The Screaming Quadruplets

September 16, 2013September 16, 2013Amber 15 Comments

Today was one of those days. You know, the kind your mother warns you about. For no discernible reason, the babies were cantankerous all day. There was A LOT of screaming coming from the walls of our home and I didn’t seem to have the power to harness it. I exhausted my bag of tricks by noon. I even resorted to reviving our old dancing, singing Elmo doll. He appeased the babies for a moment, then they screamed over who could touch it. Afternoon nap could not arrive soon enough. At 2:00 pm central time, all babies were in their cribs for nap. Peace flooded our home for exactly 45 minutes and then, more screaming. When I say screaming, I don’t mean just a little fussing. I mean blood curdling, irate stuff complete with red faces and sniveling noses. Clearly, these babies woke on the wrong side of the crib today.

While the babies noshed their afternoon snack of graham crackers and milk, I decided they were getting their evening bath immediately after snack. Baths are relaxing for adults so I figured a bath could calm babies too. This was going to be a fun bath too. I whipped up a batch of tub paints from a recipe I found online. Then, I drew warm bathwater while the babies finished the last of their snack. They were all safely contained in the quad table so I was unconcerned. I was gone approximately one minute, and that’s all the time it took for Harper to reach to the center of the quad table and grab the box of cornstarch used to make the paint. He dumped the entire thing all over himself. A pile of snowy white matter caked his eyelashes, hands, arms, and lap. The other three babies stared at him in awe and envy as he happily spread cornstarch everywhere.

At that moment, I wanted to throw a tantrum, but contained myself. I fouled up and left cornstarch within his reach. Mommy fail. Harper seemed to be having a grand time with a little messy sensory play so I decided his siblings might as well join him. After all, the mess was already made. I did, however, strip the other three down to their diapers to preserve their clothing. For a solid 20 minutes there was not a single scream and the babies were enthralled in the mess before them. I knew it was going to be a real beast to clean up, but the calm was totally worth it.

Once the babies became bored and antsy, it was time for the bath I prepared. The problem: I was alone and had four babies covered in cornstarch. How on earth could I transport them from the kitchen, through the den, down the hall and into the bathroom without making a trail? I certainly wasn’t letting them loose, and I couldn’t well take them one at a time and plop them in the tub. I recalled Harper’s “happy place”, aka a laundry basket. I snagged an empty laundry basket from the laundry room and piled all four into it, then took them on a ride to the bathroom. They loved this adventure and didn’t scream a bit. They did, however, let me know they weren’t all keen on the bath thing. I scrubbed them down as fast as I could manage and started piling them out one by one. By the time I got to the third baby, it was getting really cramped in the bathroom and babies were getting into mischief. Did I mention that Harper knows how to unroll toilet paper, flush the toilet, and open the step trashcan? He does.

For my sanity, I ushered Mason, Harper, and Rylin out of the bathroom, shut the door and planned to quickly dress Sydney without interruptions. I figured it would take under 30 seconds to do this. Then I heard it. A loud, foreign clang. I listened intently trying to make sense of it. I knew it was coming from the front of the house, which is off limits to babies. I snapped Sydney’s onsie and darted to the kitchen where three babies encircled Lily’s dog bowl and enjoyed a buffet of kibble. Seriously? They are becoming finicky eaters these days and they want salmon sweet potato kibble? I’m not entirely sure what happened in the remaining hours before George returned home, but I have hazy memories of sweeping, dinner miraculously being prepared, and an Elmo DVD.

Maybe Harper was onto something, the babies needed a change of pace to liven their spirits. They really enjoyed the mess. I don not, however recommend cornstarch for sensory play. It took FOREVER to sweep up. I'm certain there are still remnants in our grout.

Maybe Harper was onto something. Clearly, the babies needed a change of pace to improve their moods. They really enjoyed the mess. I do not, however, recommend cornstarch for sensory play. It took FOREVER to sweep up. I’m certain there are still remnants in our grout, which will last years.

Necessity is the mother of invention.

Each day, the five of us look forward to George’s return from work, but today I was exceptionally excited to see him. The babies were thrilled with his homecoming perhaps just as much. Once all four babies were safely tucked into bed I invented a cocktail I’ll affectionately call, “The Screaming Quadruplets”. It’s a light beverage, but is a nice way to unwind if you’ve spent a day with screaming quadruplets (or screaming babies in general).

