Multiples

The Little Things Thursdays: Installment #15

Amber 8 Comments

Hooray, it’s time for The Little Things Thursdays!

1. After spoon feeds, I am always trying to find new ways to occupy the babies while I tidy up the kitchen. Finger foods entertain them quite well, but afterwards I have to clean the babies and table again. That’s not productive. Sometimes toys do the trick, but my new favorite thing to do is give the babies kitchen utensils. Apparently spoons and spatulas are fascinating to babies. On the downside, they also discovered the joy of gravity and I found myself repeatedly scooping up dropped things. To remedy that, I started using pacifier clips to strap them to the babies’ seats. Works like a charm!

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2. When the babies are sleeping, I usually pull the doors closed so they don’t disturb each other. However, today when I began putting babies down for naps, I found the dogs posted by the cribs as if they were guarding the babies. I thought it was sweet, I let them stay and kept the doors open. When Mason began blowing raspberries, Sasha changed loyalty to the girls (she is terrified of unusual noises).

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3. With the arrival of spring and summer on its heels, I’ve been really bothered by my toes. I loathe unpainted toenails at any point in the year, but in the warm months I just can’t take it. I enjoy wearing flip-flops and open toed shoes so painted toe nails are a must for me. Recently, the babies have been cramping my style. If I get a rare moment to paint them, chances are I won’t stay still long enough for them to dry well. The salon is an even more rare luxury. I gave the Sally Hansen salon effects strips a whirl this week and really liked them. They are a bit of a trick to apply, but required zero dry time and have a nifty design I could never create myself. The box claims they’ll last two weeks. I’m one week in and they look decent still. 6-IMG_4877

4. A while back, my cousin loaned us some of her favorite baby toys. We’ve been enjoying the rattles and tiny baby toys for a while, but this week I brought some of the more exciting ones from storage. Novelty rocks a baby’s world so they were totally enamored with the new things. I like to keep toys fresh so I’ve been rotating the new and old ones this week.

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Check out how all four babies are playing with this single toy at once. They are really into opening and closing doors and flipping switches,so this one was a crowd pleaser. As an added bonus, this toy tells the babies what it is doing (e.g. The door is open.”) and it sings catchy tunes.

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We’ve had this one out before, but I brought it out again today and the babies literally swarmed it. Mobility is amazing!

5. I’ve never cared much for our back door. It has a large window running the length of it that is usually decorated with doggy nose prints or muddy paw remnants. However, Mason enjoys gazing through the window so I’ve found a new place in my heart for the old door. The only problem is that he gets into this position easily, but tends to get stuck.

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6. When I began writing this blog, I created a page for frequently asked questions. After hearing the same questions repeatedly, I compiled the most common ones. However, I wonder what questions you may have. Send me your wonderings and I’ll compile them into a new post and updated page. George and I are open books for the most part, but please use your manners when asking questions. I can’t wait to hear what you’ve been dying to find out!

Hugs!

Amber

Mother’s Day

Amber 8 Comments

Just two years ago, I was uncertain when and if I would ever celebrate Mother’s Day as a mother myself.   I never could have fathomed having four children. let alone all at once.  What a difference two  years makes!  This year, I celebrated Mother’s Day with Rylin, Harper, Sydney & Mason who were once nothing more than a dream.  In honor of Mother’s Day, George and I surprised my Mom with a visit to her and her mother too.  My Mom has always been there for me, and  even more so in the last several years.   She cried with me during the struggles of infertility and lifted me up in prayer.  She worried on my behalf as I endured a high risk pregnancy with quadruplets and then the weeks to follow with preemies in the NICU.  Every week, she unselfishly helps us care for the babies and dotes upon them.  She learned that through example from my Grandma who did the very same things for her children.  I am thankful to have those strong examples before me and I hope to mother my children as well as my own mother.  With another Mother’s Day come and gone, I am grateful for our babies and I pray for those still longing to see their own rainbow babies and for those who said goodbye to their babies far too soon.

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Unfortunately, our visit to Grandma's was brief. However, we made sure Grandma got a chance to hold each baby. When one got fussy, we swapped them out.

Unfortunately, our visit to Grandma’s was brief. However, we made sure Grandma got a chance to hold each baby. When one got fussy, we swapped them out.

I always cherish multi-generational pictures.

I always cherish multi-generational pictures.

Mom wanted to get a group shot at her house, but the quads disagreed as it was "witching hour". I'm keeping it real here!

Mom wanted to get a group shot at her house, but the quads disagreed as it was “witching hour”. I’m keeping it real here, this is what happens around 6:00 pm.

hugs!

 

Amber

The Little Things Thursdays: Installment #14

Amber 8 Comments

Happy Thursday!  Once again, it’s time to link up with Rebecca at ABeautifulRuckus.com for The Little Things Thursday.  Each week, we pause to reflect upon the bright spots from the week.  In our neck of the woods, here’s what we celebrated-

1. The Circle of Moms Top 25 contest is finally D-O-N-E! After two weeks of being badgered for votes, I’m sure you’re as happy as me it finally came to a close.  Thank you for supporting us and continuing to vote repeatedly.   We ended up placing fourth, which seems appropriate for us considering that four is apparently our lucky number.  There is a pretty new badge posted on the right side of our page denoting that we are in the Top 25 for 2013.

