Walkers.
We have a walker, and 2 very close!! As always, Robin has been a step ahead, this time quite literally! He took his first 2 or 3 steps, then with a lot of practicing, wobbling and bottom splats, finally seemed to get it after about 10 days. The other 2 are hot on his heels and watching him with admiration. Honestly, this boy looks so incredibly proud of himself! He still very much prefers to crawl because he is FAST on all 4s, but he will be running before I can blink I'm sure!
I know lots will become more challenging once they are on their feet, but so much will become easier in the same breath. Let the adventure continue, onwards and upwards!
First proper word.
It's Will! He says Daddy, really clearly! It's insanely cute when he sees James and pipes up.
Plastic, plastic and more plastic.
James and I were really careful with what we bought before kids came along. We absolutely hate the single use plastic waste issue there is. Waste in general to be honest. We recycle everything we can and use reusable and second hand as much as we can. Nearly everything we own has had a life before, all the way down to the carpets and my hand made curtains. We tried reusable nappies with Jack, but unfortunately we couldn't make them work for us. We had bought them second hand and sold them on again. We didn't even entertain the idea with these 3. The reuseable wipes we use are half threadbare, but still brilliant, and a million times better than disposable ones.
Anyway, as you can imagine, our waste has drastically increased. Nappies and formula tubs z now milk bottles are the obvious ones. A lot of it has been recyclable in soft plastics and the boots recycle scheme. But a HUGE amount hasn't been. I have heard about a few places that collect nappies, but I never looked it up when it came to it. I seem to remember it involving some coordination or something. I can't remember, but there would be a reason I didn't sign up.
As well as the obvious stuff that we all complain about, all baby stuff is plastic. It's the most practical thing, so I can't complain, but it's a relentless amount of plastic bottles, plastic cups, plastic plates, cutlery, bibs, sterilisers, teething toys, dummies, toys, safety stuff, baby gates, car seats. You get the idea. I have taken pictures of the first things I looked at in the kitchen. I dread to think about our carbon footprint. Nearly all of the stuff we continue to use is second hand already, and has a lot of life left in it, but still.
The destroyers
You would assume that toys for babies and toddlers would be pretty bomb proof. Nothing that could break off or create sharp edges. Apparently nothing is triplet proof. They manage to wreck so much stuff!! They had loads of nice, hard back, thick cardboard books which have come to us via a number of homes. Within a few weeks of them crawling, they are dust. They throw them around and then sit on them or something. I don't know what happens but the spines get snapped, then the pages get ripped out and before I know it there's bits of it all over the house! Some of the books have even been eaten! I really do try to read to them and show them what the books are for, but these kids are from another planet!
Even the safest toys are dangerous when there's 3 babies
Who knew a rattle, or even a book could be dangerous for kids. Babies toys are supposed to be the safest there are, right? Wrong! We have had a bust lip from a face collision with a rattle. A cut head from a crack from a toy car. And we often get screams when somebody has been looking at a book, and another sits on it while fingers are still inside. Who knew books could be dangerous?
Relationship changes
We often talk about how much our relationship has changed as a couple since we had Jack. Things are so, so different. But it's bound to be. We have gone from a couple to a team, but we talk often of when we will return to being a couple. In hindsight, it's not far away at all, but sometimes it feels like it's a lifetime away. We are seeing a little smattering more of each other. We have even managed to watch a couple of series with each other over the last couple of months. I actually had my feet on his lap for the first time since he needed to help me put my socks on! We also took advantage of the kids being in nursery a few weeks ago, and went for a walk!! Child free!!!! I felt like I was walking on air up the hill. No pram, no carrier, no nappy bags, no bottles! Bliss! We look forward to more of these (very short) days together once the kids get more childcare cover. Things will gradually creep back to us sharing a room together again, and I will have to leave my boys in their own room.
