Toddler Tips: Let’s Have Tea

March 17, 2014Amber 21 Comments

With each passing day, I find myself trying to solve some new challenge with raising four toddlers, aka “quaddlers”. They are a cunning lot who inspires a little ingenuity on my part (and George’s) just to manage day to day life. While my ideas are born from being surrounded by four toddlers, I think many of them could be helpful to any parents of little ones so I’m sharing.

When Sydney was initially evaluated by ECI for speech delays, the speech pathologist asked how she was doing with open cups at meals. SAY WHAT???? Seriously, I didn’t realize that at 15 months they should be drinking from an open cup (or at least trying). I’m not sure what parents of singletons do, but as a mom of quadruplets, I was not about to let four toddlers loose with open cups at the table. At that age they were practically catapulting spill proof straw cups across the room. In fact, at that age I believe we were using sippy cup straps. Even though the quads were apparently deprived of an opportunity, the speech pathologist understood my plight. She suggested letting them practice in the bathtub with cups so I wouldn’t have to contend with spills.

I thought about that, I really did. However, germaphobe me just could not get past the notion of encouraging the babies to drink bath water. Even though I try extremely hard to avoid urine in the water, I know they still pee in the tub. Plus, they are taking a bath because they are smelly, sticky, and downright gross! I could not do it. Several months passed and I still had not allowed the babies to experiment with open cups at the table, or the bathtub for that matter.

When Sydney’s re-evaluation for speech came up at 19 months, the speech pathologist inquired about how she managed open cups again. UGH! I had to admit she (and the others) still weren’t given an opportunity. I volunteered that with the warmer weather approaching we could start using the water table outside and could try cups then. They’d still have their icky hands in the water, but at least I’d be sure there was no pee pee in their beverages. That wouldn’t do, she wanted Sydney and her posse trying open cups.

Together we decided a bathtub tea party would work perfectly. Instead of encouraging them to drink the bath water, I filled a tea-pot with fresh, cold water. I told the babies it was “time for tea”, passed out cups and filled each cup with a little fresh water. All four babies drank happily, spilling very little. When someone attempted to refill their own cup with bath water, I redirected them saying, “No, no, Mommy has tea here”, and refilled the cup myself. In time, they poured “tea” into the water and made multiple attempts to drink the bath water, but I stuck to the plan.

I used color tabs to make the bath water blue so it would look different from the tea. I don’t think the babies cared about that, however.

Bottoms up, Harper!

Ryin is a girl after my own heart, I also like sipping tea with a spoon.

Of course, a tea party also includes the finest of fruits and pastries.

After a while, Rylin started feeding Harper some of her tea.

We will continue having the occasional bathtub tea party until I’m brave enough to serve open cups at the dinner table, or perhaps the outdoor picnic table. I haven’t tried this yet, but I’m considering filling the tea-pot with something other than water (e.g. decaf tea or juice) to encourage them to drink it and not refill on their own). Out of necessity, I’ve been hostessing these tea parties on my own with all four babies at once. However, I think we’d make more progress on bath nights when I have help and can bathe just one or two babies at a time.

Where’s your favorite spot to enjoy a cup of tea?

hugs!

Amber

A Day of Beauty

March 14, 2014Amber 13 Comments

Several weeks, possibly months have passed since I realized the boys needed their first haircuts. George willingly would have taken the task on himself, but I wasn’t about to let him chop at their baby locks. Last spring, I allowed him to snip the girls bangs and it was slightly disastrous. His handiwork ended up as super short, blunt bangs that took months to grow out. I cannot cut along a straight line on paper so I wasn’t going to attempt any scissor work. This was clearly a job for professionals.

Mason’s hair had a disheveled appearance most of the time prior to his cut.

I knew of three children’s salons in our area and began a little recon. Do you have any idea what they charge for toddler cuts???? Both boys together would cost more than I pay for a cut and style with my stylist. The bad news, these three salons were in cahoots. The prices were exactly the same! I did, however, find that Sweet & Sassy offers a discount on “Toddler Tuesday.” Score! Except I had one problem, I wasn’t about to take four toddlers to a salon on my own. Reinforcements were needed.

