16 Weeks & My First Time Out Alone With The Babies

Garren & Caden

Today the boys are 16 weeks old. We celebrated by adventuring out to run errands by ourselves. No place exciting just errands I have been relying on Donna to do since I physically cannot get out of the apartment with 3 babies on my own. (we currently live on the 3rd floor)
So our adventure started with Donna coming home to help me get the boys downstairs & into the car... um van, then we drove Donna back to work. We took the boys into Donnas station for some of her employees to see. Then the boys & I were off, first to an appt that took forever. While we were waiting the boys started to get a little restless, It wasn't time to eat but it was going to be by the time we were done with our appt so I went ahead & started giving them their bottles... We finally got called back & as soon as we did I smelled somebody... One of the boys had a poopy diaper. I asked where their changing table was located & she pointed me to the restroom... I head down the hall and wheel the boys in their stroller into the restroom... The stroller doesn't fit all the way in the restroom... luckily the door wasn't hinged to close automatically so I just changed them with the door open. We finished our appt before the boys had finished their bottles so we hung out in the lobby & finished feeding before heading to our next stop. There are always a lot of gasps  & comments wherever we go & of course a few people that just can't help themselves and have to come look. I don't mind the lookers... I don't like strangers touching my kids though & I definitely don't like strange kids breathing on them. Luckily today the two kids that did run over to see them got snatched up by their mothers real quick, gotta love good parents.
My biggest fear with taking the boys out alone is having one or two in the stroller & having to turn my back to load or unload the others to the car. I worked it out so that the middle guy (middle in the car) gets loaded real quick & first & the other two are closest to me in the stroller. I load two from one side of the van then wheel around to the other side and load the last little guy. Then of course fold up the stroller and load it in the back. I think I've got a good system & I'm sure with practice it will get better.
Our second stop was a compound pharmacy to pick up the boys reflux medicine. I called ahead so the prescription was ready when I got there & they actually brought it out to me so I didn't have to unload the boys. It's great that they are so friendly because they have super crappy hours. Next we were going to go to Target, but I had to pee really bad & remembered to restroom problem from earlier. Then I thought about trying to wheel a 6 foot stroller through a hinged door (pushing/pulling stroller while holding door open...) So I called Donna to see if she was available to help us get back upstairs & she was, so I picked her up & we came home.
Not bad for our first trip out I think. I'm working up to playgroups & farmers markets. I'm not one for a lot of attention (remembering Becky calling me out in front of everyone when we were in skin school, lol) but we get a lot of attention everywhere we go, so I have to get use to it. The attention is more controlled in doctors offices and other professional settings. Donna & I did take the boys shopping at the mall this past weekend. We got a lot of comments but people didn't approach us unless we were stopped in a store, so maybe next week we will venture to Target or the farmers market all by ourselves :)

Well onto the babies... The boys are fantastic!!! They are growing so much so fast, I can hardly believe they are 16 weeks old. I remember how excited we were when I made it to 16 weeks pregnant.

Eason & Kellan

This week the boys had their dose of reflux medicine increased. They were still fussing quite a bit and just really uncomfortable. It seems to be helping so far, fingers crossed. Remember how bad my heartburn was when I was pregnant & I had to keep changing medications and finally got a prescription... little devils... :)

They are very curious now, they just look all around when we're holding them and they don't like to be in any one place for too long now. So we move from their bouncers after they eat to the activity mat, then to their swings, then to the pack n play for some tummy time. One or more of them usually passes out on the activity mat and if not there then definitely in the pack n play during tummy time. None of them can stay awake when on their tummies, I don't know how they're ever going to learn to crawl?

Caden sleeping on the activity mat

Caden & Eason

In the past couple weeks these are some of the things the boys have started doing:

They are all sleeping in their own cribs as of this week & sleeping until 5am

Caden kicks in the bath tub

Kellen & Caden both have laughed out loud while snoozing in my lap

Garren pinches my arm with his toes when he's eating

All the boys are smiling more

Garren pushes his chest up off the floor when on his tummy

Garren & Caden have started reaching for their toys more, Garren will bat at them over & over, Caden is not as persistent yet, & Kellan might hit one but then he just watches it swing back & forth.

Caden

Garren

Kellan

Now that they seem to be getting some relief from their reflux, I hope they will feel like playing more & maybe learn to stay awake during tummy time and possibly roll over...

I worry all the time if I'm doing enough for them, if they are developing the way they should be, I worry because they were so premature and could be that delayed in their development, but another triplet mom & mom to a toddler gave me some great words of wisdom, So I'm going to try not to worry (or compare them to other babies their age) and just enjoy the stage they are in. Like I was told... They will learn & develop on their own time :)