Tuesday

Today we drove to Conroe to have lunch with Grammie and visit with some of our CISD buddies.



Everyone up there has been so overly kind and generous to us throughout this entire journey. They threw me a shower when I was pregnant, have sent many a prayers our way, sent flowers and cookies during some of our rough times, have made for us unbelievably nice gifts such as quilts, blankets, and hats (actually the ones in the above picture...thank you Esther!) and so much more. We just couldn't be more thankful for all that everyone has done. I took way too many pictures to include them all in one post but I'll add them to the Shutterfly album this week. I will share my favorite though...Grandpa Scott and the boys!




When we got home, I fed everyone and then gave them their baths. Daddy got home just in time for our toothbrush lesson!


Lauren & Mommy




Lathan & Daddy



Logan & Mommy



We've brushed their teeth before but we used an infant gum brush. This was their first encounter with a "real" toothbrush (courtesy of Maw Maw and Aunt Sandy!)!

Lathan, Logan & Lauren



Lauren



Logan




Lathan




In action...

Circus

The afternoons are my most favorite part of the day. After we get up, I feed the babies lunch:

Of course we start off clean (for the most part)...

Logan



Lathan



Lauren



But very quickly get messy!

Logan (Have you seen my puff?)



Lathan



Lauren



When the babies have finished eating, I strip them down to their diapers and we head for the bathtub. This is also the time that they are the most playful and active!




Then a bath, then a bottle, then a nap. Lather, rinse and repeat!

Multi Tasking

Naptime!!!

Cool Babies

See...I told you we have cool babies!

Logan



Lauren



Lathan

Have You Seen My Tutu???

A Plea From Missy Moo...



Santa brought me a tutu for Christmas and it is missing. I actually never even got to try it on. Its really strange that its missing around here because my Mommy has been doing a super job of keeping things nice and tidy. I mean our house is SPOTLESS.

***Note from Mommy: Lauren is being very sarcastic.***

I also find it very peculiar that Aunt JuJu came to visit the same weekend that my tutu went missing. Do remember that Aunt JuJu had her ultrasound confirming that she was indeed carrying a little girl just hours before her arrival to Houston. Funny that the day she departed is also the day my tutu disappeared.

Time is running out. The tag on my tutu reads 0-6 months and I am growing each and every day. If you have seen/stolen my tutu please let me know.

Thanks,
Lauren

9 Month Check Up

The babies are exactly 9 months old today and are gaining new skills each and every day. All three get on their hands and knees and rock, and Lathan and Logan have mastered the army crawl, allowing them to get most anywhere they want to go. The boys are able to pull themselves up to a standing position and all three can sit (for small amounts of time) unassisted. Lathan and Lauren each have two teeth and Lathan has been known to say "Momma" a few times here and there. The boys have the pincher grab down (grab a small item with pointer and thumb) and all three are gaining more personality by the second...they are so much fun!

We took them down to the medical center this afternoon for their well baby appointment with Dr. Savrick.


Lathan & Logan Waiting To Be Seen




Logan




Lathan Watched The Scale As He Was Being Weighed. The Numbers Just Kept Rising, And Rising, And Rising...




Logan Trying To Crawl Away as Dad Takes Off His Clothes




Still Trying!




The Boys Immediately Started Shredding The Paper Lining On The Table




It Wasn't Long Before They Had Completely Destroyed The Place.




Paper Good




Once There Was Nothing Left In The Room To Tear Up, We Made Our Departure...




And Headed To Maw Maw's For Supper




Lauren & Grandpa



Our pedi visit was great. Everyone healthy with just a few issues to work out.

* One of the three hernias that Lathan had repaired this past fall has come back but they are going to give him a while to see if it will go away on its own. If not, he'll have surgery again when he is a toddler.

* Weights are pretty good but Dr. Savrick wants to see more substance on Logan and Lauren. We have been given the go ahead to start introducing table food and in about a month we can switch to whole milk! (This will save us a small fortune since their formula alone right now is $25 a day.) Mac and Cheese here we come!!! We'll continue on baby food for our main nutrition now but by the time the summer rolls around we should be a Gerber Free family.

And our measurements...
Lathan
Head Circumference: 18 1/4
Height: 27 1/4
Weight: 18.8lbs
He is in the 25% for height and 25% for weight. In other words he is a perfectly proportionate ball!

Logan
Head Circumference: 17 1/2
Height: 27
Weight: 16.7lbs
He is in the 10-25% range for height and almost 5% for weight.


Lauren
Head Circumference: 16 3/4
Height: 26 1/4
Weight: 15.7lbs
She is 10-15% range for height and less than 5% for weight.

Of course being so premature plays a major roll in their size. They officially have until the age of 2 to catch up!


It was a big day and now I'm off to bed to join the little people of our house. Good Night!!!

How Cool Is This!!!

I am very excited about our new blog template. Our old one was getting so boring and I really wanted a more personal look. Thank you, thank you, thank you to Lindsay of Splat Designs for all of your hard work and creativity...I LOVE IT!

