On Thanksgiving Day, the only appropriate entry is for us to recognize our beloved Kendall for all her help this year. Kendall, cousin to the Momma, true friend to both of us, arrived here in late March to help us for a few months as we acclimated to having triplets at home. Little did any of us know what this commitment would mean. She has been with us -- beside us and behind us, in the deepest sense of the terms -- every step of the way. She decided to stay, even, through 2009, and has been a help in more ways than any of us ever imagined. We are truly thankful to her, and today want to celebrate her with entries from four lovely pictures of her and the girls taken back when the professional photographer was here in July.
Kendall indicated when she arrived that she would be glad to help, but she wasn't crazy about babies. Looking at these pictures of her with the girls, we can't but wonder: hmmm, really?
We love you Kendall.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
In Motion
The girls continue growing and getting stronger, and in a week, at our next doctor's visit, we'll have their latest weights. Bets anyone?
Both are getting good at holding up their own heads and reaching for things, and are now learning to sit up, and we continue teaching them how to crawl, although sometimes we cannot help but think educating them in mobility is a highly questionable goal. They love smiling, which means so do we, and continue to experiment with numerous run-on vowels, sometimes for hours, as they work their way toward language. Meanwhile, they have cool rides that require no work from them at all -- one a new baby sling, and the other a rockin' chair they both enjoy, especially Rory, since as the big sister she is able to pull free from its hiding place the little stuffed bee that turns this chair into a hide-n-go seek too. Here they are in today's pictures, cruising in these rides, up close and personal.
Both are getting good at holding up their own heads and reaching for things, and are now learning to sit up, and we continue teaching them how to crawl, although sometimes we cannot help but think educating them in mobility is a highly questionable goal. They love smiling, which means so do we, and continue to experiment with numerous run-on vowels, sometimes for hours, as they work their way toward language. Meanwhile, they have cool rides that require no work from them at all -- one a new baby sling, and the other a rockin' chair they both enjoy, especially Rory, since as the big sister she is able to pull free from its hiding place the little stuffed bee that turns this chair into a hide-n-go seek too. Here they are in today's pictures, cruising in these rides, up close and personal.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Six months
Today marks six months since we lost our little boy, and we know anniversaries like this are going to be hard days. Sometimes it doesn't even seem possible that he is gone, our connection with him is so potent, and other days the depth of that connection only makes his life that much more profound. We know we are living in a unfathomable situation, trying to learn to live with this grief and yet feeling truly blessed and grateful to have been his parents, to have our little girls, to know the three of them, and to know all of us will be connected forever.
We are grateful to everyone for their continued understanding and support, and the prayers, kindnesses, and warm thoughts family and friends near and far have shared with us. One friend told us that he and his wife are amazed at how sad they were at Leo's death, having not even met him. We are truly sorry about the pain his passing caused those around us, and at the same time grateful that others felt and feel a connection to him. With all that has happened, we would still not for a minute trade the joy of being his parents or the memories of his strength, character and beauty for even the removal of this pain.
We are building a memorial garden in our backyard for Leo, and are enclosing three pictures of it in progress below. The first shows the space where the garden will be. At that time, Dad was about half-way through clearing the shrubs and weeds from it. The second photo shows the view that will be directly behind our house, out our kitchen window, beyond our small fish pond, with the first stones laid. At the top of the garden is a weeping cherry tree, kindly given to us by Leo's uncle and aunt Brant and Celeste and their two sons. The third photo shows the trim stones of the garden in place, laid with the help of three friends of Leo's Dad. Through the garden we are going to lay a path of other specially chosen stones (the pallet of which you can see stacked near the cherry tree), in the shape of three interlocking paths, and they will curve underneath a bench we will place in the space that will ultimately lie beneath the cherry tree's shade as it grows. Three colored interlocking stones will sit in front of the bench. The garden will be covered with flowers, low-lying flowering shrubs, and the like, and will have three entrances. The pile of topsoil that will be their home sits under that blue tarp, and we'll be fixing up that arbor as well. We'll add additional pictures as we make more progress.
As you know, thanks to the generosity of many people who are honoring Leo with their gifts, we have also been able to make several contributions in his name, as noted here, to help children in his name. Gifts actually continue to come in, and we deeply appreciate everyone's generosity.
In addition to that effort, Leo's Mom and Dad have decided to sponsor a poetry reading in Leo's honor at Bucknell University, in part to say thanks to the community here that has been so kind to us. The reading will be the evening of February 23, at Bucknell's Stadler Center for Poetry, and will feature Michael Blumenthal, an accomplished poet based at Old Dominion University. Read more here.
