LIFE

Life is coming on fast. Big Kids are 12 and soon 13. Babies are 7 months today and growing quickly. Their personalities are beginning to show and it is quite interesting to see how they are each displaying a little bit of our own personalities while they develop their own.
It's been a crazy 5 months since they've been home. Malissa has had a rough time dealing with all three when there is no one home and I am at work. Unfortunately my job keeps me out of the house on average 12 hours each day, so by the time I come home, Melissa is exhausted from dealing with all babies. I try and help out by getting up in the middle of the night when one or two wake up to get fed.
We've also been busy with doctor's appointments which thank goodness have stopped in frequency. We have yet to purchase a minivan- looking for a specific kind at a price we can deal with (Remember - 1 income household now)So it is quite the trek when we are going somewhere with all 3 of them, being to church or appointments. Currently we have to take both cars with two babies in one and the third one in another car.
Melissa's mom comes to the house from time to time to help out. The kids also help out a lot. I think that combination has helped Melissa to maintain her sanity. On my days off, it is my turn to do most of the baby duties, though of course as long as Melissa is in the house, she helps.
Never for one moment in my life did I think I was going to be raising multiple babies. Sometimes when they are asleep or just sitting in their swings playing, I stare and stare in disbelief. What happened? How did it happen? Was this all planned by the all mighty God? because I didn't plan for this and neither did Melissa. I am not regretting it, I am just amazed at all the twists and turns that life takes. One day you are driving along PCH making plans to travel to exotic places now that the "kids are older" Next thing you know, you are installing car seats in your cars, setting up play pens, remaking a den into a nursery.
Life comes at you fast. You better be ready.

CECILIA

Cecilia has been home for 4 days now. Both Cecilia and Charlie should have been here but Charlie pulled out her G-tube completely out of her stomach. Of course this caused an infection somewhere in her tummy after the doctors replaced the G-Tube, so she was checked back into the NICU. This all happened Sunday. One day before they both were ready to be discharged. Both had passed all kinds of tests (including the car seat)..

I am posting this today December 9, 2011. (I started it on February- and never finished it)

ROUTINE

Its midnight.
Catherine has been wake since about eight at night and with each hour that passes, I hope she goes to sleep so I can put her in her bed.
There is only so many news channels or Great Discovery Channel shows you can watch before you are just completely tired and yet, she is still awake.
Every now and the she lets out a whimper which is bound to become a cry for food.
After eating (Do they eat at this age?) about two ounces of formula and a slight burp, she pretends that she is asleep.
Finally I can put her down so I can also go to sleep.
Wrong. As soon as I put her down she wakes up.
There goes another ounce of formula.
By now it is two o'clock and we both feel asleep. Me with a crooked neck and her over my chest.
I get up and take her to her room. Gently place her in her bed waiting for a loud cry but she only lets out a small cry. I wait by her crib in case she wakes up crying but this time I got lucky. It is now about two thirty as I climb into bed.
Melissa stirs into bed not knowing that in about three hours it will be her turn to change diapers, get a bottle ready with formula and start her day.
Hopefully I can sleep till about ten in the morning but also knowing that by eight, I will be up.
And this is only with one baby. Wait till the other two come home (Perhaps Sunday)

TRIPLETS UPDATE II

Last post here on Blogger was around Halloween and I have been fairly busy during all that time. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Visits to the hospital, family in town, Vacation at work, Stressing from work, you name it.
I've been waiting to keep this blog a little more up to date with the goings on around my babies (Well, Melissa's babies too- she did most of the work).
Another milestone is quickly approaching. First it was the birth of the 3C's, then came the arrival of Catherine at home. That was back in early December. Throughout all that time, Cecilia and Charlie haven't had such a great time at the hospital, though they are growing at a good pace, 8 pounds back and forth lately, they are having issues with keeping their food down. The doctors have changed their formula to a heavier cereal type and that has helped, some days the eat all of their bottle without spitting up and some days, they just do not want to eat. At this rate they could stay in the hospital for a while and we do not want that. We've been expecting them home for well over a month now and there is no progress.
So, the milestone now is going to be a quick operation on them to install a feeding tube while also tightening the top of their stomachs to avoid any more acid reflux.
This is going to allow for them to come home. We hope that this will help them get over their issues while they get all the personal attention they need and crave.
They've been off of oxygen for a while, so the only issue has been the feeding and their issue with reflux- Charlie more so than Cecilia.
It's been rough the last couple of months. With splitting time between work, home, hospital visits at 11:00 or 11:00PM (After I get out of work)and also tending to our two pre-teens, who are a great help.
It is also rough on Melissa on the weekends when I work long hours and into the morning; which means when I get home all I want to do is sleep, but since it is the time when Catherine wakes up to eat, I stay up with her usually into 6-6:30 in the morning. I am not complaining. She is a great baby so far.
She sleeps at regular intervals so we know when she'll be asleep, crying, or eating, sometimes she will also stay up and just chill for a good three hours.
All of that is going to change when Cecilia and Charlie come home. It is going to take a huge adjustment for all of us. As of right now, I am on medical leave for a few weeks to help with their care and transition into home. Once we settle on a routine for them, it will be time to go back to work.
Until then, I hope to keep you updated more often in the next feww weeks.