Yet, most everyone we know is at work on a Tuesday. I racked my brain trying to figure out who might be available. Then, BAM! My long time friend, and college room-mate, Kristen sent me a text. She wanted to let me know that she and our other room-mate, Neha, wanted to spend Tuesday with the quads and me. Sometimes things just work out. I was totally stoked that my two buddies would be present for the boys’ first hair cuts, and I would have two extra sets of hands. When the big day arrived, we all met up at the salon and maneuvered two double strollers through the glitzy salon. The entire store front was jam-packed with sparkly fashions, accessories, and make up. Clearly this joint is suited for the girliest of girls, but thankfully they offer boy hair cuts too.

We checked in and found that each of the boys had his own stylist. Harper is generally the most content of the babies so I plopped him in the chair first. Maria fitted him with a cape and the tantrum ensued. Harper squealed as if his skin were being scalded with napalm. It was horrific. Meanwhile, our resident “Drama King”, Mason, happily sat in his chair as Morgan snipped and shaped his strawberry brown mop. I expected that someone may be unhappy so I came armed with a variety of toys and Annie’s cheddar bunnies. Harper was having none of it. He continued wailing and sobbing with increasing intensity. It wasn’t long before Maria suggested I give him a lollipop. It sounded like a good distraction, only I didn’t bring lollipops. Maria pointed to a gorgeous display of gourmet flavored lollipops molded into a variety of shapes. I cautiously selected one in the lightest shade, bracing myself for the potential price tag on said lollipop. Considering I was purchasing sale hair cuts, I hated the idea of paying a hefty penny for a piece of candy. However, we desperately needed something to help calm Harper. I happily presented the lollipop to Harper and he refused. Instead, Mason enjoyed every last lick.

Even though Harper was in hysterics the entire twenty minutes of his hair cut, Maria worked without missing a beat. In fact, it was proof that there’s a reason toddler cuts don’t come cheap, these dear people are worth every penny. Once Harper’s cut was done, we unfastened his cape and the tears magically stopped flowing. The next time we go in, we may nix the cape if that means we’ll have a happy child. Both boys looked quite handsome in the end. As soon as we loaded everyone back into the strollers, the girls were each offered a lollipop, and I realized they were complimentary. Whew!

Don’t they look dapper?

After his torture treatment was complete, Harper appreciated his lollipop much more.

The girls waited patiently the entire time and therefore earned their lollipops too.

The weather was stunning so our little quadventure continued. Neha, Kristen, and I let the quads romp around the town square fountain. They had a blast running freely, however redirecting them from the street was no cake walk. We then enjoyed a little time in Earthbound Trading Co. where there were plenty of toys to explore. Following our time exploring, we hit up Cristina’s Tex Mex because kids eat free on Tuesday! It turned out to be a lovely day with some special friends.

Neha was impressed to find the babies can label most any animal, including iguana and produce the corresponding sound. Mason was impressed with this owl puppet, which boasted moving eyes and beak.

What service do you appreciate even if the price seems a bit hefty?

hugs! Amber

Southern Hospitality

March 12, 2014March 12, 2014Amber 1 Comment

This week the quads welcomed our friend, Sara’s new baby into our home. To date, they’ve had a few opportunities to play with other babies younger than themselves, but Emma was by far our youngest visitor. The quads enjoy admiring babies in public, reading about them in books, and caring for dolls, but I wasn’t sure how well they’d actually interact with an infant. From the moment they laid eyes on Emma, they were enamored. At first, they curiously peered at her through our baby gate. Then, they crept up close as I held Emma. In typical toddler fashion, they mercilessly fought among each other over coveted toys. Thankfully, they behaved differently with Emma. Each of the quads took turns generously presenting Emma with plastic food and sips of tea. It was quite the display of southern hospitality. Initially, they were a bit too loud and rowdy for an infant, but with reminders, they tamed things down and proved themselves capable of being gentle with a wee one.

Each of the quads spent time getting a closer look at Emma, but Rylin insisted on sitting right next to her. She was surprisingly obedient about only touching Emma’s feet.

Sydney also thought looking at pictures of Emma was fascinating.

I snapped at lightning speed to capture this one. Mason bolted shortly after.

