Blog Question Answered!

The other day a question was left on my blog and I thought I would go ahead and answer it!

livelaughlovelots7 asked "Just out of curiosity, why do you sometimes refer to Claire as Lola? Was that suppose to be her name? Also while I'm asking, how did you choose the girls names? Can you do a post about that and also what were your other choices for all the girls? "

Great questions! I am sure you aren't the only one who wondered!

So first, why we call Claire, Lola...well, I have no idea really why we just started calling her Lola. One day she started saying "lola lola lola lola" over and over again and so I just started saying it back to her and it became her little nick-name. Now we call her Lola Claire, or Lola Mae (I saw an Etsy sop named Lola Mae and I thought it was such a cute name!) or sometimes just Lola. She actually will turn her head and respond to Lola just as much as Claire. It was never suppose to be her name or anything, I would have never named her Lola actually, I never even considered it. I just seem to like it now.

And how we chose the girls names was pretty simple. Nothing like the trouble we went through while trying to pick Little Miss E's name. When I was young I thought about names a million times and what I would name my children one day and none of them made it on any of my children's birth certificates. Not until I was pregnant did I really think I wanted to use some names in our families. And then when I found out we were being blessed with triplets, I never expected them to all be the same sex so we didn't bother coming up with three girl names and three boy names, but it was still fun to think about. I wrote this post on the names we had chosen in August of 2010. And then we found out we were having two girls and a boy and so we named them in this post. Little did we know, that wasn't the truth and instead we were having three little girls who would be named in this post.

I knew I didn't want something like Madison, Madelynn and Morgan or Jessica, Jenna and Jamie...NO WAY!

I always loved the name Madelynn. And I told Tim that it was my number one choice for a daughter. Of course I went over and over in my head about the spelling though. I liked the two n's at the end but I almost put an e at the end to make Madelynne, but I thought the name was too long then. Christine is my sister's name and I thought it sounded beautiful with Madelynn. I liked how Madelynn is so popular now and yet it's still very old.

With Claire, it's kinds a funny story. Tim and I love the movie Wedding Crashers (we could literally watch it over and over!) and Rachel McAdams is my favorite actress who plays one of the main characters. Her name was Claire in the movie and it started there. We then watched another movie she was in and her name was Claire also, so then I thought it was a sign. And we love the TV show, Modern Family and the mom's name is Claire. I really loved the old nature of Claire, it's becoming more modern and yet it's still old. So, I was set on Claire and Tim said he wasn't a fan of it. I won't say what he really said, but it wasn't nice. After a few weeks, he said he loved it and wanted a little Claire-bear! So, I though Elizabeth sound great with Claire, and it's my MIL and my SIL's middle name too.

Then with Natalee, I always loved the name Natalee and Tim loved it too. I just said it one day and boom, he said that's it. We never looked back. He hated that I wanted to put two ee's on the end, but in the end I got what I wanted...partially because I filled out all the hospital paper work. Oh well. I like the uniqueness of it and Natalee is also an older name. 

So I thought all the names really sounded good together and yet weren't all matchy. I don't think we ever thought of any other names for the triplets. IF they had been boys, I am pretty sure they would have been Jackson Timothy, Nathan Samuel and Benjamin Robert. Tim doesn't like Ben, but I really do. I love Jackson Timothy, we would have called him JT. Ya never know, it may get used one day...shhh, don't tell Tim I said that.  It would be our number one choice for a boy at anytime.  Nathan was after Tim's best friend, the girl's god-father and Samuel would have been after Tim's step-grandfather that died in a motorcycle accident the year before we were married. Robert is after my dad and Tim's grandfather, and Benjamin just came out of no where. I like more solid/earthy/manly names for boys. Nothing made up or different. I have other issues with boy names but I won't go into it. Everyone has their things.

With Emily, I really thought she would be named Emily, Leah or Caroline. Savannah was close too. I still love Leah and Caroline. I went with Emily because my mom's grandmother was an Emily, she was a well-known nurse in Paris and my mom and I always loved the name Emily. And June is after my mom, which she absolutely loves that someone used her name because she doesn't like her name all that much. She cried when we told her Emily's full name. 

Names are so fun! Makes me happy that all 4 girls have middles names of women in our family.

If anyone else has questions, feel free to ask! I love answering them and I am sure people have questions when it comes to multiples!!

Wordless Wednesday...Almost!

These photos are too cute not to share!




Nope, Mommy, we are NOT trying to escape already!

I love the look on Claire's face...like..."oh Mommy...you're watching us?!?"

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Snack time at our house is like feeding the ducks at the pond!

Emily: You are ONE Month Old!

Sweet, sweet Emily June, 


You are ONE MONTH OLD! Today is February 26, 2012!


I cannot believe an entire month has gone by in your little life already! You are such a blessing in every way! 


I have had so many emotions over this past month! While it's been so hectic with so much going on, I have tried to really enjoy some special quiet times with just you and I. I want to remember every moment with you, my littlest love.


I have so enjoyed being your Mommy this past month. I was so thankful to have everything go so smoothly through my pregnancy with you, the wonderful birth of you, bringing you home to your sisters, breastfeeding you, and just enjoying being with you during your first month of life, something I didn't get with your sisters. There has been a lot through this first month that I didn't get to do and experience with your sisters, that I have cherished doing for and with you during this first month. Keeping you in our hospital room, bringing you home from the hospital with us, giving you your first bath at home and just experiencing being with a true healthy newborn during the first month of life. 


