quadruplets

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

Early Birds

Amber 2 Comments

Back when the babies were in the NICU, they completed the usual newborn hearing screening.  They all passed the screen at the time, but babies in the NICU for extended periods of time are at risk for hearing loss later.  Therefore, a follow up appointment was made for them to occur at 9 months of age.  The original screen was done in the wee hours of the morning while I was not at the NICU, thus the appointment was made for us.  At the time I didn’t give it much thought.  About a week prior, I realized it was for 8:00 am in a downtown office.  This meant I had to get four babies up before daybreak, load them in the van, and haul them downtown in rush hour traffic for an appointment in an unfamiliar place.  GULP!  The mere thought was daunting!

Furthermore, I got the lowdown on said appointment from a friend with triplets.  She warned that it took her crew 30 minutes per ear and they got cranky with it being so early, not in tune with their normal schedule, ect.  UGH!  I did the math and it was grim.  With eight ears at 30 minutes each, it would take four hours.   I knew that there was NO way on earth any of us could handle four hours of hearing screens.  Panic mode struck me.  I called the clinic hoping to reschedule for a later appointment and/or possibly breaking it into two appointments.  No avail.  However, I was assured there would be two audiologists working that day.  I accepted our fate and hatched the best plan I could muster.

I am highly independent and care for the babies on my own the majority of the time, but for appointments like these I call for reinforcements.  This time, my mom was able to lend a helping hand.   The night before the appointment, we dressed the babies in pajamas that are onsies with footed pants (super cute and look like outfits) and brought their car seats into the nurseries.  The next morning, Mom and I woke up just before six and got ourselves entirely ready to go.  Next, we dropped bottles in the warmers while we made ourselves some coffee (gotta fuel the day!).  After all bottles were heated we stored them in an insulated lunch bag and headed to get babies ready.  We each took a nursery where we quietly got babies out of beds and changed diapers, but not clothes.  We were careful to use only night lights and keep noise to a minimum.  Of course the babies woke up, but weren’t awake before we loaded them into the van.  By 6:40 all babies were loaded into the van and we were on the road.

Naturally, the day of this appointment was on one of the worst weather days of the year.  We had a huge thunderstorm and chilly temps for April.  Anytime there is so much as drizzle on the highways around here, traffic stacks up for miles.  We navigated rush hour gridlock for 80 minutes, but we reached the clinic right on time!

Since the weather was dreary and damp, I pulled the van right to the door where mom and I loaded the babies into Snap ‘n’ Go strollers.  Together we rolled the babies into the clinic where I checked in as mom distributed bottles.  By the time I parked the van and filled out registration paperwork, the babies had drained their bottles.  Because I called in advance, the clinic was prepared for us.   In fact, the staff cheerily greeted us and complimented the babies numerous times on their behavior as well as their attire (yay jammies!).  Everyone was so kind and accommodating for us.  They separated the babies into two rooms with an audiologist and assistant in each room.  Mom took the boys and I took the girls. This way,  hearing tests were completed simultaneously.  It ended up taking a little over an hour for all four hearing tests to be completed.  Before leaving, we had to change a few diapers and take care of a few other housekeeping items, but we were back on the road by 9:45.  Thankfully the weather improved drastically so we were back home before 10:30.  The babies were easily back on schedule upon our return.   The early bird appointment wasn’t horrible after all!

When we left the house, it was ptich black outside, but a sea of headlights and tailelights illuminated the highway.

When we left the house, it was pitch black outside, but a sea of headlights and taillights illuminated the highway.

Gotta love rush hour in the rain!

Gotta love rush hour in the rain!

wubbanubs always come along to doctor's appointments because they help soother fussy babies.

Wubbanubs always come along to doctor’s appointments because they help soothe fussy babies.

The Snap 'n' Go strollers make it relatively easy to load and unload four babies. I'm dreading the day they all outgrow their car seats and we have to load them into different strollers.

The Snap ‘n’ Go strollers make it relatively easy to load and unload four babies. I’m dreading the day they all outgrow their car seats and we have to load them into different strollers from car seats.  The babies are not used to watching TV so they were enamored with the TV in the waiting room.

