Kirsten Larsen
Northern News Services

NNSL (Apr 19/99) - Fort Resolution's excitement over a couple's recent good fortune tripled last week with the birth of their triplets.

Tendah King and Rocky Lafferty were expected to arrive back from Edmonton on the weekend with their newborn triplets, Tanis, Tori and Tamara.

"They (the babies) are healthy, they're fine," said King from the hospital on Wednesday. "The doctor said they will probably be released with me on Thursday. We're really happy we get to go home this weekend and everybody at home is excited."

The triplets, who were born Monday, April 12, in Edmonton's Royal Alexandra Hospital at 1 p.m., may well be the first set of triplets Fort Resolution has had in the community. In fact, Tanis, Tori and Tamara may be the first set of triplets born to a Western Arctic mother.

King went to Edmonton in late March to await the birth of the triplets. She was expected to give birth around April 20, but she went into labour early and had a cesarian section. Some of King's and Lafferty's relatives couldn't wait for the arrival of the babies, and made the trip to Edmonton to visit the family. The triplets' 10-year-old brother Scott was also in Edmonton marvelling over his new sisters.

"He's going crazy going back and forth and kissing them all," King said. "He was a bit mad at me yesterday but today he's happy."

Lafferty was also in a state of bliss about his daughters.

"I think it's quite wonderful," he said. "I don't know which one to hold -- they are all so wonderful."

"I've got over being scared. I was scared when she first found out she was having triplets and the day got closer and closer, but when I phoned home and told everybody when they were born they said not to be scared because there is a lot of support back home and they can't wait to see us."

The community has raised quite a fuss over the girls, donating cribs, high chairs, wash tubs, change basins and many other baby items to help the couple out and celebrate their fortune.

"They've even got a list of nannies wanting to help out," said the triplets' aunt, Dolly Lafferty. "They are volunteering."

The family will be returning to their new home which has a large bedroom designed especially for the triplets. The house was in the process of being built when King discovered she was going to have three babies, and they had to redesign the bedrooms.

"It was going to be four bedrooms, now it's three," said Dolly. "They combined two to make one big room."

Although the babies may be the only triplets in Fort Res, there are several sets of twins.

"There are quite a few sets of twins here in Fort Res," said Dolly. "The youngest are about 10 or 11 and the oldest is (Pete King) the (triplets') grandpa. He's a twin. He's still here."