First Dental Appointment!

We finally had our first dental appointment!!! I was a little apprehensive about taking them since I waited until they turned 4. I wasn't sure what to expect, and hoping I didn't wait too long.

 

In addition to waiting for the perfect time, I had to do some research on dentists that were on our plan and in our area. I wanted someone close, who also did orthodontics (I'll explain later), AND who would let me back in the area where the kids would be taken for the examination and cleaning. Believe it or not, most pediatric dentists don't allow parents with their children. Very surprising!

 I was able to find a pediatric dentist who also did pediatric orthodontics AND encouraged parents to go back in the examination room and observe!!! On top of all that, he only schedules general dentistry appointments on Saturday! It couldn't get better. But, it did!

 The staff was awesome! They took great care and consideration in it being the trips' first time to see a dentist. The dental hygienist was very gentle AND patient! I love the dentist! He reminds me of my former "old school" dentist. He's not all about the current hype with modern dentistry. I like a dentist to give me some home remedies and not try to sell me on something I don't need.

 Mollie started out very shy. She wouldn't speak to anyone and just looked a little concerned about what was going to happen. I assured her over and over that it wouldn't hurt and we were just looking at her teeth. She soon relaxed and actually enjoyed the cleaning. She did everything she was asked to do. Oh, and great report on her teeth! No cavities, no tartar build-up, nothing! The dentist even said how "lucky" all the kids were that their teeth was well spaced out.

 Elise did a little better than Mollie while the dentist examined her. She was more responsive, but still a little reserved about talking to him.

 The cleaning tickled her (sorry for the picture...it wouldn't let me rotate it). I was concerned about her overbite, which is why I wanted a pediatric dentist that was also an orthodontist. He assured me that her bite was still fine. And we would talk about braces much later down the road. But as of now, she had great hygiene and he was pleased.

 Yay! Another one down, a third to go!

 Being a "man's man", Preston was the most laid back during his examination. Again, a great report! I was so thankful! I thought I had waited too long for an exam and they would have some build up or a cavity or something. Apparently my teeth fetish is paying off! (Yes, I have a mild teeth fetish....I love pearly whites!).

 I couldn't tell if Preston really enjoyed the cleaning as much as the girls. Mollie and Elise were hovering over him the entire time, watching every little movement the hygienist was making!

 All three of them had great dental hygiene! (Thank you, Daddy, for always being so consistent in brushing our teeth in the evening)!

They got to choose a toy for being such good patients. Another small milestone down...until the next 6 months!

4 Year Check Up

Well, I originally started this post on Thursday, December 27th when the triplets actually had their 4 year well child visit. Unfortunately, our internet (only on the desktop) is acting up. I have disconnected, plugged in, shut down, reset, and everything else (except call the service provider) to get this thing working. So, I only have certain pics posted on here....not all the ones I had uploaded. For some reason, they were either not uploaded, or uploaded to their original size and I couldn't decrease them. I tried to delete and upload them again.....unsuccessful. Very frustrating!

 

 

Ok...moving on. We have been talking to the kiddos for the last couple of weeks about them having their well child visit. They asked if they were going to receive shots, and every time, the answer was yes. I'm not a liar. I won't tell my kids something other than the truth. And each time they heard that they will in fact receive shots, they would start crying or getting upset. So, I explained to them that it will hurt a little and then go away as soon as it starts hurting. Needless to say, they got over it.

 

 

 

 

 

Mollie did very well. She did everything the nurse asked her to do. At one point, while the nurse was taking her blood pressure, Mollie put her head into one of her hands and looked as if she was embarrassed. Super cute! Mollie's height is not growing as fast as her weight. She's the heaviest of the three!!! Weighing in at a whopping 38 lbs, she is in the 75th percentile. As for her height, she's only 39 1/2 inches (50th percentile). But hey....she's born into a short family! 

