Coconut Oil for Diaper Rash

I've been telling everyone this story, so I figured I'd just post it on the blog.  Back in November, Tali developed a nasty diaper rash and I tried just about every cream on the market to no avail.  Our first pediatrician that we were using for the triplets prescribed a cream and that didn't work.  The doctor than prescribed a very expensive cream and that didn't work either.  Frustrated I turned to the internet and tried to find a solution.  I read that coconut oil could work for a yeast diaper rash, because it has anti-fungal properties.  I figured it wouldn't hurt to try and after the first use I noticed an improvement.  Tali's diaper rash cleared up completely using only coconut oil.  It did have a drawback; the rash does come back, but it is definitely better than anything that the doctor prescribed.  Now that I have the problem somewhat under control, I'm going to try using apple cider vinegar to permanently clear the rash.  It just goes to show that sometimes something more natural can do a much more thorough job than expensive prescription medicines.

Hand Print Ornaments

Since the triplets are very tactile at this time, I thought it would be fun to do a play dough craft this week.  On Saturday I made some play dough and let the kids explore.  I supervised so as they wouldn't also make craft time breakfast time.  I was kind of surprised that they weren't that into it.  It didn't keep them entertained for even five minutes.
On Sunday, we made ornament hand prints.  I thought they would be a little too young to get a good impression, but they actually turned out pretty good.  I made sure to dampen the dough before pressing their hands into it.  I also placed the babies on their stomachs as if they were doing tummy time.  I placed their hands on the pre-rolled and cut dough, flattened out their fingers, and gently applied pressure to their little hands.  Here's how they turned out (below the photo is a link to the blog in which I found the instructions):

http://makeitcozee.blogspot.com/2011/12/how-to-make-handprint-ornament.html

Beauty

"The best and most beautiful thing in life cannot be seen, not touched, but are felt in the heart."~Hellen
Keller

I had a gentleman come up to me in the store the other day and among other things he told me, "you know, I often see babies, and I think to myself, 'wow, that baby's ugly'.  Of course, I don't say that to the mother, but I have to say, all three  of your babies are beautiful."

It was an interesting thing to hear and I have to admit, there are times that I've wondered how the rest of the world views my babies.  Of course, I think that my babies are the most beautiful things I've ever seen.  This quote tugged at my heart, especially coming from Hellen Keller.  It doesn't matter how my babies look or how the world views my little ones.  From the day I found out I was pregnant I thought they were beautiful, because I felt it in my heart.  Sure, it makes me feel good to hear that my opinion is shared by strangers, but this quote is a reminder to me why I believe my babies are beautiful.

The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities-Stephen Covey

Now that we've been working on a different schedule for a little while, I've made a few tweaks.  The trips now only take two naps.  I originally scheduled their afternoon nap to be an hour and a half and their morning nap to be one hour. I found that they will sleep the entire nap in the morning, but not in the afternoon.  I've just now decided to change their bedtime routine.  We were feeding them formula at 5:30pm and then solids right afterwards and then feeding them formula again at 6:30pm.  I decided to take the first evening formula away and instead feed them a family dinner.  I give them bite sized portions of what Jenya and I eat for dinner (well, at least what they can eat) and then I feed them their baby food afterwards.  I started this tonight. Jenya and I had chicken tortilla soup and corn bread.  I gave the triplets corn bread and avocado (we had avocado in the soup).  They loved it.  Last change, I now do shorter jogs on Tuesdays and Thursdays, ending the jog in the park, where I push the triplets in a swing.  On Saturday, we have family day in the park instead of a jog.  Here is a video of the triplets swinging:

Changes on the Horizon

I've been having troubles coming up with new blog posts.  Sure; I don't have to blog everyday, but I know that if I don't make it a part of my daily routine it won't get done at all.  So I've decided to have daily topics.  Starting Sunday here is how my posts will be structured:

Sunday- Inspirational Quote
Monday- Craft project
Tuesday- Recipe
Wednesday- Health, fitness, and beauty
Thursday- Tips and advice
Friday- Stepanov Family news
Saturday- Small Acts of Kindness

I'll also be labeling the post for user friendliness (I know not everyone will be interested in each topic).  I tried to keep the topics focused on my interests, so hopefully you'll find it interesting too.

