The Working Mom

I haven't been on here in a while, and normally I would apologize, but today I'm going to cut myself some slack. I'm a mother of three babies, a wife, and a teacher to very intense, needy middle schoolers. I want to preface this post that this isn't a happy go lucky post, but you will get your normal update post Friday after our 4 month check up (I know...CrAZY!) 

Being back at work has been a bittersweet whirlwind. The cacophony of work and my new life as a mother hasn't always been the most beautiful mixture.  Separately these lives existed, and now they are trying to mix. It's a harsh reality that I can't be their for my kids at home completely, or with my students at school completely. 

I got 10 new students. I got three new babies that I have to give up daily. It takes all that I am to walk through the doors of school with a smile on my face daily and welcome my students. I seriously miss my babies more than anything...

BUT THEN...

This crazy space time continuum happens and I'm so needed. Busy, counseling, teaching, coaching, translating all day that the time flies by and the day has nothing left but for me to go home.

  I go home and I think about my students. 

I go to school and I think about my babies. 

They both intermix in my prayers and cries to God. 

The working mom. The teaching mom. 

Pray for me if you do that kind of thing... My heart is hurting in both places today.

Quick Hello

We wanted to say a quick hello from the Dye clan! We are taking things one day at a time and trying (and I mean TRYING) to remember these babies aren't babies forever. I think it's so important to try and live in the moment and soak it all up.

We are still doing 90/10 breast milk/formula-but their appetites are slowly overtaking me. Plus, I figured out I'm pumping about 4 hours a day. That 4 hours is quite stressful if I don't have help around to put out any fires that pop up while I'm hooked to the milking machine! So of course I was like...I'll tandem nurse...problem solved...WRONG! These are the faces of those involved in the first tandem nursing adventure.

Not fans. SO we will try and try again. 

T has gone to work nights at the plant for the outage, so me and the babes have been doing a lot of traveling to the lake for some MiMi, Nanny and Aunt S help! We are so grateful for all the help at home from our other amazing helpers as well! I'm so happy our little people get to grow up in the middle of all of this love.

Their little personalities are really starting to shine and it is a sweet thing to watch. 

Maggie is the queen bee, and NEVER wants to be put down. She is a snuggle monster (the monster comes out when not being snuggled). She has two chins now and loves picking her head up to look at your face!  She has also told me she prefers nursing and will fight the bottle when she feels a little frisky.

Hank is a hungry, HUNGRY little man  with a puke problem.  He wants it all, but it just won't all stay in there! He loves cuddles and staring at lights. He likes being propped in his boppie. His reflux is not making his as miserable as before, she has something to smile about.

Him snuggling brother with a smile.

Sawyer is sooooo chill. Love me, hug me, give me a binkie and then prop me up somewhere and I'll chill most of the time. He likes looking at you and tummy time on your chest. Also he loves fans (what baby doesn't?! Strange).

In this picture he had to borrow Maggie's outfit because he peed through all of his...whoops! 

I honestly don't know who is who...whoops

Mimi and her boys. Hank left Sayer right. Checkout that double chin!

So there you have it folks. A little piece of our ever changing, monotonous, beautiful, exhausted world.

Happy Suppos-tuh Birthday

Hank, Sawyer and Maggie

It's hard to believe that February 29th was these kids due date. They've been here for two whole months now and weren't even supposed to be out of my belly yet. But I tell you what, these kids are scrappy, and hungry...geez they are eating me out of house and home (actually just eating all of my calories...which I'm totally cool with...I'm just SO HUNGRY!) I digress.

For their two month celebration we went to the doctor and got their first shots!!! YAY! Not yay...I cried more than they did thank goodness, and so far so good with no fevers or extreme grumpiness. 

Here is the official weigh in!

Maggie 

20 and1/4 inches

6lb 11oz

John Henry 

18 and 1/4 inches

5lb 8oz

Sawyer 

19 inches

6lb 3oz

The doctor said they are gaining so well we don't have to go in until 4 months! Awesome! Even better news is that Sawyer's suspected hernia is gone! God is so good! Thank you for your prayers!

So now we are just hanging out, going a little stir crazy...but it's hard to go stir crazy when you're so busy/tired.  I can say motherhood thus far has been a challenging, messy, lovely blend of all things good and bad. So on that note here are some more pictures of the most adorable children in the world (I'm very biased!)

We're So Big!

We went to our weekly weigh in. Last week's weigh in was disappointing, not much gain...but this week...they packed it on!

Our new weights!

Maggie 6lb 0.8oz

Wearing her jeans and boots. So stylish!

Hank 

5lb 0.2oz

He is still dealing with some bad reflux , but it has gotten a little better. He's still growing so that's great! He looks more and more like his bro as he gets a little fat on him!

Sawyer

5lb 7oz

This little squishy 's hernia is getting better, thank God! We are still monitoring it, but no surgery consult yet!! Pray it continues to heal!

At the Doctors office they were all laying next to each other awake. Maggie and Sawyer were having a good time hanging out,  making eye contact, and putting their hands in each other's faces. Maggie was either trying to feed or smother Sawyer and Sawyer took this opportunity to try and eat her hand. To which she replied with pursed lips and concerned eyes. I loved seeing them interact! Most of the time they are asleep by the time the next one takes their turn. Today was a glimpse into the fun future these babes are going to have together. I can't imagine getting to grow up with two other little people my same age! My hopes are that they are the best of friends and each other's best companions and playmates.

