Blair Quadruplets
 
The Baby Report Archive
 
Tue, Mar/09/10 All: Today was Kim's last visit with Matthew and he did well and they all said bye to Kim. Matthew went to get his new glasses and did not want to wear them. We let him just deal with it until he came to a accept he that he was not going to get them back. They took a nap and he seemed to be ok with the new glasses after that. I am not sure Kristen likes the glasses yet on him. The kids and us got a visitor, the vision teacher from the school came today. We tried roast with them again and they did not eat it, but what is new with that. Cooking really is pointless when they will not try anything. I forgot to say about Nicholas and his eating of cookies yesterday. Nicholas ate half a bag of Iced Animal Crackers. He had a belly that looked pregnant. It was really funny. Surprising he did not get sick.
Mon, Mar/08/10 All: Took the dog to the vet and the kids went to play at chick-fil-a. They like the jungle gym they and since it was raining it was good fun. It was a slow day and we just enjoyed the rain.
Sat, Mar/06/10 All: We had a very busy day today. We got the kids up and dressed and then anxiously awaited our guests for a play date. I’d been trying to tell the kids the night before that we were having another set of quadruplets over to play with them but I don’t think they got it. I’ve been talking to the mom of this set of quadruplets for a while and this is the first time we have gotten together. I’ve been waiting a long time to do this because she has the reverse of what we have. She has 3 girls and 1 boy. They are about 3 months younger than our kids. At first it took some warming up. Each of the respective sibling groups stuck together. I’m sure they were thinking strength in numbers. I know Avery was very excited to see 3 girls to play with. I think she was the first one to break the ice on our side. They played inside for awhile while we waited for it to warm up and the sun to come out. We had a quick lunch which everyone did so well with. I was very impressed that the kids all ate so well together and all sat at the same table. Then we went outside to play with more toys and sidewalk chalk. It turned out to be such a nice day. The kids got along so well. I was worried that my kids might be more aggressive since these were all their toys but they did pretty well letting everyone take turns with the toys. At one point Michael said he saw one of the girls grab Andrew’s hand and off they ran to check out another part of the yard. He said it was adorable. It was fun just sitting there talking and watching all the kids batteries wear down. When it was time to leave my boys weren’t all that interested in exchanging hugs but Avery was definitely up for it. It was so cute because Avery and their boy hugged and didn’t let go of each other. I think Avery was just excited that she finally met a boy that hadn’t stolen anything from her or had been mean to her so she was holding on to him for dear life. It was SO incredibly cute. The other family left and the kids were starting to wind down and it was getting too late in the afternoon to let them take a nap so we kept them up. Avery tried to sleep on the couch and actually managed a 5 minute catnap before we caught her drooling on the couch. We ended up doing things out of order the rest of the day. We quickly threw them in the bathtub to wake them all up and get dinner started. We ate dinner and tried to get them to settle down but they played for a bit before we turned on one of their favorite shows. After it was over we sent the kids to bed MUCH earlier than we ever have and they dropped. I don’t even think they were awake another 5-10 minutes. I went up to check on them to find that they were even too tired to take their pajamas off. I’m hoping that this means we might get a long nap tomorrow because they definitely had a ton of fun today and played their hearts out. After talking, we can not wait to do this again. It was actually less stress on us to have 8 kids. Wow, did I just say that.
Fri, Mar/05/10 All: Nicholas did amazing today and dressed himself with no help. This is great and it really helps out. We are going to take the kids to the grocery store and we are getting things ready to go and it gets real quiet. We see them all sitting on the floor eating M-n-M's. They emptied a 2 pound bag on the floor and proceeded to eat most of it. So, we clean them up and get them loaded in the car and head to the store. We really hate people at times. I appreciate we are spectacle, but seriously have we all lost self restraint? The following are what we are tired of hearing. 'Are they Twins?' 'Glad it is you and not me' 'Is it easy' 'Wow that has to be a lot of work' these are just a few, but trust me that it would shock you what people say. We finally get going and try and get groceries, but people feel so inclined to ask us questions and not let us shop. We do our best to ignore them, but this has to be told. We are walking and turning the corner on an aisle and this lady is gawking so badly she walks into the shelves and sends can goods everywhere. Kristen and I made it maybe 1 aisle before we started laughing. The kids did ok. The sacker was an idiot he put the groceries in 2 baskets and then looks at us with stroller in tow and asks do you need help? Thankfully we know the manager and she helped us out. I have to question if people have just gone insane. Tomorrow will be a riot. We have the Martin Quads coming over to play.
Wed, Mar/03/10 All: Today was going along well and we played outside a lot today. We head toward dinner and the kids ask from some cereal and we let them have it no realizing they emptied the pantry and were just enjoying stomping on it all.
Tue, Mar/02/10 All: We have ECI today and spent most of yesterday cooking and putting up meals. It is really difficult to cook with 4 kids. We really could use a sitter or help on those days. We got a few meals put up in the freezer so we can try out new item on the kids. We are going to play with an interactive video game today, if daddy can get it hooked up. The kids love the guitar from guitar hero. Nicholas has decided that the trash bags we put under the booster seats should not be there and has removed them all. He can be really helpful at times. Andrew is enjoying coloring today. Avery loves Maggie beast. Matthew is working on a secret project. I think it is a new venture to drive us nuts but we will see. They are starting to enjoy Sesame Street and it is a nice change. Yesterday, The kids really tired to see just how many time outs and smacks they could get in a day and Matthew and Andrew were running and went head to head. Matthew has a nice bruise on his head. Andrew is unaffected. He has a harder head. ha-ha.