We are grateful to everyone for their continued understanding and support, and the prayers, kindnesses, and warm thoughts family and friends near and far have shared with us. One friend told us that he and his wife are amazed at how sad they were at Leo's death, having not even met him. We are truly sorry about the pain his passing caused those around us, and at the same time grateful that others felt and feel a connection to him. With all that has happened, we would still not for a minute trade the joy of being his parents or the memories of his strength, character and beauty for even the removal of this pain.
We are building a memorial garden in our backyard for Leo, and are enclosing three pictures of it in progress below. The first shows the space where the garden will be. At that time, Dad was about half-way through clearing the shrubs and weeds from it. The second photo shows the view that will be directly behind our house, out our kitchen window, beyond our small fish pond, with the first stones laid. At the top of the garden is a weeping cherry tree, kindly given to us by Leo's uncle and aunt Brant and Celeste and their two sons. The third photo shows the trim stones of the garden in place, laid with the help of three friends of Leo's Dad. Through the garden we are going to lay a path of other specially chosen stones (the pallet of which you can see stacked near the cherry tree), in the shape of three interlocking paths, and they will curve underneath a bench we will place in the space that will ultimately lie beneath the cherry tree's shade as it grows. Three colored interlocking stones will sit in front of the bench. The garden will be covered with flowers, low-lying flowering shrubs, and the like, and will have three entrances. The pile of topsoil that will be their home sits under that blue tarp, and we'll be fixing up that arbor as well. We'll add additional pictures as we make more progress.
As you know, thanks to the generosity of many people who are honoring Leo with their gifts, we have also been able to make several contributions in his name, as noted here, to help children in his name. Gifts actually continue to come in, and we deeply appreciate everyone's generosity.
In addition to that effort, Leo's Mom and Dad have decided to sponsor a poetry reading in Leo's honor at Bucknell University, in part to say thanks to the community here that has been so kind to us. The reading will be the evening of February 23, at Bucknell's Stadler Center for Poetry, and will feature Michael Blumenthal, an accomplished poet based at Old Dominion University. Read more here.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Motor Skills
In the last two weeks, the girls have taken major developmental steps forward -- reaching their arms forward to grab toys and pull them to their mouths, preferring to sit facing out against our chests rather than staring over shoulders, and laying on their bellies and lifting their heads to look around them for many minutes at a time. As our parental education has taught us, including the special guidance of a helpful physical therapist for premature infants, the capacity to make these motions at these times are all positive markers of the girls' motor skills and muscle strength advancing just as they should. Time seems to be flying, though, and every day the girls show us they are older, stronger, and more confident.
So, what do we present today? Pictures of them lying on their backs. Hey, what can we say: it's easier to take pictures this way. Although we are including a shot of a recent stroll with the girls in their "Berg," the all-terrain vehicle we bought as a jogging stroller for our triplets back during our pregnant days (p.s. the couple we bought it from on E-bay have a five-year old, a one-year old, and quadruplets on the way. Anyone tired yet?). See below for the girls styling in it. They really seem to like it -- and all we keep wondering is how quickly will the girls be asking to borrow the car keys?
So, what do we present today? Pictures of them lying on their backs. Hey, what can we say: it's easier to take pictures this way. Although we are including a shot of a recent stroll with the girls in their "Berg," the all-terrain vehicle we bought as a jogging stroller for our triplets back during our pregnant days (p.s. the couple we bought it from on E-bay have a five-year old, a one-year old, and quadruplets on the way. Anyone tired yet?). See below for the girls styling in it. They really seem to like it -- and all we keep wondering is how quickly will the girls be asking to borrow the car keys?
Monday, September 28, 2009
Sleep
For a while now, the girls have been staying awake late into the night, usually until 12:30 or 1, and usually featuring a final two hours of crankiness. This is unlike them the rest of the day, when they are typically smiling, happy and content. The good part of this night-owlness is that their late night habits give Mom and Dad lots of exercise as we log laps to and fro on the bedroom floor to soothe the little ladies. A small tread is growing in our path. As last week progressed, with each night growing later than the one before, the girls apparently decided they would see how far they could take it, and Friday and Saturday night, they willed themselves past midnight, past one, and yes, later, until on Friday (or was that Saturday morning) they saw the moon all the way through until 2:30 a.m.
It was time for Mom and Dad to re-think their strategy or risk losing our marbles.
So the past two days, we have tried a new approach, which is to move the entire day's schedule up two hours sooner. It would seem this would have been obvious, except it required all sorts of other logistical switches (never mind the details) and that at least the first day of the new schedule (yesterday) the girls could stay awake for at least 8 hours straight. They didn't disappoint, as our little babes, not even six-months old, were up nine straight hours, with nothing more than a 20-minute nap once along the way, and perky and pleasant the entire time. We double-checked and, no, neither of them has yet learned how to use the coffee grinder.