I have loved and tried to remember each moment and I am so thankful. I thank God every day for you. I truly and whole-heartedly believe that God gave me you for a reason. Everything in life happens for a reason and you were created and made with love and truly a gift from our Lord. I can't imagine my life without you and the peace you have brought to my life and my soul. I think God gave me you to heal a lot of my wounds that I experienced with your sisters. You are truly a miracle gift to me, as are your sweet sisters. You are a true miracle and sometimes when I stare at you, I still ponder the thought of how all the stars must have lined up so perfectly for your creation. It still blows my mind, but I am forever grateful to our Lord.


I am so glad God chose you to join our family, it already seems like you have been here forever. It was meant to be. You were meant to be. I love you so much and so does your Daddy. Don't ever forget how much we love you and how thankful we are for you!


Love Always and Forever, Mommy

Birth: 7 lbs. 14 oz. and 19 3/4 inches

When we left the hospital: 7 lbs. 9 oz.

2 Weeks: 8 lbs.


2w6d: 8 lbs. 6 oz.

1 Month: Probably bigger than 9 lbs., but not yet to 10 lbs. is my guess!

Your hair is brown. Not as dark as Natalee's and not as light as your twin sisters.

Your eyes are a brownish grey.

You have beautiful and perfect little lips.

Everyone says you have long fingers and nails, just as your sisters did when they were born.

You are wearing size 1 Pampers Diapers. You have constant blowouts and we go through a lot of outfits during the day and night!

Your clothes are Newborn and some 0-3 outfits. Some Newborn onesies are already to small. You are very long, just like everyone else in our family! I think in the coming week I will be putting most of your Newborn sized clothes away! :(

You are a great sleeper! The first few days of your life you had your days and nights mixed up but after we got that straightened out, you have done wonderful! You normally sleep from around 9pm to 4-5am and then eat and go back to sleep until 9-10am! How awesome are you!? On 02.23.12, you had your longest night-time stretch from 9:30PM to 5:00AM!

You are exclusively breastfed and I truly enjoy every moment of it. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE NOT pumping at all and it has been a wonderful experience this time! You eat about every 3 hours during the day and like I said above, you are a great sleeper and can go for long stretches at night, which I love! Thank you for that sweet girl!

We moved into our new home just 15 days after your birth and you haven't even noticed...mostly because you sleep like all of the time! So, therefore you have had a very smooth transition. :)

We call you E, Em, Emme and Emily. Of course lots of other names too, like, baby girl, peanut, sweetie, little love, Miss E.

Between two and three weeks old, you really became more awake and aware of things around you. Your cry became louder and more forceful also!

You have the same birthmark on the back of your head just like Natalee does!

I love when you smile in your sleep.

You love to be held.


You are the BLOW-OUT Queen! I swear I go through more outfits with you than I did with all three of your sisters!


You have some baby acne, and I absolutely hate it! Poor girl!

You love, love your binki!


You are very patient. I think you may know Mommy is a very busy woman and has to constantly go after your crazy big sisters. I praise Jesus for giving you a sweet, patient soul.

I am so in love with your little fists. I must kiss them a million times each day.


You started cooing on 02.22.12, and I forgot how adorable the sound is. I almost cried!


I think you look more and more like Claire everyday! Although, many, many people say you look like Natalee, but I don't see that at all.


You have met lots of important people in our family over the past month. Your Great-Nana and Great-Aunts already adore you, as does your Great-Grandma. You and your sisters are the only Great-Grandchildren on both sides of our family! You are so blessed to have all four of your Great-Grandmas/Nanas alive! How awesome is that!?


You love to swing and be in your bouncy seat. 


You sleep in Mommy and Daddy's room in a bassinet. But we are going to order your crib this month.


You have gone everywhere with Mommy this past month. I finally left you for a few hours with your Nana, Great-Nana and Great Aunt Beth on Saturday, 02.25.12. You did great but Mommy missed you!


You love to be rocked.


You get a bath every other day and you LOVE it. It doesn't surprise me at all seeing how much your sisters love their bath-time!


I love to just hold you and I am cherishing every single piece of your little self.

Biting Advice?!

I have a house full of biting animals! Ah!


I'm sure it's a little worse because all three of the girls are the same age and are constantly going after the same toys.

I swear everyday, if I turn my back for a second...I hear the shrieks of someone getting bit! It is so not fun and I hate running to the rescue to see a full mouth of teeth imprint on someone's arm or back or head, even!

Natalee normally is the one getting bit..by either Madelynn or Claire, obviously! But Madelynn is the main biter. She does it out of frustration and it is normally over a toy or even when I pick her up and she isn't getting what she wants, she will go and try to bite me!


We are starting "time-outs" but they don't understand and just seem to smile at the attention.


So what have you more experienced Mom's out there done for biting? Going to be doing a lot of research and trying to see what's best for teaching children not to bite! Any advice is welcome though!

We can Climb the Stairs!

Everyday we have been having stair-climbing races up to bath/bed..it's so fun and the girls crack up!

Madelynn always wins and normally Natalee is second, followed by Claire who just prefers to hang back with Daddy!

Natalee taking the lead!

Madelynn already headed down to her room!

Natalee coming in second! Claire lagging behind!

Come on Claire....you can do it!