Christmas 2011

If I were to use one word to sum up Christmas 2011, I would use "blessed".  If I were to use two words, I would add "Busy"!  Although this was not technically the kids first Christmas, it was the first Christmas we were able to be together as a family.  The crazy holiday weekend started off Friday night at Pops and Losi's house and didnt end until Sunday night.  Between Friday night and Sunday, we attended SIX Christmas's!  I say we are Blessed for so many reasons--but largely because of our wonderful families with which we were able to spend Christmas.  We are so thankful that all of our family lives close, so we get to see everyone on Christmas, however this makes for a chaotic holiday.  Packing a car for a day trip with 13mo old triplets feels like you are packing for a month long vacation--pack n playsx3, bumbo with traysx3, clothesx3, extra clothes x3...you get the idea., BUT it is so worth it! 
Memorable moment from the weekend--as we were traveling from Christmas #5 in Lewisburg to #6 in Chattanooga, we learned that one of our children does not handle curvy roads very well.  I wont go into detail, but lets just say Braden did not tolerate the hilly, curvy roads well.  We had to strip the poor little guy down outside in the cold and clean his car seat with wet wipes after he decided to lose his lunch in the car.  Needless to say, the car had a terrible odor for the remainder of the ride!
All in all, the kids did great with all of the activities.  They were so tired from the extra excitement that they were able to nap and sleep well.  I look forward to Christmas in the future when the children understand Santa and wake up at the break of dawn Christmas morning to see what Santa has brought them.

Stomach bug hits the Morris Home HARD!

Over the past year I have made note of many "ups and downs" in our crazy life.  Thankfully, the "ups" far outweigh the "downs", but we are going to need a lot of positivity in the next few weeks to outweigh this past weekend:) 
The entire Morris household was hit with the stomach bug.  It all began Friday morning when I woke up feeling a little uneasy.  I brushed it off, but knew it was more than "a headache from being tired" when I went to get Brooks up and found he had been sick over the night (poor baby).  I wont give a play by play of the entire weekend; but sick, smelly, cranky, and just plain Gross pretty much sum it up.  Luckily, Travis and I timed our illness perfectly (I was sick on Friday and then Travis got it on Saturday) so someone was able to take care of the kids while the other was laid up in bed.  My wonderful mother was a HUGE help, but unfortunately became ill on Saturday night.  Within 3 days, all 5 of us + my mom and dad got the bug. The women seem to handle the "bug" a little better than our significant others (my mom and I were better 24-36hrs after symptoms began, where as dad and Travis are still not up to par).  The kids have been very cranky (understandable) and dirty (we will just leave it at that:)
I feel like we have used more Lysol this weekend than the past year combined and my hands are literally hurting from washing them so much.  I feel sure that this will not be the only stomach bug that wreaks havoc on our house, but I sure hope that the kids are potty trained by the time we are hit by the next one!
On a positive note, I am thankful that the illness hit us this weekend, rather than next weekend (Christmas)!

December 4, 2011

12 Month Check up last week went well.  They all still weigh 1 lb apart weighing 20lb 10.5oz-Braden, 19lbs 11oz-Kate, and 18lbs 11.5oz-Brooks.  They have been very consistent with their weight gain so far.  Kate hit a big milestone last week when she was the first to take off walking.  She is getting better everyday at tetter-tottering her way around the house.  Braden will attempt 1-2 steps, but then decides crawling is much easier.  Brooks walks all around the house with push toys (or boxes, or whatever he can find), but has not attempted walking independently just yet.  I still cant believe my babies are ONE!  They are doing great with solid foods and are still very good eaters (I am crossing my fingers that they will stay this way!).  The most difficult issue we are facing right now is the constant cough, cold, runny nose,etc.  They just cant seem to get rid of the cough and runny nose--although I am totally over it!  MD said they are not contagious, but Kate still sounds pretty bad when she has a coughing episode.  I am hoping this will pass soon, but fear we may have a few months of the "crud".  I attempted the transition this week from bottle to sippy cup (since we were able to move to whole milk), but...this did not go as well as hoped--actually, it went terrible.  All 3 of them decided to scream until they received their milk in their bottle, so I gave in and went back to bottle.  I have heard that sometimes you have to try different cups to find one they will like, so the search is on for the perfect sippy so we can get rid of all of these bottles!  I have posted their new 12 mo shots--photography by Gambill Photography.