If given the choice, I don’t think I would schedule another appointment far from home quite that early.  However, I do prefer early bird appointments whenever possible for these reasons:

  •  Offices are not behind schedule since they just opened!
  •  Staff is generally friendly and welcoming since they aren’t exhausted from a long day of appointments.
  • Offices are freshly cleaned and therefore less likely to harbor germs.
  • The babies start the day in pleasant moods, which tend to deteriorate as energy reserves deplete.
  •  Early appointments are less intrusive to the babies’ schedule and it’s relatively easy to get them back on track.

This particular appointment preceded a rather busy weekend so stay tuned for the March of Dimes and NICU Reunion!

Hugs!

Amber

P.S. We are now in 6th place for the Circle of Moms Top 25 Blogs list.  You can vote every 24 hours until May 8 (one vote per device).  It’s simple.  Just click the badge below or on our side bar, then click “vote” under our picture.

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March for Babies

Amber 1 Comment

Having four premature babies brought a whole new appreciation for the March of Dimes to our family.  Honestly, prior to the arrival of the babies we never gave it much thought.  Thanks to state of the art medical care, our babies who were born 10 weeks too soon are thriving.  To show our support of this cause, George and I started a fundraising team for the March for Babies 2013.  If you are able, we would appreciate any donations made to the March of Dimes in support of The Shawver Quads.  Please visit our team website at: http://www.marchforbabies.org/s_team_page.asp?seid=2061354 Money raised supports the March of Dimes’ research to help expectant mothers reach full term pregnancies and to support families who have babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

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1-Harper Stone-002

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3-Sydney-002

hugs!

Amber

The Little Things Thursdays: Installment #11

Amber 10 Comments

It’s 11:00 pm as I type this,  so technically it is still Thursday.  I’m working at “game time” no doubt!  Nonetheless, it is time to reflect upon the little things that filled our week.

1. George and I were inspired by the Glawson Triplets to take the babies to our community playground.  We stuffed two babies in each baby swing and they soared.  Of course, before we stuffed them in, I sanitized each swing with Clorox wipes.  Oh yes, I am that mom.  We are enjoying freedom from lock down, but I’m not completely ready to let my germ guard down.  Rylin and Mason thoroughly enjoyed their ride, giggling and grinning the whole time.  Harper and Sydney didn’t protest, but seemed rather lackadaisical about the whole ordeal.

This is how quadruplets roll at the playground!

This is how quadruplets roll at the playground!

Rylin thought this was big fun.

Rylin thought this was big fun.  I love the wind in her hair.

Hmm, these two don't seem terribly interested.

Hmm, these two don’t seem terribly interested.

2. After I took Mason to Cranial Technologies for his weekly band adjustment, he and I took a detour to one of my former schools.  I introduced Mason to the principal, Samantha, and secretary, Mina, at Bonnie Brae.  Both of these ladies helped me trudge along as I worked full time the first 20 weeks of a quadruplet pregnancy so I thought it was time they meet at least one of the quadlets.  I promised to bring the others someday.  And…Springdale and Riverside friends, I promise we will swing by to see you as well.

Mina, Mason, & Samantha. Mason was highly interested in Samantha's glasses and seemed to thing they'd be a tasty snack.

Mina, Mason, & Samantha.
Mason was highly interested in Samantha’s glasses and seemed to thing they’d be a tasty snack.

3. My Uncle Mark sent this picture to me a few days ago.  It is me and my Grandpa I think at Easter, which would make me about 13  or 14 months old.  It’s a sweet picture that reminds me of how special he was to me and all of the little things we did together.  I will always remember catching fireflies in his yard, swinging from vines, looking at stars with his telescope, performing on his hearth, and going to the beach.  In his 87 years, he always stopped to look at bluebonnets and never let the little things go unnoticed.  Thank you, Grandpa for teaching all of us to appreciate the little things!

Do you see any of the babies in this picture? I see a strong family resemblance...

Do you see any of the babies in this picture? I see a strong family resemblance…

hugs!

Amber

They’re Finally Hitched!

Amber 8 Comments

Last spring George and I did the unthinkable. We sold our beloved Jeep and purchased a van in its place. I always said I would NEVER, EVER drive a van. Then God must have chuckled the day we discovered we were expecting quads and would consequently need a van. That being said, we actually really like our van. If you have to drive a van, this one is pretty nice. With the nifty seat warmer working it’s magic and the sound system going it’s rather easy to forget you are actually in a van. A few short weeks after buying the van, we made another purchase we never anticipated: a Runabout quad stroller. We stumbled across a fantastic deal and scarfed it up.

