Finallly Home....

Let's Celebrate......

Tripones's Adventures

Oct. 1-25: Many things happened this month. First of all, Mommy was on her own with the Tripones. Fortunately they go to bed at 8:00 PM and don't wake up until 6:00-8:00 AM the next morming. This helps, since Mom and Daddy can prepare bottles and meals for the next day. Mommy did very good on her own with the Tripones. We also went out every weekend to some of the closest towns to home. Annecy and Lyon in France and the Saleve mountain in Geneva, Switzerland. After doing the trip to Nice, France we have learned how to manage the Tripones outside home. Yes, we have to bring tons of things with us every time, but it has been worth it. We have discovered that Vivi's first two teeth are showing up (11/25).

2008-10-01 Tripones' Adventures

Tripones Keep Having Fun.......

Sept. 28: On our way back to St. Genis we decided to stop at Lago Maggiore, Italy. We visited two of the island there. Los Tripones were there celebrities too. We have started to believe that we are the only crazies to go around with Triplets. A lot of people keep telling us that these are the first Triplets that they have ever seen. We always answer that it is the same for us. We have never seen Triplets in our lives but not only that, now we are living with them too.

2008-09-29 Tripones at Lago Maggiore, Italy

Sept. 21-27: This week Mommy's friend "Svitlana" came from Chicago. We all went around Geneva and later we went to Milano. This time los Tripones got to see Daddy's home town. This is the week that the Tripones are taking their last meal of the day at 8:00 PM and sleep all the way until 6:00 or 7:00 AM. They are also going to sleep without making the big fiasco as they did for the last past 3 months. This is for sure a BIG step. Mommy and Daddy are finally having decent dinners and more time to catch up with their personal stuff. Hopefully this blog will be updated more often!!

2008-09-21 More Vacation Time for the Tripones

Sept. 8-20: Los tripones keep growing fast. They are growing more mentally than physically. They are surprising us on how fast they are understanding what is going on around them. Vero is trying to lift up herself and she is moving around anywhere we place her. She is super active and screams a lot during playing if she doesn't get what she wants. Vivi is full of laughs and she likes to touch peoples' faces. She also listens to her name and pays attention when people talks to her. Leo has the best coordination with his hands. He pays attention when his sisters are pick up and not him. He likes to be the first one in everything and if he doesn't he complains. They are all very different from each other. This month Vero's weight is 6.520 kg; Vivi's 6.960 kg and Leo's 6.880 kg.

2008-09-08 Tripones Keep Growing

Sept. 3: Since we were close to Cannes, we also took advantage and visited it. It was very nice walking around but never alone because people were always interesting to see and know about the Tripones. The day was nice but we didn't even try to have dinner or anything there. We didn't want to spoiled the day, again.

2008-09-04 Tripones in Cannes, France

Sept. 2: Noo, Monte Carlo was not enough for the day. We wanted to end the perfect day with a nice dinner so, we picked Ventimiglia, Italy which is 10-15 minutes driving from Monte Carlo. We walk around until we found a nice and cozy restaurant. Everything went right until Vero and Leo started crying and you could imagine how our dinner ended. We had to take the dinner to go and ended up eating it on the road. The perfect day turned out to be not so perfect as we thought it would. Oh well, that is our life with the Tripones!!

2008-09-02 Tripones at Ventimiglia, Italy

Sept. 2: Once in Nice, we decided to head over Monte Carlo. It was nice to take the Tripones around the Grand Pris track. It was a lot of work for Daddy since he had to push the space ship all the way. Hopefully he lost some kilos, and if not at least we can say that we all had a good time looking around and being looked at.

2008-09-02 Tripones in Monte Carlo, Monaco

More than Celebrities.....

Aug 25-Sept. 7: Finally our vacation to the beach!! It was a little risky to take a 6 hours trip to Nice, France but we did it. It was very hard to fit everything in the car but we also did it. It was the first time that we (Mommy and Daddy) were completely alone with the Tripones, for two long weeks. We would have no help from any body. Everyday we would go for a walk either to buy groceries or just to take them out. It was another celebrity time for the Tripones. For two entire weeks we were stop and asked questions about them. There was no day that we could walk without anybody asking or staring in surprised. Besides all the difficulties our vacation turn out to be absolutely wonderful!!

