Anna Kate's Birth Story - Part 4

On Friday morning, 5.24, my doctor came to see me and immediately I asked him if I could go home and surprisingly he said yes. I was so overjoyed and could not wait to get back home to my big girls! And the pediatrician came and said the same, Anna was perfectly fine to go home with us. All was good. Praise Jesus!

My dad stopped by on his lunch break to finally get to hold Anna, since he didn't get to on the day of her birth.

All ready to go! Get me out of this hospital! Tim and I joked about having a summer baby this time and not having to go outside when it was freezing with our little baby but this day, the start of Memorial Day Weekend, it was freezing! Tim had to put the heat on in the car before we went down to get in. I didn't bring anything but shorts and one long sleeve shirt for myself, thank goodness.

Because of Friday afternoon, holiday weekend traffic, it took us much longer to get home then we thought. Anna didn't make a peep and I slept most of the way.

When we got home, the girls were asleep but when they woke up, I was so happy to see them and they were so happy to see me! 

I didn't get photos of them meeting Anna for the first time but the next day we took some photos of them holding her. Melted my heart. It was a few moments I will never forget. All my girls together. All five. FIVE! They each gave Anna kisses and took turns hold her. Even Emily loved it. She had a fit when her turn was over. Each of the girls did so good. I loved seeing them react to Anna and it's been so cute so see them as the days have gone on with a new baby in the house.

Precious kisses from Natalee to Anna!

As of the recovery this time around, it's been much easier than with the triplets. I can breath so much easier. I'm not falling over fainting walking up the stairs. I can sleep, when Anna allows me to! My scar seems much longer this time, but maybe that is just the bandages, so we'll see when that starts to come off. The pain has been very manageable. I took vicoden and motrin 600's for about a week, and that was it. I've just been taking tylenol or advil now, mostly just for nursing pain still.

Our scale is messed up right now, but I go to the doctor next week and I can't wait to see how much weight I have lost. My tummy is shrinking more as each day passes, but that tummy tuck is still in the back of my mind for one day! When I'm able, I will be starting to exercise to get back into shape from these five babies in 2.5 years!

And nursing, it's going great. I'm breastfeeding her and pumping. I already have quite the supply built up in the freezer and each time I pump I'm getting about 8-10 ounces in about 12-16 minutes. Yeah...crazy, I am a milk maid for sure! I'm sure as Anna eats more on her own, I won't be getting as much pumped milk so I am glad that I have the supply built up. Anna is eating great. She's already looking bigger to me. 

Next up: How it's been with 5 Under 2.5: The first Week, How much the girls Look Alike and My first day alone with all Five (which was TODAY!).

Anna Kate's Birth Story - Part 3!

Part 1

Part 2

Finally late Wednesday night, we were able to go down to the NICU and see her, hold her and talk to her nurse. Sitting there talking with her nurse, someone I didn't know from before, I was so emotional. Why me again? Why my baby again? I started getting scared and feeling like I just didn't deserve this again. My little baby struggling in the first few hours of life and she is considered a full-term baby! I blew it off when my OB said she might end up in the NICU. How could I have been so naive? Not like me at all and yet here I am at 11pm looking at another one of my innocent children struggling with life and yet I can't be there at every second to cuddle and love on her. It just wasn't fair. I didn't understand.

But I've always tried to look at it as a blessing. A blessing that we have technology and medical advances that are wonderful. I was surrounded by amazing and knowledgeable doctors and nurses who came to lend a hand, offer a hug, just say hello and how beautiful our little Anna-Kate is. Nurses and doctors who remembered us. Remembered our girls. Those smiling faces and sweet hellos are what made my heart smile. I knew my little girls were in great hands before and I know once again that Anna-Kate couldn't be in better care. I relished in that peace. It's all I could do. God would handle the rest.

We learned a lot more about why she was in the NICU in the first place and what needed to be done for her to be able to leave. I'll try to make this as short as possible. The nurse said that they expected the fluid in her lungs to absorb, hopefully. She had been on the c-pap without oxygen and then they tried her without it. She didn't even last an hour off of the machine before having to be put back on it with oxygen. She looked so uncomfortable and I hated watching her struggle to breath. No mother wants to see their child struggle to do anything, especially breath. Heartbreaking. She had an IV for fluids and to keep her blood sugar up. She had a feeding tube put in too, which I hated to see.

