Well that is one way to get new shoes.

It never pays to try and out think a tantrum. Jason was having a hard time getting the girls ready for school this morning, they were not being agreeable....my girls, no way LOL. So he bribes them with new shoes that we had put away right after Christmas. They LOVED them, and became oh so compliant. Win right, wrong.


Enter Xander. We try to keep purchases fair for the triplets, if one gets something we try to get something for everyone...but that doesn't always work out, and there is no explaining that to a 3 1/2 year old. Xan sees the girls stomping around in their new shoes, that light up no less, and comes running over all smiles yelling "new shoes, new shoes" I think there was even a "Spiderman shoes" thrown in there a time or two. He picks up the bag the girls shoes came out of and peered inside so excited to see what his new shoes look like. Only there were no more shoes in the bag. Yeah that was a sad face, that drove home how stupid it was of us to not look high and low for something for Xander, even though the store had nothing cool for boys at the time.


He started crying and refusing to put his old shoes on, so Daddy had to bribe him too...with a stop at the shoe store after school. He cheered up a little, but still wasn't thrilled to put on his old shoes. Until we let him wear one of each. Silly boy :)

When we stopped after picking them up from school I stayed in the car while Jason and Xander went inside to buy him a pair of shoes. After a few min I could see Xan walking around inside holding a big box with a huge smile. After they came back to the car I was told all about his new 'Cars' shoes, apparently they had no Spiderman shoes...but they did have Spiderman socks, so he got some of those too. Score little dude :)

These kids are growing like weeds, Xander and Haddie are now in size 9 1/2 and Lily 8 1/2, I knew my 3 1/2 year olds are the size of 6 year olds but seeing them in these big shoes just makes me say wow.

Some more school projects!

Back home, Hayden and Lily were fighting, Lily...Miss must have the last slap, was about to go to time out for keeping the fight going. Next thing I know the two that I was trying to break up combined forces and turned on me. I get the "Lily is my sister and she is not going to time out" from Hayden, while Lily grabs her legs and tries to hide all the while saying "Hayden save me." Nice :)

Xander was keeping himself busy with some toys...and putting Barbies dress on his head. Goof ball.

Jericho update: We are looking good, fever free and back to himself, thank goodness!!! Me on the other hand, well I think I found Jericho's missing symptoms. I have come down with a sore throat and runny nose. Woohoo!

My little man is coming back to us!

Hopefully I am not speaking too soon. Jericho had a good day today! He started out on the cool side for most of the day, 94.4 until about 6pm, but then he went up to just under 99 and was still there at bed time. I hope this means we have come to the end of what ever it was...they like to trick you so I won't hold my breath quite yet.


He is not quite his old self yet, but he is getting there I think.
I just love seeing his smile and hearing his laughs again!

I made the kiddos some tasty bites. Banana chunks covered in plain yogurt and popped in the freezer :)

Not looking good for my gray count.

I don't think this ride is over yet.


Todays follow up appt. for Jericho went great. The Pedi was happy the ER did all the blood and urine checks, otherwise she would of had to do it all today. Everything looked good, she thinks it was/is something viral, she said the spots on his x-ray could also just be from something viral. So she said to go ahead and stop the fever reducers to see how he does, we were told to treat if he hits 99 or 100 since he may be likely to have another seizure. Funny enough this morning he was running below normal at 95.5-96.7 (under arm). 


He had his last dose at 9am, and was fine until about 3:30pm. I noticed he was looking out of it again, and had stopped playing. I took his temp and it was 101, I gave him some meds right away. 15min later I took his temp again and it was up to 102.9.


It was so fast, he was fine one min, the next he was burnning up. Guess we can't chill on the meds yet. He went back down to 101 and started acting fine again. He actually did great with eating and drinking today...while on the fever reducing meds.

The next dose time, just 3 hours later, he was back up to 103, I gave him the meds and just hoped it would work fast. Seems like the meds work but need to overlap just a bit more so he doesn't spike in between the end of the last dose and when the new one kicks in. Thank goodness we didn't have any more seizures, though he looked close a time or two. I hope this doesn't go on too much longer, I am on constant high alert and it is exhausting. Thanks for the continued good thoughts everyone <3
 Getting checked out at the Doctors. Poor boy, he is still smiling...most of the time.

Still wearing his little ER badge of honor :) We were so tired we totally forgot it. 

When we got home Jericho gave the triplets some stickers he got for them at the Doctors ;)

  

Still having some good times over here...even though Jericho is freaking us out LOL.