2. Every Thursday evening, my mom comes over to help with the babies and spends the night so she can care for them while I work on Fridays.  I always look forward to Thursday evenings knowing that Nisey will be here for the babies and us.  I usually try to whip up my best Crock Pot dinner for her, but this week she turned the tables.  Instead of me cooking, mom brought the trappings for pot roast.  George and I make pot roast in our Crock Pot occasionally, but we’ve never mastered “Mom’s Pot Roast”.  There is something about hers that is inherently better, and it’s reminiscent of home.   She actually tested a new pot roast recipe from Pinterest on us and it was divine!

I tried to find a blog or website where the recipe originated, but could not find anything besides a pin. http://pinterest.com/pin/119134352615348161/

I tried to find a blog or website where the recipe originated to give due credit, but could not find anything besides a pin. http://pinterest.com/pin/119134352615348161/ Mississippi Roast – – Put chuck roast in crock pot, Sprinkle with dry Hidden Valley ranch dressing mix, add packet of dry McCormick Au Jus mix, a stick of butter, 5 pepperoncini peppers. DO NOT ADD WATER. Cook on low for 7-8 hrs

3. Over the past few weeks, the babies have been sitting with better control, but I don’t totally trust them so I usually put a Boppy Pillow or something soft behind them as a safety net.  Several days ago, I went into the kitchen for just a few minutes to grab something and left the babies in the den.  When I came back, Rylin was sitting up sans Boppy Pillow.  I was a bit perplexed.  I couldn’t recall whether I left her on her tummy or sitting, but thought it odd there was no safety net.  The next day, I found Rylin using her hands to push herself up into sitting.  She does it all the time now!  The other babies are working on getting into the sitting position independently, but haven’t mastered it fully.  Their Occupational Therapist taught me some ways to help them master this skill so it’s a work in progress.

I attempted to capture everyone sitting, but Sydney had other ideas and insisted on flopping onto her tummy each time I sat her upright.

I attempted to capture everyone sitting, but Sydney had other ideas and insisted on flopping onto her tummy each time I sat her upright.

4. Over the past few days, Rylin has been rather moody and downright cantankerous.  Mason’s taken it upon himself to cheer her up when he can.  I’ll catch him crawling up close to her with a big grin on her face and she chuckles without fail!  That has to be a tight sibling bond.

Now that babies are sitting mostly independently, we've had an increasing number of head bonks and crashes. I put them in laundry baskets with a few toys to help catch them. It was a great idea until Rylin decided to turn her basket over.

Now that babies are sitting mostly independently, we’ve had an increasing number of head bonks and crashes. I put them in laundry baskets with a few toys to help catch them. It was a great idea until Rylin decided to turn her basket over.

Did you take time to smell the roses this week?

Hugs!

Amber

Quatriplets

Amber 6 Comments

Back in our NICU days, a set of triplets was born just five days after the quads.  For some reason,  triplet suite is on another floor from the quad suite so we never saw them.   However, one night the babies’ nurse impassibly mentioned that she knew the family with triplets and went to church with them.  I really wanted to meet the parents as a way to normalize the whole multiples in the NICU experience, ect.  Of course due to HIPPA, the nurse could share no information about the triplets or their parents.  I cajoled this poor nurse a bit trying to get her to tell the triplets mom to Google and maybe search for our blog and leave a comment.  She agreed to none of that.  Finally someone suggested we both go to the parent lounge at the same time one particular day.  I awkwardly brought my lunch to the lounge at the specified time and waited for someone to enter who might possibly be the triplets’ mom.  I think the triplets’ mom, Tiffany, did the same thing.  At some point we finally introduced ourselves.  The two of us sat together commiserating and story swapping until it was time for “the feed”.  We exchanged phone numbers and have kept in contact since, texting often.  I think we’ve got the quads and triplets practically on the same schedule.

With lock down a thing of the past, Tiffany brought the triplets (Landry, Haylie, and Luke)  over for our very first play date.  We affectionately called it “The Quatriplet Playdate”.  I borrowed that term from a few passersby who apparently lack multiples terminology and call the quads, “Quatriplets”.   Both Tiffany and I anxiously awaited the moment when all of the babies would get an opportunity to see and interact with non-sibling babies.  All of them are around other babies 24/7, but rarely see another baby. To our surprise, the babies didn’t seem particularly interested in one another.  For the most part, the triplets congregated near each other and the quads did their normal stuff too.  Mason is the only one who crawls so he sort of made rounds, visiting everyone and then went off on his own.   On the upside, everyone was completely content and no one fussed.  In my book that is a successful play date!  It will get more interesting when everyone is truly mobile.

I thought the "Quad Squad" onsies were appropriate for our Quatriplet play date. You know, just in case you can't figure out who is a quad and who is a triplet.

I thought the “Quad Squad” onsies were appropriate for our Quatriplet play date. You know, just in case you can’t figure out who is a quad and who is a triplet. I am aware that Mason and Sydney’s are still swallowing them.  But, Harper won’t be able to wear his much longer and it’s sort of a set so I’m trying to get some wear out of them while we can.