Mon, Mar/01/10 All: We have been playing outside as much as we can before it starts raining again. The kids are full of energy and testing everything. I fixed the graphics issue at the top with the bee. Kristen is working on the 3 year video. Avery climbed to the top of the stairs on the outside of the stairs. Kristen almost had a heart attack. We are getting so many funny statements out of them.

February
Fri, Feb/26/10 All: We had Matthew's neurologist appointment today. We really think he was planning to pigeon hole him. I don't think shocked really would describe the neurologist's position in the talks. He was besides himself with how good Matthew is doing and how well he is performing. We also go to see the ABR of his hearing. It was AMAZING well. He had the language of a 33 month child, up from 22 when we started. After the discussions, he wanted to cut him loose and did not see anything else to talk about. We kept an appoint for 1 year and we are keeping him on his meds till all the head banging is gone and we feel he does not need it. That should be a short time. This is a huge burden that has been eased, as we were really concerned with what we read in the neurologist's reports from the prior appointment. It seems Matthew has again, beat the monkey off his back and is stomping him to death! Go Matthew. After the appointment, which was really short we headed to look at some new glasses for him. He is getting to big for his old ones and this is something we needed to do. We looked at a lot of frames and narrowed them down to about 5 pair, but Matthew decided he wanted one pair. This is not the pair we would have picked, but he seems to really like them and since he has to wear them... In the coming week he will have new glasses that are more grown up and less a little kid. This is hard on us a bit, but who cares what we feel. We have family over this evening for birthdays and I am sure it will be a long day.
Thu, Feb/25/10 All: The kids told me HAPPY BIRTHDAY today which was the best present ever. We had fun playing and learned our ECI rep(Jackie) is expecting. You would think after seeing our mess she would have had 2nd thoughts. The dog headed to the construction site and played in the mud, so she got hosed in the yard. This will become important in a second. We are working with Jackie and she says' Outside' and that leads to a full rebellion about going out. We go out back and they find the house, well I forgot to de-pressure the hose and Nicholas sprayed me and Avery. We played for a while then went in for dinner and baths. Nicholas cut his finger and it had to have been scissors as he cut through the nail and the bottom of the finger. Blood everywhere. He loves Band-Aids so that is not too bad. I had to trim the nail back as it was just going to catch on something and he cried. He seems fine and chicks dig scars.
Wed, Feb/24/10 All: Nicholas is well and on the road to recovery. The rest are not well. Matthew has Dr. Clark on Friday and I am praying he is well enough to see him. It took 6 months to get this appointment god only know what it would take to get a moved appointment. We had ECI here today.
Sun, Feb/21/10 All: Today was one of the days, you hate as a parent. How many beatings did you do today? How often did you lose your cool? How many swear words was that? Why have they not broken the swear jar, since they have broken everything else? This leads me to what has happened. We are all getting sick now from what was brought home. Nicholas is getting better, but his cough is horrible. We are getting lunch ready and the kids decide to take out the dining room chairs from under the table that we have told them a billion times not to. I go in to find Avery pulling a chair with a broken arm. Yes, the darling little children, broke the arm off the end chair of the formal table. As they are in time out and we are trying to figure out what to do, we give up and decide to just put the chairs up to protect them. While we are doing this, we turn around to see them (all 4) swinging under the table. Picture this if you will, 4 kids hanging from the table top with their arms, bottoms swinging free, legs out in front of them, saying the words, 'Weeeeeee!' No shit really! Now that is not all folks, wait for it… The buzzer beeps on the oven and we think we are ok… Idiots that we must be. Kristen calls a friend and tells them what happened to be asked, 'Well, you did beat them with the arm of the chair right?' And I am getting the lunch ready. During this time, Nicholas takes the bag of Pizza goldfish crackers… Wait for it. We did not see him take them. He goes into the dining room under the table and pours them out onto the floor… Wait for it! They then proceed to jump on the crackers and crush them in to the carpet… At this point, they are belted into the booster seats and fed lunch. Then we get them up from naps and I take the kids outside to help Kristen get some laundry done. The 4 decided to jump on the pool cover and have a blast in the 59 degree water. Remember they are sick, don't forget that, it gets better. As they have filled the diapers with COLD pool water, I go to try and remove them. Now I have naked babies running amuck in the back yard naked as the day they were born. To which Matthew runs in the house to and is Furious he is naked and demands a diaper from Mommy. I look up while chasing the 3 to see someone looking at the house next door. I had get them back in the house and they get out a door I opened and are on the concrete area at the garage, naked don't forget, and the boys decided to have a peeing contest and proceeded to stomp on it when they were done. We wrangle them in the house and try for dinner and the door bell rings, our neighbor Mike brought some cupcakes for the kids. We are talking to him and it gets real quiet and we realize the kids went out the front door when we're not looking. Now, we have diapered and PJ kids running in the flower bed and sidewalks. We get them back in the house and you cannot image what they eat for dinner. They did not eat the goulash or bread sticks, but the vanilla pudding Kristen had made earlier for them they loved. Now that they are ready for baths and we have a treat for them bubble bath. Mr. Bubble has arrived. Avery and Nicholas loved it. Andrew and Matthew are Horrified and demand to know where is the water, 'Water, where Water!' Nicholas shows them by digging through the bubbles and really has fun with it. They decided that Nicholas is not kidding and start playing with the bubbles. A mess is not quite the word. Then we get them clean and I go to clean Matthews glasses and POP the screw comes out as I am adjusting them. Luckily, they go back together and all is well. Now time for bed and Hopefully we can shower and get the house cleaned up.