I have also created a new blog that will host all of our videos . I've only added a few favorites so far, but soon they will all be there. Our pictures are still on Shutterfly and I'll be adding January's pictures this week. Links for both pages are to the right in the sidebar under "Favorite Links"!

Enjoy!!!

Jumperoo

Logan has mastered the Jumperoo. His movements are very calm and its almost like he's taking a walk. Lauren, on the other hand, seems a bit more surprised by her own two feet!

Logan & Lauren

Puffs

Last week we started giving the babies Gerber Puffs. They provide a nice appetizer especially when I'm home alone and need to occupy 2 while I feed 1. The boys caught on right away and can grab a puff and put it in their mouth, by themselves. Lauren on the other hand looks at the few that I pour on her tray and yells until I put it in her mouth. She wouldn't even touch them until today!

Little Missy

We call Lauren Missy Moo and lately our little Missy has been in the very best mood (actually all three of the babies have been but we'll start with Lauren).



She loves to talk (especially to the boys even though right now they don't usually give her the time of day!) and her new thing is to stick out her tongue.



She'll hug her teddy bear and baby dolls and if the boys get too close she'll try and squeeze them too!



She is very aware of the camera and mirrors. If she catches a glimpse of either one she smiles. She'll also smile pretty big if she knows you, but if you're a stranger beware...she'll give you some pretty mean looks!

Lauren & The Mirror



She is VERY much a Daddy's girl and kicks her feet and raises her arms to be held when she sees him. We used to put her in the swing to sleep but lately she cries until her Daddy picks her up and lays her down with him. She snuggles up close and doesn't make a peep until the morning!

Here she is "talking"...



We sure do love our little girl!!!

A medicine cabinet goody...

Another addition to our list...

#1 The Exergen Temporal Scanner. The quote on the box is "A kinder gentler way to take temperature" and I must agree. You just scan it across the baby's forhead and in less than 2 seconds the process is over. Much easier than under the arm, in the mouth and defintely kinder than in the rear!!!

P.S.
FYI...This thermometer was used on me during one of my surgeries and is also the kind that the nurse uses each month when we take the triplets in for their Synagis shots. It works!!!

These are a few of our favorite things...

Lots of people stop us when we're out and ask us how we manage three infants. Its actually pretty easy if you have the right stuff! Here are a few of our favorite things...

Our Top 25
(Not really in any particular order; and to make this super easy for those who like what they see, just click on the underlined product links!)

#1 Our cradle swings are invaluable to us. Lauren sleeps most nights in hers and that's usually where the babies nap. We have three of the Fisher Price Aquarium swings and can't imagine what we'd do without them. (The travel swing is pretty cool too)

Lauren, Lathan & Logan (7-16-06)



#2 We use Boppies to feed the babies (and they sometimes took naps in them when they were really little). LOVE the Boppies!!!

Lauren (7-28-06)



Logan (8-1-06)



Lathan, Logan & Lauren (9-16-06)



#3 The Arm's Reach CoSleeper has been a perfect addition for us. Especially when the babies were on apnea monitors, it was so nice to have them all three right there and not have to worry about rolling over on them. Of course now, the boys sleep in our bed with us so the cosleeper is pretty much there to catch me as I fall off the bed if we run out of room! (It also has turned in to a little storage area for blankets and our morning books).



#4 The babies really enjoy the Baby Einstein Play Mat and Entertainer. We have other models/brands of both but the Baby Einsteins seem to be the best by far. The Baby Einstein Play Mat still keeps them entertained (the others got old too quickly) and on the other entertainer we have, the toys are too close to the middle seat so when the babies were little and extra wobbly it was easy for them to bump their heads on the toys.

Logan (9-11-06)



Lauren (11-29-06)



Logan (11-15-06)



#5 The Jumperoo has gotten its fair share of play these past few months. We have two of them and like to put the babies face to face and watch them interact. Seems like a lot of fun!

Lathan (11-10-06)



Logan Asleep in Jumperoo (11-11-06)



Dualing Jumperoos (11-7-06)



#6 The Diaper Dekor. This is another one that we have two of, one for each nursery. I researched diaper pails a lot and this one seemed to get the best response. I must agree...rarely ever does it smell and we don't have to change the bags that often!


#7 Our Space Saver Highchairs are perfect for us. First of all their color is neutral so they blend right in and secondly they attach to our kitchen chairs to the take up very little space. They also convert from an infant seat to a toddler booster seat so we're sure to get a lot of use out of them.



#8 The Bebe Pod chairs that we have are really handy. They are designed to let the baby sit up unassisted as soon as they are able to hold up their head. (These are the same as Bumbo's, I just like the Bebe Pod colors better). Even now that the babies are able to sit up more on their own, they still like to sit in Bebe Pod and play.

Lathan, Lauren & Logan (11-29-06)


#9 Our Baby Bjorn and my new favorite the Hotsling are great for carrying the little ones.