Here's what it looks like when you put seven babies together for blanket time. I guess this is what septuplets look like!

Here’s what it looks like when you put seven babies together for blanket time. I guess this is what septuplets look like.  Honestly, it wasn’t half as chaotic as I anticipated.

Mason had to investigate the flower on Haylie's outfit.

Mason had to investigate the flower on Haylie’s outfit.

Just like Mason's siblings do, Landry wanted to investigate his band.

Just like Mason’s siblings do, Landry wanted to investigate his band.

Sly guy, Mason is the only one who crawls so he visited the trips then went exploring on his own.

Sly guy, Mason is the only one who crawls so he visited the trips then went exploring on his own.

As we’ve kept contact, I’ve always thought there was a “match” between each of the triplets to one of the quads.  Of course, Haylie sort of goes with both of our girls well, because she’s a girl.   Like our girls, she’s also seemingly strong-willed and sassy to boot.  Like Mason, Luke sounds like the easy-going guy who giggles often and “goes with the flow”.  Just like Harper, Landry is the big brother who enjoys being the casual observer most of the time.   For fun, I made sure everyone met their match and snapped pictures of them together.

Lukke & Mason

Luke & Mason

Sydney and Haylie

Sydney and Haylie

Landry & Harper

Landry & Harper

Haylie & Rylin

Haylie & Rylin

And this is what happens at the end of a Quatriplet play date! Night, night, Sydney!

And this is what happens at the end of a Quatriplet play date! Night, night, Sydney!

To check out the triplets’ story, please visit their blog at http://teamtriplets.wordpress.com/

Hugs!

Amber

P. S. We are down to the last few days for voting in the Circle of Moms Top 25 blog contest.  If you’ve got time for two clicks, please vote for us.  We were holding a strong second place, but have since dropped down to 5th.  Thank you for supporting us!

Namaste!

Amber 6 Comments

During my senior year of college, my roommate, Neha, and I discovered the wonderful world of yoga.  For a mere $30/ semester we could take unlimited fitness classes in the student activities building.  We dabbled in different activities including Pilates and Nia, but I fell in love with yoga.  Our instructor was from India and spoke with a delightful British accent, which was probably enough to warrant attendance.  Prior to class he gave brief talks about the benefits of yoga such as what poses helped cure headaches or digestive problems.  While we really enjoyed practicing yoga, the best part were the benefits seen after class.  I always left yoga feeling both relaxed and energized.  Upon graduation, I wanted to continue practicing yoga, but yoga studios are rather expensive (oh about $15-20 per class!)  I went without yoga for a few years until I discovered that 24 Hour Fitness offers yoga classes with excellent instructors.  I was hesitant to go there expecting sub par instruction, but was pleasantly surprised.  The two years prior to my pregnancy with the quads, I enjoyed yoga 3-4 times per week.  It made me feel healthy and also confident when I accomplished new poses such as side crow and headstands.  My yoga practice came to a screeching halt after my first appointment with the perinatologist and the bed rest soon followed.   Since delivery, I’ve continued to battle my Diastasis Recti (split abdominal muscles) and cannot practice yoga the way I used to (not that going to class is logistically possible now anyways).  The majority of yoga relies on core muscles which I lack so I’m pretty limited as to what I can do right now.  I am, however, working on rehabilitation exercises and wearing a splint (when I can tolerate it) to correct my problem.  Until then, I’ve got to take it easy.  Even though I can’t practice yoga regularly, I’ve noticed the babies seem to!  George and I often label their poses as we catch them in action.  I’m loving that!  In case you’d like to take up yoga yourself, the babies demonstrated some of their favorite poses-

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Namaste!

Amber

P.S. There are only three days left in the Top 25 Moms of Multiples Blog contest.  If you’ve got two more seconds to spare, please vote for us!

[Circle of Moms Top 25 Moms of Multiples – 2013 – Vote for me!]

The Little Things Thursdays: Installment #13

Amber 6 Comments

I had a good chuckle yesterday when George’s aunt asked me how the weekend was and I replied, “We had a good weekend, but um…I don’t remember what we did.  It was a long time ago.”  By the time Wednesday rolled around it took me a minute to even recall what we did just three days prior.  I’m going to plea the Quad Mom card on that one.  After a short pause, I was able to recall our weekend and it was in fact a good one.  Over the past week, we had plenty of bright spots worth remembering so here are the little things!

1. Saturday evening George and I had a rare opportunity for a date night.  Thanks to Nisey and Grandpa we were able to steal away a few hours to meet fellow quad parents, Mike and Amber Bell, for dinner.  Amber and I became sort of pen pals shortly after I discovered we were expecting quads.  At that time I ferociously Googled about quads and I stumbled upon her blog, Texas Tales.  I immediately emailed her and was ecstatic when she replied back with words of encouragement and hope.  She was about 7 weeks ahead of me and always helped me prepare for “what is to come”.  In fact, she still does that!  I love checking in with her “Quad Squad” to see what they are up to.   Despite our online friendship, Amber and I had never met prior to this weekend.  She was living in Houston, which is about five hours away.  However, they recently relocated back to Dallas/Fort Worth, opening up a chance for a meet up.  George and I had a wonderful time chatting with another couple who has the same normal as we do.  Plus, Amber and Mike are so sweet and fun to hang out with.  We have hopes of future dinners and quad play dates!  Amber and I both fell down on the job and did not snap a single picture over dinner so we will just have to meet up again soon.  To check out their story about the Quad Squad, visit http://bellsandkilts.blogspot.com/

I totally snagged the idea of feeding the babies Ritz from Amber. They LOVED them! Funny thing, the boys crammed them in their mouths like Cookie Monster while the girls nibbled them like little ladies.