Our Little Pumpkins are ONE!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABIES!  It is hard to believe that my little pumpkins are 1!  ONE, not months anymore, but we are now counting by years!  How is it possible that an entire year has passed since the morning I woke to find my water had broke? A year since Travis and I were making our daily trips to the Baptist NICU, a year since I was alternating nights with my mom sleeping on the hardwood floor to listen for babies and keep them on their 3 hour feeding schedule.  A YEAR!  Oh the difference a year can make!
 As I think back over the past year, I am overwhelmed with emotion and the feelings of thankfulness, joy, fatigue, anxiety, sadness and love.  Some of the happiest and hardest moments of my life have occurred over the past year, and I would not change it for anything.  Every scary, anxious, tired, hard moment of the past year has been completely outnumbered by the wonderful, happy, joyous, funny moments.  I would like to say that the past year has been easy...but I won't.  The past year has been hard, sometimes very hard; however, I feel sure that all first time parents experience hard times during the first year.  The hard times that we experience on a weekly/daily/sometimes hourly basis have been made much easier by the help of family, friends and a strong faith in God. I have said many times over the past year that we would not make it without our wonderful family--I am sure I would be a crazy (or crazier) woman without them!
One year ago today, when God blessed Travis and I with the greatest gifts I could imagine, our lives were forever changed.  Goals and priorities shifted, "alone" time became a very rare treat and our grocery bill tripled! BUT  I now understand "a mother's love".  I feel so blessed to be able to experience this kind of love that is like no other.
As time continues to fly by and we begin our second year with these precious babies, I cant help but be a little sad.  Sad that we are done with "the baby phase" (a phase that we will probably never have in our house again).  I am sad to they are outgrowing the sweet baby swings and bouncy seats and moving on to mobile toys, but progress and growth is all part of life.  I am thankful for their lives and the challenges they have brought into my life.  I love you (Braden, Brooks and Kate) more than you will ever know--Happy Birthday!

October 15, 2011--A year of Blessings

One year ago today was one of the scariest days of my life.  October 15, 2010 was the day I went in for my scheduled 26 week check up and was put into the hospital.  Had I known prior to this appt that I was not going to return home until 6 weeks later there are a few things that I would have done (pack, finalize nursery, clean my house).  I remember going in for my US before seeing my MD as usual.  As far as I knew, everything was fine, the actual MD appt went well, BUT there was one more US test that my MD wanted to check before I left.  Travis met me at this appt, but since I thought all was well, I had sent him home before I went in for the 2nd US.  After the US, I was supposed to be sent home, however the US tech told me that my MD would go over the findings with me.  A little confused about why the MD wanted to see me again, but not really worried, I returned to her office.  The next thing I knew, I was hearing her on the phone outside my room admitting me to the hospital.  WHAT?  I must have misunderstood--everything had been fine just a few minutes ago, why did I need to be admitted to hospital?  Dr. Saig came in and calmly explained to me the findings of the US (placenta insufficiency for baby C--Brooks) and said that it was time for me to go on to Baptist.  I lost it immediately.  I still didnt really understand what was going on, I just knew that I was scared.  26 Weeks was way too early for my sweet babies to come into this world (and much sooner than my original [slightly unrealistic] goal of 35 weeks). 
The next five weeks were filled with many ups and downs.  I had incredible nurses and doctors who took wonderful care of my babies and I.  I am still very thankful for all of the prayers that went up for my family.  Unfortunately, it is often in time of need when you (I) really fall to your knees and see how much you need faith in God and the support of a wonderful Christian family.  God is so good and has blessed us with 3 healthy babies. 
Thank You to all of my friends and family who have gotten us through this past year--we are forever grateful for your love and support!

"Fall" has a whole new meaning this year!

