you to EVERYONE who donated on behalf of Gus, Kate and Claire. We appreciate you so very much!

Also, we will be participating in the Parent Commitment service (aka "Baby Dedication" in some churches) on Mother's Day Sunday at 9:45 at Green Acres. Chad and I are very excited about this! So, if you happen to be at Green Acres on Mother's Day, come by and say "hello" to us if

you have the chance.

Please continue to keep the babies in your prayers. They have appointments with their developmental pediatrician in Dallas next week, and prior to that they are all scheduled for hearing screens.

Love and miss you all,

Leslie

P.S. Picture order from top to bottom: Gus, Kate, Claire

Triplets' progress...

2009-03-15T10:23:00.005-05:00

Hi, Everyone,

Gus, Kate and Claire are still doing so well!

A few weeks ago, Chad and I dropped their 10:00 p.m. feeding and moved their last feeding of the evening to between 6:30 and 6:45. The babies are in the bed no later than 7:00 p.m. and sleep uninterrupted until at least 5:30 a.m. Sometimes they will sleep until 6:30 a.m.! Yes, I know...I have SUCH good babies. Yes, I also know that you are all thinking, "Wow! That's great! Now, you and Chad can finally sleep like ROCKS and be SO well rested!" Well, if we were normal people, that would probably be the case. But, I think we are both "sleeping with one eye open". I think Chad and I are both halfway expecting the babies to wake-up in the middle of the night. But, they don't. And, we are still sleepless! LOL! When we become more experienced parents, I hope that we will sleep a little bit better. But, my mom always used to say that once she had my brother, Norris and I, she never slept peacefully again. She said that there is always something that keeps moms halfway awake at night. It's that "mom antenna" that seems to sprout once babies are born, I guess. But, mom was right. I am not sleeping well and I am sure it is because I now have the "mom antenna".

Recently, we went through a phase of trying to get Gus to stop taking naps in his swing. The swing only holds 25 pounds, and he is now almost 20 pounds, so we had to start this process eventually (it would be a little embarrassing to have a five year old still trying to climb into an infant swing, wouldn't it?). For a couple of weeks, his nap times were horrible. He was screaming and crying -- obviously exhausted and in need of a nap -- and I felt like mean, horrible mom. Then, it finally occurred to me that he just did not want to nap in his regular bed. So, I started putting him in his "Pack 'n Play" in the guest room, and now he will sleep at least 45 minutes to an hour. Whew!

One of Gus' latest big accomplishments is that he is now working on sitting-up just a little. He is still in the "tripod" pose and tips over easily, but he is working on it. He is also rolling to get to wherever he wants to go. Today, he made his first trip from the soft, play mat area to right smack in the middle of the cold, hard kitchen floor. He was not happy about rolling around to suddenly find himself in this position. He was happy once I "rescued" him and put him back on his cozy play mat.

Kate is now officially sitting-up like a big girl! I put a Boppy pillow around her so that if she pitches backwards she will not whack her head on the play mat. She just started doing this a few days ago, and she looks so proud of herself! Now, if she tips over, she lets out a high-pitched scream -- not because she is hurt, but because she needs help to sit-up again. She does not like to be kept waiting! :o)

Claire is also working on sitting-up. But, her biggest accomplishment right now is that she is rolling all over the place! She rolls all over the play mat and gets herself into a few predicaments that she needs help out of. She also rolls into the middle of the kitchen floor, but she doesn't protest like Gus. She just rests there and has that "no problem" look on her face. I was cooking dinner the other night (yes, I know...SHOCK) and I saw that she had rolled into the middle of the kitchen floor from the play mat. I said, "Well, hi there, Claire!" She grinned at me and looked so proud of herself.

Health wise, everyone is doing very well. The main thing that we are battling is eczema and various other rashes, which is extremely frustrating. About the time we think that we have got them cleared-up, here comes the rash again.

In April, Chad and I will be taking the babies to see their developmental pediatrician in Dallas. They will also be getting repeat hearing screens prior to that appointment.

As for me, this is all fun. It is strange to be down to only five feedings per day after starting out at eight feedings in a 24 hour period. But, the feeding sessions are not getting any shorter now that solid foods are on the menu. Most of the time, if I start feeding babies at 9:00 a.m., I do not finish until close to 10:00 a.m. Sometimes, it takes longer if they are distracted, which is happening more often as they are maturing and taking-in everything around them. Then, of course there are their nap times that I use to scramble around to do laundry and re-organize/regroup before the babies are up and ready to eat and play again. If I am lucky, I might get a little time to make phone calls to family or hop onto Facebook and see what everyone is up to. But, otherwise, it is non-stop activity around here!

Chad is doing great and is absolutely my equal in being able to care for the babies. He has got this routine down! He is still staying busy with work and is hoping to get to play golf again eventually in this lifetime.

We are still being asked when/how soon we will be getting the babies out. For certain, they will be out of the house a little by Easter. But, we are waiting for the official word from the Centers of Disease Control on when the dreaded flu/RSV season is finished here. They still cannot be around school age children until RSV season is over. Sometimes, it is over in March and other times it is over in April. Also, I am waiting for Chad to be able to have a morning or day off to help me get the babies out a little.

Just for kicks, here is the breakdown on what it takes to get the babies out of the house:

Two diaper bags -- one just for bottles, formula and bibs. The other is for diapers, wipes and clothing changes. We are about to have to a diaper bag per baby because the diapers are getting bigger, as are the clothes.

Gather car seats and line them up. Make sure each baby has a blanket waiting for them in their car seat.

Change diapers and feed three babies.

Get babies dressed (each baby has a different lotion to apply for a different rash, etc.)

Put babies into car seats (actually, wrestle with baby who is protesting being put into the car seat).

Pop babies into car seat bases in the car.

Load diaper bags.

Travel (sometimes the babies are happy while in the car and other times they are not).

Unload and carry three car seats and two diaper bags in to wherever we are going.

Get babies out of car seats.

Change diapers.

Try to keep babies happy at given location.

Feed each baby -- again.

Babies are cranky because it is already nap time -- again.

You get the point.

It takes about an hour and a half from start to finish to get out of the house -- and that is just with the things that ONLY include the babies. And, that is with just taking the bare necessities. That time also does not include Chad and I getting ready to leave. So, outings are difficult to plan right now while the babies are still small. But, as they eat more solid foods and nap a little less, it will get easier. Once again, this is not something that I am able to do alone at this point. But, eventually, I will. It is just all part of learning to be the mom of triplets. I am constantly seeking the advice of other twin and triplet moms, and they have been so wonderful about sharing their experiences and wisdom with me. I am so grateful for that! Many of the decisions that Chad and I have made are based on the wisdom of the babies' Dallas physicians AND the Moms of Multiples.

Please continue to keep us all in your prayers...we are still learning and doing the very best that we can! Hang in there with us!

We will see some of you very soon!

Love,

Leslie

P.S. Picture order...from top to bottom: Gus, just waking up from his nap and peeping at me through the bars of his baby bed. Then, there is Claire in her pretty little blue dress with her sparkling blue eys. Then, there is Kate in her little dress with cherries on it...doesn't she look oh-so-prissy? Then, the next picture is of Kate on her official first day of being able to sit-up on her own. See how proud she looks? Then, the last one is a group shot of Chad with Gus, Kate and Claire (look at her sweet little grin).