2008-08-25 Tripones in Nice

Aug 1-24: These weeks have been very important for the Tripones. They have started eating baby food. Leo enjoys it more and eats more than the girls. They are growing so fast in front of our eyes, Vero's weight is 5.820 kg; Vivi's 6.480 kg and Leo's 6.270 kg. Some friends came from Milano and we all decided to go to Geneva center for a walk. It was an unbelievable walk! People kept watching and asking questions about our Tripones. It was definitely a crazy idea to take THREE babies with us, but it was fun!!!

2008-08-01 Tripones become Celebrities

Los Tripones First Vacations and More........

July 21-30: This was a sad and happy week. Aunt Francis and cousin Victoria went back to Chicago but not before taking the Tripones to Geneva, Switzerland, the city where they were born. We had a wonderful time taking the Tripones around their own city for the first time. Vero and Vivi enjoyed looking around while Leo slept. By the end of this week they also started to have rice cereal into their milk and also to eat it at lunch. Mommy prepares a meal mixing rice cereal with juice. They really love it!!!!

2008-07-21 Tripones in Geneva, Switzerland

July 14-20: After a week with the Tripones aunt Francis and cousin Victoria got to know the true identity of each Tripon. They realized that Vero is the one with a strong character and Caprichosa. It just got to be her way and nothing more. Leo is a jealous boy, he doesn't like Mom to hold anybody but him. Him and Vero have a battle going on. They are both constantly fighting for who gets Mommy to pick up first. Instead Vivi is the angel of the house. She is always observing her siblings' drama. Vero is our "Little Queen", Leo our "Jealous Boy" and Vivi our "Little Angel" (our Angelina). This week they had their last vaccines for this year and we got to know their weight: Vero's is 5.590 kg; Vivi's 6.300 kg and Leo's 5.850 kg. Yes, our little angel have passed Leo that is why we also call her "Baby Urlie" for Brian Urlacher (defense of the Chicago Bears football team). By the end of the week we drove to the Mountains and stayed for the weekend at Teresa's and Pasquale's house in Aosta, Italy. We all had a beautiful time there. It was nice to breath clean and fresh air and los Tripones behaved very well!!!

2008-07-14 Tripones in Aosta, Italy

July 7-13: This week aunt Francis and Victoria came to visit us from Chicago. They brought with them lots of things and energy to keep up with the Tripones. We all went to Annecy, France to see the town and have dinner, but before that we had to find a place to feed the Tripones and the only place available was a bus stop. It was crazy but funny because everybody kept looking at us feeding 3 babies, not to mention the looks while we were walking around the little town with our space ship. We definetly are a celebrity everywhere we take the Tripones. By the end of the week we also headed to Milan, Italy. We received lots of visitors at Grandma's home. Everybody wanted to see the Tripones. We were a success!!! Daddy's friends and relatives got to play and feed them.

2008-07-07 Tripones in Annecy, France & Milan, Italy

July 1st-6: This week los Tripones had an appointment for the check up of their hips. This is a procedure that must be done when there is more than one baby in a small space like Mom's belly. It seems that because of the limited space in the belly there might be complications in the hips of the babies. Fortunately the Tripones' hips are good.

2008-07-01 The Terrible Tripones

Triple the WORK but Triple the FUN...

June 23-31: This week has been very hot and the Tripones have been very cranky. We try to keep them with less clothes as posibble. They are more playful and it seems that they are starting to enjoy their toys.

2008-06-23 More Tripones

June 16-22: It is getting tough handling the Tripones at the same time. They don't sleep anymore like before. Vero and Leo cry and they only stop when we pick them up.

2008-06-16 Having Fun

June 9-15: No, we are still getting up during the night to feed the Tripones. We are happy to know that they keep growing at a good rate. They had their second vaccines on Saturday the 14 and we found out that Vero's weight is 4.600 kg with 55 cm of lenght; Vivi's weight is 4.900 kg with 55 cm of lenght and Leo's weight is 5.000 kg with 56 cm of lenght.

