Toby, Eleanor and Callista received a package in the mail this week with a return address that read “Aunt Pinky.”
I knew immediately that their e-Auntie Tameka, a woman obsessed with all things pink, had sent them a little snail-mail love. I was shocked to see three seriously adorbs outfits inside!
I have to admit, dear readers, that I’ve been too chicken-shit to dress the babies in full outfits. We rock the sleep-and-play footed numbers around this house, partly because Callista spits up constantly (and Eleanor isn’t much better), partly because it isn’t only boys who like to pee on their clothes while getting a diaper change and partly because I need to be lazy with some things sometimes.
But I was inspired by Tameka’s generosity and by how freaking cute the outfits were, so when we headed out for the babies’ monthly RSV vaccination yesterday, we headed out in style.
Toby, Eleanor and Callista – 13w4d old
All three babies are decked out in fancy onesies (“#01 with the ladies,” “just be you” and “mommy’s cutie”) and stylish yet functional hoodies. Not part of Tameka’s package, but something I’ve been dying to see on my trio are Trumpette socks. I’m not spendy enough to buy them brand new, but baby socks on consignment are the bomb diggity, so all three are wearing the cutest socks known to baby.
(p.s. The RSV shot requires weights! Toby is up to 7 lb. 9 oz., Eleanor weighed in at 6 lb. 12 oz., and Callista now weighs 7 lb. 8 oz. They’ve all TRIPLED their birth weights! zOMG!)
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Another package the mail lady dropped my way this week contained my very own PB&J bracelet.
My good friend Crystal wanted to help raise money in our trio’s name for this year’s March For Babies and decided to make a bracelet in their honor to sell through her Etsy shop, FunkyPineapple Designs. She is donating $10 from each sale to our team and has already raised more than $100 for March of Dimes.
Inspired by the trio’s in-utero nickname, the bracelet is PB&J-colored! The purple color is gorgeous in the sun, and the bracelet goes with a lot of different colors, so it’s easy to wear with all your outfits – or lounge clothes, in my case.
If you like bracelets, if you like babies, if you want to contribute and have something to remind you of your awesome donation, go order one! We can be bracelet buddies!
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Speaking of March for Babies, our family team has raised more than any family team in the history of Charlotte’s participation in the event. This, folks, is BAD ASS. I’ve already gushed about how important March of Dimes is to our family, but it never hurts to remind readers that our trio are here today, healthy and home without any medical support, thanks to the work March of Dimes has done over the years.
Having premature babies is hard, heartbreaking work. Being in the NICU for 67 days was difficult and tested me in ways I never imagined.
I left the hospital with empty arms for 67 days. It was painful.
That pain can never compare to the pain so many mothers feel when their too-early or too-ill baby doesn’t have the same happy ending we did.
We’d love for you to help continue decreasing the number of mommies with empty arms and to keep increasing the number of happy endings. March of Dimes is continually working toward their goal of bringing healthy babies into this world. Help them help babies like Toby, Eleanor and Callista!
Donate directly to or join our March for Babies team. Order a bracelet. Whatever you can do, if you skip that Starbucks stop this week, you’ll be helping some future baby have a fighting chance at life.
Callista and Eleanor (l-r) are now sleeping peacefully in their infant-to-toddler rockers (holler, Fisher Price!), but they weren’t at all amused when they got strapped in after they ate tonight.
Where’s Toby in this video, you ask? He was snoozing in his crib, oblivious to his sisters’ drama.
He’s smart.
Instead, I got caught up entering a couple giveaways for Petunia Pickle Bottom’s new bag for moms of multiples. I want one like whoa. Too bad I’m broke, right? Please, Internet gods! Please let me win!
Anywho. Since I’m not sleeping, and I’m too tired to be physically productive around the house, I decided it was high time to vomit out a blog entry.
Fun for you AND me!
Something I laughed about during my post-partum hospital stay was all the prep pregnant women put into the day they give birth. There are classes, tours, packed bags, birth plans, iPod playlists, special hospital clothes, yada, yada, yada.
Ladies, don’t feel like you need ANY of this.
Chances are, any plans you have will be altered in some form.
You won’t get lost in the hospital if you don’t take a tour.
You won’t be unable to give birth or care for your baby if you don’t take a class.
I suppose an iPod playlist may come in handy if you need to go all zen during labor/birth, but I have a feeling your own head will be able to handle the stress without your iPod.
