Hayden's Trip

Last year, I decided to take the kids on individual flying trips. This way, I could see friends I would otherwise not get to see and I could get some special one-on-one time with each child. And, I figured that when the kids look back on our trips someday, they will feel special.

I had been planning for months to take Hayden to visit our friends Justin and Stephanie and their 9-month-old daughter Kylie up in Minneapolis. The California trip was last minute and was tacked onto the week before the MN trip due to Keith's work schedule. By the time Hayden and I boarded our flight to Minneapolis, she and I were both exhausted from our week away from home. But, I was so excited to see my friends that I was still looking forward to a fun weekend.

Keith flew home with two of the kids - Payson and Madison - and I flew with Hayden. I thought he would be worse off than me, but Hayden decided to try to change my mind. Due to off-and-on mild turbulence, we were not able to get out of our seats for over 2 hours and that includes our flight attendants (of course, the passengers in first class were served anyway during this time - turbulence must not have been as bad up there!). Asking a 1.5-year-old to sit still, in my lap, for 2 hours is just not reasonable. None of my toys or tricks were working, and suddenly I became THAT mom. I was the one whose toddler screamed and fussed for what seemed like all 3.5 hours. We were both sweating as I attempted to pin her to me and keep her feet from hitting the people or chairs around us. Next to me was a mother with a 2.5-year-old who slept the ENTIRE time. He completely slept through Hayden's tantrum and nearly through his mother trying to wake him at the end of the 3.5 hour flight. It was a close match, but in the end Hayden couldn't wrestle out of my grip until the seatbelt light went off, and we were finally allowed to walk around. Yea, Mommy wins! (kind of). Mommy-1, Hayden-0.

Once we arrived, I quickly got Hayden washed up and into bed. The skylight in our room kept her up babbling for over an hour and woke her up over an hour early. So, the next night Stephanie had the crazy idea of letting the girls share a room. Kylie's bedtime was an hour earlier than Hayden's so I was worried we'd wake up Kylie, and Stephanie was worried Kylie would wake up Hayden if she cried at night. I convinced Stephanie that Hayden is used to crying roommates. and she convinced me that Kylie sleeps hard enough that she'd sleep through my putting Hayden to bed. Well, despite Kylie's testing her parents with an unusual crying spell, it worked. So, we did it the next night too! Hayden did great with her first sleepover!

Stephanie works for General Mills and had plenty of Cheerios on hand. Hayden loved eating her Cheerios off the pages of Kylie's Cheerios Play Book.

On Friday, I met up with my friends Liz and Betsy, and Betsy's daughter Addie, for a walk around Lake Calhoun. Liz, Betsy and I attended a study-abroad program together during college, and we still keep in touch 8 years later! Afterwards, Hayden and I ate lunch together at a little restaurant on the lake. It was our first time ever to enjoy a meal out with just the two of us.

Friday afternoon, Hayden and I were lucky enough to visit Keith's Aunt Lori, Uncle Brian, and cousins Kylie and Taylor for dinner. Hayden loved jumping on the trampoline, blowing bubbles with her cousins and chasing after the Birdie during a few games of Badminton.

Saturday, Hayden wasn't feeling very well, but we had a great time just hanging out and catching up as we watched and entertained the kids. Hayden was such a helper and liked to help hold Kylie's bottle. She talked about "Neff-nee" (Stephanie) all weekend, pointing her out both in person and in pictures. And despite pointing out Justin when we said his name, she referred to him as "Neff-nee" also.

Hayden showed off her strong-will at the lake, but I won in the end (again) and managed to keep her out of the mud and the water. Mommy-2, Hayden-0.

That night Hayden felt much better and the girls took a bath together and had a blast! Hayden's bathtime energy kept Kylie laughing which was so cute! I love baby giggles!

(Play video below)

Stephanie and Justin reading to the girls.

It was so great to finally meet Kylie! What a precious, happy baby! Thanks, Justin and Stephanie, for a great time and for all of the great food!

Sunday we took a trip to Target and $30 later I had a bag of tricks for the flight home. Hayden did much better despite our arriving home after her bedtime. While I am glad we went to California and Minneapolis, I can honestly say that I do not plan to fly with the babies again for a while. Though, with each passing day, I forget more and more of the tough times and my memory of the good times prevails. When I forget entirely, someone please remind me!