I totally snagged the idea of feeding the babies Ritz from Amber. They LOVED them! Funny thing, the boys crammed them in their mouths like Cookie Monster while the girls nibbled them like little ladies.  We are just steps away from a food fight and tea party, I think.

2. Around the time I went on bed rest, our Peke-aPoo, Sasha became sort of lethargic.  She turned out to be a fantastic bed rest buddy since she loved to snuggle and sleep the day away with me.  When the babies trickled home, Sasha, retreated to our closet most days  only coming out for short bursts of time.  We chalked it up to her getting older and having trouble adjusting to her new siblings.  Several weeks ago, Sasha’s allergies flared up and she got horrible skin irritations all over her body.  At first our vet thought it was just her allergies again, but did a blood panel to check.  She discovered Sasha had a tick disease (who knows why since we keep her on flea/ tick preventatives).  Anyways, she’s been on a round of antibiotics for four weeks and a few days a go she turned a corner.  OMG- Sasha is a new dog!  Our seemingly cantankerous dog has become spry and friendly again.  We love having our Sasha back!

I put the Boppy pillows on the couch to vacuum and this is what happened next. On the birghtside, Sasha got the gumption to jump up there and be in the den with her family.

I put the Boppy pillows on the couch to vacuum and this is what happened next. On the brighttside, Sasha got the gumption to jump up there and be in the den with her family.

3.  The babies had their nine month check up this week and in good quad mama fashion, I recruited a reinforcement.  This time, our family friend, Terri helped me schlep the babies to see Dr. Knapp.  She’s helped me numerous times and knows the drill perfectly.  Our appointment went flawlessly and we were done in about 45 minutes.  That meant we had some time before the spoon feed.  Spontaneously, I asked Terri if she were up for a Costco run.  With a glimmer in her eyes she happily accepted the challenge.  The babies were angelic in Costco and we replenished supplies in under 35 minutes.

Not only did Terri come along for this shennanain, she rocked the Baby Bjorn WHILE pushing the twin stroller! She did a fantastic job fielding questions while Harper and I got to business.

Not only did Terri come along for this shenanigan, she rocked the Baby Bjorn WHILE pushing the twin stroller! She did a fantastic job fielding questions while Harper and I got to business.  I’m thinking I ought to get her to help me do weekday Costco runs more often.

4. The babies are becoming increasingly aware of each other and often “entertain” their siblings.  It’s a blast to watch!  After nearly six weeks, Rylin, Harper, and Sydney are suddenly aware of Mason’s band and reach out to pat it or give it a good luck rub.  On the downside, Mason thinks it’s a thrill to gently ram others with his band….oh boy!  Stay turned for more on our home becoming Fort Knox!

Mason and Rylin have reeally been cracking each other up lately. I mean cackles came from them for over five minutes.

Mason and Rylin have really been cracking each other up lately. I mean huge cackles and guttural belly laughs.

5. I know this is totally irritating by now, but don’t forget to vote again for the Top 25 Moms of Multiples Blog contest.  I really wish it was a vote once sort of thing, but it’s not so that means we have to keep soliciting votes to stay on top.  We hang around 2nd through 6th place.  At least it’s easy, just two clicks every 24 hours.

What little things brightened your week?  Can you remember back that far?

Hugs!

Amber

Diaper Rash GONE! {Updated}

Amber 20 Comments

After eight months, it finally happened.  One of the four little bums was struck with a dreaded diaper rash!  We change diapers about every three hours during the day and use Vaseline as a liquid barrier.  However, with babies who sleep all night long, they can sometimes sleep in a damp diaper.  All that all night snoozing got to poor little Sydney.  We used several different diaper creams without any success.  They seemed to keep the rash at bay, but it just lingered for weeks.  I even tried fellow quad mama, Rebecca’s tip of using hair dryer at every change to make sure Sydney’s little hiney was completely dry.  No avail.

I finally caved and checked with Dr. Knapp.  He has a recipe for what he dubbed, “Boo Boo” cream.  It’s a mixture of equal parts: hydrocortisone, Lanacane, bacitracin, and A & D Ointment for treating diaper rash.  This was not exactly an inexpensive treatment, but it really worked well for the rash.  I noticed an improvement within one diaper change.  We learned you have to mix it really well and use sparingly!  I recommend using this only for difficult to treat diaper rash, not daily use.

These are the four creams we used to make Dr. Knapp's boo boo cream.

These are the four creams we used to make Dr. Knapp’s Boo Boo Cream.

