One year old! I cannot believe that my boys are one already!
In some regards, this first year has felt incredibly long. On the other hand,
it feels like just yesterday I was trying to figure out how to put all these
tiny babies in their car seats to bring them home from the hospital.
Then…..
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| L-R: Jack, Graham, Anthony |
Now…..
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| L-R: Jack, Graham, Anthony |
I have spent a lot of time over the last few days – no, make that
months – reflecting on life in general since the boys have been born. Some
days, I have to admit, I am completely overwhelmed by the whole situation. But
then there are those days when it seems that the sun is shining, the stars are
aligned and all is right with the world. I try to hold onto those moments as a
remembrance that time passes, most times, too quickly.
I don’t even know where to begin. So I will start with the
oldest of the three.
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| Jack - Always with "the look" in your eye |
Jackson Michael - Jack.
Those eyes, that smile and that little grin that I swear you
save just for me. You melt my heart; even when it is breaking because you are
so much like your namesake, my Dad. If someone could have told me a year ago,
that you would be this much like him already, I would have called them a liar. But
wow, it couldn’t be more true and I couldn’t be more proud of it, and excited
about it. From your crazy crawl, if I can even call it that since it is more of
a scoot, to your pensive stare to your absolute love of food, you have blessed
me beyond words. Although at times it is frustrating, I adore the fact that
there is no one that you would rather have hold and comfort you than me. Knowing
that you need me is just the hint of the future that I hold for you. I spend my
days helping you grow and develop so that you can become an amazing boy, young
man and man but also relish the thought that no matter how old you get, some
how you will always need me. My little Tank, you make me proud every day and I
thank you for the constant reminder of an amazing man who I lost way too soon. I
only hope that I can raise you to be half the man he was.
Graham David.
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| Graham - the trouble with trouble |
Boy, if that isn’t another case of a name that fits the
namesake! Your devilish grin and curious nature push me to my limits. But, you
also remind me that sometimes you have to push the envelope and be willing to
go just a little but further than people expect in order to find the beauty and
greatness in things. You challenge me on a daily basis to see things from a new
perspective – usually one that is about 2 feet tall and looking up! Your
mobility keeps me on my toes but your love for your brothers never ceases to
amaze me. You always get so upset when we drop Chase off for school in the
morning and you get so excited when I tell you that we are going to pick him
up. I love to watch the two of you interact and play by yourselves. Oh, the fun that we are going to have as you
get bigger, and you are getting bigger by the day. You too make me proud and I
love the way that you snuggle up in the crook of my neck when you want to be
held so you can fall asleep. Thank you for allowing me to be your mom.
Anthony Samuel.
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| Anthony - that smile, it just can't be captured on film |
My namesake. Somehow, we even managed to get this one right
in a way. You command a room by just being present and getting people to look
at you. You don’t make any noise, you just smile! Boy, that smile, it is
amazing. I hope you don’t ever stop sharing that gift with everyone around you,
including me. When you add your infectious laugh to that smile, it is
impossible to not join with you. You make everyone laugh, especially your big
brother, who just adores you (almost as much as me!) I guess when I really
think about it, you are my middle-of-the-road boy, kinda like me. You never get
really high or really low, you just are. Maybe that is the lesson I take away
from you. While challenging is good (thanks Graham), it isn’t really my style. I
would prefer to just set my course and follow it through. Man, do you do that.
You set your sights on something and nothing is going to stop you from getting
it (not dogs, brothers or gates). Thank you for being a constant reminder to
stay true to myself – at my core it is what I do best, and right now, that is
raising you and sharing you with my world.
To my precious triplets, carrying you was one of the
greatest privileges of my life, at least that is what I thought at the time. Now
I know that raising you and getting to call myself Mom again because of you in
the greatest gift. I am forever thankful that you have come into my life and
can’t even begin to imagine what our future holds. This past year has been one
full of adventure, amazement and awe-inspiring moments – thank you for bringing
it upon me.
Love, Mom (couple more pictures below)
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| L-R: Jack, Graham, Anthony |
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| L-R: Jack, Anthony, Graham |
