While their vocabularies are almost null, the babies have no trouble expressing themselves with body language and facial expressions. Rylin in particular expertly expresses herself and often switches from giving the stink eye to a toothy grin. When going through their birthday pictures, I had fun picking out all of their little facial expressions.
How are you feeling today?
hugs!
Amber
Way back when the babies were tiny three pounders in the NICU, people often shook their head as they remarked, “Oh just wait until they walk…” Back in those days, we had bigger fish to fry than to worry about toddlers. Once the babies became proficient crawlers, baby proofing became a necessity and we figured they couldn’t become much more challenging. I mean, a crawling baby knows no boundaries. How much worse could it be?
Recently, I’ve begun to worry. Although the babies cannot yet walk independently, they are curious and practically fearless when it comes to exploring. Lately they’ve been doing all sorts of acrobatics and risky maneuvers. If they can do all this before they walk, who knows what mischief they can get into after they walk. Not to mention the fact that they can conspire against us. While all of the babies are doing their fair share of climbing, I find that I must keep the closest watch on the boys, Harper in particular. He just loves climbing onto things and slinking
inside things too.
Immediately after tearing into this birthday gift, Harper climbed on top as if staking claim.
This is perhaps Harper’s favorite “new trick”. I’ve been working very hard to teach him how to get down safely and for the most part he’s doing well.
I was in the kitchen approximately 30 seconds and found this upon my return. He was notably stuck.
Harper slithered into this laundry basket and Mason was just behind him.
The babies may not be able to manage the slide ladder, but that doesn’t stop them from reaching the top.
You might suspect that only the boys are expert climbers, but the girls are just as wiry and curious.
Little Miss Sydney perched right on this box without blinking.
Rylin is pleased as punch shimmying up the slide.
Oh yes, Sydney can do it too! In fact, she’s the most adept at slide climbing.
What are your best tips for toddler proofing? It’s painfully obvious that our current baby proofing efforts are insufficient for toddlers and perhaps we better get one step AHEAD of them…
hugs!
Amber
Sadly, this week marked the end of my summer break as I went back to work yesterday. I must admit, I really enjoyed the extra time home with the babies while I also had extra help around the house. As summers go, I didn’t quite accomplish everything I set out to do. On the bright side, today is Thursday, which means it’s time once again to link up with Rebecca at A Beautiful Ruckus as we reflect upon some of the week’s highlights.
1. Last week, I posted this picture of my father-in-law donning Rylin’s headband as he entertained the babies. I requested captions for it and LOVED hearing some of your ideas. This week, I’m sharing the same picture with my favorite caption submitted by Jack.
2. Nothing warms a mama’s heart as much as when her babies learn new things. The babies are at a fun age where they explore and learn daily.
After a lot of modeling and hand over hand assistance, the babies learned to fit the circular shaped foods onto the plate that goes with this picnic basket. Of course when I tried to get them to demonstrate the skill for George they put it in the wrong slot. However, they do understand the concept of putting the food ON the plate even if they don’t match the shapes 100% of the time.
Rylin learned to wave “hi” and “bye”. Whenever someone enters the front door, she crawls to the gate where she says, “hi” and waves intensely.
3. The babies received tricycles for their birthday from Grandaddy. However, some a lot of assembly was required. It took George the better part of a week to finish all four, but he managed. Once we had all of them ready to go, we took the babies for a short ride down the street. What a sight!
Rylin, Mason, Harper, & Sydney
4. For the first time this week, the babies attended a birthday party. Their triplet buddies are just five days younger so it was their turn to celebrate the “Big One”. I was slightly concerned about how they would behave because the party was in the evening during the infamous “witching hour”. We weren’t able to stay long, but the babies seemed to have fun exploring a new place and meeting new faces. Naturally, they crawled right up to the gifts we brought and confiscated the bows right off them! At least it wasn’t a gift from someone else.
Haylie, Landry, & Luke are one!
One of the babies’ NICU nurses, Kim, goes to church with the triplets and was at the party too. We loved seeing her!
What joy did you find this week?
Hugs!
Amber
Several weeks back, the babies’ Wubbanubs (pacifiers attached to little animals) began mysteriously disappearing. I was certain our babysitters were putting them away in unusual places (e.g. in toy boxes) and repeatedly asked them where they put said Wubbanubs. None of them could recall misplacing a Wubbanub. Nonetheless, I gently reminded them Wubbanubs are for sleeping only and stay in the cribs. Then one day I decided it was time to wash the sheets and the dog beds. That’s when I uncovered a cache of MIA Wubbanubs, Soothie pacifiers, and teethers. Sasha apparently snatched them off the nursery floors and covertly buried them in her bed! The little sneak!