The City of Angels

I have a love/hate relationship with L.A. for many reasons. But no one can deny that the weather is wonderful, the scenery makes you want to drive around in a convertible all day (only after taking a yoga class or a run on the beach), and there are endless unique stores and restaurants to keep you intrigued. But, coming from several years in Boston, the valet parking obsession in L.A. makes Keith and I chuckle and grimace at the same time.

In Boston, you have to valet because there is no available parking and your car is being parked 4+ blocks away down some mystery ramp that may or may not lead to a dungeon. You give your ticket to the sweaty valet guy (despite it being 30 degrees!) and watch him run as fast as he can to fetch your car from some unfathomable distance.

In L.A., you are forced to valet even though you see 30 open spots within 20 feet of where you give up your car. Later, you give your ticket to the extremely bored valet guy and watch him take his time to find your keys and meander over to your car, taking five times as long as it would have taken you to have walked to your car yourself. I understand valets for crowded (or even upscale) businesses, but beyond that I am stumped.

Keith was staffed in Los Angeles the week after our attempted vacation weekend at the St. Regis, but not before a Monday afternoon meeting in New York. Sunday night Keith left Dana Point for a red-eye flight to NYC and returned 24 hours later to meet up with me in L.A. During that time the babies and I slept, checked out of the St. Regis, drove to L.A., checked into our new hotel (eventually having to change rooms after being partially unpacked), met up with friends, got the babysitter situated so I could go out to dinner with some friends (thanks Maggie and Amelia!), then dinner, and off to bed again. Keith snuck back in while I was sleeping. It was a crazy day for all of us, but we survived. I did feel like a little bit of a super-mom this particular day after having to do all of this solo (with a double and a single stroller no less; I sure miss my triplet strollers when we travel!).

My friend Lane immediately hit it off with the kids, which wasn't surprising since he has been tagged as "The Baby Whisperer" due to his ability to calm kids and make them laugh. Letting Hayden play with his Blackberry definitely helped!

Lane entertained and distracted the babies with bubbles while I tried to get ready for dinner.

The next morning the babies and I headed to Elana's house for a playdate with her 13-month-old twin girls. These girls are SO adorable, and I always love being around them with their sweet spirits and big smiles! The babies were thrilled to be around toys again after having such a small selection the four prior days.

That afternoon we hung out with friends again and that evening, after Keith was done working, we had a sitter arranged again so we could go eat sushi with Lane. I never do feel full after sushi, so we finished the evening with some yummy ice cream!

By Wednesday morning, the babies and I were in survival mode (as seemed to happen quite often on this trip). I had heard that there was a My Gym in the Beverly Hills area, so I did some research and was thrilled to see that there was a class starting half an hour later. I called the hotel valet (of course), loaded the kids in the car and off we went. It was only a few miles away, but it took over 20 minutes to get there. Twenty red lights later, we had made it and the kids were running around and jumping gleefully.

That afternoon some of my friends met the kids for the first time, and it only took a few minutes for the kids to warm up. Here's Heath holding Madison.

Andrew has seen the babies several times now and he always jumps right in and starts playing with them immediately, which gives their Momma a little bit of a break - even if I do have the other two still begging for my attention. Hayden has been in serious Mommy-mode, so it was especially nice that she was playing happily out of my arms.

I have been best friends with Lane since 1st grade and with Andrew and Heath since Jr. High. What a treat it was to all hang out together and watch them play with the triplets. Such great guys!

That afternoon, we checked out of our Beverly Hills hotel and drove to a hotel by the airport (yes, this was our FOURTH hotel of the trip!), so we could use the airport shuttle rather than returning our rented minivan. We set our schedule up perfectly to allow the kids to get a late morning nap before our lunchtime flights. The night before we left, we had dinner with our good friends Carrie and Clint in Manhattan Beach (with a sitter back at the hotel, of course) and flew out the next day. This was about two months worth of sitters for us, but we couldn't have done it without them!

Keith flew home solo with Payson and Madison, while I flew with Hayden to Minnesota. Originally, I thought I got the better deal, but Hayden decided to test my patience like never before. And the travel challenges continued...

Hello Beach! Goodbye Vacations As We Know Them.

Grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine... this is a big one...