Baby Food Update

So now that its been over a week since I started making the babies' meals I thought I'd post a quick update.  Its been going great and I use the book Super Baby Food often.  Just as a side note to anyone that is looking into this book, I do have a few criticisms.  First of all the overall layout is horrendous!   The author is constantly back referencing and pretty much has you flipping through the entire (lengthy) book constantly.  The order is just not user friendly at all and this makes it a lot more confusing then it could be.  The author is also very wordy and its hard to weed through the unnecessary tips and other needless information.  When you're raising triplets its hard enough to find time to read a book.  Also, her recommendation for portion sizes are WAY off.  The triplets share a meal designed for one eight month old (and that is usually a big full bowl).  The last criticism, it is a vegetarian diet and it doesn't mention that before you get well into the book.  That's no problem, but the author suggests supplementing meat protein with nuts at a very early age.  Nuts are an allergenic and should not be given to young babies.  I had to buy a separate book in order to learn how to feed the triplets meats.  Anyway here is how I have their meals planned:

Breakfast:  1/2 cup of yogurt, 1/2 a large avocado, 1 banana, and two food 'ice' cubes of a vitamin c fruit
                 (usually strawberries or cantaloupe)- All mixed together (its really good.  I eat the left overs)
Lunch: 3 food 'ice' cubes of brown rice porridge, 1 super green veggie food 'ice' cube (they can only have
            spinach right now), 1 vitamin a veggie food 'ice' cube (either sweet potato or carrot), 1 vitamin c food
            'ice' cube (the fruit they didn't have for breakfast), and 1/2 a banana- All mixed together
Dinner: (more like dessert at this point) 4 food 'ice' cubes of blueberry cobbler made with blueberries,
            oatmeal, cinnamon, vanilla, and maple syrup- Once they are used to eating dinner, this is where I'll
            add the meat meal.
I was really skeptical on how they would eat their new food, but I was pleasantly surprised that they love it!

FYI:  I didn't post last night, because the trips had a little meltdown at bedtime.  Instead of being on my computer, Charli Kate decided I needed to join her on a 'midnight' stroll to help calm her down.  It happens sometimes and it was a beautiful night to be out.  I actually enjoyed it.  I don't remember the last time I was outside after the sun went down.

Mardi Gras

Today was Fat Tuesday and I thought it would be fun to celebrate Mardi Gras with the kids. This weekend during our crafts, I let the kids rip and crinkle purple, yellow and green construction paper and then I stranded the pieces together to form a garland.

In celebration of Mardi Gras, I read to the kids about the history of Mardi Gras, King Cake, and the Mardi Gras Indians (from http://www.hellokids.com/r_1097/reading-online/holidays/fat-tuesday).  I dressed the kids in Mardi Gras colors; Charli Kate wore purlple (which stands for justice), Adrik wore green (which stands for faith), and Tali wore yellow (which stands for power).  It was a pretty fun celebration.

Top Five Questions I get Asked

Having triplets generates a lot of attention.  We get stopped constantly, so I decided it would be fun to post the top questions that I'm asked (not including the obvious i.e. how old are they and what are their genders):

5.    Q: Did you have them naturally? (other versions; do multiples run in your family)
       A:  No. (Warning; may be TMI) I did take injectable fertility medicine which was horrible.  Everyday for about two weeks I had to give myself a shot in the stomach and every other day I had to get my blood drawn and go into the doctor's office to keep track of how the medication was effecting me.  When it was determined that I would produce enough eggs for a good possibility that I would be pregnant (in my case, we had three eggs.  I guess we know exactly where they ended up), I gave myself a final shot to force ovulation.  After that I had two rounds of IUI (if you want to learn more about IUI click on the link).
     It's funny because the procedure that we did has a low chance of multiples, let alone triplets.  We actually discussed this with our doctor and she told us, "not to worry.  We had a better chance of getting struck by lightning than having multiples." I guess some things are just meant to happen.