Gus and Poppa Bear

2009-03-04T10:42:00.005-06:00

Here is a picture of Gus with his Poppa Bear (Chad's dad). Poppa Bear discovered that Gus enjoys watching him blow bubbles with bubble gum. So, for quite a while (and I do mean a while), Poppa Bear sat and blew bubbles just for Gus. Gus was completely mesmerized by this.

This picture is one of my favorites. Gus' Poppa Bear would have done this for him all day long just because it made Gus happy. That's LOVE!!

Gus, Kate and Claire update

2009-02-25T13:56:00.005-06:00

Hi, Everyone,

Here is the latest on our three sweet ones...

Gus is acting more and more like a "rowdy" boy! He gets louder and louder, and his movements are becoming stronger and stronger. His Poppa Bear and MeMe even spotted him scooting on his back across the floor...yes, scooting on his back. I could not figure out how he was changing locations. I hadn't seen him crawling or rolling. But, Poppa Bear and MeMe SAW him scooting on his back to get to where he wanted to go. Gus is changing so quickly. He is now enjoying "tummy time" more and more and fussing about it a little less. He does a "skydiver" motion while on his stomach and also looks like he is a panicky swimmer at times. He is still such a sweet boy. He loves lots of affection (big bear hugs and lots of wallowing) and big slobbery kisses. And, he thinks that his MeMe is the funniest person EVER! Put MeMe in front of Gus (she calls him her Gran-G), and he is going to hurt himself laughing. It is so cute. His favorite song is "The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round" (seriously, he will stop what he is doing and grin from ear to ear and just let me sing the entire song to him). Also, he is taking more and more solid food and less formula. He especially enjoys carrots. So, I made baby food (carrots) for him today with the nifty baby food BEABA machine that Gus' MeMe bought for me. It is SO easy and fun, and it made me feel good to put fresh baby food into containers just for my Big G.

Kate is also changing so quickly. She smiles with her entire face and laughs all the time. She is getting so close to crawling that it is scary. I am still surprised that she isn't crawling yet. But, she is scooting a little, and she is bunching-up her knees underneath her. She also likes to be helped to stand-up. She will stand for as long as Chad and I will help her to do this...she absolutely loves doing this. She is also learning that her actions cause things to move and as a result has become quite proficient at spinning the rattle on her Exersaucer. It is fun for me to watch her concentrate on spinning that rattle! She is now enjoying rice cereal a little more, but is not quite on the same level with progressing to solids as Gus. Right now, she will take about four bites of rice cereal and move it around in her mouth, which is great. Also, she enjoys it when I plant kisses on her feet, knees and elbows and then end with one final BIG kiss right smack in the middle of her tummy! Her favorite songs are "The Wheels on the Bus" and "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" (yes, I know it isn't Christmas, but if your child enjoyed the song as much as Kate, you'd be singing it year 'round, too). Her favorite books are "Where Is The Green Sheep?" and "Little Jesus, Little Me".

Claire is doing so well. She is now able to do the "skydiver" motion that her brother and sister have been doing for a few weeks now, so I am very proud of her! She is definitely my "people watcher" baby. She watches people with such intensity. She really studies what is going on around her. Let me tell you that it can be a little creepy to see a baby just watching you like she does...I find myself wondering what she is thinking, or worse, wondering if she knows what I am thinking at any given moment! LOL! ;o) She is not enjoying rice cereal like her brother quite yet. She will take a bite or two and then clamp her jaws shut and turn her head. She is still the one who enjoys affection the most. And, she is also the hardest one to make laugh. She smiles all the time, but if we can get a giggle out of Claire Bear, we feel very blessed (she's not as easily amused as Gus and Kate). She also loves the songs "The Wheels on the Bus" and "Incy Wincy Spider", and her favorite book is also "Little Jesus, Little Me" (you think I'm kidding, but she will stop what she is doing and smile so big when I even show her the book).

Lately, I have been taking the babies on late afternoon stroller rides (when the weather cooperates). They love it and so do I.

We are making lots of plans to have the babies out and about once April gets here. I have already mentioned that we will be bringing them to church at Landmark in Mt. Enterprise for Easter (that's where our families live). We are planning to participate in the "March for Babies" walk that is being held at the end of April. Then, we will be participating in the parent/baby dedication service at our church here in Tyler on Mother's Day. And, we are also planning on bringing them for a quick visit to Encompass sometime in April or May. We are excited about all of these things, but it will still be difficult because the babies' schedule comes first. They still have to eat and nap, so our visits will be brief. But, at least they will be out of the house and seeing new and interesting people, places and things! Also, these things have to be done when Chad can be with me...I'm not quite ready to be out on the town with three infants by myself! Now, wouldn't THAT be a HOOT??! ;o)

Chad and I are already grieving the unavoidable ending to the babies' "infant" phase...it is coming, and there is nothing that we can do to stop it. While I was pregnant with Gus, Kate and Claire, Chad and I decided not to gripe about all of the things that are just part of having babies...late nights, early mornings, zillions of diaper changes, fussiness, feedings, feedings and more feedings, etc. We did not want to miss out on the joy of our babies because we were too busy complaining. I am so glad that we chose to savor each moment. The late nights, early mornings and fussiness (rare) provide us with more chances to hold and comfort our little ones. The zillions of diaper changes give us more opportunities to plant kisses on bare tummies and little naked toes. The numerous feedings allow us more time to look into the eyes of Gus, Kate and Claire and really SEE them...

Chad and I have been blessed beyond measure, and we do not take that lightly. We have never worked harder or been happier than we are right this very minute. Chad is definitely a proud dad. And, I am a proud, stay home mom. Recently, lots of people have asked if I am bored staying at home or have implied that I should be bored. What is boring about raising children? I have never felt as challenged creatively, intellectually, emotionally or spiritually as I do now...staying home is definitely NOT boring. It is without a doubt the most rewarding thing I have ever done, and I am so thankful to be able to be here.

Thank you for continuing to pray for us.

We love you and are counting the days until we can see you all again!

Love,

Leslie

P.S. The baby with the big grin is Claire. The baby with the wide eyes is Kate. And, of course you can recognize Gus...he's the boy in the blue hat! Oh, and we are on Facebook...look us up there if you want!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T11:54:00.004-06:00

Chad and I are so thankful to be spending our very first Valentine's Day with Gus, Kate and Claire. They are constant reminders of God's love and faithfulness to us.

The ultimate Valentine:

"God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son so that whoever believes in Him may not be lost, but have eternal life." John 3:16 (New Century Version of the Bible)

We love you all.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Love,

Chad, Leslie, Gus, Kate and Claire

P.S. Pictured from top to bottom: Claire, Kate and Gus

Baby update...

2009-02-14T11:08:00.008-06:00

Hi, Everyone,

We took the babies to the doctor this week. Gus weighs 18.14 pounds. Kate weighs 14.12 pounds and Claire weighs 15.2 pounds. They turned 7 months old on the 9th of this month.

