Spring pics - almost 2!

Spring pics - almost 2!

Saturday, November 28, 2009

What we are Thankful for 2009


There are so many things for us to be thankful for this year. Let me start with a few easy things. I had a mostly uneventful pregnancy; which, considering I was carrying triplets is quite a feat. I had/have a VERY supportive husband who had to take on most of the child rearing for a 3 year old until January when I was able to work half time hours. I was thrilled to once again be able to help around the house and share dinner with my family.

Dave's resolve was once again tested the last three weeks of our pregnancy when I was placed on bed rest, alone in the hospital, and Dave was home working furiously to beat his self chosen goal to finish our deck before the babies came. Our home was filled with helpful family(awesome ones - but in our home 24 hours a day none the less) and Dave pushed himself hard. He had quite a hefty goal considering everything that was going on and the 3 year old at home wondering where Mama was and hoping for his Papa's time. He also made it down to visit me in the hospital, bringing Brody, almost every day I was there.

We were very worried about Baby C - Audrey Grace (Named for my spunky Grandma who had just passed) - she was so tiny. They were not sure if she was so small because that is how God intended her to be or if there was something else amiss. I heard three possible reasons, 1) She was naturally small, 2) Her placenta did not get as much "real estate" as the other babies so she had less nourishment, 3) There was something terribly wrong and at some point they would have to take her from me in an emergency situation.

Luckily, I made it to the date I had been praying and meditating on since I found out I was expecting triplets. May 18, 2009 is the date I prayed on, visualized in my meditation, and told everyone who would listen that this would be my delivery date. Sadly my math was wrong so instead of 35 weeks I was only able to get my body to hold on for 34 1/2 weeks. You may be thinking there is not a huge difference between the two but 35 weeks was the magic number between taking your child/ren home and leaving them behind in the NICU. I am still very proud of how far we made it and the power of prayer, meditation, and the effect one has over their own bodies.

We are also very thankful for our wonderful family who has been there for us whole heartedly since the babies arrived. My mom and Auntie Rae for staying with us to survive the 3 hour feeding schedule the first several weeks. My step-father David who helped with cooking during the time I was in the hospital. Grandpa and Grandma Z who would come down from Ankeny to give some much needed rest to the others and/or bring meals. Dave's sister's family; the Walljasper clan for holding babies - it is a super big help when you come home with THREE!!

Our neighbors on 49th Street are the best neighbors anyone could ever hope for when they move into a new neighborhood. They brought us food so we didn't have to worry about cooking. They helped Dave meet his goal of finishing the deck before I came home. They signed up for days to come over and help out with the babies so that Dave could help Brody get ready for bed and the neighbor and I could take care of the babies.

Our church family has also been a life savor!! You have no idea how many diapers triplets go through. The first two days home from the hospital we only had the girls. We went through a package of preemie diapers each day!!! Our church supported us with diapers, wipes, hand sanitizer, and baby girl clothes since we did not have any sizes other than preemie. On top of all of that I am sure that the prayers sent from St. Mark, friends, family, and thier churches is what brought our babies to earth so healthy. God has truly blessed the Zuck family a million times over - yes, Father we are blessed! We have several adopted Grandma's from our church who the babies look forward to spending time with. Thank you for your time - thank you for your love and support!!

We are again in need of baby helpers - mostly on work nights between 5/5:30 and 7:30/8pm. You only need to be good at holding a bottle and rocking a baby - lots of people are good at that. Either contact us at home (our number is listed in the phone book) or if you go to our church Shannon Lee can help get you set up.

Another need we pray will be answered is for diapers. We are in need of pampers diapers size 4. We prefer this type/brand because we've never had them leak. However, we are open to anything anyone is willing to share. If you can find it in your heart to help we would really appreciate any gesture of support for our family.

Thank you and God bless!!

Thanksgiving 2009

Here are the Zuck triplets at Grandpa and Grandma Z's house at Thanksgiving this year. Mama and Papa thought they were rocking the house and were going to be ready to leave early enough to get to Ankeny with plenty of time to feed and change the triplets out of PJ's into their fancy holiday clothes. Due to circumstances out of their control it ended up being a mad dash out of the house at the last minute. Luckily most everything was packed up the night before or sent days before with G'PA and G'MA earlier in the week when they filled in for Danie.
I know these are my babies but I do have to brag a bit and say that for once they let us eat dinner in peace. It must have been because we were eating dinner early. Who cares why but we had a lovely meal with wonderful food and happy babies playing on the floor with one another.
Even Brody's halo kept its shine the whole day.
It is with sadness that I say that no matter how much I love my new family it was a little difficult for me this year. This was kind of weird since my Grandma had been living with my mom in San Diego for the last 2 years so I can't quite explain why I missed her or my family so much this year. I mean heck the kids are half my blood and my husband and his family treat me as if I were a blood relative, too. Probably just some homesickness coming out due to the holidays or hormonal stuff left over from the pregnancy. We did have a great day and wonderful company!!

