how we do it...

I was asked this morning "I can't imagine triplets...I have one and that seems like a lot...How do you do it?"...The answer is "Not alone". There are days when Mike and I feel so overwhelmed. We wake up at 5:30am, feed the boys, settle them in and then Mike gets ready for work and my day with the boys begins. I do my work at home, caring for the boys and some attempt at laundry and housework, and he has a full day of work out in the world. When 5:00pm rolls around he makes his way home to dive in and care for his family. It doesn't matter if he is tired or had a bad day, it doesn't matter if everyone at the office went out for a drink without him or his friends got together, it doesn't matter if he is sick or has more work to do- he comes home and walks in the door, gives me a kiss and greets his children and then picks up a baby and starts being a daddy, and a good, helpful one at that. I love him, the boys love him. Although we are alone with the boys much of the time, and thank God we are a good team during those times, I can't say that we do it alone. In addition to having a good husband who is my friend, provider and partner in this wonderful new adventure called parenthood, we also have family. Mike's Mom, Debbie, and Step-dad, Tom, come to the house in the evening at least once a week and they come on weekends as well. They brave the challenge of caring for three lively, needy babies for hours at a time so that Mike and I can have a break and get out into the world and pretend that we are a couple again at dinner on a date. They help Mike and I keep our heads and stay in touch with each other, they bail us out when we have an emergency. When we thought we could not go on another second, they have gotten in the car and come over to lend a hand, spend the night and sometimes even take over completely so that Mike and I can check out and regroup. They have saved us many times. They have mowed our lawn, worked on our projects, done our laundry, cleaned our house, lent us money and most of all they have loved us during this stressful but wonderful time. Maybe we could have done it without them, but the amazing thing is that we have not had to. They have been there for us every step of the way. My parents have also been very helpful to us. My Mom, Carol, comes once or twice a week to be with me and help me take care of the babies during the day. She has spent many nights with us, both by herself, and with my dad, Kurt. They have come to the rescue and stayed with me or the boys during emergencies and sometimes when we are just tired and need some help. When she sees that I look weary, she offers up a dinner or says that she will stay the night even though she has been there all day and she is tired already. She helps keep me sane when I think I am losing it and she reminds me of all that I have when I am losing perspective. My sisters Sarah, Georgia and Hannah have come to help as well. My Aunt Mary and cousin Amanda have come to spend the day and helped when Zachary was in the hospital. We also have friends. Our friend Chris comes two days a week as our nanny to be with me and the boys. She reminds me to eat, she cares for our children, and she keeps me smiling. She endures puke and poop and countless doctor appointments. Our friend Amber came once a week every week to help out at night when the boys were so cranky in the evenings and still comes to help out when she can get time (she has twins of her own). Our friends Aaron and Angie have taken the boys off of our hands for the day and come to spend the night to help. Our friends Scott and Darcie have come to spend the night once as well. Our friends Tim and Miro, Jason and Christina, and Jeff and Christina have come over on numerous occasions with dinner and to keep us company and help us out with the boys and Miro and Christina have helped us during the day. So... when someone says to me "How do you do it?" I tell them that we have done it with a small army of people who love us. I was reminded recently that no matter how many times you think you have said thank you, sometimes people need to hear it in a different way. So, this is a "shout out" for the world to see - To our parents, Tom and Debbie and Kurt and Carol, and to all of the people who have made the past 6 months bearable and easier for Mike and I: Thank you. We love you and we wouldn't have wanted to do this without you.