Mar 19, 2007

Interaction, Play, and Brotherly Love


According to our boys’ lifebook (prepared by Ethiopian care center staff), the triplets sometimes hold hands “to show their solidarity”. We have it on film. In Ethiopia the boys slept in the same crib for much of their 3.5 month stay.

These days they're too big to share cribs. Tsega's relatively larger and MUCH stronger and will grab and thrash about the nearest object (animate or inanimate) when he's tired and mad. Bereket and Sira can sometimes still share a bed but a stray hand is deemed highly offensive on top of a cranky baby's head.

The identical brothers, Bereket and Sira, seemed tuned-in to one another from the beginning. I’ve always put them on the floor facing each other with toys in between and they stay happy for long periods like this. I've heard one start to coo out of a nap while the other seems to answer back in the same coo at the other end of the room. People say babies only co-play, but I think there's more than mere side-by-side interaction with these triplets. They share laughs and smiles, pass "binkies" and toys back and forth (suffice it to say they share gobs of saliva), grab each other, and sometimes make the other cry.



When we first got home from Ethiopia, Tsega needed mom or dad to hold him what seemed like all the time; yes, perhaps at the expense of Bereket's and Sira's bonding time, but Tsega had higher needs back then than the other two. He was unhappy playing on the floor for long periods. He didn't seem to even notice his brothers existed.

After a couple of months home Tsega blossomed socially into a happy baby. Now and then he would stop his play on the floor and look over at his brothers with a big smile as if he was seeing them for the first time; as if he was thinking, who are these cute babies? Now he loves to observe his brothers and grab toys out of their hands and they don't seem to mind (but don't try this with Tsega especially if he is playing with a spoon or a bowl of baby food). The past week he has started leaning in towards one brother for a big hug while open mouth kissing the top of his head. Ahhhhhh. . .

Tsega loves posing for mama and her camera. He looks up and smiles everytime I call "Tsega!".


Now I face all the boys together for play with several toys in the center and around each baby as they entertain and play together. This is the greatest part of rearing multiples by the way, and gives mama and papa much needed breathing time. Of course the babies don't stay in one place for long.

Maybe you are wondering if one triplet cries, do they all follow. Happily, the answer in our case is no. In fact, one rarely wakes the other with crying. But if they see me preparing bottles, cover your ears!

10 comments:

Bek said...

Great!!! I recognize their clothes (are they Zutano? Do you LOVE them? ) Those boys are so adorable. You can see so much personality in their faces...

I agree w/ the twin/triplet bond thing, they do seem to interact wtih each other more than non related or singletons, at least the ones that I know do.

Thank you for the fun updates and pictures. Your boys are with in a few weeks of my daughter's age and they are much farther ahead than she is developmentally.... it is fun to compare (and I mean that in the good way, not in the competitive parent way..babies just do their thing when they decide to ....). :-)

jayme said...

It's so funny that you mentioned the crying. I was just thinking about how Izzie and Elijah rarely cry at the same time (usually if one begins to cry, the other looks over and seems to ask "what's the deal?")

Isabel has begun patting Elijah on the back when he's crying. It's pretty adorable.

As always, your boys are amazing. Keep those pictures coming!

Amy B. said...

Your boys are just precious. I really enjoyed the pictures. Amy

Kristin said...

What a precious little group of miracles :) Thank you so much for sharing them with us.

Jenn said...

it's great to read your posts... you can tell you really enjoy your boys. :-) they are simply beautiful.

Clickin Mama J said...

Your boys are so beautiful! I love the pictures. What happy little guys!

Mark and Sarah said...

What an amazing montage of photos! Oh, it is so amazing to see how their brotherly love is in full bloom. We are open to twins (actually hoping for twins) and this makes me really really hope we are so blessed (it's a long shot, but I can always hold out hope!). Thanks for starting this blog. It really encourages all of us still waiting for a referral!

Forbes Family said...

I just kinda happened upon your blog from the CHSFS forum. We are in the process of adopting from Ethiopia ( an infant girl) we are in the middle of the "paper chace" and just taking our time. I just wanted to say that your boys are so beutiful and in reading your blog I am learning alot. It may seem silly to say that but you seem so layed back and down to earth, I enjoy rading about your Joys and the way you handle being a mom. Thanks ofr being willing to share with us. And keep up the great work. you must be doing a good job because the boys seem to be so happy and healthy in the pictures.
Blessings to you nd your family, Bethany

esther said...

oh my gosh, your boys are sooo cute. what a blessing. the pics are wonderful!!!

our dossier just arrived in ethiopia a few days ago. we're thrilled!!!

D said...

Oh my word...cut as can be! I can't even take it...I've added you to my bloglines to see more great photos!