2008-06-09 Cruising with the Tripones

June 2-8: It is definitely fun to have 3 babies at the same time but it is a lot of work and many nights without sleeping. Mommy and Daddy can't do the 4:00 A.M. feeding anymore. Every night it is the same thing with the Tripones. They cry from 8:00 P.M until 10:00 P.M. We don't know what to do anymore. We are hopping that soon will be over and we will finally be able to have a nice movie night or at least a quiet night.

2008-06-02 Enjoying los Tripones

June 1st: This month started very good. Daddy's friends came from Milan and we all got together at Vesna's and Ricardo's home for a B-Q.

2008-06-01 Tripones' First B-Q

Life Can Be Difficult With THREE......

BABIES' INFO: Our Vero is already giving us problems. We fist had to change baby bottles for her because she was not eating very well in the ones that we bought for all the TREE. We also changed milk for her and Vivi because they are vomiting constantly after they eat. Instead our Leo is doing good with the exception that he is learning that by crying he gets his food and attention quickly.

May 26-31: Daddy came back from States and brought lots of present from the Arroyos to the Tripones. It was a week full of fun opening and enjoying new things for the Tripones.

2008-05-26 Fun Week

May 19-25: This was the week that Daddy decided to take a vacation in Chicago. We had aunt Martha coming from Milan to help us. We didn't take many pictures this time.

2008-05-19 Without Daddy

May 12-18: This was a very hard week for the Tripones. They had a blood test and their first vaccines. They were cranky by the end of both days but the good thing is that Daddy was on vacation to help. They also visited their friends (another set of triplets).

2008-05-12 Tripones and more

May 1-11: This week the Upleggers (Lorenzo's family) came to visit us for the weekend. They brought with them the Tripones'Space Ship (stroller). We all went out for the first time to check out the town. We also had a Doctor's appointment on their 2nd month anniversary day and we are all doing fine. Veronica's weight is 3.270 kg; Viviana's is 3.340 kg and Leonardo's 3.480 kg.

2008-05-01 Our First Days Out

The Learning Process........

• BABIES' INFO: They are definitely THREE different little people. Veronica is the one who cries the most and has a very strong character. Our Viviana is our little angel. The only time she cries is when she is hungry. And our Leonardo is a very calm baby who doesn't mind waiting with his pacifier in while his sisters eat first.

• April 25-30: We are finally realizing that it is a lot of work having Triplets. We are destroyed with the night shift feeding and not to mention all the poop that these Tripones produce.

2008-04-25 Third Week at Home

• April 22-23: Today Dario came to visit us and he couldn't stop taking pictures of the Tripones. Even if he took more pictures of Leo than the girls.
  

2008-04-23 Tripones by Dario

• April 18-24: Our second week with our Tripones is about getting to know each one of them. This week they had their first appointment with Dr. Brantus who will be our family Doctor until we go back to the U.S.A. This time Vero's weight is 2.700 kg, Vivi's 2.800 kg and Leo's 3.000 kg.

2008-04-18 Second Week at Home

• April 11-17: This week was an incredible week. We were so happy that our babies are with us that we haven't had time to realized the amount of work that we are doing. Thank god for Grandma Renata and Aunt-Grandma Teresa that are welling to help us.

2008-04-11 First Week at Home

• April 11th: We finally left the hospital today. We are so happy that the Tripones are coming home with us. We learned so much from the nurses at the Development Unit but it became difficult the commuting every day.

2008-04-11 Leaving Finally the Hospital

• April 1-10: Unfortunately this week was not as good as we wanted. Leo got sick and he had to go back to the oxygen machines. He got a lung infection and got better after given antibiotics. This delayed our departure from the hospital. Fortunately for their 1st month anniversary Leo was doing better. On this day Vero's weight was 2.250 kg, Vivi's 2.295 kg and Leo's 2.445 kg.

2008-04-05 Happy First Month Tripones

Mission Accomplished!!!