Halloween and Dia de Muertos Images

From Den to Nursery.

Different stages of the room conversion. It used to be my den/office and with the upcoming arrival of the girls, the room had to b e turned into a nursery. A big task considering that it was a room with 3 walls and a big opening into the living room down below. My father in law and brother in law offered to help out (They are contractors) so what seemed like a big task for me turned out to be a quick side job for them. Of course they did it for the girls and they will eventually know that.


What the room looked like to begin with after a first attempt at painting it (Melissa) with a fairly dark brown color. - An unfinished project since we did not care for the color once it went onto the wall.





Rick after removing the glass panels and measuring for new walls



Scaffolding up to place sheet rock and later for painting





Closet framed and in place




Walls finished, textured, painted and ready for removal of scaffolding.










Door in (needs a knob)


Contrasting colors


Wooden floor ready to go down

TRIPLETS UPDATE

Hello all.

The Girls are doing wonderful according to the doctors despite the PDA -technical term for their little heart issue-.

Nothing that the doctors haven't seen, particularly with multiples. However, our babies are doing well including beginning feeding from their mom's milk.
Of course the doctor also explained that the babies will do well one day then they may have a bad day on another time, etc. But overall, they are on the right path.

Thank you for your thoughts.

Now on to finishing their nursery.

CHARLIE

Charlie was the last baby that the doctors found at the beginning of pregnancy and once we spoke to the specialist, the suggestion was made to consider terminating 1 baby because of the inherent dangers of carrying triplets. Charlie was also the smallest of all three babies but eventually she gained up on Cecilia on weight and size.

Charlie so far is having issues outside of the womb. her heart rate is slightly higher and the pressure in her little lungs is higher than expected. According to the doctors, a couple of valves that should have closed after birth have not done so and that may require medicine and or surgery. This is worrying Melissa and me as well, though our reactions are different. She is the mom who's carried them all this time so her being upset is more natural and warranted.
We've also seen them, touched them, and spoken to them. A connection has been established so the though of loosing any of them is upsetting.

I'm just rambling here.

I am worried
i don't want our babies to suffer much less to die.
We re hopeful that she will be fine and no surgery will be needed.
We need all prayers and support for her right now.

Melissa is doing great in recovery. She's been walking around the maternity floor and throughout on her own. Hopefully she will be out of the hospital by tomorrow or Sunday the latest.

I am a father of natural triplets

Today October 13, I became a father again for the second time. Only this time to 3 little girls.
Catherine Elia, Cecilia Marie and Charlie Lucille. They were born right before 11:00pm right at the 29 week mark. We were trying to hold out a little longer but I guess they were eager to make their grand entrance. Melissa's water broke on Saturday afternoon and she checked into the hospital. At the time, the doctors told her that she may have to be on bed-rest anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks. This in order to give the babies more time to develop. However it wasn't meant to be. Babies heart
Rate began to spike and Melissa was developing an infection so the doctor had to make a decision and deliver the babies.

Cecilia Marie - 2.8oz 14 inches at birth


Catherine Elia - 2.11oz 14.4 inches at birth


Charlie Lucile - 2.5oz. 15 inches at birth


I will update with more details as they progress.

ON TRACK

All good with the babies, though Melissa is getting more uncomfortable as she gets bigger.
Last week's visit to the doctor made things a lot more real when he said that the babies were doing so good that if there were any issues and they had to come out, they would be "OK", of course with a prolonged stay at hospital. Knowing that they could be here anytime made us realize that the house was nto ready to receive them. The following day we went to the store, got paint, looked at flooring, and began to move everything out of the den.
Pictures above are o fthe room to change and Anthony and his Papa(Grandfather) helping with remodeling.

