The best gift....

Guest blogger:  Megan J.

My triplet ballerinas are my triplet daughters, Makenna Anne, Jaeli Jo and Maysie Jailyn.
After trying to get pregnant for over a year, we decided to get some help. At six weeks, we thought we were having twins from the ultrasound. At seven weeks, we went for another scheduled ultrasound. Again, as I laid down on the table next to the ultrasound machine, I couldn't help but hope for two strong heart beats. Our nurse started measuring and as she measured, she told us they were both looking very strong and let us listen to the heart beats. It was amazing! We were finishing up and I thought I saw a third red spot flashing. I was a bit confused and not sure what to think. Then our nurse looked over at us and said, "Uh oh! I see another heart beat. You are pregnant with three, triplets!" At that moment I got tears in my eyes and was shocked. It was the best gift we could have ever received.

Beverly's Facebook Page:  The Triplet Ballerinas

The Christmas Gift of Triplets

My triplet ballerinas are my triplet grand-daughters, Makenna, Jaeli Jo and Maysie.
December 24, 2007 will always hold a special place in my heart. On that day, 9 years ago, we found out we were going to be grandparents to triplets. Our daughter and her husband invited the whole family to their home on Christmas Eve. We knew our daughter was pregnant, we just didn't know how many babies she was pregnant with and we were finally going to find out. When we got there, I was handed a card that said "You must be so excited! Hope the time just flies and you'll be holding that precious little one/s (the "s" was handwritten) before you know it." Inside the card was also 2 ultrasound pictures, one at 5 weeks and one at 6 weeks. The 6 week one is below. Since I am not an expert, by any means, on ultrasound pictures, I did not know what I was looking at. So, my daughter explained the 5 week one was of twins, and I thought "Oh, how wonderful." Then, one of my daughters looked at the 6 week ultrasound and said, "Wait a minute, A, B & C...triplets??? I almost passed out. That day was just the beginning of the miraculous journey we would take as grandparents of triplet girls. Beverly                                   My facebook page:   The Triplet Ballerinas

Becoming a grandma.....

My triplet ballerinas are my triplet grand-daughters, Makenna, Jaeli Jo and Maysie. The triplets are my first grandchildren. I became a grandma three times before I was even a grandma once. Before the triplets came along, I spent my free time mostly scrapbooking. Of course, I wanted to scrapbook about these wondrous, new grandchildren. I wanted to scrapbook about them and any other grandchildren I had through the years. Sadly, finding time for scrapbooking became second to spending my time helping taking care of the triplets and later on other grandchildren. So, the grandchildren scrapbooking stalled at the point of when the triplets were babies. Hopefully, I will get back to it someday when I find the time. All the pictures I have taken over the years are still waiting there for me. These days, you will find me still taking care of all my grandchildren, but writing my manuscript has replaced scrapbooking. Years ago, I had no thoughts of writing, let alone writing a children's book, but I was inspired by my own triplet granddaughters. (See my Facebook page: The Triplet Ballerinas). I am truly honored and blessed to have first been given the title of "grandma" to these three beautiful granddaughters. Beverly

Thankful for our three beautiful daughters...

Guest blogger:  Megan J.

My triplet ballerinas are my daughters, Makenna Anne, Jaeli Jo and Maysie Jailyn. 

One of the perks from receiving fertility treatment is that you will find out if you’re pregnant sooner than you would if you just took an at home pregnancy test. We had just finished our first round of Clomid, along with the Ovidrel shot. I was hoping, but not expecting to get pregnant the first time around. I get the call from the fertility clinic shortly after giving blood to find out the results. “You’re definitely pregnant,” the nurse said.   She commented that it was most likely twins because my levels were so high. We were ecstatic! During our first ultrasound at 6 weeks, the doctor wanted to measure the babies to make sure everything was good and on track. They were right, it was twins! The babies had not developed heartbeats yet, but they looked great. We were told to come back in a week to measure again and by this time, there should be two beating hearts.