4.     Q: How do you go shopping alone with all three of them?
        A: It's pretty easy.  We go everyday as a part of our schedule.  There's two reasons for this; the babies know what to expect and actually look forward to our trip to the store and I can only buy enough groceries to fit inside a reusable shopping bag.  I hook the shopping bag onto the handle to the stroller and fill it up as I go.  We do get stopped constantly, but I've learned to not stop and ignore people when I'm in a hurry.  The babies never cry during our shopping trip.  They love it.


3.      Q: Did you carry them?  (usually followed by, but you're so tiny)
         A:  As most of you know, I did carry the triplets and we did not have a saregate (not sure about the spelling).  Its a misconception that only larger people can carry multiples.  My skin stretches like everyone else's.  The only down side is that taller women can usually carry longer than shorter women.  But I did pretty good.  At least we have three healthy babies.


2.     Q:  How do you manage all three? (or Do you have help?)
        A:  For the majority of the day it's just me and the babies.  I did have help from my mom when they first came home (for about two months), but after I figured out how to handle things myself she enjoyed the rest of her summer vacation and I knew I could call if I needed help.  It's actually not as hard as I thought it would be.  You just have to have a good schedule that works for everyone.


1.    Q:  Are those triplets?  (Strangest version of this question, You didn't have all of those at once?)
       A:  Yes they are triplets.  I've often wondered what people thought when they asked this question.  Do they think that they are just close in age?  Do they think I'm a babysitter for multiple families?  Do they think that the girls are twins and I have a boy close in age?  I don't know; I guess to me it will always be obvious that they are triplets.

Anyway, here is a video.  Just because it's cute.

     

Every Day is a Good Day to Succeed

I contemplated on whether I should use this topic as a post only to decide that I should be proud of my accomplishment.  If it comes across as bragging, so be it.  I am ecstatic to say that I have lost all my pregnancy weight.  It has taken ten months and a lot of hard work.  When I was pregnant with the triplets, I gained seventy-five pounds (and I was not one of those pretty pregnant women that looked so cute with the perfect round little bump in the middle of her belly.  I was huge and swollen all over).  I'm often asked what my secret was for shedding the pounds.  There really wasn't a miracle pill or anything secret about my weight loss.  I lost most of the weight through breast feeding (sixty pounds worth).  The rest was good old diet and exercise.  I limited my caloric intake.  I had only fruits and veggies throughout the day and then one home cooked meal.  Fruits and vegetables were a big part of my success.  I made sure I got at least seven servings a day.  Then I worked in an exercise schedule that was great for me and the kids; we would go out for about an hour.  We would run for thirty minutes and then we would briskly walk the remainder of the time.  They would sleep in their stroller while I pushed them.  It got to the point where I was kind of lost on wet or rainy days.  We would all get stir crazy and wouldn't know what to do.  Now that I've lost the weight I'm not as restrictive as before but I still try to eat as healthy as possible.  It's about being healthy and feeling great. Now I just wish I were like a snake and had the ability to shed my loose, stretch mark pocked skin.  Bikini this year?  I think those days are over.

Me, Jenya, and Adrik a couple of weeks after I had the kids

 Me, the kids, and Penny today

Family Visit

Today we enjoyed a visit from our family from Florida, Houston, and my mom and dad from Belton.  It was so great to see everyone and the triplets had a blast being the center of attention.

Back, left to right: Tali, Amanda, Sara, Charli Kate, and Jorge
Front, left to right: Ryan, Adrik, Yahaira

Pictures

I don't really have anything to blog about today so I'm just going to post some pictures of the kids.  Hopefully it will brighten your dreary Friday and Saturday.

Birthday Evite

I can't believe the triplets' birthday is right around the corner.  I've been planning their party for awhile now, but just now started the REAL work of party planning.  Since around November, the babies have been really into Mickey Mouse, so the party will be Mickey Mouse themed.  We'll serve hot dogs (anyone who knows Mickey could have guessed that one).  Here is a link to the Evite.  I'm also sending out invitations and, of course, I will be posting information here: http://new.evite.com/#view_invite:eid=02D1MDVWTUTCHIKMAEPBLDJ4KERZLA
Hope to see you there!

