Nia and Robert Tolbert were residing in Waldorf, Maryland. They had two children together and were planning to have more in the future.
For Robert, it was love at first sight. He felt so lucky to be married to such a beautiful woman, inside and out. Little did he know that she was hiding a dark secret from him the whole time.
Love At First Sight
Nia and Robert started going out in 2007 and got married shortly after. Like any other couple, they had minor disagreements here and there, but their love overcame all the challenges.
After a few years of being together, Nia found out she was pregnant with a baby boy. Robert was on cloud nine when he learned that he was going to be a father. Having a family was very important to him, and he knew Nia would make an amazing mother, or so he thought.
Pregnant Again
In 2011, Nia gave birth to a precious baby boy Shai. And just three years later, she fell pregnant again. The couple was excited for their son to have a little sister or brother.
But when they went to the hospital to get a sonogram, the doctor told them something that shocked them to the core.
Two More Children
He told the couple that they were expecting twins. And in 2015, Nia gave birth to Alexander and Riley.
For Robert, it was a dream to come true. After the twins were born, they both agreed that five children were enough for them since raising three boys was going to be difficult. And just when Robert started getting used to his daily routine, he received the shocking news that changed his life.
Something Wasn't Right
Robert remembered the doctor asking Nia if multiple pregnancies ran in her family. And he asked her the same question again when they went for a routine check-up.
That's when Robert realized that something was off.
She Didn't Know How He Would React
"Oh, we must be having twins again," Nia told ABC News. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case at all.
Nia had no idea how to break the news to her husband. She knew he would be devastated, so she came up with a way to cushion the blow.
Not The Surprise He was Expecting
Nia wrote him a note and placed it inside a gift card. When Robert saw the gift bag, he thought his wife had bought a FitBut for him, which he had wanted to get for a very long time.
The first thing he saw inside the bag was a note from Nia. "Please accept this gift from me and God," it read.
They Were Going To Have Triplets
"I opened the bag, and I saw a very, very long sonogram," Robert recalled.
"Then I saw three onesies in the bag ... and they were numbered 1, 2, and 3." And then, it hit him. He nearly fainted when he realized his wife was pregnant with triplets.
Robert Was Shocked
"I was just shocked," Robert told ABC News. "I just went straight to bed."
"We're already planning for our new household. It's going to be equally balanced now -- with three little girls and three little boys," his wife told ABC News. But could they handle three more babies?
They Felt Prepared
Nia and Robert were excited to have three more babies. "I know we're not going to sleep for a couple of years, our grocery bill is going to go up, and our house is not going to be quiet, and that's OK," Nia told ABC News.
But how did their children react to the news?
Born On January 30, 2018
Twins Robert and Alex and their brother Shai couldn't wait to meet their sisters. The triplets were born on January 30, 2018, at 34 weeks and 5 days. Each girl weighed around 4 pounds.
Nia and Robert felt so many emotions when they saw their babies for the first time.
Cuteness Overload
"The cuteness gets more and more unbearable every day, and all the big brothers (and DADDY) are in love," Robert wrote on his Instagram.
Robert continues to update his followers on how his children are doing on his Instagram account @totallytolbert. He now has more than 28,000 followers! And soon, the triplets became famous.
A Big Announcement
On July 24, 2019, Robert announced that the three girls would be starring in "Harriet," a movie based on the life of Harriet Tubman.
Nia was so proud of her daughters. "To be there as a mother witnessing my daughters make history alongside such a dynamic group of black people," she said.
She Was Proud
"I've never been a part of a project this historically rich, this moving, this 'riveting' ever before in my life. Today I get to share that with my triplet babes."
But how did her babies perform?
Nia updated her followers on Instagram, "They did all the hard work smiling and cooing on cue... Mama was just the driver, feeder, soother, entertainer, diaper changer, and sleepless zombie."
"But I wouldn't trade the experience for anything in the world."