Dr. Knapp also does not recommend using commercial baby wipes.  According to Dr. Knapp, the commercial wipes contain too many harsh ingredients that are harmful to babies and promote diaper rashes.  Instead, he suggests using plain ol’ toilet paper!   I’m sure toilet paper would get the job done, but the thought of using dry toilet paper for baby blowouts times four makes me cringe.  George and I compromised on this and found several recipes for homemade baby wipes using paper towels.  Over a few weeks we experimented with several different ones found on Pinterest.  We also tried a handful of containers and liquid ratios  until we found the sweet spot.

We use: a roll of select a size paper towels (so far Bounty is our preferred brand), 1.5 tbs baby wash, 1 tbs baby oil, 3 c. water

You will need: 1 roll of select a size paper towels, 4 cups water, 2 tbs. baby wash (any kind), and 1 tbs. baby oil.
Note: since the original writing of this post, I began adding 2-3 drops of tea tree oil and 2-3 drops of lavender oil, which are not pictured. The tea tree oil has antiseptic properties that heal and prevent diaper rash, and also help prevent the wipes from molding. The lavender adds a nice calming scent. You could use essential oils for whatever scent you like.

Here’s the step by step process:

1. cut the paper towels in half (other recipes have you cut about 1/4 off the top, but if you get a shorter container you can make two cans of wipes with one roll of paper towels). We found that the Felli Flip-Tite 1.4 L containers are a good size.

1. cut the paper towels in half (other recipes have you cut about 1/4 off the top, but if you get a shorter container you can make two cans of wipes with one roll of paper towels). We found that the Felli Flip-Tite 1.4 L containers are a good size, I have also seen Oxo containers that would work great too.

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2. Stuff half of the paper towels into one container and the other half into another. Then, pull the cardboard out of the center of the paper towels.

Whisk the 3 c. water, 1.5 tbs. baby wash, and 1 tbs baby oil together.

3. Whisk the water, baby wash, baby oil, and essential oils together.

Pour the liquid mixture over the paper towels.

4. Pour half of the liquid mixture over the paper towels in one container and the remaining half into the second container.  My cousin said she prefers to pour the liquid over the paper towels before taking the cardboard out.  We’ve tried both ways and prefer to take the cardboard out first because it can get too soggy.  Either way works!

With this size container, we pulled a small wad out of the middle to get them to dispense properly.

Ta Da! With this size container, we pulled a small wad out of the middle to get them to dispense properly.

I’ll be honest, I was skeptical of using homemade baby wipes and only tried them because we could not clear a diaper rash.  To my surprise, these baby wipes work just as well as the commercial ones, and now I prefer them.  They don’t take more than five minutes to make,  and really seemed to help clear Sydney’s diaper rash.   As an added bonus they smell great.   For travel, we use Ziploc bags and toss into our diaper bag.  We make one batch of baby wipes per week, costing us only about $1, which is the fraction of what we spent on commercial wipes.

Hugs!

Amber

P.S. When we make our baby wipes, we use an entire roll of paper towels so we have one container for each nursery.  If you only need one container, be sure to divide all other ingredients in half, and save half of your paper towel roll for later.

NICU Reunion

Amber 9 Comments

In what seems like an eternity ago, the babies’ NICU nurses often chattered about the day when the babies would be bigger, healthier and returning to the hospital.  There would come a day they would return to the hospital not as patients, but as visitors for the NICU Reunion.   At the time, I don’t think we could see the forest for the trees.  Nine months later, we finally reached that point: NICU reunion time!

As part of the reunion, the hospital requested that each parent make a post of their baby filled with pictures from then and now with a statement sharing the NICU experience for current families to see, and bring them hope.  As I often do, I procrastinated completing this project.  Not because I did not want to do it, but I knew it would take me a good deal of time to create.  Days before the reunion, I finally went to Snapfish and ordered tons of pictures of the babies from their NICU days to what they’ve been doing lately.  It turned out to be quite the walk down memory lane.  It was only nine short months ago that our babies weighed under 4 pounds each and lived in boxes.  Oh how far we’ve come!  A few hours after ordering over sixty pictures online, I picked up a thick envelope from our neighborhood Walgreens.  The task daunted me even more when I flipped through a stack of pictures that would never fit onto a tiny poster.  It sat on our dining room table in shambles for a few days until my mom came to the rescue.  Mom just loves a creative project like this.  I remember she and I staying up “all night” (what I later realized was more like 10:30 pm at most) doing school projects.  Mom never did anything for me, but always put “her touch” on it so it looked just right.  When it came to my latest project, Mom helped me sift through the mounds of pictures and then helped me to arrange them just so.  I took a picture of the final product:

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I was really pleased with the final result. In fact, I hated to part with my little project, it is a cute keepsake.  I hope it inspires current and future families with babies in the NICU. After all, being in the NICU was hard, but we eventually saw the other side.

The pink piece of paper on the poster reads:

On February 2, 2012 our lives were forever changed by four tiny heartbeats detected on an early ultrasound.  We were expecting quadruplets!  That day we were warned about many possible complications and risks associated with high order multiples, particularly the fact that they would be premature.  Instead of worrying, we began preparing.  One of the first things we did was research NICU facilities in our area.  After a tour of Cook, we immediately decided it was the place for our babies.  Not only could they provide us with a private suite equipped for our quads, but we knew they would offer the best medical care possible and a family friendly environment for everyone.  When the babies were delivered July 20, 2012, they were immediately transported to Cook.  We later learned the staff was preparing for our babies weeks in advance. 