Between Keith's working in California and my wanting to take the babies to the beach, we came up with the crazy idea of taking the kids on a "beach vacation." Yes, we did get to see the beach (once) and, thanks to all of the points Keith has racked up with his crazy travel schedule, we stayed at the amazing St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, CA. But to call it a vacation would be unfair to the vacationers of the world, and it would demand a change to the true definition of vacation, which is: "a period of suspension of work, study, or other activity, usually used for rest, recreation, or travel."

We definitely did the travel part, but we failed to meet requirement of "suspension of work, study, or other activity" (like the full-time care of 1.5-year-old triplets!). And we certainly failed to rest. In fact, we did just the opposite. We dabbled in recreation, but once again failed to really pull it off.

That being said, we did it! And we're proud of ourselves. All five of us flew together to Orange County, Hayden and I in Keith's First Class seat and Keith, Payson and Madison sharing two seats in Coach. I vow this will be my last trip with toddlers under the age of 2 because I will never again be fooled into thinking that we can make do with two lap babies. After their second birthday, the airlines require buying them their own seats, which I will probably be fooled into thinking we can do.

Payson hugging Hayden, despite her protest, upon arrival at the airport.

When we arrived at the hotel, it was already past the kids' bedtime so we had reservations at a hotel right by the airport and opted to make the drive to Dana Point the following day. They had an adjoining room next to ours, and we brought a monitor along to, well, monitor them. They stayed on CST for the entire trip so they went to bed at 5:30 pm and woke up at 5:30 am! Painful for us, but so worth it to stick to their usual schedule.

This was their first time to stay in a hotel room and the large windows were the most, and maybe the only, entertaining part of the room.

We arrived at the St. Regis the next day and it was amazing. Just look at this place! From the restaurant balcony you can see the pool, fountains, golf course and ocean. Stunning.

Even Madison knew she was in paradise. She can be seen here running across the lawn singing, "The hills are alive with the sound of music."

Keith had to work on our first day there and I struggled to keep the kids entertained and safe at the same time. Note to self: concrete stairs are not a safe place for three 19-month-olds.

And there were several fountains that the babies were desperate to climb on, around and into. I was literally in tears (which is really rare for me) at the end of the day because it had been so rough and draining. (Though looking back, I think I was grieving that my vacations will never be same!) Keith promised me the weekend would be better.

"Not guilty!" Gotta love when your toddler vandalizes a five-star resort.

Thanks to a thick border of bushes, we were able to keep the patio door open and let them roam in and out of the room as they pleased. Anything that extends our space is always a plus, especially if it includes fresh air!

The girls contently read their books outside on the patio. Tough life for the Melker triplets.

Upon arriving in California, I made a trip to Target to stock up on some groceries and a $6 toaster. Instead of spending what would have cost at least $50 each morning for breakfast at the resort (there aren't many options at 5:30 am!), each morning I served toast or muffins along with some fresh fruit. The kids go through half a gallon of milk each day, so I also bought a foam cooler to have whole milk on hand at all times. This setup was a lifesaver for us and the kids got to enjoy room service (literally!) in their hotel highchairs.

As promised, the weekend was much better and things went much more smoothly with our two-to-three ratio. With the babies waking up at 5:30 am, eating lunch at 9:45, and taking their nap at 10:30, we didn't have many options for how to spend our mornings (too cold for the pool or beach), so we usually spent it exploring the resort grounds. I love this picture of Daddy and little buddy strolling the sidewalk.

We were seriously about the only guests walking around the property this early in the morning, though we kept running into a set of infant twins throughout the weekend.

Payson and daddy playing outside (with Keith trying to make Payson laugh).

Hayden looks tiny compared to the massive structures around her. Hayden was Miss Super-Independent on the entire trip and was always testing the boundaries of what she could do and how far she could go before I reacted. Just the beginning, I'm sure.

During this visit to the fountain, I had Keith to help me keep the kids from climbing into the tantalizing pool. Their persistent curiosity never ceases to amaze me.

This cute little bench was seemingly made for the triplets.

We were trying to get a shot of the kids in front of this cool door. Hayden's doing a headstand and Payson is squatting. Good effort mom and dad!

The change of scenery was nice, but man, this trip was hard work!

When the girls woke up from their nap one day Keith was playfully swaddling them and singing Rockabye Baby as he rocked them. They loved it and kept asking us to do it over and over again by saying "baaaayee-beee" repeatedly. It was so funny!

