The adage says, “Two is company. Three’s a crowd.” Then TV got its hands on the idea and concluded three was company. But for new parents Michelle and Shane Truitt, three’s a blessing and five is family.
Coastal Point • RUSLANA LAMBERT
Logan, Mackenzie and Kyle Truitt get comfortable quickly in their home.
The Truitts’ new bundles of joy, triplets Logan, Kyle and Makenzie, arrived eight weeks ahead of schedule but are now keeping their parents more company than they could have imagined.
“It’s a little tiring sometimes,” admitted Shane Truitt, “but well-worth it. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
The three babies, originally expected in February, were born on Dec. 12, each weighing barely more than 3 pounds. Now, just past 7 weeks old, the healthy infants are quickly growing — each almost up to 7 pounds.
Shane, a truck captain for the Bethany Beach Volunteer Fire Department, and Michelle, a school teacher, have each been taking some much-needed time away from work to tend to their family, which better than doubled overnight.
With identical twins in Michelle’s family, the hereditary gene for multiple births ruled nothing out. Still, they admitted they were caught a little off-guard when the news of triplets came.
“It was exciting at first.” said Shane, “But when I had just found out, I was scared, too. I wasn’t sure what exactly we were supposed to do, financially. There’s a lot that comes with it. People always say you’re never really ready for a kid, but three at one time? That’s a whole other story.”
The boys, Logan and Kyle, are identical, while their sister, Makenzie, is a fraternal triplet.
The couple found out Michelle was carrying triplets roughly eight weeks into her pregnancy.
“Fortunately,” said Michelle, “We knew early, so we had plenty of time to prepare.”
She also spoke with a fellow teacher, working just across the hall, who has a set of 15-year-old triplets. At the same time as Michelle’s pregnancy, another friend in Pennsylvania was carrying triplets, too.
“You don’t hear about a lot of triplets in the area,” Michelle said, “but it was nice to be able to talk to some people about it who could relate. They had some great advice.”
After hearing there would be three, Shane and his wife weren’t too particular about the genders, though they hoped for at least one of each.
“We were pretty sure we didn’t want three girls,” said Michelle with a laugh. “That could get stressful and expensive — proms, boyfriends, three weddings...”
“We’re done now,” laughed Shane, who knew he wanted at least two children. “First, second and last. We’re good for now.”
Now that they’re here, the couple is constantly learning more and more each day they spend with their little ones.
“It’s really been non-stop from day one,” said Shane, “just trying to get organized and ready.”
With friends and family in the surrounding area, the Truitts have received much support from well-wishers — from monetary donations and baby essentials to a home-cooked meal that doesn’t detract from their time with their children.
“Neighbors have helped out a lot. Members of the church have called to see how things are,” Shane said, adding that he’s thankful to be in such an accepting and helpful community that has shown nothing but respect and assistance.
“It’s really great to have that support in the community,” he said. “You bring a baby into the world and everyone wants to be there for you. You bring three in, and everyone’s really excited.”
A typical day for the little girl and two boys still centers around sleeping, with a steady rotation of eating and diaper checks almost every three hours.
“They’re all running on the same schedule, thankfully,” said Michelle. “If one wakes up, they all wake up, but then we can just take care of them all at the same time.”
Some tasks, such as baths, seem to work better as an assembly line, the couple said.
Although it was her first, the pregnancy went without any problems, Michelle noted. After initially being admitted into Beebe Medical Center, she was transferred to Christiana Hospital for the delivery. The births, only a minute apart, were well attended, with 22 doctors in the room for the big arrival.
Already, the three babies are showing signs of their personalities, their parents said.
Kyle is the calm and patient one out of the group, not one to fuss too much. Logan, the smallest of the three at birth, more of a “mama’s boy,” is usually ready for his meal first, while Makenzie is turning out to be “Daddy’s little girl.”
“She cries for his attention,” said Michelle.
“It’s been quite an experience,” she added. “Neither of us would trade it for the world.”