As we enter fall of this year, I realize that our fall season is going to be filled with many "falls" (not to mention the bruises and bumps that go with it) .  A house with (almost) 10 month old triplets is an accident just waiting to happen.  They are fearless and into EVERYTHING!  Just today, I discovered they are no longer safe anywhere except their cribs.  They began climbing out of bouncy seats (while strapped in) a few wks ago and just today I found Kate climbing out of exersaucer with her head inches fom the floor!  Although this phase is a little scary for me, it is also so much fun (well...most of the time).  It is so awesome watching them grow, explore and learn about the world around them. 
MD checkup this week went great!  Braden weighs 18lbs 8oz, Kate is 17lbs 11oz and Brooks is 16lbs 2 oz.  Brooks is still lagging behind a little with wt, however, I am sure part of this is due to his high level of activity.  He is small and VERY ACTIVE which I think is preventing him from putting on as much wt as the others.  MD said everything was looking good and he was pleased that they seem to be hitting all of their milestones on schedule.  We scheduled our next appt for their 1 year check up!!  Cant believe our babies are almost one!
As far as life for Travis and I, things are going well.  The rest of the year is filling up fast and I am afraid it will be Christmas before we know it!  We are really looking forward to our trip which is coming up in a few weeks, but I am already nervous about leaving the little ones. I know they will be fine, but it still makes me a little anxious when I think about leaving. 
I know I have been awful about updating pics, but extra time is pretty rare these days...hope to have some on here soon!

September 3, 2011

My how a couple of weeks can change a household--especially one with nine month old triplets.  The time has come that I have been anxiously awaiting--mobile babies!  Brooks was actually the first one to crawl a couple of weeks ago.  He was the last to sit up on his own, but the first to crawl.  He is fearless at this point and is actually very fast.  He has mastered crawling and is now working on climbing and pulling up.  He is able to pull up to stand in his crib (mattresses have to be moved down) and on most furniture.  He is a little sneaky and likes to crawl/climb into bouncy seats backwards (bc he knows he is not supposed to--i am convinced he knows exactly what he is doing).  About 1-2 days after Brooks began crawling around the house, Braden caught on (he had been leap frogging to move from place to place).  He too likes to pull up to stand on anything he can find and then gets upset bc he seems to not know what to do next.  He is pretty vocal at this point--lots of dadadada and babababa, but no actual words yet.  Kate decided to join in on the crawling earlier this week and is now able to keep up with the boys.  They all seem very focused on the gross motor skills right now, so communication is taking a back seat.  They babble quit a bit, but I am really wanting to hear a consistent mama....guess it may be a while.
We tried toast for the first time yesterday, which went well.  I have yet to find a food that these babies dont like--hopefully this means they will be good eaters!  I also offered them water in a sippy cup for the first time earlier this week.  I am not sure how much water they actually drank, but they did good with the cups. 
Braden has been going through some major teething over the past few weeks as well--he now has 5 teeth (2 on top and 3 on bottom).  Kate and Brooks act like they are teething, but still only have the 2 bottom teeth right now.
Life for Travis and I has definitely become harder.  It is really difficult to get anything done during the day when you have to keep your eyes on 3 babies ALL THE TIME! They are such hazards to themselves right now--they are mobile and fearless--a bad combination!  Plus, with all the teething going on, at least one baby wakes up almost every night now.  I am not complaining, just givining reasons why my house may not always be kept as neat, tidy and put together as I would like.
I am really looking forward to our next MD appt in a couple of weeks--I am curious to see where they are on the growth charts.  I believe Braden and Kate will be in the normal ranges, but think Brooks may still be a little small for his age.  He is definitely growing, just smaller than the other two.
We are very excited about the start of football season this weekend and look forward to a good and busy fall--this year is flying by!