All of the babies received their RSV vaccine for the month of February. Their last one will be given in March. RSV season is almost over, which means that Chad and I are making plans to take Gus, Kate and Claire for their first social outing on Easter Sunday. We will be going to Mt. Enterprise to Chad's parents' church (all of our Texas family go to the very same church, so, we will get to see everyone in one big swoop)! Well, I say that we are doing this...these are "Good Lord willing" plans.

I have said that I am looking forward to Spring so that I do not have to be quite so picky about visitors and outings. Others have said, "Won't it be great to be able to get the babies out?" Well, it occurred to me...OUT WHERE?? Where in the world am I going to go with three infants under the age of one year -- alone? LOL!! :o) I will still have to have a "buddy", or I will just have to plan outings for when Chad is home on the weekends and we can brave learning how to go out in public together. This is all new to us! I have mentioned that on doctor's appointment days, Chad's parents (MeMe and Poppa Bear) come to help me get the babies to and from the doctor's office (having one person per baby is AWESOME). They have seen how long it takes to diaper, dress and feed the babies and then, strap the unwilling participant into the car seat and then pop the car seat into the Expedition. But, I am sure that making all of this go more smoothly will come with time and more experience. I will figure out what works and what doesn't work. Or, if I am just being lazy and don't want to figure it out for myself, I can pick-up the phone and call one of the wonderful ladies in my Mothers of Multiples group. They have already "been there" and "done that", so, I don't have to think for myself...I just call them and they tell me what worked for them. They are VERY patient people! :o)

Gus is doing much better on his formula. We had yet another formula switch. He is tolerating this much, much better. The previous formula was just tearing-up his little tummy. He is back to his laid back, jolly little self, and I am so glad. It was awful to see him scream and cry and to not be able to help him in any way.

Kate and Claire are healthy and have not had any formula difficulties. We are working with them on taking rice cereal and applesauce. Some days they are interested and some days they are not. Chad's mom described Kate's anti-rice cereal/anti-applesauce face the best when she said, "It looks like I just gave her a sour pickle instead of applesauce." This is true. Kate makes a sour pickle face after we feed her the applesauce. I tasted the applesauce and it is not sour at all. But, then again, I am not a baby trying these things for the first time, so there is no telling what it tastes like to her.

When Claire is uninterested in eating rice cereal and applesauce, she looks at us and then clamps her jaws and lips shut. No way are we getting even one spoonful of that stuff past her tiny lips! Also, her hair is growing at the speed of light...she has enough hair now for all three babies. :o)

We have three very healthy, very happy, very funny, very precious babies and we are so thankful!

Enjoy the day.

Love,

Leslie

Watching my babies...

2009-02-06T18:31:00.005-06:00

Hi, Everyone,

Today was one of those days that I was able to sit back and really enjoy the babies....

This morning, I watched Claire sitting in her Exersaucer. I noticed her studying her little hands. She would study them for a few minutes as if they were the most interesting things she had ever seen, then she would put them in her mouth and look around. She repeated this a few times. Then she noticed that I was watching her and she looked at me and gave me one of those adorable gummy grins that I love so much. And, have you noticed Claire's hair in her pictures lately? Her hair rests nicely against her scalp in some places, but right in the crown of her head, it stands straight up...just like a little gosling! I could have watched her study her hands all day long. I could have looked at her little floaty wisps of hair all day long...I just loved watching HER.

This afternoon, I had all three babies on their tummies on a play mat. I noticed that Kate was in deep concentration and trying to reach for something on the mat. As I followed her gaze, I noticed that the something she was staring at and reaching for was Gus' hand. His hand is pudgy and wiggly...much more interesting than a baby rattle that doesn't move! And, yes, after much wiggling and squirming on her part, she finally put her little hand on his, and he looked at her. Then, they sat and stared at each other's hands while still holding hands. So precious...

God is good, and I thank Him for giving me the desires of my heart.

Enjoy your day...

Leslie

The pictures I have posted are of when Kate found Gus' hand and of Claire studying her hands...if you look closely, you will be able to see her new "gosling" hair-do... LOVE IT!! :o)

Jumperoo...

2009-02-05T20:48:00.005-06:00

Hi, Everyone,

We tried a new toy today for Gus, Kate and Claire. It is called a "Jumperoo" and was given to the babies by their Poppa and MaDJ (most of you know them as Wayne and Jill). The Jumperoo is a little contraption that the babies can sit in. If they move their feet and bend their knees, they can safely jump around. It is really cute!

I have mentioned before that the babies are all so different as far as personality types. The Jumperoo actually helped to prove my theory. Each baby's reaction to the toy was completely different (and so funny...but, let's not forget that I am easily amused)...

Gus shuffled his feet, tippy-toed, bent his knees, hopped, and boinged. He was all over the place!! His little face was so intense...his little mouth was in a perfect "o" and his brow was furrowed because he was concentrating on doing his very best moves. His little feet at times looked like he could be part of the Riverdance group (Michael Flatley...Lord of the Dance)...you know...his feet pointing, shuffling, moving and wildly dancing around, while his upper body remained perfectly still. At times he also reminded me of a guy you might see attempting to fast-dance at a wedding reception. He's doing all of his best moves: The water sprinkler. The running man. The lawn mower. But, he just can't pull it together. This was my little Gus Man...my wild little dancing man! I thought the child was going to sling-shot himself out of that thing! Thankfully, that is not possible.

Kate was very methodical about her Jumperoo experience. First, she sat and studied the new contraption for a while. She really took it all in. Then, she confidently and daintily hopped and rocked back and forth. She bounced up and down, squealing and giggling. There were a few times that I thought she might sling-shot out of the thing, too. I had to keep reminding myself that this just wasn't possible...if you watched the babies in the Jumperoo, you would start worrying about the sling-shot effect, too.

After watching the other two babies in the Jumperoo, I didn't quite know what to expect from Claire. I placed her in the seat. She looked at me and smiled and put her little thumb in her mouth. She blew a few spit bubbles. She looked around and studied the Jumperoo very carefully. She gently shuffled her little feet a few times and then just sat there and smiled shyly as if to say, "Did you put me in here just so you can look at me and see how precious I am? Because I AM precious, you know!" That's all she did...she just hung there and smiled...and slurped her thumb and blew spit bubbles. Bless her.

Can you tell I had fun today? :o) I videoed Gus in the Jumperoo, and all you can hear is me laughing and the sound effects of the Jumperoo going "Boing...boing...boing...boing!!!!" So funny!

I posted a picture of Gus, concentrating and trying to figure out the toy on the front of the Jumperoo. The baby with the bow is Claire. The one without the bow and still in pajamas is Kate (she was the first one out of bed and into the Jumperoo this morning).

The babies are all oh-so-sweet and oh-so-funny. We are having good days together. It is so nice when the sun shines because it shines right into their play area and really bathes everything in light. It really lifts the spirits!

Love and miss you all....still counting the days until Spring is here!

Leslie

Dog children and human children...

2009-02-04T07:52:00.005-06:00

Hi, Everyone,

Well, it was an exciting weekend around here...

