Back in the year 2000 – and in a matter of a few hours – I went from being an only child to a big sister of three. When I was 3 years old, my mom gave birth to fraternal triplets – two boys and a girl. My earliest memory was going to visit my mom and my new siblings in the hospital. They were born early and were so tiny in their incubators. My dad and I went to the hospital gift shop to get them teddy bears, hats and blankets. All the nurses and doctors congratulated me on becoming a big sis, and I was so proud to be a big sister.
In the next few weeks, we had a constant stream of family members coming through the house to help my parents take care of the three newborns. There were piles of diapers and baby formula being passed around. There wasn’t as much arguing over whose turn it was to hold the baby because there was three to go around. I tried to help where I could myself and remember following behind my parents with a third spoon in the feeding rotations.
Big events that revolved around the babies were always difficult for me. Their first birthday and baptism were hard. All the attention was on the triplets, and I had no one to play with! Everyone was busy fussing over the babies, and I pouted in the corner. Some family members recognized my jealousy and fed into it by getting me presents on the triplet's birthday, as well. I remember a stuffed animal polar bear in particular. Their birthday being the Fourth of July didn’t help. It was my least favorite holiday because everything was about them. My parents used to tell them that the fireworks displays were just for them, which didn’t help to clip their egos.
Play time always worked out well, though, because we had two boys and two girls. When we make believed that we were the "Star Wars" characters, I was always Padme, my sister was Leia and my brothers fought over who could be Anakin or Luke that day.
As we got older and we were all in elementary school, I was known only because of my relation to the triplets; “Oh, so you’re the triplet's big sister!” It only irked me a little when my teachers knew more about my younger siblings than me.
Having triplet siblings became one of my fun facts that I shared: Hi, I’m Julie, I’m in eighth grade and I have triplet siblings. The response would always be of shock and wonderment. People always think multiples are the coolest thing and ask me what it is like growing up with triplets. In all honesty, I sometimes forget that triplets are a unique thing and doesn’t happen that frequently.
But, I do think that being the oldest sibling with triplets has shaped my personality. I pulled the seniority card way too early and am probably a little too bossy for my own good, but I also think that being in charge of them when I was a teenager has made me a more responsible person. Despite being the “outcast” of my siblings having not been in the womb as the same time as the rest of my family, I am still very close with the triplets, my sister in particular.
I wouldn’t trade my family for the world.
