Several months ago, Harper developed a bit of an obsession with shoes. It started with his shoes. He wanted to wear shoes most of the time, and loved changing into different pairs multiple times daily. Since he wasn’t independent with putting shoes on himself it was sometime a hassle for me. However, he always sat patiently while I crammed his chubby feet into narrow shoes or used a shoe horn to help the process so I’d oblige him. It wasn’t long before his interest in shoes progressed to any and ALL shoes.
Currently, if Harper spies a vacant pair of kicks, without fail, he’ll remove his current pair and slip into his new find. It doesn’t matter who owns the shoes, what size they are, or even the style. Seriously, he can strut around effortlessly in anything from my 4″ wedges to Poppa’s work boots. It’s a futile effort, but he will attempt wearing his siblings too small shoes as well. He snags my shoes on a regular basis, and even the shoes of visitors. The day I take him into a shoe store he’ll be in hog Heaven.
These red Converse are among my favorite shoes for Harper, but he and I don’t always agree about when they “go” with the outfit.
Harper chose the entire outfit here from pirate hat to Daddy’s yard shoes.
I’m not sure an outfit is complete unless you have a fedora and Eeyore slippers.
Honestly, I can’t blame Harper for his passion for shoes. I have a rather extension collection myself. In fact, I’ve commissioned George to build storage for them in our new closet because I can’t locate every single pair with ease. Mint strappy sandals found at Target are my among current faves. I wore them with most everything all summer…mint pairs surprisingly well with many colors. I’m sad they’ll soon be out of rotation, but looking forward to boot season.
Do you have a favorite pair of shoes?
Hugs!
Amber
P.S. Should you ever pay Harper a visit, please keep your shoes away from his reach. Otherwise he’ll assume they are for him and off he’ll trot!
When we were newlyweds, I was still in grad school while George was a novice in his field earning a small pay check. That meant our apartment was furnished solely with hand me down pieces and thrift store finds. There was no way we were going to let our nest LOOK like it was a thrift store, however. Instead, we learned how to bring new life to dated or worn pieces.
Our first piece of furniture to renovate was a dining room table and chairs. I can’t remember, but it may have cost $75 for all five pieces. The table was a classic, sturdy pedestal design with two leaves, but we didn’t care for the oak finish. The chairs had lovely lines, but the upholstery was tattered and the wood frames were rickety. After spying a Pottery Barn table far outside our budget, we used some paint, fresh fabric, and elbow grease to inspire our own design with our thrift store find. This project was the first of many similar re-designs we’d tackle.
After the purchase of our first house, our little Pottery Barn inspired table found a new spot in our dining room. It was later relocated to our breakfast nook in that house.
The buffet behind the table was also a furniture redo we eventually painted solid black. It is currently functioning as a changing table/ dresser for the boys nursery.
Countless meals were enjoyed around this table. However, when the quads were old enough for spoon feeds we needed something to accommodate them. Our solution was to build our own quad feeding table and store our original table in the attic. With four infants being spoon fed, the quad table proved ideal. I could easily reach each little birdie for meals, and clean up was a breeze.
This was the first time the quads ever sat in their table. At the time, they weren’t sitting independently so I used baby towels to pad them in.
Little dangling feet were always my favorite view of the quad table.
When we moved to our new house the quads were 22 months old and still getting good use out of the quad table. By that time, they were self feeding using utensils and spoon feeds were a thing of the past. Yet, we still used the table for instructional activities, story time, and art projects.
I could easily facilitate story time from the quad table. However, the quads do reasonably well sitting in child sized chairs or in a semi-circle on the floor too.
It was relatively simple to clean up after the messiest of art projects at the quad table.
When the quad table was originally built, we hoped to get two to three years use from it. However, as the quads grew it became clear that the quad table’s days were numbered. Harper grew dangerously close to the 30 pound weight limit for the quad table seats, and he seemed uncomfortable being crammed into it. Furthermore, the quad table became a point of stress during meals. All four of the quads could reach anything on the table, which meant they snatched food from each other (and our plates), poked each other with forks, and created numerous shenanigans. Clearly, the quad table served it’s purpose and it was time to move onto something new.
This photo was snapped the last night we used our beloved quad table. I’m amazed at how much they’ve grown.
Little dangling feet will always be my favorite view of the quad table.