Tummy Time

From 11am-11:30am, we have tummy time.  At least we try to have tummy time.  It is the triplets least favorite part of the day, so we usually don't last the entire thirty minutes.  Tummy time is exactly what it sounds like; I set them on their tummies and try to keep them entertained.

Don't be fooled.  Charli Kate only started smiling when I pulled the camera out.

Adrik having fun playing his piano.

And this is how Tali spent her tummy time today.

Our New Doctor

Today we went to check out a new doctor for the triplets, Dr. Robert Umstattd, DO of Family Medicine here in Georgetown.  I really liked Dr. Umstattd and I think that he will be a better fit for our family.  I was impressed when his first question was what we are feeding the triplets and after giving our answer he commented, "Well, it seems like you already know the importance of organic."  Here is a little more information on Dr. Umstattd and the type of medical philosophy that he applies taken from the Family Medicine website:
"Dr. W. Robert Umstattd, DO graduated from University of Texas at Austin in 1974 with a Bachelor of Arts in Micro-Biology with honors. He graduated from the University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX in 1979 - top 10 in his class.  Dr. Umstattd became board certified in Family Practice with the American College of Osteopathic Family Practitioners in 1991.  He currently has hospital privileges at St. David's Georgetown Hospital.

Dr. Umstattd has practiced medicine in the Georgetown, TX  area since 1981 , where he provides families with the best possible medical care. 


If you're like most people, you're not quite sure what a D.O. - a Doctor of Osteopathy - really is.

You may even think an osteopathic physician is someone to see only when you have a problem with your bones or your back.

That's a common mistake. Actually D.O.s are fully trained and licensed to practice in all phases of medicine in all 50 states. They are complete doctors who offer their patients something extra.

Osteopathic physicians perform surgery, treat patients and prescribe medicine in hospitals and offices across the country, and in all branches of the armed services. And these D.O. general practitioners, surgeons and other specialists use all tools of the modern medicine to detect and treat disease.

But they also do more. They are specially trained to perform osteopathic manipulation. That's a technique in which osteopathic physicians use their hands to diagnosis illness and treat patients.

They pay particular attention to your joints, bones, muscles and nerves. As a result of manipulation, your circulation is often improved. And a normal blood and nerve supply help your body to heal itself.

Osteopathic physicians treat patients in a special way too. They look at the whole person, not just the part that's sick, such as your arm or leg. They are concerned about all of you."

They know that what happens in one part of your body affects other parts, too. That's why most D.O.s are family doctors. They care for the whole person."

Happy Valentine's

Okay, so I know that today isn't actually Valentine's Day, but by the time I post tomorrow it will be practically over.  So I wanted to take the time to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day and to brag about my man.  Not only is he a wonderful dad, but he has really stepped up to the plate.  He has changed dirty diapers, helped me with feeding the kids, and comforted screaming babies (something most men probably wouldn't do).  Not only has he done these things, but he works full time so that we have a roof over our heads and food on our plates, goes to school for his master's degree and he stills takes out the garbage at the end of the night.  Lately, he has even been tiding the the living room while I've been putting the kids down for bed.  Jenya, I love you!  I'm so fortunate to have you as my  husband and the father of our kids.  Happy Valentine's Day (I hope you appreciate this post, because, besides the Valentine's Day lunch that I'm preparing tomorrow, this is all your getting).

Independent Play Time

From 10:15am until about 11:00am we have Independent Play Time with stations.  I set up the exersaucer, the Johnny jumper, and the Pack and Play in the hallway and place one child in each station.  While they play, I get the laundry done.  After fifteen minutes I switch their stations.  It works out great; it teaches them to entertain themselves and they don't get bored by being in one place for forty-five minutes and I get some chores done.

