Selective Reduction

Selective reduction - the practice of aborting one or more fetuses in a multifetal pregnancy.  

There are many people who have never heard of the term above.  Nor have they ever been faced with having to make a decision whether or not to do it.  As a mother of triplets, I am a member of a couple different multiples or triplet groups online.  The support and advice I get from the ladies in these groups is amazing.  One topic that has come up several times is that of selective reduction.  It's something that is likely brought up by a doctor to any couple who discovers they are having triplets or higher order multiples. There are a number of reasons people choose to reduce.  I think oftentimes it is due to medical reasons. There are certainly a large number of risks associated with a multiples pregnancy, both for the mother and the babies. And sometimes, I think people are fearful that they can't take care of that many babies.  

Selective reduction was brought up to James and I very briefly at our second perinatologist appointment.  I believe the conversation went a little like this:

Doctor: Are you two interested in learning more about selective reduction?  We don't do it here but can refer you to a place that does if you're interested.

Us: No. That's not an option for us.

Doctor:  Great!  Let's take a look at that uterus!

And that was that.  It was never again brought up.  What shocks me is when I hear about all these women in my triplet groups whose doctors strongly urged them to reduce.  Many of these ladies were very much pressured by their doctors, some to the point where they almost felt like they didn't have a choice.  I respect that our doctors told us it was an option, but appreciate that they very quickly moved on when they discovered we weren't interested.  I can't imagine going back to a doctor that more or less tried to force me to eliminate one or more of my babies.  A triplet pregnancy is certainly high risk for everyone involved, but healthy triplets are born all the time.  Our babies are a great example.  Yes they were born early.  And yes they had several weeks in the NICU.  And it was hard.  But they're healthy!   None of them have a single health condition or diagnosed disorder.  I know this isn't always the case.  Babies are born blind, deaf, with cerebral palsy, and so many other health issues, often times due to prematurity.  I wouldn't love my babies any less if they had any of these, but life with triplets is challenging as it is.  I'm so beyond grateful that we were given happy healthy little boys!

Teeth Update

The boys first started getting their first teeth around 6 months.  By 8 months they all had 8 teeth.  While teething was certainly no walk in the park, our experience with the first 8 was nothing compared to molars. Ugh! They just take so long to come in and I know these poor guys have been feeling miserable.  Things seem to be speeding up now though.

Current teeth counts:

Ollie - just now working on #9 (bottom left molar)
Nolan - working on # 11 and #12.  He already has his two bottom molars and his top eye teeth are now coming in as well.
Lucas - also working on #11 and #12.  He has his two bottom molars and is working on his top molars now.

I find it interesting that their teeth don't always come in in the same order as one another.  I also think it's crazy that my BABIES have a combine 33 teeth in their mouths.  They are growing up way too fast!

Look at these beautiful smiles!

The Cutest Thing...Pt 2

Several months ago, I posted the The Cutest Things about the boys.  I've decided to update what I think are the cutest things about each of our boys.

Oliver - Ollie is a thumb-sucker...big time.  I know the day will come when he's going to need to kick the habit...and when that day comes, we'll likely wish he never did it.  But right now, I just think it's the cutest thing ever.  He'll grab any type of fabric near by (towels, burp cloths, t-shirts, etc) and snuggle it and then stick that thumb in his mouth.  And when he does it, he just wants to cuddle and this mama just eats it up. I absolutely love it!

Nolan - We have recent discovered that Nolan really loves to be tickled.  There's nothing like a toddler's giggle when you tickle him.  I mean, really...what could be better?  I'll tell you.  What's better is when you have a little boy who will tickle himself when you go "Tickle tickle tickle!"  It's so cute!  I desperately need to get it on video.

Lucas - Lucas likes to "talk" though he doesn't seem to share the same language as the rest of us.  He often just says "Blub".  The funny part of this is that he'll say "Blub" and then give you this very serious look as if to say, "Why aren't you understanding what I'm saying here???"  It makes me smile every time.

Our Favorite Things

A couple months back, I made these for the boys' first birthday.

They weren't as fancy or artistic as the professionally made ones, but I had a lot of fun doing them and thought they turned out okay.  One of the categories I did on their boards was "Favorite Toy".  At the time, I remember James and I having to think kind of hard to decide what to write down.  None of them really had a toy that they just LOVED.

Needless to say, things have changed since then.  These last couple days, I've been watching them play, and I just find it so cute how much they get into things now.

Oliver is absolutely obsessed with our ball popper.  He will play with it for hours and just loves chasing after the balls and putting them back in it.  He also recently became interested in our Mega Bloks.  He doesn't put them together or build with them yet, but just absolutely loves pulling them apart if you put a big string of them together.

Nolan really loves using any of our push toys.  He's getting better and better by the day at walking, but I think he just feels a little security with the push toys.  He's gotten good at turning them around and walking back and forth across the room.  He always has such a big smile on his face when he does it.  It's pretty much the cutest thing ever.  He also really loves playing with his big blue ball.  He'll roll it to you or throw it. Future athlete???

Lucas has continued to have an infatuation with credit cards.  The kid is dying to go on a shopping trip! James and I always put all our fake credit cards in their toy box when we get offers in the mail.  This morning he brought three of them with him to the breakfast table.  Too funny.

I recently bought some play dishes (bowls, spoons, forks, etc) at our neighbor's garage sale.  I cleaned them up real good and then put them all in a basket for the boys.  All three of them love to pretend eat out of them.  Nolan and Lucas will imitate me when I go "Mmmm!!!"  It's adorable.