August 13, 2011

Ten years ago today, Travis and I had our first date---who knew how wonderful our lives would be 10 years later!
I cant believe this year just keeps flying right on by.  We had our first official playdate this week with the Orr triplets, Harper, Jack and Caroline.  The Orr babies are about 3 months older than Braden, Brooks and Kate and will hopefully make for great playmates in the next few years.  I think it will be good for Braden, Brooks and Kate to have peers in a similar family situation and I know it is good for me to have contacts with other mothers of triplets.  I was also able to go to dinner with 3 other mothers of triplets this past week and am thankful for these new women in my life.  They truly "get it" when I have questions or concerns and will hopefully be a great support for me in the next few years.  From the dinner (there was a mother of 3 year olds, 2 year olds, 1 year olds and me), I concluded that life will most likely get harder before it gets easier.  It is interesting hearing the different struggles that each of us are currently going through and helpful/scary to hear what lies ahead.
Stephanie, our TEIS teacher, made her second visit this week.  She observed that Braden is "very strong" and will be walking sooner rather than later (not that he is close to walking yet, he just pulls himself up any chance he gets). He is able to scoot all over the floor, but has not yet conquered a true "crawl".  Brooks is doing much better at sitting independently and is able to transition from sitting to quad position.  He is also able to scoot himself in all directions.  Kate has also improved her sitting and is rocking on all 4's. She scoots as well, but no crawling so far.
Baby food is going well.  They are now getting 3 meals/day with 5 bottles.  After talking with the other mothers and Stephanie, I think it is time to move them up to stage 2 foods.  I am a little nervous about this progression, but I am sure they will be fine.
We had our second set of professional pics last week which I think went really well.  It is very difficult to keep 3 babies happy long enough to get all individual and group shots (esp if you want them in more than one outfit).  You can see how big each of them are getting. 
We are going to take them to church at Grandmothers tomorrow for the first time, so they should get good and spoiled from all the attention :)

Month 8 of life with triplets...

Well, another month has almost passed since my last blog update.  We have had a great month with each baby continuing to reach various milestones and grow like crazy! As of now, all 3 babies can sit up on their own.  Braden is definitely the most stable, but Kate and Brooks are doing great at sitting up on their own and playing as well.  Braden and Brooks are also showing signs of crawling.  I usually find them up on all 4's rocking back and forth in their crib when I go in to get them up from a nap.  Braden is also doing this almost anytime you lie him on his tummy.  They have all been scooting around and doing 360's for a while, but have yet to make true forward progress...I am anxiously awaiting the day they are mobile.
Barbara is working out great and has been a wonderful blessing in our life.  The kids seem to love her and I feel very comfortable going to work knowing that the kids are in her hands. 
I am still making my own baby food which is going well.  It is actually much easier than I anticipated and pretty cost effective. 
We met our new TEIS teacher, Stephanie, this week.  She was very nice and had only positive comments to make about the kids--not that I was expecting her to be negative, but it is always nice to hear how well they are all doing.
We have been trying to venture out a bit more these days, but it is really so hard (and tiring) getting everybody (including myself) ready and loaded up in the vehicle.  I know it is important for the kids to get out, so we (Travis and I) are doing our best at taking them places. 
I have definitely been slacking this month on the pictures, so I will try to do better the next few weeks. 