First of all, our two year old mini-dachshund, Henry B., was nearly poisoned -- by US. Next, let me tell you that Chad and I are those people who have absolutely zero patience for irresponsible pet owners, or for tough guys who want to whip an animal into submission...or, for those who just let their animals wander, and the animal gets run over and it's no big deal, or, they just don't bother to get their pets vaccinated, or get rid of the dog/cat because they do not match their new carpet (never mind the thousands of animals in shelters that need homes, etc.) Chad and I are THOSE annoying people that despise all of those actions. Well, we became all that we despise in the category of irresponsibility this weekend. It all started because Chad was determined to get rid of the moles or gophers that we have in the back yard. I didn't want to murder the little rodents, but he did (apparently, he is a rodent serial killer and I didn't know it). Anyway, he put out mole/gopher killer pellets. The fine print on the box actually said: Beware. These are actually "Henry B. will find these and kill himself" pellets. Well, wouldn't you know, Chad came running in the house saying, "Henry was digging in the spot where I put out the poison. I think he ate some. We better call the vet!" After calling the vet -- at home -- on a Saturday night (yes, he is a very nice, patient man) and explaining to him that we had managed to poison our own dog, we gave Henry a nice dose of hydrogen peroxide and everything came up. Thank goodness Chad reacted so quickly because Henry had actually eaten a couple of pellets (Henry weighs 10 pound or less, so this could have really hurt him)! As if this weren't bad enough, I panicked and decided to bathe Henry...just in case he had a little poison residue on his paws. Then, Chad thought it would be a good time to clip Henry's toenails, too. The picture of Henry posted here is after we accidentally poisoned him, made him vomit, bathed him and then clipped his toenails. He is wearing his, "Gee...these people must really, really hate me" look! We love you, Henry B. Really, we do!

Yes. We are the people who have three...yes, three...children! God bless our children with EXTRA protection...apparently, they will need it around here! :o)

As far as the human babies go, all is well...

Gus has learned to roll from back to belly at will. It is not even a struggle for him anymore. He gets a little aggravated sometimes when he ends-up on his belly because this is his least favorite position. When he gets aggravated about this, I have to roll him onto his back again (he gets so aggravated that he forgets that he can do this himself). Gus is also enjoying eating rice cereal and applesauce.

Kate is still our "dare devil" child. Because she can safely rock back and forth in her Exersaucer, she thinks that she can also do this elsewhere. Keep in mind, she cannot sit-up on her own yet, so this can be dangerous. I had her propped-up with two Boppy pillows behind her. I happened to glance at her just on time to notice that she was attempting to rock back and forth -- unsupported! I had to rearrange her to keep her from face-planting onto the floor. Kate didn't know the difference. She was just having fun.

Claire is still our little snuggle bunny. Last week, after her Poppa Bear and MeMe left, Claire was difficult to deal with, which is very unusual for her. She is normally the most calm of all three babies. She fussed, she cried and "demanded" to be held at all times. It took me a couple of hours to realize that her Poppa Bear had basically carried her around -- constantly -- for an entire weekend -- and that she was grieving for him. I mean, she was all out boo-hooing. It was funny, but sad. Bless her!

By the way, the top picture is Claire and the bottom picture is Kate. It is getting harder to capture any of the babies smiling because now they will just stop what they are doing and stare at the camera.

I hope that you enjoy your day.

Be kind to your animals today! :o)

Love and miss you all,

Leslie

Prayers for Baby Gabe

2009-02-03T13:48:00.004-06:00

Hi, Everyone,

Gus, Kate and Claire would like to welcome their new baby buddy, Gabe, into the world (his last name is not mentioned for privacy purposes). Gabe is one month early and is currently resting in NICU. He is on a ventilator and is having some difficulty regulating and adjusting. Please keep precious little Gabe in your prayers for healing, rest and comfort. Please keep his family in your prayers, too.

Welcome, Baby Gabe. You are loved by many! We hope that you feel better soon!

Love,

Chad, Leslie, Gus, Kate and Claire

God has a sense of humor, and thankfully, so do I....

2009-01-30T15:01:00.006-06:00

Hi, Everyone,

Have you ever had one of those days?? Well, today was my "one of those days"...

I had a friend stop by today. I did not know she was coming, but I am sure glad that she did...

Today was one of those rare days when Gus was in scream-a-palooza mode, bless his heart. He screamed for a total of almost four hours today (the day isn't over yet as I write this, so there could be more). When he is like that, he needs lots of attention (of course, who wouldn't?). So, Kate and Claire just have to kind of sit back and be in awe at the volume (literally) of the situation and wait patiently for their turn for attention.

On Gus' scream-a-palooza days, I basically get to brush my teeth, and that is about it. Of course, I did not get to shower today (attractive, I know). So, I met my sweet friend at the door while wearing a humongous t-shirt, the oldest pajama bottoms in my closet, Oscar the Grouch green fuzzy socks and my hair slicked back by bobby pins (at least my breath was minty fresh). I am sure that she was in shock at my appearance, but thankfully she gave me a sympathetic grin...AND a humongous pan of spaghetti, salad and bread for our dinner tonight. Initially, I wanted to crawl under a rock when I saw my friend's pretty face peeping through my front door. But, I am glad that I swallowed my pride and opened that door! God is so good and His timing is perfect...He knew that I needed to see a friendly face today...He knew that Chad and I needed and would appreciate a good meal.

God also has a sense of humor. After my friend left, I ran to the restroom and then washed my hands. As I glanced at my reflection in the mirror to reinforce how awful I look today, I saw two large chunks of spit-up dangling from my hair! Oh, my goodness! I just had to throw back my head and laugh! I hope that my friend will not have nightmares tonight...I was SUCH a sight!

I hope that the only thing in your hair today is a little gel or mousse... :o)

Tomorrow is a new day...

Love you all,

Leslie

P.S. I looked like who-knows-what today, but aren't my babies adorable? :o)

Just an update...

2009-01-26T19:52:00.006-06:00

Hi, Everyone,

I had my first weekend apart from Gus, Kate and Claire. It was a big step for me, but I went to a scrapbook retreat this weekend. While I was gone, Chad and his parents (MeMe and Poppa Bear to the babies) took on full-time baby duties! Meanwhile, at the scrapbook retreat, I made great strides in working on some scrapbooks for Gus, Kate and Claire that start with pregnancy and end with their homecoming in September. I finished Gus'. Claire's just needs some stickers for decoration. Kate's needs journaling and stickers. So, I am almost done! This is a huge weight lifted from my shoulders! The babies had a great time with their MeMe and Poppa Bear. They did not miss me one bit, and I am glad! I would rather them have a good time (which they did) than cry for me. I consider the weekend a success.

Here is the update on the babies...

They are all getting so fat, sassy and cute, cute, cute! Yes, I know that I am partial! :o) They are all eating rice cereal. Gus is now taking several bites of the cereal without spitting it out. Kate will take about three bites and then gets a funny look on her face as if she is saying, "What ARE you doing to me?" But, then she gums the cereal and swallows. Claire is the big surprise in the cereal scenario. Claire LOVES the rice cereal! She woke-up this morning and decided that she was ready for it. She smacks her lips and makes little "oooh oooh oooh" noises to demand MORE cereal. It is the cutest thing to see her do that! If we pause too long between bites, she kicks her feet and makes some weird growling noise to demand more. Then, she sticks her whole hand in her mouth to get a real feel for the cereal. It is so much fun! Chad and I just go down the line of babies, scooping rice cereal with a spoon and depositing it into the babies' mouths.