The only problem was that our new van wasn’t equipped with a trailer hitch, which is required by the stroller. Had we purchased the stroller first, a trailer hitch probably would have been in our negotiations with the dealer. We didn’t worry about it at the time knowing it would be months, even close to a year before we’d even use the stroller. We’ve been putting off adding a trailer hitch for months thinking it would be both time consuming and expensive. After a bit of research George learned it was a relatively simple DIY project with a kit from U Haul. Over spring break, George finally scrounged up enough spare time to install our trailer hitch so we could use the van and stroller for the first time! Check out our first family excursion with the Routan + Runabout:

I think the Routan and Runabout make a beautiful couple. The babies seemed to enjoy the ride.

I think the Routan and Runabout make a beautiful couple. The babies seemed to enjoy the ride despite the dreary looking weather.

If you’ve been following our crazy journey for a while, you likely recall when we purchased the van, https://fourtoadore.com/2012/04/22/i-never-thought-i-would-say-this/ and then when we purchased our stroller https://fourtoadore.com/2012/04/30/lets-runabout/ That means you’ll also recall that the stroller loads on the van similar to a bicycle rack for transport of the stroller itself, not the quads. However, upon hearing that our stroller requires a trailer hitch, many people envisioned a stroller being pulled by the van with the hitch! I wrote about the first incident of that https://fourtoadore.com/2012/05/20/is-that-thing-safe/ shortly after it occurred because it was hilarious.

This is actually how the Runabout attaches to the trailer hitch. We have plans to take the babies on outings such as the zoo, festivals, and more!

This is actually how the Runabout attaches to the trailer hitch. We have plans to take the babies on outing such as the zoo, festivals, and more!

However, if you are a new reader, I hope we GOTCHA!!!!! Happy April Fool’s Day.

Disclaimer: No babies were transported via the trailer hitch for this posting. Rather, the photo you see above was staged and the keys were not even in the van at the time of the photo.

Hugs!

Amber

The Little Things Thusrday: Installment #9

Amber 20 Comments

Here are the little things we celebrated this week-

1. We now have three rolling babies (Rylin, Harper, and Mason), plus they all turn and scoot a bit.  This meant time for changes in our den arrangement.  First we sold all of our little baby equipment (three rock ‘n’ plays, two swings, three Bumbo chairs, and two bouncy seats) on Craigslist.  We caught babies trying to flip over while in these types of seats so it was time to say farewell.  With all the movement and exploration we noticed far too many baby tangle ups so our coffee table found refuge upstairs.  I really like how our den works now.  We have just two baby contraptions and an activity table so there’s much more open space for all.

Oh boy! The babies are like heat seeking missles when they see a toy being used by another baby. Harper is stretching out to nab Sydney's toy.

Oh boy! The babies are like heat seeking missiles when they see a toy being used by another baby. Harper and Sydney seem to be scuffling over that book.  As of now, they don’t mind having a toy snatched up, but it won’t be long before there are wails of protest.

For the first time in months there is nothing below the television besides baskets concealing baby toys.

For the first time in months there is nothing below the television besides baskets concealing baby toys. Ahh!

2. We summoned the babies to be Mini Monets once again for our spring artwork.

This is my favorite piece of baby art so far. We used the babies' footprints to make robins for spring.

This is my favorite piece of baby art so far. We used the babies’ footprints to make robins for spring.

3. Even when we scrubbed it with rubbing alcohol, Mason’s DOC Band started smelling like a foul foot. I tried putting baby powder on his hair as suggested, but he just smelled like a stinky foot dusted in baby powder. My sister reminded me of an amazing product I bought in Vegas a few years ago.   It is coconut scented deodorant powder from Lush. They use organic and chemical free ingredients at Lush, which is baby friendly in my book.  Now his noggin smells like summery  coconut even after hours of wear!

Even when we scrubbed it with rubbing alcohol, Mason's DOC Band started smelling like a foot after day one. I tried putting baby powder on his hair, but he just smelled like a stinky foot dusted in baby powder. My sister reminded me of this amazing product! It is coconut scented deodorant powder from Lush. Now his head smells like coconut even after hours of wear!

