Crockett family welcomes identical triplets

By Jan White
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CROCKETT – Psalms 127:3 says, “Children are a blessing and a gift from the Lord.” And no family understands this more than Crockett residents, Stephen and Megan Easley.

Almost five years ago, the Easleys were blessed with a son, Matthew, whom they quickly learned had been born with a heart defect that could only be resolved by a transplant. Miraculously, Matthew was able to have the transplant, and with rehab and treatments, he is now a thriving Pre-K student.

On Wednesday, January 26, the Easleys received their second blessing. Or maybe we should say their second, third, and fourth blessing. Megan gave birth to naturally conceived identical triplets, Natalie Grace, Michelle Elizabeth, and Lavinia Maria. Identical triplets are rare. Estimates range from one out of every 76,000 births to as high as one in a million. But no matter what the statistics say, Stephen and Megan agree that the girls are their second miracle.

Despite being a few weeks early, the triplets are very healthy. Natalie was born first and is the smallest, weighing 3.3 oz. Michelle weighed in at 3.8 oz., and Lavina closely followed at 3.9 oz. The triplets are currently in their own NICU suite, which allows Stephen and Megan to stay with them whenever possible. Asked how they tell the girls apart, Stephen said that for now, the NICU has their names posted on each of their beds. When they come home, they will have tiny bracelets engraved with their names to identify them. But according to those who spend the most time with them, the triplets are beginning to develop their own individual personalities.   

The Easleys expect it will be 4-6 weeks before they can bring the triplets home, where they will face the challenge of providing for three infants. One family of triplets estimated that their babies would go through at least 10,000 diapers in a single year, not to mention the number of baby wipes, jars of baby food, and all the other items needed for thriving babies. Although the family is hesitant to ask for help, many people in the community have expressed a desire to assist. The family is registered online a www.babylist.com/easley-triplets, where donors can choose from several baby registries such as Amazon, Target, and Walmart as well as contribute to cash funds or diaper funds. Of course, any form of support is welcomed. For information on how you can help, feel free to contact Stephen Easley at (903) 573-3025. You can also follow Natalie, Michelle, and Lavinia’s progress on Facebook @Easleytriplets.