In a pinch, we can pad the quads into adult sized chairs, but it’s not good for everyday use. It’s difficult for the quads to see and reach their food, let alone use utensils. Consequently, we piloted booster seats attached to our dining chairs. After trying several designs, we realized booster seats were even more problematic than the quad table. Booster seats nearly destroyed our dining chair’s upholstery and the quads could easily push their feet against the table and tip backwards. We considered serving their meals at a child sized table, but that would mean we couldn’t enjoy family dinners.
Even when it was only two of us, George and I ate the majority of our dinners at the table together. During family meals, we take time to converse with each other about the day’s events and future plans. We take time to enjoy the meal before us and reconnect as a family. Because family dinners are of the utmost importance to us, we needed another plan. After dining out, it occurred to us that restaurant high chairs would be perfect. They are easy to clean, sturdy, stackable, and include seat belts for safety. Once I found decent priced chairs, I ordered four from Amazon Prime.
Since the quads still bash the table with their utensils, there was NO way we were spending money to buy a new kitchen table. It was time for our very first dining table to return from storage. However, the black paint was nearly a decade old and looked haggard.
We are gradually changing our color palate in the new house from dark colors to lighter hues and accepting them in cheery colors such as butter cream, aqua, and orange. Our dark table was given a clean coat of aqua paint then distressed using a stain technique that could withstand quads. In fact, we used the same color and technique we used on our coffee table. We then painted the chairs white and distressed them with the same technique to give them an antique appearance. The dingy crimson wall was covered by a soft gray, which effectively brightened the room.
Our accessories didn’t look quite right with the new wall color, but cans of chrome and sunshine spray paint helped coordinate the look. And, a bold floral fabric on the chairs pulled the entire room together. Ta da!
We used glitzy letter decals to decorate each high chair. Since the seat belts are adjusted differently for each child, it helps us remember whose chair is whose. Plus, we move the chairs around and the quads enjoy searching for their new place at the table.
Aside from the fact that I adore the fresh new look of our breakfast nook, it is working beautifully. Since it’s a traditional family style table, we face each other for conversation. (I should record some of our dinner conversation with the quads…they are generally humorous). Also, the center of the table is outside the reach of little hands. This allows us to serve food from the table instead of getting up to refill little plates thousands of times. Seriously, with the quad table I’d get up every few seconds to bring more food to the quads and I rarely sat down to enjoy my meal. Another bonus of the new set up is we can move the high chairs to create space between kiddos or away from the table itself (this is handy if someone is starting to make a mess with their plate).
When we have company join us for dinner, we have room for a few extra chairs so we can all dine together. Nisey and Grandpa enjoyed dinner with us on Grandparent’s Day last Sunday, and there was ample room for the eight of us.
I was slightly sad to see our quad table go, but it has been re-homed to a family with infant quads. Knowing it will help feed another set of quads makes my heart happy. In fact, this family plans to pass it down to the next generation so who knows how many quad families may enjoy our table.
Where do you dine?
Hugs!
Amber
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I remember the days B. Q. (before quads) when I yearned to have a baby and had all sorts of notions about what motherhood would mean. At that time, I’d see mothers out and about with their littles in tow. It seemed that every woman I passed had an adorable “mini me” clad in Janie & Jack attire with a winning toothless grin. I fantasized about dressing my own baby up in itty bitty boutique outfits and having a chubby cheeked baby sitting in my shopping cart. Of course, my baby would never wail, smell rotten, or spit up. My baby would be perfect at all times. (A girl can dream, right?)
When our instant family of quads arrived, I found myself getting plenty of baby snuggles but I was also marooned. My fragile babies couldn’t go anywhere besides the doctor for a full year. When the days of lockdown ceased, George and I seized every opportunity to let the quads explore their world. We toted them to museums, stores, restaurants, and anywhere else we thought we could safely take them. Many of our field trips involved other friends and family members to help wrangle the tots. No matter where we ventured, it was always a four ring circus for many reasons. It wasn’t quite what I envisioned in my fantasy world.
Despite our many family adventures, I had never loaded the quads into the van myself and taken them out in public. Not once. I’ve taken them out alone, or in pairs myself. And, we’ve enjoyed many play dates on our own and taken trips to the neighborhood strip mall in our Runabout, but never a legit outing just the five of us.
