Sunday, February 15, 2009

Three Months

After a couple of months I am finally sitting down at the computer to update this blog. It is rare to be at home and not have a baby in my hand. That is also my excuse for any unanswered emails or facebook posts. I used to think I was busy but now I have taken busy to a whole new definition. We went to church today, and all three of our babies disappeared within seconds with our friends. They decided also to take them home with them. If you like today's post you can thank them.

So lets get started and show you some recent pics. There isn't much for events as our life just evolves around babies and more babies. It has been quite a challenge while still parenting the other four. Riley and Avery have proven to be great help and quite attentive. Riley will even pick the boogers out of the babies noses. He also uses them to watch TV as we have a rule -- no TV or computer unless you have a baby in your arms.


Within 7 weeks the Christensen grandparents had 6 grandchildren. We decided that it would be great to bless all six of them on the same day. It was a very special and unique day. This is picture of all six cousins together on that day (Dec. 17). In the back is Bryce, Lucy and Sam with Cohen, Andraya and Sawyer in the front (L-R). This was 4 days before the triplets official due date.


Wal-Mart had a special on diapers. We figured we were in need of a few. Dirty diaper production has slowed a little, but we figure we go through about 20 diapers per day. I can honestly say that I have never bought so many diapers at once before.


Here is Cohen at one month. He used oxygen for the first three months of his life. We just returned the oxygen machine last week. Hurray! It is so nice to not have the tube dragging behind him...but the machine was great for white noise and heat in the room.



I always said that I would never have any Christmas babies. Six of the seven children were born in November and December. We have grown to love Christmas babies. The extra challange this year was determining which baby got to play baby Jesus. I look at all my kids and sometimes am still floored that they all belong to me. WOW what a challenge, but I wouldn't have it any other way.


Christmas sleepers under the Christmas tree. From left to right (Sawyer, Andraya, and Cohen)


Xander and his mad eyes. He practices this regularly. He is just so expressive!


Dad asleep with his new boys. It is common for one, two or three babies to sometimes end up in our bed by morning. Thank goodness for king size beds. The babies are starting to figure out the importance of sleeping through the night. We get them all down around 11:00 p.m. Andraya always sleeps until 7 or 8. She has been doing this for about a month or so but the boys haven't caught on quite as quickly. Sawyer sleeps through about half of the time and Cohen can be depended on for a 3 or 4 oclock feeding. Though last night he surprized me greatly and slept until 8:30 this morning. It was the very first time....I made Stephen go and check on him as I was scared that maybe something like SIDS happened. I know it is the crazy nurse in me. All was well and now they have each proven that they can sleep the entire night at least once I am raising my expectations and awaiting the night that they ALL do.


Cohen, Andraya and Sawyer at two months. I love pictures of them all together. At this age it was hard to get them all awake at the same time as they still slept alot. Now I am trying the opposite to get them to all nap at the same time. By the time I get the third asleep the first is usually awake and even if they napped together consistently Raygan and Xander keep me busy during the day.


Xander feeding Sawyer.


Grandma Christensen holding Cohen and Andraya. Grandma has been a great help. She has lived at our house for at least a month during the past four months. If you notice Cohen does not have his oxygen tube, the last month was nighttime only...I hadn't got the stickies off of his face yet that morning.


Sawyer at 2 months. I have decided that I like getting puked on. Really I don't but because it happens so often I figured it was just better to embrace it all together. Sawyer is the baby that can be counted on to give me such love. The others contribute also but nothing like him. Just feed him once (or hold him)and you'll know what I mean.

Raygan. What to say about her...she is still as cute as ever but has increased our workload. The older kids have figured out that Mom is not as mobile with a couple of babies in her hand so I often find messes quicker than I can prevent them or clean them up. She can also be a great help as she runs for soothers, diapers, blankies, burp clothes, the phone, etc. This past week when I was on the treadmill I observed her feeding her Cabbage Patch doll. She bottle feed it like a pro, complete with a burp cloth to prevent drips on the clothes and a burp afterwards.


Andraya and Cohen. Cohen has always been bigger than the other two. Hence the nickname Moose. He now weighs almost three pounds bigger than his wombmates. Andraya and Sawyer continue to remain within a few ounces of each other. At the last weigh in they were 9 pounds while Cohen was 11 pounds and 12 ounces.


Please note that this bottle propping is highly supervised. It is the best way to feed three crying babies at the same time. As a side note...yes, I breastfeed them, just not all at once.


This was a typical scene in our fridge before retiring for the night. They are starting to sleep more through the night, so it does not look this crazy anymore.


Xander and Cohen

Here I am with the four youngest. Raygan loves playing behind the couch. Cohen was in for a cuddle, I was burping Andraya and bottle feeding Sawyer. Sometimes it is most effective to have one parent take the babies and the other to take on the other four. Stephen is not around as much anymore. He has started a new job with local accounting firm here in town and is really enjoying it. So you ask how we do it. Here is how. You take help when offered, ask for help when it is needed, pray alot and laugh alot. Our part time nanny has alot to do with it too. We have a great network of friends here in Strathmore, who have been a great support.

Sawyer is beginning to smile on a regular basis. (3 Months)




Cohen (3 Months)


Raygan with the triplets


Sawyer, Cohen, and Andraya (3 Months)

Sawyer, Cohen, and Andraya (3 Months)


Cohen and Andraya (3 months) - Thumbs up!

Cohen and Andraya (3 months) - Smiles!
I had to get pictures of all three in these sleepers before Cohen outgrows his. Well I now have two of the three home and my time to update this is done. Who knows when it will happen next.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

The Picture of your fridge brought back so many memories...even though it hasn;t been that long i still have a harf time remembering that phase. They are so cute and getting so big.

The Anderson Family said...

Nikki what a great blog! I am so impressed and amazed by you and your family. Your children are all so beautiful! The babies smiles are so adorable.

Stephanie said...

I happened to be lurking around sand found yours today!
Your babies are beautiful and how fun is it going to be having 7 kids roam around your house?!
Your wombmates comment put me over the edge... I loved it!

LL said...

I'm so impressed and your thorough blog post. I vote Steve to do the next one for you, although that rule about no using the computer without holding a baby may not be able to apply to him. They are all so cute - great pictures.

The RC Miller Clan said...

That was an AWESOME update on what's happening in the Johnson household! The babies are soooo cute! I still would not like to be in your shoes though. Thank goodness I only have one inside of me who will need my full attention. Good job guys.

Lydster said...

You guys are a wonderful example. Do the babies still all fit together in the bassinet? I remember learning in my parent-child relations class how beneficial it is for siblings to sleep together. And convenient for parents too, it looks like!

Ethan said...

Joanne and I loved reading all the updates and seeing all the new photos - they are growing fast!

Kara said...

You know, despite all the craziness I'm seeing and reading, I never thought I would say this and I might regret it, but I would like triplets. There. I said it. It was that picture of you on the couch with Raygan sneaking a peek. Very touching.