Pumpkin Patch!

Well, it's that time of year again!! Bronson and I took the babies to the pumpkin patch. It was completely different this time around!!! Instead of the babies just sitting there and crawling away.....they were running EVERYWHERE! (And in all 3 different directions!)

We decided not to take the stroller. I really don't know if that was such a good idea. Instead, we put their monkey packs on them and allowed them to walk. It was so much fun watching their reaction to all the people and pumpkins surrounding them. Mollie liked to climb all over the pumpkins (of course). Elise peeled every price sticker she could off of them and put them on different pumpkins (hopefully they were all the same price!). And Preston, well, he would just stand there and observe everyone around him. Every once in a while he would see a plane and yell, "Airplane!"

We finally were able to pick out a pumpkin and decided to carve Elmo. It was my first and only attempt. The kids recognized him right away.....which made me feel good about my carving skills : )

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit this year. And we hope to continue every year.

Catching Up - June - 18 month Photo Shoot

Can you believe it? The trips are already 18 months old!!! Time is flying by so fast. Everyone (or at least every mother) told me it would. But I had no idea it would be the speed of light!

Mom and I took the babies for their 18 month photo shoot. We decided we would bring all the props and make sure we used them! We thought, "Surely now that they're 18 months it will be SO much easier, right?" Boy.....were we delusional! I think we had it easier when they were 6 months.....or better yet, 9 months (when I went alone!). Nevertheless, we got it done and the pictures turned out beautifully. Of course, they are the cutest babies in the world!!

Oh Miss Mollie! She is such a handful! I know if I had her first.....she may have been the only child we would ever have. Although she is a challenge, ironically, she is the most obedient. It's interesting to watch her, too. When she enters the room, she demands attention. She doesn't have to do much to get it though. Most people are drawn in by her personality. She's very hard to overlook or ignore. She keeps us entertained.

Our sweet Elise! Or as Bronson calls her, "Baby Girl". She is the sweetest thing on earth! Her smile can lighten a darkened room. She's definitely Mollie's polar opposite. She doesn't demand anything but affection. She's a Momma's girl all the way (however, recently, she's starting to cling to Daddy). She freely gives her toys away instead of hoarding them. And she TALKS A LOT! Whether its gibberish or actual words, she's constantly going. Hmmmm.....I wonder where she got that from???? Elmo is her favorite toy, character, playmate, etc. You'll see him in the group picture. She doesn't go anywhere without her Elmo.

And then there's our special little guy, Preston! Of course you would know that he has me wrapped around his little finger. I think every mom of boys has that something special with their son(s). His smile is contagious. You can't help but laugh every time he gives that open-mouthed, toothy grin. And laid back......boy, he is made just like his father. However, every once in a while, he gets a little frustrated when he can't seem to get a toy to work. I would even go as far as saying I believe he will be mechanically inclined. He loves ALL boy toys. Trucks, cars, airplanes, trains.....you name, he loves it. If it makes a loud noise, all the better. And the best thing about my little boy getting older.....he's starting to outgrow the shyness he had several months earlier. He doesn't hide himself as much anymore.

Once again I'm in awe of how wonderfully blessed we are. God is amazing!!!

Catching Up - June

We had our share of excitement in June as well. We bought our first "new-to-us" family van! I don't know how many times I said it in the past, but I thought I would NEVER buy a minivan!!! Guess what? Never say never.

After looking at countless vehicles that would suit our needs, a minivan was the only practical solution. Because SUV's take up more room, use more gas, and their doors open instead of slide, we decided that would not be the best vehicle for us. We needed something that would seat at least 7 passengers, have fold down chairs (captains chairs as a second row and bench as a third), plenty of cargo space, and a few bells and whistles (tv/dvd player, leather seating, low mileage). It wasn't until several weeks of searching that my father-in-law found the van that was meant for me (specifically me).

Although I had been looking at white, gray, or black vehicles....I settled for fiery red! It just suited me best. I thought, "If I'm going to drive a minivan.....I might as well be flashy!"

I have to say, it's the best vehicle I have ever owned (and that's including my Mustang). I do miss my little sports car, but this is just so much better!!! More than I could have ever asked for, it has all the bells and whistles....and then some. God truly does go beyond all that we ask for. And the best part is....the babies LOVE it!

Catching Up - Late May - "FIRSTS"

After our scare with Elise's trip to the hospital, Mollie developed something similar on her thigh. Thank you, Lord that it didn't get as serious. The doctor's office was able to take care of it and after being on her 10 day dose of antibiotics, we haven't had another episode with either of them.