#10 When the babies were very little they really enjoyed their Baby Papasan's. Eventually they got bored with them but I pulled them out again the other day and it appears that they like them again. They seem incredibly comfortable...wish they came in bigger sizes!

Lauren, Logan & Lathan (7-11-06)



#11 The Podee Bottle system is FANTASTIC. Hands free bottles...perfect!!! And here are my other favorites in the feeding category. The Avent Bottles top my list. Lauren and Logan use/used the Dr. Brown's which were great for reflux but there are so many pieces and they just got to be a pain. The Avents have also been much more convienent as the babies have grown. They have handles to help them hold their own bottle and they convert to a sippy cup. For feeding "on the go" the Munchkin Formula Dispensers (got ours at Target) are very nice. You measure out your formula and separate it into three compartments. That way when your out there's no need to measure...just pour. Also, Bibsters (disposable bibs) are extremely helpful and convenient.

Lauren & Lathan (9-29-06)



Lauren (1-16-07)


Lathan (11-20-06)


#12 And of course as you can see from our last few posts, we are getting very attached to our highchair/shopping cart covers. Helps keep the babies comfy and germ free!

Lathan, Logan & Lauren (1-15-07)



#13 Speaking of germ free...we go through Purell like no other! A definite necessity for us!!! (Same goes for the Clorox Anywhere Spray and the Clorox Wipes...good stuff!)

#14 Baby bath tub with a hammock. The hammocks were really nice and kept the babies from slipping around (but still kept them emerged enough to stay warm) even when they were itty bitty. (We're just starting to graduate to the Safety First Bath Seats which seem pretty cool also!)

Logan, Lauren & Lathan (7-11-06)



Lauren, Logan & Lathan (1-17-07)


#15 Munchkin Mesh Feeders (available at Target & grocery stores) have been a great way for the babies to try foods that normally would be a choking hazard. Its nice to cute up a banana and throw it in the feeder so that it occupies a hungry baby while I'm feeding another.

Logan (11-20-06)



Lauren (11-21-06)



Lathan (11-20-06)




#16 Wipes Warmer. Not necessarily a necessity but just a plain courtesy to little tushies! We also have a warmer by the highchairs to wipe them down after meals.

#17 Slumber Bears. They have a device inside that makes sounds like in the womb. When the babies were in the NICU we took the device out of the bear and put it in the isolletes with the little ones. Then when they came home we put it in their beds to help them sleep. Helped us sleep too!!!

Lathan (5-3-06)


Logan, Lauren, Lathan (9-11-06)



#18 LOTS of blankets. We must go through 10 + a day. We put them down for tummy time, wrap the babies up when they're in the swings and use them to prop bottles. You can never have too many blankets and these Pottery Barn ones are some of my favorites!!!

Logan, Lauren & Lathan (7-19-06)



#19 Rechargeable batteries are a must! Most every toy that the babies have requires batteries (as do the swings) so we are constantly recharging! The chargers were like $20 a piece and have saved us a fortune!

#20 Dreft Stain Remover. Along with detergent we go through this stuff like no other. Not only does it remove every stain on the first try but it smells really good too!

#21 Britax Roundabouts...Comfy car seats that fit all three on one row. Combine that with our new DVD player and we're set!

Lathan, Lauren & Logan (11-25-06)



#22 Leap Frog's Tad and Lily are must haves. Tad put the babies to sleep many a nights and was so popular that Grammie went and got us two more. We now have one in the car, one in our room and one for play. Leap Frog (along with Baby Einstein) remain our tops when it comes to baby toys. There hasn't been a product that we've gotten from either of these brands that we didn't just absolutely love. And another toy that gets our vote, Fisher-Price Elmo’s Musical Peek-a-Boo Gym .The babies can play laying down or sitting up. The songs are cute and it always makes them smile!

Lauren & Tad (9-30-06)


Tad even went to the hospital with Lathan for his surgery (11-2-06)



Lathan & Lily (12-25-06)



Logan, Lauren & Lathan (12-25-06)



Lauren & Lathan (12-27-06)



#23 Lauren especially, has enjoyed the Fisher Price Infant/Toddler Rocker. It is a vibrating, rocking chair that she loves to sit in. I regret that we didn't get this when the babies were newborns but have had fun with it ever since we brought it home (November I think).

Lauren (12-5-06)


#24 Pottery Barn My First Anywhere Chair. These are so cute and just the right size for the babies. I also love that they each have something that is specifically theirs and no one elses. I imagine this is important very for multiples!

Lauren


#25 And last but not at all least, there is no way in the world that we could survive without the UNBELIEVABLE, INDESCRIBABLE network of family and friends that surround us. The other things just make things easier, our family and friends make this all possible!

P.S.
It sure does seem like I'm missing something. I'll update if I ever come up with it. Did I mention our camera??? It gets used quite a bit!!!

UPDATE: I know something I forgot...BOOKS!!! Pretty much the second I start reading a book I can look up and all three babies are eagerly listening! Favorites include: Dr. Seuss, Baby Einstein, Eric Carle.