Lessons, Story Time, and Crafts

Our first activity for the day (besides a formula feeding) is one of three things; lessons (Mon, Wed, Fri), story time (Tues, Thurs), or crafts (Sat, Sun).  For our lessons I do developmental activities that come out of a book called Slow and Study Get Me Ready.  In the book there are weekly activities beginning at birth and going through age five. The kids love it; they do thinks like throwing a ball, playing peek-a-boo, knocking down blocks, and ripping up paper. For Christmas I got each one of the kids a thick book of illustrated fairy tales.  This is what I use for story time. There aren't too many crafts that we can do, but we try a little bit of coloring and I explain the different colors.  Today we put ink on our hands and made hand print hearts to decorate for Valentines Day.  I think we're going to try to finger paint with yogurt tomorrow.  To do these activities, I line them up in their Bumbo seats with me in the middle.  Here's a picture of them getting into their lessons basket.

It's a New Dawn, It's a New Day, It's a New Life

Today was our first day with a new schedule.  As you can probably imagine, a good schedule is crucial for raising triplets.  We had had our previous schedule for awhile now and it was starting to become pretty apparent it was time to change it up.  You can only take so many mornings of waking up at 4am (or earlier) and 30 minute mini-naps that should have lasted an hour.  So here is what our day looks like on paper:

5:00am     First formula feeding and finger foods
6:00am     Diaper change and finger foods
6:15am     Developmental lessons (Mon, Wed, Fri), Story time (Tues, Thurs), Crafts (Sat, Sun)
7:00am     Breakfast
7:30am     Get dressed and brush teeth (optional diaper change)
8:00am     Nap
9:00am     Second formula feeding and finger foods
10:00am   Diaper change and finger foods
10:15am   Independent play in stations (Exersaucer, Johnny Jumper, and Pack and Play)
11:15am   Tummy time
12:00pm   Lunch
12:15pm   Free Time
12:40pm   Diaper Change and brush teeth
1:00pm     Nap
2:30pm     Formula and finger foods
3:30pm     Diaper change and finger foods
4:00pm     Grocery shopping
4:30pm     Jogging
5:30pm     Formula feeding
6:00pm     Dinner
6:30pm     Diaper change and PJ's and brush teeth(bath on Tues, Thurs, Sat)
7:00pm     Bedtime snack
7:30pm     Bedtime
So far it worked out pretty well.  Between 11am and 2pm was the most difficult change.  They are used to eating lunch at 11, napping at noon, and drinking formula at 1pm.  They were a bit fussy from 11-1pm and Charli Kate woke 15 minutes early from their afternoon nap, but it wasn't too bad.  The real test will be seeing how they sleep tonight. I'm going to write a series with further description (and pictures) of the activities we do during the day.  Tomorrow I'll post about out lessons.

Rub-A-Dub-Dub Three Babies in a Tub

A couple of days ago, I tried out giving all three babies a bath at once.  I got everything I would need ready including their PJ's and diapers, and changing pad, towels, wash cloth, and their Bumbo seats.  The girls are both proficient in sitting, but Adrik is still quite a bit wobbly so I thought I should use their seats.  It worked out great and they had a blast.  So tonight, we did it again, this time while Daddy was at school.  Again, we had success.  This is great because not only will it save time with the bath, but on the nights that Jenya is home I have to cook dinner and it was always a challenge to fit everything in.  Now on Tuesdays and Thursdays we can have our family lunch and in the evenings I can give the babies their baths.  Here is a video of their first bath together.

Super Baby Foods

I haven't really had any clear direction on how to feed my babies.  Up until now my approach had been to just feed them solids twice a day and go by the Gerber system of stages.  Then I decided to purchase a book called Super Baby Foods.  I thought it would give me more of a direction when it came to meal time and since my kids were having troubles with more solid solids I thought maybe the book would give me tips on how to transition from pureed meals to solid food.  I received the book in the mail yesterday and have pretty much read all that is necessary for me to start the Super Baby Foods system.  I've got to admit, I was taking the entirely wrong approach when it came to feeding my triplets.  In one day, they have started eating chunks of whole grain bread and they love it.  I've also decided that I would attempt to make their food from now on.  I'm convinced it will save us money and that my babies will eat more and be healthier if I were to make their food.  Coincidentally, on the day that we went to story time at the library another mom asked me if I had a Beaba.  She insisted that with this machine, I would have time to prepare my own baby food.  She swore by it and informed me that all I have to do is put in the food and the machine would cook it, puree it, and then I just place the container in the freezer.  So this is what I will try to do.  I'll keep you updated on my progress. 