Yeehaw Daddy!

Jericho you are so grounded.

I am going to have a sh!t load of new gray hairs tomorrow, and Grandma is probably never going to babysit for us again.


Jericho was running a symptomless fever of 102 (under arm) all day and night yesterday. We called the Doctor and they said to just watch him, and call back if it gets over 104 or if he still had the fever but still no symptoms after 24 hours. So around 3pm today we called them back to let them know he still had a fever, 103 today, but no other symptoms. They said to go ahead and give him some Tylenol and bring him in tomorrow.


Jason and I were on our way to see a friend who was having a memorial service for her Dad. Jason's mom was home with all the kiddos. We called Grandma and told her we would be picking up some meds for him on the way home, we didn't have any infants Tylenol in the house.


An hour and a half or so later Grandma calls us to say Jericho is not acting like himself and she took his temp and it was 103.3, we told her we were 5min from home. As we were pulling onto our street she calls back to say Jericho is shaking and then she said she thinks he just passed out. We were literally pulling into our driveway right then. I jumped out of the car and ran to her as she was standing with him in the doorway. I was not prepared. I took him from her and even though his eyes were open he was as limp as a wet noodle and totally unresponsive. I have never ever held a baby like that, and I never want to again.


As soon as I grabbed him his head was flopping every which way, he had zero control, he just bobbled and was utterly limp. I damn near screamed oh my god and don't do this over and over while pacing back in forth in my living room. I actually thought he was dying, I thought I was holding my baby in my arms while he died. Jason was outside trying to call 911, they were busy. I took Jericho outside for fear that I was going to freak out the triplets...they didn't seem to notice what was going on. Jason was still trying to get 911 but they were still busy. The only fvcking time I need 911, I am standing there with an unresponsive baby and 911 is busy. I couldn't wait any more I told Jason we are driving there. Carseat crazy peeps close your eyes. I jumped in the front seat holding Jericho and Jason drove us the 5 min to the nearest hospital. There was no way I was putting him in his carseat he was still totally limp and not responding, I had to keep my hands and eyes on him to make sure he was breathing. Did I say the hospital was just 5 min away, why did it feel like forever??? I talked to Jericho the whole time, his eyes were open but it was like he wasn't seeing anything, he started to grunt over and over and over. I just kept telling him his Momma was here and that he was going to be just fine.


To his credit Jason drove very safely and normally, even though I was next to him telling him to pass cars and run lights. Thanks babe, thanks for always being the cool level head when I need it.


We pull up to the ER and I jump out and run in with Jericho while Jason parks. I run up to the window where they want to start talking to you about why you are here and I hold out my arms and just said please help him, I almost start to lose it right there because of course Jericho is still not moving or doing anything and they rush out to get us in the back.


They ask a few questions as they get his weight and get him set up with a pulse ox to get his stats. He started to cry and kind of come back to us, which was the best thing ever. When we got there his O2 was down around 91 so they pulled out a little oxygen for him. Then they got some Tylenol on board, took some blood, cath'd him for a urine sample and got a bag of IV fluids rolling. This was a first for any of my kids, poor guy was not at all happy to be poked and prodded, even the almighty boobie could not make him feel better for a bit. After about an hour they came in to take us down to x-ray, they wanted to check his lungs. He was such a brave little man.


After an hour or so the fever was down to 100 and the tests that had come back were nomal, still waiting on a couple others. The chest x-ray did show a little something that may or may not mean pneumonia could be coming. Seems the seizure was a febrile, they still don't know why he has the fever but the fever is why he had the seizure. They felt he was going to be fine and let us go home. We have a follow up appt. tomorrow, for now we are on Tylenol and Advil around the clock to keep his temp. down. He is sleeping, but this Momma can not relax...I hope I NEVER have to go through that again. When he was so limp and unresponsive I really thought he was dying...I kept it together pretty well, well I didn't start crying at least. I feel like I need to cry now though :(


Starting to feel better, he even took a little nap.

His x-ray...he did not appreciate all the poking and prodding nor this funky contraption...but I am so thankful for the wonderful Doctors and Nurses. I also want to thank all our friends for the thoughts and prayers, you guys rock! Funny, tomorrow is the 1 yr anniversary of me going to this very same ER and having my appendix removed. In fact the Doc. who is giving Jericho this x-ray is the same one who did my cat scan.

Now to try and get some sleep...and not have any nightmares. What a night.

I think we just started 'Helper of the day'!

