Isabelle- 4 months old!

It is so hard for us to believe that Isabelle is already 4 months old! She is such a good baby. She only cries when she is hungry or tired. Other than that, she is such a happy baby! At her 4 month check up, she weighed in at a whopping 15 lbs. 5 oz. putting her in the 93rd% for weight. She remained constant in her head size (50th%) and length (75th%). The doctor said she looks better than good, she looks perfect!
Isabelle is talking up a storm these days. She needs to be pretty loud to be heard in this family, so she is learning the louder she "talks" the more attention she gets. :) Izzi learned to roll over today. She already did tummy to back, but today, she has been doing back to tummy. Although, I'm not sure she is thrilled with this new talent. Each time she lands on her tummy she starts fussing...it is not her favorite position.
We are amazed at how much she is growing and changing. We are still not certain what color eyes she will have...but it looks like a deep green/blue. Her hair is dark blond, and we think it might lighten a little...I guess we'll see.

Isabelle -3 months old!

It is so hard to believe that Izzi is already 3 months old! It seems like just a couple of weeks ago that she was born. Now spring is just around the corner and she is growing like a weed. :) The last time I weighed her, she was 15 lbs. 4 oz. It is so crazy to us to have a baby that is such a little chunk!...We LOVE it!

Here are Isabelle's 3 month pictures . I was going to take her to get them done, but after I took these, I loved them! She was in such a good mood and I think they really captured her personality at 3 months old!

She is such a precious little girl!

Things are tough

So, I just got done reading a post from a fellow triplet mom. I had to laugh...even though we have never met, there is a strong bond between moms of multiples. She gave me the inspiration to let it all out. So here it goes- prepare yourself, it could get a bit bumpy!
Lately, I feel overwhelmed and tired. I find myself with less patience, more frustration, and little imagination. I realized the other day that I haven't slept through the night since late October. After a while, this can really take a toll. I don't really venture out with the kids anymore...I often take about 30min. weighing the effort to get them ready with how much I actually want to go -often I don't want to go that bad! I find the TV on WAY more than I ever wanted or expected it would be on. Just like my fellow trip mom, meals are getting less nutritious and easier to fix. Playtime consists of me sending the kids off while I run around trying to straighten, wipe, vacuum, sweep or breastfeed.
I think that the the first 2 years were full of the magic that is triplets and now, the magic has gone and the reality is hitting- hard! We have triplets! Having three 2 1/2 year old toddlers is hard. I won't always have it together and no one, other than me actually expects that. Organization is not going to be the same, nor hold the same level of priority as it once did. I need to give myself, and John for that matter, a little slack. If the clean laundry stays in a basket, that's okay. If the basement doesn't get picked up, that's okay. I need to forgive myself when I loose my temper and ask God to help me everyday. Raising kids is hard...raising triplets is really hard! It is not like having one kid no matter how hard we try to pretend. They are three different people and need to be parented in three different ways. That in itself is a huge challenge!
I think that saying this out loud (even in a post) is therapeutic and helpful. It allows me to share my feelings with myself and when I feel overwhelmed, I can read this. So, each day, I am going to try to live by what is destined to become my new favorite quote.
“I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day-to-day basis is my choice of attitude. It is more important than my past, my education, my bankroll, my successes or failures, fame or pain, what other people think of me or say about me, my circumstances, or my position. Attitude keeps me going or cripples my progress. It alone fuels my fire or assaults my hope. When my attitudes are right, there is no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great for me.” Charles Swindoll
Even as I finish with this post I think back to this week. I had a very monumental moment this week. I ventured out with all the kids by myself! I started going back to my moms group on Wed. mornings which means getting all 4 kids up,changing diapers, getting dressed,making breakfast,feeding them all (including breastfed and pumped), shoes on, coats on, hair combed (styled for my little Emmi), getting myself showered and ready, perhaps a bite to eat and cup of coffee to go for myself, and everyone in the car, buckled in their car seats, ALL by 8:45am! And...I did it!!!! Well, by 9:00, but I'll take it! Then, after mom's group, I took all 4 kids to the play center at the mall while we waited for daddy to come and meet us for lunch. There I managed to walk all 4 in with just a double stroller, change diapers and pull-ups and I didn't loose my temper once! It was a great day! A day that I will flash to anytime I think I just can't take them all on by myself. It was a day I really needed. It has been a fear of mine since I knew Isabelle was on the way. How in the world would I ever manage to go anywhere by myself again? Well, I did it and it went well. Thank you God- I know You where there- giving me strength and patience.
Things are tough. And there is no sign of them getting any easier in the near future, so I vent, and move forward. I will celebrate the successes and forgive the failures. Tomorrow is a new day!