I know this picture is a little late but I keep realizing I should put Brody out here every once in a while. He got to pick his own costume for the very first time this year. It was so funny every thing he saw he wanted to be, "Mama, I want to be batman, no Spiderman, no woody, no a power ranger, no insert anything here." Finally I told him he had to pick one and be sure. He ended up with Spiderman. It was a really cool costume that made it look like he had some rad muscles. He wore it around the house for several days before Halloween. (Actually here they call it beggars night which I don't get - and they do it the day before Halloween which again I don't get!) Maybe if I grew up here I would understand why trick or treat means more than just holding your hand out for candy. Dave, having grown up here, makes the kids work for their candy. Me, I tell them, "No need for a joke here you go," and I drop the candy in their bag. I have one exception in 10 years when 3 obviously high school girls came to our house. For them I made them sing a song - in Cali that never would have flown - our cars would have been egged.

Still those girls should have been at a party not walking down our street looking for candy.

Katherine also has teeth!! & The Sick House

Well it has been a long time since I've posted. Audrey was first, later that day it was Mason, then a few days later Katherine got her bottom two teeth, also. I've tried to take a picture of their teeth but either it is too dark or they put their tounge in the way. :O(

We have had virus #4 come through our house. Brody started with the runny nose then (gross - I know) it turned green. We knew we were in big trouble the night he went to bed really early then woke up two hours later and said his throat and ear hurt. Dave stayed home from work the next day (Tuesday) and took Brody to the pediatrician. Yes, it was an ear infection and they put him on antibiotics. The next day Mason was acting the same way so I called and begged mercy on our pediatrician to call in more meds without making us come in. Bless Dr. Salow who knows us well enough to call in the meds without a visit. Dave ended up staying home with Brody on Tuesday and Wednesday that week. Thank you Dave and Ankeny School District.
Guess who got it next??? Yep, Mama did. Luckily with my new job I can work from home and no one fusses about it. I even think I am more productive with my new (and much faster) home laptop. I was home Thursday and Friday so I wouldn't get anyone at work sick. On Sunday I woke up with a double ear infection. Darn it if that isn't painful!! Again I got lucky and got a hold of one of my Dr.'s partners who was on call. He agreed that my symptoms were an ear infection and called me in antibiotics sight unseen. Praise the Lord! That could have been 3 co-pays by that point. I was so miserable that we had Grandpa and Grandma Zuck come down to help with Brody and the babies so I could rest. I slept like a log from around 11am until 6pm. The next morning when I was feeding the babies with Danie I felt a little feverish so decided it would be best for me to spend the day in bed. I got a few hours in the morning before a project I was working on went South so I started emailing and taking phone calls trying to get everything back on track. Danie (our nanny) gets ear infections quite frequently and told me she thought she was getting one - guess me staying home to not get anyone sick backfired. She wanted to leave early so she could stop and see her Dr. - no problem! We like all of our family healthy. Her Dr. said she still had the same sinus infection from a few weeks back. So Tuesday we were without our beloved Danie as she did the rest in bed all day thing. I truly believe that is the only thing that works in getting better!!

All I can say is thankfully it was a short week and Danie was able to come to work on Wednesday. She is a trooper!!
Here are some cute pictures we took of the kids after their last bath. I am trying to show how big they are getting. It is hard to see in the picture but Audrey is really growing into her checks, etc. Katherine just hides her rolls well. Mason - well he is a boy and all girls understand what that means,
Mason William

Katherine Ann

Audrey Grace

Friday, November 6, 2009

Audrey and Mason Have Teeth!!

Sunday night as I was sitting on the floor with the babies I had a long conversation with them about the fact that they had been teething for a while and it was about time they get a tooth. Well Monday at work I got an email from Danie asking me if I knew that Audrey had a tooth. Audrey used her arm as a teething ring and she felt something. She looked in her mouth and there was a tooth!




By the time I got home Mason had his first tooth, too! We are still waiting on Katherine but she started teething a little behind the others so I am not surprised.



The babies have been eating cereal for the last couple of weeks and are doing very well with it. They have had rice cereal and oatmeal. In a couple of days we will start sweet potatoes or avocado. Mason reminds us of a little bird opening his mouth up wide when he is ready for his next bite!