We are still having issues with Gus' infant formula. He is STARVING! Chad and I are hoping that he will settle down once he develops a taste for rice cereal and is able to eat a little more of it. The formula that he is on is just so thin and digests so very quickly. He is starving and screaming within two hours of eating. When this happens, it is difficult to get him to take his bottle because he is in such blind, angry hysteria from the sudden realization that he feels hungry again. It is AWFUL to see him like that.

Gus' eczema is much, much better since the formula switch. The allergist phoned-in a prescription steroid cream for me to use on Gus, but I wanted to give the over-the-counter creams and lotions one more try. Gus' skin care routine goes something like this: Bathe in Dove soap. Gently pat dry. Within 3 minutes of the bath, slather him from head to toe in Lubriderm lotion. Rub 1% Cortaid on trouble spots (FACE) and then "seal" it in with Aquaphor (that stuff is GREASY like Vaseline). Bless his heart! He is going to be sick of me slathering him in lotion day in and day out! But, it's whatever works, and right now, this routine is working! Aside from his skin and formula issues, Gus is still my jolly guy. He has the best laugh! He also has this little mannerism where, if you are carrying him, he will prop his arm/elbow on your shoulder like he is your laid-back buddy. It is really cute.

Kate has a new talent. She now sits in her Exersaucer and flings her hands up in the air and rocks the Exersaucer back and forth...HARD!! MeMe and Poppa Bear reported that they thought Kate was going to slam the Exersaucer through the wall this weekend! Also, she has stuffed monkey that she likes. She turns him in just the right direction so that she can put his curly tail in her mouth and slurp on it while she rocks back and forth in the Exersaucer. It is really cute to watch.

Claire Bear (or formally known as "Clarissa BEARissa") is laughing alot more, smiling alot more and talking alot more. As I already mentioned, her newest, biggest thing is the cereal. I could just watch her eat the cereal all day...it is SO amusing to me how she smacks those little tiny lips like she is enjoying a delicacy. LOVE that!

I think I already mentioned in a previous post that we are done with pacifiers. The babies do not want them, even if they are really, really fussy. So, bye-bye, pacifiers. And, thank you, God, that You allowed us to get off easy on that one! Chad and I were ready for this to be a big issue around here. We will just be happy that we got to use the "easy button" for what is normally a pretty big issue for most families!

We are all doing very well and are counting down the days to warmer weather...we are counting the days to when it is NOT sick season anymore and we can get these sweet babies out to meet some of you.

Love and miss you all,

Leslie

March for Babies

2009-01-16T08:34:00.008-06:00

Hi, Everyone,

The posted pictures are of Gus, Kate and Claire during their stay in NICU in Dallas. Chad and I are so grateful for the neonatologists, registered nurses and various therapists who took such wonderful care of our babies during a very scary, intense time in our lives. The health care professionals involved in the day to day care of Gus, Kate and Claire were able to provide such wonderful care for our babies because of what has been learned over the years through March of Dimes research...

My new friend, Sarah, who is also the mom of triplets born at 29 weeks gestation (just like Gus, Kate and Claire) has organized some of the moms from our Moms of Multiples group to participate in the March for Babies walk that will be held here in Tyler on April 25th. As Sarah said, "We have healthy babies, and part of the reason that they are healthy is because of research and education conducted by March of Dimes." We have a team goal of raising $2500 to donate to March of Dimes. If you would like to help sponsor our team, walk in the March for Babies or just learn more, please click on:

http://www.marchforbabies.org/leslienicole23

The money we raise for March for Babies will help:

- support all-important research offering preventions and solutions for babies born too soon or with birth defects
- educate women on things they can do to increase their chances of having a healthy baby
- provide comfort and information to families with a newborn in intensive care
- push for newborn screening and health insurance for all pregnant women and children

Chad and I will "March for Babies" on April 25th (pray for beautiful weather and healthy babies). Gus, Kate and Claire will be with us. We will walk as a family to show our gratitude and to give hope to others. We have been blessed times three, and we want to help give back.

Leslie

All about Gus...

2009-01-15T11:59:00.005-06:00

Hi, Everyone,

Gus still has not been feeling 100%. He has been looking tired, having a flair-up with his eczema, has had an almost constant clear nasal discharge and has needed breathing treatments. Some of these issues he has had for a while, and some just started coming on gradually in December. Some kept saying, "He looks fine to me." That comment was supposed to make me feel better and it was definitely well meant. At times, that comment made me question my own judgement and observations as a mom and as a nurse. I am sure that some thought I must surely be suffering from the "this woman had a preemie and just can't accept that he is perfectly healthy, so she is inventing things to be wrong with him" syndrome. All joking aside, this really does happen to lots of parents of preemies. They get the baby or babies home and become so paranoid that something is wrong that they just can't function. I was beginning to wonder if this was what was happening to me. Anyway, I took the advice of a friend and made an appointment for Gus with an allergist. As I mentioned, I was already second guessing myself, and I almost talked myself out of taking Gus to visit the allergist. I really had to push forward and make myself keep the appointment, especially after Gus screamed from the time I popped his car seat into the Expedition until we entered the very clean, very uncluttered, very quiet allergist's office! I almost lost my nerve to walk into that waiting room with an unhappy and VERY LOUD baby. But, I decided that surely most people could relate to having an unhappy baby at some point, so I marched right on in! I received some very sympathetic glances from onlookers, but that's okay. :o) Gus quieted down as soon as I got him out of the car seat, bless his heart.

The allergist was such a nice man and was very calm and sweet with Gus. After talking with me and examining Gus, he decided to do some skin testing on him. I kind of cringed until the nurse explained that it would feel kind of like being poked with a toothpick. Gus did SO well. He rested on the table on his tummy, wearing nothing but a diaper and his adorable grin. He didn't even flinch. I sang to Gus and he rewarded me with his adorable, gummy smile while we waited for the results. The results were that he ended-up with some horrific looking red hives in one area of his back. The allergist took one look and said, "Whoa! That's NOT what I expected to see at all!!" The area on Gus' back that was such a scary, flaming, angry red was the FOOD group. Through testing, it was discovered that Gus is allergic to whole milk, casein (a milk protein), oats, wheat, eggs (the white and yolk) and peanuts (yikes). Gus was given some medication and a new formula (soy formula). Since starting Gus on soy formula, we have also discovered that he is having a reaction to that, too. So, we are starting him on one of the elemental formulas (Nutramigen). Chad has a few food intolerances, and one of our nephews (name not included for privacy since I am discussing a medical condition) suffers with two very serious food allergies.

I am so thankful for the friends who listened to me when I kept talking to them about something not being right with Gus. Because of their wise discernment, Gus is on the path to feeling better soon.

Of course, Chad and I feel horrible that we have been stuffing Gus full of food that he is allergic to. But, we had no way of knowing that until this week. We are doing the best we can! We are learning as we go!

God is so good, and Chad and I are so thankful that we are finally getting to the bottom of why our little Gus Man has been feeling so crummy.

Please keep Gus in your prayers...allergies are hard on a little body...