I sliced a handful of grapes and lined two wine glasses with them. Then, I poured 1/2 a shot of peach schnapps over the grapes and swizzled them a bit. I filled each wine glass about 3/4 of the way with pink moscato and topped it off with 7 up.

The Screaming Quadruplets

Better luck tomorrow.

Amber

5 Things I’d NEVER Do

September 15, 2013Amber 10 Comments

As a younger version of myself, I was highly opinionated and judgmental of those around me. I had black and white views of how the world should operate and was very certain about how I would handle my future. I had plans for everything and knew how it would all play out. As life unfolds, I’m learning how the circumstances of our lives help mold and shape us. I strongly believe that God uses these circumstances in our lives to help us open our minds and hearts. As my friend and fellow quad mom Becky says, “He really does like to throw us curveballs sometimes doesn’t He?” I have to chuckle at myself when I compile a list of some of my “I’d NEVER…”

1. Get a Yorkie

George and I are undoubtedly dog lovers, and we’ve always preferred the company of small dogs. I think it’s partially because I’m small and I’m totally overwhelmed by dogs my size or larger. Shortly after we were married, I convinced George we needed a puppy in our family. One Sunday afternoon, we grazed the Sunday paper (back then Craigslist wasn’t the rage) seeking a small puppy in our price range. We were on a shoestring budget so our choices were slim, but we knew we wanted a small dog that was NOT a Yorkie. Why? Yorkies look absolutely precious, but are notoriously difficult to train, have copious amounts of energy, and are destructive despite small stature. We left phone messages on approximately six answering machines (yes, before voice mail), and only one breeder returned our call. Thus, our Peke a Poo, Sasha, joined our family. Sasha was our baby and we treated her as such.

As the years passed, we began talk of starting a family and were heartbroken when plans failed repeatedly. I desperately wanted to hit “snooze” on my biological clock. Then one day, my sister called telling me she was trying to help a friend re home a Yorkie puppy. At that time, I desperately needed to fill a void. I needed to nurture someone and Sasha was not a puppy anymore. Without hesitation, I agreed to foster this puppy. I knew full well she’d steal our hearts and would find a forever home at our house, but told George we were “fostering” her. The night Lily was delivered to our house, she was in a pink leopard bag wearing a pink tutu dress. I could have sworn this puppy once belonged to Paris HIlton. At first, Lily was the worst puppy ever. She was a Tasmanian devil of sorts. She destroyed house plants, gnawed a hole in our carpet, and urinated on EVERYTHING. However, I was determined to train this puppy to be an honorable family member. I poured my energy into training her, and it was exactly what I needed then. It took me nearly nine months, but I achieved the impossible. I potty trained a Yorkie puppy among other obedience commands. Lily is a fantastic dog who loves her family dearly, quads included. Lily made me eat my words and, we have a Yorkie in our family.

This is the pink dress Lily was wearing the night we got her.

Even though she was a Holy Terror, Lily really did melt our hearts. She was a four month old, two pound puppy with a big heart.

Now, Lily is the kind of dog who lets Sydney rub her belly (with supervision).

2. Drive a van

Even with hopes of a family, I always retorted I would NEVER drive a van. Who needs a van when there is an array of trendy SUVs to choose from? I figured I’d become an SUV driving soccer mom like everyone else in our suburban community. I mean literally, “Suburban” community. Practically everyone drives a Suburban, or something similar. Plans changed the day we discovered that four babies were in our immediate future. The Honda Accord nor the Jeep Liberty we owned could capacitate four infant seats. When we set out to purchase a family vehicle, we were limited to seven passenger models and SUVs in our price range just weren’t big enough. To my chagrin, the van really isn’t that bad. It’s not as chic as some other options, but it has wonderful amenities that are family friendly, namely the automatic doors. When loading/ unloading four babies it really doesn’t matter so much what the people mover looks like, it’s all about practicality. And, the van gets the job done. Thus, I drive a van.

Here’s the van we bought to hold the quads. I think we should keep it until they are old enough to drive it.

