Food, Glorious Food!

Yes, that is right, the boys have started eating food. We started them earlier in the month with rice cereal. Diego seemed to like it right away and caught on really quickly that he was supposed to open his mouth when he wanted more. Mateo, on the other hand, did not like the cereal, and gagged when trying to swallow. He has since gotten better with the gag reflex, but still doesn't like to open his mouth for more.

Last week they tried avocado as their first fruit. It was hilarious to watch. It must have tasted sour to them because they both made a face as if they were sucking on a lemon. They ate it up though, and it encouraged me to take the next step...sweet potatoes.

OK, so I did not know that there is a difference between sweet potatoes and yams, but there is. My desire is to try to make as much of their food as I can. Judging from our first experience, we may not have too much success. Allow me to give you a break down of my first baby food making experience:

My intention was to purchase the vegetables at the local farmer's market, but that plan was quickly changed due to time constraints. Next best thing, go to an expensive market where organic, locally grown vegetables are sold. I chose Nuggett, and ended up with sweet potatoes and yellow squash from somewhere in CA, not locally grown, not organic. No problem, I still wanted to give it a try. We purchased the veggies and headed home, feeling confident that we were still saving money and making healthy choices for the boys.

The next day, I opened up my Super Baby Food book to try and figure out what to do. Keep in mind, Adrian and I don't eat many veggies, so I really had no idea how to even cook the veggies that we had. After reading several options, I decided to boil then puree them and put them into ice cube trays to freeze and store.

The yellow squash was first. Boiled, pureed, poured, virtually no problem. I started to feel like this was easy...then came the sweet potatoes. Boiled, burned my hand peeling off the skin, attempted to puree but broke the food processor when the rubber ring attachemnt broke off into the sweet potatoes. OK, so I started over. Boiled, burned my hand peeling off the skin, blender (since food processor broken), several minutes later had the right consistency to pour into the trays. Froze the veggies and stored them in freezer bags.

We fed the boys the sweet potatoes first, and they were a big hit! They both loved them and wanted more. Mateo even started to open his mouth for more. We are going to offer the yellow squash towards the end of the week. As far as next steps go, bananas are in the near future! I bet they will love bananas! Oh yeah, and I need a new food processor!! The blender really didn't work very well...wish me luck!!

Helmet and Wedding!

Well, Mateo finally has his helmet, and I must say...he is awfully cute with it on!! He is working his way up to wearing it 23 hours per day...and he is doing such a great job. He doesn't fuss at all, it is like he doesn't even notice it. He is such a trooper!

This past weekend Andrea and Caleb got married. We had family from all over the world, literally! Tio Johnny, Andrea and Juan Cruz from Argentina, Tia Martha from Chile, Carmena and Choche from Chicago and Bolivia, Lizette and Javier from Texas, and tons of family from Mexico!!It was so fun, and the boys looked so cute!! Their suits matched their daddy...how cute!!

Andrea was a beautiful bride, of course!! Caleb made for a very handsome groom! We danced all night and really had a blast. I can't believe it is already over!! We got a couple of close ups with the boys, they are so cute!!

This weekend we are heading back to Redwood City to celebrate with the family. Sunday is Ignacio's Birthday, so we are all heading to Redwood City for a party...and I mean all of us! The del Rio's have invited our entire family along with the guests from South America, to come and have a barbecue at their house. We are super excited to go and for the Pacheco's and del Rio's to come see how big the boys have gotten!!

Four months old!

Oh!! The boys are growing and growing, right before our eyes! Sometimes it feels like we can't keep up or take enough pictures!! Here is a picture of Mateo laughing with mommy, we sure do have a lot of fun together! His personality is so tranquil, he really hangs out...unless he gets hungry! He can let you know when he needs to be fed, but who can blame him?? I get kinda cranky when I am hungry, too! He is doing so great on his tummy time and is really holding his head up well!

He is being fitted for his helmet on Monday. It takes about a week for it to come in, so we should have it before the end of the month. Hopefully it won't be too uncomfortable for him. he will be wearing it 23 hours a day!

