If he could only grow a beard we might look related.

Getting out of the House

We finally managed to get everyone out of the house for a non-doctor related outing. The doctor related outings aren't easy either but going out in public seems to be scarier. We decided we'd go to some fair in downtown Anchorage on the solstice in our 90 minute window between feeding the last baby and feeding the first. We piled everyone in the minivan, all seven of us, in a short 45 minutes now that we have had some practice. We even had to foresight to take the triplets in slings. Figured we wouldn't stand out as much with slings rather than a triplet stoller or multiple strollers. Wrong. They were on us like flies. They saw us from afar and would ask "Are those twins? Wait, are there three?" Then as those folks gawked a new set would wander and look and stare and sit in amazement and ask "Are all of those yours?". We didn't get to see too much of the fair with folks staring and asking to see the nearly hidden babies. We felt like we held gold or something rare and unseen. And I suppose we do hold something rare and unique - except that since I am now living with the rare gift it doesn't seem so odd. It is a nice feeling and perhaps a bit of a glimpse of what our lives will be like for several more years. It will be hard to blend in when you have triplets.

Ellen, Ray and Natalia:

This caring for triplets thing is hard work. We are not getting much sleep and we don't get to leave the house much either. All the great feelings of selfless giving and unconditional love in raising your kids is often forgotten at 3 am when someone's crying wakes you from your coveted 1.5 hours chunk of sleep. At the same time all is going great. A calmness has taken over the house, except when 4 babies all cry at the same time, and we are thankful all is going well. But things would not be going so well if it weren't for our live-in help Ellen, Ray and Natalia. Ellen joined us for 6 weeks helping us get ready for the triplets, helping us get moved in, and feeding us well. Ray came in after that and in addition to helping out holding and changing babies, fixed dozens of things around the house now that we don't have time for much other than caring for little ones. Natalia is with us now and is the wind at our backs helping us in every which way. Without them we would be frazzled and at the end of our ropes by now. They've made our experience a positive one.

Many Thanks:
We have been blessed with great friends! Everyone has been very generous in our new adventure. From helping us move into our new home to surprising us with food and flowers. It has been an incredible feeling to be on the receiving end of such giving. Humbling and reassuring that the world is filled with good people. Seems no one has shown up empty handed as they come visit. Many thanks for the diapers, toys for Lewis, balloons, flowers, fresh dinners, frozen dinners, cookies, cakes, clothes, baby swings, gift certificates, baby monitors, zoo passes, gift cards, cash, and even better, their help, prayers and encouragement.

the moving crew

It has been 26 days now. It feels like the triplets just arrived yesterday. We feel blessed and lucky. Lucky they came much later than expected, lucky they arrived heavier than expected, and lucky they all arrived healthy and not needing anything other than their mothers care.
While we may not be sleeping much here at home with round the clock feedings and changes we are still happy and absorbing our good fortune and wondering what more good fortune will come our way.

Names:
Ruby Ellen Price - born 7:08 May 31st
Sage Solstice Price - born 7:09 May 31st
Miles Steven Price - born 7:11 May 31st

It took us a week to finally settle on their names. Much lobbying was done to sway our decisions, but so far none of the kids have complained about the names we've given them. Our pediatrician already knew them as Snap, Crackle and Pop which is what we called them all during their short hospital stay.

Lewis continues to be a role model for his new siblings

From top to bottom: Sage, Miles, Ruby

Sage, Miles, and Ruby

Ruby, Miles, and Sage

Huge diapers and they still can't hold it all in

Where we do battle with bottles, boobs, and diapers for 12 hours a day

Lewis helps out with the feedings

Ruby

Eenie, Meenie, Minnie, Moe ...

Sage is Zen-like at bath time

Waterboarding at the Price household

Ruby checks out her baby sister

Dad! This grass is going to make us all itchy.

Sage and Tia Natalia on bath day

The girls seem to always want to face each other

Carolyn doing what she does for 8+ hours a day

Lewis (18 months), Alex (ageless), Miles (2 weeks), Sage (2 weeks 2 minutes),
Carolyn (always young) and Ruby (2 weeks and 3 minutes)

Miles at work

Tia Natalia and the Tres Amigos

Proud Grandparents

Even more pictures...

Hard to get them all to look at the camera and even open their eyes

We keep thinking the two girls on the left might be identical

The way they usually get dressed without the matching outfits

What are you looking at?

Proud Aunt Natalia

Alex can count

Winners of the most armbands award.

Proud Mom and happier than ever to have the babies out of her belly

Ruby, Sage and Miles

Can you see the bags under my eyes?

The whole family after an exciting day.

This is one Sage (A.K.A. Crackle/Baby B/Number 2) I think.

This is Miles (A.K.A. Pop/Baby C/ Number 3)


This is the big girl Ruby (A.K.A. Snap/Number 1/ Baby A)

Crammed into a tiny crib as they didn't have triplet cribs