Being in the NICU was not always easy.  It became taxing seeing our babies so fragile and struggling to tackle seemingly simple tasks such as feeding.  It was even more difficult to see them make gains one day and then backslide the next.  However, being at Cook made our experience a pleasant one.  The babies’ room always felt warm and inviting even though it was indeed a hospital room.  All of the nurses, care partners, and staff took time to know us and the uniqueness of each baby.  Staff who worked with us could tell at least one thing that was unique to each baby and they championed each baby’s successes.  Not once did we leave the hospital worrying about the babies because we knew they were in the most capable, loving hands possible.  If our babies could not come home with us, there is no other place we would have left them than Cook.  Each morning when we would return for visits, we would find the babies dressed to match their linens and sometimes with notes or pictures taken from our camera.  That warmed our hearts. 

After a seven week stint in the NICU, babies started trickling home.  Within a week’s time we found four tiny, yet healthy babies filling our home.  At nine months old, it is difficult to believe how tiny they once were.  Just like typical babies, they attack new milestones every day.  We are now enjoying baby babbles, giggles, teeth, and even some scooting!  We will forever hold Cook Children’s Hospital in our hearts as a special place that nourished our babies when they were so small. 

Hugs,

 

Amber & George Shawver

We made it!

We made it!

It took us weeks to find a night primary and we finally found Tiffany. However, she sent the babies home within four days! We were sad we didn't get much time with her, but were happy to finally be home with all the babies.

It took us weeks to find a night primary and we finally found Tiffany. However, she sent the babies home within four days! We were sad we didn’t get much time with her, but were happy to finally be home with all the babies.

Some of the babies' nurses: Kim, Kiki, and Emily got to see how much the babies had grown.

Some of the babies’ nurses: Kim, Kiki, and Emily got to see how much the babies had grown.

George and I with Liz.

George and I with Liz who was one of the babies’ primary nurses.  She was instrumental in helping change Sydney’s protocol when she had pneumonia.

3-NICU reunion family pic

There were several volunteer photographers at the even, one captured these precious photos of each baby.  I especially love Harper’s lion yawn.

Rylin Skye

Rylin became a bit fussy so Nisey rescued her from the Runabout.

2-Rylin NICU reunion

Harper Stone

Harper Stone

Mason River

Mason River

Sydney Raine

Sydney Raine

One of the highlights of the reunion was meeting the McClean family.  Unbeknownst to me, they were the only other set of quadruplets admitted to Cook Children’s.  They are now four years old and too big for a Runabout.  I appreciated that the father of the quads told George it got easier for them every year.  Sometimes a little encouragement like that goes a long way!

The McClean and Shawver clans together!

The McClean and Shawver clans together!

The "big kid" quads checking out the baby quads

The “big kid” quads checking out the baby quads.

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Next year the reunion may be more exciting with babies who can walk!  Of course, we’ll likely

hugs!

Amber

P.S. As of now, we are ranked 4th in the Top 25 blogs contest.  You can vote for us in just two easy clicks.

What little things brightened your week?

hugs!

Amber

 

Semi-Homemade Baby Food

Amber 10 Comments

DIY baby food using frozen produce, BPA free canned goods, diary, and pantry items.

By age six months, our pediatrician wanted us to begin spoon feeds with the babies. It doesn’t take a mathematician to figure out that using jarred food is not the most frugal way to feed four babies so we set out to make our own. When we first began making our own baby food we started solely with fresh produce bought in bulk: pears, bananas, avocados, and butternut squash. As the babies soared at noshing on these purees, we knew it was time to expand their palates. While we found making everything fun, it was also very time-consuming. George and I stepped back and considered our goals in feeding the babies solid foods. We determined it was to provide them with nutritional food and expose them to a variety of flavors and textures. Also when caring for four babies we are always budgeting two things: time and money. No doubt, homemade baby food offers a substantial savings over jarred baby food and is also more wholesome. However, making everything from scratch is not always the best way to budget our two precious commodities. Thus, I started getting creative in making “semi-homemade” baby food. When I go shopping to make baby food I divide what I will make into these categories: fresh produce, frozen produce, dairy, and canned foods/pantry items. When there is no price difference, I always choose organic. If there is a higher price, I only choose organic if it is an item with thin skin that is eaten (e.g. berries), but don’t put too much stalk into trying to buy all organic. The last few times I went shopping, I tracked some of the price per ounce to help compare to jarred baby foods. On average a jar of baby food costs $.16/oz. I’ve listed the average cost of items we buy regularly (for items where I kept data at least) for comparison.

How to make baby food using frozen, dairy, canned, and fresh produce

Fresh Produce

Without a doubt fresh produce generally offers the most nutritional value. When selecting items to puree I consider the price: what is in season and on sale? I also consider ease of preparation. I choose items that involve the fewest steps possible. For example, bananas are both the cheapest and simplest to prepare: peel and puree. That’s it. Whereas making pears requires: washing, peeling, steaming, then pureeing. That is a four step process! So if you are going for fresh produce think cheap & easy!