3. Have more than two children

If you’ve ever seen a few episodes of Super Nanny, you probably noticed all of the families have three or more children. Why? Because when the children outnumber the parents, things often go awry. George and I always planned on having two children. We wanted our children to have a sibling, but planned on having a 1:1 parent/ child ratio. Obviously, that’s not what happened. Instead of having a 1:1 parent/ child ratio, we’ve learned that 1:1: hand/ child ratio works perfectly in our house. Each day with the quads is a new one and we realize we can handle more than we ever anticipated. As it turns out, more than two children is just right for us.

A few years ago, I couldn’t fathom a life filled with four children. Now I can’t imagine what life would be without them. They fill our lives with so much joy.

4. Speak publicly (on my own accord)

Public speaking tops my list of things I’d rather not. The thought of public speaking spurs on enough anxiety for sweat to begin dripping and my stomach to start knotting. Yet, I’ve done my share of public speaking thanks to graduate school and my profession. I’ve never wanted to public speak, but have done it out of sheer necessity, hating every loathsome second. Amazingly, I spoke at a public event a few weeks age because I wanted to and I felt good about it. Because of my passion for helping every baby thrive, I agreed to speak at the Infant Mortality Summit kick off event. Public speaking is still not my forte, but on the right topic, I feel capable.

Here I am public speaking and feeling confident about it.

5. Take shortcuts with my children

When I was an aspiring parent, I had all sorts of grandiose ideas about what I would or would not do. I’m sure every parent was like this prior to becoming a parent. In my days of daydreaming, I scoffed at “taking shortcuts” with my kids because I was setting out to be Super Mom of course. Even when I was expecting quads, I had no plans of bottle propping. It’s frowned upon by all the experts as it poses a choking hazard. I also headed the advice of the American Academy of Pediatrics regarding television exposure in infants. They suggest NO television until after age two. I really wanted to follow the “rules”, being the rule-bound person I am. However, when the reality of caring four four infants hit me, I learned quickly that my adherence to rules had to change and flexibility was key. I work feverishly to do my best for my children, but some shortcuts literally preserve my sanity. So, I caved and I bottle propped and let the babies watch some limited television during the day.

One evening, the quads enjoyed an Elmo movie in their new tent given to us from a friend.

Instead of saying, “Id never”, I now say, “I don’t plan to….but you never know”, and I allow God’s will to open my eyes to new possibilities every day.

What was on your list of “I’d NEVER…” that you found yourself doing?

hugs!

Amber

The Little Things Thursday: Installment #32

September 12, 2013Amber 6 Comments

Yesterday our nation paused to remember one of the most tragic days in our history- the day the World Trade Center crashed down at the hands of terrorists. 12 years ago, that day devastated the nation as we felt our sense of security unravel before our eyes. With the passage of time, our wounds have healed and we’ve gone back to our daily routines, feeling safe again. Because of events like those, it makes the simple things in life that much sweeter and worth savoring. Thus, it is apropos for us to pause and reflect upon our weekly highlights as we link up with A Beautiful Ruckus for The Little Things Thursdays.

1. For the first time, Aunt CiCi, the girls and I had a “Girls Day”. Six months ago, my sister generously gave me spending money for my birthday, to purchase post-baby clothing. I’m ashamed to say, I after six months I had not carved out the time to spend it. Thus, the four of us hit the mall to help mama find some new duds. There we dined in the food court with a grand view of the carousel. Following our food court fare, we hit several shops where my sister pulled clothes from the racks for me to try, then entertained the girls with the use of mirrors while I tried them on. The girls were exceptionally well-behaved, until the nap time hour approached. We were trapped in a fitting room at Ann Taylor when Rylin had a temper tantrum and a foul odor trailed from Sydney’s bloomers. Clearly, the other store patrons wanted us OUT. We could not escape fast enough! Yet, that embarrassing moment in a mall fitting room was something I yearned for many years. It meant I finally had a family and we were doing something “normal” on a Sunday afternoon.

The girls were totally enamored with seeing their beautiful reflections staring back at them.

And the mirror helped us capture a group picture without bothering a passerby.

We planned to ride the carousel, but the girls were content just watching it so we saved a few bucks.