The big kids are really wanting to help and be more involved with what Jason and I are doing, especially Hayden. Today we were talking about what I should make them for lunch and Hayden told me she wanted to help. Usually the kitchen is off limits unless we are seated at the table eating, so when I said OK to her request she was super excited. She walked right next to me heading for the kitchen and kept saying over and over "It's you and me together" LOL.


Today she helped me make peanut butter, honey and banana roll ups...way to go Haddie! :)

I told Lily she could help tomorrow, we shall see if she shows as much interest. She strikes me as one who down deep is just fine with being served and not having to help Hahaha.

This can not become a habit.

Another school day today, drop off and pick up are totally smooth these days...not a tear in the house when we leave. Miss Hayden is not a morning person though, gee I wonder where she got that from (says the person who used to stay in bed until the very last second while making her little sister pick out her clothes for school that day LOL...sorry Al.) This was the look we got this morning when we made her get out of bed...such a cute little sour puss.

After we dropped the trio off Jason and I went on a 2 mile walk around the near by golf course. It was chilly but thankfully it didn't rain on us, and by the first 1/4 mile I was no longer cold. Jericho had every person who walked by smiling or laughing or talking to him :)

After school the kiddos didn't want to go home, neither did I honestly, so we headed to the little pizza joint with an indoor play area. Last week it was Chuck E. Cheese after school this week here...we can not let this become a habit. Everyone had a good time, even though some other kids came and with no parental supervision, kinda put a damper on the fun.

Jericho was a beast! He was climbing up on everything he possibly could and running all over the place :)

Such a big boy already!

We are so good now, we try mounting the horses while they are moving. Thank goodness they move slow enough that the kids won't get hurt. Add that to trying every death defying stunt the 7 and 8 year olds that were there kept daring each other to do and this Momma is getting more nervous about her future with boys. Silly boys!

Hi up there Lily!

See what I mean...my boys are trying to give me a heart attack LOL.

Thank goodness their sisters seem to try and keep an eye out for them <3

Jason, just one of the kids!

And we thought Xander was trouble.*

Jericho is so crazy, little dude has no fear and a real need for adventure and excitement :) A 12 month old should not be doing this...right?!?!? LOL You get him down and he goes right back for more. We ended up just letting him go, there was no stopping him.

2 weeks in on my 30 day Body Rock wok out...only 1 lb down and I don't really see a difference, but I think my form is getting better and I feel better so it must be doing something. Pay no attention to the stretch marks and extra skin, that is what having triplets will do to ya. I hope to get a tummy tuck within the next 5 years!

25 Rules.

A while back I posted a lovely piece I came by called 50 Rules for Dads of Daughters.

I came by this one the other day, it is awesome.

25 Rules for Mothers of Sons

Inspired by a Pin I've recently seen about "rules for dads with daughters," I went searching for a similar list for moms with sons.  This search was mostly fruitless, so I was inspired to write my own Rules for Moms with Sons.  Granted, my list will not be conclusive and may not be entirely uncontroversial.  So agree, or disagree, or take with a grain of salt - but I hope to inspire other moms who are loving, and struggling, and tired, and proud, and eager to support the boys in their lives.  You are the most important woman in his life, his first teacher, and the one he will look to for permission for the rest of his life.  From "Can I go play with them?" to "Should I ask her to marry me?"  Its a big job, but as the mumma, we're up for it.

25 Rules for Moms with Sons

Source: pre-schoolplay.blogspot.com via Tabitha on Pinterest

1. Teach him the words for how he feels.
Your son will scream out of frustration and hide out of embarrassment.  He'll cry from fear and bite out of excitement.  Let his body move by the emotion, but also explain to him what the emotion is and the appropriate response to that emotion for future reference.  Point out other people who are feeling the same thing and compare how they are showing that emotion.  Talk him through your emotions so that someday when he is grown, he will know the difference between angry and embarrassed; between disappointment and grief.

2. Be a cheerleader for his life
There is no doubt that you are the loudest person in the stands at his t-ball games.  There is no doubt that he will tell you to "stop, mom" when you sing along to his garage band's lyrics.  There is no doubt that he will get red-faced when you show his prom date his pictures from boy scouts.  There is no doubt that he is not telling his prom date about your blog where you've been bragging about his life from his first time on the potty to the citizenship award he won in ninth grade.  He will tell you to stop.  He will say he's embarrassed.  But he will know that there is at least one person that is always rooting for him.