Make your own baby food by pureeing fresh produce bought in bulk, and freezing in ice cube trays.

My top picks for fresh produce are:

bananas $.04/oz

avocados $.08/oz

sweet potatoes (I bake them then pull the skins off and mash)

squash

baby carrots $.05/ oz

berries (any variety in season)

Frozen Produce

I found that frozen produce is an excellent way to supplement fresh items. Many times frozen produce contains the same (or greater) nutritional value as fresh because it is frozen at the peak of ripeness, and they offer items that may not be in season. I buy some of our frozen produce items in bulk from Costco, but I also buy small steam in bag varieties on sale at the grocery store. The smaller bags are perfect for the first time we sample something new. I toss them in the microwave for five minutes to steam then puree in the Baby Bullet. If the babies have an extreme aversion to them or an allergy then I don’t have to contend with an abundance of something. Also, I’ve found some steam in bag veggies that aren’t available in bulk. There are even some items such as fruits that do not require steaming at all. I let them thaw in the blender or Baby Bullet then puree them.

Steam frozen fruits and vegetables to puree for homemade baby food.

My top picks for frozen foods are:

berries (any variety) $.12-$.15/oz

peaches $.09/oz

broccoli $.06/oz

green beans $.06/oz

mixed vegetables

corn $.06/oz

peas $.06/oz

spinach $.06/oz

Dairy

Dairy items offer great sources of calcium and protein while taking a tart fruit or bitter vegetable down a notch. As far as yogurt goes, I price compare at the grocery store considering what is the least expensive per ounce. I stray away from “Light” versions due to the aspartame contained in them.

Consider using dairy products with fruit or veggie purees for baby food.

My go-to items from the dairy section are:

yogurt (I use both flavored and plain) $.07/oz.

ricotta cheese $.08/oz

cottage cheese $.07/oz

Canned Goods/ Pantry Items

Believe it or not, I find great baby food items in the canned food section. I check for the items with the fewest ingredients and additives and avoid anything that says “syrup”. Also, look for cans that are BPA free.  Canned beans offer excellent sources of protein and require no cooking while canned pure pumpkin is chock full of fiber and vitamins. The best part about using canned goods is they do not require cooking, refrigeration, or freezing and travel well. When we take the babies out, we often bring cans of pumpkin and cups of applesauce.

Canned foods can be pureed as baby food.

On my list of canned goods/ pantry items are:

beans (all varieties) $.06/oz

pure pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling) $.06/oz

corn $.05/oz

asparagus $.10/oz

applesauce $.05/oz

chicken, beef or vegetable stock (I sometimes add these to veggie purees as a source of protein)

Applesauce is an easy option for baby food. It mixes well with most any vegetable to add sweetness without artificial sugar. Look for

I have a few favorite “recipes” for the babies and have also begun to puree the side dishes from our meals to make preparation much easier. As of right now, each “recipe” is one meal for all four babies, so it makes about four servings.

1. Creamy Corn

Steam 2 c. corn (or use one can corn rinsed and drained) then puree with 1/2 cup cottage cheese

2. Pumpkin Soufflé 

mix 1 can pure pumpkin (NOT pie filling) with 1 c. applesauce and add a dash of brown sugar and cinnamon

I also do the same “recipe” with 1/2 c.-1 c. pureed carrots

3. Fiesta Beans and Corn

rinse and drain 1 can of beans (any kind), puree with 1 c. steamed corn (or one can corn rinsed and drained)  and 1/2 c. plain yogurt

4. Pre–lasagne

steam a 12 oz bag of spinach and puree with a handful of grape tomatoes and 1/2 c. ricotta cheese

the babies also enjoy just spinach and ricotta cheese without the tomatoes

5. Refried Beans

drain and rinse 1 can of beans (any variety) then puree and blend in 1/4 c. plain yogurt

6. Fruity Oatmeal Smoothie (It occurred to me that minus the oatmeal I can also have this for breakfast if I double the recipe)

thaw 1 c. frozen berries then puree with 1/2 a banana, blend in 1 c. yogurt and 1 c. baby oatmeal

7. Green Bean Casserole

steam 1 -2 c. frozen green beans and puree with 1-2 baked potatoes (skin removed), use chicken or beef broth to get a smooth consistency

8. Sweet Peas

steam 1 c. frozen peas then puree with 1 c. applesauce

Disclaimer:  Follow the advice of your pediatrician regarding which foods to serve to your baby and when. Our pediatrician happens to be rather liberal and only has two rules for feeding babies after age 6 months 1. NO honey before age one 2. serve one ingredient at a time and wait 2-3 days before introducing a new one, monitoring for any signs of allergy. I used the following books as a guideline when preparing food for our babies:

What are some of your favorite baby food combinations or recipes? I’d love to hear what other culinary creations babies are being served.

hugs!