Finally holding her, fighting back the tears.

They said they would try to take her off of the c-pap sometime over night. So we said our good-nights and headed back to our room, baby-less. It sucked. There's no other way to say it. It's not right to deliver your baby and go back to an empty room. 

I didn't sleep. I couldn't sleep. I heard the babies around me in other rooms and wondered if my little girl was crying for her Momma too? The itching was horrible. The pain was pretty bad. My IV hurt, my catheter hurt, the sweating, the itching....oh the itching! I did not sleep one minute. Just kept starring at the clock and waiting for 6am when I knew the nurse said she would be back in to take out my catheter and take off the clotting pressure things on my legs. And I was starving and wanted to see my baby!!!!

By the way, it was our 4th Anniversary, May 23rd. I've spent Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, New Years Day, Valentine's Day (all with the girls in the NICU) and now one of our Anniversaries (AK) in the hospital.

Finally after I ate and got some morphine, instead of what I was on for pain (because I didn't know what the heck was causing so much itching...if it was the antibiotics, the narcotics, the spinal, or a combo of it all) we ventured down to the NICU, after shift change and before rounds.

I was so happy to see Anna-Kate not on c-pap and breathing on her own! She looked so different and her face was so bright and healthy looking. She really looked so much better than the night before. They also took out her feeding tube and so she was able to nurse very well. My heart was mending seeing my little girl doing so much better. 

During rounds Dr. S and all the nurses were impressed to see how well she was doing. Dr. S said they would back down on her IV and hopefully she would be back with us by this afternoon/evening. That made my heart very happy. She also had another one of our nurses that we had from before, which was nice. 

We went back to our room for lunch and my best friend came back down to stay with me while Tim went home for a little bit to help with the girls. I also had some other wonderful visitors that kept my spirits up and brought some sweet gifts for Anna! When Tim got back, we were just about to get ready and go down to the NICU when the NICU nurse knocked at our door and had Anna with her. I couldn't stop smiling! My baby girl was back with her Momma and Daddy!

A few minutes later my mom arrived and finally got to hold her. I was able to take a shower and that helped my itching so much. It felt so good to get clean.

Our good friends, Nathan and Emily came to see us and brought me the best chocolate cake I have ever had! Oh my it was so darn good!

Happy Daddy!

Anna had a great night that first night with us. Of course I just couldn't stop holding her and starring at her. She was so sweet. I wanted to see all of her and take her all in.

Part 4: Go-Home Day and Meeting my Big Sisters...coming!

Anna-Kate's Birth Story - Part 2

Part 1 Here

Before I knew it, it was time to go to the OR. I asked if I was going to walk and they said, yes. I was glad because as silly as it may be, I wanted to walk one more time with my big belly and take in the last few minutes of being pregnant. I sat on the table getting ready for my spinal and just took the last few seconds in. I started to get nervous but the general surgeon was so sweet. The spinal was fine. A little painful but really I never think they are too painful. It's so quick and over with before you can think about it, I really don't mind it. By the time I said, ouch, it was done. It did go in waayyy faster than I remember with the girls or with Emily. By the time they helped me to lay back, I was getting more and more numb by the seconds. I really couldn't believe that. I remember with the girls that it took forever for it to kick in.

The moment I laid down, it was like I was a hurt hyena being swarmed by hungry lions. Every part of my body had something or someone doing something to it. It overwhelmed me, made me nervous and scared and I started to get really faint and anxious. For about two minutes I was freaking out, couldn't think or focus on anything and then I felt my blood pressure cuff tighten, just in time. The anesthesiologist said, "oh your blood pressure is really dropping" and I said, "yeah I can really tell, I feel very, very weird". He gave me something immediately and within a minute or two I was much more relaxed and barely able to keep my eyes open. And I stayed like that the whole time but those few minutes of panic were horrible. Something new that I hadn't had with the girls was an awesome warming blanket that puffs up on your chest and arms and blows hot air the whole time so you don't get the shakes and feel freezing. Man was it wonderful!!!! All I remember last time was the horrible shaking, being frozen and not being able to get warm, so this blanket was AWESOME! I had just a few moments where the shaking was there but not an issue. Nothing like last time that's for sure. Tim even agreed that the blanket was wonderful because he could feel all the warm air too and since the OR is always freezing, it was great for him also.

