Friday, April 29, 2011

2 moms for 6 babies

The days are continously sunny and nice. It's good to take walks with the boys. Yesterday, it was a historical day, when Maarja - another mom of triplets - joined us with her children; so we were out with 2 triplets' prams. I think you do not see such an appearance often. Luckily the children slept most of the time, so we didn't need to deal with 6 crying or angry babies at the same time!

Later, the boys slept in the garden and we could have some chat with Maarja. Sure there's always a lot to talk with her and we never have enough time... it would be nice to get together without 2 x triplets one day, but I doubt this day ever comes! :)

PS - My boys made a late-birthday gift for me: yesterday they slept until 7.30 a.m.!!! They tried to wake up at 5.20 as usual, but I somehow managed to put them back to sleeping positions and they slept for 2 more hours. It felt so strange! I think the bad days are over, for now, and I can enjoy our lovely days together again - me fresh and boys happy!

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Every-day life with triplets

Let me be weak on my birthday... Just for a moment. I'm allowed to feel like that, right?

Yes - raising triplets is not easy. The past week has been extra-ordinary difficult.


1. The boys have stopped eating milk properly. They play and make fun over it, they are never hungry and it takes ages to get one bottle of milk (150 mL) inside them. I cannot feed 2 boys at the same time anymore, they take long breaks while eating and to feed 3 boys in a row is a biiiig challenge. I would not worry, but when we weigh them each time before the bath, then the reality is, that they hardly gain any weight, sometimes they even loose weight... I'm worried and I don't know what to do. Luckily they eat "normal" food (vegetables, porridge) quite well, so at least they get some energy from them. Sten eats almost no milk during the day-time. He jokes around so much. He is hungry only during nights, never in the day-time. And I wonder where does he take the energy to feel happy and playful?!?


2. The boys have stopped their good sleeping routine during the day-time. They used to sleep 3 hours in a row outside in the pram. It gave me time to make a dinner, to clean, to work in the garden, to WASH myself or something like that. Now, it's only a wish! Yesterday, Sten slept exactly... for 45 minutes! Fred slept 1,5 hours. Ralf slept 2 hours. So to have a break for 45 minutes from the boys... it feels like nothing. Absolutely nothing. I manage to clean their room, go to the toilet and that's it.


3. The boys have stopped sleeping during the mornings, too. They are awake around 5.20...5.30, if we are lucky, then 5.45! And "on the go" at once. Before they used to stay in their beds and play there for a while, but now they are so active, that do a lot of clining and put their legs somewhere they cannot get them out anymore and then start to scream. Of course I cannot then stay in my bed anymore. And I feel like I JUST went to sleep after their last eating at night. Urrr... when the morning starts already like that, then I'm dead tired by 10 in the morning! And I still have 9 hours after that...


4. The boys want to reach every toy they see, but they still cannot crawl properly, yet. It makes them angry. I have to be close all the time to give them everything. Besides, they want to sit and play because then they see better. But they cannot sit properly yet. And they only have 1 mom, and I can support only 1, or maximum 2, kids while they want to sit and play... So I have too few hands!


5. The days are warm and beautiful and I wish I could stay in the garden with them a lot more. But since they do not sit and the ground is still a bit too cold, then I cannot really put 3 babies anywhere - again, I only have 1 me.... and not more. One is sitting on my lap while we are outside, but where do I put 2 others?


6. I'm lucky I already work. To go to work, once a week, on Wednesdays, is a vacation for me. I love my boys a lot, but I need some break, too, from this busy, busy, busy, busy life. And work is a vacation right now. I envy Erik - he shuts the door every morning to go to work for 8 hours and REST from being his hands tied every second . He can go to the shop when he wants. He can go to do sports when he wants. He can go photographing when he wants. He just walks out. I.... can NEVER do that. A life of a mom... I know! I'm now seriously thinking of getting a nanny. 1 day a week, 8 hours in a row. So that I can shut the door and walk out, too. Do something else. Then come back fresh and enjoy all the busy life again...



I let myself to be weak only today. On my birthday. I'm allowed to do that, right? From tomorrow, I'll enjoy everything again! I love my boys...

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Achivement by Erik

Finally, Erik got what he deserved - after many years of dedicated photographing, he won a prize in our main nature-photo competition "Nature Year Photo 2011". I'm really proud of him - among 1850 participants and 11000 photos... to be one of the best! Amazing. I know I could never achieve something like that in my entire life.
This photo, called "Fervent Singer", won a 2nd prize in "Animals in Action" category + a special reward from Estonian Ornitology Society and the State Forest Management Centre.

***
I don't even remember how many early mornings this photo required... just waking up, morning my morning hoping that one day, this magical moment unrolls in front of you. And one morning, it really did - a lucky morning for Erik.

***


A hard life of being a photographer's wife will be awarded, too - one of the awards included a weekend away in a forest house. In summer, we'll take our kids and go...

Friday, April 22, 2011

Happy Easter!

Today, it's Easter Friday. The day was absolutely beautiful - sunny and warm. The boys enjoyed both their morning- and day-nap in the garden. We sat on the terrace and showed the world to the boys. For them, everything is new... so they have a lot to discover!
I had this photo in mind since the day when I bought the boxes. Those boxes are actually to keep boys' clothes in their room. But I thought they would look cute in them. I waited for the right moment to take this shot, and when Easter time was geting closer, I realized it will be a perfect time. And it was perfect time - because they enjoyed sitting there very much and found it funny! :) So here they are - our 3 little Easter bunnies... we love them so much!
The rabbits, with ribbons with boys' names, are a gift from my dear Nowergian penpal Annette. The lovely Tigger t-shirts are a gift from our neighbours for boys' 6-months-birthday. Thank you, and HAPPY EASTER! :)

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Outside

Spring has definitely arrived. The grass is getting greener, the days warmer and all snow has melted away, finally. Yesterday, I took the boys to the garden - on the grass - for the first time. I want them to get used to our big rottweiler Tony (who is very friendly, but of course there have been no 3 babies in his territory before) and vice versa. First try was successful and noone cried! :)
Today, in the morning, I noticed the first hepatica! Wow, it came unexpected! Just yesterday, I was in the garden working and I didn't see any, and today morning, it was there! This is so nice, finally the nature starts to wake up. So far, I've had only snowdrops, snowflakes and crocuses in the garden.

When the day is sunny and quiet, we go for walks. Thanks to Maris, a wonderful friend, we have a red cool pram to walk with and for the kids to look out to the world. They like it very much! Often, we ask our neighbour-boy Glen and his mom Aune to join us.


Sunday, April 3, 2011

1st of April - Spring Signs and Fools' Day

The 1st day of April brought a nice surprise - I noticed the VERY FIRST snowdrop in my garden! Is Spring really on the way now? The boys were fooling around on Fools Day':