Thanks to our friends and fellow vacationers, Brian and Caroline, we were able to have the babies all nap in separate rooms, like at home, while we monitored them from the patio (with our monitors). Once Payson woke up, the triplets engaged in their first ever pick-up football game with three elementary-age kids. It was so cute to see them running around after the ball (until Keith caught Hayden playing with dog poo!). And thanks again to Brian and Caroline who monitored the babies a few times so we could grab lunch one afternoon and s'mores one evening!

Finally, we made it to the beach! We rode down to the beach in an over-sized golf cart, which the kids loved. Upon arrival, we were greeted with complimentary chairs, towels, umbrellas, and beach toys. I'm tellin' ya, this place is amazing.

(Photo courtesy of Brian)

The girls wanted nothing to do with the sand, and I mean nothing! Hayden hated it so much that when we set her down, she balanced on the outside of her feet to maintain the least amount of contact with the sand as possible! It was hilarious! Madison would stand in the wet, compacted portion of the sand but wouldn't touch it with her hands.

Surprisingly, Payson wasn't bothered a bit by the sand and was happy to have something to dig in with his new trucks.

Madison was hypnotized watching the waves roll in and out. They liked the water until they got too close, which scared them, but didn't deter Keith from taking them in.

(Photo courtesy of Brian)

Even with our holding them, they were still petrified of the ocean. And it was much too cold for their little bodies (and mine!), but we let them touch it with their feet and hands.

(Photo courtesy of Brian)

Keith showing Madison the waves and boats. Love this shot!

(Photo courtesy of Brian)

Payson was seriously all smiles as he played in the sand. It was the perfect playground for him!

(Photo courtesy of Brian)

Hayden came through with the courage award. She eventually dug her hands in the sand and played with it, voluntarily, thanks to Caroline's patiently showing her how it was harmless and actually fun. Funny how kids are often scared by new things even when it is so similar to what they've seen before (i.e. dirt!). But a mouthful of sand later, Hayden quickly realized that the sand was meant to explore tactilely, not orally.

(Photo courtesy of Brian)

One morning we strolled along Laguna Beach, peering in shops before they opened and played with the kids on a playground just off the beach. During the trip they added "beach" and "ocean" to their growing vocabulary.

Pool time! This toddler pool was the perfect depth, allowing the babies to stand and walk independently, yet learn how to stabilize themselves despite their buoyancy. However, we still had to keep a close watch on them, like always, which wore me out, like always.

One evening I caught a glimpse of this wedding with a beautiful view of the golf course and the ocean in the background. I mean, seriously, can you imagine?

While we made some good memories, I can honestly say that I will not take the triplets on another vacation anytime soon! At least not until enough time has passed for me to forget how challenging this one was. But, I will say that the fond memories are already overshadowing the bad ones.

(Photo courtesy of Brian)

Reality

The reality with raising triplets is that there are great times, manageable times, unmanageable times, very difficult times and everything in between. We are blessed that Keith has a great job but when hard work keeps him away from home, being home, for the rest of us, becomes hard work. This video captures one of those days…

Last weekend we made a family trip to Target. My main goal was to get a baby doll stroller for the girls because their awake time these days highly revolves around whining for Baby, finding Baby, holding Baby, feeding Baby and talking about Baby. Upon returning home I quickly assembled the stroller and put one of their baby dolls in the seat. I walked it through the door to present it to the girls and Hayden, who was nearby, immediately ran to it and began pushing it around with a huge smile on her face. Madison ran over to see what the excitement was about and immediately attempted to rip it out of her sister’s hands. Payson soon joined in.

I turned to Keith and said, “Should I go get another one for $9.99?” to which he replied, “Yes!” with certainty. I got back in the car and drove 5 minutes back to Target. In the store I went back and forth between getting the same identical stroller or branching out to get a full set that included more accessories for my little mommies-, and daddy-, in-training.

Since lately we’ve had to pretend to have Baby eat next to us as our only way to pry her out of their hands for mealtime, a highchair was sure to be a hit. And it was. Throughout the day, one or all of the kids gather around to feed Baby. She gets fed quite a well-rounded diet of plastic food items too, including cheese, corn, chips, strawberries, hamburger patty, and other not-so-appetizing items such as a pretend salt shaker, magnetic animals, poker chips… whatever small toy they may have in their possession at the time.

And at nap time, a new baby pack ‘n play now serves as the ideal place to put Baby down to nap for a few hours until the big babies awaken and ask, as always, for Baby.