There are a few Lush stores internationally located, but if there is not one near you, check out http://www.Lush.com

4. Sydney is clearly our Little Evil Knievel with her stunt girl moves.

Sydney's latest trick is planking. She should have a seriously developed core now!

Sydney’s latest trick is planking. She should have a seriously developed core now!  Sometime we catch her bear crawling like this, but of course she only goes backwards so it’s not efficient means of locomotion.

5. I found my latest snack craving this week when we seemed to have way too many pretzels in the pantry.  I paired them with peanut butter and Nutella.  I just love salty/ sweet snack combos!  George was less than impressed, but I think it is yum-o!

Sometimes I dip the pretzel in each scrumptious spread while other time I mix the spreads together first. Either way I love it!

Sometimes I dip the pretzel in each scrumptious spread while other time I mix the spreads together first. Either way I love it!

6. During playtime I’ve been playing children’s music for the babies so they don’t hear only me talking all day.  And so I don’t hear myself talking all day!  Most of our children’s music was sung by the Fisher Price Little People.  The Little People have quite the repertoire of children’s sing-a-long tunes and they can carry a tune, but their voices started grating on me.  I visited the itunes store yesterday and purchased a bunch of folksy-indie children’s music that is much more appealing to me.  I am the newest fan of Frances England and Elizabeth Mitchell.   Seasoned parents, do you know of great children’s music not sung by Wee Sing or the Little People?  I accumulated a good bit, but I will soon tire of the 40 some odd songs I have now.

What little things highlighted your week?

hugs!

 

Amber

Ready to Rumble

Amber 8 Comments

Thursday Mason and I returned to Cranial Technologies for his DOC Band fitting to treat his Plagiocephaly (oblique head shape). When the therapist put it on him, he grinned and giggled the whole time.  She even commented on how well he acclimated to it.  His DOC Band needed some minor adjustments and we were on our way.  Mason seemed totally unphased the rest of the evening and did not have any major irritations when we did his skin checks. Since he only had it a few hours before bedtime he didn’t have to sleep in it on night one.

Mason carried on playing as usual even with his DOC Band. However, the white looked frumpy and clinical to me.

Mason carried on playing as usual even with his DOC Band. However, the white looked frumpy and clinical to me.

He even enjoyed a Baby Einstein DVD with his sibs.

He even enjoyed a Baby Einstein DVD with his sibs.

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While Mason enjoyed his final night of slumber sans DOC Band, George got busy painting a mini masterpiece.  He found a website with samples of painted bands and used a pair of the boy’s camo pants as inspiration.  The end result was exactly as I envisioned.

The artist who painted our inspiration used shades of blue, but we chose classic camouflage colors instead.

The artist who painted our inspiration used shades of blue, but we chose classic camouflage colors instead.

Does he blend in with his surroundings now?

I think Mason’s new fangled accessory highlights his adorable face rather nicely.

I think he looks pretty dapper.

This is one dapper boy!

Friday Mason was content wearing his DOC Band during feedings and playtime, but naps were an entirely different story.  Poor Mason could not find a comfortable place and fussed the whole time.  He only napped a few times for 20-30 minutes at best.  I was concerned that his pleasant mood would soon deteriorate because he is a fantastic napper (he’ll take 90 to 120 minutes naps).  He proved me wrong and maintained a good attitude all day even without naps!

Since he couldn’t seem to sleep all day we were slightly concerned about making it through the night with Mason’s new accessory.  George and I braced ourselves for a rough night, but Mason slept like an angel!  I think he was utterly exhausted and finally figured out that he could sleep in the DOC Band after all.  Harper on the other hand woke up wailing at 10:00 pm for no apparent reason.  Thankfully, we were able to settle him and all babies slept through the night as usual.

Order is restored! Mason is napping like himself again.

Order is restored! Mason is napping like himself again.

Hugs!

Amber

PS- In case you are new to our site,  I wrote about Mason’s Plagiocephaly here:  https://fourtoadore.com/2013/03/16/plagiosaurus/

The Little Things Thursdays: Installment #8

Amber 6 Comments

I love when the Little Things Thursdays come back around each week.  Thursdays help me pause to reflect upon the past week and all of the wonderful things that transpired.  Even though the purpose is to delight in little things,  this week we seem have more BIG things to celebrate.  I hoped to write full posts on a few of them, but never managed to carve out the time to write them.  Hmmm, I wonder why….

