Howard Trio Plus One: Almost Three 3-Year-Olds

As we are quickly approaching Alexis, Jack, and Faith's 3rd birthday, I find myself looking at pictures and reflecting on the great year that it has been for us overall. Alexis, Jack, and Faith have continued to grow and develop their skills, and they are no longer considered delayed in any way even though they were born 9 weeks early.

Watching them change from toddlers into little kids in the last 12 months has been amazing. Although our babies were never chubby, what little baby fat they did have has disappeared and they now look like kids, not babies. They talk our ears off, which is awesome since they were once considered to be speech delayed, and sometimes overwhelming (I recently heard that the average preschooler demands attention 180 times an hour...so that's 540 times an hour for me). They run everywhere, jump off of everything, climb up everything, dance, and do somersaults. Their energy is endless. All three love to sing and "strum" their ukuleles. They sing their ABC's perfectly, and they sing nursery rhymes, Jesus Loves Me, and some songs that they learned in music class (the only issue is that sometimes they want to sing alone, so they end up fighting over who gets to sing). They are learning their colors and shapes, and they can count to 10 (and higher, but they usually miss a number or two). We are blown away every day by what they can do, what they know, and what they say.

On the other hand, it has been a rocky year. Of course there is the issue of Jack's low platelets that came to light only three days after their 2nd birthday, which has added a lot of stress to our lives. Thankfully it seems we have found a treatment that works for him, but for awhile the unknown was difficult as we never knew when his platelets would drop and when he would need treatment.

There is also the fact that 2-year-olds are sometimes difficult to be around. It is great that they are gaining independence, but that means we had to learn how to parent and discipline toddlers with their own ideas. The kids love to play together and they have a blast most of the time, but we never know when a fight will break out and when it does they are usually physical (biting, pushing, hitting). "I want to do it myself!!" is a commonly heard phrase at our house. They want to climb in and out of the car seats on their own, which means we never leave the house on time. They have strong opinions about their clothes most of the time, so I've gotten in the habit of picking out clothes with characters or words on them, or just letting them pick themselves. I have found that it is a lot harder for me to be patient with 2-year-olds than it was for me to be patient with babies. Although babies cry and have needs, they really are helpless and they don't know any better. When toddlers start talking in full sentences it feels like they should have some reasoning, even though I know they still have a lot to learn, so it is easy to become frustrated with them.

Although some days are frustrating and I long for a break, overall I love being a stay-at-home-mom to Alexis, Jack, and Faith. I feel so fortunate that I get to spend so much time with them and teach them new things. I love taking them to the Botanic Garden, the zoo, and the park. It is fun to watch budding friendships when we do playdates. They add so much humor and interest to my days. I cannot believe that I have already been a mom for almost three years, and that we are at least halfway to kindergarten (or more if they start when they are 5....we haven't decided yet). Alexis, Jack, and Faith will start preschool in September and, although it will only be two mornings a week, I am already starting to feel like my days with them are numbered.

Thank you to everyone who has given us encouraging words throughout the first three years of our kids' lives. When I was pregnant we were completely overwhelmed by the thought of raising triplets, and it was difficult to imagine all of the joy three at once would bring. Although there are have been many challenges, now that we are entering the "little kid stage" I am finding that there are many benefits as well. I look forward to seeing how Alexis, Jack, and Faith grow over the next year, but I also want time to slow down as the baby stage is starting to become a distant memory.

Here are some photos of the kids together throughout the last year. I hope they always have this special bond.

24 MONTHS