The thing I am going to remember while waiting this time for her actual moment of birth is feeling so tired and impatient. I was like, what is taking soooo long!? Finally when they said to expect some pressure, I wasn't thinking it would be much since I didn't remember that with the girls. I was wrong.  Holy moly! I felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest! It was so crazy. My shoulder was being pushed down and it just seemed like forever for her to actually be born. That was definitely a new experience and not one that was so nice. I like it lasted forever.

Finally after all that pressure, I heard Anna's little feisty cry! Music to my ears! My sweet, sweet daughter. My fifth daughter! I am now a mother to FIVE daughters! I could barely believe it. I told Tim to get up and start taking photos immediately because with Emily or the girls I never got those "first breath" moments on camera and I wanted it this time.

It seemed like forever that I didn't get to see her. They kept working on her and I was like, where is my baby! I wanted to see her so bad. Finally Dr. S, the neonatalogist came over and said she was doing well but having some trouble breathing so they were working on her. Working on her? Like what? I kept asking Tim what was going on but he just kept saying everything was fine, she looks great. He kept asking me every five seconds if I was okay, which of course made me nervous even more. 

A few more minutes passed and they finally showed her to me. All wrapped up, perfect as can be. I was so happy to see her little face, but it didn't last long, they took her right back, and away from me.

Before I knew it, the neonatologist came back and said that they were in fact going to take her to the NICU. I was really surprised. The nurses started asking for a transport bed and what area she would be going to. I was so nervous but they assured me she was okay, she just needed a little help to breath. Yeah, I've been down this path before. It's not fun. I prepared for it last time, this time it struck me like a ton of bricks. Why is another one of my children going to the NICU struggling to breath? She is supposed to be full-term! I know even full-term babies have their troubles, but I was just so sad to once again be separated from my baby! AGAIN!

They let me kiss her goodbye and off she went to the NICU. I said a few prayers and literally couldn't believe it was happening again. My baby was struggling to breath!

It took forever for them to sew me up. Again, I kept thinking, what is taking so long. I guess when I had the girls, I was just so incredibly out of it, that I didn't have a grasp on the time, like I did this time. I know it all didn't take that long, but it seemed like every minute was an hour. Plus, my mind was on my baby and what was happening to her.

After awhile, they moved me from the OR bed to a recovery bed and off I went to post-op.  A few minuted before I was moved to post-op, I started itching. It started with my face, neck, head and worked it's way down the more the spinal wore off. And let's just say that was the beginning of a horrible reaction to something. The nurses said it was normal, but let me assure you, I don't think it was. I was going nuts, and I mean NUTS over how itchy I was. In the post-op I had the maximum dose of Benadryl which did nothing to ease the itching. I was going insane. It was so bad. It lasted for almost 48 hours before I was completely itch free. I googled the antibiotics they had me on and the pain meds to make sure nothing had sulfa in it, which I am very allergic to. I almost thought they must have left a latex glove inside my belly (I'm allergic to latex too) because something was just not right and nothing would ease it. I don't know what it was, but it was not fun!

I begged Tim to go over to the NICU and find out what was going on with Anna and so finally he was given the go to do so by the nurses. He went over and was gone awhile but sent me some photos from his phone. I was so shocked to see that they had put Anna on c-pap which is a respiratory machine that forces air into the lungs. I knew immediately when I saw the photo and it of course again brought so many fears over me. I've been down this road before. The tube down her throat, c-pap, IV for fluids...ugh, it was a sight I was trying to forget and here I was again. I ached to hold her in those moments. My body ached for her. To be taken from me and once again not to be with my baby. It just wasn't fair.

While he was gone, I had a few scary moments where I started to bleed a little heavier, which of course scared the crap out of me. I thought, oh my goodness, here we go again! But luckily just after 20 minutes or so it slowed to normal. Oh, and the nurse I had for the second part of my delivery/post-op was a nurse that helped in the delivery room with the triplets, so she has been at 4 out of 5 of my deliveries. Pretty neat!