Emmerson's 2 1/2 year well check

It is funny to say, but I actually enjoyed taking Emmi to the doctor this time. It was just the girls, so I had a lot of time to talk with her. While we were there, she asked to use the potty and she went pee pee! I was even more proud because she was still dry when she went! Whoo Hoo! She is really starting to get it...what a big girl! She is getting so smart too. When she found out she needed to get a shot, she said, "Mommy, I can't get a shot." I said, yes you can, you just don't want to and I know its not fun, but it will be over quickly. To which she replied, (while holding a pamphlet in her hand) "No Mommy, I can't get a shot. I'm reading a book right now. " Boy, it is getting harder and harder to argue with her. :)
Emmerson's check up went great! She is now just over 30 lbs. and is in the 73 rd % for weight and 70th% for height. We are so happy with her growth! It is hard to believe that this little girl started life at a mere 3 lbs. 5oz...God is great!
Emmerson is doing so well developmentally too. She can count to 20, sing her ABC's, identify most colors, her favorite is pink, and identify almost all the letters and their sounds. She is just starting to learn her shapes and is doing really well! We are so very proud of our little girl!

Isabelle- 2 months old!

It is hard to believe, but Izzi is already 2 months old! She is really starting to get her own little personality. So far, she seems to be a mama's girl, but that could just be because she knows where her food comes from!

Isabelle now weighs 13lbs. 5oz and is 23in. long. She is in the 95% for her weight and 75% for height! We couldn't be more thrilled that she is growing so well! She is smiling all the time now and we just love listening to her cooing. She tells the most interesting stories! :)

We are so thankful for our newest little gift from God! She is just perfect and we all love her so much!

Brody and Logan's 2 1/2 year Well Checks

Brody.............................Logan

I took the boys for their 2 1/2 year check up today and I am so happy to report that our once teeny, tiny babes are now in the 75th-93rd % for weight and height! Whoo HOO!!! Brody:H=93%, W=80%. Logan:H=85%, W=75% . The doc gave them both a clean bill of health and said that they seem to be developing perfectly! It is truly amazing how far they have come!! Praise God!

Brody is doing great developmentally too! He can count to 20, sing his ABC's, identify about 10 letters and their sounds. He loves to color and is even showing signs of trying to stay in the lines more...not that he is succeeding just yet, but at least he is starting to try. :) He knows most of his colors and his favorite color is blue. Brody still loves music and dancing. I think we are going to sign him up for another music class this spring.

Logan is such a character! He makes us laugh daily and it is really hard to resist his lip when he is unhappy with something. Logan is doing really well with counting and his ABC's too. He is now able to count to 20 with a little help and can sing his ABC's all by himself....although he has to want to do it or forget about it! For the longest time, I thought he didn't know any of the letter sounds, but one day, he was in the right mood, and to my surprise, he started saying all of the sounds to the letters I was pointing to! So, its hard to really say where Logan is at...I think he knows WAY more than he ever lets on! Logan also knows most of his colors and his favorite colors are orange and green.
These boys are the greatest and we are so thankful to be their parents!

A quick update on the trio

Emmi is our little princess! She is very into princesses these days, so anytime we need her to do something, we just remind her that a princess always listens to her mommy and daddy...we'll use it as long as we can! Emmerson is doing really well with potty training. She is mostly in underwear during the day now, and most days she is successful at keeping them dry! She has even asked to go potty during the night, so we tried her in a big girl bed so she could get up and go...it didn't go so well. She is now back in her crib and we will try that again soon. Emmi did just move from her old room that she shared with the boys to the "girls" room. Although Izzi isn't in there yet, Emmi is very excited that they will be sharing a room together in the "princess pink room" as she calls it. :)
Brody is such a sweet boy. He is still the most sensitive and we think this is one of the reasons he is just not doing well with the potty training. He will in his own time, and it seems this is just not it. :) Brody is full of energy and is always climbing, running, or dancing. He is very rhythmic. Brody loves to play instruments. I think he do something with music as he grows up. He also loves to play catch and kick the balls down in the basement. It is so fun to see him doing things that "big kids" do. :)
Logan is still our little character! He can always make us laugh...even at times when we really don't want to. :) Logan is doing well with potty training. We thought he would be our most challenging, but overall, he is doing pretty well. He goes between pull ups and underwear during the day and has at least a couple success every day. Logan loves "choo choos" and dinosaurs these days. I have had to tell him several times that his dinosaur roar scares Izzi so he can't do it so close to her. Like I said, he is quite the character!
Overall, the Kelsey household is full of laughter, crying, singing, a little yelling, and a whole lot of love!