1. March 20th was a momentous day in our family.  George and I celebrated our ninth wedding anniversary.  We had a hearty chuckle when George thought it was our eight instead.  I’m relatively certain that the hoopla of 2012 caused a mental lapse for George and a few more gray hairs.    Several weeks ago, Rebecca at A Beautiful Ruckus took a poll asking fellow quad mamas how much they felt having quads aged them.  I responded, “not at all”, which likely comes as a surprise (considering the strain of carrying them  and how demanding caring for them is now).  The truth is I do feel older, but the fact is that I am older.  Every day that passes I am one day older than before and I am okay with that.  George and I look so young in our wedding pictures, but we were young then, nine years younger to be exact.  In our nine years of marriage, we’ve had moments of sickness and health, richer and poorer with each experience helping us to grow together.  Through it all, there is no one I’d rather have at my side than George.

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George and I met at a pancake breakfast at church. I surprised him with the ingredients for a hearty breakfast for dinner and we spent the evening cooking together. Cooking as a team is something we really miss.

George and I met at a pancake breakfast at church. In honor of our anniversary I surprised him with the ingredients for a nostalgic breakfast for dinner and we spent time cooking it together.  He planned to bring take out home and let me take a luxurious bath.  Since I beat him to the punch with dinner, I got a rain check for tomorrow. 

 

On March 20th the babies also celebrated their eight month birthday.  I took another obligatory crib picture of them.  They are really starting to fill it out!  Harper is officially in nine month clothing and Rylin is in 6/9 month clothes.  Sydney and Mason insist on keeping their six month wardrobe to make sure that clothing storage is a challenge for me.

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2. Okay, this one is a little thing, but worthy of mention in our Big Things post.  Grandaddy did not style Sydney’s hair.  It was a tad chilly when we took an evening walk so she donned a bear hat.  She looked like this when I removed her hat!  Serious case of hat hair, I think.

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3. Do you notice anything different about our recent quad feed?  This is MAJOR progress at our house!

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the fact that this does not happen the whole feed all the time. However, we are making huge gains in the fact that they are interested, willing, and able to hold their bottles independently. I have not used our bottle buddies in the past week at all!

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the fact that this does not happen the entire feed all the time.  The way Rylin decided to look at her bottle is fairly common during a feed.  However, we are making huge gains in the fact that they are interested, willing, and able to hold their bottles independently. I have not used our bottle buddies in the past week at all!

What little or big things filled your week?

hugs!

Amber

Who wore green today?

Amber 3 Comments
Here is our March artwork. I commissioned my friend, Jen, for this one.

Here is our March artwork. I commissioned my friend, Jen, for this one.  We agreed a four leaf clover was appropriate.

On this beautiful Saint Patrick’s Day we took the babies on a mini road trip to my parent’s house.  I say “road trip” because it’s an hour drive there and taking the babies anywhere besides a walk seems like a road trip.  We stuffed the van with a package of diapers, package of wipes. four pairs of pajamas, eight bibs, four booster seats, a swing, a travel crib (mom has two more), four bottles, two cans of formula, four jars of baby food….you get the idea.  It was everything but the kitchen sink and it practically looked like we were going out of town.  In everyone’s best interest, we waited to leave until after the babies’ morning nap.  I knew they probably wouldn’t get much shut-eye at Nisey and Grandpa’s so I thought at least one good nap was in order.  After their 11 am spoon feed (green beans) and bottle we corralled everyone into the van and hit the road in our green attire.  Thankfully, the babies made good use of their time in the van and took a decent nap.

Everyone wore green today in honor of Saint Patrick. And of course we didn't want anyone being pinched.

Everyone wore green today in honor of Saint Patrick. And of course we didn’t want anyone being pinched.

A faux road trip seemed to be an occasion worthy of shoe wearing for everyone.

A faux road trip seemed to be an occasion worthy of shoe wearing for everyone.

Upon our arrival, the babies made note of their new surroundings.  Eight little eyes darted around the living room fully aware that we weren’t in Kansas anymore.  They clearly knew it was new territory.  Rylin being her pensive self really seemed to take it all in and pouted a little bit initially.  When everyone was settled, the big people  enjoyed a home cooked meal complete with cabbage and potatoes in honor of our Irish heritage.  The babies of course were served some delicious formula.  After lunch, George, my sister, and I headed to visit my Grandfather while the babies stayed behind.  Nisey and Grandpa reported that the babies took a short nap then devoured their spoon feeds despite being in a new place and using booster seats for the first time.  The babies also apparently met many of my parent’s neighbors while we were away.

