This week has been an amazing one for our family as the babies have each made their way home. Just like d-day, it has all been a bit surreal. As I find spare moments, I will tell each baby’s homecoming story. After all, Harper got his own post!

For weeks, hospital staff told us to be prepared as, “Rylin could come home soon!” We dutifully took the required baby safety course, brought our assortment of “baby containers” into the living room, and let the fur babies sniff Rylin’s blankets. Well, Rylin wasn’t in a huge hurry to come home and at the NICU she stayed. She ate well, but was inconsistent at times so she couldn’t come home. The night Harper came home, the babies’ nurse, Richelle, told me the others acted funny. They all seemed fussy and more difficult to console as if they knew he left. Mason gagged on bottles as if he’d never seen them, Sydney still didn’t take bottles at all, and Miss Rylin took only 13 ml (of 50) at one feed. It did not look likely for the others to come home since eating well is the key to discharge. Harper was getting to be an only child.

On Thursday, Mom and I took Harper to visit his siblings in the NICU. To our surprise, we learned that Rylin was slated to take her car seat test and be discharged that night. I have to admit, the 90 minutes she spent in her car seat for the test were a bit long. I wanted her home so badly, I worried she might not pass. At the same time, I felt unprepared to take her home. Who knows why I felt that way. I mean, we’ve waited for that day so long and had everything in order as much as possible.

Once Rylin finished her car seat test (and passed), it was a mad dash to get both Harper and Rylin home since we didn’t have enough feeds for Harper to stay at the NICU any longer. I dashed to the van where I fought to correctly install her car seat. I believe I said a few colorful words and ended up having the hospital’s car seat expert install the thing anyways. Why do they make it so difficult to safely and correctly install car seats???

Our first night with Rylin was a bit more tricky than with Harper. We kept both babies in pack ‘n’ plays in the study next to our room. Bad idea! These two little darlings chatted and fussed at each other all night long, making sleep between feeds especially elusive. The next morning, Mom and I had to take the two babies to the pediatrician. While Harper attracted quite a bit of attention as a solo baby, Harper plus Rylin stole the show at the pediatrician’s office. Others in the waiting room were seemingly impressed by my “twins”. It’s funny because Mom and I had the same thought not to open the whole can of worms. When you go telling people you have quadruplets there is always a barrage of questions. If I am in the mood to answer them, I go ahead with it. If not, Mum’s the word! With just Rylin and Harper we decided they could “pose as twins for a day” and they did. If two babies attracted that much attention, the time we get out with our quad stroller is sure to become a four ring circus.

hugs!

Amber

Rylin’s car seat test

Heading out with twins

Bye Miss Lisa!

Rylin’s first bottle at home!