Diego is growing and changing so much, too! Below is a pic of him laughing with mommy. He loves to laugh and interact with people. He is really a flirt, too! He will talk to anyone! He is doing great on tummy time, just like brother. We are so proud of both of our boys!! We think they are awesome!

Torticollis

Hello all, hope everyone is enjoying their Valentine's Day! We have had a mellow evening preparing for Andrea's bridal shower tomorrow! I just wanted to take a moment and explain what is going on with Mateo. Many people may already know that he has a condition called tortocollis, which means that he has a stiff neck and only turns to one side comfortably. This is from being wedged so tightly in the womb. We have been stretching him and taking him to physical therapy every other week to help him get range on his other side. His range has improved, but he doesn't like to use it much. There can be some long term effects if he does not start to use the other side of his neck, which can effect his fine motor skills such as grasping objects or even crawling! Our hope is that the condition was caught so early that we can help him before it gets too severe. However he has been sleeping on only one side of his head, which has made one side of his head flatter than the other. It is not super noticeable, but does need to be corrected. Our hope is that he will start to use his other side and balance out the shape of his head naturally, but the doctor thinks we may need to take preventive action in the form of a head shaping helmet. He will be reassessed in April to make the final determination whether or not he will need the helmet. If he does get it, he will wear it for 23 hours a day, for approximately 4-6 months. It should make for an interesting summer when the weather can reach over 100 degrees!

Besides the stiff neck, both boys are doing so well. They continue to laugh, coo, and are so interactive. They are working hard at tummy time and holding up their neck. It is a lot of fun to watch them grow and change!

We will be in Redwood City next weekend, February 21, to introduce the boys to the family! We are super excited for everyone to meet them. It will be the longest car ride they have done, so we are hoping for no traffic!!!

FINALLY!!

Ok, so my New Year's Resolution was to blog and upload my pictures once a week. Today is January 29 and it is the first time I have done it. So much for resolutions. Seriously though, I am going to try to be better about updating this site.

The boys are almost 13 weeks old and are crazy big! They are over 12 pounds...Mateo still is about a half pound bigger that Diego. They are smiling and cooing and keeping us busy during the day. Thankfully, they are both sleeping through the night, from about 10 pm to 5 am. It is awesome!

Diego recently figured out how to suck his thumb, but can't do it every time. It is so cute to watch him try to figure it out, sometimes he sticks his thumb up his nose, or sticks his whole fist in his mouth. It is only a matter of time before he figures it out...uh-oh! Hopefully it won't become a habit that is too hard to break later (wishful thinking??) Diego is constantly moving when he is awake, kicking his legs, moving his arms, very active! He loves to look around and take it all in, he truly does not want to miss a thing!

Mateo is still our mellow baby, but is super alert when he is awake. He makes great eye contact and can stare at mommy and daddy for extended periods. It is so sweet just to sit and stare into his eyes! He is seeing a physical therapist for a muscle in his neck that has been tight since birth. He is making great progress and Adrian and I have had fun helping him stretch and use both sides of his neck.

We have had many visitors and look forward to bringing the boys to Redwood City very soon. We are trying to wait until the end of the cold and flu season, just to be safe. Grandma and Grandpa are coming to Lincoln frequently and the boys love getting spoiled by their grandparents!

Here are some current pics of the boys...the are SO CUTE, don't ya think????

Diego hanging out on the couch.

Mateo doing the same.

Bumbo time!

Sleeping like angels...in mommy and daddy's bed!

Right before a bath, so much fun!

First Christmas

Wow! What an eventful week we have had. I can't believe how blessed these boys are...we don't know what to do with all their new stuff! I am definitely looking forward to when they can use some of these toys...fun! Their new outfits are super cute, too! We are so grateful!!

Sadly, the boys are coming down with their first cold. Despite our attempts to keep them healthy, they are very stuffy right now. It is so hard to hear them sniffle, especially when they are trying to sleep. Luckily, no one has a fever and they are both still eating well. We are taking them to see Dr. Don tomorrow, just to get checked out and for peace of mind. I wonder how much they weigh now?? They are growing WAY too fast!!