They also love to chase each other through their tunnel.  They will laugh hysterically while doing this.  It's moments like these that I just love being a mama of multiples!

Mall Ratz

Yesterday was our weekly get-together with Jen and Dakota.  We spent the morning at our house and then after AM naps and lunch, we headed to the Oak Park Mall.  We were wanting to get out of the house, but it was too hot to do anything outdoors, so we thought we'd go walk around and let the kids play in the play area.  The play area there is good for non-walkers....lots of things to crawl through or climb on.  The kids seemed to have a fun time.  We'll have to keep this in mind this winter when it's too cold to do anything else!

Grandma's Piano

Several weeks ago, my dad made a trip up here to drop off something very special.  Something so beautiful and dear to me.  My grandma's piano.

My grandma was an amazing woman.  She was the most loving and caring person I have ever met.  She loved music and board games...two characteristics of myself that I'd like to think I might have gotten from her.

When we were little, we would spend every Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving at my Grandma and Grandpa's house.  And this piano was always such a big part of those family gatherings.  Whether it was the grandkids pounding on its keys, or Grandma or Aunt Bonnie playing it, it rarely sat in silence.  I remember gathering around it, singing Christmas Carols and hymns....harmonizing with the aunts....my dad's deep bass voice rumbling in the background.  Such great memories.

My grandmother passed away summer of 2012 after a long battle with Alzheimer's.  She has been greatly missed by many.  This piano has been sitting in my grandpa's house ever since and he was finally ready to part with it, but understandably wanted to keep it in the family.  When my dad asked me if I wanted it, I almost didn't feel like I was worthy.  This was my grandma's piano!  I also really questioned whether I had space in my house for a piano.  But in the end, I couldn't turn it down.  And I'm so glad I didn't.

This piano has brought so much joy to our family.  I have so very much enjoyed playing it, whether alone with no one around or while one of the boys sits on my lap and the other two crawl around and play with their toys.  I can't wait to one day teach them how to play!

The day after my dad dropped the piano off, I went downstairs to dust it off and clean it up.  Afterwards, I started poking around on the keys.  I was amazed at how it sounded exactly the same as I remembered it so many years ago.  It's funny how your senses can take you back.  I found myself playing an old hymn, "It Is Well (With My Soul)".  It made me miss my grandma tremendously, but it also made me smile.  When I closed my eyes, it wasn't me I imagined playing it.  It was my smiling grandma.  

I love and miss you, Grandma!  Thank you so much for trusting me with this beautiful family heirloom.  I promise to play it often and think of you whenever I do!

Picnic in the Park!

As you all well know, I'm really close with my sister-in-law Jen.  I liked her from the beginning and always teased Rory that she was "too good for him".

We were both pregnant together and had our babies within a month of each other.  We have gotten the cousins together (for the most part) on a weekly basis since they were born.  I think it started out as Jen wanting to help me out as much as she could, knowing that three babies was kind of a lot of work.  But then it just sort of turned into a tradition that I think we both really enjoy.  It's no longer something I physically need but I definitely count on it to help recharge my sanity each week.  I love watching the boys interact with Dakota and honestly, it's just nice to have a day with another grown up in the house to talk to!

Jen and I have tackled a lot with four babies.  We have:

• Gone to doctor's appointments together 
• Taken our four to the St. Patty's Day parade in Lawrence.  This trip included managing four 8 month olds in a packed bar (as it was the only place we could fit my giant stroller in to go eat lunch).
• Gone to the zoo a number of times
• Visited Deanna Rose a couple times
• Gone to the park
• Scrambled around at "Monkey Bizness"
• Participated in Kindermusik together

Most recently, we met up at Leawood City Park and had a picnic.  I was a little skeptical about how a picnic would go with four 1 year olds, but it ended up being lots of fun.  Granted, more of their lunch ended up on the picnic blanket than in their bellies, but what can you do?  It was a beautiful lower 80's day...very atypical for an August afternoon in Kansas.  We spent a couple hours just hanging out on the blanket in the shade, watching Dakota make friends with all the little kids playing on the playground.  Before we left, we let the little ones crawl around on the playground and took some pictures.  As always, it was a good time.  We'll certainly have to do it again!

Living Room Kindermusik

I have to say, I have some pretty cool people in my family.  My cousin Lindsay is a music teacher in Lawrence.  She is very musically talented and quite frankly is just a fun person.  She approached me about a month ago and informed me that she used to do Kindermusik classes for toddlers and that she'd love to come do a class at my house with the boys and a few of their friends.  I was thrilled at this idea!  So, I contacted a few people I knew to see if they were interested.  A lot of my teacher friends were already going back to work, but I was able to find three adorable little girls and their mommies to come over to make music with us! One of them was my sister-in-law Jen and niece Dakota who comes over just about every week. Then I also invited Amy, a girl I went to high school with.  Her daughter is 18 months old and is just darling.  And Kimberly and her daughter Lillian came as well.  Kimberly is in my Mommies group.  Lil is 16 months and is just adorable.

Everyone came over around 9:00 AM and we had about 45 minutes of singing, drumming, playing with scarves, dancing...you name it.  The kids had so much fun banging on the instruments and making music.  It was cuteness overload.  I had so much fun and am so grateful to my cousin for doing this.  I would love to be able to set something like this up again sometime!