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What You Don't See Here

'I was so relieved to have my babies home': Ali shares the story behind this momentous family photo

“We got a phone call from the hospital asking if we would like to take Ted home.”

EACH WEEK, A different Irish parent chats us through a family photo from Instagram and explains what was really going on outside the frame – from tantrums to toilet disasters.

Fancy taking part? Email amy@thejournal.ie with a few lines about yourself and your kids for a chance to feature.

IMG-20190910-WA0008 Ali O'Leary Ali O'Leary

This week, Ali O’Leary (@alidee_g_plus3) chatted us through a proud family photo.

Tell us a bit about this photo. What inspired you to take it?

This is the first photograph of all six of us together; myself, my partner Chris, our four-year-old daughter Georgia and our triplets Lenny, Ted and Bruce. 

What’s one thing that’s going on in this photo that you wouldn’t know from looking at it?

We unexpectedly got a phone call from the hospital that morning asking if we would like to come and take Ted home. He was the only one of the boys still in hospital and we thought he wouldn’t be home for at least another two or three days.

I was an emotional and physical wreck after nearly six weeks in the NICU in The National Maternity Hospital. I think I cried happy tears for the entire day. The overwhelming sense of relief that my babies were home, and they were finally all ours, was so incredible.

Did it take many attempts to get the right shot?

Surprisingly, the kids were brilliant. Georgia was so over the moon to finally meet all of her three brothers – she couldn’t keep the smile off her face. I think I was actually the most awkward as I wanted this picture to be perfect. I wanted to remember that moment forever. My best friend took this picture for us and I think I made her retake it about 20 times.

It’s such a mix of emotions every time I look at it. At one stage, we didn’t think all three boys would make it home. We thought this was the photo that may never be, so it’s so incredibly special to us.

Do you have a family photo from Instagram with a great behind-the-scenes story? The day at the beach when the little one ingested a mouthful of sand – or the smiley photo taken just minutes after a tantrum? If so, we want to hear from you! Email amy@thejournal.ie with a few lines about yourself and your kids for a chance to feature in What You Don’t See Here.

More: ‘I spent nine months in bed’: Hannah shares the ups and downs behind this photo of her newborn son

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