I hope we can foster that love for each other at a young age..how you do that, I don't quite know, but this journey is one that we learn as we go! 

Hank, Sawyer and Maggie at the doctors

Look at Maggie's hair!! Looks red to me!!!! How we wound up with a litter of ginger kids is beyond me!

Thanks again everyone for your continued support. 

PS

Our village cooks REALLLLY well! Love you all!

Tips for Thriving with Triplets

I desperately googled for this type of blog post while pregnant. I wanted to read and see how people did it...how did they survive?! Well I'm here to tell you, you not only can survive, you can thrive! I never found it, so here are this new triplet mommas tips  for any desperate googlers out there.

1. Set the baby(ies) you leave behind up for success.

What I mean by this is there will come a time where one or two or three babies will need you (and show this need by screaming) at one time and you will be alone... Daunting and scary at first, but you figure it out, and once you do you set up the babies who have chilled the heck out for success in not freaking out again (I know really professional and technical terms used here).  This might look like making sure the baby has their binkie and it is in a position it won't easily come out. Swaddled, close to where you will be holding the other one or two, shushed and repositioned etc. If they don't get set up for success they are a ticking time bomb.

2. Learn how to wear your baby.

I can't tell you how invaluable this tool is for calming an angry baby or two as well as letting you be hands free to feed another, or do one of the thousand tasks needing to be done so everyone can live comfortably for another hour or so.  If you don't know how to wrap/don't have an amazing baby wearing educator best friend like I do...find your local baby wearing group, watch YouTube, join some Facevook channels...you must do this!

3. Accept help.

This took me a hot minute to understand. Yes, I am perfectly capable of taking care of my three cherubs, as is T, BUT there is a point where you can do it but you are exhausted and just need a second. People want to help, sometimes people say it just to say it (and that's ok, they don't know what else to say!), those who genuinely do will be there and it will refresh you and your spouse in ways I can't even explain. An hour nap or being able to do something in the house or run an errand is heavenly, let. people. help. You.

4. Stick to your schedule

They come home from the NICU on a great schedule. No need to rebuild a brand new house, so stick to it. Make it work for you, but use those good bones! It will make life much simpler and give you a sense of calm in the sometimes chaotic life of a triplet parent.

5. Don't hate on yourself if you don't meet one of your expectations.

Just because when you thought you were having one baby you thought you could cloth diaper, or when you brought them home you thought they would only have breast milk, and that changes...that doesn't mean you are a failure or that parenting isn't your thing. Don't sweat the small stuff and don't make things that really don't matter in the grand scheme of things a hill to die on. Go with the flow, love your babies, love your partner and live in the moment with your three sweet babies.  

Love,

Nikki 

Hank ready for snow

Maggie and Me

T and the boys

6 Weeks Old

We have been in the world for 6 weeks now! It's been a long, hard haul of a week with the these littles. A week full of them getting used to us, us getting used to them and getting used to having someone who is completely dependent on us 24/7. Between reflux, the ongoing binky war (why can't binkies just stay in?!), an ER visit and hospital stay for Hank and the lack of sleep for every one involved...you could say we are  getting jumped into this parenting thing pretty darn hard. My motherhood journey thus far has been sweet and fulfilling but also bittersweet and raw in moments.  Those raw moments I see ugly bits of myself that still need to be squashed out. Someone once told T and I, 'become a parents, and you will see just how selfish you really are.'  How very true. 

I've cried like a baby, laughed hard, and slept light. Motherhood thus far has been a fulfilling, refining and burning fire.

The babes are doing well. Hank and Sawyer are dealing with major reflux. Sawyer has a hernia that they are watching, and his kidney ultrasound looked fine. Prayers appreciated for all of that! The boys are looking more and more alike the bigger they get! Pray they gain more, their growth slowed a little, but the pediatrician isn't concerned. 

Maggie is a cutie and loves to eat! 

Her weight is 5lb 15oz

Hank weighed 4lb 9oz

Sawyer weighed 4lb 15oz

We again are so thankful for your continued prayers and support...and your food! Holy cow our village can cook!!!! We love you guys!

Home is Where the...Triplets Are!

I'm writing to you at 1 am listening to baby grunts and squeaks. What an amazing and fulfilling feeling to have them home and fully ours. Motherhood had made my heart sing. Seeing the father Travis is to these precious babies is a beautiful thing to behold as well. Travis and I and the village that has surrounded us from the beginning of this journey are rising to the occasion and loving life, a new tired life, but a great one!

We went to the eye doctor for Maggie today! Everything is normal! Woohoo! 

Sawyer and Hank visited the Dr today for their first checkup! They are both gaining weight, but are having some bad reflux. They are going to be put on baby Zantax, because in preemies bad reflux can cause some bad things that could be prevented. Hank was perfect (Maggie's checkup last week was perfect as well).  Sawyer on the other hand, my child who obviously loves making me worry from the beginning, has a small hernia.  They are going to keep an eye on it (as are we) and they will evaluate at next week's growth visit whether or not he needs a surgery consult. Prayers that it resolves itself (which is a possibility).  Well babies are calling, literally! Thanks for all the continued support, we couldn't do this without ya'll!