3. Teach him how to do laundry
..and load the dishwasher, and iron a shirt.  He may not always choose to do it.  He may not ever have to do it.  But someday his wife will thank you.

Source: offbeatmama.com via offbeatmama on Pinterest

4. Read to him and read with him.
Emilie Buchwald said, "Children become readers on the laps of their parents."  Offer your son the opportunity to learn new things, believe in pretend places, and imagine bigger possibilities through books.  Let him see you reading...reading the paper, reading novels, reading magazine articles.  Help him understand that writing words down is a way to be present forever.  Writers are the transcribers of history and memories.  They keep a record of how we lived at that time; what we thought was interesting; how we spoke to each other; what was important.  And Readers help preserve and pass along those memories.

5. Encourage him to dance.
Dance, rhythm, and music are cultural universals.  No matter where you go, no matter who you meet - they have some form of the three.  It doesn't have to be good.  Just encourage your son that when he feels it, it's perfectly fine to go ahead and bust a move.

6. Make sure he has examples of good men who are powerful because of their brains, their determination, and their integrity.
The examples of men with big muscles and a uniform (like Batman and LaMarr Woodley) will surround your son from birth.  But make sure he also knows about men who kick a$s because of their brains (Albert Einstein), and their pen (Mark Twain), and their words (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.), and their determination (Team Hoyt), and their ideas (The Wright Brothers), and their integrity (Officer Frank Shankwitz), and fearlessness (Neil Armstrong), and their ability to keep their mouths closed when everyone else is screaming (Jackie Robinson).

7. Make sure he has examples of women who are beautiful because of their brains, their determination, and their integrity
The examples of traditionally beautiful women (like Daphne Blake, Princess Jasmine, and Britney Spears) will surround your son from birth.  But make sure he knows about women who are beautiful from the inside out because of their brains (Madame Marie Curie), and their pen (Harper Lee), and their words (Eleanor Roosevelt), and their determination (Anne Sullivan), and their ideas (Oprah Winfrey), and their integrity (Miep Gies), and fearlessness (Ameila Earhart), and their ability to open their mouths and take a stand when everyone else is silent (Aung San Suu Kyi).

8. Be an example of a beautiful woman with brains, determination, and integrity.
You already are all of those things.  If you ever fear that you are somehow incapable of doing anything - remember this:  If you have done any of the following:  a) grew life b) impossibly and inconceivably got it out of your body c) taken care of a newborn d) made a pain go away with a kiss e) taught someone to read f) taught a toddler to eat with a utensil g) cleaned up diarrhea without gagging h) loved a child enough to be willing to give your life for them (regardless if they are your own) or i) found a way to be strong when that child is suffering...you are a superhero.  do not doubt yourself for one second.  Seriously.

Source: simplymontessori.blogspot.com via Terry-Anne on Pinterest

9. Teach him to have manners
because its nice.  and it will make the world a little better of a place.

Source: swagbucks.com via Adriana on Pinterest

10. Give him something to believe in
Because someday he will be afraid, or nervous, or heartbroken, or lost, or just need you, and you won't be able to be there.  Give him something to turn to when it feels like he is alone, so that he knows that he will never be alone; never, never, never.

Source: theberry.com via Chris on Pinterest

11. Teach him that there are times when you need to be gentle
like with babies, and flowers, and animals, and other people's feelings.

Source: heatherbeadles.com via Heather on Pinterest

12. Let him ruin his clothes
Resolve to be cool about dirty and ruined clothes.  You'll be fighting a losing battle if you get upset every time he ruins another piece of clothing. Don't waste your energy being angry about something inevitable.  Boys tend to learn by destroying, jumping, spilling, falling, and making impossible messes.  Dirty, ruined clothes are just par for the course.

13. Learn how to throw a football
or how to use a hockey stick, or read music, or draw panda bears (or in my case alpacas), or the names of different train engines, or learn to speak Elvish, or recognize the difference between Gryffindor and Slytherin, or the lyrics to his favorite song.  Be in his life, not as an observer but as an active participant.

Source: shanna-kaye.com via Shanna-Kaye on Pinterest

14. Go outside with him
turn off the television, unplug the video games, put your cellphone on the charger, even put your camera away.  Just go outside and follow him around.  Watch his face, explore his world, and let him ask questions.  It's like magic.