We are looking forward to a quiet New Year's Eve, just the four of us hanging out. Who knows if we will even make it to see the ball drop, it may be time for us to sleep, feed or change diapers!! We would not trade this in for anything! Just in case we don't blog before New Year's, we wish everyone blessings for 2009!!

Time Flies!!!!

Diego likes to snuggle with his brother/Diego chilling in his boppy

Mateo hanging in his boppy/Mateo and Diego as Santa

Well, time officially flies by with little ones around!! I can hardly believe that it has been almost 3 weeks since our last blog...sorry! The babies are growing so fast, right before our eyes it seems. Adrian and I are loving every minute of this thing called parenthood, even the all nighters that happen every once in a while. Honestly, our boys are really good, and sleep for 4-5 hours most nights. Occasionally they like to stay up and party, but who wouldn't with fun parents like us??

As of their last appointment, 2 weeks ago, Mateo weighed 7lb 8 oz and Diego weighed 7 lb 2 oz. The doctor was amazed at their growth, and told us to keep it up. Well, judging by how they feel in our arms, we are doing just that. I can't pick them up with one hand anymore, and it is tough to walk up or down the stairs holding them both. They are both starting to smile more, although we haven't been able to catch it in a picture yet.

Both boys love their bathtime, and Mateo especially loves the baby massage after the bath. He goes right to sleep after his massage. Diego, on the other hand, doesn't really appreciate the massage, maybe it will grow on him...

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and we look forward to seeing all our family over at my sister, Monica's house. As you can see, the boys will be festively dressed in Santa suits, SO cute (thanks Grandma Paula!) Christmas Day, Adrian's family will come to celebrate with us, and the boys have another Santa suit to wear that day (thanks Mami Trini (Adrian's Grandmother). In between, the boys have 2 different Christmas PJ's to wear (thanks Grandma Trini and Auntie Ericka) so they will be festive the whole time!! I wonder if these guys know how loved they are??

Adrian and I wish everyone a safe and Merry Christmas and a Happy Hannukah! This season really reminds us of the importance of family and friends and how truly blessed we are to have you all in our lives. We will be sure to post more pics soon!!!

Five weeks!

Five weeks have passed since our boys arrived...CRAZY!!! Life as we know it has definitely changed, it is like Groundhog's Day around here. We are always feeding, changing, or snuggling with a baby, it is great! The boys are growing so quickly, changing every day. Lately they have started to smile. It makes those sleepless nights a little more tolerable when your baby gives you a big smile.

Tomorrow is our next growth check...I wonder how much they will weigh? They certainly feel heavier! The weather has taken a turn for the cold, so we don't get out much. We love having visitors come by and say hi, but for the most part we stay in the house. I am curious to see how much my PG&E bill will be...we have to keep it warm for the little guys. Hopefully it won't be too crazy!

Here are some recent pics, enjoy!

Three Weeks Old!

First day home from the hospital!/ Mateo, chillin in his swing

Diego / Tio and the boys!

Mommy with Mateo / Daddy and his sons

Diego on the left, Mateo on the right


Wow!! We have survived our first week home with the boys, and they are already 3 weeks old! It is hard to believe how much they are changing and growing! We are looking forward to Wednesday to see how much they weigh now.

The boys are incredibly amazing! Even though they like to party at night, Adrian and I continue to be thrilled in our new roles as parents. Of course, we have forgotten what a full night's sleep feels like, or how a meal tastes when it is piping hot, but these are minor sacrifices for the joy we feel!

We are looking forward to a quiet and restful Thanksgiving with Adrian's family. Adrian's parents, and his brother and wife are coming to spend the day with us and the boys. It should be mellow and relaxing, just what we all need!

Lately we have been resting when the boys rest, so we have found it hard to get on here to post new pictures, however, we have heard that people are eagerly awaiting updated photos, so here they are. Enjoy!

