The Jones Girls

Lately I have been having to bathe all 4 girls every night before bed.  With summer here and long days, it just amazes me how dirt finds my girls bodies!!  Baths around here is a ton of work.  I do it all myself, bath, PJ’s and get ready for bed.  It takes me about 1-1.5 hours for the whole process with all 4 girls.

Doing these baths every night made me think… I hate the thought of them soaking in the bath tub and the bath water getting so dirty with them in it.  Ewwww!!  So I decided I would try to give them a shower.    Can I just say how much I now love showers?   It cuts the bath time in half and I don’t use anymore water than I did with the bath tub.  Also, It saves me from having to clean the dirty on the bath tub after the girls’ baths.   The biggest thing is I don’t have any more concerns about drowning because there is no water in the bathtub for them to drown in.  This is the BEST thing for moms of multiples!!  Shower, Shower, Shower!!  I introduced Savannah to showers about the same age as the Triplets are now…a little before 2 years old.   I had to because I was pregnant with the triplets and couldn’t bend over and bathe her in the bathtub.   So Savannah is a pro at showers.

I have one of those shower massager heads with the hose so it allows me to reach all 4 girls to wash their hair.    The girls at first didn’t like it.  They are getting more used to it.  Now I sing to them, It’s Raining it’s Pouring Pretty Soon We are all going to be Snoring!!

So no more baths for my girls…we are into showers now!!

I decided when the triplets approach the age of 2 that I would begin introducing them to the potty chair and the idea of potty training.  So, I got out 3 high chairs and set them up in the bathrooms.  One is in our master bedroom in case any of the girls want to venture with me and sit on the potty and watch while Cliff or I go to the bathroom.  The other 2 potty chairs are in their bathroom.

Miranda is showing the most interest and sits on the potty chair (with her diaper on).     BUT can I spell the word S.M.E.A.R ???    Miranda is doing it. She will go into her diaper and paint herself AND her sisters with poop and then it gets all over the double bed that they all share. The triplets love to sleep together in their bed but if this goes on for a while I am going to split them up. I just can’t take this.

This is what I have been doing. Every time Miranda does this, I tell her I am going to give her a cold shower (water not quite luke warm but enough to make her uncomfortable). She has already gotten 2 cold showers with her poop episodes in the past 2 weeks and we have only had one minor poop incident since in about a week’s time now. I think it has really helped. All I have to say is don’t touch your poop or you will get a cold shower and she understands. I figure, it can’t hurt. I have to clean the poop off of her anyway, this is a safe way to teach them not to play with their poop. I am not into spanking or yelling so this works pretty good.

As for the poopified bedding, I got a good idea from one friends by putting 2-3 sets of layered sheets and mattress liners that way you can quickly tear off the 1st layer of soiled sheets and liner and you have a new set ready to go. I keep a towel at the foot of the triplets bed in case there is a poop incident I can quickly wipe any of the girls and the walls if she touched them.

I am embarrassed to metion that today Miranda had a huge poop and her butt was itching from the poop on her skin. I was trying to change her diaper and she had a little poop on her hand and touched my cheek and mouth with it not realizing she was putting poop on my face. I almost barfed. I HATE POOP!!

I remember when Savvy was smearing the poop it was during potty training (it took me 8 months to potty train her for many reasons). I have the potty chairs out and am beginning to introduce the triplets to the potty chairs. I think it is making Miranda aware of poop and pee just like Savvy when she was potty training.   I guess Sisters think alike, huh?

Sorry so long but I can go on about poop for days!! LOL!!

I took the girls all by myself to the La Habra Children’s Museum.    They had an exhibit and a near lecture about “critters”.   The triplets couldn’t sit still to hear lecture, but Savannah sat and listened contently.   It was my 1st time letting all of the girls out of the stroller and play at the Museum.   Some of my wonderful friends in my La Habra Mom’s Club were there to lend a helping had.   

Today was fun and it seems to be getter a little easier taking the girls places as they get older.   I am looking forward to the day when I can take all 4 girls out without a stroller and they can listen and follow my instructions while we are out.

We had 2 birthday parties that we attended on Sunday.   It was a long 8 hour day!!   The first party we all went to there were baby pools and it was pretty manageable with all 4 girls.   We wish there had been food to eat because none of us had a chance to eat lunch before or after the naps and the party was at 1:30pm.

Oh well.  It was a really fun party.  I am so proud of Daddy Cliff!!   He babysat the triplets while Savvy and I left for the 2nd party.  The 2nd party started at 4:30pm – 8pm and it was just Savannah and mommy.   It was a Princess theme.  Very cute.  The girls made their own pizzas.  Savvy ate 4 pizzas since she didn’t get to eat lunch.   They also has bbq’d chicken, spinach salad and egg rolls.  Very delicious!!  The cake was also very yummy!! 

All of the girls met Snow White, played games with her, she painted their faces, and they had a fashion show with the clothes she brought for them to dress up in that we in her trunk that she brought.   

We had a near drowning incident with Savannah that really scared her and freaked me out.  I was able to rescue her thank goodness.    I am so glad we start swimming lessons next Tuesday!! 

Do you hear that? It is the sound of quiet.   It is quiet in the house and everyone is sleeping peacefully.   It has been a rough and long road with nap times and sleeping at night. 

Miranda has been the most challenging at night.   She wakes up groaning several times a night and then crying.   I have to quickly get up and quiet her down so she doesn’t wake up her sisters.   Amanda would go from mock 0 to 100 in 2.2 seconds screaming at the top of her lungs. 

Maryssa would wake up and nothing would console her but holding her for hours until she fell asleep or bringing her into our bed so I could get some sleep.  

Savannah would wake up crying for a sippy cup of milk.   On average, I would get up 4-8 times a night resulting in me getting about 1-2 hours straight sleep at a time.   I tell you it has been really hard.  It seems in the past few nights we have possibly turned a corner with sleeping issues.  I only have to get up once or twice now so I am finally getting more sleep.    I remember when Savannah was around this age she started becoming a better sleeper.   By the time she was 3 she would sleep all night in her bed.  I am hoping this will also be the same for the triplets.  

Maryssa has learned and mastered the art of being polite.  She says “tank u” for thank you about 100 times a day.  It is just adorable.   She has the lightest and sweetest voice that I have ever heard.  It is angelic.   Maryssa, my little love, you remind me of a delicate flower.  I love you my darling.

Often when Miranda sees me using a pen she comes to me and says “da momma” for “I want to draw mommy”.     She just loves to draw.    Sometimes she will draw on her legs and on me.   I guess it is her tattoos…LOL!!   I love you my sweet angel.