July 6, 2011

Wow-how this past month has flown by.  I can't believe it has been over a month since I posted an update on these precious, ever-changing babies. 
Personalities have definietely surfaced and these children are growing and changing every day.
 Braden continues to be very "active" we will say.  He loves to bounce and jump and has just started doing this thing where he will raise both his arms up like "touchdown" and make a hilarious face.  He is teething and has 3 teeth right now.  He is still my biggest baby and weighs approx 16lbs now. 
Brooks continues to be my squirmy little wiggle worm.  He can literally wiggle his way out of any swing/seat and then thinks it is funny when I freak out.  He has a great laugh that melts my heart and is a smart little guy.  He knows how to put on the charm and therefore has become slightly spoiled bc he is hard to put down--by everyone.  I have heard many people refer to him as "their buddy" or "cuddle bug" bc he knows just how to snuggle up with you to make it near impossible to lay him down.  He is also teething and has 2 teeth as of now.  He is still my smallest, but seems so big at approx 14lbs.
Last, but not least...Kate ,AKA "sweetheart" to her daddy, and  I can not think of a better name to describe this precious child.  She is a sweetheart through and through.  She rarely cries (other than when she is hungry) and loves to sleep.  She will smile if you just look at her and loves to squeal.  She also has a great laugh and is probably the easiest to get laughing right now.  She is also teething (yes-that is 3 teething babies!) and has 2 teeth. She is my longest baby, but not quite as big as Braden, weighing approx 15lbs.
We are working on our daily schedule which seems to be going pretty well.  For some reason, early evening is our hardest time of day--everyone gets fussy and is harder to console.  All 3 are working on sitting up on their own.  Each of them can do it, but Kate and Brooks are not quite as steady as Braden.  We have not heard any news on our new TEIS teacher, but hopefully we will hear something in the next week or so. 
Starting next week, Miss Barbara will begin keeping the babies in place of my sister in law Tara.  Tara had a great opportunity open up at work that she had to take.  We understand, but will miss having her watch the kiddos.  Thankfully, Mrs Barbara was sent our way and I think will work out great.  God continues to bless us more than we deserve!  He is so good!

June 8, 2011

We have had a busy couple of weeks!  The babies had their first trip to Aunt Glo and Uncle Dan's house on Memorial Day and then visited Gradmother's house for the first time on Friday.  Thankfully, all three of the babies do great in the car and typically fall asleep as soon as the car starts moving--which makes these trips much easier.  The hardest part of taking a day trip is all the "packing" that is required to take 3 babies away from home for an afternoon.  By the time I am loaded up with the babies and their gear, I am exhausted (although I have to admit, I rarely leave home bymyself, so I typically have some help with the loading part).  Saturday, we had our first trip to Dave and Tara's with the babies and Sunday was church in AM and PM (another first for the entire family to be at both services in one day!)
Today, our TEIS teacher, Christy, came out to work with the kids.  She informed me that she has taken another job in a school and will no longer be following our family :(.  We will definitely miss her!  After their "play session", we had our 6 month check up.  Thankfully, this check up went great with only good news!  Kate is in the 10th%ile weighing 13lbs 10oz, Braden is in the 5th%ile weighing 14lbs 9oz, and Brooks is still under the 5th%ile weighing 12lbs 9.5oz but is making "great progress" with his "catch up growth" according to MD.  We have been so blessed over the past year and I am so proud of how well my little ones are doing. 
We have slowly begun introducing baby food (only rice cereal and sweet potatoes so far) which is going pretty well.  I am thinking I will try to make my own baby food (more for economical reasons than organic), but we will see.  I attempted my first batch of homemade sweet potatoes today--hopefully they will like them as well as they like the Gerber baby food!

HAPPY 6's!

Happy 6 month birthday to my sweet babies (yesterday) and Happy 6 year anniversary to my wonderful husband today!  Six years ago today I married my best friend and became Mrs. Morris--what an adventure it has been! The past 6 years have been filled with good times and bad (like everyone else's life), but the good times, in our case, majorly outweigh the bad!  In the past 6 years, Travis has successfully run a business, I have received my doctorate in physical therapy, we have been blessed with 3 healthy babies, 2 beautiful neices (and another on the way!), wonderful new brother and sister in laws, great friends and a wonderful church family.  Sitting here 6 years ago, I would have never dreamed what God had in store for our simple "normal" life.  I thought it would be possible for us to have 3 children one day, but never dreamed we would have them all at the same time!
As I think about the past six months, I think about all the joy that Braden, Brooks and Kate have brought into our lives.  I think about how fast the last 6 months have passed by and how I often wish time could stand still for just a little while, so I could keep them babies a little longer.  I am excited and a little nervous about the challenges that await us in the next 6 months as our children become "mobile" and continue to grow. Sure, life has been a little (or a lot at times) crazy, hectic, stressful, and exhausting; but the happy, joyful times make it all worth it! 

HAPPY Mothers Day!