Elise did extremely well with the nurse. She's so used to being in this environment. Secretly, I think she likes it. All the attention. I know that sounds warped, but if you've met Elise, you would completely understand. Her height was the same as Mollie's, 39 1/2 inches. However, her weight was only 36 1/2 lbs (70th percentile). While that's only 5 % less than Mollie's, you can see that she's really slimming up. She used to be my little chunky monkey. 

And then there's Preston. Oh...my little man! He is definitely all boy! He tried to be strong and not cry. And instead of his Momma, he wanted Daddy to be with him when he received his shots. He's growing up to be Daddy's little sport! Well....his height was surely a surprise. Given we are all short (both the men and women on both sides of our family), we just expected him to follow suit. I thought he would be in the 30th percentile....however, he ranked in the 51th percentile at a towering height of 40 3/4 inches!! Woo-hoo! For tall men out there, that might not be much. But for us shorter folks, well, it's a win. He did weigh in the lightest at 36 lbs. His little body is so skinny!!! I'm hoping to get some meat on his bones!

 



 

This year, they did a hearing test. After a few tries, Mollie finally got the concept of having to raise her hand every time she heard a beep. She passed!

 

 

Elise...well, that's a whole different story. We ended up not doing the test at all. Either she didn't get the concept or she didn't want to do it. Makes me wonder if she can hear anything at all since every time I call her, it's several times of saying her name before she answers.....(or maybe it's just a 4 year old thing).

 

 

Preston was awesome! He understood what was going on right away and even made an "okay" signal for us!

 

 

 

 

After it was all said and done, we came home to cake and ice cream! They really enjoyed it. All three of them did such a great job that we didn't care it was only one and a half hours before dinner. Let them have cake!

 

 

Christmas

 

Initially, I wanted to write about our Christmases with my parents, with Bronson's parent's and of course, with our own little family. But after thinking about it for a while, I decided I would only write what was really on my heart. First and foremost, Bronson and I are extremely blessed! We had such a great time at my mom's house. We enjoyed being around my brother and stepbrothers and their families. I miss my older brother, sister-in-law and their brood (they moved to New York two years ago). My in-laws are amazing! I couldn't have picked out a better family to marry in to. I love my dad and I'm so thankful he loves me how only a daddy can  for his little girl.

 

I'm a little conflicted. It's hard for me to express my joy when there is so much pain surrounding us. I remember years past when I couldn't wait for Christmas to come around, but at the same time, it was the hardest season for me to endure. By no means will I ever compare my "suffering" with anyone else's; however, I just felt that I had to share what it was like for me prior to the triplets being born.

 

Since Bronson and I got married, I have been in a transformation. Let me explain....I accepted Jesus into my heart at a very early age. Unfortunately, by the time I was in my teen years, I had resisted the Holy Spirit for so long, I barely heard Him. I did things my way, and of course, my way was full of sin. It wasn't until I met Bronson when I realized I was living a lie. It was his parents, specifically his mom, that loved me back to Christ. Once we were married, I felt God tugging at my heart. I recommitted my life to Christ and started serving Him wholeheartedly. That's not to say I haven't slipped up every once in a while. But we're all sinners saved by grace, allowing His love to change us to be more like Him every day. I'm definitely not the same person I was 20 years ago (thank God!).

 

Although I had the joy of my salvation, I was becoming increasingly aware that Bronson and I were not conceiving. I didn't understand. Everyone around us were having babies galore. I knew that God gives us the desires of our hearts....not necessarily the manifestations of those desires, but the desires themselves. So, how could He give me the desire to have children, but not make it happen? Year after year would pass and I still had no child/children to show for it. The silence in our home became deafening. One thing I was extremely grateful for was that Bronson and I grew closer to each other instead of further apart. Typically couples divorce after there's been signs or diagnosis of infertility. Our relationship grew stronger and my faith grew deeper. I still had doubts from time to time but then I would be reminded in His Word that I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

 

Christmas was especially hard for me to enjoy prior to the triplets. I felt guilty that I could be so sad during this glorious time of year! It was our Savior's birth we were celebrating...what could be more wonderful than that?? But still, I had that ache in my heart. Some years, it was a little more than I could bear!

