All Smiles

We're getting some fun smiles around here these days. Here is video footage of Hayden's precious smile.

All of the babies have rolled over now from their tummys to their backs. They are also showing interest in rattles and colorful and moving objects.

The Melker family was in town this last weekend and the babies got their first picture with their cousins, Mikayla, Emma and Chloe.

STRANGER QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
(While on a walk with the triplet stroller)
"Wow, triplets. I don't think I could handle three babies at once." (Long pause) "Well, none of them are crying..."

Little Easter Bunnies

All of the babies are smiling now and we even caught Payson's first big smile on camera. Keith had Friday off so we spent the day taking a stroll and taking little Easter bunny photos of the babies. We spent the weekend with the Melker family and Sunday evening Keith read the Easter story to the babies.

Payson and Madison had a follow-up cardiology appointment today and they both look great. At 3 months and 5 days old, the babies weigh:

Hayden: 9 lb, 1 oz.
Payson: 9 lb, 8 oz.
Madison: 8 lb, 15 oz.

It was hard narrowing it down but here are a few of our favorites including yawns from the girls and Payson crying once he had enough.

Hayden:















Payson:














Madison:

3 Months Old!

Today the babies are 3 months old and I can't believe it!

At just 2 1/2-weeks-old adjusted age (12-weeks-old actual age) Madison rolled over from her tummy to her back. The following day she did a "mini push-up" where she lifted her chest off the ground by straightening her arms. What a strong little princess she is!

I am a full-time mother and part-time manicurist. With 30 fingers and 30 toes and three little flawless faces, I have to trim at least a few nails every day or two. And that doesn't even include my own! (Though I used to help Keith out every now and then, he's on his own these days.)

Payson is so intense about eating and when he is hungry he gets frustrated very easily - especially when you give him his passie but he would rather have his bottle. Here are some videos demonstrating his usual behavior before and during feedings.







Pictures below (from left to right): Keith tries to make Madison believe that he's still carrying her in the sling by hanging it a few inches off the ground from the swing; Madison clenches Keith's fingers; Reading to Madison and Payson; Madison stares down Payson's bottle even after she has already eaten.

Multitasking

We have now mastered the art of multitasking. Keith is now a pro at simultaneously comforting babies and getting work done on the weekends. He also knows how to hold Madison, practice his football hold and do household chores all at the same time.

The babies are doing great at focusing on things and now enjoy looking in the mirror during tummy time. Most babies know they're looking at themselves but our babies always wonder if they're looking at themselves or their sibling!

The babies wore pants for the first time on Monday. They coordinated perfectly in their little Carter's outfits we received as a gift. They loved it so much that they decided to march in unison to celebrate (left photo). And once again, Madison shows how obsessed she is with her brother by staring at him in complete awe (right photo).

Grammy and GP Visit

Grammy and GP, Keith's parents, visited for their first time since the babies came home. It was a fun weekend for everyone and they were so sweet to wash bottles, feed babies, wash bottles and feed more babies even during the night shifts. Hayden was immediately drugged on Grammy's love when she was held by her. And Grammy had her hands full, literally, one time during a usual spell of just when you get one baby happy in your arms another one starts crying. She eventually had them all piled on top of her and it worked!

I cooked up some yummy pacifiers this weekend. I was in denial that the babies would prefer different brands but after struggling to get Madison to take hers for so long I finally tried a different brand and it worked. At least now it's easier to tell whose is whose.

GP and Payson got some good grandfather, grandson bonding time this weekend. Payson is hopeful that one day he too will have large manly hands like his dad and GP. But for now he will have to put up with comparisons to his sisters and how Hayden has the longest fingers.

We got our first picture of three generations of Melker men. We look forward to Great Papa Cecil, with whom Payson shares a middle name, visiting so we can get four generations together. Payson is a lucky man to have such Godly men to follow after.

On Sunday we took a stroll down to the lakes and spontaneously decided to eat on the patio at our neighborhood grill. We can't venture out to restaurants yet until RSV season is over but the empty patio on a beautiful day allowed us the germ-free atmosphere we needed. It was the babies' official first outing!

Winter Wonderland

I am always like a 5-year-old child when it snows. Today we had some very unusual beautiful snow ranging from light flurries to very large hearty snowflakes. The babies were unimpressed and more interested in napping but I certainly got a kick out of it.













The other day Keith needed to set down recently upset Madison so he could change clothes so he put her in his laundry basket of dirty clothes! That'll teach her a lesson!

Utter Cuteness

Even the cutest feet and toes (Madison's shown here) can't help me forget Friday night which was my roughest night with the babies yet. I'll spare you the details but here are some hints: 1:00-5:30 am, crying in unison, inconsolable, utter exhaustion. You get the point. I try not to complain on the blog but in case I haven't correctly portrayed the experience, being the stay-at-home mom of triplets is extremely hard work.

The babies are getting so strong with their heads. They enjoy looking around during tummy time and flinging their heads around when you're trying to hold them on your shoulder. We gave the babies some face-to-face time with each other the other day which was really cute to watch. Payson's by himself on the left and the right shows Hayden, Payson and Madison.

Keith has been too busy to watch Sports Center so Payson has begun watching and updating Keith regularly. You can also see that he was very interested in the Rogaine commercial that came on afterwards. We keep trying to tell him that it's normal for babies to have thin hair. Also, see the captions on the bottom of the screen? With all of the nursery rhyme tunes, grunting, loud bottle feeding, crying and sound of running water to wash bottles, it is very difficult to hear the television these days so this helps. Plus Payson is big into reading these days so he likes it too.

While Keith fed Payson and I pumped we put the girls in a boppy together and they settled into a good snuggle within minutes.

Payson is currently our serious baby. He is serious about everything he does including eating, sleeping and looking around. And since that's all that newborns, well then, that's everything! Oh man, the intensity around feeding makes us laugh every time.

Tomorrow the babies are 11 weeks old and just 1 1/2 weeks adjusted age.