http://www.manntriplets.com/my-life-story-with-4-kids/

I have to say thank you to everyone for all of your support.  I have been having a really rough couple of past weeks.  Everything has been going wrong.  I have been so sick for the past few months, but haven’t been in to a Dr, now the girls are sick.  I did take them in though.  They all have viral infections and Alyssa and Katie have that plus ear infections.  The Dr said it came from Lilly, when she was sick, probably catching it from school.  So we are all sick now, luckily Kerry isn’t sick yet, lets keep our fingers crossed.

OK, i have to tell this sad story.  Monday I put the girls down for their morning nap, i always change them before putting them down.  Well I was so busy with things, i forgot Alyssa likes to take her diaper off.  Well a big mistake.  They didn’t want to take a nap, but i had things to do, so i let them talk to each other up stairs, that was a big mistake too!  So after a about 10 min i went up there and was smelling the most awful thing ever, to my surprise Alyssa took her poop filled diaper off and threw it everywhere, I mean everywhere!  I had so much fun cleaning that up, while they were all looking at me, laughing in their own ways!  I never thought that could happen to me!  But it did!  Then everything from that point on was just getting worse.  I got them dressed and brought them downstairs, i had to go pick up Lilly early from school to take them to the Dr.  I was trying to pick up a little and i kicked a ball, trying to kick it into the playroom, boy that didn’t work, it ended up hitting my curtain rod just in the right place in the living room and hit it precisely in the right spot and took down the rod and somehow broke and snapped.  Needless to say so did I…things just got worse from there!  I was crying so hard I was laughing at all the things that were going wrong.  I had to stop and take a min out.

While my time out I called aunt elayne.  She is always there for me!  She had some great words of wisdome!  She always seems to calm me down and help me.  She is also coming to my rescue!  She is helping me this weekend.  THANK YOU!  I cant wait.

Then I also have my cousin Lea!  What can I say about her, well what cant i say!  She also is always here for me.  She is my best friend.  She goes to school full time and works part time, but some how she found a way to come over yesterday to help me clean up and take care of the girls.  It happen to be the right day because I cant believe i actually forgot my anniversary with Kerry!  Yes i have been so wound up with things, I forgot.  Its been 5 years that we have been married, but can u believe its going to be 14 years that we are together.  Dec. 27th this year!  Kerry is the best father and husband anyone can ask for!  We are so blessed to have each other and our 4 beautiful baby girls.  So back to my story.  Lea came to our rescue and helped with everything.  After we got them to sleep she stayed here so Kerry and I could go out.  We had a lovely dinner.  And Kerry surprised me with a dozen beautiful roses.  Thanks Kerry!  Thanks Lea.

Also to my rescue are some great women i never even met.  I belong to a wonderful moms of multiples group.  I had posted some of my problems and stated I dont know what to do anymore, so these women wrote the best advice and help anyone could offer.  They are all parents of multiples so they understand where I am coming from.  Most of them offered to come and help me out and stay with me for a few days!  What some wonderful women!  If I lived close i would take them up on their offer!  So thank you to all of you!  We have to meet some day!  Thanks, im doing better with all the support and help!

http://www.manntriplets.com/triplets-update/

I only have a minute to write this as all of us here in the household are really sick.  But I know some of you like to hear how the girls are doing.  So here is the latest from the last Dr visit:

Alyssa Lynn is 19lbs 4.8 oz

Katie Sue is 20lbs 11.2 oz

Emma Elizabeth is 20lbs

The dr said they are right on track and they are doing great!  Well until now when all of us are sick!  They have been so good.  They listen really good.  I can call them or ask them to do something and they usually do it.  Were so blessed to have such a beautiful and very healthy family!