In the next year or so, I think Emma will be a great play mate for the quads!

hugs,

Amber

A Few Good Toddler Reads

March 6, 2014Amber 4 Comments

A few months back, I loyal reader informed me that Twiniversity, an online resource for parents of multiples, was seeking parents of quadruplets to contribute for them. Being unfamiliar with Twiniversity, I curiously perused the site. There, I found a wealth of information and tips for everyone to expectant parents to school aged children. After learning what Twiniversity is about, I found myself submitting some of my favorite posts and pitching ideas to them. To my delight, they thought I’d be a good fit for them. With that I present my first piece for Twiniversity, Reading to Toddlers: Tips for Boosting Language. I hope you’ll pop by Twiniversity to read my tips for yourself!

There’s no better way to wind down for the day than with a bedtime story. The quads love to pile onto my lap together, and I’m enjoying it before they get too big.

Thinking about this post, I asked you to name your favorite children’s books. Many of your favorites, were also beloved in our home. You named several that were my childhood favorites that are not currently in our library, and I’m adding those to our wishlist. On the top of the list, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie! I fondly recall the illustrator of that book coming to my elementary school and have loved that book since. Here are our top 10 quaddler-approved books (in no particular order).

Do you have any of these books in your personal library? What books would you add to this list of favorite books for toddlers?

happy reading!

Amber

Disclaimer: Four to Adore participates in the Amazon Affiliate Program, meaning that if you choose to purchase a product linked to Amazon, Four to Adore receives a small commission from the sale. The proceeds of any sales are intended to help contribute to an educational fund for the quadruplets.

Toddler Tips #934: Yogurt Reinvented

March 4, 2014June 7, 2015Amber 9 Comments

Being independent toddlers, the quads refuse to let me spoon feed them anything. For the most part, it’s not a problem because they are highly skilled at finger feeding and are using utensils a little better each day. Some foods such as applesauce and yogurt don’t lend themselves to finger feeding and aren’t ideal for novice utensil users. This led me to find some alternative solutions, especially for yogurt.

I snagged this little gem from Gwen’s Nest. I put a little yogurt in the bottom of a bowl or plate and top it with dry cereal. This is one of my favorite ways to serve yogurt because it helps the babies work on spoon-feeding themselves. The yogurt sticks to the dry cereal, making it easier to scoop. Sometimes they pick up the cereal as a finger food, and it’s a bit sticky, but it’s not terrible.

I also found a recipe for Orange Dreamsicle Bites from Cookies & Cups, which used Greek yogurt and orange flavored Jell-O. I experimented with it and found that other Jello flavors make tasty yogurt bites for the wee ones (and adults too!). Plus, using other flavors creates fun colors, which is helpful when teaching toddlers about colors. The best part- Greek yogurt transforms Jello-O into a snack packed with probiotics, calcium, and protein that is easy to serve and clean up!

You'll need just two ingredients to make yogurt bites: 1 1/2 cups Greek Yogurt 3 oz. box of Jell-O

You’ll need just two ingredients to make yogurt bites:
1 1/2 cups Chobani Greek Yogurt
3 oz. box of Jell-O

Note: I’ve experimented with various brands and flavors of Greek yogurt for this recipe, and Chobani vanilla results in the right texture.

Mix the yogurt and Jell-O in a microwave safe bowl

Microwave the mixture 1 minute then stir well. Microwave another minute then stir again.

Spoon the mixture into molds, or muffin tins with cupcake liners. If you use a mold, be sure to spray it with cooking spray first.

I forgot to spray my mold and only two of our animals came out clean. I found that mini muffin tins are just the right size for a snack, and clean up is easy.

I forgot to spray my mold and only two of our animals came out clean. I found that mini muffin tins are just the right size for a snack, and clean up is a cinch. I made these as a toddler snack so I didn’t get fancy, but at Cookies & Cups, she topped these with whipped cream and candy, which would be cute to serve at a party.

I’ve been serving banana milk shakes for a while, but recently began adding Greek yogurt to them. I also like adding yogurt to whole milk as a drink. This is by far the easiest way to serve yogurt to toddlers! I do this often for Mason and Sydney because they are so tiny and often need extra calories that are nutritious rather than empty junk food options.

Toddlers absolutely LOVE dipping. They recently discovered they joys of ketchup and sour cream so I began using yogurt as fruit dip for the quads. Sometimes they spear fruit with a fork, which is good utensil practice. They also do well just dipping fruit as a finger food.

The yogurt I used for this was white, but I added a drop of red food coloring to make it pretty for the picture. Rylin is currently obsessed with pink things and thought it was fantastic. I think I’ll experiment with making our yogurt other colors such as green and orange to help teach colors.

Do you have any clever ways to serve yogurt or otherwise messy foods to toddlers? I always enjoy tips for feeding toddlers, and have been enjoying the Tyke Bites series at Texas Tales.

hugs!

Amber

P. S. Since the original writing of this post, I began using plain Greek yogurt as a sour cream substitute as a condiment (e.g. over chili, tacos, in veggie dip), to add creaminess to pasta dishes, and in baked goods. There are so many creative ways to use Greek yogurt in your family’s meals. In fact, Chobani has an entire site devoted to such recipes!

These recipes are some of our family favorites-

Greek Yogurt Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins

7 Up Biscuits (for this recipe just substitute the sour cream with Greek yogurt)

Psst- If you can’t get enough of Four to Adore, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest!

What Paintbrush?

March 2, 2014Amber 12 Comments

As much as I enjoy doing art projects with the quads, I’ve admittedly avoided them in recent months. Winter wardrobe is simply not conducive to messy art projects. However, I knew it was time to put my reservations aside and let the quads try their hand at painting with brushes for the first time. I waited until George had a day off so I had help managing the eight little hands and forty fingers. Thanks to Sesame Street, the quads are highly interested in the alphabet and letters in general. Given that, I thought it would be fun to let them paint their initials. We started with square canvases and taped off each baby’s initial with masking tape. Then, we let them go with a cup of paint and paintbrushes.

We gave each baby a square canvas with their initial taped across the top.

It took Sydney less than 30 seconds to dip her fingers into the paint and slather on some crimson lipstick. Red is not easy to pull off, but it was a good color for her. This is also the reason we use non-toxic tempera paint!

Things started out slowly with daps here and dots there.

Things started out slowly with dabs here and dots there.

It didn't take long before babies started "borrowing" paint from each other, creating some uniuqe color palates. You may notice they not only painted their canvases and the table, but also their hair!

It didn’t take long before babies started “borrowing” paint from each other, creating some unique color combinations.

You may notice they not only painted their canvases and the table, but also their hair. Mason added the most color to his hair, he loves adding “product” to his hair.

This is how everyone looked after painting their respective masterpieces. I believe Rylin was channeling Frida Kahlo.

When it was all said and done we had a gigantic mess to contend with, but it was thankfully bath night and our Bumkins smock bibs protected all clothing perfectly. Even better, the paint was easily rinsed from the bibs and they came out of the washing machine looking like new. Once the paint dried, we peeled off the tape, revealing the initials. Even though the babies weren’t quite yet skilled with paintbrushes, it was certainly good practice and a fabulous sensory experience!

Here are all of the little masterpieces. I think they turned out really cute. Now I’m just not sure where to display them.

Hugs!

Amber

Toddler Tips: #1,120 Don’t Recycle That! (Yet)

February 11, 2014Amber 4 Comments

Thankfully, our city makes recycling simple. All we have to do is rinse our recyclables and toss them into a giant bin that we place curbside for weekly pick up. Consequently, our household waste is drastically reduced and we recycle the majority of what would otherwise be trash. Now that the quaddlers are fascinated with containers, I let them play with our clean recycleables before dropping them into the bin. As I cook dinner, I dole out the newest materials and the quads are easily occupied for 20-30 minutes. But, it doesn’t just occupy them and allow me to cook, they are working on fine motor skills as well. They open and close flip top and screw top containers, flip and tear magazine pages, stuff containers with smaller ones, and drum with kitchen spoons. Sydney’s occupational therapist would be proud of the page turning we get with magazines. (She told me that at 18 months they should be turning paper pages one at a time. We all know what they do to board books so I wasn’t letting them at paper paged books, but magazines meet the same end.) Once they are done playing, I scoop up everything and toss it into the recycle bin. Super easy! I am aware of the many toys circulating around Pinterest using these types of things as toys. However, the quads seem to enjoy the novelty that each day brings rather than using the same containers or materials again and again. Plus, four babies tend to wear out flimsy plastic and cardboard containers relatively quickly.

While I’m on the topic of recycling. I love re-purposing linen packaging, specifically the clear zip bags used for new sheets and comforters. They are ideal for storing toys with many parts. For example, the bag from our pillow shams now houses a few Lego sets, and our old Boppy Pillow bags are fantastic for storing our ball pit balls. All the small parts are contained, and the contents are visible so labels are unnecessary. Each time we have a new bag like this, I make a point to let George know it’s a keeper.

What is your favorite item to re-purpose?

hugs!

Amber

But That’s for GIRLS!

February 8, 2014February 10, 2014Amber 13 Comments

Although I consider myself extremely feminine, I detest gender stereotypes and promote gender equality. That being said, it wasn’t until I observed the quads playing together that I put much thought into the gender bias of toys. Both of the boys spend the majority of their time playing with the kitchen set. I’ve mentioned before, they simply love mixing up concoctions in tea cups and feeding the baby dolls. Although these may be considered “feminine” toys, I love that my boys have opportunities for this kind of play. When they are someday grown and have children, I hope they are the kinds of fathers who help prepare dinner and care for the children. George does these things without hesitation and that makes him a strong father and husband.

Shortly after Christmas, the quads became interested in pretend play, and dressing up. The boys gravitated to the white sun hats. To be fair, we don’t have any masculine dress up clothes (think fire and police hats) yet, but I plan to add a few in the near future.

Our dress up trunk is sparse and the boys also made use of the fluffy blue tutu.

On the flip side, the girls enjoy playing with race cars, trains, and tools. I hope they learn to value problem solving skills and never feel inferior to boys. The thing is, it’s easy at our house having an equal number of same age boys and girls. It’s totally coincidental that the boys have just as many “girl” toys available to them as “boy” toys, and vice versa for the girls. I would hope that if our children were all the same gender we would expose them to a variety of “boy” and “girl” toys, but it would be very easy to follow stereotypes when shopping for toys. It’s quite possible if we only had boys that our home would be void of dolls and dress up clothes, and if we only had girls there wouldn’t be a single car or building block.

What I love most about all of our toys, is that the boys and girls play together.

Several months ago, a viral video spread across YouTube. It depicted three girls constructing and setting a Rube Goldberg Machine. It was an advertisement from a new company, Goldie Blox, that seeks to encourage girls to pursue careers in science and engineering. Currently only 13% of engineers are female, and the creators of Goldie Blox feel it’s correlated to the toys girls are given. In January, Huffington Post published an article about how toy manufacturers are transforming once gender neutral toys such as Legos to feminine versions and made “girl” toys even more feminine than before (hard to believe that’s even possible). It sends an interesting message to children doesn’t it? The line is drawn in the sand: there are toys for boys and toys for girls. It saddens me to think toys could limit the aspirations and careers of my children.

All that being said, I’m not in any way suggesting that we stifle what is innate in our children. As a child, I vehemently rejected cars, sports activities, and construction materials. Instead I gravitated to dolls and similarly feminine toys. It wasn’t for my parent’s lack of trying, they certainly provided a variety of play options. I believe that as parents, it’s prudent to provide equal opportunities for our children and not to chastise them if they choose to play with something that may be geared towards the opposite gender.

Do you think toy manufacturers have drawn the gender lines too clearly?

hugs!

Amber

Shared Journeys

January 30, 2014Amber 9 Comments

Just over a decade ago, I anxiously toured the university where I would soon begin my graduate studies. That was the day I met Melissa. I remember her enthusiastically answering trivia questions asked by our tour guide and thinking she was far more studious than I. After all, I had no knowledge of these university factoids. Once classes began, I timidly attempted to blend into the group whereas Melissa took ownership of the front row. However, it wasn’t long before a long lasting friendship would emerge. In fact, she quickly had me sitting in the front row with her (to this day, she has me sitting in the front at conferences and work meetings).

Over the years, we’ve shared the joys and struggles of life. We endured graduate coursework followed by a year long internship. We celebrated momentous occasions including weddings, buying homes, becoming puppy parents, and then starting our own families. Melissa was a loyal friend and confident during my years of struggle with infertility and supporter during my difficult pregnancy with quads. On several occasions, I’ve chatted with fellow quad moms about how going through challenges in life help you take notice of who your true friends are. Melissa is among that group of true friends.

Just before I went on bed rest, Melissa hosted a baby shower for me.

While I was on bed rest, Melissa brought me lunch several times and kept me company (I cannot express how lonely bed rest becomes). She also helped me prepare ahead by making freezer meals.

Both of us can attest to the fact that you just never know the plans that God has in store. Shortly after purging the majority of our infant gear, Melissa sent me a message inquiring about our infant car seats. Huh??? I knew she already sold her baby gear the previous spring at a consignment sale (she has two girls, ages six and two). It didn’t take me long to figure out she was expecting TWINS! Undoubtedly, raising two plus twins will be one of the most incredible blessings and challenges for Melissa and her husband. Honestly, there are not better parents for the job, and I cannot express my excitement for them. Melissa is among my go-to girls for baby and parenting related advice and always will be on that list. While she’s a seasoned mother, I am looking forward to sharing the MoM (mother of multiples) experience with her. It seems to be another experience the two of us can muddle through- good times and bad.

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of hostessing a shower for Melissa and her twin girls. Despite having now 18 month old quadruplets, I attempted to create a shower with the same attention to detail that Melissa hosted for me. Since Melissa already has two older girls, I thought a diapers and wipes shower was appropriate. I can attest to the fact that multiples go thought both of these commodities rapidly. In their first year, the quads used nearly 10,000 diapers. However, thanks to the generosity of others, we bought only a few that first year. As my gift to Melissa, I constructed a diaper cake that also served as a whimsy centerpiece. Being a novice at diaper cake building, I found a tutorial that did not involve diaper rolling. To spice it up, a bottle of champagne served as the middle of her cake. After the girls arrive (or sleep through the night), Mommy and Daddy can enjoy a celebratory toast. In addition to her cake, I created a DIY baby wipes kit so she can try her hand making baby wipes. We’ve been making our own wipes since the quads were about eight months old, and I now prefer them to commercially made versions. I sincerely believe they’ve helped prevent diaper rash. Plus, they are very inexpensive (we spend $1/ week for the quads). When I was on bed rest, and after our babies were born, I remember really enjoying freezer meals Melissa made so I also whipped up a freezer meal gift bag. One of my favorite go-to meals is crock pot chicken tacos, which I turn into chicken spaghetti on night two.

In true quad mom fashion, I began preparations several weeks in advance. It only took me at least six days to fully assemble the diaper cake, and another week to complete my table scape. I was really pleased with the outcome-

I re purposed a bland picture frame to make a decoration for the table that doubled as a gift for the nursery. It’s a bit difficult to read, but it says, “Sometimes Miracles Come in Pairs”, on the bottom corner I added the girls’ names for a personal touch. I always love gifts with by kid’s names on them.

Since the party was in the afternoon, our menu included light finger foods. I made the same pimento cheese sandwiches we had a the quad’s first birthday party. I was delighted to find a good excuse for making marshmallow pops. Thanks to melted chocolate, I made a total disaster of my kitchen, but I think they looked cute. To balance the sweet and salty flavors, I made a batch of my Great Aunt LaFay’s Oyster Crackers and edamame cranberry blend.

For a little added decor, I made a graphic listing twin trivia and put it in an ornate frame.

I wanted a little party decor in the den since that’s where the guests would congregate. My mom helped me cut scrapbook paper into triangles, and I printed black letters from a Word document that I cut out and glued to the triangles. I used a bit of soft pink tulle, tape, and clothespins to hang them. It still looked a bit plain so I added silver mesh ribbon along the top for sparkle.

When I am hostessing a party, I struggle to find the balance between social butterfly, serving others, keeping everything flowing, and taking pictures. Before the guests arrived, I snapped a few pictures of Melissa and that was it. Even though I spend the majority of my days as master juggler, I simply can’t keep up the pace at parties.

Melissa’s mom, Donna, was able to join us.

Nekedria co-hosted with me.

I am certain that if we could travel back in time ten years, Melissa and I would laugh hysterically at the thought of us having four children each. Certainly, we both wanted children, but we never could have dreamt having large families. Life is certainly a journey, which is enhanced by the people around us and I treasure Melissa’s friendship dearly.

This was our final day of internship. When I found this picture, I noticed a few interesting things. 1. Melissa & I are dressed alike in chocolate brown with khaki (I think the more time you spend with someone, the more things you do the same, and that includes dressing alike). 2. There were three specialist level interns our year (we are in the picture on the bottom with our supervisor) all three of us are now MoMs. Jenny (black shirt) has identical twin girls, I have the quads, and Melissa is now expecting twin girls.

This picture was taken on our final day of internship. When I found this picture, I noticed a few interesting things. 1. Melissa & I are dressed alike in chocolate brown with khaki (I think the more time you spend with someone, the more things you do the same, and that includes dressing alike.) 2. This picture is of the three interns and our supervisor. All three of the interns are now MoMs. Jenny (black shirt) has identical twin girls, I have the quads, and Melissa is now expecting twin girls.

Have you experienced challenges in life that helped you recognize true friendships?

Hugs!

Amber

Mama’s Coffee Break

January 23, 2014August 13, 2014Amber 17 Comments

Once the babies became mobile, I attempted “Pack ‘n’ Play” time. It is a Babywise concept that I’ve seen my cousins implement beautifully with their singletons for years. In fact, Jennifer, wrote a fantastic, easy to follow explanation of how to integrate it into a daily routine. With four babies, it became a challenge. At first, I simply added a Pack ‘n’ Play to our morning “rotation”. I put one baby in the Pack ‘n’ Play with novel toys, one in a Jumparoo, one in an Exersaucer, and the fourth enjoyed individual time with me. Every 10-15 minutes, I rotated the babies to a new station so they all got to experience each activity. It wasn’t exactly the same as I’d seen my cousins use Pack ‘n’ Play time, but it worked relatively well. That was, until the quads learned to walk. At that point, when one baby was in the Pack ‘n’ Play the others either whined to join them or the contained one wailed to escape. I then nixed the notion of Pack ‘n’ Play time. After all, the concept was to promote independent play while allowing mom a bit of time to accomplish other things. That was not happening. It became more of stress, and I hated keeping a giant Pack ‘n’ Play set up in our already cramped quarters. About a month ago, I folded up our Pack ‘n’ Play and stuffed into the boys’ closet.

Ideally, Pack ‘n’ Play time would look like this, with each of the quads taking a turn with a puzzle or other interesting toy. I don’t know why I didn’t take “honest” pictures as well. You know, the ones with three screaming babies pressing their noses to the side of the Pack ‘n’ Play or one baby tossing the toys out and wailing. I just didn’t.

As 18 months approached, so did the dreaded morning nap drop. Seriously, as our friends with same age multiples dropped this nap, I clung to it dearly. Morning nap has never been long, but it is “me time”. When the quads go down for morning nap, I make sure to take care of me. It’s when I get dressed, brush my teeth, sip my coffee, catch up on emails, and perhaps tackle a few chores. It does wonders for the rest of our day. I feel better and have far more patience than when morning nap goes awry. The time inevitably flies, but I savor every last second of it.

By 17.5 months, it was apparent that morning nap was headed out the door forever. EEEKS!!! Yet, the babies still seemed to need rest time as much as I needed the quick recharge. Someone would request it saying “night night”, and another would curl up with a blankie on the floor. Rest was still needed. However, if I allowed them to continue with a 45-60 minute morning nap, then our afternoon was horrendous. No one slept in the afternoon and everyone was cantankerous. If we totally skipped morning nap, everyone was cranky and still didn’t nap well in the afternoon (even if afternoon nap was earlier).

Clearly, it was time to evolve. Instead of going cold turkey on dropping morning nap, I instituted Quiet Time, which is my adapted version of Pack ‘n’ Play Time. Rather than darkening the nurseries for nap, I left the windows open and lamps illuminated. I also selected a novel toy (preferably a coveted one) and a few books for each crib, encouraging the quads to explore them. At first, we had Quiet Time at ten sharp when morning nap would normally occur. The quads generally played happily in their cribs for the first 10-15 minutes then drifted off to sleep. It was nice, but still often interfered with afternoon nap. Over a few weeks, I gradually moved Quiet Time back and afternoon nap a bit earlier. We are still transitioning, but instead of dropping morning nap I believe we will integrate Quiet Time into our schedule for a long time. At this point, Quiet Time is only 30 minutes long, and if they fall asleep it’s only a catnap that doesn’t impact the afternoon nap. It is refreshing for all five of us. The quads each get time with a preferred toy that cannot be snatched. Plus, I have just a few moments to enjoy a warm cup of coffee. I expect that as they get older, it will evolve to independent playtime in their rooms or another quiet place. I believe we all need a little peace in our day!

Sydney was so tired, she sprawled out on her side as she continued to play.

To spice things up, I also let the quads chose a different crib. They seem to enjoy the new scenery and crib soothers. Also, since we are in the groove of this new routine, I offer them 2-3 choices as to what toys they want in their crib. It really helps when they feel some ownership over their time.