Sleep Deprivation

As all new parents know, sleep is hard to come by with new babies in the house. Adrian and I knew this was coming, and we are thrilled to finally be experiencing it full time! Yes, it is hard sometimes, but we feel eternally blessed to be parents.

The boys are eating well and hopefully gaining weight...we will find out tomorrow at their first doctor's appointment. They are eating about 2 oz. every 3 hours. I am amazed at how many diapers we are going through and how much laundry these two guys create! Mateo likes to pee through to his outfits, and gets more wardrobe changes than Usher at a concert!

David came home today, we are still deciding whether or not to have anything for him. All we can ask now is for prayer for our entire family. We are taking it one day at a time, learning, growing and loving it!

Coming home!!

The boys are coming home today. Adrian and I are beside ourselves, we can't wait. Luckily we got a good night's sleep last night...there won't be a whole lot of that going on in the near future! How exciting!!!!!!!!!!!! We will update over the weekend. Blessings!

One Week Old

Well, more like 10 days by now, but close enough! Adrian and I are baffled by how much our sons change each day. Each day, we can't wait to see them, hold them and love them. Honestly, it has been hard for me to leave them each day, even though I know they belong there for now. The good news is that they will likely be coming home early next week...no word on the exact day, but next week is just around the corner. We can not wait to have them here and to be full time parents.

The boys had a nice visit with one set of grandparents over the weekend, and this week some other family has come to visit as well. They are still waiting to meet lots of family, but we are only allowed 2 visitors at a time. As soon as they get home, we are sure that lots of people will be coming by to meet them and love on them! Unfortunately, with cold and flu season upon us, we have to be super careful not to expose them to harmful germs. Their little lungs are susceptible to infection easily, so we hope to keep our home as germ free as possible!!

We were hoping to give the boys a bath over the weekend, but that did not happen as planned. We needed to wait until their cords came off, and today that happened! So, hopefully, we will get to give them a bath tomorrow. In the meantime, the nurses have been giving them sponge baths.

Both boys have had their feeding tubes removed, and on Monday, Diego had his nasal cannula removed as well. It is so nice to see their precious faces with no gadgets attached. They are both taking their entire feedings from a bottle, and when I am there, they are both nursing really well. It is a learning experience for us all, but we are getting more and more successful daily.

Below are some pics from this week. Don't they look cute??

Diego sucking his finger, Mateo relaxing after eating


Mateo and Diego hanging out together...Mateo has his fingers in his mouth.

Weekend Update

Our boys are growing so fast, it is crazy! Just this weekend they have changed and grown so much! Mateo is already in an open crib, the last step before he comes home...yeah!! All he has to do now is take all of his bottle from the nipple. Right now he is eating slowly, so he still has to take a portion from the tube. Diego is taking his entire feeding from a bottle, but he is still having trouble regulating his breathing. Each day he has improved, so we are looking forward to him moving to an open crib very soon. Today, the nurse said we can bring clothes from home for them...how exciting!!

Tomorrow they will get their first bath, we can't wait! We will post pics of the wet and wild fun as soon as we can. In the meantime, here are some pics from this weekend. In case you can't tell them apart yet, Diego still has the nasal cannula to help him breathe room air. Mateo only has the white feeding tube.

Our baby boys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello everyone and thank you for all the prayers! Adrian and I are overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support we have received from our friends and family. The last 18 days have been crazy!! Being in the hopsital for so many days can make a person feel nuts, but I was blessed by the distraction and love of so many people. Here is a brief summary of our/my stay:

I was admitted for high blood preessure and possible preeclampsia. The plan was to draw my blood each morning to check my blood levels for any abnormalities. Each day, believe it or not, my bloodwork got better!! At first I was frustrated, but soon realized that the Lord was keeping me in the hospital for a reason and I had to accept it. My purpose was to cook babies, so I did :) !

About midway through my stay, I started to have regular contractions. I was transferred to Labor and Delivery, and monitored for changes. I contracted for about 6 hours with no change in my cervix and then, miraculously, my contractions vanished and I was sent back to my room. I was frustrated, but ready to wait the extra week for our scheduled c-section.