Love and miss you all,

Leslie

P.S. Don't dare turn your back on Gus! If you do, he will make a loud noise that sounds like he is saying, "HEYYY!!!" to get your attention again! :o) And, this picture is for Gus' honorary "Uncle" Mike and "Auntie" Jackie....we know you will like this hat! :o)

Big Six Month Check-up...

2009-01-12T13:16:00.006-06:00

Hi, Everyone,

Today was Gus, Kate and Claire's big SIX month (calendar age...adjusted preemie age is four months) check-up at the doctor's office. The time is flying by!

It takes a "crew" to make doctor's office days go smoothly. Chad's parents (MeMe and Poppa to the babies) are always so sweet about helping me get the babies there. I drive, Chad's dad rides in the front seat. The babies take up the entire second row. Then, Chad's mom climbs into the very back -- the third row seat -- to ride and make sure the babies are okay. Now, if that isn't love, what is?? :o) It is so nice to have a person per baby! We all march into the doctor's office with a baby in tow. I feel bad for the office...they know they are in for a little chaos when we arrive, but they are always very, very sweet to us and are more than accommodating. Nurse Ashley, Nurse Janie, Nurse Christy and Nurse Michelle are THE BEST! One special treat for me while at the office is to be able to watch MeMe and Poppa following the nurse down the hall -- each person carrying a naked baby -- to the scale for weights while I am questioned about the babies' histories by the nurse! It is SO FUNNY to see them parade down the hall, one right after the other!

Gus weighs 17 pounds. Kate weighs 13.10 and Claire weighs 13.8.

Of course, today was the day that they received their immunizations. Gus had five injections (one injection had to be divided into two parts) and the girls received four injections each. OUCH! I'm not complaining. I feel bad for the babies that the injections hurt, but I am thankful that we are able to have them immunized.

I was told that the babies can now change to a feeding schedule of every four hours during the day (woooohoooo!!) and that Chad and I can feed them one last time at 10:30 p.m. or so and then let them sleep until they wake-up in the mornings. So, this means that we are down to five feedings per day (with larger volumes in the bottles, of course). This will be a big adjustment for the babies. I hope it won't take long to convince them that they only need to eat every four hours and that it's okay to sleep for 6 - 8 hours each night. Any schedule change for any baby takes a while to get the hang of -- wish me luck! This is just another little adventure for Chad and I! :o) Of all of the babies, Gus is the one who LOVES to eat the most, so this change in schedule will probably be the most difficult for him....poor little guy.

Chad and I and the babies' MeMe and Poppa noticed today that no one has given the babies a pacifier in quite some time. We have used the pacifier to help Claire eat (long story), but otherwise, the babies have not wanted a pacifier even if we have offered. We have not offered a paci when they are crying -- we try other things. We are using this to our benefit to just get rid of the pacifiers while the babies don't seem to notice too much. I have heard way too many horror stories about weaning from pacifiers. The thought of three babies screaming bloody murder for pacifiers freaks me out a little, so I am glad that it looks like we are going to leave Pacifier/Binky Land relatively unscathed.

We are still on "lock down" (nobody gets in or out...LOL) around here until RSV/cold/flu season is over with around April. So far, the play area that Chad and I arranged for the babies in our house is working out well. There's room for their toys, and there is room for Chad and I to stretch out on the floor with them for play time. Also, the room gets lots of sunshine at the right times of day, which makes it very cheery. Goodness knows, with so many long, winter days ahead, a sunny room helps to lift the spirits! Chad and I are not opposed to bundling-up the babies even on the really cold days and taking them for a stroll up and down the road -- that will help to reduce the feeling of cabin fever!

I am going to attend a scrapbook retreat at the end of the month, so I have been working hard at organizing the photos of the babies that will go into this particular scrapbook project. All I can say is "GOOD LUCK TO ME!!!" I am in way over my head on this one. But, I better get the hang of this because these scrapbooks for the babies are just the beginning. I have many, many years of documenting and preserving their memories ahead of me. My stress comes from not wanting to mess it up for them...I want the scrapbooks to tell their stories. I want them to be able to open their scrapbooks and see how much they are loved and wanted. I have never seen a perfect scrapbook. I have seen many beautiful ones (more beautiful than I could ever hope to create), but never a perfect one. Scrapbooks are not supposed to be perfect...it is just important to know that the person who created the scrapbook did so out of love and care. This is definitely a project of great love and care, and that is all that matters.

This was long and covered a multitude of topics...sorry about that!

I hope that all is well with each of you. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we look forward to Spring.

We love and miss you,

Leslie

P.S. The picture is of Gus, Kate and Claire after we came home from the doctor's office today.

Visitors!

2009-01-09T22:36:00.004-06:00

Hi, Everyone,

Today was a big day for the babies! They had a very special visit by their Aunt Brandy and big Cousin Hannah!

Today is the first time that Brandy and Hannah have seen the babies since September (due to precautions against illness). This was the first time that Hannah was allowed to clean her hands and hold each baby very briefly. I have to say that Hannah is an excellent "baby holder". Gus, Kate and Claire all seemed right at home with her.

It was so funny to see each baby's reaction to the "new" faces. Gus' reaction was the funniest. He looked at Brandy and Hannah for a moment and then made an awful face and screamed -- not cried -- just literally screamed. He did this a couple of times. Fortunately, Brandy and Hannah saw the humor in the situation and we all had a good laugh. After Gus got the scream out of his system, he was content and even posed for pictures with them.

Brandy and Hannah stayed and helped us feed the babies and tuck them into bed. It was really great to have them here with us!

I hope that you all enjoyed your day.

Love,

Leslie

P.S. To view the pictures of Hannah and Brandy's visit, click on the link below:

http://picasaweb.google.com/GusKateClaire/HannahBrandyAndChad?feat=directlink

Joy in the middle of a hard day...

2009-01-07T21:33:00.009-06:00

Hi, Everyone,

Kate and Claire had a setback with feeding today. It was very discouraging because they had been doing so well. Claire would not take two out of seven of her bottles today. Kate only took about two ounces on one feeding and one ounce on another feeding out of her seven bottles. Both cried and arched their backs and just refused to take the bottle. I tried for well over an hour to get them to eat, and they just would not do it. And, little Gus Man is still getting breathing treatments...

When one baby has a difficult feeding session, it makes it difficult for all three babies, if that makes any sense at all. On a good day, it still takes 30 to 45 minutes or more to diaper and feed Gus, Kate and Claire. But, on a difficult day, it can take an hour and a half to two hours (they are still fed every three hours). For example, if Claire is having a difficult feeding, it could take me an hour off and on just to coax her to eat. Then, Gus and Kate have to wait longer for their bottles or for my full attention to play with them. This is because if I ever get one of the difficult feeders to take the bottle, that feeding cannot be interrupted for any reason...not another baby's cry, the phone ringing, the dogs wanting outside to play, etc.

Today, I felt that all I was able to do was to meet the basic needs of the babies (feeding, changing) and that I was not able to really nurture them by singing, playing, holding, etc. I pray for my babies daily, but on days like today, I also ask God to help me to be creative and to help me know what to do so that they will eat. I ask Him to help me find quick and creative ways to entertain Gus, Kate and Claire so that they will be happy and thrive and know that they are loved even though the day is hard...

