Two Week Weigh In

Turner was born at 7 pounds 2 ounces. He left the hospital at 6 pounds 9 ounces. He has been a good eater since day one. At two weeks old he had his first weigh in. The rule of thumb is that babies should be back to their birth weight by their second week. Turner weighed in (wearing his diaper) at 7 pounds 10 ounces. This landed him in the 25th percentile, which is the highest weight percentile any of our sons has ever been in.
His head circumference measured 14 inches, which is also the 25th percentile, and his length, after two measurements, was declared at 20.75 inches long. This length, in addition to being a quarter inch of growth, is the 50th percentile for boys his age.
At two weeks old he is ready for 4 ounces a feeding, he eats every three hours during the day but does 5-6 hour stretches at night, an still sleeps most of the time.
He is a really good baby, and though it has only been two weeks it really feels like Turner has always been with us. The transition has been natural and I can hardly remember life without him. Turner truly did complete our family.

2.5 years

Chase and Ryder turned two and a half the day after Turner was born. It seems that at all milestone birthdays they naturally mature as they are supposed to, as was the case this time around. Of course the birth of their baby brother makes them seem exponentially older and larger than they are, but still, they really have advanced all on their own.
The boys play together now, and even if playing means wrestling, it is still very endearing. They have conversations with one another that I know I should not be listening to, but I have to, it is just so cute. They literally run in circles around each other, or will help one another with a puzzle. They look out for one another the way brothers should, asking for two of something so they can give one to the other or letting me know (in case I had not noticed) when one is sleeping, crying, or in need of something. They will say "good job" when one of them does something, or encourage one another to keep trying if they are struggling with something. They ask each other if they are OK, when one seems sad or hurt, and even if they are the one who made them sad or hurt it is nice to see they have empathy. This brotherly love is indeed something we nurture, but we can't help but think so much of it is nature. Is it a twin thing? A brother thing? Can it be so simple as the way we are raising them?
Sleep issues have finally been resolved, at least for now. We have compromised with the door being left open and the hallway light remaining on. I have to sing songs after books and no matter how many times I say "last one," there always seems to be one more. The last few nights Ryder has insisted on sleeping with his guitar, Chase then asks for his Elmo guitar, and they often sing themselves to sleep. Chase also has a tendency to sleep with ten or more books scattered all around him. And, in the morning, when he comes to our room he is carrying Pooh, his blanket, his guitar and at least five books. He does not ask us to read them, he just likes to carry them.
They don't eat very much, nor very often, but they do drink a good amount. Ryder prefers chocolate milk and Chase prefers juice. Chase continues to be the better eater, willing to try more things. Ryder, when he is hungry, will sit and eat nicely, but is certainly a bit more picky. Despite eating grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese, and hot dogs with cheese, he does not usually eat a cheese stick and will often take all the cheese off of his pizza before eating. Of course, if you give him pizza without cheese (tomato pie) he will not eat it at all, and will ask for a plain slice...then pull the cheese off.
They insist on doing things themselves, from washing and drying their hands, to putting on their own pajamas, to changing the CD's. As we revel in their fight for independence we wish there were some things (ie: handling of the CD's, or the cutting of a bagel) they allowed us to help them with.
At two and a half you can have full conversations with both boys and we continue to be amazed by both the things they know and the things they remember. Although both boys have great language skills, Chase speaks with a clarity well beyond his years. Yesterday he was correcting Ryder's mispronunciation of the word picture. "Pishture" Ryder would say and Chase would correct him "Ryder, it is piCK-ture, not piSH-ture."
They have a new fascination for The Wiggles, much to my dismay. I have learned to accept, perhaps even like, Barney but I find nothing appealing about these four Australians. And, despite never actually seeing a Bob the Builder episode, they have somehow taken a liking to Bob and so I went and purchased a DVD.
They have basically dropped their nap, which makes for a very long day, particularly on a non-school day. They will still fall asleep in the car but I no longer drive just to have them nap. By 3 in the afternoon they are often in a daze and will stare at the TV for some rest time.
Ryder has become a classic rock enthusiast insisting on listening to Todd's CD's or watching concerts we have on DVD. He has also been going to the bathroom on the potty several times a day. Although he has gone on command by both sitting and standing, he is not yet ready to give up the diapers. He goes when he wants to and, as usual does things as he is ready. Although Chase has no interest in potty peeing (his response, when asked if he wants to go potty, is simply "no thank you") he does like to flush his poop down the toilet and say goodbye to it every time.
They welcomed their baby brother with the same charm they present to us daily. There are moments when they love Turner Luke (as they call him) and kiss him or pat his head, then spend the rest of the time hardly noticing he is there. Although occasionally they are too rough with the swing or the bouncy seat, at times it seems the bouncy seat will work as a slingshot and they will catapult young Turner straight across the room, mostly they handle him well. Chase often wants to help feed his brother, or help change his diaper and Ryder will have a tender moment when he thinks no one is looking. Their behavior has been pretty good and they have not seemed to have jealous moments or signs of regression.
They continue to have moments of hilarity and often it is their simple exchanges that can keep us laughing. They continue to do well with school and love to be around people. They often greet you with smiles and hugs and are pretty good about using their manners, though they do sometimes have to be reminded. Of course, with their age, comes some whining and some crying. There are days where they are great listeners and days where they are not. Chase almost seems to enjoy testing his boundaries, and though we stick to our punishments, he has not yet learned. But, also with their age comes the thrill of hearing them say I love you, the thrill of their greeting me with a hug, the thrill of their voices and their laughter, the thrills of two and a half.