• Mar. 23 (2 weeks +): This was easter week and he tripones are still at the hospital in their private room. Dad was on holidays from Friday to Monday and so we spent all the afternoons in their room learning to bath, change and feed them to get as quick as we can in order to be ready when they'll be home. They must be fed every 3 hours so right now the task is pretty hard since we are taking an hour and half to change and feed them and then we only have another hour before we have to start again. We are only doing 3 out of the 8 turns that they have and in the evening Mom and Dad are super tired. Still we think that to have such a beautiful babies everything we are doing is worth it. Let's see what we'll write in few months...

  2008-03-23 Tripones First Easter

• Mar. 19 (2 weeks): Teresa went to visit the tripones for their second week birthday celebration! They are all doing good but they are still eating only 2 bottles and they won't be released until they will start eating at least six bottles a day.

• Mar. 17 (1 week 5 days): After more than 2 months finally Claudia left the hospital and she spent the first day home!The tripones have been moved to the new place which is really nice. It's a room where Mom and Dad will learn how to change, bath and do many other things to them.

• Mar. 16 (1 week 4 days): Tomorrow Mom will get out of the hospital since she recovered. They will also move the tripones to the pediatric unit since they are doing good and they don't need to stay any longer in this NICU.

• Mar. 15 (1 week 3 days): Today grandma Renata came to visit the tripones and they put them all together in the same cradle. They are so funny all together!
  Renata and the tripones videos

• Mar. 14 (1 week 2 days): Mom is still sick so she will probably come out on Monday. They found an infection in her blood and they gave her antibiotics to lower the temperature and kill the infection. today was also the day that they met grandma Renata. She came from Milan and we were able to snick her for few minutes in the room where they are. The tripones are doing so well that the one of the doctors told me that as soon as some places will be free at the pediatric pavilion ( and it won't be easy because we need three beds) they will move them there since they just need to learn how to eat but they don't need any special treatment.

  2008-03-14 Tripones at the NICU

• Mar. 13 (1 week 1 day): They moved the tripones in another room with other little babies today and Mom gave the them their first bath. Dad unfortunately arrived too late to do it too, next time. They also started to feed them with baby's bottles, and when they'll be able to drink 6 or 8 bottles a day they are ready to go home. We would have liked to have Mom home tomorrow but she got fever so right now the doctors are doing all the blood tests to understand why she is sick. Looks like that all the tests came out good so we still don't understand what happened.

• Mar. 12 (1 week): Today the tripones are 1 week old and as a present the nurse put them together in the same bed to have a party! They also had a blood test and now we know their blood type: Veronica and Viviana are 0+ like Mom while Leonardo is A+ like Dad. After one week the teams are already well defined! Mom is doing much better and she will probably get out on Friday finally!

• Mar. 11 (6 days): Today Mom was able to feed all of them but the one that is eating more is always Veronica.

• Mar. 10 (5 days): The tripones are doing so well that today they were taken out from the incubators and put in a thermal bed. Mom and Dad are counting the days when they'll have them home and they are getting more scared for the tremendous amount of work that those angels will need!

• Mar. 9 (4 days): Mom is feeling much better and is producing more and more milk. She spent the morning with Viviana and then in the afternoon she breastfed Veronica. Leo instead spent the afternoon sleeping in daddy's arms. There can be a war outside and he is always sleeping...This evening they also removed the intravenous feeding food.

  2008-03-09 We love to sleep

  
  

• Mar. 8 (3 days): As expected Claudia is feeling better today so she could walk to the tripones upstairs. she found them at the beach. Today she tried to breastfeed Leo and Vero but only Veronica started eating from mom's breast. Leo is too lazy and he just wants to sleep. La Vivi instead spent the afternoon in daddy's arms sleeping pacifically.

  2008-03-08 Tripones already at the beach

  
  

• Mar. 7 (2 days): Claudia today is feeling a little bit worst than yesterday but the doctors already told us that this would have been the worst day. From now on things should go better every day. Today they let us hug our babies. It is hard to hug two at the same time but the feeling is great. The tripones also had 2 visitors to pamper them!

  2008-03-09 We love to sleep

• Mar. 6 (1 day): Claudia today is feeling better and she was able to go upstairs where the babies are kept in the incubators. They are all doing great and they don't need anymore the breathing mask.