I have a sweet friend who called me a "supermom". That was a nice compliment, but when she said this I replied, "There is no SuperMom here! But, if you see her, send her on over to my house!" :o) I'm no supermom, that's for sure, but I do know where my Strength comes from...that is why even on the hard days, when babies won't eat and they are frustrated and I am frustrated and nervous that they might starve, we still manage to find the joy. It brings Kate joy when I sing "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" even though it is January...and it brings me joy when I sing it to her. It brings Claire Bear joy to be kissed right between the eyes. For a kiss between the eyes, she will flash her elusive little gummy smile. That gummy smile brings me great joy! It brings Gus joy when I say, "Hey, Mr. Gus Man," in my most gruff and playful voice. He grins from ear to ear and giggles, which, as you guessed it, makes my heart burst with joy!

I thank God that He is with me on the hard days like today. I thank God that He gives me JOY and the strength to come up with one more idea so that my babies will eat or one more idea to make my babies smile...God is so good.

I hope that your day was NOT a hard one... :o)

Love and miss you all,

Leslie

Thank you, Kierston, Kennedy and Dalton

2009-01-06T11:01:00.002-06:00

Kierston, Kennedy and Dalton,

Thank you for the stuffed animals that you gave to Gus, Kate and Claire for Christmas. You are all so thoughtful. Your sweet gifts really helped to make the babies' first Christmas very, very special.

Here is a picture of Gus, Kate and Claire with the toys that you gave them...

Love,

Leslie, Chad, Gus, Kate and Claire

The things that people say....good grief.

2009-01-06T10:07:00.005-06:00

"I'm glad I'm not you."

"You've sure got your hands full (negative tone of voice)."

"What did you do, just decide to have a litter and get it over with?" (well, let's see...cats and dogs have litters of things...I am a person...to my knowledge people do not give birth to litters...they give birth to people).

"Did you plan to have triplets on purpose?"

"Was this natural?" (most people do not realize this, but this is a very personal question to ask a complete stranger in public)

"That one is the cutest one of the whole bunch (as if the other two are not cute)."

"Are you gonna have any more kids? I bet in a couple of months, I'll see you and you'll tell me you're pregnant again. Then, you'll really be miserable with four kids." (when I answer 'no' I am not planning on having a fourth child, then people assume that I do not want the three children that I have, or that I am not happy with them).

"Your kids will just take over and you will be miserable and not have any time or space for yourself."

"It's only going to get worse. Just wait until they..... (fill in the blank...start crawling...start walking...start on solid foods, etc.)"

"When I was up late at night with my twins screaming and crying, all I could do was thank God that I did not have triplets."

Believe it or not, all of the above comments are ones that Chad and I have heard from acquaintances and strangers in public. No, I'm not kidding, and yes, people really do say things like that! Sometimes, it is hard to have a polite answer to the out of line questions people ask and the statements that they make. Some people genuinely have no clue about triplets (I still have no clue about triplets, and yet I have them) and are just curious and mean well by the questions that they ask. But, it seems that others are looking for the negative and are just trying to be mean. It is difficult to continue to be polite to people that say things like that, but I am learning. Unless someone is a close friend or family member, they cannot possibly know what goes on in our house at any given time. So far, what is going on here is happy, joyful, hilarious, fun CHAOS! :o) I have three babies in my house (finally)! They ARE taking over the house, and I am glad! Chad and I built this house just hoping that one day we would have at least one child to fill these walls with laughter. The house was built for FAMILY. Gus, Kate and Claire have a nursery with baby beds and a closet for their clothes (their room used to be a sparsely decorated guest room) . They also have two different closets that are for extra supplies (these closets used to be the linen closet and empty guest room closet, but not anymore). And just yesterday, I converted my boring old sitting/family room that is just off of my kitchen area into Gus, Kate and Claire's play area, which I loved doing...

Sure, sometimes the days are hard when the babies are having difficulty eating or if they are just having an old fashioned "fussy" day. But, that's just life with babies. They fuss, they cry...it's the only way that they have to communicate and it is nothing personal against me when they do these things. But, even on the difficult days, Chad and I have never been happier. Every day, I thank God that He did not listen to me when I said I just wanted A baby. He had something so much better in store. He gave me a Gus, a Kate and a Claire. I cannot imagine life without any one of them.

Having said all of that, most people (including those of you who are still keeping up with the babies) have so many sweet and positive things to say...things like:

"I am still praying for those babies."

"I bet that you are having so much fun."

"I don't know how you ever get anything done. I would just sit and look at the babies all day."

"You are blessed times three."

"I am so happy for you."

"They are so cute and sweet."

"Treasure every minute, because before you know it, they won't be babies any more."

"I cannot wait until Spring when I can come see those babies and get my hands on them!"

"You just thought that this Christmas was fun...just wait 'til next year!!"

"It just gets better and better."

Those are the comments that Chad and I hang on to...those are the comments that mean something. So, if you have said something to me or to Chad that is along those lines, THANK YOU for being such a sweet source of encouragement to us. You make us SMILE! :o)

I attached a picture of Gus, Kate and Claire's new play area. As I said, they ARE taking over the house and Chad and I LOVE it! :o) The area is still not quite completely decorated yet (thus the squirt bottle of non-toxic furniture dusting spray on the shelf), but I am working on it as I have a spare minute.

Enjoy your day!

We love you!

Leslie, Chad, Gus, Kate and Claire

Special Visitors and Hidden Baby Talents

2009-01-03T19:17:00.009-06:00

Hi, Everyone,

I hope that your New Year is off to a good start!

Gus, Kate and Claire had two very special visitors yesterday. Their great grandmother (my sweet Maw Maw) and great Uncle David (one of my two favorite uncles -- his brother is my other favorite uncle) came to visit them. My Maw Maw had not seen them since they were in NICU in Dallas, and this was my Uncle David's first official visit. They drove all the way from Lake Providence, LA (my hometown). The babies really responded to Maw Maw and Uncle David! I think they enjoyed having some new faces to see around here! I have always said that having a visit from Maw Maw makes everything "official"...anytime Chad and I moved to a new house, which has been frequently over the years, it never felt like HOME until Maw Maw and Uncle David came for a visit. It is the same with their visit yesterday. It was so special to have them here. I feel like everything is now "official" and I can take a deep breath! :o)

While Maw Maw and Uncle David were here, my sweet little Claire discovered that she has a new talent. Her new talent is spit-bubble-blowing. She was very amused with herself, which was funny. I have to admit that on a normal basis I am pretty repulsed by spit in general, so I was pretty surprised that I thought that this new "activity" for Claire was cute. Now, if Claire is 15 years old and still blowing spit bubbles, there might be a problem, but for now I am just going to enjoy watching her do this!

During the Christmas holidays, instead of singing regular children's songs (i.e. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, etc.) to the babies, I sang Christmas carols to them (and we listened to REAL singers on CD sing Christmas carols), which they loved. In this process of my extremely bad/off-key singing, I figured out that Kate has a favorite carol. Her favorite carol is "We Wish You A Merry Christmas"! Who knows why in the world this is her favorite, but it really is! I can sing any song, and she will grin and enjoy it, but when I sing that particular carol, she really laughs and grins! I also change the words on the second verse to "Now bring KATE some figgy pudding, now bring KATE some figgy pudding...." I think she is starting to learn the sound of her own name, which is so neat!