I'm not sure what transpired during "Guys Day" at home. Definately some football watching and mess making. Mason was dressed like this upon my return home. Notice something funny?

I’m not sure what transpired during “Guys Day” at home. Definitely some football watching and mess making. Mason was dressed like this upon my return home. Notice something funny?

2. When I popped a bag of popcorn for myself, I learned that the rest of my family enjoys it just as much as I do. In less than a minute’s time, I was encircled by 12 puppy dog eyes (four of which belonged to the fur babies) begging for a morsel of my treat. It became a lesson in sitting and waiting patiently for all of them.

I can’t recall who started this snack frenzy, the dogs or the babies..

3. The babies are not allowed in the kitchen unless they are buckled into the quad table. This week, we set up a water play station in the kitchen and the babies seemed to enjoy kitchen exploration more than the water.

I think the girls noticed their reflection in the dishwasher door, much like the store mirrors at the mall.

The underside of the quad table is fascinating.

What little rays of sunshine filled your week?

hugs,

Amber

Navigating the NICU

September 11, 2013November 2, 2015Amber 6 Comments

Over the past few weeks, we’ve returned to Cook Children’s where the babies resided the first seven weeks of their life. Thankfully, we’ve not returned as patients, but as visitors. We returned to deliver a presentation, and also to visit a friend and her twins who are currently in the NICU.

Turning the corner to the NICU corridor back brought back a flood of emotions and memories. I recalled fond memories of milestones being reached, but there were others I repressed. Our experience in the NICU was a good one and we were pleased with our care. Yet, it still was a NICU journey and there were many frightening, difficult moments. The twins are on the same floor where our babies stayed and it brought me back to a difficult place. After reporting to the NICU for 49 days, there were quite a few things I learned along the way. If I could rewind the clocks, here are the things I’d tell myself (and why).

1. Become an active participant in your baby’s care ASAP

In the early days of NICU life, I remember feeling detached from the babies as we peered at them in their little boxes. I was terrified I’d contaminate them or break something, but honestly they needed our gentle touch. George reminded me several times that the wires were not life sustaining, but merely monitored the babies, and that gave me confidence to touch them.

I recall the nurses teaching me how to gently touch their fragile skin (stroking causes preemies pain). I gradually began spending increasing amounts of time just cradling them in my hands through isolette windows as I spoke to them, encouraging them to grow stronger. It wasn’t long before their IV’s were removed and we could finally hold our babies, which meant I could even do more. One of our nurses taught me how to do the “cares”, which involved swabbing their mouths out, changing diapers, checking body temperature, and moving their pulse ox (oxygen monitor) from one foot to the other every three hours. Being able to do those small things helped me bond with the babies, learn their unique qualities, and finally feel as if they were mine.

2. Don’t be afraid to ask questions

Being in a hospital in general, let alone the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, can be intimidating. With the quads, we found ourselves surrounded by numerous professionals who tossed technical jargon around as if we were medical school graduates. Several weeks passed that I called the babies’ Pulse Ox (Oximeter) “Pole Socks”. At first, I felt foolish forcing them to stop and explain things, but I learned how important it was. As parents, it is important to know what is happening in your baby’s care and be a stakeholder, advocating for someone without a voice.

3. Bond with staff

We spent a few weeks in the NICU before I learned about “Primary Nurses”. These are nurses who agree to tend to particular patients every time they are on shift. Our primary nurses became imperative team members in the care of our babies. They knew each baby’s nuances, cheered for them, and fought for them (and me). When George went back to work, I spent many days in the NICU alone. I felt helpless, isolated and lonely some of the time. When our primary nurses were there, they not only helped our babies, but kept my spirits up and taught me a wealth of knowledge regarding how to care for a preemie. One nurse even helped make sure I got the Medela pump that worked best for me, even though it meant she had to retrieve and clean it every three hours.

It was vital that when we left our babies, we felt confident in their care takers and that those care takers respected us as parents. By spending my days at the NICU, the nurses and other hospital staff came to know me and in turn wanted our babies to thrive even more. When we were away, they took time to dress the babies to match their linens, make name plates for their cribs, and snapped pictures of things we missed. They did all that not only because they cared, but they knew we did too.