After two long hours in recovery, the nurses said they could wheel me by to see her in the NICU. Thank goodness. I needed to see her. I wanted to ask a million questions about what was going on. Finally, I laid my eyes on my little beauty once again. I hated seeing her in distress and it broke my heart. I only got to visit with her for a few minutes and touch her foot. I said a few prayers and talked with her nurse, Cheryl, which was one of our favorite nurses from before. She was so sweet and assured me Anna was doing well. I had to quickly say goodbye and once again left my daughter to be cared for by others. It was so emotional.

The nurses wheeled me to my room and finally my dad and my best friend could come back. They had been waiting all day to see me and Anna. They got to go in and see Anna way before I did, so I knew she was getting lots of love. A few minutes later my mom was there and she also go to go see Anna. 

Part 3, coming soon!

Anna Kate's Birth Story: Morning of Delivery and 37 Week Photos!

On the morning of Anna's birth, I was barely nervous at all. I was more anxious to get to the hospital and get things going! Before leaving we took some photos. I thought I would be a lot more of a mess leaving the girls but really I wasn't. I was a little sad, but what could I do, I had to go!

Last photo of our family of six!

Here are my last belly pictures EVER....at 37 weeks! Really I think I look pretty good, considering how exhausted I was. I only gained 25-27 lbs this pregnancy.

We left for the hospital at 9:10AM. Arrived at the hospital at a little before 10:00AM. Came in and waited, waited and waited. I was really started to get nervous and just a little emotional but finally around 11:00AM, we got to go back to pre-op. The nurse looked really familiar and she thought the same when we met. We realized right away that we had met at our mutual friend's house for a fall party with all of our kids. SO crazy, and I remembered talking to her the whole time! How awesome it was to see a familiar face and know I would be taken care of! She was so sweet.

Got changed. Had my IV put in. Met with Dr. R. Met with anesthesiologist. Met with the general surgeon. Dr. R and I talked about the hysterectomy and things surrounding that, I reminded him that I do not want percocet due to it making me so sick last time with the girls. I also asked about leaving on Friday evening and immediately was shut down on that. So, as of then it was Saturday for a discharge. :( We also talked about he fact that Anna might have to go to the NICU because she is only 37 weeks. He said a neonatalogist would be in the room (ironically the same one we had with the girls, Dr. S) to watch her breathing and make sure all was okay. Honestly I didn't think much of it. Every birth I've had a neonatologist  there and I honestly just figured he was telling us this because he had to. Really I brushed it off. How naive of me. I should have known better.

Please excuse the blurriness and stretch marks, but a part of me will always remember that big belly!

And just like that, the clock struck 12 and we were off to the OR....

Happy Birthday Anna Katherine!

Today, Wednesday, May 22, 2013, Tim and I welcomed our fifth daughter into our family!

Anna Katherine Gaydos

7 lbs.

18 3/4 inches
12:48 PM

Born via c-section at 37 weeks

Anna is in the NICU due to some heavy/fast breathing and fluid in her lungs. She was placed on the c-pap machine also to help with her breathing. She had an xray to make sure the fluid wasn't more than they thought. Also had blood work done and is on an IV.

She is very feisty, vocal and wanting to eat. Thank goodness on my first pumping session I got a good amount of colostrum, and even more on my second session. I am getting WAY more than the first few days of my last two pregnancies already!

Please keep our little girl in your prayers. She is expected to be in the NICU all night and into tomorrow. Hopefully she will be back with me as soon as they feel she can. I hate beyond belief that once again I don't have my baby to cuddle and bond with.

I have only been able to see her for two minutes and touch her foot; they wheeled me in on the bed to the NICU on my way to my room. Haven't even held her yet. Tim got to hold her for about a minute in the OR, but that was it.

Luckily we have our wonderful NICU nurses and doctors keeping her safe and healthy while she can't be with her Momma and Daddy. Breaks my heart though. Trying not to think about it to be honest, it just makes me sad.

Some notes: On first look, she looks like Emily, but I also see Maddie in her too. No hair at all. Don't know eye color yet.

Update on Momma: C-section went well, I thought it took a long time. I will write another post on it all with details galore. I have been having so much itching from the spinal and it's literally be driving me NUTS all day, but hopefully the more the spinal leaves my system, it will subside! I have been getting meds for it, thank goodness, but boy if it isn't something it's another. And the sweating, that has been horrible again too!  I haven't been able to get up yet (sometime tomorrow morning), and frankly I don't want to. I am not looking forward to that burning pain! Looks like I will have to stay until Saturday. Not happy about that too, but I know doctors orders are doctors orders. No matter what I just pray that I don't have to go home without my baby girl!