When night came, the hours ticked toward midnight, and we wondered what would happen. Would they melt down like never before? Would they stay awake until dawn? No, for at 11:30, the girls finally crashed -- which means so did Mom and Dad -- earlier than in weeks, months even. It was like daylight savings time had come early.
Tonight, so far, so good as well. We have promised the girls Ferraris for their continued cooperation, and are hoping they like fine automobiles.
Meanwhile, most importantly of all, more pictures coming soon. They are getting BIG.
It was time for Mom and Dad to re-think their strategy or risk losing our marbles.
So the past two days, we have tried a new approach, which is to move the entire day's schedule up two hours sooner. It would seem this would have been obvious, except it required all sorts of other logistical switches (never mind the details) and that at least the first day of the new schedule (yesterday) the girls could stay awake for at least 8 hours straight. They didn't disappoint, as our little babes, not even six-months old, were up nine straight hours, with nothing more than a 20-minute nap once along the way, and perky and pleasant the entire time. We double-checked and, no, neither of them has yet learned how to use the coffee grinder.
When night came, the hours ticked toward midnight, and we wondered what would happen. Would they melt down like never before? Would they stay awake until dawn? No, for at 11:30, the girls finally crashed -- which means so did Mom and Dad -- earlier than in weeks, months even. It was like daylight savings time had come early.
Tonight, so far, so good as well. We have promised the girls Ferraris for their continued cooperation, and are hoping they like fine automobiles.
Meanwhile, most importantly of all, more pictures coming soon. They are getting BIG.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Weighing In
The girls are starting to talk up a storm, and we think it won't be long before they say their first word. They're certainly trying.
They're smiling like crazy, when they're not wailing approaching midnight, just to make sure Mom and Dad get their exercise pacing the bedroom floor, which we are glad to do (see "smiling like crazy").
Yesterday, our latest visit to the pediatrician told us how much our little girls are growing. They seem to have gotten heavier in our arms, and seem about ready sometimes to leap to the ground their legs are so strong. Well, they have both gained two pounds since the last doctor's visit. Rory is up to 10 lbs 13 ounces, while Danni is up to 8 lbs 6 ounces. In the doc's words, their weight gain "is fantastic." Now, to some, these weights for babies at five months and a week may seem small. But to us, who have seen their weights practically triple in that time, they seem like giants. Glorious giants.
Meanwhile, two weeks ago they had their latest, and it turns out, final preemie check-up at the ophthalmologist. The final trimester is when the retina forms, so special care has to be taken to ensure a preemie's eyes have fully and properly formed. The doc gave the girls an "A" report and said he was no longer concerned about the development of their eyes. This is good for more than one reason, because the test is tough to witness, let alone for the girls to experience. The doc has to hold each of their eyes open with a tiny metal speculum for about a minute each while he presses and prods on the eye itself with another special device, and peers into the pupil with what might as well be a glaring headlight stuck to his forehead and studies all corners of the retina. It was all we could do not to scoop up our babies and race out of there, but they stuck it out courageously and soon it was over. For many reasons, we are quite sure that their first word won't be ophthalmologist.
They're smiling like crazy, when they're not wailing approaching midnight, just to make sure Mom and Dad get their exercise pacing the bedroom floor, which we are glad to do (see "smiling like crazy").
Yesterday, our latest visit to the pediatrician told us how much our little girls are growing. They seem to have gotten heavier in our arms, and seem about ready sometimes to leap to the ground their legs are so strong. Well, they have both gained two pounds since the last doctor's visit. Rory is up to 10 lbs 13 ounces, while Danni is up to 8 lbs 6 ounces. In the doc's words, their weight gain "is fantastic." Now, to some, these weights for babies at five months and a week may seem small. But to us, who have seen their weights practically triple in that time, they seem like giants. Glorious giants.
Meanwhile, two weeks ago they had their latest, and it turns out, final preemie check-up at the ophthalmologist. The final trimester is when the retina forms, so special care has to be taken to ensure a preemie's eyes have fully and properly formed. The doc gave the girls an "A" report and said he was no longer concerned about the development of their eyes. This is good for more than one reason, because the test is tough to witness, let alone for the girls to experience. The doc has to hold each of their eyes open with a tiny metal speculum for about a minute each while he presses and prods on the eye itself with another special device, and peers into the pupil with what might as well be a glaring headlight stuck to his forehead and studies all corners of the retina. It was all we could do not to scoop up our babies and race out of there, but they stuck it out courageously and soon it was over. For many reasons, we are quite sure that their first word won't be ophthalmologist.
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