Sat, Feb/20/10 All: I have a lodge festival that I must attend and Kristen is left running the fort. I told her how I get them changed in the morning and how helpful they are and that they do the same routine every day. Nothing further from the truth could have happened. She opens the door and they run to all corners of the house. She did get them done, but a chase ensued and all was not easy. The day goes on and she has Avery on the changing table with a dirty diaper, Nicholas comes running by with Matthew's glasses and Matthew is going mental patient in the closet and hits the wall. This hit knocked out 5 nails in the sheetrock. So, what is she supposed to do when that happens? This is a rare event these days, we really done have much new banging from Matthew and his glasses really don't get taken except from Avery, which he allow. Not sure why they are so nice to each other. They have to be planning something. Now Matthew did get even at dinner with a nice bite to Nicholas and Andrew. The bite to Nicholas was bad, but Andrew must have bad Karma today. The full dental impression left on his arm of both the upper and lower teeth, did not just hurt... He was shaking for minutes before he could breathe, cry, yell or respond. Now, I would normally try to figure out what and why, but this time I have to say I am sure that somehow they wronged Matthew and he decided to resolve the issue to make a point. He did got quietly to time out and sat nicely until his time was done. This is what makes me believe it was resolution to something. I have noticed that if they are playing and go too far we get crying, as to say we are sorry or did not mean to. If they deliberately bite, hit, head butt, throw something at someone, etc. and do not cry going to time out it is a response to something the other one did. Because there is no crying or real remorse for that they did.
Fri, Feb/19/10 All: Nicholas and Andrew are not feeling well since going to Nana's and since they are not eating or drinking much and Nicholas looks horrible. Nicholas went to the Doctor to make sure he is not going to expire. The Doctor took some blood and ran some tests, to which, we have a virus that is kicking his butt. So we are going to keep his low key and resting. Like that will ever happen in this house. He has been sleeping all over the house and cranky is not quite the word that defines his mood. Nana and Bapa are here today to help out. We are hoping the other two don't get it, but are sure they will.
Wed, Feb/17/10 All: Matthew had his school evaluation today and did amazing. He loves his single stroller and the school did well. They asked for a lot of information that was none of their business and when I questioned them about why they needed it, I got back 'Fine, the father refuses to answer.' This is strange as I do not understand why a school would need a COMPLETE medical history... Please let me know if you know the answer to this one. He passed all the tests, in our opinion, and was on the ball. He drew a circle and did everything they asked. They did ask some question, like what is his favorite toy. The correct answer is obviously not, the one he has. They did not like that answer. I tried to explain that multiples don't get to have MINE like a singleton does, to which they did not understand at all. So, I am expecting he passed and does not qualify for anything. It was funny though when she asked him to put up the 6 six blocks he did and then proceeded to put the rest up and close the container. He was not amused when she took 3 more out. He looked at her and said, 'No! Clean up.' And took them and put them back in the box. We have a follow-up meeting to discuss the results in March.
Wed, Feb/17/10 All: Today is Matthew's visit to the school. This is a long appointment as he has a bunch of people to see. We have ECI here today also. Nicholas is cutting his final molars and that seems to driving his level of discontent with the world. He seems dehydrated we are trying to give him more fluids, but he just does not seem to care. Matthew broke the leg off of Avery's dolls high chair. I have another project now, YEAH. Avery wants to bounce and has demanded it in certain terms. 'Dad/Mom, I want to bounce, NOW!' With a sigh at the end, if we tell her later. Andrew is full of energy and all over the place. I think Matthew did well at the evaluation. He seemed to know everything and do everything they asked of him.
Tue, Feb/16/10 All: Avery: Chocolate is Good! You have to love when they say things like this. The kids are ok. Nicholas does not seem well. They played with the ounce house today and had a blast. Tomorrow is the School evaluation of Matthew. It is my guess he will not qualify as he is doing so well. This is something that has to be done on exiting the ECI program. Nicholas took a long nap with Mom this morning and both seemed to like it. Andrew is a hand full and really is talking up a storm. Matthew is doing well. He is working on 5 word sentences.