Sasha’s cache
These were recovered from one of Sasha’s routine Wubbanub Raids.
Once Sasha was identified as the culprit, I kindly asked our babysitters to check the nursery floors to make sure the dogs could not snatch Wubbanubs (the babies are keen on the whole gravity thing and relish tossing Wubbanubs onto the ground). My efforts were fruitless. The Wubbanubs continued disappearing, but at least I knew where to find them. One night, George whispered, “You’ve got to see this…” I hesitantly trailed him to the girls’ nursery where we spied Sasha poking her nose between crib slats then gingerly pulling a Wubbanub out. Of course I didn’t have my camera handy so I missed capturing it. I stalked that little Peke-a-Poo for days trying to recreate her clandestine affairs, but she was onto me. I’d notice her padding down the hallway and would grab my camera, but each time she’d turn around and abandon her raid. I think this shenanigan went on for two weeks before I finally snapped a photo with a teether in Sasha’s clutches. Now that we’re aware of how a Wubbanub Raid is conducted, we try to keep Wubbanubs from her reach, but if one falls victim we always find it in Sasha’s lair.
Here she is attempting to yank Rylin’s pink bear right from the crib.
This time Rylin intercepted and saved Pinky. I think Sasha looks a bit ashamed of herself.
And I finally caught her in the act!
Have your pets ever hidden something unusual?
Hugs!
Amber
I think I’m finally recovered from planning and executing the quadruplets four ring party. WHEW! Now it’s time to link up with Rebecca at A Beautiful Ruckus for The Little Things Thursdays!
1. A few nights ago, the girls thought they’d remind us how much we appreciate ALL four babies sleeping ALL night. The dynamic duo took turns wailing intermittently for a solid two hours. About 90 minutes in we realized how they were taking turns and setting each other off so Sydney was relocated into the Pack ‘n’ Play. When we thought she was conked out for good, we decided it was time to return her to her crib. I lost at Rock, Paper, Scissors and had to do it. I found her sleeping with her face pressed up against the mesh with her legs pulled up in a frog position. The girls may have well driven me to gulping two glasses of wine, but finding this reminded me just how much I love them, even when they drive me insane.
2. I had a spectacular time at the quad’s birthday, but needless to say I was exhausted by the time the last guest parted. Our friends, Deven, Alan, and Jen stayed behind and made sure we didn’t have to contend with a mess ourselves. The three of them gathered all the remaining trash, swept, washed dishes, stored left over food, and made sure party evidence disappeared. Plus, Deven and Alan picked up barbeque for dinner so George and I didn’t have to eat more pimento cheese sandwiches. They were so thoughtful and selfless. Not to mention, we really enjoyed their company. It is a rare treat that we enjoy adult conversation without babies interfering.
I ambushed Alan and Deven as they scrubbed the remaining pile of dishes.
3. Yesterday I stumbled upon my father in law playing with the babies at the quad table and it certainly warmed my heart.
This photo really needs a caption so please submit your best one!
4. Just this morning, some special visitors stopped by bearing handmade gifts for the crew plus a huge box of diapers. George and I are eternally thankful to the generous people who have kept our babies diapered this year. We started with a nice stock pile collected at baby showers, but depleted most of them earlier in the year. Amazingly, as soon as we are down to a few diapers, someone mysteriously helps replenish them. My parent’s Bible study and Bunko group even ran a few diaper drives during the year, which carried us from month to month.
Eileen is holding Mason and Sydney while Marrianne has Harper and Rylin.
Marianne made each of the babies a towel with a hood personalized with their name. I can’t wait to use them tonight since it happens to be “bath night”. Eileen transferred classic Disney albums to CD’s for the babies. Disney classics bring back fond childhood memories so I can’t wait to share them with the babies.
What warmed your heart this week?
Hugs!
Amber
P.S. Eileen, the CD’s don’t work in our den CD player, but they DO work in the computer, which is conveniently located in the playroom. I should even be able to transfer them to our ipod.
And now for the post I’ve been teasing for days- The Quadruplet’s First Birthday Party (I promise, NO more birthday posts until next year). The BIG day finally arrived and my Type A personality was armed with air tight plans. In Texas, July is typically drought season throwing us into water restrictions and a deficit for the entire year. This July we were blessed with several days of summer showers. It was great for dropping temperatures, but threatened my brilliant Splash Party plans. I never considered a rain out in July!