Gus is learning to reach and grab toys that are dangling over his face. Kate and Claire are starting to do this, too, but not to the same degree as Gus. It is so cute to watch him concentrate on the toys and work really hard to bat at them. He is also getting stronger and stronger with his "tummy time", which is wonderful because that has been such a struggle for him due to a tight neck muscle. Chad has worked on his neck (with doctor's approval) and it is so much better.

I just read what I wrote, and I know that it all probably sounds incredibly boring to you. But, it's not boring to me! I have waited a long time to see my own babies be amused by my singing, blow spit bubbles and bat at toys. It is all so fun, and this time will quickly pass...I just don't want to miss it! So, I spend my days on the floor with my babies...we sing, read, laugh and play...they nap. It's what I do now, and I would not change one single thing...

Enjoy your evening. Chad and I love and miss you all!

Love,

Leslie

P.S. The picture is of my sweet Maw Maw, Uncle David, Gus, Kate, Claire and of course, me. The babies are wearing some adorable monogrammed shirts that their MeMe gave them for Christmas. I am very self-conscious about photos of myself (no make-up, baby poundage, etc.). But, one thing I have realized is that as the years pass, these pictures of myself that I think are so horrible now will actually start to look good to me! Also, I know that it is important for my children to have pictures of me with them. Now that my mom is gone, I treasure every picture of her, but especially pictures of her with me (those that show her holding or hugging me or interacting with me are my favorites because it reminds me of how much she loved me). I want the same for Gus, Kate and Claire.

Happy New Year from Mom to Gus, Kate and Claire

2009-01-01T07:38:00.006-06:00

Dear Little Ones,

Happy New Year!

Gus: You are "all boy"! I love your very LOUD voice, your chubby cheeks, your almost bald head and your JOLLY belly laugh. You are a darling, chunky little baby man. I cannot help but smile when I look at you. There is a sweetness about you that cannot be explained. I love you, my precious son.

Kate: I love your sweet, chirpy little voice and how you wake-up in the mornings "talking" and fall asleep at night "talking" with so much enthusiasm. When you smile, you smile with your entire face and you make my heart melt. I love that you pay attention to every detail...you do not miss a thing. I love you, my precious first born daughter.

Claire: I love your quiet voice and your shy, gummy little smile. I love the intensity of your gaze and how it seems that you can almost see right into my heart. You are a cuddly, sweet baby girl. I love you, my precious baby daughter.

Chad: You are such a sweet and loving Dad to Gus, Kate and Claire. We are all blessed that you are the head of our home.

You, my children, make me a better person.

I love you.

Mom

2009-01-01T07:01:00.001-06:00

Hello, my three little ones.

What a rollar coaster ride you have given us in this year of 2008. You have been such a wonderful blessing and joy during your short time on this earth. You have come a long way since 7/9/08 when you were born over two months early. We have a wonderful Savior who continues to hold you in His hands! God has been so good to us. You have had so many people that have lifted you up to His throne of grace. We are so grateful to each and everyone.

G-Man: Thank you for your contagious smile and laugh that greets me every morning.

Kate a Bug: I love so much how you curl up like a butterbean when I lift you out of your bed at night and how you intently watch the world around you.

Claire Bear: Thank you for holding my finger when I feed you. I love so much how you snuggle into my chest and shoulder when I carry you.

Leslie: Thank you for being such a great mom to our three. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to continue this journal to document our journey.

May God watch over Gus, Kate, and Claire and may His face shine upon you in 2009!
I can't wait to see what you three have in store for us in this new year.

Happy New Year.
Love, Daddy

Hi, Everybody! Glad you're here!

2008-12-31T06:59:00.004-06:00

Hi, Everyone,

We're glad some of you followed us from the Caring Bridge site to our new blog spot here! Please feel free to leave your comments just as you did on the Caring Bridge site. We enjoy keeping up with you, too.

I have not mentioned this sooner because I was not sure that I should, but ...

On Christmas, Gus, Kate and Claire had a very special visitor. Santa himself -- yes, SANTA -- came to our home to see them. It was such an incredible experience and one that Chad and I will treasure for many years to come. I have waited many, many years to see him, just hoping that one day I might catch a glimpse of that Jolly Old Elf. So, it was a breathtaking experience for me to finally be able to see Santa right here in my very own living room! He allowed Chad and I to take a few pictures of him with Gus, Kate and Claire. But, he asked us not to reveal those pictures for a while (a few years). There are still many other families that Santa would like to meet in person, and he does not want our pictures to ruin the surprise for them.

Now, to the daily activities around here...

I took Gus, Kate and Claire to visit the doctor on Monday. All three babies still have mild RSV. Gus is still the one who is struggling the most and is now on two different breathing treatments and an oral steroid. One of the breathing treatments is scheduled for twice a day, and he will be on that for over a month. The other breathing treatment is "as needed", and he needs it a couple of times a day. Kate is next in line as far as severity. She has some wheezing and sneezing and also can have breathing treatments when she needs them. Claire is the least sick, so we are just watching her and can give her a breathing treatment if she needs it.

Kate and Claire saw a feeding specialist in Dallas yesterday. To make a very long story short, their feeding issues are strictly related to their struggle with acid reflux and not to any neurological difficulties. Praise God! Chad and I are taking this as good news. Reflux is extremely painful, but can be managed. The girls have now had an increase in their medication. The therapist that we saw also gave us a few "tricks" to use to help the girls learn that eating is not painful. The problem right now is that Kate and Claire associate eating with pain, so we have to retrain them to realize that eating is good. The therapist gave us an article that explained that when reflux goes unmanaged or becomes severe, it can lead to language delays and difficulties with eating for years to come. So, Chad and I are thankful for all of these smart people who know so much about preemie issues. We are thankful that we are able to pounce on this issue right away!

Since Gus has been sick, he has been a little bit grumpy (who wouldn't be), especially late in the evenings before his pre-bedtime feeding. A couple of days ago, he was absolutely inconsolable. No matter what I did, he screamed and cried at the top of his lungs and would not stop. He was screaming so loud that my head was pounding (Gus is already a naturally loud baby...his voice is loud...but, when he cries, it is on a different level it is so loud...I just cannot explain it) but I didn't feel sorry for myself, I felt sorry for him. His screaming really bothered Kate and Claire. Kate started to cry and was turning her body away from the sounds. She was stretching out her arms and spreading her fingers apart like she was telling him to stop (over stimulation cues in an infant). Claire's lip was quivering and her eyes filled with tears. After Gus stopped screaming, Kate was resting on her Boppy pillow with her pacifier, and she put both of her hands over her little ears! I don't blame her...it really was loud! I tried to get a picture, but I was too late.

Otherwise, the babies are all fat, sassy and doing well. Gus now weighs 17 pounds. Kate weighs 13.1 pounds and Claire weighs 13.7 pounds.

Enjoy your day.

Love,

Leslie

P.S. This picture is the only one that Santa would allow us to reveal because his face is not visible. His beard is just as snowy white as I always imagined it would be!