15. Let him lose
Losing sucks.  Everybody isn't always a winner.  Even if you want to say, "You're a winner because you tried," don't.  He doesn't feel like a winner, he feels sad and crappy and disappointed.  And that's a good thing, because sometimes life also sucks, no matter how hard (as moms) we try to make it not suck for our kids.  This practice will do him good later when he loses again (and again, and again, and again, and again.....)  Instead make sure he understands that - sometimes you win - sometimes you lose.  But that doesn't mean you ever give up.

Source: None via Emma on Pinterest

16. Give him opportunities to help others
There is a big difference in giving someone the opportunity to help and forcing someone to help.  Giving the opportunity lights a flame in the heart and once the help is done the flame shines brighter and asks for more opportunities.  Be an example of helping others in your own actions and the way your family helps each other and helps others together. 

Source: data.whicdn.com via Meagan on Pinterest

17. Remind him that practice makes perfect.
This doesn't just apply to performance-based activities (like sports and music) but also applies to everything in life.  You become a better writer by writing.  You become a better listener by listening.  You become better speaker by speaking.  Show your son this when he is just young enough to understand (that means from birth, folks - they are making sense of the world as soon as they arrive), practice trick-or-treating at your own front door before the real thing.  Practice how you will walk through airport security before a trip.  Practice how you order your own food from the fast food cashier.  Practice, practice, practice.

18. Answer him when he asks, "Why?"
Answer him, or search for the answer together.  Show him the places to look for the answers (like his dad, or grandparents, or his aunts/uncles, or his books, or valid internet searches).  Pose the question to him so he can begin thinking about answers himself.  Someday, when he needs to ask questions he's too embarrassed to ask you - he'll know where to go to find the right answers.

Source: 1.bp.blogspot.com via Maegan on Pinterest

19. Always carry band-aids and wipes on you.
especially the wipes.

Source: babyhold.com via Katie on Pinterest

20. Let his dad teach him how to do things
...without interrupting about how to do it the 'right way.'  If you let his dad show and teach and discover with your son while he is growing up, some day down the road (after a short period of your son believing his dad knows nothing), he will come to the realization that his dad knows everything.  You will always be his mother, but in his grown-up man heart and mind, his dad will know the answers.  And this will be how, when your son is too busy with life to call and chat with his mom,  you will stay connected to what is happening in his life.  Because he will call his dad for answers, and his dad will secretly come and ask you.

Source: familyfun.go.com via Kate on Pinterest

21. Give him something to release his energy
drums, a pen, a punching bag, wide open space, water, a dog.  Give him something to go crazy with - or he will use your stuff.  and then you'll be sorry.

Source: bleubirdvintage.typepad.com via Marybess on Pinterest

22. Build him forts
Forts have the ability to make everyday normal stuff into magic.  Throw the couch cushions, a couple blankets, and some clothespins and you can transform your living room into the cave of wonders.  For the rest of his life, he'll be grateful to know that everyday normal stuff has the potential to be magical.

Source: None via Tabitha on Pinterest

23. Take him to new places
Because it will make his brain and his heart open up wider, and the ideas and questions and memories will rush in.

Source: None via Anne on Pinterest

24. Kiss him
Any mother of sons will tell you that little boys are so loving and sweet.  They can be harsh and wild and destructive during most of the day.  But there are these moments when they are so kind and sensitive and tender.  So much so that it can cause you to look around at the inward, reserved grown men in your life and think, 'what happens in between that made you lose that?'  Let's try to stop the cycle by kissing them when they're loving and kissing them even more when they're wild.  Kissing them when they're 2 months and kissing them when they're 16 years old.  You're the mom - you can go ahead and kiss him no matter how big he gets - and make sure he knows it.   p.s. (this one is just as important for dad's too).

Source: smallesthings.blogspot.com via Sherry on Pinterest

25. Be home base
You are home to him.  When he learns to walk, he will wobble a few feet away from you and then come back, then wobble away a little farther and then come back.  When he tries something new, he will look for your proud smile.  When he learns to read, he will repeat the same book to you twenty times in a row, because you're the only one who will listen that many times.  When he plays his sport, he will search for your face in the stands.  When he is sick, he will call you.  When he really messes up, he will call you.  When he is grown and strong and tough and big and he feels like crying, he will come to you; because a man can cry in front of his mother without feeling self-conscious.  Even when he grows up and has a new woman in his life and gets a new home, you are still his mother; home base, the ever constant, like the sun.  Know that in your heart and everything else will fall into place.  

  http://studerteam.blogspot.com/2011/11/25-rules-for-mothers-of-sons.html?m=1

My two boys, I hope I can keep all this great advice in mind as we make our way through the years.