Grandaddy and Grandpa managed the quads while the rest of us put the finishing details on the party.
Nisey spent the night prior to the party at our house and made preparations all possible.
Mason and Aunt Carol
Rylin and GG
Aunt CiCi and her “mini me”, Sydney.
This is the sole picture of Terri because she was one of the party photographers.
It was promising the morning of the party, but shortly after the party began, guests arrived with umbrellas in hand and rain spotted clothes. OH NO! I could see my plan and hard work unraveling before my very eyes. We ponied ahead and started with the smash cakes, hoping for an improvement in weather. Otherwise it was Plan B, only I didn’t have a Plan B.
The candle came as quite a surprise to Rylin.
The babies weren’t nearly as messy as I anticipated. Perhaps I did too much practice with sensory play in the weeks prior? Harper was a total tease leaning towards his cake and pulling away numerous times. Judging by the obliterated cakes, who did the most damage?
I nervously peeked out the windows after the babies seemed bored with cake smashing and continued to spot drizzle and dreary clouds. Then it happened, the rain ceased and clouds parted just enough. I immediately solicited help in relocating the babies to the pools outdoors and the guests followed suit. It fell into place perfectly. The rain cooled it down so no one was miserable and the ground was not sopping wet either.
Cousin Reed
Cousins Reese, Hayes, and Reed
Sydney and Cousin Taylor
The bigger kids congregated in the deeper of the pools.
How many littles can you cram into an inflatable pool? I love how Addie is reaching towards Sydney in the smaller pool.
Once the babies seemed fully waterlogged, I assigned each baby to an adult for a quick clothing changes. I was not having drenched babies in my house or more importantly, my lap. I’ll admit, I was totally overwhelmed with the gift opening process so Nisey helped me sort it out. Again, each baby was assigned an adult. Nisey delivered gifts to each baby for gift carnage. Meanwhile my friend, Kaylie, scribbled down what each received; he did a great job considering how fast it went.
Daddy helped Sydney wit her gifts.
Harper was one happy baby! I think he knew he opened a special gift.
This particular gift was from our quad crew buddies, the Bells, and it required multiple babies to open.
You may recall me noting concern about the number of declines due to having a July birthday. Boy, was I WRONG! The majority of our invited guests celebrated the big day with us and we felt their love and support. Something of particular interest is all the multiples that attended: twins, triplets, and quadruplets! Cool huh? I really wanted to stage a picture with all of them together, but staging a picture of 13 babies and wasn’t totally realistic. In addition to all of those babies, we also had 9 other kiddos under age 8. With so many wee ones, I expected total mayhem, but it was not. The babies and older kids were all exceptional. Everyone seemed happy the entire time and there was only one toy fatality (the bubble machine went for a dip in the pool). I was impressed! Props to all of the parents for helping manage everyone.
This is how Dads of multiples transport babies! These are two of the triplets.
See, all Dads of multiples have mastered this hold! These are three of the quadruplets.
Dad brought the twinkies himself, way to go! They were absolutely precious.
While the babies won’t recall their first birthday, I hope one day they look back at these fleeting moments and know just how much they are loved.
hugs!
Amber
A special thank you is in order to Terri & Jen for capturing all of these beautiful pictures.
PS- If you can’t get enough of Four to Adore, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest!
I would love to do a full post with all the details of the quadruplet’s first birthday, but I’m EXHAUSTED! Also, I appointed several friends as photographers so I could focus on the party. As a result, my camera is void of photos. In the meantime, I am adding a link to our first year video without the You Tube settings on private so you can actually view it. If you are viewing from a mobile device, there is a Facebook version of the video as well (I can’t find the You Tube setting that allows view from a mobile device- ARGH!) Apologies for my technical difficulties. This is the sort of thing that happens when a quad mama tries to hostess a party, make fantastic memories, and maintain a blog.
hugs!
Amber
Each morning as I wake to the chatter of four babies, I sometimes wonder if they are all ours. Now I am even more amazed that we made it through the first year. The past year has been perhaps the most challenging of our lives, yet also the most JOY filled to date. Caring for four infants and now pre-toddlers is no easy feat, but we manage. A friend once told George, “You were given the Grace for four. Someone else who was given the grace for one or even two would be overwhelmed in your world.” We go back to her comment often, remembering that God blessed us with these four precious babies for a reason. Despite the hours of sleep stolen from the night and many tears shed (usually the babies’ but sometimes mine too), we would not change a thing. When we’re out with the babies people often blurt out, “How DO you do it?” Almost always we reply, “By the Grace of God.” It is true. This amazing challenge would be impossible on our own and our faith carries us through.
