Smitten!

I’m not exactly proud to admit this but, we used to be afraid of the triplets. Very afraid. Come to think of it, in those early infant days, we were afraid of Liam and Ciara too. Very afraid. I think the sleeplessness that plagues parents of newborns awakens a primitive survival instinct – DO NOT WAKE A SLEEPING BABY!!!!!!!!!!! Do not go near them! Do not walk, tread, breathe, sneeze or utter a word in their slumbering presence… for if you do, you just may wake the monster within. You just might find yourself up all night yet again -- endlessly shushing, rocking, feeding, strolling, bouncing, swaying, possibly swearing and fiercely fighting fatigue until your precious little one gives up the fight and starts sweetly snoozing just as the sun comes up.

We’ve all be there, right? Well, imagine being there times THREE! Imagine the panic of THREE tiny wonders waking up in the middle of the night, demanding God knows what – are they hungry? Hot? Cold? Overtired? Restless? Gassy? Need a new diaper? Onesie too tight? Whatever could it be?! Those first months home with the triplets were a total blur. I honestly don’t know how we did it. Sure we had a baby nurse helping with the night shift for three weeks but let’s face it, these kids didn’t sleep through the night for at least six months! And ever since, well, we’re always up for one thing or another – between the five kids in total, there’s typically someone who is teething, someone who lost their “wawa”, someone with a dirty diaper, someone with a nasty cold or stomach virus, someone who wet their bed, someone who made it to the potty just in time without wetting the bed and thinks 3 AM is a good time to tell us about it… you get the picture. So, perhaps you will understand why we pretty much lived in fear of our trio of tots for a while. We were sleep deprived. In a big, bad way.


But, I think it’s fair to say that we’ve officially turned a corner. While we used to tiptoe by the closed door of the babies’ room holding our breath, we now take a peek inside. We’re increasingly likely to venture in, unable to resist the cute factor of three little rumps up in the air as the triplets peacefully slumber. We might even loiter just a bit, hoping that one of them will wake up and reward us with a big toothy grin. And if he does, we might even pick that little fella up and give him a great big hug because we just can’t resist. We are officially smitten.


Smitten! Our little guys exude oodles of charm and we’re suddenly under their spell as we watch them toddle around like a true band of brothers – constantly into mischief and yet so innocent at the same time. They live in the inevitable limbo-land of a growing vocabulary, increasing mobility and daily progression toward becoming real rough and tumble little boys. Our snuggle time is growing sparse and It won’t be long now until they no longer want an “uppie.” And, while I’d like to believe that it won’t be long until the biting and hair pulling stops, I suspect we may be in for a lifetime of testosterone induced scuffles. Whatever comes next, I’m going to do my best to enjoy this magical melee that is life as we know it now. My mornings begin with a trio of 20-month olds who greet each day joyfully bouncing in their cribs as they sing “Mama! Mama! Mama!!!” It’s hard to imagine it can get better than that. Although, something tells me it just might. By the way, did I mention that I’m smitten?