Sun, Feb/14/10 All: We had playtime outside and a more relaxing day waiting for the Andrew and Nicholas to return. We have not eaten well since they left. The boys arrived home around 2:30 and seemed happy to see us. They had a lot of fun playing and going places we hear. On a side note: We never had to lock a door with only 2. We had dinner and baths and general play until bedtime. This went well. We are going to have to figure out how to not let Andrew monopolize our time so much, but he has done this since birth. He had reflux/colic remember, 11 months of screaming. This should have prepared us I guess. The interaction between the kids is fun to watch. We have some new funny things from Nana's house, Coo-Coo. I forgot she had a clock like that. Nicholas does not seem to be feeling well and his color is off. This could be a lot of things so not worried yet. Baths were an experiment in water dynamics. I knew it was going bad, when Kristen's back was soaked. Yes, the slashes were going over her. Now, don't tell me to put in less water. It was only 2-3 inches as that is more than enough to make a mess. She is used to the front being wet, but for the love of God, it looked like she took a shower in her cloths. I am very happy it went well at Nana's and we are glad they enjoyed it.
Sat, Feb/13/10 All: We had no banging and they slept in. The day started amazingly easy. We took them out for some shopping and lunch. They got back packs and some sandals for summer. They are so cute, I will try and get some pictures of the backpacks. The TWINS are so easy. It was really nice to get to go out with no comments or looks. The kids did great at a few stores and lunch was going ok, until it took too long. They kids were a bit tired and lunch was late, this lead to some fussing and a rebellion to the sitting at the table. So, off we go for a nap. Oh wait, we had to run to Lowes to before home. They love the cars at Lowes. The cars are for Twins and 2 can sit with steering wheels and they love them. They were not happy about getting out of them. We headed to the house for a nap. We then played outside in the cars that they never get in, cause the other 2 will not let them. It was a lot of fun. We went to Wendy's for dinner and ate in the dining room. This was fun. They liked it and seemed to enjoy watching the cars in the drive-thru. I don't think they were in bed for 5 minutes before they were out. It seem that Andrew and Nicholas are causing banging and bedtime play or it is a combination of just 4 kids. And they were CLOTHED both nights now. The stripping seems to be related to them all being together. I don't have much to report on the others as we don't know how they are doing. It has been a fun day and Twins are so easy and fun, I can't imagine why twin moms complain so much about it being hard. It was a lot of fun to be in a 1-to-1 relationship and the quality time was really nice. It was really good to see Matthew and Avery interacting with each other as we normally don't get to really focus on them. It has been a good day.
Fri, Feb/12/10 All: Today was a hard day as we had to get ready to send 2 of the kids to Nana's for the first time. We were pushed into this decision a bit and we hope it goes well. We are sending Andrew and Nicholas. Nana only wanted 1, but we talked to ECI and a few others who felt and we agree it is too early to remove their entire support structure. Nana has decided she is taking them for the weekend. Not sure about 2 days as this seems like a long time and Kristen has never been away from any of them before. I know this will be hard on her, but no one seems bother with her feelings. I am still not sure why she could not take all 4, she will have plenty of help! The evening has ended with the Matthew and Avery crying for the other 2. They sat at the window with jackets on screaming and crying for them. We got them to watch some TV and then to bed. Not sure what tomorrow will bring or if we will get a 2 am phone call to get these NIGHTMARE kids out of her house.
Thu, Feb/11/10 All: We had eye appointments today for Matthew and Avery. These went well. Avery passed and does not need to be seen again. She did really well for Dr. Coats and did not cry. Matthew was good and passed, but has to keep his yearly appointment. We were hoping for a refinement to his prescription, but he felt it was just to early yet. We will be going to get him new frames as these are just too small. We separated them to go to the appointment. They all kept asking for each other and did not understand what was going on. This was hard as they do not understand why they all can't go.
Thu, Feb/11/10 All: Matthew and Avery had doctor visits today. They did really well going. None of them like being split up they were all screaming for the other 2. Andrew and Nicholas were not happy they left and got their coats and sat at the window for 45 minutes yelling for them. Avery did well in the elevators and only got slightly upset. She does not like them. They got to Dr. Coats office and he is such a good guy. He worked with Avery to get her to let him see her eyes. He used an application on his phone to make her laugh and she has been released. She is perfect and is free to dazzle people with her cuteness. ha-ha. Matthew did well as usual perfect. He is really ok with his eye doctor. He got a great report. His eyes are stable and does not need to be seen till next year!!! We are so happy for him. He did not get his prescription refined as he is still too young to help say what he can and can't see. We will need to get him bigger frames. It is going to hurt to see his little ones go, they are so cute. Again we are so proud we got 2 glowing reports and all is well. Upon arriving home they were mobbed by their brothers with hugs and 'You are Home!' yelling.
Wed, Feb/10/10 All: We had an ECI appointment today and the sleet made for some smiles. The kids enjoyed playing today. It is a new concept to see them play together. Avery was having a tea party. Matthew was handing out snacks to everyone. They went to bed, sorta. Tomorrow is a long day and we have Eye appointments downtown for Matthew and Avery. We are hoping for a good report.