On the other hand, poor Lilly she is missing school, she has been off the last 2 days cause she is so sick!  She loves school so much!  Actually Monday she got stung by a bee for the first time.  I just missed it the teacher said.  She was playing on the jungle gym outside and put her hand directly on the bee!  She told the teacher that the monkey bars bit her! HAHAH how cute!  Shes fine, at least i know shes not allergic!  Ok thats it for now.  Hope everyone is doing good!  Please leave some comments to let me know someone is reading this!  Take care

http://www.manntriplets.com/i-do-the-laundry-too/

I found a safer way to transport triplets.

http://www.manntriplets.com/day-at-the-park/

I have some very cute pictures I want to share with everyone.  I had a great time at Aunt Elayne’s this last weekend.  Thank you so much Aunt Elayne and Aunt Mary for a wonderful weekend!  We went to the park for the day, it was wonderful!  Very memorable.  I say that, because where we went is where Kerry gave me my ring.  Over 13 years ago!  There was a wedding party there and aunt Elayne went up to the bride and shared my story to her!  The story goes like this…Kerry gave me my promise ring on a bridge at worth park for my 15th birthday (I especially remember that day because that is the first time my dad ever met Kerry!)  Where the bride and groom were taking pictures is where it all started with Kerry and I.  The bride was scared because Aunt Elayne said, see what is to come with you two!  She was scared and yelled to her hubby, “guess what were having triplets.”  They were such good sports with it, they asked if they could take some pictures of all of us with the bride.  It was a lot of fun.

Anyways, here are some pictures of the girls at the park, they just loved it!

http://www.manntriplets.com/what-a-night-what-a-night/

Last night was very different. It started out the same, but some things changed. The girls were all asleep, even Lilly in her own room. Kerry and I were watching a movie in our room when all of a sudden Lilly starts screaming for Mommy like someone is attacking her, i ran in there as fast as i could and to my amazement what did i see? A bat flying all around in her room. Scary- I grabbed her as fast as I could and started screaming for Kerry. I quickly closed her door and ran into our room. Lilly was so startled from waking up from a bat she is crying frantically.

Kerry went into her room and I follow him in there to try to find the bat. It was no where to be seen. Kerry said “OK you go look for it!” So I did, i looked everywhere and couldn’t find it. I looked behind the curtains and it was hiding snuggled up inside one. I’m so glad it didn’t come down and bite me. We had no clue what to do, Kerry said, ok what would your dad do? I said he would go up and grab it! Hes not scared of anything! I was wishing he was here!

Anyways, while lilly was in our room crying and the girls were still sound asleep, we tried to figure out what to do with it. Me being an animal lover i didn’t want to hurt it. So we pulled down the curtains and put them into a box and tried to put a cover on it (well I was actually) then Kerry said do you hear that? The bat was screeching and that scared me so i quick ran out and closed the door with Kerry in there. OOPS! He quickly ran out and we tried to think of some other options. Well next option and only other option was to shoot it. Kerry has a bb gun and started shooting at it, sorry Lilly she now has some small holes in her walls. After a bit it fell down and it was dead. That was not what we wanted to do but we had no choice. Wish we would have gotten that one on tape, this is now the second one Kerry had to take care of! Hopefully the end!

After about 2 years of trying to conceive, we got pregnant with the assistance of 2 types of injectable fertility medications. At our 6 week ultrasound, we were told we were having twins - two yolk sacs were visible.  We returned for our 12 week ultrasound, 2 days after Christmas, and as soon as the tech put the scanner on my belly, it was very apparent that we were having triplets! We were in awe and although the thought of 3 little ones at one time was daunting, we were ecstatic.  Our 3 miracles came into the world very early at 24 weeks, 2 days after St. Patrick's Day.  My cervix just didn't want to hold in these rascals. Our daughter, Marissa, was born first at 1 lb 5.5 oz, and our two sons followed: Nolan at 1 lb 6 oz, and Freddie at 1 lb 6.7 oz.  They are all fraternal.  After a 15 week stay in the NICU with only the typical micropreemie issues (so very thankful), our babies came home on July 2nd.  This last month has been a sleepless whirlwind but each day brings a new development with each of them and we are grateful for each day.  They are all approaching 7.5 lbs and so far do not have any major residual issues. 

http://www.manntriplets.com/we-got-a-walker/

OK, now I’m jealous!!  I’m with the girls all day long every day, but the one time Emma wants to walk, I am in the kitchen cleaning up.  Kerry yells to me afterwards that Emma just walked the whole room by herself with out falling.  Go figure.  I will try to get some pictures and video on here for you to see.  Already today, Emma and Alyssa were walking together but only for a few steps.  Its really weird to see them walking together, especially up close to Lilly for how tiny they are compared to her.  Katie being the first to roll over and crawl, is the last one to try to walk.  They are so cute and a true blessing!

http://www.manntriplets.com/we-have-pre-walkers/

Well for about a week now Alyssa has been taking a few steps by herself.  About 5-6 to be exact.  She is loving it.  She was the last to crawl, but maybe the first to take off walking.  Emma and Katie are not far behind her.  Emma has been walking around everything, she can walk around the whole room if there are things she can hold on to or be in her walker.  Katie was not too impressed until Daddy helped her out today, she didn’t want to stop.