Reflecting upon the past year is a fast flurry. Every new stage and milestone comes and passes in a whirlwind. All too soon we will miss having babies in the house. In the future, I believe we’ll enjoy going back to this blog to recall glimpses of time we’d otherwise lose in a fog. The day we discovered we were expecting quads, I recall George repeating “four” followed by something we’d have to buy (e.g. cribs, cars, college educations). While we don’t have four of everything, we’ve gone through more than the average household of most every baby item. Together, George and I calculated rough estimates of our consumption this year-
We’re afraid to calculate the cost of all these things so don’t expect dollar signs to follow! We’d like to thank each person who supported us along this journey from prayers said to diapers donated. Each of you are part of this journey too. Mascara alert: I compiled this video of our first year together.
hugs!
Amber
Rylin, Harper, Sydney, & Mason in their new chairs from Great Grandma McCaskill.
Rylin Skye
Harper Stone
Sydney Raine
Mason River
It’s one of my favorite days of the week- Thursday! Why? Because we take the time to reflect upon the little things that brought joy to our week as we link up with Rebecca at A Beautiful Ruckus.
1. When the babies were born, they each received dog pillow pals and monogrammed blankets. Due to the risk of SIDS, we’ve kept these items in their closets unused. I’m still not ready to add any blankets or plush to their cribs, but I thought it would be a good idea to begin “practicing” with blankets during Baby Einstein movies. A few nights ago, I spread each pillow pal on the den floor, laid each baby in his or hers and covered them with the blanket. Sydney and Mason snuggled right in for the movie and stayed put the entire movie. Rylin and Harper, zipped off as soon as their heads hit the pillow, however.
Look who snuggled up right by Sydney…Lily of course!
2. Earlier in the week, I posted about the mammoth zucchini found in our garden and shared our beloved zucchini bread recipe. I also asked you to share yours. Two readers submitted recipes, which both looked great! (I also LOVE interaction with readers because it reaffirms why I write). I took stock of our pantry and had the majority of the ingredients for a reader submitted recipe, Zucchini Perini. It was fantastic! It was reminiscent of lasagne without noodles so it would be ideal for anyone on a low carbohydrate diet. This recipe is definitely going into my repertoire.
Not only was this recipe delicious, it was relatively quick and simple to prepare. And, I was able to pulse it in the blender for the babies to eat.
I know you’ll want to try this recipe so I’m sharing it. I crossed out where I made tweaks so you could make it as I did, or follow it as the original. I know my version was divine, but I’m sure the original is too.
This recipe originated from Chef Tom Perini of the Perini Ranch Steakhouse in Buffalo Gap, Texas.
• 1/2 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 lb hot Italian sausage
• 1 large onion, diced 3/4 c. diced, frozen onions
• 1 dash salt
• 1 dash ground black pepper
• 1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes, mashed and drained petite diced tomatoes
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce 1 14 oz can tomato sauce
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1 dash garlic powder
• 2 lbs zucchini, sliced 1/4 thick 2 medium zucchini sliced
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350º. In an oven-safe pan a skillet, brown the ground beef, sausage and onion. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the whole tomatoes, tomato paste and tomato sauce. Add the oregano and garlic powder and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini, mix thoroughly then sprinkle with cheese. Pour into greased 11 x 13″ casserole pan. Bake at 350º until cheese melts and starts to brown, about 10 25 minutes.
Note: If you omit the cheese, this recipe is dairy free and would work for those on a Whole 30 or Paleo diet. It is also gluten free.
I didn’t have everything needed for the stuffed zucchini recipe, but do plan to try it as well.
3. George has a fascination with archaeology and geology. Over the years, he’s collected specimens from hunting and camping trips and from when our neighborhood was under construction. One particular specimen was rather unusual and he’s mentioned having it identified, but never got around to it. This week we finally took it to Texas Christian University’s Monnig Meteorite Museum. There, we met a kind hearted geologist with a wealth of knowledge. Upon seeing the specimen he seemed perplexed as he scratched his head. He immediately indicated it was not a meteorite, but he wasn’t quite sure of the composition. As we meandered through the museum, he took it for further examination and to consult with his colleges. After a few short minutes, he returned and proclaimed George had something they’d never seen before and called it a “DFR”. Hmmm….sounds interesting right? DFR is a geologist’s acronym for “Damn Funny Rock”. As it turned out, George had a piece of limestone encased in chert. Interesting, but sadly has no monetary value. Rats! I was secretly hoping we could start a college fund with this “rock”.
