My Irish Triplets: Maya, Isabelle and Tristan

Actually, extreme Irish triplets, as all 3 were born within a 12 month period. I had never heard of Irish twins or triplets before, but a friend of mine filled me in. Apparently Irish twins are 2 children born within 12 months and Irish triplets are 3 children born within 3 years.

Today is Tristan's 3rd birthday! So, for 2 weeks we will have three 3-year-olds in the family! Maya will be turning 4 on the 26th.

I have been looking at Tristan all day, wondering what his birth was really like. We have very little information, not even a birth weight. We do know that the 2 bedroom apartment they were living in was occupied by 14 people! I am so grateful God guided us to him. I have been falling in love with the little guy these past 3 months. The doctor and caregivers at his orphanage all said he has "aristocratic" features. He does have these gorgeous green eyes with long eyelashes, and the most engaging grin that lights up his whole face. I LOVE that smile, and how he'll come over and want to sit on my lap every time I sit down. He can't get enough of being swung around or being thrown onto the bed. He loves to make "fishy faces" with me and to bounce on my knee. He loves tractors and airplanes and dogs and balls and to run and jump and climb, but he also loves to watch Dora the Explorer and hold baby dolls and wear his sisters' princess crowns and dress-up shoes too! Every Friday when I take them swimming at the rec center with my awesome neighbor to help me (who used to be a swim teacher), he is flying higher than a kite with excitement all morning--and when we get there he jumps into the water to us with wild abandon, and is now starting to swim across the pool a bit. He LOVES the water! At night he will even forgo dessert if it means he can get in the tub faster. It is so amazing to remember that just 3 months ago, he was terrified of the Moscow Marriott swimming pool, and clung to us with terror when we went in very slowly.

Tristan is a smart little guy who now knows all his colors, can count, sing the ABCs, draw circles and use complete sentences in English to communicate. All this from a guy whose entire Russian vocabulary 3 months ago consisted of "baka" (his shortened form of dog) and "Mama."

Tristan has an intense and urgent need for his "Papa," and this last month has shown a great deal more towards solid attachment to his "Mama" as well. He has amazingly super soft skin. I love to kiss his little cheek and hold his sweet little hand. He has a small scar on his forehead and another just under his chin. I wish I knew how he got them, and that I could have been there to pick him up and kiss him better. He LOVES to be kissed better! He never tires of "this little piggy" and "itsy, bitsy spider" and all the other nursery rhymes/games. He loves to feed me imaginary food and chase his brother and sisters around the house.

When we started the adoption process, we weren't planning on a new little son. However, I am forever grateful that we found him anyway. I know God planned for him to be a part of our family for eternity. I will always remember the absolute peace that filled my heart when I prayed about adopting Tristan and Maya. It just goes to show that some of the best things in life aren't planned for (at least by us mortals). :)

The earliest photo we have of Tristan. He is about 5 months old here.

Moscow City is a blind region, and we weren't planning on getting any referral photos before we traveled to meet our "sibling group," but they ended up sending us this one. I believe he was just over 2 here.

Here is one of the pics we took on our first trip to meet them back in June.

This is Tristan's passport photo from our 2nd trip in July. They had cut his hair even shorter, and he was scared to death here. It was his first time taking a short little car ride out of the orphanage with us to the passport office.

My handsome 3 year old!