Thank you for all the texts, emails, thoughts and prayers...it is so appreciated! I will post more photos soon!

UPDATE on Anna-Kate's arrival TOMORROW!

I'm so excited to announce that our sweet Anna-Kate will be born tomorrow, Wednesday, May 22, 2013, via c-section sometime before or around 12:30pm.

I know I have been in shock since last week when we found out and I had every intention of posting this post before the weekend but honestly, we have been in preparation mode ever since. There have been so much to do, clean, cook, ect. My brain has been spinning, and even today 24 hours before I need to leave, I still have so much to do and get done!

First her due date was June 12th. Then they said I could be induced June 5th. After finding out about the high bile acids (see below), they moved it to no later than May 28th. After the OB and peri discussed everything  on Friday am they decided not to wait any longer past 37 weeks, which is tomorrow! 

Also, I will post my final baby bump photos tomorrow morning before we leave and hopefully I will post about her birth by tomorrow evening.

Here's how we came to this: PLEASE NOTE, it was written on FRIDAY!

On May 16th, I went in for my 36w1d OB appointment. I was suppose to have a sonogram but when I got there they said since I was having on at the perinatalogists. I was really bummed but I understood. I asked the nurse to make sure she paid attention to my urine sample for blood since blood was in my urine last time. There was no blood this time. Weight was 158lbs. Blood pressure was great.

I met with Dr. A and he checked my cervix. All was just the same. A little effaced, not dilated. He also tested me for the Strep B. I asked if he got Dr. R's notes from when I went to Labor and Delivery and he said yes. I asked if he had seen the bile acid levels and he said he hadn't and would check them and come right back.

Well after another 10 minutes, and hearing him on the phone, I was told I was going to have a sonogram after all. I waited for another few minutes and Dr. A came in and told me the levels are in fact very elevated and things just changed. I got a little nervous. He said, no question I will deliver before 38 weeks, which is May 28th, or sooner, definitely no later.

So they did the sonogram for over 45 minutes. Amniotic fluid was high. She wasn't moving very much at all. She wasn't practicing her breathing. They tried everything to get her to move. Her heartbeat was perfect though. The sonographer just couldn't give me a passing score so off to Labor and Delivery I went. 

I must say her movement had definitely slowed in the last 24 hours and the weirdest part of all is that I wasn't, for once, having any contractions. That was the weirdest thing.

So I went over to Labor and Delivery around 5pm (my OB was at 2:30pm!) and got hooked up to the monitors to listen to her heartbeat and see if I was contracting, which I wasn't.

So I stayed about an hour and I got to go home. I had an appointment at the perinatologist for Monday, but after calling on Friday morning, they decided that I needed to come right in.

So I went in. Waited some more. Had the sonogram finally. Her stomach looked enlarged for some reason. She was weighing in at 7lbs 5oz. Limbs are still about two weeks behind but she looked really healthy, per doctors comments. She was breathing, moving and opening and closing her mouth. The amniotic fluid was in the normal range also. I also was able to get some photos of her, which make me really happy too!

So basically Dr. H got on the phone with my OB, Dr. A, and they both agreed that Wednesday, May 22, 2013 (37 weeks) will be delivery day at 12:30pm, via c-section. I was so bummed to hear it has to be a c-section but after reviewing the risks and talking with both doctors and friends, I agree that it is best for Anna and I. Really, I wasn't going to get a choice, it was already mandatory that I was having a c-section regardless, just too much risk for anything else. And if at anytime I feel less movement, I was told go straight to Labor and Delivery and they will delivery asap.

Of course I am thrilled beyond belief that in five short days I will be holding my fifth daughter in my arms. But I am also in shock that it's only five days away, I can't believe it. I have so much to do and so much to get done. I wanted her to be born early (safely), but I thought I would have had at least another week or so. With the high bile acids though, the doctors do not like a patient or baby to go over 37 weeks because of the still-born risks.

