My name is Anna.

Hi, my name is Anna. I was born with spina bifida so I have to go to see the doctor a lot. I have an older sister Allie and a younger sister Emily. There is only a minute age difference between each of us because we are triplets. In one of the Arthur books that mommy and daddy read to me they say "triple trouble". I don't know what that means, but I like Arthur.




Mommy and daddy took me to the pee pee doctor today but I didn't cry because I know mommy & daddy don't like to see me cry. The lady at the doctor's office blew bubbles all over the room and she let me blow bubbles too! It was fun! The room was kinda scary because there was a whole bunch of people that were doing funny things to me but mommy held my hand the whole time so I wouldn't cry. And I got to watch a Dora video at the pee pee doctor too. I like watching Caliou and Elmo, but Dora is okay. And then we went to see the other doctor and we had to wait a LONG time but I was a good girl. I read books and played with the other kids who were at the pee pee doctor. And I ate a whole banana. I like bananas. I like ice cream and pizza too but I didn't have ice cream at the doctor's today. Maybe next time.


Mommy had to work after the doctor so daddy and me drove mommy to work and then I fell asleep in my big girl car seat. I was so tired. It was a busy day. I really didn't want to go to the doctor today but I knew mommy and daddy would be mad if I didn't go. Allie and Emily gave me kisses this morning before I left for the doctor so I wouldn't cry. I love my sisters. They got to play outside today when I was at the doctor. That's okay. Next time I'll play with my sisters on the swings.


I like to get tucked in at night and I like when grammy, mommy or daddy read me a story. I'm tired. Mommy and daddy told me to stay in my big girl bed until morning time. I like my big girl bed. I like playing with beads too. Maybe in the morning I can have Cinnamon Toast Crunch for breakfast.


I think mommy & daddy worry about me so I try to be brave for them. I love mommy. I love daddy. I'm getting tired now, though so I better go nighty-night. Good night. Sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs bite.

You really wear me out.

After a long week of being forced to sleep on the edge of my bed because of my daughters, this weekend was even more draining.

Saturday was an awesome day with the girls doing everything from errands in the moring to putting together their new swingset in the afternoon.

Sunday was spent at The Big Apple Circus, follwed by an awesome dinner at The Cheesecake Factory (and I must say my girls were extremely well behaved at both).

As Olivia's mom says to Olivia:"... (girls) you wear me out....!" To bed I go.

Normalcy.

Thought for the day: Will we ever be a NORMAL family? Sarah and I were recently discussing plans for our first overnight as a family and Sarah (in reference to the logistics of traveling with 3 y/o triplets) made a comment something like "when we are a normal family...".

We are taking the taking the girls to The Big Apple Circus this weekend - something normal families do, right? We shall see how normal the day at the circus turns out. The girls get so much attention in public that sometimes I feel like we are the circus. It will be interesting to see how much time the crowd spends watching the show they paid for, rather than watching our show - three crazy, yet adorable, girls!

The Marathon.

I write this post several hours after the official start of the 114th running of The Boston Marathon and, from an office window, I see runners continue to cross the finish line. Having completed Boston twice and having lived in Boston my entire life, I definitely connect with Marathon Monday. Before prize money was introduced to the Boston Marathon and before running became "the thing to do", my parents used to take us over to Boston College to watch the lead runners cruise by. I've also survived the necessary (and not-so-fun) winter training which precludes race day. So I have some personal experience attached to the feeling of having the coveted Boston Marathon medal placed around your neck.

The Boston Marathon gets in your blood. Every year on Patriot's Day, no matter what is going on in my life, my mind and heart always goes to the marathon. Three years ago today I watched the marathon while sitting in a hospital room with Sarah (and her parents) waiting to take Emily and Alicenne home for the first time. At the same time, runners were crossing the finish line less than two miles from us. (Note: Sarah's c-section was originally scheduled for the day of the marathon!)

So...who knows when I’ll get another picture of me “trudging” along a 26.2 mile course.

Running a marathon is one thing. Making the time to train for a marathon is another. I told Sarah last night that maybe for my 50th birthday I’ll run a marathon again. Then I’ll have time. I’ll be done with graduate school and the girls will be in elementary school so they can cheer me on. Sarah told me that I could run one now. “Ten minute miles, hon. - you could do it.” Hmmmm.

Three years ago.