To show our appreciation, I occasionally brought our nurses warm cookies from the cafeteria or a Starbucks drink.

4. Take time for yourself, and your partner

At first, NICU life was somewhat novel and we were absorbing all sorts of knew information. A few weeks in, it got to be nearly too much for me to bear. I felt defeated and that we may never leave the NICU. I needed a break from my new routine of spending the entire day at the NICU only going home to shower and sleep. At that point, George and I enjoyed a few date nights, time with friends, and I did some shopping. I admittedly felt a tinge of guilt for leaving the babies alone when I could physically be there, but I needed breaks for mental health. One night, we even enjoyed a few cocktails and I did the whole “pump and dump” thing with my milk. While breast milk was like liquid gold I didn’t want to toss it, but I needed just an evening for me, even if that meant sacrificing a few ounces of milk.

5. Meet your social worker

I did not meet our social worker until weeks into our NICU stay and I wished I befriended her immediately. She had knowledge about how to access resources and services we needed, such as how to apply for multiple birth programs. Because I met her late in the game, Sydney did not receive benefits she was entitled to based on birth weight.

5. Bring items from home

We were fortunate that our NICU had all private rooms with many amenities including a fold out sofa, television, and laundry facilities. In addition to those things, they provided things such as baby clothing, baby wash, and dish soap (for pump parts and bottles). However, over the course of our stay, I brought other creature comforts to help us feel as at home with the babies as possible. If our NICU nurses had not made name plates, I would have done that as well because it would personalize the space for us. I have a page devoted to items we kept at the NICU in case others would like to know.

6. Welcome visitors

As I mentioned, I spent the majority of my time in the NICU alone. The NICU is a place where emotions are high and being there alone can be intimidating. Fortunately, our NICU allowed four visitors per day (one per baby) and as best we could, we welcomed friends and family to come. Even if someone dropped by for just 30 minutes, that brightened my day. Because of our private rooms, I believe that visiting rules may have been more lax than at other places. If our NICU was more strict, I think I would have welcomed visitors to meet me at the hospital for lunch or coffee at the very least.

Despite welcoming visitors, we were strict regarding who could come visit. Before the babies were even born, we sent a memo to friends and family explaining the precautions we were taking to protect the babies’ health. These precautions were in place during our NICU stay and for the first 7 months the babies were at home. I believe that our efforts, while taxing, were worthwhile. After all, we did not have a sick visit to the doctor until after the babies’ first birthday. That is incredible considering the average baby battles eight colds in the first year!

7. capture memories

We took plenty of pictures documenting the babies’ milestones while in the NICU- the first time we held each of them, first baths, and bottle feedings. What we avoided, was documenting when they were fragile because I feared preserving those memories. Now that we have been away from the NICU over a year, I would like to reflect upon the progress the babies made, but there is little proof. I also took very few video clips, and the ones I have are primarily from when the babies were near discharge. Seeing the twins in the NICU made me want to remember how our babies were once so tiny, but I have no video to review.

Fortunately, our NICU had an art therapist on staff who helped us create memories through art. The babies painted a canvas with their foot prints and molds of their feet. I am in awe each time I pass their first masterpiece hanging in the playroom. If it weren’t for our art therapist, I may have missed out on creating art. However, it would be simple to do even without a therapist, and I’d recommend doing it.

8. Find someone who can relate

I was fortunate to have a network of other moms of quadruplets to support me in the NICU journey and give advice and tips for dealing with the NICU. However, that support was solely online. With the help of a few thoughtful nurses, I was fortunate enough to meet a mom of triplets born five days after the quads in our same NICU. Meeting another mom in person who was right there dealing with the same things simultaneously was immensely helpful. In fact, we continue to maintain communication, supporting each other along the way and we’ve held play dates!

When we returned to visit the twins, George and I took turns watching our own babies in the family play area of the hospital. I think they too enjoyed being on the other side of things at the hospital.

I only wish we had a space in our house large enough for a padded play area.

After the babies had a good romp in the play area, we retreated to the cafeteria for a brown bag dinner.

hugs!

