Tsega's Sagas

This post is for you Tsega, my quirky little baby.

Tsega is social, muscly, rough, and stimulated. He sleeps great but is usually the last asleep after bouncing all over the house. We often just take him to bed, turn off the lights, and hope he gets the hint. Everybody wants to play and talk with Tsega while his shyer brothers freeze in the company of strangers (literally freeze with wide-eyed stares).

Tsega hugs me so tight while grabbing my hair and "kissing" (or rather chomping) my chin that it hurts. I had to help a nine year old girl get untangled from his intense love. He plays nice with brothers these days when he doesn't bite (he doesn't mean any harm, he's a lover).

Naughty boy went from gumming to biting, teeth marking the transition. The slobber marks on top of brother's heads are tell-tell (yikes, a "biter", but he's getting better).

He also shook and rolled his head all crazy for awhile but seems to have stopped this in favor of twiddling his lips for sound effect. I don't know how to describe, but everyone has done this. You use your finger and flick your lips up and down while humming and it makes a cool sound (does anybody know what I'm talking about. . . we need a word for this activity). And he itches his ear with a cocked head (he's done this since homecoming), leading people to believe he has an ear infection (his ears are fine).

He is our quirkiest babe so far!

Tsega is a hotty in case you haven't noticed. As my nanny tells me all the time, the girls will be calling for you pretty soon, my dear.

Tsega loves screeching and hearing his voice. Watch as I intentionally get Tsega's screech out (his brothers sleeping in back of him never woke up).

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

10 Things About Me

Although this blog is devoted to my sweet triplets, I decided to devote this post to ME. I'm copy catting Jayme on this one (man her twins are cute!). Here are 10 things about me that you may not know and probably don't need to know.
1. I never met a cat I didn't like. . . except one (she was scary and attacked my feet).
2. I flunked 9th grade.
3. I have a PhD, I'm a biologist, and I work in plant breeding. (Did you see #2? He-he!)

The essence of what I do (do you know what these are?). . .

4. I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Central African Republic.
5. When I was 13 I saw Johnny Rotten in concert when he was still with P.I.L. with my two buddies (Melissa, are you reading?) and no parents at the Olympic Auditorium in good ol' L.A. He sang two Sex Pistols songs and I thought I'd die from euphoria.
6. Don't shudder. . . I think the first baby I ever held was one of my triplets. Seriously, the mommy desire didn't hit until a few years ago.
7. I love to belly dance and I'm a pretty good tap dancer.
8. I'm not afraid of snakes (although I'm not particularly fond either). I saw cobras in the wild in Hong Kong. A green mamba fell out of a tree right in front of me and one almost flopped from my thatched ceiling onto my bed as I was looking up at it (this was in C.A.R. and they were everywhere and yes, they are deadly!). I once tried to pick up a harmless snake and fling it outside when everybody was screeching at it and it bit me. People still tell that story, lol!
9. I hug trees.
10. I suffer from terrible bed-head in the mornings!

The Big One

The trips turned THE BIG ONE last Saturday on June 23rd. This day also marks seven months since we first met the boys. Happy Birthday Tsega, Bereket, Sira!


The boys went wild with new toys and after a few we had to stop; even I was getting overstimulated. Don't ever ask Jerry to lead Happy Birthday, he's a grinch. Guess first birthdays are more for the parents (or for the mom in this case).








So big and walking; Tsega pushes his brothers in their "new" hand-me-down car. I hope Jerry likes the horn because it squeaks all day long. . .

Ahhhh, it was only yesterday that these three came home so tiny and helpless. They could do nothing more than lay in our arms and our faces were their whole world. Seven months have flown . . .

Look how little they were at 6 weeks old just after they were relinquished (Tsega is on the far left and that's Bereket bawling).














Now look how big (what's Bereket complaining about?). . .


Tsega looks more toddlerish in his old age than his bros. Watch him do his usual rough-housing in this short video (then watch him rise and sit back with a stare of satisfaction). Luckily Bereket has a good sense of humor that day.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

We love you boys, happy big one and happy 7 month anniversary. Please stop growing up so fast (and stop bawling about everything lately, it only gets worse, lol!).

Hiatus

I've been behind the prairie curtain for awhile (kids and all) and busy with family and work. I'm pooped. I lost my camera for awhile and just found it so will post new photos soooooon . . . Here's a quick update since I last saw you all.

The boys turned THE BIG ONE last Saturday, June 23. Grampa got them a video camera and gramma got them several retro pull toys, a xylophone, and a push popper and push melody chime. We got them a push red flyer wagon. I actually stopped after a few toys because the boys were getting wild (I'll save some for Christmas). Jerry was not cooperative when it came to singing happy birthday. Let's not put him in charge of future birthdays. We, my parents, and my brother (in town visiting) all went out to dinner and the boys ate about 3 bites of cake (despite my brother's and Jerry's protests--geesh what's up with everybody!?).

Tsega walks. . . sort of. It's more like two-stepping. Although I think I counted 6 steps last night. He raises into standing without pulling up. He looks like Frankenstein rising; lifts his torso from all fours while in a bear crawl position. That's right--the baby who lagged behind in motor skills walks first. Sira stands up like this occasionally and all three boys are letting go and free standing, but I think Bereket and Sira have a little while until walking.

Despite their official cross over to toddlerhood last Saturday, Bereket and Sira are still babies. They're small, buttery, bald, and pinchable. Tsega is looking more grown up and thrashes around the house in full force. All are on constant move. They crawl around the house together gathering around toys and legs. There's more crying and screeching these days. Seems like somebody is always getting into trouble being so mobile, or they're knocking each other down or stealing toys, or just trying to be the loudest. Bereket and Sira keep switching off being the neediest; one of these two is sure to cry if Jerry or me leaves the room. Tsega's got this biting thing going (I think he sees bulls eyes on top of his brother's bald heads) but he's getting better and responding to "no". Yes, we have introduced that word into our boys' lives, but we use is sparingly. They're just babies, they don't know what they're doing (I think!).

I am a tad worried about language. Not a single word has been said purposefully. Lots of babbling and mama dada, but no discriminate speech yet. I suspect they spend so much time babbling back and forth, they are picking up babbles and not real words. Time to up the reading now that the boys don't eat as much books as they used to.

Bereket and Sira each have 2 teeth on the bottom and two on top with more cutting through. Tsega has two bottom teeth and two uppers are on their way. Tsega's hair is getting fuller and his curls are getting tighter but remain soft. Bereket and Sira are still legally bald but a few areas are getting fuzzier. OK, here's a funny tidbit. . . our nanny who was born and raised in Uganda, insists Tsega is getting lighter. I don't think it's true, but imagine the dirty looks a white person would get if they said that (you know what I mean!). All boys are mastering the cup (sans spill proof lids) and bottle weaning has not begun.

The local paper did a story on us and the triplets. Several Kansas papers have picked up the story. Click here for a link to a shortened version.

It's been 7 months since we met our boys. I think I can finally say with real confidence that our boys are well attached to us. The process continues, but I am definitely seeing the signs. They love us :).

Maybe this wasn't a "quick" update afterall.

Peace out.