The rest of the month was filled with several "firsts". It was the first time the triplets have ever been in a pool; we had our first (of many) beach day inside; and we had our first long trip to Dallas to celebrate our cousin, Titus' FIRST birthday!!

Below is Mollie, Elise, and Preston's first time in the pool:
As most would have guessed, Mollie LOVED it! In fact, she was already going under the water! I had to teach her (quickly) how to hold her breath. She couldn't get enough. When it came time to leave, she made sure everyone knew she was not ready.

Elise was a different story. She liked the "idea" of the pool, but didn't like to experience that idea! She clung to me most of the time which made it a little difficult to play with Mollie and Preston. I'm just grateful they didn't mind me staying with Elise. By the end of summer, the water was growing on her.

And then there's Preston. He's a mixed between Mollie and Elise. He loved it....but after a while, he was tired of it. He liked to splash everyone around him more than "swimming". By the end of the hour, he was ready to go home.

Below is our first "Beach Day Inside". They all thought it was hysterical that mom would put the swimming pool inside the house....not to mention blow bubbles all around them. We brought our pails and shovels and pretended to dig everywhere.

We also thought it was fun to dump just about every toy in the pool just to throw them out again.

They were all smiles. Needless to say, we had "Beach Day" almost every day from that moment on. It was nice since the weather was too hot to be outside. (And I couldn't go to the pool by myself).

They all love the little pails that Aunt Courtney and Uncle Reed had given them earlier this year for Easter.

Preston was always wanting to touch the camera. He's about done with that phase. Now he just says "cheese" every time I get it out. He's such a ham!

Then we took a long trip (twice as long as going to GaGa's house) up to Dallas to celebrate the trips' cousin, Titus, first birthday. Below is Titus blowing out his candle.

We had so much fun! It was a great day to have a party outside. The trips were excited to see all of their family (with a couple of new members added this year).

We stayed the night with my brother, Tommy and his wife, Gina. Somehow, we were able to get the trips' picture with their newly one year old cousin, Titus. It was a great time!!!

Catching Up - Early May

Wow! It's been a crazy few months in the Burcham household!! Well, crazy enough for me not to post anything. I'll have to start where I left off.

The Monday following Mother's Day, I noticed what appeared to be the beginning of a boil on Elise's rear end. By Tuesday evening, it grew so much that it caused great concern for both Bronson and I. Wednesday morning, I took her to our Pediatrician (while Gamma watched Mollie and Preston) and was immediately sent to the ER at St. Luke's Hospital!!!

In the ER, the doctor had to lance the staph infected boil and then admit her for a two night stay. Elise did extremely well considering the circumstances. It was very difficult for me to watch the staff perform surgery on her with absolutely NO anesthetics!! They gave her something to keep her from moving....but as for pain, there wasn't anything they could do. She didn't scream....just moaned. Bless her little heart! Which....speaking of her heart....that also posed some obstacles in her healing. Because she still has the PDA (Patent Ductus Arteriosis), we were VERY conscientious of the danger the staph would cause if it reached her heart. Thank God....it didn't get that far.

By Friday, she was released with a 10 day dose of antibiotics, new soap, and an Elmo. GaGa (also known as Grandma) came to stay with us in the hospital and brought a special present for Elise......Elmo.

GaGa did more than be a support for me....she was Elise's security during this stressful time. I had other issues to tend to and I knew that Elise could sense the toll everything was taking on me.

And as always.....God turned something so terrible into something so beautiful. Both GaGa and I believe that her and Elise's relationship has grown a very special bond that is evident everytime they're reunited. Thank you to everyone that prayed for us....not just for Elise's health, but also for Bronson and I. We really appreciate it!

March of Dimes!

March of Dimes walk was today! It began at 9:00 am and lasted till about 10:30 am. My mom and I participated and together we raised over $800.00!! Thank you to everyone who supported us. We really appreciate it!


I can't tell you how sobering it was to walk alongside people who have lost their children and were walking in memory of them. Premature births affect so many people....it's unbelievable! Although the triplets were born 2 months premature, we didn't have near the issues that a lot struggle with. In fact, our babies were so healthy. True the girls had to go on a breathing machine for the first 8 to 9 hours of their life, but they were off shortly thereafter. Preston never went on a breathing tube. By the weekend from their birth (they were born on a Tuesday), their IV's were out. The only thing they had to overcome was eating, swallowing, and breathing simultaneously. We thank God that the March of Dimes brought about tools that aided us to have babies with mature lungs (which kept them from having to be on CPAPs for an extended period of time). I was given two shots of steroids 3 to 4 days prior to their birth to make sure their lungs matured.

As you can see (above), the walk proved to be a lot of work for Elise. She was so tired. She could barely hold up her head. So adorable!!

Here's us at the finish line! We had a really great time! I know this will be our annual fundraiser for the kiddos. Thank you again for all your support!

15 Month Check Up

This afternoon we had our 15 month check up!!! The babies are growing so fast! They did very well and the doctor was impressed with how much they have learned developmentally! I'm so excited (and proud). According to the typical normal chart for 15 month olds, their vocabulary should consist of 3-6 words, they should understand simple commands ("touch the dog" or "eat your food"), begin to listen to stories read to him/her and stack two blocks. All three has a vocabulary of 10-15 words (they can say ball, hair, nose, ear, eyes, dog, cat, toes, shoes, socks, and outside just to name a few). As for commands, so far I have been able to ask them to come to me to put their shoes and socks on (they go get the shoes and socks if they're on the floor or on the stairs and bring them to me); go get the ball; pick up your toys; eat your food; put your drink on the table; etc. They clearly understand what Bronson and I tell them. They're amazing! Story time before bedtime can last anywhere from 15-30 minutes. They normally can sit through two to three books. Now, they're starting to open their own books and "read" to themselves. Pretty entertaining! Preston has shown that he can stack 5 to 6 blocks and both girls have stacked their numbered buckets in order from 10 to 1 (10 buckets!!!). We're so very proud of them! And we're excited for what's to come.

Miss Mollie weighed in at 24 lbs (60% on the growth chart). Her height is 32 1/4" (85% on the growth chart). She did well during the exam but had a rough time overcoming her shots.

Little Elise is still the heaviest of the three weighing in at 26 lbs (85% of growth chart). And her height is 32" (80% on growth chart). She was still a little gun shy from the previous cardiology appointment, but didn't cry for long after the shots. She's such a trooper!

And our handsome, strapping boy, Preston weighed in at 25 lbs (50% on growth chart). His height is still in the 90th percentile at 33 1/4". He breezed through the examination and quickly recovered from the shots (especially since Grandma held him afterward).

Since they are doing fantastic, we were told that they will not need an exam at 18 months (unless there's something wrong or there is a need for it)!! Next time will be in 9 months! Bronson and I can now relax knowing that we are doing everything in our power to make sure these babies are not lagging behind their full-term counterparts developmentally or physically. God is so good!

Update on Elise

Today was Elise's cardiology appointment. Talk about a long morning!! Before seeing the Doc, we had to get an EKG and an Echo on her. Not thinking, I forgot to tell the tech for the EKG not to talk to Elise first. So, she did. And since Elise is not socially accepting of strangers, she immediately began to panic. Then came the strips that had to be attached to her body. Not good. Needless to say, the EKG did not get done. A screaming Elise prevented that!! We had to go back into the waiting room with her siblings and Grandma to wait for her to calm down. Then it was off to the Echo tech. I remember to let him know not to talk or even look at her. He didn't and managed to get a good enough pic of her heart for the Doc to examine her. This tech was so awesome that when Elise started to throw a fit, he took out his phone and played a video of his 22 month old son naming all the animals and their sounds. You could tell he worked with children a lot.

After a full examination of Elise's heart and lungs, it was determined that the hole was still present. Not seeming to be too concerned about it, the doctor asked if she was as active as her siblings and if she could keep up with them. All answers were yes, of course! In fact, she runs more than they do. Her breathing is normal and there are no other signs of distress. It's as if the medical team is seeing something that's really not there (I'm believing for that).

The prognosis is for her to come back in a year for another examination. If the condition is still the same, a nonsurgical procedure will be done (inserting a catheter up through her groin area to the heart) to close the hole. I believe there won't be any need as Elise is healed in Jesus' name! Thank you for everyone who has prayed for this precious baby!!

Old MacDonald Had A Farm

Actually, it's Grandma and PawPaw who has the farm! The kids and I went to visit Grandma and PawPaw last week for some "Mamma" time. Unlike all the visits previously, this time, we went to see real livestock! The kids have been learning "Old MacDonald" and all the animals on his farm. Now they got to experience it up close and personal.



Above, Grandma gave the chickens some grass to feed on which brought them close to the kids. The babies went crazy! They can't quite "cluck" yet, but they knew what chickens were and started to say their "ch" sound.

I believe the cows were a big hit. Once the trips saw them, they started "mooing" BIG TIME! The best part of it was that these cows were not shy at all. They came right up to the babies and tried to lick their faces several times. Preston almost got to touch one of their noses.

Grandma was showing Preston one of her horses. The girls didn't get too close (which was a good thing). But Preston was extremely curious of them since he kept going over to the fence to see them.

It was such a nice, relaxing time there. I always love being in the country. I hope the kids do as well (especially since they can run around in a huge field without me running after them). There's such a peace that resonates with us when we spend time marveling at God's creation. I believe the kids were on to it.

We Can Read!!!

We can read!!! Well....we're getting there. Most of you know, Grandma purchased the "My Baby Can Read" program for the trips' birthday. We began the videos right after their party in January and has stuck with it just about every day since then.

What a difference this program makes!!! Although the babies are simply memorizing the letter order in each word, they are taking in so much more. It's amazing!

All three now recognize every day words such as dog, baby, clap, wave, hi, and almost all body parts (head, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, arms, feet and toes). Along with learning words, they also are taught songs: Head and Shoulders, If You're Happy, Intsy Wintsy Spider, and Old MacDonald just to name a few. They even act out the movements to the songs that have them.

Preston acts out the most of the words before they're spoken. Elise and Mollie's speech is almost as clear as an adults. Elise can say "dog", "outside", "shoe", and "toe"....but her favorite word right now is "hi". Mollie prefers to say "shoe", "sock", and "toe" a lot. I think mainly because she likes to go outside and she knows you have to have your socks and shoes on before attempting to go anywhere!

As for body parts, they can point out every part on their body you ask them to (with the exception of shoulders because we haven't learned that yet). They started doing this after only watching the video the first week (when they were only 12 months). Not only do they watch the video, they also interact with me and flashcards. I can hold a flashcard up and they will either act out the word or try to say it. Most of the time, they can do this before I say the word.

This has helped them to really enjoy story time. It's almost as if they are "reading" along with Bronson and I. Instead of 2 or 3 books a night.....it's turning into 4 or 5 books. Mollie now chooses which book she wants us to read. And to top it all....they are learning to respect the books. No tearing pages or putting them in their mouth!!!

I would highly recommend this program to any parent or parent-to-be that wants to encourage their child(ren) to learn. I believe it has done more than we had hoped!!

Swing Set Is Up!!!

The swing set is up!! Yay!! Bronson's family (parents, sisters and brothers-in-law) had purchased a swing set for the trips' Christmas and birthday present. And since the weather has been so nasty, we were not able to put it together until this weekend.

Below is Bronson and Jack putting it together.

Preston was so excited that he decided to NOT take his afternoon nap and watch Daddy and PawPaw set it up.

The babies LOVED it!! They have always liked to swing. And now they can go anytime (well, almost any time) they want!!

Here's Mollie enjoying her swing:

Elise had a long nap and woke up to us putting her right into the swing. She seemed to like it:

And here's Preston squealing with delight! He is thrilled:

Gamma joined in on the fun and pushed a baby, or two.....or three!

PawPaw was grabbing Preston's feet every time he swung up close to him. Preston just giggled!

Now, no more going to the neighborhood park and sharing the swings (there were only two infant swings available) or stray dogs (that's another story!). We can go in the privacy of our own backyard, have a picnic and swing to our heart's delight!!

A special thanks to Gamma, PawPaw, Aunt Courtney, Uncle Reed, Aunt Ginger, Uncle Richard and Brooke!!!

"Towel-E-Ban"

I know....it was a stretch, but I had to make a play on the word!

What is it with babies and towels on their head??? Every day all three children go into the kitchen, swipe a dish towel that's hanging on the oven and put it on their head. Sometimes they just want to cover the back of their head, and other times, they want to cover their face.

The latest thing that Mollie likes to do is cover her full head and face and try to walk while holding her arms out. I'm guessing she wants to see how long and far she can go without bumping into something. Maybe it's a new way of excitement for her. She is that kind of baby that likes living on the edge. (Reminds me of someone I know....right Judy Mac?)

Elise can't quite walk yet, but if she could, she would be doing the exact same thing. Instead, she throws the towel over her head, holds out her arms and grunts, "uh, uh". Absolutely adorable!

Preston does both (tries to walk with it covering his face and holds his arms out as if to say, "Look at me!"). But most of the time, he just likes the way it feels on his head. He will continue to play like this for almost half an hour until it eventually falls off (or gets pulled off by one of the girls).

One thing's for sure....they keep me entertained! There's never a dull moment in this household!!!