Amber

P.S. In reading the archives from when the babies were in the NICU, I made a great effort to stay positive. Yet, I think I marginalized some of the things we endured, and consequently made it seem easy. For parents currently dealing with a NICU stay, we encountered these things-

respiratory distress- CPAP, oxygen, nasal cannulas; jaundice- bilirubin lights, collapsed lung- chest tube surgically placed, reflux- milk fortifiers/ thickeners, Dani sling, pneumonia- IV antibiotics, MRI- white matter trauma, grade I brain bleed, car seat tests, bradycardias, de sats, caffeine drips, PIC line (through a vein in Sydney’s head because the tiny veins in her arms, legs and feet collapsed. this was horrifying), transpiloric feeding tube, gravity feeds, occupational therapy, physical therapy, blood panels, platelet transfusion, low birth weight, anemia- poly vi sol

How do you make a tissue dance?

September 7, 2013February 1, 2014Amber 4 Comments

Put a little boogie in it!

Sorry for the lame Laffy Taffy joke….I couldn’t help myself since this post is about baby boogies.

Thanks to our lock down efforts, we did not have a sick visit to the pediatrician until after the babies’ first birthday. Now that we are past the days of lock down, we are venturing out to new places more frequently. Naturally, that means we’re exposed to germs, and sick babies are inevitable. As much as I’d love to protect the babies forever, we cannot and will not live within the confines of a bubble. I want the babies to experience childhood fully and as normally as possible so out of our bubble we’ll go.

George will probably not like this picture being posted, but it’s the only one taken at our very first sick visit. We had to take Harper to the urgent care clinic on a Sunday afternoon when he had a double ear infection and nasal congestion.

While the average baby contracts about eight colds within the first year of life, our babies are just now experiencing their first legitimate cold. It’s not the worst cold ever, but there are copious amounts of despicable snot. With tons of nasal suctioning and tissue wiping, the babies noses became raw and irritated. I decided to try my hand at making nose and face wipes to solve the problem.

I simply used the same recipe we use for baby wipes and swapped out the traditional baby wash for Johnson & Johnson’s soothing vapor wash (it contains soothing rosemary, eucalyptus, and menthol) and added a few drops of tea tree oil to soothe the raw areas. The batch cost me about $.50 and they are fantastic! I realize that many people are hesitant to try home-made items, but honestly these are a cinch. If parents of quadruplets can find two minutes to make them, most anyone could.

DIY Boogie Wipes recipe: Cut one Viva paper towel roll in half and stuff into a cylindrical container. Whisk together 1 1/2 c. water, 1 tbs soothing vapor bath, 1/2 tbs baby oil, and 2 drops tea tree oil. Pour mixture over the paper towel roll. Pull cardboard from the center of the paper towels. Voila!

DIY Nose and Face Wipes:
1. Cut one Viva paper towel roll in half and stuff into a cylindrical container.
2. Whisk together 1 1/2 c. water, 1 tbs soothing vapor bath, 1/2 tbs baby oil, and 2 drops tea tree oil.
3. Pour liquid mixture over the paper towel roll.
4. Pull cardboard from the center of the paper towels.
Voila!

For step by step pictures of the process, check out our baby wipes recipe, then swap out the baby wash for soothing vapor wash. Simple!

What home remedies do you use for colds?

hugs!

Amber

P.S. For baby wipes, I prefer to use Bounty paper towels because they are strong. However, for noses, the Viva paper towels are much softer and gentler. Also, the soothing vapor wash is only recommended for infants over three months of age.

Over The Summer… {sensory play}

August 5, 2013June 7, 2015Amber 12 Comments

Since I work in the public school system, I enjoy a brief summer break. I don’t mean to complain, but summer breaks are not June-July-August like the good ol’ days; they are now a mere couple of weeks. Just like with everything, all good things must eventually come to an end, and my summer break is officially over. Sniff, sniff!

As a bit of a department tradition, on the first day of “school” we swap stories of our summer break, which usually consist of travel across country or abroad. It’s always reminiscent of grade school days where the teacher assigns the infamous essay, “Over the summer…” and you recant the events of summer. While a few of my colleagues were brave enough to travel with toddlers in tow, George and I knew that taking four babies on a road trip would be nothing but drama. However, that doesn’t mean we sat home on our duffs all summer. We had plenty of adventures right from home and around town. Stay tuned for our mini-series of sharing what we did over the summer.