Amber

The Little Things Thursdays: Installment #12

Amber 5 Comments

Several months ago when Rebecca at ABeautifulRuckus.com invited me to participate in her weekly series: The Little Things Thursdays, I had no idea how much my readers and I would enjoy it.  Her idea was simply brilliant.  The purpose is to reflect on the week and make note of some of the little things that brightened it.  It’s incredibly easy to get wrapped up in stress and things that go awry,  but so much more fun to recall what was great no matter how small.  The cherry on the top is when readers tell me how much they now look forward to Thursdays!  In a typical work week, most everyone looks forward to Friday (TGIF!!!).  In my little space of the world, Thursdays are much more appreciated now.  Thank you, Rebecca!

Without further ado, here are the little things that highlighted our week:

1. The babies are now nine months old!  I’m having a hard time realizing how fast they are approaching their first birthday and at the same time enjoying every moment with them ( minus some of the screaming fits we have).  Every day is a whole new world for them and they are constantly reaching new milestones.  At nine months old, everyone has at least one tooth (Rylin finally got her first one), they hold their own bottles, they sit up with minimal assistance, roll both ways, maneuver on the floor by pivoting and scooting, and babble often.  Sydney was the first to say “Dada”, and she says it often!  Harper was saying “Mamama”, but hasn’t been doing it much lately, making me one sad Mama.  They’ve also become keenly aware of each other.  Toy snatching is commonplace around here.  One day Harper even tried to roll on top of Mason to swipe a coveted toy.  At meals, Sydney and Mason frequently turn to face each other and sometimes hold hands.  I never seem to catch those sweet moments on camera because they are short-lived.

The babies are pictured in birth order: Rylin, Harper, Sydney, & Mason.

The babies are pictured in birth order: Rylin, Harper, Sydney, & Mason.

If his head would have fit under the couch, I'm certain Mason would have slithered all the way under!

Here’s what happens when Mason starts scooting around.  If his head would have fit under the couch, I’m certain he would have slithered all the way under and scarfed a few dust bunnies!

Harper backed it up and under Sydney's crib.

Harper backed it up and under Sydney’s crib.  For some reason our babies love backing up.  You can really see Harper’s teeth in this picture; I think they’re so cute!

Here's proof that Sydney can roll over. She's been rolling over and getting her legs stuck between the rails. Yes, she is sleeping here and no I did not move her (she seemed totally comfortable).

Here’s proof that Sydney can roll over. She’s been rolling over and getting her legs stuck between the rails. Yes, she is sleeping here.  No, I did not move her (she seemed totally comfortable).

Surprisingly, Sydney was perfectly content having her legs stuck after she woke up that way.

Surprisingly, Sydney was perfectly content having her legs stuck even after she woke up that way.

2. Since we moved into our house, we’ve taken great pride in it’s appearance inside and out.  I love for our yard to look fabulous, but George is the resident yard man.  He’s always worked really hard to make it look it’s best.  However, last summer bed rest and drought got the better of our yard.  The wisteria that once covered our pergola and the sole tree in the back yard both perished, which means we have no shade.  George has been rather depressed about the state of our yard and it really is rather sad.   He ran to Home Depot this week and purchased a few flowers to help the cause.  He filled a pot on our patio with my favorite flowers, Gerber daisies.  These little gems do great in Texas heat and keep bright, cheery blooms all season long.  In fact, there was a single daisy sprout already in the pot.  George was going to take it out and replace it, but I fought for that little flower.  It’s going to be a hardy one, it managed to survive a Texas drought, neglect, and a winter freeze already.

Bright colored daises are always a great pick me up!

Bright colored daisies are always a great pick me up!

Despite all the withered plants in our yard, these Iris' came up and bloomed on their own. They came from George's Granny. She loved her garden and I love that her plants still bloom in our yard. I think she'd like that.

Despite all the withered plants in our yard, these Iris’ came up and bloomed on their own. They came from George’s Granny. She loved her garden and I love that her plants still bloom in our yard.  I think she’d like that.

3. Our friend Natascha and her mom traveled all the way from Berlin for a holiday that  began here in Texas.  Of course, they couldn’t travel all that way from Germany without seeing the babies so they dropped by the house.  The babies warmed up to them and acted like they were old friends.  It was priceless seeing George teach Natascha how we diaper and feed the babies.  He did a really good job, actually.   He’s probably got more experience with those things than the average dad seeing we do everything times four.

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4. So far, we’ve received over 1,000 votes for the Top 25 Moms of Multiples blog contest, placing us in third.  Thank you all for voting because now it’s getting close, sometimes as few as 3-4 votes separate the rankings.

Many people have asked what we get if we win.  The answer is mostly notoriety and also exposure that can open up new opportunities for us.  I honestly love writing and in the future hope to author a book.   This sort of competition can help me achieve some of my long-term goals.  Winning does not bring any sort of tangible prizes or money, but I would still want win, or at least remain in the top 5.  As I mentioned before, George and I are highly competitive so we don’t need to be offered much to play a game.  Winning aside, there are some other great blogs participating and I’ve enjoyed checking in on them.  The Littlest Lesnau’s and A Beautiful Ruckus are both authored by friends and fellow quad mamas so I was already familiar with them.  However, I cruised the triplet blogs that are contenders to win:  The Great Umbrella Heist and The Best Things in Life are THREE.  I personally  found both of them entertaining.   If you have spare time you may want to check some of the other contestants blogs.

What little things brightened your week?

hugs!

Amber