Ten Years of TriPlatts: The First Moments

My triplet children, aka the TriPlatts, celebrate their birthdays on March 13.  I'm taking a "family" departure in the editorial realm the next few days.  Thus, I'm taking the next ten days plus the last one, that March 13, to reflect on ten years with John, Brynley, and Brooks.  I'm doing it to document those first ten years worth of memories, but I hope to share some entertaining thoughts along the way.

The TriPlatts.  Today.

Moment One:  The first news came in late August 2002 in what we would later find was the sixth week of pregnancy.  An earlier test had confirmed pregnancy.  This was the first ultrasound to see progress. 

The doctor found a beating heart in the ultrasound, then, just as quickly, he found two.  "It looks like you're having twins," the doctor said.  "Congratulations!"

I kept looking when he said, "What's this abnormal mass over here on the right side?" 

Now a minutes-long, experienced ultrasound viewer, I noticed the third beating heart before he finished his sentence.  "Oh my," I uttered out loud. "That's $300,000 a year for college!"

Yes, those were my first words upon hearing the news.  That was moment one.

Moment Two:  A later ultrasound would tell me that we were having two boys and a girl. Frankly, I wouldn't have had it any other way. Three boys would have been a lot of fighting. Three girls would have left me alone in the prom years.  Again, my ultrasound expertise was put to the test. 

Moment Three was seven months later at Week 34, Day 5 of the pregnancy.  A "normal" triplet pregnancy doesn't last much longer than this anyway, but they did come a bit early.  When they came, it was March 13, 2003 at 12:22, 12:23, and 12:24 in the morning.

Nothing captures this moment better than the photo I got to take soon after they all three got back together again for their first TriPlatt photo outside the womb.

My brother's slide show below sums up the first day pretty well.  Warning:  It's a tear jerker, too.

 

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Tomorrow:  Like a Frat House.