The notion of being alone with four babies in a public place terrified me. Each time I considered a quick errand with them on my own, I immediately conjured up a laundry list of scenarios from downright embarrassing to horrific. I thought surely before they were two I’d have the courage to take them out own my own, just once, but I didn’t. Their second birthday came and went, but my fears paralyzed me still. Every last one of my quad mama pals took the plunge and flashed pictures of their success stories with a pile of kids in a cart somewhere. They could do it, why couldn’t I? Thursday morning I decided it was time. We were going to Target. After all, Target boasts triple seater carts, sells most anything my heart desires, and it puts people in a trance with its merchandising tactics.
Thursday morning after breakfast, I scribbled a quick list of items we needed and scrambled to get everyone dressed. Naturally, everyone was uncooperative. All four were whining without mercy. Entire bins of toys were dumped and strewn about the house creating landmines for me. Though I felt discouraged and now concerned about how they’d behave, I was also determined. As soon as everyone was sufficiently dressed, I hustled the crew to the van where I strapped everyone in. Much to my chagrin, everyone settled once the van was in motion and I revved up our best kid tune playlist. I thought, “Okay, we CAN do this!”, and made a beeline to Target.
Upon our arrival at Target, I circled the parking lot for THE cart. I spotted one in the back corner of the parking lot and parked beside it. I loaded Harper and Sydney in the harnessed seats, Mason in the main cart seat, and padded Rylin in the buggy with threats to her life should she stand. (Rylin is by far the most opinionated and strong-willed of the quads, but she’s also the most obedient of the pack, which makes her trustworthy with responsibility.)
I strutted into Target with my brood of smiling toddlers and it felt darn good. I know the layout of Target like the back of my hand so I started tackling each item on the list and making sure to skim end caps for clearance finds. Thirty minutes into the trip and all four were chipper and clearly enjoying the scenery. In fact, I hadn’t offered a single snack to anyone. I ponied on, grabbing more items off the list. At 45 minutes of Target time, all items on the list (plus a few extras) were loaded into our cart and I had four happy children. WOW!!!! At that point, it was time to check out, but they earned their individual baggies of Fruit Loops and loads of praise for their upstanding behavior. I checked out, loaded our goods into the van, and loaded four toddlers without incident. SUCCESS!!!!
It feels liberating to finally conquer my fears of taking the foursome out own my own, and I feel encouraged to try more things myself. I know every trip out won’t be so easy, (and it wouldn’t be if there were just one toddler either) but at least I know successful trips CAN and WILL happen.
One of my many fears about solo outings was handling the public Q & A sessions. I don’t mind answering questions, but being alone meant we needed to stay the course. Interestingly enough, at 10:00 am on a Thursday our local Target was primarily populated with moms that had full carts of kids. I saw at least five other moms with more than three kids. It seemed that most shoppers at that day and time were on a mission of their own, and didn’t have time to worry about my crew. Dare I say it was peaceful?
It wasn’t long before Rylin realized the diaper bag doubled as a pillow.
After our successful Target jaunt, I rewarded myself with a salted caramel frappuccino. I won a gift card at our last Moms of Multiples meeting and thought of no better occasion to enjoy it.
What fears do you need to conquer? What encouragement do you need?
Although our home is often filled with piercing shrieks of, “MINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” and sibling scats, the quads are finding playmates in each other. For every shrill scream that makes me cringe, toddler cackles and chatter warm my heart. When I feel exasperated by the bickering, I see what close bonds are rapidly forming and I am grateful. I only hope that as the quads grow they continue to enjoy each other’s company and love each other fiercely.
These two ladies cheered on their brothers during the riding toy races.
The compassion they have for each other is undeniable as well. It’s a well-known fact that a kiss from Mommy or Daddy heals any boo boo, but a sibling’s kiss will also do the trick. If someone is picking at their dinner, it’s not uncommon for someone else to spoon feed them with a little airplane “zoom zoom” for fun.
Best of all, they inspire each other to use their imagination during play and invite each other to try new things.
Mason and Harper think it’s hysterical to walk around the kitchen on their knees. As I cook dinner, one of them will start this antic and it’s not long before two boys are strutting along the kitchen floor giggling the whole way.
The four pack practiced setting their table for tea time. They served quite the spread of plastic food.
I can only imagine what is in store for these four little people.
would be perfect. They are easy to clean, sturdy, stackable, and include seat belts for safety. Once I found decent priced chairs, I ordered four from Amazon Prime.
Four to Adore 