Hadassah is so laid back. She smiles at everything and everyone. She loves to be cuddled and held. She is a tough cookie who quickly mastered belly time, sitting up straight and holding her head up in no time. She thinks being yelled at is funny. She gives you this smile that makes your heart melt and has often brought me to tears at the very sight of it. Her eyes are piercing blue and big and they capture you in such a way that it's hard to look away. She looks like her daddy and loves to cuddle with him. It's like she knows when he's home. She's a kicker - kicks me the entire time I'm changing her. She hated bath time but has finally come around to it. She is now 14 pounds! A whole 12 pounds 10 ounces more than what she weighed at birth. Her pediatrician is in awe of her growth and well being. She was evaluated by the Early Intervention team and was denied services because she's on target for her age! Praise the Lord! She is starting to talk - baby talk - more and more. She has stopped crying for milk and now prefers to scream for it. The second you show her the bottle she smiles! And now she's trying to hold up her bottle more and more. She's trying to crawl! She holds her toys and believe it or not she is in the beginning stages of teething! She puts 2-4 fingers in her mouth at one time and sucks away, scratches away her gums etc. etc. etc...
Isabella is our comedian. She gives these looks that causes us to burst out laughing. She rolls her eyes. She has an attitude - an angry beaver kind of attitude aka my attitude times 100! She is the happiest in the morning and the crankiest at night. She is up at the break of dawn talking in her crib and demanding that her father or I get up and start her day. She talks more then me and if you know me well you know that I can talk. But she beats me... When you hear baby talk, 99% of the time its Bella. She gets mad and ignores you. She will look everywhere but at you and honestly it's so cute and funny because she doesn't even know she's doing it. When it comes to belly time and sitting up - she's lazy. We have done belly time everyday and it wasn't until June 19th (day 76) that she finally lifted her head off the mat - and she did it several times like, "SEE I CAN DO IT!" She absolutely loves to sit on your lap. She loves to watch TV. She loves my father's bed and hates to share with anyone including her sisters. She is a biter! Though she has no teeth she still manages to get you, especially my collar bone. She likes her milk hot, hotter then hot and will refuse the bottle if it is anything colder then she can stand. She qualified for early intervention and i'm actually happy and looking forward to having a physical therapist in-home working with her one-on-one... She is almost 14 pounds, which is 12 pounds 13 ounces more than her birth weight! She no longer has her NG-tube nor her oxygen - I went away on vacation and while I was away she pulled everything off her face twice within two hours. My parents decided to try to bottle feed her and she began taking every bottle by mouth. I came back to a brand new baby girl! I'm so happy and excited and I can't wait to get to her feeding and pulmonary appointments at the end of this month!
Cianna is a mix of being laid back and spunky! She has found her voice and loves to yell out for attention. It sounds like she is constantly yelling, "yeah!" It's so cute and funny and you can hear her from all over the house. She gives you a breath taking smile every single morning. She loves to be sang to. She loves to watch me do zumba or any dance/song that makes me look like the class clown. She loves to be entertained. When she isn't entertained she's sleeping. She sleeps a lot! She has grown so much. She has grown into her big preemie eyes. She is beautiful. She is sweet and loves cuddle time. She loves belly time and back time and she absolutely loves her pacifier and crib. She LOVES bed time and by 7:30pm she is ready to go to bed. She loves to play with her sisters on the play mats. We often find her talking to her mittens (yelling at them). Oh she is just too cute for her own good. She is now 11 pounds which is 9 pounds 12 ounces more then her birth weight. She is also still on oxygen and ng-tube feedings but she is doing much better.
In the past 94 days... we have gone to the doctors (many many many doctors), to the zoo, to my previous place of employment in Atlantic City, to Vineland City Hall, to church, to Red Lobster, Applebees, Long Horn, Moe's, the Cherry Hill Mall, Deptford Mall, Hamilton Mall, the Cumberland Mall, and to a barbecue. We get around folks! This whole staying in the house doesn't work for us LOL... And we have entertained many, many family members and friends at home.
We celebrated Mothers Day and Fathers Day for the first time. It was truly special both times and we are so very grateful to God for allowing us to be parents to such amazing and strong little girls.
In the past 94 days I have prepared 2,256 bottles, changed over 3,384 diapers and washed at least 150 loads of baby clothes/items. But it has been so worth it! What I can say is a HUGE thank you to my amazing parents who purchased the BABY BREZZA for me. It's like a Keurig machine that dispenses formula instead of coffee. A fellow triplet mom told me about it while we were both at CHOP with our girls and my parents surprised us with it. The machine has been a life saver. It keeps the water warm so every bottle comes out ready to serve. (However I still have to warm it up more for - Isabella).
We recently upgraded our strollers! We had one double and one single snap-n-go that were compatible with our Chicco Keyfit Carseats. But the girls are growing fast and before we know it they'll require a real stroller to sit in without their carseats. So I did a lot of research. I found that I hated the triple strollers that were lined up in a row with one seat behind the other and so on. They are harder for the kids to see out of and the color/pattern was ugly! Then theres the Valco stroller that everyone raves about because it's a double stroller with an added Joey Seat - but it looks so uncomfortable and the added seat doesn't even recline. It's also awkwardly positioned right in front of the double seats so again two kids will be looking around the front seat for a better view - so I didn't like that, plus it's expensive and even a used one will cost over $300! So I went with a double and a single jogging stroller by Instep. They finally came in and they are so stinking cute and HUGE! And I can't wait for our next outdoor outing so we can beak them in. Best part we spent less then $300 for brand new strollers.