 

After twelve years of marriage and almost as long trying....we conceived (obviously!). And wouldn't you know, God gave us three (by the way, 3 has been my favorite number since I was a child...no kidding). Not only did He do that, but He gave them to us at Christmas. Second to His only Son, they are the best gifts I have ever received.

 

It's interesting how we can be so caught up in our circumstances that we fail to see with our eyes and hearts the bigger picture. The gift of salvation that is right before us. No other gift can compare to that of eternal life. I can't imagine my life without knowing Jesus. I can't imagine living this life, enduring heartaches, seeing the pain in the world, losing loved ones, and just breathing without Him. But so many people do it every day. My life is much sweeter knowing Him, not just knowing of Him. The gift is available to everyone. All you have to do is accept it. The blessings He brings far outweigh the thrill of a worldly life. Think about it. I had both....and I choose Him.

 

 

 

(The pic above is the triplets decorating a birthday cake for Jesus).

We're 4 Years Old!!!!

Yay! We are now officially FOUR YEARS OLD! We thought this day would NEVER come! We would tell Mommy every day that we're not 4 years old yet, but we will be soon! And now, that day has come! Very exciting!!!

 However, I'm not going to sugar coat this day at all. I would love to tell you that we had a wonderful time and the kids were on their best behavior. I would also love to tell you that I was not stressed out and just enjoyed every minute of their day and showered them with love and spoiled them rotten. That was not the case.

In preparing for all the Christmas events and parties this last week, our adorable little triplets had not been taking naps. They also had trouble getting to sleep at night at an early bedtime (mainly the girls). Therefore, they were loaded for bear on this wonderful, lovely day. (Please don't let all the sweet, innocent smiles fool you!)

 

The morning actually started out nice. I had blown up balloons and placed them everywhere....on the banister, their chairs, the chandelier, ceiling, etc. I knew they loved them, so why not shower them with all the balloons I could? They yelled and screamed, "We turn 4 today! Woo-hoo!!" It was so much fun listening to them. 

 I was a volunteer in their Sunday school class that day, so I brought mini cupcakes for them to share with all of their friends. When it was time to get ready for church, that's when things started going downhill. The kids were somewhat uncooperative in getting dressed, brushing teeth and combing hair. It felt like I was pulling teeth to get anything done! I knew it was because of  their excitement, so I let it slide.

 We finally got to church (I was on time, but not as early as I wanted to be) and then it hit me....I was the teacher, not the assistant for that day! I had been caught up in everything I had to do that I didn't realize I was doing the lesson!!! Want to talk about stressing out BIG TIME! I grabbed the lesson and had just enough time to skim through it. Typically when I teach on the Sunday before a big holiday (especially Christmas), I like to have something special for all the kids, albeit crafts, a gift, extra candy, a special treat, etc. I had nothing! Well, I did have the cupcakes. On top of that, it just so happens that we had 15 kiddos! (The second service only had 2....go figure!). I believe the kids picked up on my stress and it made it worse. I was so thankful service ended a little earlier. Next time (if they allow me to teach after this), I will make sure I confirm whether I'm teaching or just assisting. Poor kids!

 By this time, it was way past the kids' lunchtime. But I was adamant about going to a restaurant. This was their day and I wanted it to be special! Again....I should know my children better than this. They were great during lunch....it was afterward that was the problem. By the time we left, we were right in the middle of their nap time. Again...no nap today!