As I come to the end of my first official Mothers day, I cant help but to think about how much my life has changed in the past year.  I so clearly remember waking up around 5AM on Mothers Day last year and seeing the "2 pink lines" indicating I was pregnant (yes, ironically, i found out I was pregnant on Mother's Day).  I remember being filled with so much emotion: joy, happiness, thankfulness and fear.  Obviously, I had no idea at the time that I was carrying triplets, but I remember being so very happy.  I remember telling my mom and mother in law because I was unable to keep the excitement to myself.  It was a couple of weeks later when we went in for my first US and the sonographer informed us "well, you got 3"--HUH?!? was about all that came out of mine and Travis' mouth for the remainder of the appt.  After getting over my small "break down" and intense fear of carrying triplets, I had the most wonderful pregnancy (yes, even with being on bedrest in hospital for 5 weeks).  I had some headaches, but only actually got sick once, which I think is pretty much unheard of for someone carrying multiples.  32 weeks (actually only 28 weeks) later, I was blessed with 3 beautiful, healthy children. 
The past year has been filled with some pretty hard times, but these have been overshadowed by the happiest times of my life.  I know this journey has just begun and we will have many tough days ahead, but I hope to be able to use the feelings of pride, joy and thankfulness I have felt the past year to get me through these hard times.

5 Months Old!

Wow!  Cant believe our babies turned 5 months old this week!  They are doing so well and God continues to bless us over and over and over again!
We had the 5 month check up this week.  All babies had a great appointment and are closing the gap on the weight difference between them and their peers.  Braden is the biggest weighing in at 12lbs2oz (and feels so heavy!), Kate weighs 11lbs 2oz and Brooks is catching up weighing 10lbs 2oz.  Dr Eastham was very pleased with Brooks "catch up growth" since his last visit and had no concerns for any of them at this time. 
They have all outgrown the newborn clothes and are now in 3-6 mo clothes--I feel like everytime I turn around they have outgrown another outfit!
We are still waiting on the 4 mo professional pics, but I hope to see them soon--maybe even later today.
Easter is Sunday, so there will be plenty of new pics coming soon!  We are looking forward to getting the babies out for their first holiday with the WHOLE family!

April 9, 2010

Wow--I have really been slacking on my post updates!  Cant believe it has been 3 weeks since my last post-time flies when you are having fun (with triplets)! 
Some of the more exciting news over the past couple of weeks:
1) The Morris family goes to church- last week we ventured out for the first time on Sunday morning to all go to church together.  It was a busy morning, but overall went well.  We actually made it on time and did not have any fights getting there :)
2) 4 month old professional pics--last week we (my mom, Tara Brown and myself) went to Franklin to have professional pics made of the babies.  Due to their NICU stay and prematurity, these were actually the first professional pics we have been able to have made of the babies.  I was thankful to have the help of my mom and Tara--it would have been crazy trying to get pics without their help!  Sara Gibbs took the pictures which I think will turn out very well.  I hope to have the proofs by the end of this week.
3) TEIS teacher, Christy, made her first visit with the babies.  This visit went very well and was very informative for me.  She gave me tips on using black and white pics, continuing with classical music and doing tummy time FIVE times a day.  We have been doing tummy time, but only a couple times a day (mostly bc they dont really like it).  We are also working on getting them to hold/manipulate objects and work on head control by sitting in Bumbo seats.
4) The BIGGEST news for Travis and I:  Thursday night (4/7/11) the babies slept from 11:00PM until 6:20AM!!!  Brooks woke up first at 6:20, then I actually had to wake up Kate and Braden at 7AM to feed them.  They made it again all night last night, so hopefully, we will be able to drop the middle of the night feedings and all sleep a little more every night!
I think that is pretty much all for now.  We are slowly settling into a nice little routine which I absolutely love!