Wed, Feb/10/10 All: We thought today was going to be a nice quiet day and for the most part it was. We were all still in our PJ’s this morning when the door bell rang. I don’t remember scheduling an ECI visit today for Matthew but the therapist was here to work with him. Talk about embarrassing!! Tonight after bath time the kids were hanging out on our bed and watching some TV. While I finished cleaning up around the tub and Michael was working on cleaning up the kitchen table, the kids discovered that Mommy and Daddy have some clothes in their dresser in our bedroom. Needless to say, before I could finish what I was doing they had unloaded 4 drawers onto the floor. I hope this doesn’t become a habit. Over the last few weeks the kids have really started actually playing together with each other. I have caught them having tea parties together. They occasionally pair off or play as a group and it is fun to watch. They are also really getting into the pretend play and dressing up and loving it. I’ve seen them sit as a group and shake each other’s hands and say “Nice to meet you” to each other and giggle. It is really cute. They have even really started to be nice about sharing. This morning they had a snack of some dried fruit and Matthew was holding the bag. He passed handfuls out to each of the other 3 twice before he even stopped to take any for himself. I really hope they have a close relationship the rest of their lives. It is so wonderful to watch moments like these when they get along, share and are sweet to one another.
Tue, Feb/09/10 All: Today was a busy day with 3 ECI appointments. We are getting to the end of ECI services and in the next few weeks the kids will be evaluated by the school district to see if they need any further services. We aren’t expecting the kids to need any help except for Matthew. He still may be watched for vision. For the last few weeks we have been using duct tape to keep the kids diapers on for nap time and night time. The kids are now requesting “tape” at most diaper changes. They even get upset if we don’t use it. I really need to start seriously working with them on potty training.
Mon, Feb/08/10 All: We decided today to get out with the kids and run some errands. Our first stop was to the bank and visit the kids’ aunt and get a few things taken care of. We then went and had lunch out. The kids were sitting like angels in their chairs waiting patiently on lunch and Michael was working on getting their drinks. I went over to the drink machine to help Michael carry the drinks back to the table and walked up to find Michael very upset. I knew someone had to have said something about the kids but he waited to tell me exactly what was said until lunch was over and we were in the car. Apparently some stupid idiot made a statement about the kids, which Michael heard, and the guy didn’t realize that Michael was their father. He said “what a freak show but it HAS to be easier raising 4 at the same time than one at a time”. I mean SERIOUSLY!?!?! I am sure freak show has been used by someone when seeing the kids before but at least I haven’t heard someone actually say it. I’m actually proud of Michael for maintaining as much composure as he did with the guy because I might have had to give him a piece of my mind. I just don’t understand how people can label other people when it is something that can’t be changed. My kids didn’t do ANYTHING to be labeled a freak show except be born together and I’m sure in 10 years if you ask them they would tell you they would have rather been born 1 at a time. Ok…enough of my soap box, but I can’t feel bad for what my kids will have to endure in the years to come because of idiots that can’t keep their mouths shut. After lunch we were on the way home but decided to make a quick stop at the grocery store. We didn’t actually need anything so it was a good time to take the kids just to see a grocery store. They had fun riding in the shopping carts and labeling everything in the store they knew. They were so proud of themselves. On the way home the kids were almost asleep so we quickly put them down for a nap when we got home. After nap we ate dinner and played with the kids. We had a nice visit from an old high school friend if Michael’s and her daughter. They came to play with the kids and the kids loved them!! It was a busy day but I think the kids had fun.
Sat, Feb/06/10 All: Today was the first day in weeks that we finally saw sun and it wasn’t terribly cold so we took the kids out to play as much as possible. They were really happy to be outside. They played with toys on the driveway while Michael and I tried to go thru things that had been collecting in the garage and either get rid of them or put them away. We put them down for a short nap in an effort to take advantage of all the outside time we could.
Wed, Feb/03/10 All: Today we had ECI for Matthew. The kids were cranky from being stuck inside with the rainy weather. We gave baths tonight and one of the kids cousins came over to visit. I think the kids had fun. Matthew was the first one out of the bath and was happily camped out in her lap watching TV. He is running a low fever but no other symptoms.
Tue, Feb/02/10 All: Well, today was one of those days. Kristen had to get a hair cut and the kids were in a place that can only be described as the padded room. They are so interested in what is going on it is wild. The kids like to learn new stuff upon the destruction of the old. The boys have decided to play with cars and Avery was watching TV. One boy decided to change channel, well Avery took it upon herself remind the boys who was really in-charge. I can only say, I tried not to laugh. We have to work on them to stop throwing things. This is getting dangerous and destructive. We had Sloppy Joes for dinner with pears, Doritos, cheese, and bananas with a peanut butter cookie. They did not each much of it. Matthew eat the Joe, we really love his willingness to eat. Nicholas ate nothing as usual. Andrew picked at it. Avery did the same. We have been trying to get them to do more like putting up toys and helping us with things. This is going well. The duct-Tape is working well.

January
Thu, Jan/28/10 All: The words and ability to communicate, these are the things we are dealing with. Matthew.... NO! Purple Cup. Avery... I said Babies! No Robots as the boys are yelling ROBOTS! Andrew is just full of language. Nicholas is really our quiet on. I have made a rule that I will not give cookies to Naked babies. This may sound strange, but the kids seemed to understand and all went and got there cloths. Naps ended with 3 naked babies and 2 bed changes and a few spots on the floor. We put up some posters for the kids and they really like them. They are of fruits and words we need them to learn. They love flash cards and really seem to have a good memory for things. Nicholas was cookie master today and did an amazing job sharing cookies and making sure everyone got a few. He is really good with this.