A few days later, on Sunday, November 2, my blood pressure sky rocketed and the medications were doing nothing to keep it down. Around 4:00, the doctor told us we were having our babies that night between 8 and 9. The next few hours are foggy in my memory, a lot of family wishing us well, smiling faces, tears, etc. Before I knew it I was in the OR getting a spinal and the surgery began. It was the wierdest most surreal moment in my life. The docs struggled to get Mateo out, he was stubborn, but when he finally emerged and started to cry, my heart felt weak. There is no better way to describe it! Diego came out 2 minutes later, then David 2 minues later. David was quickly assessed, cleaned up and handed to his daddy, where he spent the duration of his short life. Adrian and I watched as he struggled to take his first and last breaths, fighting to live, but finally letting go. We were able to keep him with us and clean him up during recovery. Many family members came to say goodbye and got a chance to hold him as well. We know he is in heaven now, we know that he went from one daddy's arms to another daddy's arms, and we are confident that we will see him again. We miss him terribly, and will love him forever.

Mateo Armando 4 lbs 9 oz, 10:03 p.m.

Diego Jacob 4 lbs 11 oz, 10:05 p.m.

David, our beloved, 3lbs 13 oz, 10:07 p.m.

OK, here are some pics, I know you all are waiting---btw, they are SOOOOOOO cute! I am truly biased :) We will post more soon!! Babies are in the NICU doing well, mommy and daddy are at home resting and eagerly awaiting our time with then tomorrow!!

Day before surgery...232 lbs!!!!!!

Mommy and David

Daddy and Mateo...kangaroo time!

Diego, very sleepy after delivery!

Mateo with mommy...so cute!

In the Hospital

Hello everyone! Sorry we have not blogged in a while. We wanted to briefly update everyone regarding the status of mom and the boys. Last friday evening at 12pm we went into Kaiser because Vanessa was having more than 6 contractions per hour. We ended up staying the night and were released on Saturday. We went to our scheduled clinic appointment on Tuesday and we were sent to Labor and Delivery immediately. Long story short, the boys are fine they are concerened with Pre-Clamzia setting in at which point they will take the boys. They will be here any day. Please keep us in your prayers as we will get to meet our beautiful boys but will have to be faced with the reality of our Beloved David who is not doing well and is being taken over by his brothers. Mateo currently weighs 5 + pounds as well as Diego the two little piggies. These babies are huge for triplets! Also, keep Vanessa in your prayers during delivery.

Thank you everyone for your blessings!

Adrian & Vanessa

31 Weeks...and counting!

Another week under our belt...yeah!! Our next appointment is Tuesday, so we have to see what happens then. At our last appointment, we were sent straight to the hospital for an overnight visit to monitor my crazy high blood pressure. I was sent home after 24 hours because all the other tests they ran looked normal. We were at the hospital again a few days ago because I was feeling unusual pressure in my pelvis. Turns out, that is part of the package, and Mateo is just very low. We were sent home within a couple hours, phew!! I much prefer sleeping in my own bed! (By the way, that is 4 hospital visits so far, with 2 sleepovers!)

So, I have spent three full weeks on bedrest now, and I have developed some unusual preferences. The following is a list of things that I can not live with out right now:

• Pillows-I'm talking tons of pillows, surrounding my whole body (Adrian still gets one, too!)
• Straws-Have you ever tried to drink anything while lying down??
• Tums-heartburn...crazy heartburn
• Peppermint Extra Gum-There is just something so good about it!! I can't really explain.
• Cran-Grape Juice-Again, can't really explain how good it tastes!
• Netflix-Why didn't I ever do this before...probably because I wasn't spending all day on the couch or in bed!!
• DVR-It's amazing how many shows I can tape and watch the next day...even reruns!!
• Wireless Internet/Laptop-Oh, I would be so bored if I couldn't check my email and update my netflix account from the couch...online dominoes are fun too!!