March 18, 2011

I just love Fridays, especially Fridays as beautiful as today.  The week started a little rough with long nights on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday night (I think maybe due to the time change), but has ended up being a very good week. We have had many wonderful visitors over the past few days.  The babies had a great visit with grandmother (their greatgrandmother) and Aunt Donna on Wednesday and then with Mrs Valorie yesterday.  My sister and her husband have also been in town since it is their spring break, so needless to say--these babies have been spoiled this week. 
We braved our first walk alone today (me, the babies and max--the dog) which went well.  We only had a few stares, simply because we only passed a few people.  I realize we look a little ridiculous, but I dont want to be a hermit and stay in all summer--so...I guess we will just look ridiculous.
They were weighed last week and continue to grow so well: Kate-9lbs 7oz, Braden-9lbs, Brooks-7lbs 12 oz---and these were last week, so I know they are even bigger now!
Only a couple more weeks till we get to get them out!!!

March 6, 2011

There have been no major changes in babies status since last update.  Thankfully, all continue to do well and are growing like weeds!  I guess the biggest change in the Morris household has been my returning to work last week.  As I expected, leaving the babies was hard, but thankfully I knew they were in good hands (my mom and sister in law will be keeping them while I am at work).  I have actually returned to a new position at a nursing home/retirement village in Hermitage.  I will definitely miss my old coworkers/friends, but made this decision based on what is best for my family at this time.  I enjoyed the new job last week and have always enjoyed working with the geriatric population.  I still have a lot to learn about PT in a rehab setting bc it is totally different than outpt PT, but I am looking forward to the new challenge.
TEIS will be coming out this week to evaluate all of the kids.  I expect them to find some "delays" since they will be assessing them as 15 week old babies (rather than the adjusted age of 7 weeks --since they were 8 weeks early---which we have learned is how we should look at them). 
We have remained homebound per MD advice, but I am so ready to get these kids out!  I am really looking forward to April (when flu and RSV season are over) so we can go on some family outings!

February 23, 2011

I have wonderful intentions of updating this site at least weekly, but as you can see...that does not always happen.  Since I have been a stay at home mom for the past few weeks, I honestly do not know where the time goes.  My day typically starts around 6:30am and the next thing I know, it is 4:00pm and Travis is home.  If it has been a good day, I will have real clothes and maybe even a little make up on, but Travis will be the first to tell you that this does not happen everyday!  Thankfully, I have a wonderful husband who will laugh at me and love me anyways.
As far as the babies go, everyone is doing well.  We had MD appt last week and got new weights on everyone: Kate-8lbs 4oz, Braden:7lbs 10 oz and Brooks:6lbs 4 oz.  Kate has now been back on breastmilk for the past week and a half and thankfully has been tolerating it well.  For now, she is receiving only breastmilk and I have started supplementing with formula b/t the boys.  Braden and Brooks were not huge fans of the formula at first, but have transitioned to the occasional bottle well.  They do spit up quite a bit more, but overall are doing well.
Yesterday, we had a coordinator with TEIS (Tennessee Early Intervention Systems) come out to start the process on having all 3 evaluated to see if they will qualify for TEIS services.  Since they were 8 weeks premature, they will likely qualify and begin receiving therapies at home in the near future.  I am looking forward to this beginning--I feel like they are all doing well, but I figure some extra, specialized help will be great for their development.
Monday is the big day--I return to work after being out for 5 months!  I am looking forward to getting into a routine, but am really going to miss my little angels! 

Quick update

Just wanted to update my post from yesterday to inform everyone that Brooks rolled over today!  I cant believe they are 12 weeks old today!

February 11, 2011

I can not believe how quickly my little ones are growing!  I know they are still very small (especially for their age--12 weeks tomorrow), but they have changed so much in the past few weeks. 
Big news this week--Kate and Braden rolled over!  Kate was the first to roll over (from her stomach to back) on Tuesday.  Braden has been working hard at trying to roll as well and just this morning rolled from his stomach to his back.  Brooks will not be far behind.  You can tell he is trying so hard when I lie him on his stomach to flip, but has not been able to do it yet.
They are becoming much more aware of their surroundings and will just gaze at the TV and ceiling fans in awe.  They are also smiling at me much more these days--which I cant seem to get enough of. 
They are doing much bettter with sleeping and have gone 5 hour stretches every night this week.  I have even been able to sleep in my own bed (until this week, I had been sleeping on floor in living room).  I have been reading quite a bit lately looking for tips on getting 3 babies on a schedule.  The book I have been reading emphasizes keeping them in a routine rather than focusing on a schedule which has helped.  They are napping better and sleeping better at night.
Overall, we are all doing well.  They have an MD appt next week for their first round of immunizations which I am not looking forward to.

