Friday, April 12, 2013

Happy birthday to my little sweeties!

Rich and I had the "I can't believe we have triplets" conversation last night.  Six years have passed and the drama surrounding my pregnancy is buried under current day life and time.  Friends and family and sometimes nosy strangers would ask, "How are you going to manage with triplets?" and we would respond, "We'll figure it out.  We just need them to be born alive."  That was our only concern - that all three them be born alive - and then we would figure it all out.  I didn't care about a stylish nursery or fancy strollers.  I just wanted them to be born alive.  We had one car seat, Abbey's, and I didn't want to purchase the other two until the babies were born.  I told Rich to wait because the thought of having the house full of more unused baby items was too much to bear.  For four months, that's all I asked and prayed for - please just let them all be born alive.

Our experiences have made me a different person, a different parent than the one I most likely would have been.  I pick my battles.  If Anna wants to dress like Punky Brewster - who cares?  If their hair is messy - whatever.  If Emily needs to co-sleep - I'm sure she'll outgrow it when she's ready.  We quite often go back to basics here.  Are the kids fed and clean and healthy and loved?  Yes, yes, yes and YES.  Isn't that what's really important?  We try to find that balance between spoiling them on occasion without raising spoiled kids.

It's bitter and raining here today, much like it was on the day we left the hospital with Allie and Emily.  There were delays with the hospital pediatrician releasing them because of issues with another baby.  Security kept calling to find out when we were leaving because the security anklets on the babies were causing some type of problem.  The Boston Marathon was on television as Grammy and I attempted to dress Allie and Emily in clothing that was sized for a newborn but too big for them.  I hadn't purchased anything new and these were gender neutral clothes received from my baby shower with Abbey.  Rich and I visited with Anna and said a tearful good-bye.  She would spend two and a half more weeks there recovering from surgeries.  But we knew that she would be coming home.  It was different from our good-bye with Abbey.  We were positive that there would be a future.  The four of us left the hospital together with my parents.  There were some hospital employees in the elevator with us and one older man asked if both babies belonged to us.  Rich replied, "Yes, and there's one more upstairs."  He told us that we had been blessed.    

It hasn't been an easy journey but it's definitely been the most fulfilling one of my life.  Today, I have three six year olds.  They are sweet, smart, adorable, funny, caring... I could go on and on.   I've been blessed beyond words.

Happy birthday, my sweet girls.  Mommy loves you.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Allie, Anna, and Emily!!! Hope you have a fun birthday and an awesome year being 6.

Deanna said...

Happy Birthday to Allie, Emily, & Anna!! Congrats on six years, Mom & Dad!

Ashlee said...

Happy Birthday Allie, Emily, and Anna!!

I hope you have the best weekend celebrating your three pretty girls!!

Stacie said...

It is nice to be reminded that it's okay to focus on essentials and the most important being love. Being a mom of twins with a husband who is paralyzed. We were asked the same question. How are you going to do it? Our answer was the same as yours, We'll figure it out. and four years later we are still figuring it out, but our focus is always love.

Happy Birthday to your beautiful girls.

Unknown said...

Happy Birthday, Allie!

Happy Birthday, Anna!

Happy Birthday, Emily!

may you girls continue to be blessed with happiness and love.

Merks said...

Happy birthday to your beautiful girls!

MandyE (Twin Trials and Triumphs) said...

Happy birthday, Anna!
Happy birthday, Allie!
Happy birthday, Emily!

Enjoy it, Sarah and Rich!!!

KimB said...

Happy Birthday ladies! I have one just-turned-6-yr-old boy (April 8) by the name of Ryder who is waiting to meet you in about 10 years. He is not a triplet so he can only date one of you. Or you can fight over him. ;P

Have a wonderful festive day!

Bree at Clarity Defined said...

Happy Birthday Allie! Happy Birthday Emily! Happy Birthday Anna!

What a beautiful post Sarah - you are a fantastic mom and your girls are so blessed too!

Mamma Sol said...

This is so genuinely true and heartbreaking and important and impressive... getting to 6 years is wonderful! You're doing great! You are amazing parents! Congratulations... a lot of good work is behind you and a lot of great experiences ahead!

Kalle said...

Happy Birthday Girls and congratulations to Mom and Dad, celebrating 6 years of beauty.

Debbie Hein said...

Hi Sarah,
There is nothing better, as you and I know, than leaving the hospital with your baby. We both know how "full" both your arms and your heart feel after experiencing the "empty" arms. So what a joy to read and imagine the joy you must have felt on that very special day.
Happy birthday to each of the girls...
Happy birithday, Allie.
Happy birthday, Emily.
Happy birthday, Anna.
Happy birth day to you, Sarah.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday to three very special little girls. I can't believe they are 6. I started reading when they were 3. Crazy. I feel like I know them and you guys. I really care about you and your family as weird as that sounds! I wish you the best.

Erin

Chantel said...

Yes, yes and YES!!!!!!!

Loved. Born alive. I understand. I know if Curtis had been born alive he would be just as loved as Claudia and Cole, but there is an undercurrent of knowing "the other side" when you have a baby born still. An element, like you said, about picking battles and just going with it.

Happy Birthday to your sweet baby girls.

Melissa said...

Happy birthday beautiful girls!

Marcia (123 blog) said...

Happy birthday Allie, Emily and Anna :)

Unknown said...

As ever, I'm in awe of your honesty and poignancy. Happiest of birthdays to your girls! I feel privileged to be allowed, in a small way, to watch them grow.

Mommy (Kelli) said...

Tears! Wow. Happy Birthday to your sweet girls. Don't ever question hour parenting style or decision. You guys are clearly doing what is best for your girls and they seem like amazing, happy, well adjusted girls <3

Nadine said...

Happy Birthday! I hope they enjoyed their special day.

Kayla said...

Happy Birthday Allie!
Happy Birthday Anna!
Happy Birthday Emily!

You are going to have such an amazing year - to be six years old is SO EXCITING! You have a lot to look forward to. Enjoy every day. Remember to think of one thing every day that made today special for you. And remember to kiss your mommy and daddy ever day and tell them you love them. Because they love you SO much!

Marion said...

Perfect post. Happy Birthday girls <3