Sesame Street Live

For Christmas, we took the trio to see Elmo Live- When Elmo Grows Up. I don't know who was more excited, them, or us! Grandma Linda came with, so we had enough hands to go around. They had so much fun and truth be told, so did we! There is nothing that compares to seeing your child's face light up when they see their favorite friends from TV standing right in front of them. Emmerson kept saying, "My saw Elmo Mommy, not on TV!" It was magical!

A great time was had by all! What a wonderful memory!

Isabelle-1 month old

It is really hard to find time these days to update the blog, but I know that if I don't take at least a few minutes, time will fly by and I will be sad that I didn't document some precious memories. Isabelle is getting so big! The last time I weighed her, she was already 12 1/2 lbs. I am really glad that I am able to breastfeed this time around and that she is thriving. Izzi has already hit a few milestones. She can roll over from her tummy to her back and just recently, she is smiling! That is one of the best things to see...a baby's first smile!

We are just so in love with her...even though she isn't the easiest baby. :) She LOVES to be held which is difficult at times with 3 siblings also having needs. Luckily, she has really taken to a cradle swing that we are borrowing, and that has helped a ton!

I got the idea from a friend to take a picture each month with the same stuffed animal to show how much Izzi has grown. Her is her first photo at 1 month. Hopefully I will remember each month!

I think things will be improving though...I have already started to see her finding her routine, so if I can just pay close enough attention and figure it out, I may better understand what her cues are trying to tell me.
It has been wonderful being able to hold her without feeling the guilt of another baby needing to be held too. Daddy likes to put her in the Snugglie and carry her around the house as he does chores or whatever. It's pretty cute to see.
The trio are wonderful with her. They are always coming right up to her face and saying "Hi, Isabelle! Hi Isabelle! Hi Isabelle"...over and over. I had to tell them that she is so little that she can't talk yet and when she moves her head, she is saying "Hello" back. :)

On December 27th, we dedicated Isabelle to the Lord at our church with our family and friends there to show their love and support. Izzi's Godparents are Uncle John and Aunt Jodi. We were so blessed that they accepted the request to help guide Izzi to know and love Jesus.

Basement is FINISHED!!!

After a LONG 9 weeks, the basement is finally finished and ready for our enjoyment. Tim and his crew, along with all of John's hard work, made this project turn out amazing!

The kids had a blast running down there for the first time. They were so excited to see what all the noise was for! Every day they would say, "Mommy, what that noise?" or "Mommy, I heared that." I would tell them that there was a special surprise being made down there and someday they would get to see it....well my little ones, the time has come!

Breakfast with Santa

Since we weren't able to go to the annual Triplet Tree breakfast this year, we decided to try our local breakfast with Santa at the YMCA in Oswego. It was very well organized and their was plenty to do for the kids...including a visit with Santa. Isabelle met Santa for the first time and he was impressed with her outfit. The trio didn't handle it so well. I will post pictures once the YMCA sends them to me. John and I ended up having to hold them on either side of the big guy just to get a picture to prove we were there. :) Fun was had by all!

The triplets meet their new little sister...

The kids were so excited to see Isabelle and Mommy when we came home from the hospital. They ran to the gate and yelled, "Mommy, baby!" It wasn't long before we were batting their hands away from every inch of her. We had a long talk about "gentle touches" and so far, they have been doing pretty well. Isabelle gave each of her new siblings a present. The kids loved opening their gifts from their sister. Over the next couple days, the kids have asked to hold her and any time she cries, they come over and say "okay baby, okay baby, I know baby..." This is what I say to them when they are upset...funny how they pick up our language. Brody is also really cute. He will "shush" her to try to get her to calm down. This is what John and I do when we are swaying her...we say "shh, shh, shh..." so it is cute that he is trying our technique. Each night they say goodnight to her, and every morning they greet her with a BIG good morning Isabelle! They are going to be great big brothers and sister!

Proud brother Brody ...


Proud sister Emmerson ...

Proud brother Logan...

Sneaking a peek of baby Izzi...