De-cord-eD

Early this morning Turner lost his cord. The nurses told us to expect it to fall off about 10-14 days from his birth. At ten days old it is nice to see he hit his first milestone right on time. The nurses also say that though he was a good baby in the nursery the colic chip does not implant until he is 10-14 days old either. I wonder if one has anything to do with the other?
Last night, while sponge bathing Turner, we noticed the cord was literally hanging on by a thread. Todd wanted to rip it off but we decided to let it fall off naturally instead. Since the poor kid is still in recovery mode from his bris we certainly did him a favor.
The cord falling off improved things in that area, but his button is currently an outty and not the best looking part of him. His brothers both had an umbilical hernia and I am thinking Turner may have the same thing, which I should find out for sure at his appointment next week. If not, and if it does not change, then he may do a million things in life but perhaps underwear modeling may not be one of them.
So, his bris is done, his cord is off, and 11 days in he is still a really good boy. Way to be Turner!

The Tovsky Trifecta

I have always loved little boys. Their mischief, their laughter, their filth, all the makings of boys being boys has always melted my heart. I had not anticipated this fondness being granted to me threefold. But so it goes, and we welcome Turner Luke Tovsky, the third son, the completion of the Tovsky Trifecta. Though we were surprised by his gender and found out no sooner than his birth, I can't say I was shocked. I had thought, as did Todd, that it was a boy all along.
Right from his birth at 8:17 am on January 6, 2009, I fell in love for the fourth time with a Tovsky boy.

just born

When we were blessed with the arrival of Chase and Ryder we immediately loved two children at once and it was never a question of making room for both. As we welcomed our third born we learned that our love was not being divided amongst children, but rather, with each child our love is multiplied.

Big Brothers Ryder and Chase

Our three sons

Brotherly love

Mommy and her sons

The moment you meet your child for the first time is probably the most cherished moment in life, at least for me. It is a feeling that can not be duplicated by anything other than meeting another child of yours, and even that is not exactly the same. The moment I met Turner, though somewhat blurred by anesthetically induced nausea and vomiting, was as special as anticipated, as special as it was when I had met his brothers. He was placed in my arms and my life was forever changed, again. Somehow, at just a few minutes old, weighing in at just over seven pounds, this squishy little infant completed our family the instant we saw him.

First introduction

Although he is constantly changing, at the moment Turner looks a bit like Ryder with Chase's eyes and hair color. He shares the same initials as his father and I am blessed knowing all of my boys, all of my loves, are parts of each other, and of me.









