Tripletville Adventures : November 2015

I went to a family event on Friday night (Gab's side of the family) and I don't remember the last time I laughed that much. It might be the red wine or it might just be stories of creaky beds, forks and burnt bums but it was one for the ages. I am part of a very large crazy funny family and I don't get to be with them very often so when spending time with Gab's crazy funny family made me oddly feel closer to my family and miss them terribly. I'm so glad that they have welcomed me with such open arms and I couldn't be happier to have joined such a great family. Anyways... I got them all to try the Younique Sultry lip stain which is a deep dark red and they just had a blast rocking it. They wanted me to do an impromptu party and I had forgotten all my stuff so my husband, being the kind man that he was, drove all the way to our house from the party place and got my kit so that I could party with the ladies. I'm very thankful that he did because we had a great time playing!

My mom left for Florida this week and that was very hard because I've come accustomed to her being but a phone call and a twenty minute drive away. She may still be just a phone call away but it would take her just a little longer than twenty minutes to get to me... She's enjoying herself already and got to go play golf for the first time yesterday and got some much needed reading by the pool in the sunlight relaxation.

Our week with the boys started out pretty crazy... well I should say our week with Jacob... **WARNING WARNING WARNING IF YOU ARE AGAINST CIO, SKIP PARAGRAPHS**

We're having a terrible time with Jacob sleeping at nap time and aside from a few nights in the last two weeks, the night time haven't been an issue. At around 11:30 pm on Sunday night, he woke up crying. We took turns consoling him and I finally sat by their door until he fell asleep. On Monday night he started crying the moment we put him to sleep. We went in to see him every 10 to 15 minutes to console him to no avail... he cried for 2 hours until I just couldn't take it anymore and I gave in and we took him to bed with us (I know... worst thing I could have done as far as sleep regression goes but my heart couldn't take it anymore). Now that they're older and can scream out our names, it's freaking hard man! All I could hear for two hours straight was "Maman, Papa, Maman, Papa, Bee Bye (which means rock me)" but what I heard in my head was "Maman, I'm the saddest baby in the world and you're the worst mom in the world and would it really kill you to rock your child for 20 minutes??? Please mom, I'm so so so SAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!"... Which is why he slept the night in between Gabe and I...

Tuesday we resolved that we weren't going to give in because we knew that we would create a habit that we didn't want to create. I asked Alicia if she would mind hosting the book club at her house since I was supposed to host it here and I clearly didn't want my friends (who love me and would totally support what I was trying to do but who can have fun and not talk about books while listening to a toddler yelling at his mom that she's the most heartless person of life?). So Alicia, being the amazing friend that she is, allowed the switch. I was also glad to have an outing because I know that I couldn't have taken another evening like the previous one. I asked pretty much every mom I respected at work what the hell I was supposed to do and they all told me we were making the right decision. I was also advised to change the bedtime routine to make it a little more relaxing to make sure Jacob has a chance to wind down. We also decided that only Maman and Papa would put the boys to sleep because having everyone (which often included 3 or 4 people) created too much commotion in their bedroom before bed. So we changed the routine... made sure that 10 minutes before bedtime we cut off all external excitement, we read some books while cuddling and only two of us put the boys to sleep. I had been stressing all day about this moment, could hardly focus on being a teacher I was so intensely worried about my boy... what did Jacob do?? He went right to sleep. He asked for a kiss, took his monkey (his soother) and not another word, cry or anything! Sam cried because he wanted Pépére to put him to bed but only for 5 minutes and off to dreamland they all went. I thought for sure we were counting our chickens too early so I left for book club expecting a text from Gab saying that Jacob was freaking out but the little bugger slept all night! I was really relieved and super happy but a little bit like WTF little man?!? haha! So now the bedtime routine is a little different as we now need some wind down time with just Maman and Papa. To alleviate Sam's sadness with Pépére, he is now leaving about 10 minutes before we put them to bed. We now have some time just the five of us to cuddle and read a book (their current fave? Caillou... gross I know right?). I love that time with my boys and I'm glad we've decided to change it up. Jacob has slept peacefully every night since without a peep at bedtime... Naps are a different story all together but we still haven't figured out how to solve that issue... he sleeps 2 hours daily at daycare but here... even with the same pre-sleep routine... I just don't know... he would sleep on us or in our bed for 2 hours no problem, or even in his crib if we were beside him but if he can't see us? It's over... I really don't know where to go from here but we'll get there... it's our next battle! Poor little buddy though, he's sooooo tired in the afternoon! He doesn't know what he wants and he's just a little ball of sadness...