• Mar. 5 (Week 31 and 6/7 days): Today is the day! The surgery started at 12.00am as scheduled and 13 minutes later Veronica saw the light for the first time in her life. 2 minutes later Viviana was with us too and 2 minutes after the lazy Leonardo joined the already big family. Veronica was 1670 grams(3lb and 10.6ounces), Viviana 1660 grams (3lb and 10.3ounces) and Leonardo 1750 grams(3lb and 13.7ounces). It's amazing how they were sharing the food as good brothers!
  Tripones home page videos
  

  2008-03-05 The Day

• Mar. 4 (Week 31): Today Mom had sonogram #. Leonardo moved in a position that can be dangerous for the amniotic sac so the doctors decided that it is time to take them out since the incubators are available and the babies are already at the end of their scheduled delivery. TOMORROW there will be the surgery and we'll finally see our tripones!

Don't say cat if you don't have it in the bag...

• Feb. 20 (Week 30): Today was Sonogram #11. The babies are growing a lot now and they are all above 1.2 Kg (~3 lb). The cervix is still stable so at the point we are just waiting for THE DAY relaxed and happy. The only concern now is that Mom's belly is getting huge and she has problems to get up from the bed and to sleep at night. We decided that we would love to have the delivery on March 14th but the doctor said that if she can't handle anymore the belly we'll probably deliver our little babies before. He is doing surgeries on Thursdays and Fridays and since we would like to have the kids on a Friday the possible dates are Februray 29th or March 7th or 14th. We are both excited, soon our life will change completely...

• Feb. 10 (Week 28): Mom and daddy enjoying their precious belly.

• Feb. 5 (Week 28): Today was Sonogram #10. It shows that the babies are doing great and that the cevix channel is still stable at 8mm. We are so relaxed now at 5 weeks to the scheduled delivery on March 13th. Unfortunately Mom has to spend the rest of the pregnancy at the hospital but luckily she is sharing the room now with Gabrielle and since they both like to talks for hours time is passing fast. Mom weights 68.6 Kg (153 lb) and her belly is now 109cm (43")

A New Year and a NEW beginning.....

• Jan. 29 (Week 27): Mommy had the blood sugar test done and the results came out good. Since she is not taking enough calcium, "I am tired of eating cheeses" she said, the dietologist urged her to take also some calcium pills. She also started antiacids pills.

• Jan. 22 (Week 26): Today was the sonogram #9. The babies are growing normally and finally we had a good news: the cervix channel stopped opening and it is still 8mm like it was two weeks ago. Looks like that resting at the hospital has been a very good idea since now everything look stabilized. Mommy's weight is 68.8 Kg (153 lb) and he belly measures 108cm (42 1/2").

• For news and info about Claudia's status don't hesitate to contact me at uplegger@fnal.gov. I'll keep updating the blog anyway when there are more and hopefully positive news.

• Jan. 9 (Week 24): Today was the day of the medical and sonogram visit. Mom was checked for possible infections but none have been detected. It was also time to check again the cervix since last week was already getting too thin and unfortunately we didn't have good news. The cervix channel still got thinner and now it is only 8mm ( half of what it was just 5 days ago). The doctors decided to keep Mom at the hospital for the rest of the pregnancy to monitor her contractions and try to keep the babies in the belly as long as possible since we are only at week 24. Mommy and the babies are doing great and only the cervix is worrying us...Mom's weight is 68.2 Kg (152 lb) and her belly measures 104cm (41")

• Jan. 4 (Week 23): Today was the Sonogram # 8 that came with bad and good news. Apparently Mommy's cervix channel is getting thinner. This time the channel measurement went to 1.5 cm close. It looks like Mom might end up staying soon at the hospital if it continues getting thinner. The good news is that Vero, Vivi & Leo are doing fine. They are still growing as if they were singletons.
  
  
  Jan. 1 (Week 23): This was our celebration receiving the year 2008. The 5 of us had dinner together at home and received the New Year eating Panettone, drinking Champagne and watching "The Lion King". We must prepare Daddy to watch and know all the Walt Disney movies!!