Our New Ride

The babies are growing out of their car seats and their snap and go stroller, so we had to find something else.  I checked the Austin Mother of Multiples (a support group that I'm a member of) classifieds and found a great deal.  We were able to get a triple Run About stroller for $150, which considering they retail at $900, it was a pretty good find.  This stroller was built to last and the kiddos should be able to use it until they are about five years old (why a five year old would need a stroller I have no idea).  Its kind of crazy looking and I'm really glad the previous owner bought the striped cushions to go over the seat, but the kids seem to like it. They love to watch ground as we stroll along.

Baby and Me Story Time

Oh, so many things I could blog about, but I think I will save the babies' first bath together and our new ride for another day.  Today we went to the Baby and Me Story Time at the Georgetown library.  Boy, were we a site to see.  I loaded the stroller with the Bumbo seats and of course the kids and we headed over to the corner with the other mommies and babies.  As soon as we were in seeing distance, everyone stopped and stared, but we've gotten used to that.  After everyone was settled, we sang songs, read books, and socialized.  It was great for the kids AND for me.  We all had a good time.

Superbowl Sunday

Our Superbowl Sunday was rather low key.  A few days ago the kids and I drew our teams to cheer for and Jenya already knew he was going for the Giants.  I wrote Giants on one sheet of paper and Patriots on the other.  The first to pick a piece of paper was Charli Kate and she drew Giants. Next was Tali who also drew the Giants.  Adrik picked the Patriots, as did I.  The day after the drawing, I printed off helmets for our teams and wrote names on each one.  I think the kids were over excited.  When it was time for the game, they pretty much cried the entire time.  Charli Kate was extremely fussy, but we found that the only time she was happy was when she was half naked on her changing pad, so after we changed her diaper she stayed there for awhile.  Here is a picture of the kids under the helmets and Charli Kate happily on her 'bed'.

I Want to Eat at a Restaurant

Today was our first attempt to take the triplets out to a restaurant and I am glad to say it actually went really well.  After stopping by Walmart we all headed to Chipotle.  Jenya ordered our food and I started feeding the babies.  A few minutes after the kids had their solids, I was able to enjoy my burrito and the kids enjoyed watching Mama and Daddy eat and listening to the really cool music they had playing.  I think there will be more restaurant visits in our future.

National Wear Red Day

In recognition of heart disease, today is National Wear Red Day.  People nationwide are encouraged to show their awareness that heart disease is the number one killer of women by wearing the color red.  The babies and I complied and here we are sporting our red clothing.  For more information about National Wear Red Day and heart disease, please visit http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/educational/hearttruth/events/wear-red.htm.

Family Meal Time

When I had the triplets, I always knew that I wanted to keep my three favorite hobbies; jogging (which I posted about earlier this week), reading (I read to them everyday), and cooking.  I like to try to get them involved in everything I do and they love to 'help' out in the kitchen. Almost everyday, I prepare a family meal.  The kids and I do the prep work from 10am until 11:30am (with a meal break at 11am) and on Tuesdays and Thursdays Jenya and I eat at around 12:30pm (he has school at night, but is lucky enough to work from home on those days) and every other day we have a more traditional type family dinner at around 6pm.  Not only do I do this because I love to cook, but I also believe a family meal is VERY important.  I can't wait until the kids are older and they can actually help with the cooking.  Its one of those things that I really look forward to sharing with them.

Photos from top to bottom: Charli Kate posing after she played with her bibs (you can see the discarded pile in the background), Adrik playing in the cabinet of plastic containers designated for the kids, Tali taking a turn in their cabinet, all three of my sioux chefs, and the finished meal (Roquefort stuffed pork, Bulgar and greens gratin, and roasted carrots.  It didn't actually photograph too appetizing, but it tasted great.)

Happy 10 Months!

It's so hard to believe that my little sweet peas turned 10 months today.  They've come such along way.  I weighed them here at home and Charli Kate (middle picture) is 14.4 pounds, Adrik (top picture) is 18.4 pounds, and Tali (bottom picture) is 15.6 pounds.