So much for posting this video on Monday (the girls' third birthday). It has been an extremely hectic, emotional, and tiring week for me. BUT it has been equally joyous and gratifying to celebrate three years with my daughters.

I do not have time to elaborate on the reasons for being emotional this week, so you are spared. I will just say that the night of the girls' birthday, after they had fallen asleep, I went to each of their rooms to check on them (as I often do). Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought about how much I love them. I thought to myself "Is it possible for my heart to hold any more love?"

I believe I've posted this clip previously, but I am doing so again as a reminder of just how precious life is.

Happy Birthday Alicenne, Anna and Emily!

Three year birthday celebration.

We had a birthday party for the girls today at a place called Pump It Up and the girls loved it! I shot some video and hope to post a couple of clips of the girls in action. Technical difficulties with my Flip Video (again) however, prevent me from posting anything tonight. I hope to have the problems resolved for future posts.

The girls wiped me out this week and I had zero opportunity to catch up on sleep this weekend so I am going to bed NOW. Good night.

The Masters

The Masters. Tradition....history...beauty.

I was extremely fortunate to travel to Augusta Georgia in 2004 and watch a couple of rounds of The Masters at Augusta National.

A ticket/badge to The Masters is an extremely tough ticket, by the way.

For me, walking the grounds of Augusta for the first time was an experience unlike any other. It was everything I expected, and more. I stood within earshot of Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els. I crossed the immaculate fairways of the historic golf course. The patrons are all civil - there were no loud, belligerent men shouting at the players. Having a sandwich, soda and chips for $5 was nice too!

One of my younger brothers has been going to The Masters for the past ten years or so and he is the reason why I was able to go back in 2004. He is there now. I am jealous.

Tell me a story daddy.

My daughter Emily (whether my wife Sarah will admit it or not) is Mommy's girl. When she was a baby, she slept with Sarah. Only Sarah could feed Emily. Emily would only stop crying when her mommy held her. Emily is almost 3 and still has many days when she will not leave Sarah's side.

Emily does hang out and play with her daddy now, though. And I, of course, love it! I never thought the day would come when I could play with my daughters. The last few nights, upon arriving home from work, Emily has said "daddy, come in the living room and play with me". You don't have to ask me twice, Em! Emily and I also have another connection with a bedtime routine of me telling her a story. Every night now Emily will say "daddy tell me a story". Daddy's true, real life stories include Daddy Goes to School, Daddy Goes to the Doctor and Daddy Gets Stung by Bees - the story most requested by Em (I'll have to do a post on that story sometime).

Here's a video clip of Emily (and Anna) demonstrating how adorable she is.

Triple Babby Jogger.

For the first time since last fall, I took the girls for a run. "Take for a run" = push the girls in the triple baby jogger we bought used on craigslist a couple of years ago.

I cannot recall how much the girls weighed the last time I pushed them, but right now in total they weigh over 75 pounds. So, as you can imagine, as good as the triple jogger is, pushing them for about 3 miles was tough!

I plan to push them in a local 5K Sarah are will run next month so I need to do a couple more runs before then. Here's a glimpse of what it is like to push 3 year old triplets:

Good Night Elmo

I realized today that my daughter Allie made me a grandfather. My three year old daughter's child is ELMO! I've watched Allie carry Elmo around for over a year now and their relationship has grown to the point that Allie (aka Elmo's mommy) has put a diaper and pajamas on Elmo, rocked her to sleep, fed her and even sang happy birthday to Elmo. Today I witnessed Allie expand her motherly duties by putting Elmo on the potty!

I pulled two other Elmos from storage today and Allie adopted them as Elmo's mommy and daddy. Later in the day I was able to capture Allie and Anna giving goodnight love to the entire Elmo family. Too cute.

Reasons to love Friday, April 2, 2010.

It seems as though there hasn’t been much for me to be excited about the last couple of weeks. Today, however, I felt some of the hope and rejuvenation that comes from a beautiful spring day in New England. The reasons for me to be hopeful and excited include:

-Running along the Charles River (in shorts) during my lunch break today!
-The water left behind from the historic rainfalls we received in March is starting to dry up.
-The forecasted 70+ degree weather this weekend!
-The Sox opening their promising 2010 season Sunday night.
-Celebrating our girls’ third birthday next week.
-Preparations have begun in Copley Square for Marathon Monday.
-I got to listen to Sarah tell me how great my daughters’ did today at their first gymnastics class this morning!
-Did I mention the forecasted 70+ degree weather this weekend!