Nothing really happens normally when triplets are involved, and a good example is bath time. Bath time comes every other night, and I love it and hate it at the same time. The great part is that my little people love the water, and the time they are in tub is pretty special for mom and dad. The downside is that bath time falls right in the heart of "I get bitchy when I am tired or hungry, and I don't like waiting, and you are going to hear about it, you big jerk" hour. Some days are better than others, but a few of the babies' epic meltdowns have come right after their baths. On an angry scale of 1 to Chris Brown, I would say they average a 37.
They are pretty cute after bath time, makes it more than worth it.
The big fella, our number one splasher.
Dad's little meatball. Reid is the most likely candidate to lose his shit after bath time, but he's too cute to bust his chops about it.
Like most things here, bathing 3 babies requires a little organization. You have to do each baby one at a time since they can't sit up in the tub yet, and I have a feeling that by the time they can, the boys will be too chubby to fit in the tub together.
Step One:
Take the boys upstairs and put them on the bed, then go get Stella. You have to leave Stella downstairs until last because she will roll off the bed the second you turn your back, and Social Services has no sense of humour about that sort of thing.
Step Two:
Undress the kids down to diapers, make stupid faces at them, etc.
Step Three:
Pookie brings either Stella or Declan to me at the tub for the aforementioned ass-scrubbing and bald head shampooing. When the first baby is done, Pookie comes with a little hooded towel and takes the clean baby.
Step 4:
While Pookie lotions and clothes the first baby, I grab the second, take the diaper off and hope I don't get whizzed on as I rush back to the tub. Baby number one has probably started getting pissed off now, the screaming is coming.
Step 5:
Baby number two is cleaned and picked up by Pookie. Pookie is now dealing with one baby that has already been put in his jammies and is getting impatient for a quick bite before dinner, and a baby that would have preferred to stay in the tub. Meanwhile, I am scurrying back to the tub with number three. Eventually, the third kid is going to get grossed out by being the third kid in the the same bathwater, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there.
Step 6:
I get the last kid out of the tub, lube them up with lotion, and enjoy the window between their last baths and their first pukes. It last about twenty minutes.
Step 7:
Get everyone downstairs and feed them. There are usually two kids crying now, and nothing short of a huge bottle of formula will calm them down. Either Pookie or I will feed two kids at once with the feeding pillows, and the other grabs the third. As soon as the bottles hit their lips everything goes quiet, and you can relax a bit.
Step 8: Bedtime.
The Pooklings are the rock stars of bed time. You put them down, they fall asleep, it is really that easy.....unless you are Uncle Joe (the Godfather). Then it is slightly screamier, and much more stressful. That might end up being another blog entry I think I will title "The Day Joe Reconsidered Ever Having Kids, Thanks To Reid"
Pictures!
Reidster.
Declan chilling outside. A touch bright out for the big fella.
Aunt Joe and Aunt Julie back in June. Joe always wears a tux, the dude's like James Bond.
Stella Bella having a visit.
Pool time. The Pooklings are getting some chubby little legs.
Dad's boy is a bit of a brute.
The mat is where the kids (and Pookie) spend the majority of their time. It is about 10 X 8, but at least two of them are always right on top of eachother, usually fighting over a toy.
Keep fit and have fun!
PJ
My three youngest are 6, 5, and 4 and I can still get away with using the same bath water. The trick is to run the water for 30 seconds between each bath and add some new bubbles and the kids think its all fresh and just for them! Muahaha!!
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