Before we headed home, some of our extended family was able to drop by to meet the crew for the first time.   While the babies were a bit apprehensive about meeting so many new people they all acclimated very well.  Rylin really sized each person up, but was eventually won over by my uncle Clarke.  Sydney who reserves laughter for special times erupted in giggles when my uncle Mark played with her.  Harper does not know a stranger yet and enjoyed cuddle time with whomever held him.  And Mason, well, he flashed his dimples way too many times to count.  Instead of rushing home, we fed the babies their final bottle before leaving.  George and I feared there would be dire consequences of moving sleeping babies from the van to crib.  To our surprise, the babies handled it all in stride.  Mason didn’t stir a bit and the other three were awake but went to  bed without protest.  Whew!  It was a lot of work taking the babies out for the day, but we had a lot of fun and it was much easier than previous trips with them.   We’re all looking forward to getting out and exploring more this spring and summer.  My sister and I have grandiose plans for a field trip to the zoo and a shopping excursion with two babies (we’ll take the two who took a good morning nap!).

When Rylin finally warmed up to Clarke, she smiled at him and enjoyed this little game.

When Rylin finally warmed up to Clarke, she smiled at him and enjoyed this little game. 

Props to Uncle Mark who got Sydney to chuckle.

Props to Uncle Mark who got Sydney to chuckle.

My mom's sister, Linda, with Sydney enjoying a little Baby Einstein.

My Aunt Linda and Sydney enjoyed a little Baby Einstein and cuddle.

It's so much easier feeding four babies when there are more than four adults. I don't think I fed a single baby after 11 am today.

It’s so much easier feeding four babies when there are more than four adults. I don’t think I fed a single baby after 11 am today.

Harper was enamored with his Aunt CiCi tonight. He kept touching her face and grinning even while eating.

Harper was enamored with his Aunt CiCi tonight. He kept touching her face and grinning even while eating. 

Oh yeah, we celebrated my belated birthday. My sister made this yummy s' mores cake found on Pinterest.

Oh yeah, we celebrated my belated birthday too. My sister made this yummy s’ mores cake found on Pinterest.  Oops, someone forgot birthday candles so they improvised with a tea light. 

This was cute. Grandpa sang to the babies as they waited to go back to the van.

This was cute. Grandpa sang to the babies as they waited to go back to the van.

How did you spend St. Patty’s Day?  I hope you at least wore green and if not that you were pinched.  I know I made sure to pinch everyone who forgot and that was most everyone in our family except the wee ones I dressed.

Hugs!

 

Amber

Plagiosaurus

Amber 13 Comments

While the babies were in the NICU, both Physical and Occupational Therapists worked with them on feeding and positioning.  Repositioning is critical for premature babies because they have soft heads and spend a lot of time in bed sleeping.  At one point during our NICU stay, both Sydney and Mason began developing flattened heads.  With repositioning, they both improved.

Once the babies were home, they all began receiving Occupational Therapy through Early Childhood Intervention to help address developmental delays from prematurity.  While they have all responded well to therapy, Mason’s head continued to be a concern.  Soon after coming home, we noticed he favored his right side often turning only that way and sometimes dropping his chin towards the right.  He struggled to control his head and tummy time was a feat for him.  Early on, our Occupational Therapist, Laurie, taught us a stretching regimen and showed us how to reposition him and encourage him to look left (e.g. putting favorite toys on that side, moving his mobile).  Mason showed drastic improvements after only one therapy session.  Turning left wasn’t as difficult as it once was, but he continued to favor his right side.  Laurie ramped up Mason’s stretches and we saw some gains for him.

Back in November Mason could only hold his head up in short spurts during supported tummy time.

Back in November Mason could only hold his head up in short spurts during supported tummy time.  he is on the far left with his head dropped.