So... Tito and I went away for a week. We flew out to Fort Lauderdale on June 23rd and sailed out of Miami on a 5 day Carnival Cruise. We only had one 'at sea' day and the other 3 days we spent them at three different islands. Day 1 - we were at sea all day. Tito and I spent most of the day sleeping or playing mini golf. Day 2 - We went to Grand Turk of the Turk & Caicos islands. We spent the day on the beach right by Margaritaville for their free wifi. LOL... The beach was beautiful as was the clear, warm water. Day 3 - We went to Half Moon Cay, Bahamas which is a privately owned island by Carnival. There is no place for the ship to dock so we docked in the middle of the ocean and took smaller boats to the island. This place was absolutely beautiful. I have NEVER seen water, sand or beach like this before. The water was clear and warm. The sand was white. As deep as the water was (to my chin) I could still see my toes clearly! Favorite beach by far! Day 4 - We went to Nassau, Bahamas where Tito and I went over to Atlantis and enjoyed an entire day at their water park. It was super hot and super fun! Day 5 - we arrived back in Miami and we flew back later that night. We missed the girls very much but we are so grateful to my parents and cousins who stayed with the girls. We couldn't have done this without them and God only knows how much we needed a few nights of sleep!
Aye... it's been crazy and amazing and so much more than I could have ever imagined! We are finally getting into a groove/schedule which I'm praying will make it a lot easier for me to get back to writing and updating this blog. I guess it also helps that Tito is off for the summer...
As always, thank you all for all the prayers, support and love! We appreciate it all! Thank you to the many of you who have called, texted me, wrote me messages, stopped by etc. over the last few weeks. Thank you to my wonderful aunts Carmen and Laura and my cousin Veronica who come over at least 3-4 times a week to help with bath time, feedings, bed time etc. Thank you my friend Yari who is constantly reaching out to me to make sure that the girls and I are still alive; and for the many visits, help and advice you have given me along the way! I love you girl! Thank you to girls are City Hall for all the love during our monthly visit to the office LOL - you all make me and the girls feel very loved. Thank you to those who have come by to visit us and the girls. Thank you for all the love, prayers, gifts, diapers, wipes, gift cards etc. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Thank you to the girls from our church who stop by during their lunch breaks to bring us lunch HAHAHA... Thank you to Titi Wandy & Titi Rosie for the visit and tons of clothing you brought the girls. Thank you Ruthie for the meals that you cooked and sent us! I have your containers, I didn't forget you =) The list goes on and on... so... THANK YOU, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you so much!
Upcoming...
1. July - Cianna and Bella have pulmonary and feeding team appointments.
2. August - All three girls have their 8 month pediatric appointment and finally start solids.
3. August 3rd - Tito and I celebrate our 7th year wedding anniversary and we also present the girls on this day.
4. I'm finally starting to plan the girls 1st birthday party. Still debating on keeping it micro small or big. There are just way too many people who support and love us and the girls and we truly want you all to be a part of celebrating the year that they have over come!
Xoxo,
Jackie!
Conversations I've Had Concerning Triplets
Conversation #1 - Shoe Dept. Clerk (Cumberland Mall)
Clerk - Triplets?!?! Wow that must be a nightmare!
Me - My children are not a nightmare, they are a blessing.
Clerk - I'd jump off a bridge. (some even say 'I'd shoot myself')
Me - Well you better thank God he didn't give you triplets because you'd be dead right now.
Conversation #2 - Random People We Have Come Across
Woman - Better you then me.
Me - Yes better me than you.
Conversation #3 - Man at Long Horn
Man - Triplets, wow. Your only kids?
Me - Yes.
Man - So you're done right?
Me - thats none of your business. (Seriously who gets to decide that but us).
Conversation #4 - Walmart Cashier
Cashier - Were they natural?
Me - No, they came from Mars in UFO's and were delivered at my door by ghost.
Cashier - you know what I meant
Me - No I don't, I have triplets, as in three HUMAN children and thats all you need to know.
For the most part I answer back just as stupidly as they question. And I get it, people are curious but they don't realize how insensitive they are with their choice of words. Then you get those amazingly sweet people who say things like "Wow, such a blessing," or "that must be so amazing."
First pool day - July 5th, 2013
Nothing like synchronized naps!
Mommy & Bella - my cuddle bug!
Cianna - our happy girl!
Isabella and Haddie holding hands <3
Play Mat time!
Our happy Isabella!
Go Isabella go!
Hadassah with Nana - July 6th!
Hadassah and Cianna LOL - Cici is not into belly time!
Isabella was not having it with the mini photo shoot!
Our little Cici <3
Such little beauties, yet HUGE blessings!
Hadassah
Isabella
Cianna
July 4th!
Mothers Day 2014
Our first day home together April 7th, 2014!
Leaving CHOP with all 3 girls! April 6th, 2014
Her shirt says "princess," but her face says "boss."
Isabella's first time in the hammock on June 22nd.
Also her second to last day with her tubes and wires.
June 22nd - Cianna's first time in the hammock.
Haddie's first time in the hammock.
At Grand Turk with our ship behind us.
Margaritaville =)
Us before starting the Big Bang Theory Trivia - we got 3 out of 45 questions right -_-
One of our photos we took on night #3. Its bad quality as I took a picture of a picture with my cell phone LOL... Better ones to be up on Facebook soon.
About to head out to the comedy club. It was 11:55pm when I took this!
PS - I did my make up at 5pm O_o
Half Moon Cay!
Lido Deck #9 on Carnival Victory!
Tito is very excited for dinner
Breakfast the morning of Grand Turk.
Dinner on Night #4
Mini Golf!
Half Moon Cay!
Our Ship
Our Ship docked in the ocean at Half Moon Cay
Grand Turk
Zoo at Sea morning... there were animal towels on all the deck chairs! It was so pretty.
Captains night on Night #2 - We got some great shots on this night but
I need Tito to scan the photos onto my computer.