Wed, Jan/27/10 All: The disembowelment of Matthew's dog. During the night or early morning there was an incident with Matthew's beloved dog. He met a horrific fate. He was disemboweled all over the room. There was stuffing as far as the room would allow. His head was all that had anything left. Matthew is not in a good place today and really seems offended and hurt. He is carrying around the empty shell like he has lost a friend. It is really sad. On Friday, we will take him back to the build-a-bear store and see if they will restuff him. We wondered if today was a full moon. We had appointments all day and the kids were completely mental.
Sun, Jan/24/10 All: Today ended with an amazing shock. Terri stopped by and she was looking at the potties we tried last night and notices it was not empty. This was a shock to us as we did not notice. Ok look we are tired and we missed it. We were in a bit of shock that someone went and we missed it. Last night at bath time, we pulled out the potty and let them try it as we know they would pee in the tub once they get in. Insert a Joke here :) We are excited and shocked we missed it. Well, tonight we pulled out the potties to assemble them and as we were changing diapers for bed we let them try it again. Andrew, Avery and Nicholas love it. They got right on them like pros! Matthew is not there yet and that is ok. Andrew with a big smile fills the potty!!! Then Avery!!! Nicholas tried and sat there for a good bit, but was just not able. Too much pressure I guess. We are so proud at the success, but then our stupidity set in. We just had them in the living room as we were assembling them... It just kind of happened. Now we have 3 naked kids and 2 full potties... Now what do we do... Kristen gave me diapers, I did not realize this and that lead to them getting up and starting to look at what they did. Why does a baby want to step in the potty? Really why? Andrew and Avery now have wet feet and this is not something I was prepared for. Kristen comes running with towels and I go pick up the potties to get them to the tile. Ok, please note the following expletives were said.... As the potty came apart and splashed all over the living room and me. Kristen and I will be up late cleaning the carpet. I am sure this will never happen again. We are amazed at how Andrew and Avery and Nicholas are taking to the idea. We will introduce it again this week and start full tilt this weekend if all goes well. Any tips?
Sat, Jan/23/10 All: Naked naps. This lead to bed changes and baths. Nicholas likes his PJs and is hard to get to part with them. Matthew, Andrew and Avery were naked as the day they were born. Andrew broke a vase today and forced us to put up even more items. At this rate it will be folding chairs and concrete tables. We tried some underwear with them for dinner as they were going to bath anyway. They loved them, but had accidents, only No. 1. We have started working with them on greetings, 'Nice to see meet you.' Matthew has a huge bump on his head. He or someone pulled a blind down off the wall and it hit hard! He did really well, he came to us and told us what was wrong and that he was hurting. This is a major step for him as we are not used to seeing this. We are very proud of him. Nicholas is better, we are concerned as he never eats and seems to hate milk. We have been working with him and Gatorade. That seems to help a bit. Andrew is a real piece of work right now. I would like to be nice and say something, but he is really testing us, I don't think his hiney and brain talk at all. Avery is talking up a storm and is a real opinionated child. When she wants you to come and do something, by God you had better. She will pull your hand until you go where ever she has in mind. The issue is really figuring out what/why she wants you where you are. She wanted dad to watch them jump off the desk today. Now, let's ignore the fact of them jumping off the desk, but after 10-15 minutes, one would think it would be ok to leave and go back to what you were doing, nope!
Fri, Jan/22/10 All: Hair Cuts! Hair Cuts! Hair Cuts! They all did well, Avery did the best. Nicholas still does not like the idea. They look so much better. Thank you Kim for all the work. Took the kids to play in the yard while Kristen got some alone time in the house. She got 1 project done and this is a good thing. We seem to have more things to do than time.
Wed, Jan/20/10 All: ECI was here today. The kids really love Jackie. Time out is really working and we can now tell them to go and they go on their own. This has also almost stopped them hitting each other. I would love to know why the kids will only eat what you are eating and not if we give them the same on their plates. We have them shaking hands and saying, 'Nice to meet you.'. It is funny to see them doing this. Matthew has been a real chatter box. Andrew has been testing boundaries. Nicholas is really being helpful with anything. Avery has been stripping out of her clothes when and where ever she decides.
Mon, Jan/18/10 All: The kids took the dog for a walk today and did really well. They held on to her leash ( 2 put together to make 1 long one) and walked holding it. It was promising as they seemed to like it and be ok with it. It is something we will try again. The only issue was when we got to a street crossing and bailey stopped and waited then took off across the street. The kids were not really ready for her to go and she knocked over 3 out of the 4. This lead to some crying and then Avery started off down the street on her own. I am glad we don't have a lot of traffic on the streets near us or it would be harder to try stuff like this. We went to Chick-fil-a for dinner and it went ok, but they all seemed to have ants in their pants. It was a strange evening as we got everything done early, so we turned in and tried to get some sleep.