I am not sure what life will be like in the upcoming weeks as we juggle with three young boys. But, I do know whatever will be as we figure it out, our life just got that much better, as it doubly had just two years prior.
Turner, we all love you and welcome you with the most open of hearts.

Going Home

Turner Luke Tovsky- 1/6/09- 8:17 am - 7 lbs 2 oz - 20.5 inches long

Tomorrow

Today you are a mystery, Tomorrow you will be known.
Today you are either/or, Tomorrow you will be one or the other.
Today you are a kick and a jab inside of me, Tomorrow you will live outside of me but still be a feeling inside of me.
Today we are four, Tomorrow we will be five.

New Blog Title, Same Old Banter!

Even though I have always wanted a third child, when I began my blog back on December 4, 2006 I was not forward thinking. I just thought I was chronicling my journey through twinfancy (and now into twin toddlerhood) and I did not think what the tovskytwins.blogspot address would come to mean if we added to the brood.
When I found out we were expecting this third bundle of joy I set out to find myself a new blog title.
The game was kind of like the SAT's or my more recent experience with the Real Estate exam. The names I was coming up with were not necessarily inappropriate or wrong, they were just not the most correct. I always hated tests like that. For example:
"Times Two Plus One", certainly not inappropriate but not quite right. Being referred to as a plus one can sometimes have a negative connotation, which is not how I want my baby to start its life. "Times Three" was a thought and again, not totally wrong but having three kids is not times three the same way having twins is times two, so I moved on. "TriTovsky," this name I actually liked for a while and I thought I may have found a winner but then I became concerned that the reference to Tchaikovsky would imply that I was a fan or a classical music enthusiast of some kind, which I am not. Nothing against classical music at all, but since I have hardly a clue about it all I thought I should steer clear. This brought me to "The Tovsky Trifecta. This name I like and it seems most appropriate. Trifecta" is defined this way, according to wiktionary,

Pronunciation

• IPA: /traɪˈfɛktə/

e

[edit] Noun

Singular trifecta

Plural trifectas

trifecta (plural trifectas)

1. (US, Australia, New Zealand) A bet in which the winners of the first three places (first, second, and third) are selected in the correct order.
2. (US, Australia, New Zealand) The situation of having three major accomplishments or achievements in a sport, profession, or pastime.

Although the main definition refers to horse racing, it is the alternate definition that I am using.
I am not sure if you want to define rearing children as a sport, a profession , or a pastime. I suppose all three are accurate descriptions whether you're talking about making babies, having babies, or raising babies. Regardless, I know that it's an achievement and an accomplishment, certainly my greatest accomplishment. Yep, by definition I definitely have a trifecta. So, we say goodbye to Times Two and hello to The Tovsky Trifecta.

Cousins!!

This is a picture of me and my cousin Miriam. We are at our cousin Mindy's house celebrating the Berman Family Hanukkah Party. This annual New Years Day event is when most, though rarely all, of the extended family from all parts of the country get together. It's a fun day for a lot of reasons, but mostly because the 18 cousins, and our parents, that grew up together get to reunite and hang out, and our children (totalling 15 to date with two on the way) get a taste of what it was like for us growing up surrounded by so many cousins.
Clearly, Miriam and I are both expecting, and yes, in case you were questioning , I am further along than her (by 6 weeks.) We are each expecting our third child, and we each have two boys already. We are both having a scheduled c-section, me in January, Miriam in February, and she knows she is having a third son. We will soon find out if that is where the similarities end.

