When George and I considered potential names for the babies, we mulled over them for a while. We wanted names that we thought weren’t too common nor did we want unusual ones. I had a laundry list of “NO” names due to seeing kids with particular names at work (there are names common with behavior problems, learning problems, and even particular disabilities!). We considered names that would be cute for babies and children, but could also grow with them. We wanted the chosen names to sound respectable in a board room or office. We also thought it was important for each name to be unique from the others because the quads are individuals after all. However, we wanted cohesive middle names chosen from earth elements. All of those considerations and we didn’t put any stock into the meaning of each name! In fact, I don’t think we even looked up the meanings of their names. Today the babies turned six months old and each of them has a unique personality and temperament developing. I find it funny how the meanings of their names do seem to matter after all. If we’d considered the meaning of their names beforehand, we may have ended up with Serenity, Calm, Patience, and Peace. Sure, our house would be very zen, but also boring! Instead, these are the little people who fill our home with love:

Rylin (little princess) Skye (head in the clouds)–

Rylin is our little princess no doubt. She is incredibly social and loves to coo and babble to her parents, visitors, siblings, and even some toys. She has the most adorable rasp in her voice. I just know she will have the cutest raspy voice when she starts talking. Each morning, Rylin wakes with a huge smile plastered on her face as she coos to her sister and bats her luscious eyelashes. She often brings her hands to her face as if she’s brushing hair from her eyes. Miss Rylin has a way of charming caregivers with her smiley eyes and often delays naps and bedtime. She is a dainty girl who is long and lean, but she doesn’t much enjoy physical activity. She loathes tummy time and tolerates it only if a mirror is adjacent to her. She LOVES to admire herself in a mirror as if she knows she’s pretty. She’d rather not bear weight on her legs and melts into a welcoming lap instead. Rylin loves to chatter to her siblings and smile brightly at them, even if they are disinterested. She has a streak of independence and attempts to hold her own bottle most of the time. For the most part, Rylin is a delightful little girl. However, she IS the princess in this house. When she wants something, she demands it! Rylin is known for having a piercing scream when she is hungry or bored. If you aren’t prone to migraines, Rylin can certainly help you find one. I remember when I displayed a temper as a child, my mom would say, “I hope you have a little girl just like you when you grow up.” Rylin may well be that little girl with a fierce temper!

Rylin is chatting up the other social butterfly of the family, Mason.

Who’s that pretty girl?

Harper (musical) Stone (athletic)-

Dating back to his days in the NICU, Harper has always been the most vocal of the group. He babbles “meh”, “mamamma”, and sometimes even “hi”. When he giggles there’s a little underlying snort and he crinkles his nose. He is never shy to let his needs be known, especially if he is hungry. There are many nights when Harper is protesting his nap or bedtime and we say, “Well, Harper is harping!” Just like his sister, Rylin, Harper tends to demand things he wants and wails quite loudly. He earned the nickname “Captain” early on as he tends to be the boss who sparks feeds or naps. George recently added the nickname, “Mr. Giggles” because Harper will giggle when he wakes up in the morning. Of the group, Harper is by far the strongest and largest. I would expect the most athletic also. He loves to bear weight on his legs and feet and sometimes it’s difficult to get him to sit. If I were placing bets, I would say Harper will be the first to walk. Despite his innate ability, Harper tends to avoid initiating activity and prefers to observe his siblings in action. He CAN roll over, grasp objects, push buttons, and probably even sit up. However, he often does none of these things until cajoled. He has a precious smile with a huge dimple in his right cheek, but you have to entice him to show it to you. Harper has huge dreamy eyes and luxurious eyelashes that are certain to break a few hearts.

Harper thought this table was a nifty way to stand.

Lily snuggled up with the casual observer.

Sydney (enthusiastic) Raine (helpful friend)-

Tiny Sydney is incredibly curious about everything in her surroundings. Her huge brown eyes hone in on even the tiniest of details. She was the first to notice a new lamp and crinkled her brow at it. She could track her mobile in the NICU when her vision should have been about equivalent to a bat’s. When she sees something of interest, Sydney insists on observing it even if you move her. We’ve noticed that if you turn while holding her, Sydney will turn her head and keep her eyes fixed on the thing of interest. She will make an excellent dancer or ice skater because this skill prevents dizziness while turning! Sydney has a sweet coo and smile, but often reserves them for special moments. Her favorite person to talk to is Rylin. Whenever she sees her sister, she almost always smiles and coos at her. She also enjoys interacting with her brothers, but seems especially close to her sister. Despite being so small, Sydney is surprisingly strong and seems to be in constant motion. No matter where she is, Sydney kicks her feet and flails her arms with enthusiasm. She stands with support for balance and controls her neck and head independently. She is starting to really enjoy the exercsaucer because she can stand up in it and punch buttons. We always say she’s little, but mighty! Don’t be fooled by her petite stature; Sydney has a temper too! When she’s mad, Sydney turns deep read and she wails! Unlike her bigger siblings, Sydney is calmed by a swing and neck wrap spread across her tummy. Thank goodness for that!

Sydney loves to stand, but poor baby can’t reach the floor in these standing toys.

Sydney always enjoys Elmo’s appearances more than anyone else.

Mason (reliable) River (trendy, hip)-

Mason is by far the most predictable of the group. He has an even keeled temperament and reserves his tears for good reason like a foul diaper or wicked burp. Mr. Mason is usually a happy-go-lucky little guy that melts the hearts of everyone around him. Actually, he’s been wooing others since he was only about four weeks old and my dad nicknamed him “Slick” then. He’s quite empathic to others and gets rather upset when his siblings cry, especially if they are in pain. When the others get vaccines, we have to take Mason out because he becomes distraught and almost inconsolable. While he’s smaller than his brother, he works twice as hard to accomplish physical milestones. He was the first to discover his hands and now uses both together to grab and munch toys. When he wakes up from a nap, he often puts his Wubbanub back into his own mouth! He is also the only one who can roll over front to back and back to front. Mason is almost always in a good mood and coos saying “ah ooooohhh”, especially when he awakens. We love to tickle his ribs to hear his little belly laugh and to see his huge dimples, one in each cheek. His smile is contagious! We often say the operation is possible because Mason is so easy-going and just plain happy. I don’t think we would fare half as well if we had four demanding babies.

Mason always makes good use of his two hands. Here he has a toy in one hand and Sydney’s hand in the other.

Well, I captured one of Mason’s two dimples at least.

While the babies never sleep together (I am terrified one might roll on another), I love putting them into one crib while supervised. I’ve been snapping pictures of their crib parties each month to see how they grow. By the end of the year, I doubt they will fit in a single crib!

hugs!

Amber