As triplets develop personalities, they remain a handful for mom

Published 12:33 pm Thursday, December 11, 2008

By Brenda Sexton

The Courier-Herald

It's been a busy year for Heather and Ryan Osborn. An entire year since they, along with 5-year-old Ryder, welcomed Brayden, Emalee and Rayce.

The family celebrated the big birthday with the threesome in late February. In some ways, Heather said, it's hard to believe it's been a year.

"I told Ryan I think the parents should get a party. We earned it, maybe a vacation."

As tempting as it might be, the Osborns did not keep track of the massive loads of laundry, the mega-bags of diapers or the cans and cans of formula they went through during that year.

"I tried not to keep track, because I don't really want to know," Heather said.

Instead, the time was measured by the threesome's first steps, budding independence and new teeth.

"It's so fun. I love it," Heather said. "I'm really proud of them and love to look at them."

An added bonus for the Osborns is watching each sprout's personality develop.

Rayce may be the smallest, but he's big on independence. Heather said he is the sneaky one who quietly climbs up on benches and slyly gets into closed cupboards.

Emalee is happy all the time.

Brayden is laid back and goes with the flow.

"It's better than TV," she said of watching the three interact. "You wonder what's going through their heads."

Those are the rewards for the challenges.

"It's much easier now," Heather said of today versus a year ago. "They sleep better. They entertain each other. They have more personality."

They don't wake up in the middle of the night for feedings.

"It just seemed like I was up constantly," she said.

And the move six months ago from Buckley to Graham, just over the hill from Orting, where they have more living space, was another change. Physically, the distance isn't very far, Heather said, but it's not conveniently on the path for friends and family and stretches Ryan's commute a bit more.

There's talk of moving back to the Plateau.

"About three times a week we're back in Enumclaw," she said.

The triplets, born a few weeks early on Feb. 21, 2004, were recently in Enumclaw for a checkup where their physician deemed them healthy and fit.

Whether it's a trip to the doctor, grocery shopping or a play date at the park, loading up triplets and Ryder for an outing is one of the things that has not gotten easier, Heather said. It's always handy on those adventures, she admits, to have additional "adult" hands.

Brenda Sexton can be reached at bsexton@cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/courierherald.