4 Days to Go....

I just came home from my final OB appointment. The final weigh-in was less than inspiring and I am grateful the numbers should start to go down now! Dr. Kramer says there is nothing doing down below, which makes sense being that I am not even 38 weeks yet (Tuesday- the same day as my delivery.) Never mind that walking has become an exercise in moving forward while somehow preventing baby from falling out of me. "They" say this is impossible, and I know that to be true, but "they" clearly have never had a baby head down in their birth canal before. Regardless, I should, much to the surprise of friends and family who think otherwise, make it to Tuesday without any signs of labor. And, with four days left the to do list will hopefully, somehow, reduce in length, the boys will miraculously stop being clingy and start sleeping again, and with the help of the elves whose holiday is now over all the furniture needed for baby will get cleaned and moved. I will also get the food shopping done and all of the laundry, in addition to finding a suitable name for our child. Since this is beginning to sound like a list of resolutions for the new year, I should probably add that the baby weight will shed from my body simply and easily.
It is a strange concept, understood only by those with scheduled c-sections or inductions, knowing exactly when your child will be born, almost to the hour. It is strange when people say "when are you due?" To answer matter-of-factly, "I am having a baby on Tuesday!". My life has never been so planned. We've always been a bit more on the fly and have had a knack for letting things pan out. This organization is kind of nice. Ironically, I could tell you exactly, almost to the hour, when the boys were conceived, yet their birth came as an unexpected surprise at 35 weeks. This time around the conception is a mystery and it's the birth that we can plan on.
As my pregnancy ends here is what I won't miss about being pregnant:
The daily injections of blood thinners that burn like hell when injected and bruise my legs. The swallowing of three pills daily, one of which is a horse pill and causes me to gag.
I won't miss the inability to bend over, or the difficulty involved in picking up the boys or getting up off of the floor. I definitely won't miss being this large and the need for an oxygen tank when I walk. I doubt I will miss baring my watermelon shaped belly, particularly in the middle of the winter. However, despite this list of won't miss's there is also a list of things I will miss when I am no longer pregnant: I will miss that moment of delight when you first see the positive pregnancy test. I will definitely miss hearing the heartbeat for the first time (and all times thereafter) when it sounds like a herd of horses are heading into my exam room. I will miss ultrasounds, and watching my baby morph from an embryo to a baby passing through, of course, the alien phase. I will miss the smiles passed by strangers when they see my belly, simply because they too know that pregnancy is a beautiful miracle. Mostly, I will miss the feeling of life inside of me. The flutters, the flips, the kicks, the jabs. Yes, I will miss most those moments that can only be had between me and my baby and only those who have been through it before can understand why. I know the trade in is beyond fair, I part with these wonders for the blessing and miracle of my child, and life will be that much better because of this baby. Of course, I'd rather have the baby than just the feeling of it, but it should be noted that these final moments between myself and my pregnancy, me and my baby, are cherished beyond these words.
I bid farewell to my pregnant self and anticipate with much delight the welcoming of my baby!!!

Happy 2009!

New Years Eve has always been our thing. We've thrown parties since 1997, each one improving on the year before. At times, I have gotten a little crazy...just ask Randi about the snowman cups. Over the years I've calmed down a lot as my party planning skills improved.
Since having children we've continued to play host, but in a whole new capacity.
This year, being 5 days away from having a baby, in addition to having twin two year olds with sleep issues, hosting for me took on a whole new definition. The menu may have sounded similar, only everything, for the first time ever, came frozen and out of a box. The menu additions this year were the unlikely pizza and macaroni and cheese, meant for the kids, but slices definitely went to the adults lips. I had no linens, no tablescape nor fancy platters. Todd put things out on paper plates and though I can't say I did not notice I definitely did not care. We had an equal number of children as we did adults, though having two ten year old girls and a 7 year old boy in the house made having three 2.5 year old's much easier. Tables and countertops were covered with an equal mix of beer bottles and liquor cups and bottles and sippy cups.
It was not our usual New Years Eve, though some elements were the same including open bottles of champagne and some nips of tequila being had. Chase spent the night charming his dates (Brooke and Shawn,) Ryder put on a rock concert, and the night continued with very few cries from the three babies, even fewer cries from the three toddlers, and a departure of 90% of the guests before 10pm. Beth, Dave, and a sleeping Jackson stayed until 2009, officially. We watched the ball drop while Chase and Ryder, who were supposed to be sleeping, brought in the New Year by watching Wall-E. Here are a few pix of the night, of the youngest generation, anyway.

Jackson crawled his way to his daddy's labatts

Jack

Josh

Jackson and Beth

Sophie

Scott and Dylan

Chase knows to let the ladies do as they please. Barette's in his hair? Sure!!

Ryder's performance-

and he hands the microphone over to his brother!



Happy, Healthy New Year to all!!