When we got home, we had just enough time to allow them to rest for about 45 minutes before we had to get up and go back to the church for their rehearsal for the Christmas Eve service. They did well the first time around. The second time they were called on stage to sing their song, things got a little out of hand. Elise and Preston went after it with one another, pushing and shoving (eventually knocking each other down). And Mollie kept falling off the steps, she was so exhausted. Other parents were getting a kick out of it. I, however, was about to lose it! I did keep my cool and as soon as they were done rehearsing, we went home and had sandwiches for dinner. I wanted to take them to a movie....but the true mommy in me thought it best for them to take a bath and get in bed early. We can save the movie for another day. Hopefully, they won't remember this crazy, sad 4th birthday their momma try to have for them. At least we still have their party to look forward to! 

Polar Express (aka "Boy On A Train")

 Every year, my mom hosts Christmas at her house for all of the kids and grandchildren (now, great grandchildren) the weekend before Christmas. We spend the entire two to three days at her house, relaxing on the front porch swing, playing games, and enjoying one another's company. This year was a little different. We went on the Polar Express!!! 

 Late last year (and earlier this year), my mom was watching the triplets for a few weeks while I did some contract work. The drive to and from my house is around 3 hours long. Although we usually meet somewhere in the middle, the drive can be a little hard on the kiddos. So, we typically pop in a movie that will preoccupy them for most of the ride. Since a majority of their movies can (and are) quite annoying to listen to while you're driving, my mom decided to let them watch Polar Express (or what the trips like to call, "Boy On A Train"). She says it's quieter. From the first time they saw it, they were hooked. They would watch it at least 3 times a month since then. Obviously, when it was time to plan this year's Christmas party, my mom said she had no other choice but to take all of us on the Polar Express!

 We decided to keep it a secret up until we were in the parking lot unloading. As soon as they heard the whistle and saw the train, they were ecstatic! We had SO MUCH FUN! I LOVED seeing  their little eyes brighten when the train pulled into the station.

It was so exciting to see them remember everything from the story. And I was quite impressed that the "characters" on the train did their best to reenact certain details from the movie.  

 

 We sang all the songs from the movie and drank hot chocolate.

 The train went all the way to the "North Pole" and we waved at Santa standing on the porch of his workshop.

 After we left the North Pole, we had another surprise...Santa came on board and gave everyone a bell that, apparently, only the children could hear. We really had the kids going for a while thinking their bell was "broken".

 We had such a great experience! It's been several weeks since we went and the kids are still talking about it. I'm sure this may be an event that would need to be repeated. However, next time, I will definitely wear my pajamas!!!

Thanks, Mom, for investing your time, effort and energy into making memorable experiences for all of us. This will be one of those memories not easily forgotten. I love you!



The Little Things....

 I promised myself that I would do absolutely NOTHING on Christmas except stay in my pajamas and enjoy the kids all day. Ha! Did you really think that would happen? So, I compromised. I told myself I would only do a few things, including update the blog, just so I could feel accomplished. I am still in my pajamas at 2:20 pm (Bronson says he knows I'm screaming on the inside....he's right). I think I'm doing a great job restraining myself from getting dressed and cleaning the house.

 This is for all the family and friends out there that actually keep up with our blog. I'm putting forth the effort today to get caught up on all my posts. Right now, I'm just pondering the little things. Little details in our life that we normally look over...especially this time of year. I'm guilty when it comes to getting caught up in all the big things that need to get done that I tend to miss the little things.

This year, I decided it was time to focus on some of the little daily treasures that can be magical for a 4 year old.  In the first pic, we were getting ready to go look at Christmas lights in our pajamas. Before we left, Mollie insisted that I braid her hair (in pigtails) just like the little girl on Polar Express. Elise insisted that I do her hair just like Mollie's. Obviously there's no resisting two 4 year old little girls! So off we went to a close by neighborhood that just about 80-90% of the homes decorate for Christmas. They were featured on the local news. The kids had somewhat of a blast. I think Bronson and I were more impressed with the lights than they were! Needless to say, I was a little let down (not about the lights, but the kids). Aren't they supposed to go crazy seeing all kinds of jingly lights (which is what they call them)? They were more impressed by the 4 houses in our neighborhood and the little rinky dink job Mom did than they were with our outing. Go figure.

