Lisey Plus Three

We assume most anyone who read this blog would be family and friends. However, just in case we’re interesting enough to share…

Me – Michelle

I am *cringe* 32 as I write this now, and pushing 32 weeks pregnant with the triplets. I was born in Massachusetts and lived there primarily until I graduated college. I loved it, until I left and lived somewhere quiet. I graduated from UMass Lowell in ’08 as an RN. I wanted to work with babies. I did my senior practicum at Lowell General’s Mother Infant Unit, with lots of nursery time and some glimpses into the Special Care Nursery. I hoped to get a job there.. but it was 2008. The economy collapsed, the other Lowell hospital closed its LDRP, and LGH hired 14 of their nurses who were out of work. Then there were hiring freezes and no new grad programs.

Finally in March of ’09 I gave in and took a job doing Ortho/Med Surg. in tiny Lakes Region General Hospital, in Laconia, NH. I’d live at my family’s cottage at nearby Newfound Lake part time. I did my year, got experience, and took the first spot I could back in Mass. Still in Med/surg. It was hard, sad, and back breaking.

Life changed. I moved home. Missed northern New England. Then I switched to a cardiac based telemetry unit at Exeter Hospital and stayed there while I shifted my life to Maine. I built a pretty house in Kittery. I loved it. It was mine. It was perfect. But I was alone.

Then there was Ben, and I forget everything before him. He is my person. We drove over an hour to be together for over a year. It was easier for me to move jobs, and his really kept him there from dusk til dawn often, so I decided we might see one another more if we lived near his work. Why not? We’ll move in, fix the very primitively decorated house up with modern finishes and make it pretty.

One month from the day we closed on the house in the sticks, I found out I was having Elise. I thought this was the surprise of my life. Wasn’t in the immediate plan. Although, deep down I knew that a family life was where I’d thrive. I loved being a nurse, but once I had my baby, all I wanted was to be with her.

I was working on a unit at Maine Medical Center now taking care of cardiothoracic post-operative patients. It was intense, it was hard, and it was sad. I knew I could do it. But after Elise, I remembered my passion to care for little people. I finally worked somewhere where I had a shot, and applied to the NICU when she was one. I got it. I loved it. I finished training. It was hard to learn and get comfortable in this new and different world of nursing after 8 years. I learned about preemies, twins… heard of and saw “the worst of the worst”. It made me a bit terrified to get pregnant again; but I knew our family needed someone else.

I guess it was all good preparation for these little boys. This triplet journey has changed everything. I was a pretty boring person before this. Now, I feel like everything in life was just baby steps (eye roll/haha) preparing me for this craziness.

And honestly now, I can’t wait to have four beautiful kids. I can’t wait until the day I can hug all of them at once.

Dad – Ben

If Michelle is cringing at 32, what should I be doing at 38? Ha! So a little about me: I am a teacher heading into my eleventh year in the classroom. It has been a long and winding road to get to that point professionally. Let’s just say my degree in journalism from Ithaca College didn’t exactly take me where my 18-year-old self, expected to go. But that is neither here, nor there.

I am a high school English teacher at Sacopee Valley High School, and up until this year, the head coach of three different varsity sports teams. (Cross Country, Basketball and Track) Because of the expected due date and all the craziness that comes with having triplets, I decided to take at least a year off from coaching in the fall and winter. As I told my players, and Michelle, I think everyone would be getting shortchanged if I were to try and balance all those responsibilities at the same time.

When Michelle and I first started dating, I lived in a trailer across from the school. The second year of teaching, I rented a basement from a co-worker. Safe to say she just could not turn down the lavish lifestyle of a public school teacher.

I told Michelle at one point that I was not willing to get out of education or move for the sake of a relationship. I didn’t realize she would do that for me though! Michelle and I bought a house in Hiram. We had so many plans to do this, that and the other thing to the house. Then, life happened. Elise came along. Two and a half years later and I think we’ve done nothing more than paint a few rooms and replace some carpeting. Everything else was put on the back burner, and with triplets coming… well, what’s further back than the back burner? Nevermind.

Michelle is a great momma. I try to tell her that every day. Somedays, I think she actually believes me. She uprooted a pretty awesome life to be here in the woods of Maine with me and I’ll forever appreciate that. I should probably tell her that more often too.

Parenting one child is hard work, parenting four is going to be damn near impossible. I just keep repeating the phrase, ‘Whatever it takes’ (to myself) when I wonder how we are going to get by.

Are we ready? Sure. Yup. Absolutely. (I think.)

The Boss- Elise Anne

Lisey bug, Lisey loo, nuggie, buglet…

If you want to know who’s in charge in our family, spend about 2 minutes with this little lady.

Born 5/9/16 and since then, this girl is momma’s reason for being. I had a couple of beloved girly dogs, Ben’s dog… various outdoorsy sports equipment. The dogs are no longer living with us and my toys sit in the basement for now… I’ve found more joy in helping and watching her grow than anything else.

We struggled early on, she screamed for 4 months or so. We had feeding issues that worked themselves out (through my and her own stubbornness), and I had severe anxiety. We nursed for nearly 18 months; and I’m sure if I had not worked days for a bit she’d have clung on longer. We are inseparable, and these boys are unlikely to change it. Mostly because neither she, nor I, will allow it.

At just 2, she doesn’t quite know what’s coming. But her saying “brudders” is the cutest thing I’ve ever heard.