Dummies
I'm back on this again. They became a non issue, and I was all for them to keep naps synced, they also didn't stir much for them in the night. But I'm back off them now. I have had an absolutely horrific week with dummies, followed by 2 very bad nights sleep. I wonder if there is a bit of a sleep regression going on as they are not often unsettled like this. There is also a chance its the congestion from their cough, or jabs. Or are they too warm or cold? Or teeth? Back to nursery bugs?
Either way, snotty noses and dummies don't mix. They can't breathe well, so want a bit of comfort and want the dummy, but with the dummy in, they can't breathe.... it's a nightmare. So we plan to get rid, again.
Sam was my first victim. He has always been the worst one for just lying there and screaming until a dummy is given to him. Often, he won't even accept it in his hand, it has to be put into his mouth before he is happy. He is also a nightmare with a snotty nose and a dummy. He gets so upset. So, sorry Sam, you're first. It took 3 nights and he has been brilliant. Night 1 he shouted and I brought him into bed with me. He woke up 3 or 4 times screaming and took a few minutes to settle, but he eventually gave up and went to sleep. The second night the screaming was much angrier, but for shorter stretches. Night 3, he just needed a shush and a bottom pat. He was great! Now for the next 2!
I'm working on William, but it's been an awful week. Night 1 was great, night 2 he just wouldn't settle, it actually turned out that he couldn't, he had restless legs! Poor little man was trying to sleep but his legs were flailing all over the place. Something I am keeping a close eye on now.
Update, we had a few bad nights and used a bottle to settle them and now this is becoming a problem. You climb one mountain and another appears.
Easter holidays.
I won't lie, it was HARD!!! The babies were ace, but they take up a LOT of time. A meal, plus cleaning up after them can take up to 1.5 hours. Not ideal when there is toddler in the house. He wasn't understanding at all over the holidays, and he hit the tantrums with full force. I tried to arrange to have someone, or a play date set up for each morning and afternoon. One day didn't work out and I had all 4 on my own for the afternoon. No problem, the weather was good and Jack had been fine so far. He decided that git mode was going to kick in that afternoon. He disagreed with EVERYTHING I said, and everything ended up in a tantrum. Wrong cup, wrong food, wrong games, wrong clothes, you name it, it was wrong. The rest of the week continued the same. Even when I said that I thought I had seen the Easter bunny hopping about, and should we go and see if she has left something, he said no! I could not wait for nursery to start again!
Pretending we only have 1 baby when the others are asleep
One of the boys regularly wakes up before the other 2, often a long time before. We cherish these times and often joke about how easy it would be with just 1 baby! Not to say that having 2 kids is easy, at all!
Saying that, I often have people tell me they had 3 kids under 4, so it's pretty similar to having triplets. Eeeeeeerm, no. I'm sorry, but I don't think it is. Someone pointed out that there's 3 newborn babies to feed through the night. 3 at a time getting ill. 3 in one go to wean. 3 all starting to crawl at the same time. 3 that have absolutely no understanding of dangers. 3 with curiosity that's through the roof and wanting to be into everything. 3 lots of fingers that can get trapped in doors. The list goes on.
I can't imagine how difficult it must be with 3 similar ages though. I praise Jack so often with his understanding, thoughtfulness and being able and willing to help.
100% 3 times the fun!!
Sense of smell.
I have always had a strong sense of smell. I even looked in to possible jobs I could get when I was going through a particularly rough financial period of my life. I decided I would keep searching when I realised that I would probably just end up sniffing armpits to test anti perperants. Stacking boxes and bar work was much more appealing, however, working in a bar with an hangover and an acceptionally strong sense of smell was pretty gruelling.
I always say and mostly believe that everything happens for a reason. And my strong sense of smell, finally has a reason. I am the ultimate sniffer out of poo and puke. I seem to be the only one who can smell it from a distance. I can sniff out a poo from outside the room, and to me, it is potent! I feel like the child catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang with the way I walk around with my honk in the air, trying to detect the location of the wiff.
Rob the drama queen.
Robins recent drama acting has elevated a little. He has started to put his arm through the baby gate and scream like it has been chopped off. He slides down the gate crying, then simply pulls his arm back through and goes about his day.
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