North Bend triplets celebrate first birthday
July 2, 2009
By Laura Geggel
In the first year of caring for their triplets, Stacey and Brian Estep have changed more than 7,000 diapers and fed them more than 5,000 bottles.
“We are odd, we do stick out,” Stacey said. “We have a stroller like a stretch limousine.”
In 2005, the Esteps fled New Orleans for Tallahassee during the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and the city’s broken levees. When Brian got a job in Bellevue, the family moved to North Bend with their three sons in 2007.
The following year, Stacey and Brian had triplets and their lives changed forever.
It can take them up to 40 minutes to prepare their babies for a shopping outing at the grocery store or North Bend factory stores.
The Estep family’s triplets at 366 days old. From left, Jacob, Leah and Joseph.
Baby outings have complications. The couple said they don’t mind people inquiring about their children, but asked that questioners remember they don’t have much time to spare.
Stacey said she was used to the comment “you must have your hands full,” but said she’s had some run-ins with unpleasant strangers who say things like, “I’m glad they’re not mine.”
“When we go out in the triplet stroller, it’s like we’re the show,” Estep said. “It’s scary sometimes.”
Her husband, Brian, offered these words of advice for people interested in their triplets: look, but don’t touch.
At Costco, cashiers make offhand comments like, “You must work at a daycare,” when Stacey buys diapers and baby formula in bulk.
In a way, she does.
“I swear, this year is almost a blur,” Stacey said.
Born 10 weeks premature June 18, 2008, Jacob Anthony was the heaviest baby at 3-pounds 2-ounces. Now, the trio all weigh between 16 to 20 pounds each.
“We’re very blessed to have Encompass in our backyard,” Stacey said, mentioning the physical therapist who visits the family weekly to check on the triplet’s development.
As they develop, they become more mobile.
“We have three crawlers, and of course they all crawl in different directions,” Stacey said.
Jacob and Joseph interact with one another more, Stacey said, “like partners in crime.”
Leah and Joseph also have a shared activity.
“They like to do this scream together, where one of them will get started and they just go back and forth,” Stacey said, giving a good-natured grimace.
Each child also has an emerging personality.
Joseph “is a bull in a china shop,” Stacey said. “He will climb over anyone and everyone he wants.”
In contrast, “Mr. Jacob is very serious a lot of times and studies things,” while Leah thinks of herself as royalty.
“We definitely have our princess, who thinks everything should go her way,” Stacey said.
The only way to care for three growing babies is to stick to a schedule. Stacey charts everything to make sure every baby has had a meal and bath. The trio wakes up at 5:30 a.m., and long after the babies have gone to bed at 7:30 p.m., both Stacey and her husband wash bottles and launder clothes.
“And then we can say, “Honey, how was your day?” Stacey joked.
While the Estep’s son Patrick attends Twin Falls Middle School, their two older sons Andrew and Daniel recently came to North Bend from New Orleans for the summer holiday, or as much of a holiday as they can have while caring for their younger siblings. Already babbling and saying a few words, the Esteps are ready for their newest additions to reach even more benchmarks.
“We’ve been very lucky,” Estep said. “They’ve been very healthy. We’re just blessed.”
Comments
Got something to say?
Before you comment, please note:
- These comments are moderated.
- Comments should be relevant to the topic at hand and contribute to its discussion.
- Personal attacks and/or excessive profanity will not be tolerated and such comments will not be approved.
- This is not your personal chat room or forum, so please stay on topic.