At 7 weeks, we went into the ultrasound room and they started measuring the babies. We heard the first heartbeat. It was very overwhelming. Onto the second baby, another strong heartbeat. I laid there thinking about the conversation my husband and I had over the last week after finding out we were having twins. We tried for so long to get pregnant, we were thrilled we were getting two babies at once. The ultrasound tech said she was almost done and both babies looked great. While she was finishing up, I thought I saw a third blinking spot, very similar to the other two blinking spots that showed the heartbeats. I figured I was just seeing things from all the excitement. But then, the tech said, “Uh Oh,” very quietly. She looked at us, and then continued, “I see another heartbeat.” I looked at my husband, thought about it for a moment and instantly got tears in my eyes. The third baby was doing great as well. They were all three perfect!

We went home, in complete shock. After being so excited for twins, we thought “What’s one more?” We are very blessed and thankful to have our three beautiful baby girls.

Beverly's Facebook Page:  The Triplet Ballerinas

A little bit alike....

My triplet ballerinas are my triplet grand-daughters, Makenna, Jaeli Jo and Maysie. As noted before, there are many differences between these triplet girls. But, are there any similarities between them? There are the obvious physical similiarities, although Makenna is a little bit taller and has a little bit darker hair. Look at the cover photo on my Facebook page: The Triplet Ballerinas. Can you tell who is who from the back?  I can only tell who is Maysie and who is Jaeli by the fact that I remember Jaeli (in black) wasn't feeling too good that day and is the one leaning against the wall. Maysie and Jaeli also have the same body shape and eye and hair color. (There is a reason for that and there will be a blog on that in a later post.) All the girls have some similiar interests too. They all love the American Girl dolls they got for their birthday and anything American Girl. They play well together with Barbies and other similiar dolls. They all love animals and camping. But, mostly, they have their own individual friends, activities and interests that they like. I think that is the way it should be since these triplet girls are all their own person. Beverly

The Parenting of Triplet Girls, Part 2

GUEST BLOGGER:  Cindy R.

My triplet ballerinas are my daughters, Abbie, Brynn and Claire.

People who find out the girls are triplets simply lose all sense of modesty or boundary – the questions that we have been asked by complete strangers is beyond belief.  Back in the days where the girls were less mobile and bound to a stroller a simple visit to a home store would turn into a circus.  We quickly learned that it was sometimes easier to keep two girls separate from the other and deal with some less intrusive questions about twins versus the gawking of the triplet crowd.

We haven’t raised our daughters as a unit – they are unique individuals that happen to share a birthday.  I hope, as their parent, that they have a strong bond with each other and find solidarity and support as they grow into adulthood.  Like any parent, I teach them the importance of kindness and being a helper – doing for others is our focus. 

Seeing them today at almost 9-years old it seems like the years have flown by in a blink.  We are half-way to college now and tonight I will hold onto the little hand and cuddle them a little longer and know how honored I am to be their mom.

Beverly's Facebook Page:  The Triplet Ballerinas

The Parenting of Triplet Girls, Part 1

GUEST BLOGGER:  Cindy R.

My triplet ballerinas are my daughters, Abbie, Brynn and Claire.

In January 2008, our family was completed by the arrival of our three amazing daughters, Abbie, Brynn and Claire.  We were instantly transformed from an easy-going couple who knew absolutely nothing about being parents to an even stronger and more determined duo – after all, God had entrusted us with the task of raising a trio of world changers!

The girls are as different as can be – they look like sisters but they are not identical (this confounds people as surely they must be the same).  Brynn is blond with tawny skin while Abbie and Claire are brunette with rosy complexions – people will argue outright that “where did that one come from?” as if she doesn’t belong.  You learn fairly quick how to dodge the most invasive and often rude comments. 

Being a triplet parent is something I am unsure I can speak to – it is the only type of parenting that I know so I do not know how different it is from “normal” – but three girls and three girls all at once?  I don’t think it was an accident that these are the children we were given to be our family.

Next week:  Part 2 of The Parenting of Triplet Girls

Beverly's Facebook Page:  The Triplet Ballerinas