So this weekend it's prepare for baby Anna-Kate's arrival! Freezer meals, getting the house cleaned, putting all her stuff away and just overall getting ready for chaos in the next two weeks. I have to line up people who can hopefully help us out with the girls. Luckily my parents will be back from Hawaii on Sunday evening, but since they've been off for almost two weeks, they are going to be busy with getting back to work, so my help is limited to very few. We will make it work though! EKK!

24 - 29.5 Months: Madelynn, Claire and Natalee

I can barely seem to fathom the fact that I have almost three two and half year olds. Like, weren't they just in my belly yesterday? I remember that day like it literally was yesterday. Oh how bittersweet that day was. Parts of it I would love to forget, others I wish I could remember forever. It's true what they say, time does heal wounds, and many of my wounds from that day and the days, weeks and months that followed have been healed and for that I am thankful. I have three healthy and happy 2 year olds and I couldn't thank God enough for them each! What true blessings they are!

Your personalities and character are such a joy to watch unfold more and more as each year passes. I will go in order of your birth:

Our spunky Madelynn Christine, you are a handful. You take solely after your Momma. You are dramatic at times, have a very type A personality and are the leader of the trio! You came out screaming and you haven't stopped going since then!

You still shovel food in your mouth like it's your last meal! I am constantly telling you to take bites! You are so good at using forks and spoons!

When you give hugs, you pat everyone's back. It's so sweet.

You love to climb under your bed all the time. I will hear you crying and go into your room, and you are under your bed! Silly girl!

You are still the biggest bully out of the bunch. You like to "rhino butt" your sisters, as we call it, where you use your head and ram into them when you are fighting over something.

You still are the biggest biter out of the trio and you take the most time outs.

When anyone is leaving, you always are the first to start blowing kisses!

You still love your lovie and "kiki" (binki).

Our sweet Claire Elizabeth, you are a doll. You have a twinkle in your eye that I can't explain. You have the funniest looks and devilish grins. 

You love to dance. You are the most verbal with your words. You know most of your colors and I can honestly point something out to you once and you know it every time from then on! I know you are going to be one smart cookie!

You love to sing and know a few songs now that I constantly hear you sing along to.

You love to say "sure" now to anything we ask you...it's so funny! "Claire, are you ready for your bath?" "Sure!" Haha...we love it!

You love your lovie and your "b" (binki).

You love to put Momma's special lotion on your legs too when we get out of the shower. You love to smell it also.

You HATE to get your hands dirty. If there is a piece of hair or just anything on you, you must get it off!

You LOVE cole slaw.  You will eat and eat and eat it where ever we go or if I make it at home, you literally will eat more than me!

You have the best vocabulary. You try to say everything, including things you shouldn't.     { whoops } I can't even keep up with all that you can say anymore. 

You have a fascination with lining things up, over and over again. Maybe a little OCD, and I have NO idea where you got that from! ;) You are very particular about your "stuff" and like things very controlled.

You cover your ears if you hear something really loud, and call for me. You don't even like when the door bell rings.

You love to touch Momma's belly and say, "kicking" when Anna kicks. So sweet. Now when I say "where is baby Anna" you say, "belly" or if I say, "what's in Momma's belly" you say, "baby anna".

You are also the most helpful. You follow commands when I ask you to do something very well. But recently you have been really testing my patience with running away from me when I call you or not wanting to get your diaper changed.

Our shrimpy, Natalee Lynn, you always keep us on your toes.

You love anything with snaps, zippers or buckles. You are a pro at doing them all. 

You LOVE cleaning and using rags or the swifter or the broom. You will use a wipe or any rag for an hour cleaning the floor and anything you can. I love it...it's so cute! You love to help Momma with anything, including cleaning and cooking.

You love to help. You will bring me anything and love to help me with anything.

You love your glowies and your barney.

You still try to take Emme's clothes off. It drives me crazy. You just love undoing zippers and snaps and anything you can. One day though, Emme is going to put you in your place. This has actually stopped, THANK GOODNESS. You drove us all nuts with this and then one day you just didn't do it anymore.

When you don't get your way, you literally turn around and collapse to the floor. It's hysterical, really, and normally over in a minute or two. Ignore, ignore, ignore!

As of April, you can climb in your crib and on our bed. You haven't attempted to climb out of your crib yet. Amen!

You love Barney.

You have been having more time-outs recently for biting and you and Maddie get into it quite often.

We took you off pedi-sure and boy have you been eating so good. You eat almost everything now! Best decision ever!

You still have the cutest, best laugh that I have ever heard.

You still are an all Nana's girl. You love her so much!

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Here are some things that come to mind over the past few months regarding all of you:

You all love to give kisses and hugs, to anyone and especially to each other. It's seriously the cutest thing ever! You love giving kisses and hugs to "baby meme".

You are all obsessed with belly buttons.

You all love bugs, but your quick to tell me "yucky".

You love to rub your bellys and say "mmmmm" when something is good.

You love Calliou, Barney, Thomas the Train, Bob the Builder, Fireman Sam, Elmo. Barney and Calliou are top favorites! You also love Winnie-the-Pooh and of course Elmo. But you really don't care for Sesame Street, just love Elmo.

You all refuse to drink milk from cups, but Madelynn and Claire you do not have bottles anymore, so it's very hard to get you to drink milk. You get a lot of your dairy through yogurt and cheese, which you all love!

The bopsie twins.

You all love to play "ring around the rosie" and you all hold hands and of course your favorite part is "all fall down"...and then you clap! :)

You are all obsessed with the moon. You constantly are asking about the "moon sky outside" because I constantly say the moon is in the sky, outside. And then when it's sunny, we say that "sunshine". You got "raining" down pat too.

You all love animals. Maddie, you love cows the most. You have a couple of cows that you carry around and constantly are saying, "my cows". Claire, I would say you love horse's the most and Natalee...I don't know, maybe a cat, because you constantly are chasing after ours when you see him.

You are all obsessed with boo-boos. I think you each tell me one hundred times a day how you have a boo-boo. And now you ever label where it is, like, "boo-boo head" or "boo-boo knee". And you love band aids! Oh my, do you love them! I went an bought a box of 100 for 88 cents just so you can play with them and I don't feel bad wasting them. If one of you gets a band aide, then you all have to have one.

Madelynn and Claire, when you girls wake up in the morning and are ready for me to get you up, you sit at your door with your lovies and knock until I come open the door. When I knock back (before I open the door) you say, "who dat....momma?" It's so cute!

Claire, you are the most polite little girl. You say "peas" and "thank you" for every.single.thing. I love it and am so proud. But you all are very good at saying thank you and I hardly ever have to remind you.

You all love taking off your clothes, socks, shoes, whatever it is to make my life harder. I have enough of you to dress, please keep your clothes on.

You all love to take people's shoes and socks off and will constantly say "it's stuck" while pulling and pulling. It's so funny! You all love to say "it's stuck/I stuck" for everything!!!!

You love to be outside.

You love car rides. We look for big trucks and emergency vehicles. I say, "do you see that big red truck?" and you guys say, "I see, I see" and point out the window. Now, you will see trucks and buses before I even do and point them out.

Speaking of emergency vehicles, we live very close to the fire house and so we hear sirens ALL.DAY and so when I say, "firetruck, firetruck!!!!" you all run to the window to see the firetruck and lights! YOU ALL LOVE IT!

You all love trains. You say "shoo shoo" every time we see one in a book or anywhere. I cannot wait to take you all on a train ride! 

You all walk down the stairs so well and always say, "yet's go" and "come on, momma" or if I am calling you, you all say "coming".

You listen so well. I don't care if that makes other people uncomfortable, but you seriously do listen very well. Not to say that we don't have LOTS of moments, but for the most, you listen to me very well. I am always talking to you, praising you, teaching you, showing you why we do things a certain way...ect, ect. And I think that is what makes the difference. Everything we do, I use simple verbal commands and you all are so used to it and listen to me. I don't care if I sound like a broken record outside in the parking lot, I must say, "stay by the car", "follow momma", "stand here", "please walk to the house", "hold my hand" a million times, but it doesn't matter because you {most of the time} follow what I say. Now, you are all TWO and have your own mind and there are times were you all run in different directions but for the most part, you really listen well.

You all love to dip things in ketchup, ranch dressing and sweet and sour sauce. 

You all love the following foods: hot dogs, chicken nuggets, mac-n-cheese, spaghettios, spaghetti and meat sauce, pb and j sandwiches, turkey and cheese sandwiches, grilled cheese sandwiches, meat loaf, pizza, cinnamon toast, bagels, waffles, french toast, pancakes, eggs, yogurt, every fruit and every vegetable. Seriously you all could eat just fruit and vegetables all day, every day. I've never seen any of you not eat any kind of fruit or vegetable. I cannot even believe how much food we go through {It's a whole post on it's own!}.

You are all SO good at doing puzzles. You got so many of them from your Nan and Aunt Suzie and a bunch for your birthday and it's amazing how good you can all do them. You pick up things so quickly.

You all love to stack blocks and can stack them very high....until Emme sees! :)

You love to take your babies for walks in your strollers around the house.

You love to ride your pink bikes all around.

You love to throw and kick balls. Claire, you are a natural...and Daddy thinks you are going to be our "best option" in sports, haha! He's already training you for the Olympics. ;)

You all love to tell, Emily, "no no, meme" for anything. 

Everything is "MINE" and "Momma, BAD" (while pointing to who was bad) if one of you takes something from the other. I try to NEVER say, "you're being bad" or "you're a bad girl" because I just think that sounds so mean and wrong for my parenting style. I try to always say "that's bad behavior", or "naughty behavior". I always try to label the behavior, not the child because they aren't being bad, their behavior is, and normally it's out of frustration. I just fear one day someone will say, "what does your mommy call you?" and they will say, "bad". By praising good behavior over and over and over, and labeling when their behaviors are bad or naughty, I feel like they are getting more and more of a grasp on good behaviors versus bad behaviors. It's a learning process for us all.

You all love to wear backpacks, or carry purses or bags of any sort.

You are all in love with matchbox cars, your Daddy's big collection of Hess trucks and anything that has wheels. Trucks, planes, buses, cars....you love it all!

Claire, you love to tell Momma "sit" and you point to a chair or the couch. I love it!

When it's meal time, Claire, you constantly tell me "you too, sit" while pointing to the extra chair at your table. I say, "you want Momma to sit with you" and you all say "yay!"

Maddy and Claire, you love to push the chairs and trucks back and forth between the two of you. I love how you are best friends!

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Schedule:

8am: Wake up, change diapers, get dressed; we all come down stairs.

We go right into the kitchen and eat breakfast.

You watch some Sprout TV until about 9:30am, while playing in the family room. I clean up breakfast, set out lunch, put laundry in, figure out what I'm making for dinner...ect, ect, ect.

9:30am: We go down to the playroom. 

We do singing, dancing, puzzles, books, "school", arts and crafts or just play.

11:40am: Lunchtime

Diaper changes, clean-up time, clean up kitchen, set out dinner preparations, clean-up toys.

12:30pm: Natalee and Emily go to bed in their room to nap.

I let the twins watch Calliou from 12pm - 1pm, to calm down and get ready for nap.

1pm: Nap time! FOR ALL...including Momma!

4pm: Wake up, change diapers, come down stairs! Yay, Daddy's home to play (and help!)!!

We either go run errands, go for a walk in the choo-choo wagon, go to the park, go to Nana's house or just hang out here at the house.

We prepare dinner, watch the news...

5:45pm: Dinner

6:40pm: We go upstairs for baths. Emily get a bath in one tub and the triplets get a bath in their tub (they would drown Emily if I put her in the tub with them!).

7:15pm: Bedtime. Emily and Natalee in their room. Maddy and Claire in their room. They get to watch a show, either Barney, Elmo or Caliou, for about an hour. Then it's bedtime.

Everyday, is pretty much the same around here. We do try to get outside at least once a day when it's warm and easier to get out. And then we have special outings to places such as Pump It Up or other events we find around town.

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There's probably so much more I could say and even though I try to remember so much I can't remember everything. Here are some of my phone photos from the past few months too:

Blurry, but so cute. Natalee at softball with her cute pig-tails!

Claire - picking off the little burnt pieces of her waffle. So MY child!

It's the cool thing to do right now at our house - load everything up on couch!

Maddie tracing her hand.

Starring at the moon.

First time wearing pig-tails. On our way to the first softball game and about an hour before Maddie threw up in the car!

Everyone sitting with Momma.

There was a firetruck in our court and all eyes were on it from our house!

Maddie and Claire

At the park in their cute overall shorts!