They are technically only 10 1/2 months old, because of being born early.  So their right on track.  Since they are now a year old, they are starting whole milk, which they seem to like.  They still dont like their sippy cups, but I’m working on that.

I have to say a HUGE Thank you to Aunt Elayne.  She takes such good care of all of us, especially me.  I think we have been overstaying our welcome, but she seems to like it when we are there.  It’s good seeing Jason too!  Kerry and I get to get out for dates and have time alone with Lilly.  You don’t realize how much you miss that, until you don’t get to do it anymore.  I almost forgot what dates were like.  Kerry watches the little ones while Lilly and I go out.  That’s great bonding time for us, but Kerry and I don’t get time out unless we are at Aunt Elayne’s.

Lilly is so close on potty training, she goes all by herself and is so happy when she does.  Also she is so excited about her new car seat.  Its a booster seat which uses the seatbelt, she talks about it all the time and wants to go to the store just to use it.  But I cant go as much as I would like or use to since the girls like to be free…Can you imagine me pushing the triplet stroller with over 45lbs and pulling a cart with Lilly in the front and full of grocery’s?  Talk about stares, but not one person offers to help a struggling mom…I would probably laugh if I saw myself.

On the other hand, I have been trying to get her into preschool so she can make some friends and get away from me for a little bit, she it too attached to me.  Our Church helps pay tuition for a local Lutheran school if we get accepted.  That would be so good for her and I both.  It will be very hard taking her and picking her up every day or couple of days with the triplets, but it will be worth it.  Keep your fingers crossed for us.  Well that’s all I have for tonight if you followed it all, sorry its so long, but I don’t get a lot of time to do this anymore or call any of you, so please leave some comments or give me a call!  Goodnight!

P.S. I will post some pictures of their birthday party when I get some, my camera battery was dead at the time, so I’m awaiting some myself.

http://www.manntriplets.com/first-birthday-we-made-it/

Well, we made it! I cant believe how fast it went…I can actually look back and say i miss it. I never thought I would say that, but I do. WOW that was a very hard road, but they are healthy and beautiful. We are so blessed! Thank you to everyone who helped us through the girls first year of life. I am counting down the time that they were actually born.

Alyssa Lynn Mann first to be born at 10:34pm at 3lbs 13oz

Katie Sue Mann second to be born at 10:36pm at 3lbs 1oz

Emma Elizabeth Mann was third to be born at 10:39 at 3lbs 10oz

All born today July 9th of last year 2007

Very happy and healthy girls. And have a Big Sister who loves them so much, Lilly Kate. I am anxiously awaiting tomorrow for my cousin Lori and her two beautiful kids to come to my busy house for the weekend…I cant wait! HURRY UP! And also for the girls birthday party at Aunt Elayne’s House! See you there!

http://www.manntriplets.com/can-you-tell-daddys-favorite/

Looking at the last post can you tell who daddy’s favorite is?  Its always been Emma.  He named her so I think that makes it even better.  I love them all the same.  But I cant believe how they are changing so much.  They are all crawling now and waiting to start walking.  They love standing unassisted and walk around in their walkers and around furniture.  I’m having a hard enough time keeping up with them, i don’t know what kind of trouble they will get into when all four are walking.  One more obstacle we are looking forward to.

Their 1st Birthday is coming up so quickly too…I cant believe in 5 days they will be one!  I remember being in my hospital room watching the fireworks from my window.  I actually remember talking to my dad while watching them.  And how sore and tired I was.  Believe it or not, I miss being pregnant with them, it was a long hall, but worth all the pain.  We are so blessed with four beautiful, healthy girls.

I just cant believe they are almost one already, boy how does time fly.  Really, i don’t remember Lilly’s first birthday going this fast, but then again, she is three already!  Will time go triple fast for us?  It seems like it!  All I can say is we are so blessed!  I cant wait for their party.  Cant wait to see you there!

Goodnight for now.  I have been so busy I have had no time to get on here and update you…Hopefully can make time!  And FAMILY when you read this please leave some comments!