come at the noon hour. My dad would help. It was an assembly line: feed one, burp one, grab the next one!” If it weren’t for the schedule Kaul created, she doesn’t know how she would have made it through the first months. “(The schedule) was the only thing that saved us,” Kaul explained. “I took it to the point where I would take my binder to the doctor and say, ‘This is when they ate, pooped, etc.’ I had everything so scheduled. That was a lifesaver. For the first three months, that’s how our life was.” As time passed, both families fell into a routine and discovered the benefits and challenges of raising multiples. Kaul, whose sons will be 13 in March, remembers how time consuming it was in the early years, especially during winter. “In winter, there were three pairs of boots, three coats, three hats, etc.,” said Kaul. “It took more time to go places. There was more packing.” As the boys grew older, Kaul and her husband looked forward to their expanding independence. “We celebrated when they could get up and get their cereal and pour their milk,” Kaul said with a laugh. “That was the best day!” Potts’ sons are now three and have personalities that allow for Potts to (usually) achieve her daily tasks. “The boys are very easy going and entertain themselves when I need to accomplish work or household tasks,” said Potts. “The most challenging part is figuring out how to adjust your schedule based on their needs and still have your own time to take care of yourself.” While Potts is more easily able to balance her household duties and parenting, she said that having two children the same age brings with it some bittersweet moments. “The sweet moments of raising a child from first words, first steps and many other milestones seem to be more rushed,” said Potts. “It’s a constant balancing act, so I don’t feel as though we were able to savor those moments as much as we should have. Oh the other hand, we have twice as many (milestones), so that helps.” Both Kaul and Potts have enjoyed watching their sons bond and their relationships strengthen over the years. When they were little, they wrestled around a lot,” said Kaul. As they approached the elementary school years, Memphis, Wesley and Trey went their separate ways a little more, Kaul said, but as they enter the middle school years, they’ve come together again. “They do a lot of stuff together,” said Kaul. “They have their own friends – some are similar and some are different – but they’re more like buddies now. They all interact with each other very well.” For Potts, nothing compares to the bond Bennett and Liam have shared since the beginning. “They were three days old when we were first able to hold them,” said Potts. “We lifted the blanket off of them to find them holding hands. It was a moment I will never forget. They would watch each other and respond to each other from the time they were five months old. Every day they become closer and closer.” The boys strive to maintain that closeness even when they are separated – however briefly. “We (Kurt and I) try to spend individual time with each little man,” said Potts. “They enjoy their one on one time with Mom and Dad but are usually asking for their ‘buddy’ after a couple of hours. We separated the boys to ride carnival rides this summer. After each ride was over, they ran to each other and gave each other the biggest hug.” “Watching the boys bond has been nothing short of magical,” continued Potts. “It is amazing to see them grow together and see how they are protective of each other. They are truly best friends. They help each other overcome obstacles and celebrate each other’s successes.” When Kaul looks back over the years, she mentions the numerous times that people have approached her and said how fun it would be to have twins but don’t know if they could handle triplets. “Oh, having triplets, what’s one more?” said Kaul. “We didn’t know any different. When I had Olivia (9), life was boring. I could have had two more at the same time!” Potts agrees that the moments, when multiplied, are worth it, and encourages anyone expecting multiples to savor this time as much as possible. “Enjoy every moment!” said Potts. “When you look back, you won’t remember how clean your house was, but you will remember those candid little moments that bring a tear to your eye.” vBy Amy Nelson We would love to hear about who and what inspires you. Know someone that should be featured in hervoice? Submit to: hervoiceonline.com A Little Bit Of Everything... •Purses •Custom Apparel •Sunglasses •Jewelry •Re-purposed Furniture •Hats •Floral •Home Decor ita’s R s –o–Nalitie Purse 219 W. 3rd Yankton Downtown HERVOICEvJANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018v13