On to other news... Gab lost his wedding ring last weekend... He didn't take it off, he figured it must have slipped off at some point and he had no clue where it had gone... I thought he may have been taking it off during the day to flirt with all the bank ladies and secretaries he sees.... (jk!). We were getting dressed in the bedroom one morning and the kids were playing around like they always do and we noticed Sam was playing around with something and what do you know? It was Gab's wedding ring! Gab was so so happy and Sam was so so sad because he had to give his newly found treasure back to Papa... Speaking of Sam and treasures... he apparently has become a klepto! We were doing our Saturday morning groceries and I was waiting in the electronics section with the boys watching a cartoon on the TVs while Gab was getting some tax free diapers. When we were unloading the stuff from the cart Gab asks me if I had paid for the three DVDs that was in our cart... Nope, that was totally Sam because I know he was playing with them... he just put them in our cart in front of him thinking that's where you put stuff you like. Having already paid for all the groceries, I didn't notice the extra things in our cart... little devil!

We've been debating all week about the parade...first, the boys have a pretty set routine in place for night time and with Jacob finally doing better, we didn't want to mess with that too much. We also didn't think the boys were ready to spend two hours outside watching the parade. We came up with a compromise... We parked at the YMCA and simply walked up and down Vaugh Harvey where all the floats were so that the boys could see most of the magic of the parade without actually having to go to the actual parade. They really enjoyed it all and we still got home on time to have a pre bed snack, watched Curious George Christmas, and do our pre-sleep time routine. I think next year we may find a spot for them to sit and watch but we liked this year's walk just as much and besides, Gabe and I need the exercise the way our diet has been going lately!

This morning Gab had work to do outside before the snow comes and although I tried to get people to come over for a play date, we ended up alone the boys and I. I was a little apprehensive because I haven't really spent all that much time alone with the boys for a while now. It was actually a lot of fun! They are getting better and better at playing together and I just kept switching activities so they didn't get bored and it went really great! I could have gone longer! For the most part, only one cried at a time and when two were fighting and I had to deal, put in time out, give love to the other, the third was pretty well self entertained. I really enjoyed my time with them and I'm not saying that I want my husband to leave me alone with them all the time, I really don't mind it when we have no choice. Daddy got his own alone time with them this afternoon when I went for my second NICU visit. With Jacob sucking at nap time, he didn't get the two hours we thought he might get. I schedule my NICU visits with nap thinking it would all work out but I should have known better... It was fine though! I got to talk to two moms and a dad and I hope I made a small difference in their NICU journey.

I wish you all a great week and enjoy the following pics:

This was me trying to get a picture of the shirts my sister got the boys in NYC for their birthday...

Still not happening

Loving himself too much

So does he...

I do my best makeup while tipsy!

Red lips and wine ladies... thanks for the great time!

Watching Alexie play ringuette. It's one of their new favorite things

All bundled up for the parade walk

This is the CCNB float.. Gab said that when he was a kid, it was just him and his dad in a van playing Ginette Reno from a loud speaker. If you don't know here, here's some Youtube magic... (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY3ZtkVWT24)

The boys Facetiming with my mom

Crafting at Bass Pro Shop before seeing Santa.

Our photo with Santa... we weren't going to be in it, but Santa can't do triplets... lol... Or should I say triplets can't do Santa...