Sat, Jan/16/10 All: We forgot Matthew's medication last night and he did really well today. Much more talkative and happier it seems. Andrew was not really ok with it. Andrew seems to have taken the leadership role, until Matthew is not on his medication. Andrew has been a bit of a bully and Matthew just takes it. Well, that was until today. Andrew decided to push Matthew a bit and got a real butt kicking. It was really funny, to be honest, to watch Andrew trying to figure out how to deal with it. It was nice to see the happy Matthew back. He did really well. They all opened a door and were playing in the rain today before we noticed. We forgot a door lock and they found it and out in their pajamas they were. So we had a quick outfit change and some lunch. Baths were funny tonight. We got them all to hold hands. We are working on this to get them to hold each other's hands and we are making some head way. This is not something we really thought about teaching them, but needed to. We had a nice hug fest and I topple over. A topple over is when the hugger attacks the huggie. The Huggie gets all with weight of the hugger and over they go with a great giggle. We need to get a sign that says will work for candy corn. When we ask them to do something and they do it correctly we reward it. This seems to really work for them. Well tonight it was candy corn. Don't judge! It was going well and Nicholas realized if he cleaned up the ones closes to me he got more candy! He made out like a bandit. The others did well to.
Thu, Jan/14/10 All: Had lodge tonight and Kristen had fun with the lunatics. Today was Avery's day to eat meat. We have notices she really only eats meat 1 day a week and she eats a lot of it. She will eat all the chicken she can get. This is great until she starts eating the other kids food. And why is it that a kid never wants what is on the plate until some eats it, grabs it, or you take it away.
Wed, Jan/13/10 All: Today was a interesting day of words with the kids. Avery decided my chair was hers and proceeded to tell me, 'No Daddy, My chair, no sit mine.' It was a riot she kept repeating it. Matthew likes to listen to music and will walk into and say 'Dance, Dance, Dance.' Stand there nicely and look at you. Then he proceeds to sit on the couch and watch Nicholas dance. Nicholas likes to dance. We make it to dinner and Andrew is not sitting well in the chair. He has started rocking in it. We have been working on this. He rocked too much and fell back, with a mighty boom. He cracked the faceplate and wall with his head. Sad it did not leave a scar. I really think he needs it. I know this seem hard, but Andrew can be a bit trying at times. He is real smart and that can cause him to get into issues. It has been a long day.
Tue, Jan/12/10 All: Matthew is standing at the top of the stairs, He yells 'Newspaper' and throws a dirty diaper down to Nicholas who takes it and throws it in the trash can. They must be up to something! This is our new morning ritual. I change them and they do the rest. We are really working on the helping us now. Andrew decided to move the furniture and get to the dish holding decorative balls and play lets smash them. The first one shattered and we put an end to it then. ECI was today. We have to think of Yeats at a time like this. "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world," This is really how life is for us. Nicholas decided to play with the pump soap.... But his hands are really clean. Poor Bailey got locked in my office, she seems to really have enjoyed the nap. ha-ha.
Fri, Jan/08/10 All: We are working on something or talking and we hear a crash. The sound of glass and a thunk. Yes, it is not something like a tree or window. The dining room light fixture just came crashing down onto the dining room table. Amazingly the center piece kept it from damaging to table. Now, all 4 kids were running for the hill and we cannot point the finger to them. The bracket is loose in the ceiling. Now I have a huge light fixture hanging from the ceiling and a wife trying to hold it up. We get it unwired from the ceiling and into the study and the door locked as little hands seem to like new things to play with. We are now left with that do we do? We are doing baths early today as it is so cold and the kids are a bit mental today. Matthew tried pinto beans last night and really liked them, he also like my leftover pot roast sandwich I was eating. He is such a good eater. Avery loved cookie dough. Surprising Nicholas does not, he will not even try it. Andrew eats when he wants. They loved having the big ladder to climb on today.
Fri, Jan/08/10 All: Final total today was 7-0. 7 points to the kids and 0 for us. Let me break this down.

1. Kids and/or God drop the chandler onto the dining room table. Crash and 4 kids are running.
Distracter: None. All involved

2. Kids open all storage boxes and find crayons. The proceed to color on the table and walls. They are caught sitting nicely at the table coloring on it. Avery, Andrew and Matthew are involved.
Distracter: Nicholas.

3. Kids get into bathroom unroll the TP everywhere and get caught with 1 roll each in hand ready to take it to a new level of mess.
Distracter: Avery.

4. Kids untie the refrigerator and proceed to unload it. We have had to take rope and tie the fridge shut. They like to watch the light go on and off. What great fun. Nicholas, Andrew and Avery come bringing us Juice Boxes.
Distracter: Matthew.

5. Swifter wet mop is sprayed all over carpet. Nicholas after baths decided to clean the kitchen and decides to mop the floor, carpet and couch. He empties a 64 ounce container of cleaning solution. He is caught smiling and the other are giggling at how fun this is. Look at me I am helping.
Distracter: Bath Time.

6. The kids empty the drawers all over kitchen and living room. Matthew and Andrew proceed to throw everything everywhere
Distracter: Avery and Nicholas.

7. The kids take the wicker baskets and proceed to send them to the dump in very small pieces. They stand, jump and climb on them. Andrew and Nicholas and Avery are involved.
Distracter: Matthew.