Jan 29, 2011

One would think that staying at home all day you would have a few minutes to update your blog...needless to say, the blog has not been at the top of priority list the past few weeks.
Everything has been going pretty well here in babyland.  We are still getting lots of assistance from family which is helping to keep me sane (and somewhat rested).  Some nights are longer than others as Braden still seems to have his days and nights confused.  He really does not like being in the bed!  In an attempt to stabilize the babies schedule, I am trying to let him "cry it out" some at night.  This is truly torture!  I know he is fine as he is always fed and clean when he is put to bed, but it is awful to hear him scream, not cry, scream while lying in the crib.  Amazingly, Kate and Brooks sleep right through his screaming fits and eventually he wears himself down and drifts off to sleep.
All of the babies are eating well at this time and Kate's belly issues are much better.  She is still on the (expensive!) Alimentum formula, but I am planning on trying her on breastmilk again in a couple weeks to see if her system has matured enough to allow her to tolerate it.  Hopefully she will do well with the breastmilk and we can begin to supplement all 3 of them with a less expensive formula.
Brooks' appt with surgeon last week went great! The surgeon could not find the hernia, so we believe it may have closed on its own.  No surgery for now and we will check back in 6 months!  His only problem at this time is with spitting up.  He seems to have a mild-mod case of reflux which is being treated with prevacid.  I hate giving the little guy meds, but I hate even worse seeing him (appear) to be in pain after eating. 
We had our first visit from home nurse with Nurses for Newborns on Thursday this week.  Chris is very nice and will be following babies growth on a regular basis to ensure they are growing and developing as they should.  Their current weights: Kate 7lbs 10oz, Braden 6lbs 15oz and Brooks 5lbs 6oz!  I could not be happier at how well they are all growing!

January 14,2011

As you can see from the lack of updates, things have been pretty busy around the Morris home.  "Busy" these days consists of feeding, changing diapers and changing clothes due to spit up/ wet.  Right now, the babies are on a 3 hour schedule, meaning they eat every 3 hours.  By the time all 3 have been changed and finished eating, it feels like it is time to start the cycle all over again. 
We are trying to work out their sleep patterns now.  Brooks and Kate do pretty well with sleeping at night, but Braden is another story.  He has had his days and nights mixed up since he came home from hospital and we are having a rough time transitioning him.  The lack of sleep has been rough on all of us, but thankfully I have had help from my mom and mother in law.  I am starting to feel more comfortable with all 3 of them on my own, but I can not imagine not having them around to help in the beginning. 
It is so nice having the babies home and not having to make a hospital run daily to go see one of them.  Those weeks when we were caring for one baby at home and visiting the others in the hospital(s) were physically and emotionally draining.  I still worry about their health and am probably a little more paranoid about some things than others, but I know this will get better with time.
I can not believe they will be 2 months old tomorrow (which is actually their original due date).  It has been a crazy, but overall wonderful 2 months!  These new pics were taken by Travis' friend Michael Nobles who has recently began doing photography on the side.  I think the pics turned out great and am excited to be his "practice family"!

Happy New Years x 3!!!

I couldnt have asked for a better New Years present yesterday when the MD called and told me "today is the day".  Even after hearing the wonderful news that they were planning to send Kate home, I was still skeptical about her discharge until we were actually walking out of the hospital with her.  I am so relieved to have all 3 of my babies at home and so glad that Travis and I no longer have to make the daily hospital runs to visit them. 
Again, I want to thank everyone who has prayed for us over the past few months.  Hopefully, all of the health issues arre behind us now and we can enjoy our sweet babies at home.  I have no doubt I will be extremely sleep deprived over the next year, but it will all be so worth it!  (I am already getting used to having only about 4 hours of sleep a night).  Thankfully, I have a wonderful support system.  Without them, I am sure I would be Crazy!