Looking at the first snow

One of the most common comments I get is: "I don't know how you do it, you're so brave". First let me say that there was nothing brave about having triplets, it's not like I chose this. Sure, I may have chosen to go to a fertility clinic but walking down those halls of successes where happy singleton and few twin babies smiled at me surely didn't prepare me for this life. Of course, we may have been brave when we chose to go ahead with the procedure when they told us there was a small chance of twins but beyond that was out of our control. And how I do it? With a village. I wish I could have taken a picture of my amazing family tonight as we all gathered around to celebrate the boys' birthday. I got teary eyed just looking at them and feeling the immense love emanated towards our children. My mother, the snow bird, is leaving on Tuesday for 5 months and as weird as it may sound, I hope I don't have to call her home for those 5 months. She's in need of a break. Two years ago, she was only gone for one night when I called to tell her that I was being admitted with a chance of delivery so she rushed home on the next flight. Last year my sister's demon came to haunt us and my mother came home to help my sister fight the fight of her life. This year, we want her to stay away for 5 whole months and simply be a grandma on Facetime. For the last two years my mother has made the "once a mother, always a mother" saying take a deeper meaning and I'm so ever thankful to have been gifted with her as a mother. I hope I can repay her one day and maybe, just maybe, I can be half the mom to my children as she has been to us. Take your well deserved sunny break Maman, we'll miss you, but you need it. I'm not too worried about my mom being away because my in laws are wonderful and are always there for us at the drop of a hat. Even my sister, being as busy with her own children and life, will be there the moment I need her. We are truly blessed to be surrounded by people who love us and our boys almost as much as we do and I really don't know how we COULD do it without them. Our life would not resemble what it does today. I would not be able to live the semi-normal social life I live and I would not be able to keep up this blog because I'd most certainly be crying in a corner somewhere banging my head against the wall. Of course, we are the ones who are the most often alone with our boys but when we need a break, we know there's always one coming soon. So thank you.

I have to say though that our babies turning into toddlers isn't quite the cray cray I was expecting. Sure, we have daily tantrums to deal with and sure we are often running around like chickens with our heads cut off because of how busy they are but I have to say that we did good with those kids so far. I believe our kids are pretty well behaved children. Well maybe except for the pushing, shoving, biting, pinching and tantrum throwing because Zachary wants the OTHER tractor that Jacob is holding that is the exact replica of the one Samuel is trying to give him... but for the most part, they're pretty damn adorable. Examples of them being the cutest things of life lately: Jacob giving his daycare friend his family album box to try to soothe him because he's crying; Zachary always showing such deep concern when his brothers cry but also imitating us when we scold one of his brothers; Samuel always in the mood to dance in our arms and sing his little heart out (his current favorite is the ABC song or Tinkle Tinkle); it's Jacob wanting a high five every time he does something good or Zachary wanting to clean up his messes (sometimes creating some on purpose so he can clean them); it's Sam telling his brothers to go Dodo at nap time (even though Jacob can't hear him because he's crying his heart out) and Zachary waking up and calling out his brothers' names to see who's awake and being super happy when they answer. It's every new word that comes out of their mouths... Jacob has recently started repeating my "Holy Moly" and it's too freaking adorable! The transition from baby to toddler isn't always easy but we are making the most of it and taking it all in because they'll never be this young or this cute again. Sure they make us want to bang our head against the wall when they're acting all crazy like and screaming their heads off every morning when all we want to do is put their goddamn boot on or pretend they don't exist when they wake up after napping for only 45 mins but the moment we see their amazing little smiles, all the crazy stuff melts away and we fall in love all over again.

On that note... here is an insane amount of pictures from the past week... enjoy!

Samuel and Zachary are not in the same order but you can still see the difference a year makes!

Having some yummy PB at their birthday breakfast

Our very first actual meal out as a family of five without extended family. Thanks Homestead, you treated us like we were family!

Dinner and a movie out with my two favorite ladies. I'll miss you Maman! Be safe... xox

Spontaneous birthday playdate with our twin pals: Xavier and Max Ho. Here Zachary is trying to take back the ball he had just given to his new friend.

Sam chilling with Max (right Kelly?)

Aside from a filter, this picture is totally genuine! I was hiding behind Gab and playing Coucou (peekaboo). This was the second picture he took. The rest are all fails. I'm so glad he captured this one! On top of it all, those TWO shirts have been travelling around the triplet world and they'll be shipped next week to the next family!