To our surprise, Mason’s tight neck muscles did not hamper his motor skill development.  He compensated and remains the only baby who skillfully  rolls over both ways, changes direction, and scoots a bit.  Additionally, he uses both hands together relatively well and explores his environment with gusto.  On the downside, since he does all of these things we cannot reposition him anymore and we still observe facial asymmetry.  Laurie urged us to have Mason evaluated for Plagioephaly, which means oblique shaped head. While it does not impact cognitive development,  Laurie explained that some research suggests that asymmetry can result in poor gait and balance due to uneven ears and eyes.  If left untreated, Plagiocephaly can cause problems with glasses sitting correctly and sports helmets fitting as well.  I was also really concerned because social psychology research indicates that people prefer to look at symmetrical faces and consider them most attractive.  It breaks my heart to think that Mason could later be viewed as less attractive if his parents didn’t want to explore treatment options.  He’s much to handsome for that!

With time and therapy, Mason has no trouble holding his head up.

With time and therapy, Mason has no trouble holding his head up.

Of course when I asked our pediatrician about it at our six month check up he scoffed at the idea touting that no one has a symmetrical head.  I’m sure he’s right, no one is perfectly symmetrical.  However, Mason’s asymmetry is noticeable and there could be repercussions in the future.  Despite Dr. Knapp’s lack of concern regarding Mason’s head shape, we chose to take him to Cranial Technologies for an evaluation, which was free.

We were glad we went with our intuition and opted for the evaluation because Mason was indeed diagnosed with Plagiocephaly.  They pointed out that the back of his head looks great (thanks to therapy), but the side is uneven pushing his right cheek, ear, and eye slightly forward.  Honestly, many people probably don’t notice, but his asymmetry was considered “severe” considering measurements from one side of his head to the other.  Since he falls within the severe range, treatment is covered by insurance. which is a huge blessing because it costs $3800.  Of course insurance required a pediatrician’s prescription, but Dr. Knapp agreed once he saw the evaluation results.  (Whew!)  We are also grateful that only one of the four babies requires treatment.  Babies who are premature, multiples, sleep on their backs, and in the NICU are at the greatest risk for developing Plagiocephaly and that describes all four of them.

This week digital images were taken of his head to create a custom fitted DOC Band.  When the initial images were taken for evaluation, Mason giggled the entire time and tracked the light they showed him.  Two weeks later it was a different story.  Mason grinned and flashed his huge dimples until I handed him off to a stranger.  He wailed and blubbered the entire time  even though I was three feet away talking to him.  I think he met the “stranger danger” milestone.

Starting next week, Mason will wear his DOC Band 23 hours every day.  We will take him back to Cranial Technologies for and adjustment every other week for the next two to three months.  I know I will loathe not being able to kiss his sweet head all day long, but in the scheme of it I know it won’t be that long.  I’m also glad we are doing this now while he is too small to remember and doesn’t have the dexterity to unfasten the straps on his band.  It might even be handy as he becomes mobile bumps into furniture.

These bands are a bit clinical and frumpy looking so George is planning to paint it to look like camouflage.  If Mason’s wearing this accessory all the time, it might as well be cute as he is.  I’m affectionately referring to Mason as my “Plagiosaurus”.

From the back, Mason's head looks similar to his siblings. He once had an off center bald spot from favoring one side. As he progressed with therapy the bald spot shifted to the center, but is gone since he tummy sleeps.

From the back, Mason’s head looks similar to his siblings. He once had an off center bald spot from favoring one side. As he progressed with therapy the bald spot shifted to the center, but is gone since he tummy sleeps.

Mason is a man on the move so capturing a bird's eye view of his head was tricky. From this picture you can see where his right cheek and ear are further forward.

Mason is a man on the move so capturing a bird’s-eye view of his head was tricky. From this picture you can see where his right cheek and ear are further forward.

This is a bird's eye view of Sydney's head. Of course she stayed still for the picture so it's a better angle, but you can notice she is more symmetrical.

This is a bird’s-eye view of Sydney’s head. Of course she stayed still for the picture so it’s a better angle, but you can notice she is more symmetrical.

It is subtle, but if you look carefully, Mason's right cheek appears fuller than the left.

It is subtle, but if you look carefully, Mason’s right cheek appears fuller than the left.

If you’d like to learn more about Plagiocephaly or Cranial Technologies please visit: http://www.cranialtech.com/

We are fortunate that Cranial Technologies has a satellite office within thirty minutes from our home as we learned that many patients travel from out of state for treatment!

Hugs!

Amber