While at home, I tried to expose the babies to a variety of sensory play opportunities. Some were a huge success, others a flop. Nonetheless, they are all worth remembering, even if they include what NOT to do.

One day I was solo with the babies and they were not particularly content staying indoors at home. I had really been wanting to do water play with them, but knew that taking them outside myself was not a stellar idea. Instead, I set up shop in our master bathroom. I filled a shallow tub with water and brought in new toys purchased for the babies’ birthday party. To prevent the bathroom from transforming into a Slip ‘n’ Slide, I set an old quilt underneath the tub. Since the babies aren’t generally permitted in our bathroom, they had a fantastic time splashing and making note of their new surroundings.

Part of the fun was the water, the other was being in a foreign room of the house.

Part of the fun was the water, the other was being in an otherwise forbidden room of the house.

Harper was the only baby who wanted IN the water tub.

Perhaps my favorite sensory activity of all was Cool Whip smearing. I dressed the babies in swim suits and sat them at the quad table where I slapped a dollop of Cool Whip and a few drops of food coloring in front of each baby. It didn’t take them long to figure out this was great fun and delicious too. Sydney was hesitant to experiment since she’s not keen on getting messy, but she too joined in on the action. Since I had a helper with me that day, we transferred the babies outdoors for a dip in the baby pool following this royal mess.

Mason enjoyed leaning forward to dab his nose in the Cool Whip.

I thought it was interesting how each of the babies had a different pattern in their Cool Whip swash. Some made vertical motions while others moved horizontally or even both directions.

Of course, half the fun of Cool Whip play is eating it!

Sydney was hesitant to get her hands dirty, but eventually patted the creamy stuff.

Sydney eventually patted the creamy stuff.

While this activity wasn’t as exciting for the babies, I loved the mess-free play! I stumbled across this idea somewhere on Pinterest. I slipped a piece of card stock into gallon bags and squirted Tempera paint in the bag, and taped them to the quad table. For added dimension, I tossed a few sequins and a bit of glitter in the bags. It entertained the babies for quite a while as they slapped, squished and patted the bags. I don’t recommend using Duct tape, however. George was not pleased to find it took bits of the finish off the table.

Each baby approached their work in a unique way.

Harper didn’t much enjoy this one, but at least he didn’t complain.

Rylin really loved smearing and patting.

For the babies’ party, I reused our water play tub as a make shift sand box. At the party, but it wasn’t a popular station. If given a choice, kids apparently prefer water over sand. However, I wasn’t letting a good bag of play sand go to waste so each of our babies got a turn experiencing the “beach”.

Harper may have taken a teeny taste of sand…

Needless to say, some babies enjoyed the sand more than others…

One night George and I had an abundance of left over angel hair pasta noodles so it became time for yet another sensory play activity.

Rylin tackled spaghetti with reckless abandon!

Sydney delicately touched just one strand of spaghetti at time.

Sydney delicately touched just one strand of spaghetti at a time.

This final activity was perhaps not my brightest moment. I searched for paint with water books (you know, the ones that look similar to coloring books with paint around the edges that brighten with a wet brush?). Instead, I found coloring books with water paint strips attached to the top. I thought it could work. Just like when I worked in preschool, I taped the paper to the table and used a large sponge brush dipped in water. First, I demonstrated dragging the damp brush across the top and over the paper, but the babies didn’t agree with this method. This is when our previous edible sensory play activities interfered. Instead of following my lead, the babies tore bits of paper off the table and proceeded to sample them. When Rylin attempted to eat more than the paper, she did not appreciate being reprimanded. There’s probably a good reason the recommended age for paint with water is three and up. I think we’ll save this for a few more years. In the meantime, maybe we’ll try that edible finger paint recipe I pinned.

Look closely at the tip of Rylin’s paint brush. Do you notice anything?

Stay tuned for more in this series: DIY projects, parents getaway, and Friday field trips. How did you spend your summer?

hugs!

Amber

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Semi-Homemade Baby Food

April 26, 2013November 3, 2015Amber 10 Comments

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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)

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: