6 Months

Half a year, 6 months, 183 days old!!  Are you kidding me??  I can't believe my sweet babies are 6 months already! So crazy.  I feel like my babies have changed so much this past month.  They LOVE to grab and put everything in their mouths.  They reach for toys and the boys have fallen in love with Sophie the Giraffe.  They all drool a ton, but no teeth yet.  They still sleep 8pm-8am with 3 naps a day. 

A lot of people have asked me what the hardest stage so far has been of having triplets.  Every stage seems to have it's joys and difficulties.  The newborn stage is hard because of the lack of sleep, but amazing because I had 3 babies at home!!  I loved just laying there and soaking up each and every baby.  I seriously feel like I was on a high for the first couple months and then one day I was REALLY tired.  I look back now and don't know how we did it.  You just do.  At 3-4 months the sleep gets better, but feeding was hard.  My babies spit up a TON and took a while to eat their bottles so feeding all 3 by myself was quite a task.  At 5-6 months bottle feeding gets a lot easier.  My babies down the bottle quick (still spit up, but not as bad), but they seem a little less content.  They get bored with the bouncy seat or accidentally drop a toy and start fussing.  On one hand I can't wait for them to start crawling and be able to get a different toy or entertain themselves, but I know crawling will bring on it's own new challenges. They had a week or two when they were more needy and seemed to fuss more.  I don't know if they were teething, sick, or just wanted to be held more for no apparent reason.  They are all back to their happy/smiley selves.  I love how much they interact with me now.  They all laugh and smile SO much.  They'll be crying in their crib and I'll walk in the room and they just look up and smile.  Little stinkers.  They are so dang cute I can't even handle it.  They haven't really started interacting with each other yet.  They will grab at each other and hold hands, but don't seem to notice there is actually another baby around.   

::CRUZ::

Weight - 17 lb 8 oz

Height - 27.25 in

Clothes - 6 month

Diaper - Size 3

Cruz has started this thing where he arches his back, gets this HUGE smile, and laughs out loud.  Oh. My. Gosh.  It's the cutest thing!  He also arches his back so he can look behind himself.  He never wants to miss out on anything.  He still occasionally likes his binkie, but it seems to be fading away.  He has started sucking on his fingers.  Cruz loves his exersaucer and his Sophie.  He drools a ton and gnaws on everything in site.  I predict he'll be the first to get teeth.  He got his first runny nose, which quickly passed to Kash and Julie.  He's getting better in his carseat, but still wants out after about an hour.  He loves to pull my hair while he drinks his bottle or grab onto my shirt.  Cruz is such a happy boy and always smiles even when you aren't talking to him.  

::KASH::

Weight - 17 lb 1 oz

Height - 26.75 in

Clothes - 6 month

Diaper - Size 3

Kash has become a little more needy this past month.  He loves to be held and talked to.  He is still the best in his carseat and never makes a peep.  He doesn't really like his binkie anymore now that he has found his ring finger.  Who sucks their ring finger?  Oh yea, Kash does.  And I love it.  Kash and Cruz love to kick, kick, kick their legs like they are riding a bike.  Kash loves his exersaucer (we went and bought another one since the boys love it so much).  I definitely don't think you need three of EVERYTHING with triplets, but another exersaucer has been a great investment.  Kash loves his Sophie and his football.  He still drools a ton and gnaws on everything he gets his hands on.  He is just the sweetest kid. 

::JULIE::

Weight - 17 lb 1 oz

Height - 26 in

Clothes - 3-6 month and 6 month

Diaper - Size 3

Julie has turned into the happiest little girl this past month.  She's always been happy and smiley, but now she is really content.  She is in love with her thumb, which I think has contributed to how content she is.  She talks and screams all day.  Sometimes she'll scream so loud she scares her brothers and they start to cry.  She has started rolling over more in the middle of the night and talks/screams until we go up there and turn her over.  She just learned to roll over from her back to tummy (10/14), so hopefully she can turn over on her own now.  Julie always wakes up so happy.  I love the tired, half-way open eyes, huge smiley face I get every morning.  She is getting better in her carseat and usually stays happy the whole 2 hour drive to Hollister.  Her leg rolls are accumulating and I can't stand how yummy they are.  

 ::TRIPLETS::

Cuteness

Nothing is cuter than babies in jammies (especially when you have 3 babies in jammies).  The babies haven't worn PJ's until now since Clovis is just way too hot in the summer.

 I love Cruz's face here.  He cracks me up.  Julie is as stiff as a board - and of course, Kash is just chillin'. 

Ok...babies in hats is definitely a runner-up to the cuteness of babies in jammies.  I just love them.   

 Cruz was asleep before our walk even began. 

 Babies relaxing.  They all had their hands up like this at the same time.  So funny.

 Kash

Studio 5

Studio 5 did a little segment yesterday on our story.  You can view it here.  I thought they did a great job.  They interviewed us back in February, then did a followup interview after the babies were released from the NICU.  It's just cool to have this amazing journey documented.  We are so lucky! 

Schedule

I LIVE by a schedule.  I love routine.  I'm not OCD or anything, but I love routines.  When I shower, I do the same thing, in the same order every time.  Weird?  I think most people do that, but maybe I'm wrong.  When I played volleyball I did the same thing before every serve (bounce the ball 7 times, then spin it up to my hand, and bam).  I feel like the babies love a schedule too.  At first Curtis fought me on how strict of a schedule I keep, but now he gets it.  It has created happy babies who sleep really well!  I think if I only had one baby I would be a little more lenient in a schedule, but with triplets it's easier just to stick with it. 

The babies have become more predictable lately, which I love.  Even their poops have become like clockwork.  It makes things a lot easier.  It still gets crazy at times, but manageable.  They eat, play for an hour, then go back down for a nap.  Eat, play for an hour, then go back down for a nap.  And repeat.  They drink five bottles a day and take three naps.  The only "hard" time is from 6:30pm-8:00pm.  It's SO nice to have Curtis home and help out during that time.  After the 5:00pm feeding they pretty much stay up until bedtime.  Occasionally they will take a quick catnap, but it's never longer than 15 minutes.  I feel like I'm getting the hang of this triplet thing.  Some days are harder than others, but overall I feel like it's getting easier.  The babies are such happy babies and bring such joy to our lives.  We are so in love with them.

 Cruz

Cruz & Julie

 Bumbo time.

 Brothers.

One of my favorite pictures. #iwatchESPNwithmydaddy

Cutest little stink.

First Nike's.

BYU vs Utah.  We all know how that one ended.  Lame.

5 Months

I can't believe another month has flown by.  5 months!!  All the babies are growing, eating, and sleeping so great!  Julie still spits up a lot, but it's all good.  Hopefully it'll get better by 6 months (fingers crossed).  The boys no longer do the whole projectile vomiting - which is SO nice!!  It's been about 2 weeks since their last episode, so I think we are out of the clear now.  They are all within the 45-55th percentile now, so catching up to "normal" 5 month old babies.  No more premies over here!!

Babies have been sleeping 12 hours for the past month.  They go down at 8:15pm and wake up at about 8:15am.  They drink a bottle and go back down until 11:15am.  I don't know how long that'll last, but for now it's amazing!!  It gives me tons of time to fold laundry, clean up around the house, empty the dishwasher, do a workout video, and take a shower (sometimes)!!  The morning is definitely my favorite time of day.  The babies wake up SO happy.  The moment they see me a huge smile goes across their face.  Cruz still wakes up once or twice during the night.  He'll roll over and talk and coo for a while, then start crying and want to be back on his tummy.  So I'll have to go upstairs and flip him over and he goes right back to sleep.  Kash will roll over occasionally, but he doesn't mind being on his back so he'll just go back to sleep.  Julie is the best sleeper ever.  I usually have to wake her up to eat after we feed the boys in the morning. 

It's crazy how much alike the boys are and how different Julie is.  The boys are cuddly, Julie's more stiff.  The boys roll over and wake themselves up at night, Julie sleeps all night.  Julie sucks her thumb, the boys don't.  Julie is squishy, the boys are solid.  When the boys are crying they want to be held, Julie just wants to lay in her tummy and suck her thumb.  I love seeing their little personalities come out and learn new things.  Someone asked me if it's hard to love all three.  NOT. AT. ALL.  I can't imagine my life without each one.  Being a mom is amazing! 

::CRUZ::

Weight - 16 lb

Height - 25.5 in

Clothes - 3-6 month

Diapers - Size 2-3

Cruz is a happy boy.  He's giving Julie a run for her money on who smiles more.  He loves to talk/babble and spit.  He has started laughing out loud.  He continually chews on his hand and drools a ton.  He loves his new exersaucer!   He still LOVES the Baby Bjorn and taking walks at night.  He's getting better in his carseat.  Anything over an hour and he wants OUT, but short distances are ok.  I love when he drinks his bottle and reaches back to hold my thumb.  My favorite thing! 

 ::KASH::

Weight - 15 lb 12 oz

Height - 25.75 in

Clothes - 3-6 month

Diapers - Size 2-3

Kash is still the most content baby.  He doesn't mind being in his carseat.  He can handle the two hour drive to Hollister without a peep.  He still likes his bouncy seat and loves his new exersaucer.  He talks/babbles and spits just like Cruz.  He started laughing out loud, especially when I play peek-a-boo with him.  He still loves the Baby Bjorn and going for walks.  Any time I smile at him he gives me the biggest smile back.  He has started this growling thing which always makes us laugh.  He started sucking his fingers (doesn't matter which one) and drools a ton.  He LOVES the corner of his bed.  He'll creep and crawl until he reaches the corner, then starts sucking his fingers and falls asleep. 

Kash in the corner. 

 ::JULIE::

Weight - 15 lb 2 oz

Height - 25 in

Clothes - 0-3 month and almost 3-6 month

Diapers - Size 2-3

Julie is still our little diva.  She has the biggest smile which melts everyone's heart.  When she wakes up from a nap her eyes will be half way open - still adjusting to the light - and she'll already have a huge smile on her face.  She talks/babbles and screams even when no one is talking to her.  She has the yummiest leg rolls ever.  She is so squishy and we love it.  I could nibble on her all day.  She still spits up a ton, so she is constantly in new onesies.  I drench her in baby powder to hide the smell of spit -up until she can get a bath.  Her toenails are always painted the same as mine.  She'll sit in her bouncy seat and let me paint them any time I want.  She likes the exersaucer, but prefers her bouncy seat.  She's getting better in her carseat and can handle about an hour drive until she wants out.  She still LOVES her thumb (either one) and will occasionally suck both of them at the same time.  

Sucking both thumbs. 

Yum.

Double yum. 

 ::TRIPLETS::