Here’s the DFR in it’s glory.
4. The babies are at a really fun age as they explore and learn something new daily. Seeing the world through their eyes always warms my heart.
Rylin discovered how to get onto the motorcycle independently, and Mason decided he’d give her a push. So cute!
4. Here in Texas, we’re always looking for a new spin on Tex-Mex. Taco and burrito joints are all the rage these days. George and I tried a new one, Torchy’s Tacos, this week and loved it!
We shared street corn and each chose our own tacos. I got fried avocado in corn tortillas, yum-o!
What little things brought joy to your heart this week?
Hugs!
Amber
I began drafting this post a few weeks ago after a reader politely noted concern for how we handle ourselves in public, possibly shunning people who ask questions. Yes, some parents of multiples completely avoid answering questions about their multiples. This is generally because they feel it invades their privacy and also there is harsh judgment from the public regarding infertility treatments. No one wants to feel judged. I understand and respect some families’ tendency to avoid answering questions in public. However, I hated finding that someone gleaned that impression from reading our blog. I suspect it came from comments I’ve made about wanting to be clandestine at times or encouraging people to “walk and talk”. I’ve mentioned things such as putting the babies in twin strollers or separating them somehow to avoid inquiries.
This is one of our traveling scenarios. Honestly, even twins do not go unnoticed much of the time.
The babies are still very young and we rigidly adhere to our schedule to keep things running smoothly. While we know it is inevitable, George and I go to great lengths to avoid four babies melting down in a highly populated place such as Walmart. The day it happens, I assure you that George and I will crawl out of wherever we are on hands and knees with our tails between our legs.
Even with our best efforts, people often realize we in fact have quadruplets in tow and we are asked many questions. For the most part, we have received nothing but earnest questions and genuine compliments. George and I feel that the energy you put out is often what you get in return so we try our best to kindly answer all questions from passersby. We even entertain questions that could be construed as rude or off putting the best way possible because we feel those questions are asked out of lack of knowledge regarding multiples. Sometimes, the asker is a person dealing with infertility and they are seeking reassurance or hope. Our answers are often attempts at educating people in diplomatic ways. We are fully aware that quadruplets are a novelty. Prior to expecting quadruplets, we had not seen any out in public and would probably have questions or comments if we were onlookers. In fact to date, we’ve only met three other sets of quadruplets! There are only about 300 quadruplet births in the United States annually so most people will never lay eyes on a set.
All that being said, George and I appreciate manners from people we encounter. A good rule of thumb if you see us strolling about in our Runabout or cruising with two double strollers is to consider, “Would I ask that of someone with one baby?” and “Is it okay for children to hear what I am asking?” It is not customary to ask parents of singletons exactly how they conceived their babies so it’s not polite to ask parents of multiples either. Do you want a complete stranger asking you about bedroom behavior or medical conditions???? I highly doubt it. There are perhaps a few exceptions of things that are not offensive and apply only to multiples (e.g. How may boys? Girls? Do they share a room? Are they fraternal? Identical?).
Here are some examples of polite things that have been said to us or asked in public:
Not everyone is impressed with multiples, and that is okay! If you don’t have something polite to say, it’s best just to keep unkind commentary to yourself. In our experience, most people have keep unsavory comments to themselves or at least had the courtesy to be discreet; we appreciate that.
In addition to asking polite questions, also be mindful of the amount of time you are commanding. George and I happily entertain a few pertinent questions, but our babies are young and we don’t have 15 or 20 minutes to chat with each person who eyes us. At times we may well be totally preoccupied handling four babies in public too and may not even notice someone trying to ask a question. This type of courtesy is not only appreciated by families with multiples, but anyone who is different for any reason (e.g. Medical condition, disability, religious attire, ect.) I brought only Mason with me to Walmart once and let me tell you, he garnered nearly as much attention with his “helmet” as all four babies do. People love to gawk and make comments when they see something out of the ordinary. Bottom line is that sort of behavior hurts feelings. No one wants to feel like a circus freak show or exhibit. Everyone wants to fit in and enjoy a bit of leisure time.
Amber over at Texas Tales recently wrote about this very topic. Clearly it is something that is common place for both of us these days as we are increasing our family outings.
hugs!
Amber
Sometimes two twin strollers are an efficient way to travel with the four pack.
Four to Adore 