 We've been seeing these little gingerbread house kits in the stores lately and the kids have been quite interested in them. So I thought, why not? Let's pick one up and go home to assemble and decorate it. They thoroughly enjoyed it! We had so much fun putting that small, "Charlie Brown" house together! Next time, I'm going for the bigger one. Since it was our first time to purchase one, I had no clue the scale of the thing.

 For three hungry little pre-schoolers, it definitely wasn't big enough. Aside from sneaking candy when I wasn't looking, it lasted several days. Daddy and I eventually hacked into it every night until it dwindled down to almost nothing. When the kids asked what happened....we blamed the elves. Too bad we didn't do Elf on a Shelf this year. He would have been the perfect scapegoat.

Overall, this will be another small tradition we'll incorporate into our Christmas activities. There are several other small traditions that we plan, but that's for another post.



Christmas Tree O' Christmas Tree

 Things have finally settled down a little for me to update everyone as to what we've been up to this month. The first weekend in December we went Christmas tree shopping! We usually go the weekend of Thanksgiving, but after we experienced a very dry, dead tree before Christmas last year, we decided to wait another week.



Loaded up and ready to go, we set out to get our Christmas tree.The kids were excited. This is the first year they actually understood what was going on.

Being in Texas, you never know what kind of weather you're going to run into any day of the week. This particular Saturday started out nice. We ran a few errands, then picked up some mint McFlurry's to snack on while we looked (it was unseasonably warm).

Where else can you be wearing summer clothes, eating ice cream in early December looking for Christmas trees? Such as life being a Texan (more like a Houstonian). We managed.

 

 

While picking our tree, it started to rain. Within minutes, it was pouring!!! We were drenched from our head to our toes!! So, we packed up and went home. We saved Christmas tree shopping for another day. 

 I didn't want to wait until the following weekend, so we loaded up again the following day(this time in our rain boots...we knew it was going to be muddy) and set out on a mission! After going to three different places and spending countless minutes looking at every tree known to man, we picked one!

 It has somewhat of a rustic feel to it, but we like it and it's ours.

 Since we got home so late, we had to decorate the following night. Yes, this was a three-day event. It's definitely different from when it was just Bronson and I going tree shopping. Somehow, it now takes triple the time to get anything done!

 The kids thoroughly enjoyed decorating the tree and wanted to do so much more! They "helped" Mommy all along the way.

 We did have a few incidents of broken ornaments and tested patience. But Daddy and I endured and made it a pleasant experience for us all.

 Although I know it would be more convenient and cost efficient to purchase an artificial tree to use for many years, however, it's not the tradition I was brought up on. I don't have an aversion to artificial trees, nor do I not approve of them for other families; it's just that I have fond memories of getting a fresh tree every year. Once again, my mom was adamant on having a live tree for Christmas. Every day I come downstairs to the smell of crisp evergreen. No candle or Scentsy scent can ever replace that natural aroma that a live Christmas tree brings! Not only do I enjoy the smell that fills our home, but the journey of looking for that "perfect" tree. Bronson is glad I'm firm in holding this tradition every year for our family. It aids in getting him into the Christmas spirit. And I've caught him several times taking in a deep breath while roaming around the house. He appreciates the fact that it's a family event and not just me taking care of the Christmas tree "duty". Which brings me to something that I've wondered. Is it just me or does it seem like more and more traditions are being lost? Generally speaking, everyone wants quick and easy so they can move onto the next big thing. Trips become more elaborate, presents become more costly, and the little things that once made Christmas magical are now overlooked. I want to keep it simple, yet profound. I want to focus on the little things for our children to treasure instead of always looking for the big and extravagant. It was a virgin teenager that our Savior was born to. It was a manger He was born in. Simple, yet profound.