Of course, the support from Adrian, my mom, sisters, family and friends have been amazing. Adrian continues to do his best to make sure the house is running properly. My sisters and mom make sure we are fed and stocked with what ever we need. My nieces and nephews provide me with much needed distraction and company. My friends have also come to visit, or call regularly and assure me that life outside this house is still happening, much to my surprise!! I know that there are a lot of people looking forward to these babies...we can hardly wait!!

I tried to add a voting poll to the blog, it should be working soon...remember to vote for when you think the boys will be here. This will likely be the most important vote you cast all year, so let your voice be heard!!!!

Daddy Shower Surpise!

It has been a while since I have blogged, like everyone we have been extremely busy running in and out of doctors appointments and pharmacies. The time is quickly approaching and Vanessa doesn't think she will make it more than two more weeks. Vanessa actually measured at 42 centimeters which means her body thinks it is 42 weeks pregnant! The goal is to make it to 34 weeks, today we hit the 30 weeks mark. This weekend we finished putting together the nursery, child seats, and the mobile which made me realize that very soon we will be parents.

This past week my previous boss and still friends Larry and Diane asked me to come to a "sales" meeting to discuss a project. I accepted with alot of questions because I had already met with him just a couple of days before. I showed up for my appointment right at 3pm and he met me at the door. We proceeded to walk into the Board Room and all of my co-workers were sitting there with balloons, decorations, presents, and a Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake (My Favorite). Thank you to Diane, Pam, Amanda, Larry, Tyler, Dave, Melinda, Rick, and Patti ( I am pretty sure I put everyone in). I had an opportunity to sit there with them for close to one hour catching up on everything and I really enjoyed myself. They are a great group of people at GBH and I am very appreciative of their constant support and for throwing this great party. I really enjoyed the Ice Cream cake and I must have a reputation of eating large amounts as they served me a large piece of cake. This act of kindness and generosity is a reminder to me of how blessed our family is to have friends and family like the individuals at GBH. Despite the current economy the Lord has always provided for us in so many different ways, some in planned events and others that come in surprises.

Also, our teacher friends from Coyote Ridge visited us the following day with a babies scrap book for all of the boys. They had obviously spent hours putting it together and the scrap books were incredible. Thank you to Julie, Denise, Jen, Lisa, Brenna, Mona, Lindsay, Lisa F. and Kelsey and anyone else who helped in putting this together for our boys.

I don't know how we would have made it to this point with out all of our family and friends. We look forward for everyone to come over to see our son's once they are home. Everyone has been a blessing on our lives and we hope to return the blessings. Thank you Lord for giving us our daily bread!

Adrian and Vanessa

Bed Rest!

So...these pics are from last Saturday, at Andrea and Caleb's engagement party. It was so fun, we really loved hanging out and meeting Caleb's family. They are all so nice! We can't wait for the wedding!! Judging by the amount of fun we had last weekend, the wedding will be a night to remember!!

Monday I felt off all day, just kind of yucky. I slept most of the day and woke up in the later part of the afternoon. Around 4:00 I noticed some contractions, so I monitored them for a while. When they were about 15 minutes apart I called Kaiser and they had me go into Labor and Delivery. I was admitted, and by the time I was put on the monitor, my contractions were about 2 minutes apart. My cervix had barely started to dilate, they called it a fingertip...basically less than one, which is good news. They needed to stop the contractions so I got a shot of terbutaline and was told I was going to stay the night. A while after the shot I was given Nifedipine, a blood pressure medication that relaxes smooth muscles, like the uterus, which helped to make the contractions more spread out.

Before being sent home Tuesday morning, I was given a steroid shot, which stimulates lung development in the babies. I went back today for my last installment of steroids, and was checked my Dr. Mentakis, the other doctor in the high risk clinic. My cervix is now 80% thinned out, or effaced, but still no change in dilation. I am taking Nifedipine every 4 hours, and am tracking my contractions. If I have 6 in an hour, back to Morse we go. Until then, bedrest!

With proper care, there is a good chance that everything will progress as normal for a triplet pregnancy. However, I ask that you please continue to pray for our boys...they need to keep cooking just a few more weeks!! Thank you!!