Yes, Sira!

Ethiograndma you are right, my readers are indeed astute and that darling boy with the toothy grin and wet collar in the post below is indeed little sweet Sira! (The other cute boy in the high chair was handsome Bereket, just in case you were wondering.) At least (most of) my readers posses a little confidence to assert themselves and say, I do believe that one is Sira and that one is Bereket! (It's OK if you got it wrong, even mama & papa do it.) Poor dears usually get a weeny-armed greeting and a little stammering before they get a decent hello . . . Hmmmmm, well let's see, this one is . . . hmmmm, now which one has the ear piercing again and which ear was it? To tell you the truth, Tsega cannot tell Bereket apart from Sira either. I like to quiz him now and then and see what he does, hug Sira, give the binky to Bereket, hold Sira's hand. What he does is, he goes to the nearest brother rather than the named brother.

Maybe this is why so many are naturally smitten by Tsega. People greet mega-Tsega with gusto in part, because they are confident who he is. Wouldn't that be wierd to go through life expecting people to not recognize you? Let me say though, the triplet social dynamics are, as I suspected they would and will again, changing. Lately Tsega is less about flashing his million dollar smile to everybody who looks at him, probably because he is so busy exploring every molecule of life and material. Of course Tsega will have no trouble walking up to you and sign and beg for more, more, if he indeed needs more food and you have some. Bereket's social butterflies are again expanding their wings and Sira's are right there with him so that these days stranger anxiety amounts to, at most, sweet coy smiles that get buried into mama's chest or leg at the approach of strangers (vs. the mad I Hate You stares they used to dart at less familiar faces).

Ethiograndma (aka, My Mom, the lady who sometimes comments on this blog) happens to be here for a visit, BTW, and we made picking her up from the KC airport into a weekend of fun in the city. In honor of our mini vacation and her visit, I decided to post some helpful tidbits and random observations I discovered along the way during last weekend's trip or the weeks just prior:

* I'm surprised to have discovered feelings of relief welling inside of me when the boys are outside and they diverge into distinct and separate playing zones; zones that wave peace flags; zones, sadly enough, with fast-dissolving borders.

* Don't dine three two-year olds in Italian Restaurants. The crowds fill up fast, the food may come ever so slowly, and bread rolls are not interesting enough to satisfy three unhinged toddlers (and yet they fill up on the stuff before their supposed-to-be time consuming and behavior modifying food arrives). Mexican is always safe and fun since there's something interesting to satisfy toddler taste buds the second you arrive up until the moment you leave (leave in a wheelbarrow, that is).

* Don't dine in halls with great acoustics. I knew if Tsega's lungs ever found the right amplifier in public, we'd be in trouble (we were). It's cute when it's my kid, but I never found another kid's monotonous screech flattering, so it's hard not to get nervous about it.

* When he's tired, don't sit Bereket next to anybody in the car or stroller if you can help it.

* I dare you to break our hotel record for most times a toilet has flushed in one weekend.

* At least one of the three is discovering the art of potty control and now every time a diaper is removed, a very controlled, managed flow starts flowing (if you cover it up, it stops, if you uncover it, it starts again . . . ).

* Even when three adults are supervising, make sure you, as the mom, keep all two of your eyes on constant look out for three little bodies. I'll never forget turning around at very familiar sounds on a busy city street and seeing little Sira happily toddling along and getting further behind just as he was about to be left. *Shutter*

* Bring pack n plays when overnighting in hotels not for sleeping, but for baby proofing. Simply push up against the set of drawers and microwave table that baby cannot keep his hands out of.

* Have fast mobile baby drag a suitcase up and down the halls to entertain, exercise, and slow him down when he needs to run halls.

* It doesn't matter where you take your toddler. If you can keep moving he will be highly entertained and every place new and old, there is great adventure for you and toddler.

* Don't even think about bringing Tsega on a long flight. I haven't done it since he was 5 months old, but judging from his recent public behavior, which is busy and stimulated to say the least, I guarantee you will be pulling out the benadryl, popping a few, administering a few, and then handing them out to fellow passengers. And you might become one of those passengers who gets flights grounded.

* Hair is not usually funny. Funky yes, but not funny. Don't tell me my child's hair cracks you up, even if you are usually very nice. And don't ask me if I'm able to figure out how to take care of African hair because then I feel bad when three proofs are standing right there (if you have to ask, then maybe the answer is no!). I think, however, that it is OK if you are nine and think that Tsega's hair has super powers.

* My kids look Ethiopian. Ethiopians will stop us to ask about our boys because, they say, they recognize their Ethiopian features. How cool is that? Because no matter what physical bonds were broken, my kids will forever retain (and pass on) their Ethiopian roots through their indestructible and ancient polymers of DNA.

* A lady at work was wondering if my boys came to the USA with cultural mannerisms endemic to Ethiopia (then quickly shook her head no after realizing at 5 months old no baby possesses cultural qualities). But then after thinking a moment I said, but somehow my kids, compared to other toddlers, seem different; unique. She nodded yes, they indeed do, and that's why she thought to ask. So now I'm wondering, what makes my kids unique. Forget that they were adopted by white Americans and are triplets--I mean some other quality that they share is strikingly special and perhaps I'm being silly, but I think others sense it too. What is shaping this quality?

* Has anybody else been noticing how handsome my boys are becoming? I tangoed Bereket the other day and while in the dipping position (him on bottom, of course) I looked down at him and I swear I heard angels sing and saw celestial lights beaming from his eyes. As my mom pointed out, they got over their awkward pre-toddler/post-baby stage very well.