GREAT NEWS

Forget about the post below. Look at the previous one and you will see that there is a lot to talk about.
Back at the beginning of May, it was one baby, then twins. Well, the good news is that it is triplets.

TRIPLETS!
Yes. Triplets. Melissa is in her sixth month and doing good so far considering the "load" she is carrying.
That is not all.
We got married on September 11 of all days. A happy day for us spent with family and friends. (Pictures to come)

Work is work.I still need to find another job. I am still happy with our staff an place but I do need a new challenge.

There. My life for the last 5 moths.
You've been updated.

2 BABIES ON BOARD

The biggest surprise in the world came in the form of a baby scan. Melissa went back to the OBGYN for an update and conformation of the pregnancy (due date). The doctor had trouble finding the embryo and after a couple of trips to the bathroom to clear her bladder, the doctor was able to "find" the embryo and to confirm that not only was there one but what appeared to be a "cyst" or the "bladder', turned out to be another embryo.
So there we have it. We are having twins.
My mouth was wide open at the finding and complete surprise. Melissa was laughing nervously, for we both knew that neither one of us had any twins in our family history.
So what were the odds and why? the doctor could only say that twins had to start "somewhere". The odd also increase when you are past 30 (due to hormonal changes) and as a side note, Melissa found that the chances are 3 in 100.
Quite an exciting time, since we are getting married in about 4 months- Wasn't it yesterday that I just proposed to her?
Didn't we just find out about 3 weeks ago that she was pregnant?
And now twins?

Wow!
Wow!
I still can't believe it.

BABY ON BOARD

There is a new baby on the way and it is ours.
Kind of unplanned but welcomed. Crazy thing was that just a few weeks ago we had gone to a fertility clinic for an exam since Melissa was not getting pregnant even though we had not used any kind of protection at least for the last 4 years.
After the regular tests, it turned out that there wasn't anything wrong with either one. So, the doctor asked Melissa to go back when she got her period next.
Well, 45 days went by and no sign of the "evil".
She bought a couple of those over the counter tests and Voila! they all came up positive.

We are all happy, including our two grown up kids (11 and soon to be 12)

It's been a while but it was also time.

"Four's Love"

As part of the new me, I have decided to join the gym. Running and biking has kept me in good shape but I think I can do better. I soon will be 45 and I know i gotta take care of myself. I do want to be around for the long haul. There are many chapters yet to be written in my life book.
A new chapter is about to begin, though Melissa and I have been together for a long time, this indeed is a new beginning.
I see life as a series of chapters, what Buddhists would refer to as Karma I think. There are also all kinds of people during different parts of our lives as well as different locations where we end up living and working. Your true friends and or family are those that no matter the circumstances or the distance, are a constant in your life. The rest are all part of the chapters in your life who will be that. Past chapters only to be remembered from time to time. Though at the time they may have influenced you in ways that perhaps still resonate with you.
I look forward to this new chapter called, "Four's Love"

Return of a Man Called Horse

I thought of this movie for the title of my post because it is one of my favorite Westerns by Richard Harris
It is time consuming and sometimes hard to try and keep up with email addresses, blogs, facebook and all this social media crap that we're getting addicted too, so I deleted the 44 year old groom blog and instead I am staying with my original -Ramblings.
I can continue posting everything about the upcoming wedding as well as any other thoughts I have as I have been doing for the last 5 years, though perhaps not as frequently. Work takes up a large amount of my living hours. It keeps me away from family, friends, loved ones. Why must it be this way? However, I still have to make a living and pay bills (Some unnecessary).
Anyways. A lot is happening at work with people leaving, moving, job interviews, some BS and more of the same. If I was at any other job, I am sure I would be dealing with the same issues.
I guess ultimately I am the one in control of my time and I have to make sure I make the best of it, particularly when it comes to family.
So, which one of my kids is looking for "Lesbian Sex" and other porno related info while doing their homework on the Internet? huummmm. I guess they haven't figured out that they have to delete their search history, particularly when searching for naughtiness. It should be an interesting conversation.

The wedding, 7 months away and approaching like a bullet train. It was only 3 months ago that I proposed to Melissa and we've made good progress (Actually mostly her effort) Things are progressing quite well and most everything is lined up. I still have to find a tux, limos and hotel rooms for the day of the event.

Oh yeah! I almost forgot. AVATAR. Add it to my list of favorite movies.
Till Next Time!