Lee and I hustled together in the kitchen, making sure everything was perfect. I finished packing the girls' backpacks, then moved on to the one we had for Lukas. Lee was over by the sink, filling a bottle with formula while holding a screaming baby Hawk. He wanted that bottle now.
"Zophia, how many times do I have to tell you that is not a jump rope!" Lee said.
I watched Hawk's oxygen tube drop out of her hands. She huffed and walked over to the couch.
"Come here, Zozo! Mommy needs you to pick out what color bows you want in your hair," I said.
"Orange pumpkins!" she said.
"Orange? It's a little too early to wear the Halloween ones I just bought you two. How about pink ones that match your leggings?"
"No!" she said.
"Okay, then you'll have no pretty bows in your hair," I said.
She cried, but I eventually got her and Ella into the special outfits I picked for them. Ella wore a pink dress with purple leggings and purple bows in her hair. Zozo wore a purple dress with pink leggings and pink bows. Lee got Lukas dressed in a cute sweater and jeans.
While I got some pictures with the triplets outside as the camera crew watched, Lee got Hawk all set up with his portable oxygen tank and settled into his carseat. Nearly 110 days in the NICU and he was only our first baby home. I knew it would be chaos, but I couldn't wait to have all our other babies home, which was coming up sooner than later.
"Momma? How long to baby girls?" asked Ella as I buckled her into her carseat, which now sat in our twelve-passenger van.
"Today is Monday, and all three baby girls come home on Friday, so that's four more days," I said.
"Yay!" said Zophia. "I'll play with them!"
"Not quite. They'll be on oxygen like Hawk. But you can sing and dance for them, just like you do for Hawk," I said.
"When will they play, Mommy?" asked Lukas.
"When they feel better and get bigger."
"But when?" he whined.
"Not for a long time. I'm sorry, buddy. I know you guys can't wait to play with your brothers and sisters."
I shut the door of the van and got in the driver's seat. Lee walked out of the house with Hawk in his carseat, towing his portable oxygen tank. He placed Hawk in the van and sat next to him. We knew he'd be fine, but I still worried.
We drove to the preschool the kids would attend twice a week and parked out front. Because we were expected and the staff knew who we were, a bunch of them were waiting outside. Some of them had their phones out, taking pictures of us and the camera crew.
"Who's ready for school?" I asked the triplets.
"Me!" they all said at once.
I opened the door of the van and got out, then waved to the staff. A few of the ladies stepped forward. I guessed they were the three teachers. As triplets, the kids were encouraged to go into their own classes so they could "experience individuality." I agreed.
I picked up Ella first. Her teacher, Miss Sandy, stepped forward. I placed Ella on the ground and held her hand, along with her Baby Yoda backpack.
"Put it on, Mommy!" she said, pointing to it.
"Put it on..."
"Please!" she said.
"There you go," I said, putting the backpack on her.
We walked over to Miss Sandy, who got down to eye-level with Ella.
"Hi Noella. My name is Miss Sandy. It's very nice to meet you. Are you excited to come play today?"
"Yeah!" said Ella.
"Hooray! I'm so glad," said Miss Sandy. "Can you hold my hand and we'll walk into the classroom?" Ella nodded. Miss Sandy took her hand. "She'll be in good hands, Mom."
"Thanks. I know," I said.
She walked into the building with Ella. Lee was right behind me with Lukas, who started walking in with his teacher. The last one remaining was Miss Rachel, who was waiting for Zozo.
I went to the car to grab her, but she was a mess, the poor little thing. She was crying hysterically and had a bunch of snot coming in bubbles out of her nose.
"Zozo, oh my goodness! What's wrong?" I asked, fishing a tissue out of my purse.
"I want Ella and Lukas!" she said.
"I told you, Ella and Lukas have to go with their own class. You have to make your own friends."
"No! Don't wanna!"
"Zozo, it's okay," I said.
I unbuckled her from her seat.
"No no no!" she said, kicking and squirming as I picked her up.
She started to scream. I got a glimpse of the poor face of Miss Rachel, who was the youngest and smallest of the bunch.
"Zophia, stop it!" I said. I don't know why. It wasn't going to make her stop.
I set her down. She tried to run back into the van. I picked her up and brought her right back over.
"Zophia, you need to listen to me," I said, trying to calm myself down. "If you go back home, Lukas and Ella are going to tell you about all the fun they had and all the friends they made while you just stayed home and watched TV. Don't you want to go have fun like them?"
"No! I want Mommy!" she said.
"How about we bring her in and show her the room? That usually helps," said Miss Rachel.
"That would be great. Thanks," I said.
I walked into the building with her while Lee waited outside with Hawk and the camera crew. Miss Rachel took us to her classroom, which was decorated in a jungle theme. Kids were all over the place, playing with all kinds of toys. Zophia groaned and struggled to be put down.
I set her down, and off she went. There was a toy telephone on the carpet, similar to the one we had at home. It was her favorite. She always pretended she was calling the babies at the hospital and talking to them. I called it her "magic phone."
"I think she's calmed down now, Mom," said Miss Rachel.
I laughed. "She always does this. She's a fiery one."
"She's also almost three. These things are to be expected," she said.
"Okay Zozo, Mommy's leaving!" I said. I watched as Zozo ran off and played with another little girl. "Wow...okay then."
"She'll be just fine," said Miss Rachel, giving me a warm smile.
"I know. Thanks. We'll be back at one to pick her up," I said.
I took one more look at Zozo and started walking down the halls towards the front of the building. It was so hard to hold myself together. It felt like just yesterday that we were having their baby shower or feeding them on the couch. They were so independent now, having their own lives in preschool and making their own friends.
Lee was outside, holding a restless Hawk and talking to the camera crew, who were all now coming towards me. Dave, our sound guy, held the boom way over my head. I hugged Lee and wiped away a tear.
"They really are big kids now," I said to him.
"Harper, it's only two days a week that they'll be in school," Lee said.
I sniffled. "I know. I just can't believe how fast they grow up."