The morning I woke up to my membranes rupturing, I was wearing a strappy nightgown that kept my sweaty pregnant self cool. It got messy. I had to change. I went to the hospital wearing the first T-shirt I saw, the first pajama pants Rob could grab, and the first pair of flip-flops of which I knew the location.
Large men’s orange T-shirt, Ohio State Buckeyes pajama pants, orange flip-flops. My hair was mussed from the few hours of sleep I had. My teeth were unbrushed. I barely remember to slap my glasses on my face on my way out the door.
I had no post-partum attire for myself planned. No granny panties. No nursing bras or tanks. I didn’t have the slightest clue about what I may want.
Guess who survived. I wore those hot hospital gowns during my stay. Honestly, I was so sore from the c-section that the thought of dressing in clothing that fit (not that anything fit after giving birth!) was something of a horror.
Obviously the birth of my trio was an experience to which I hope you all never relate. It was scary, stressful, chaotic, etc. I may not have had time to wish details under my control had been better planned, but I honestly don’t think any of those things would have made a difference in the experience, even if we had gone the more traditional, less emergency-ish route.
My focus was on my sick and tiny trio, but I doubt anyone with full-term singletons focuses any less on their new baby. All that other nonsense is just something extra They have decided new moms should fret over.
Trust me, ladies. There are enough things in this life to fret over. The perfect post-partum clothes and a rocking iPod playlist will only muck up the afterglow – and that’s if you even remember to use them.
Enjoy your pregnancy. Enjoy your baby. Don’t worry about the plans. Those only get in the way anyhow. Nature will take over, and things will go according to nature’s own plan. That’s just how it’s meant to be, after all.
Other than our ride home from the NICU, we had our first outing with Toby, Eleanor and Callista (l-r). We had to go to the opthamologist. The babies have their eyes checked for blood-vessel development. This was their third eye exam (every other week beginning at 34 weeks corrected gestational age), but it was our first out of the hospital.
We were warned before their in-hospital exams that their days may turn to shit after, but they didn’t either time.
Today was different. They choked on their milk, they slept more than usual, they cried more than usual. It was just a more difficult day all around. That’s OK, though. We survived.
Anywho.
You’ll notice some super artistic labels on the photo. I have some pretties to show off! First, the babies all have pandas on their car seats. They’re black and white, and I hear that’s good for babies. They’re also good for me. Pandas hold a special place in my former-infertile heart (holler, Jen!). It’s a nice reminder, and the baby connection is special.
Next are soft, stylin’ hats from the lovely Mandy of Opal and Harper’s Happenings. Mandy found the hats on one of her thrifting excursions and thought they’d be perfect for my trio. It took some growing, but I think they are perfect!
I’m planning a photo illustration of their growth using the hats the babies have worn, bee tee dub. Maybe someday, right?
Essential to our day are the awesome Wubanubbs sent to the trio when they were still exclusively known as PB&J. Cole and his mommy picked out three cute Wubbies that the babies have been enjoying since they came home. Toby has a puppy, Eleanor has a kitty, and Callista has a giraffe. They love them, and so do we!
Finally, the babies are snuggled in their blankets, handmade by my mom. They’re flannel on one side and minky on the other, and they have a silky satin trim. I’m seriously placing a request for my own. Think I’m joking? Totally not.
Another first for today? Tummy time on the Boppies!
This was after their post-eye-exam meal. Have you seen sleepier babies? Zomg! (Callista, Toby, Eleanor, l-r)
Callista was fussy, fussy, fussy later on tonight, and nothing would make homegirl happy. I decided it was time to bust out the Moby loaned to me by my dear friend Sarah. A lot of people test drive their Mobys using stuffed animals, but all I had done prior to tonight was watch a video on YouTube.
I scoff at test drives. Happy baby, happy mommy!
I’m so hot in my nursing tank and glasses, no?
Pip, pip, dear readers! Have a fantastic night!
Here’s the sign I made explaining the NICU-recommended guidelines for visitors at home. I know I joked about making a hard-ass, mama-bear sign that was all, “Grrrr! Follow the rules, or I’ll punch your face!” but I just don’t have it in me to joke about the rules. I don’t want anyone to think we’re taking these guidelines light-heartedly.
Because we aren’t.
Click the image for a larger view