Mon, Jan/04/10 All: Today was a busy day. I had to take Matthew to the eye glass place to get a new pair of frames. Yesterday, he had some help breaking his frames and we had to duct tape them so they would get us by. I was sad because the last time we got his frames replaced they said they weren’t making them anymore and I had really wanted to keep these glasses for him when he grew up. To my surprise when we got to the place and I told the lady I was sad, but she shocked me because she happened to have another identical set of frames for him. We hopefully only have to make this pair last another 6 weeks. I will be taking Matthew and Avery back to the ophthalmologist in early February and I think the plan is to see if we can refine his prescription some more. He definitely needs new lenses. We got home after a quick stop at Target and ate some lunch. It was cold but at least sunny outside so we let the kids out on the driveway to play with their new big wheels. They played while Michael and I drug the Christmas tree out of the house for trash pickup tomorrow. They happened to get into the garage and pull out the cozy cupe cars we have and Nicholas and Andrew claimed them. Poor Matthew wanted a turn in one of them but the other 2 wouldn’t hear of it. After trying to convince one of them to share with Matthew and having no success, I told them they had to quit playing outside and go in if they weren’t going to share then no one could play with them. They definitely weren’t happy with that idea but I’m at a loss of what to do to get these guys to share with one another. We put the kids down for a nap only to have it interrupted by the dog barking. With their nap cut short they definitely weren’t in the best mood. We tried to feed them dinner but they weren’t interested in most of what we made for dinner. The kids however did need to be cleaned up after eating but Andrew had gotten down from the table and went to play. I had asked for Andrew to come get cleaned up but he already has selective hearing and decided he would just keep playing. I notice a minute later that Andrew is screaming and crying. I look over to see Nicholas and Avery dragging him over to me to be cleaned up. Matthew even got in on helping towards the end. Michael left for lodge and the kids played. It was then time to get diapers changed and pj’s on. Everyone except Andrew happily got out of their clothes and ran around the house like lunatics in diapers. I convinced Nicholas to finally get dressed followed by Matthew. Then I had Andrew bring over a tiny black dog stuffed animal and give it to me. He then called it Jetta which happens to be one of my mom’s black dogs. This is shortly followed by Nicholas bringing me a white stuffed animal and calling it Kirby which is one of my mom’s white dogs. I was shocked at the connection the kids made. Nicholas decided it was time for Avery to get her pjs on so he grabbed her by the wrist and tried to drag her over to me all the while saying “Avery, time to get pjs on” and “go to Mama”. Avery likes to be as naked as possible so getting pj’s on isn’t what she had in mind. She fought him and finally got free and ran away giggling. Nicholas, however, crumpled to the floor crying because Avery didn’t follow his directions. The kids were pretty good about going to bed. I think they definitely try to push the limits when both of us are here to put them to bed but when it is just me they go easy on me. We have a big week of appointments ahead of us and trying to get back into the swing of everyday life after Christmas.
Sun, Jan/03/10 All: Finished the removal of all the Christmas decorations from the house and the kids helped in their own way. They seem to be better with it today as it is not the tree. They sure were frond of the tree. Somehow or some who broke Matthew's glasses. I mean BROKE. the frame, bow and lens do not share a common component anymore. So, out comes the duct tape and I make a patch. Matthew really likes his glasses and was happy with them back, but not sure out the craftsmanship.
Sat, Jan/02/10 All: Today is one of those days, the kids decided to jump on every nerve and excelled beyond their expectations. We got about half of Christmas dealt with. The Christmas Tree; O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum how I will miss you O Tannenbaum, says poor Andrew, How I will miss turning on thy lights. He would run to the spot where the light clicker was kept and turn it on every morning. No, Hi or good morning, it was Tree lights On! He was really a gasp when the clicker was gone and tree was 'NAKED'. Matthew and Andrew stood around looking put off and then went about their day. It was amazing to see how they got attached to items.
Fri, Jan/01/10 All: Happy New Year! Today, Nana came over to take the kids for a nice long walk and really wore them out nicely. She had fun and the kids did also. We got some more storage item to try and help teach the kids to pick-up and understand they need to help. They decided to hit each other with the tubs. Is it wrong to laugh?

December
Thu, Dec/31/09 All: New Years eve. We opened some party hats and noise makes sat around and played. Avery like 'Robots' and 'Rabbits'. Robots eludes to a show called Futurama, while Rabbits is a Wii game she loves. We tried the kids out with Guitar Hero... well the guitar. They like it, but Matthew and Nicholas get the idea of how to do it. They tried to jam, but it was too cute all the same. I have some good pictures to post.
Wed, Dec/30/09 All: Dress up day. If they could put it on and wear it, change into it or swap it with something else they did. They spend most of the day wear shoes and hats with jackets and pants, a glove and socks. They really seemed to have fun just being silly today.
Tue, Dec/29/09 All: We are working with them on helping more to do basic things. Like put this in the sink or go put that in the closet. They are doing well with this and getting better every day. It is hard for them as the other tend to side track them. Nicholas by far is best helper. They all love balloons, but who does not. Anyhow, this turned into the Balloon static day. The humidity is really low and the balloons make their hair stand up. It was a riot. The hair was everywhere. Poor Avery. She looks like she is touching an outlet. She has so much static her noise hair was standing on end. The photo will make you laugh so hard. She will hate us for it later. We play with the balloons a lot and they seem to have favorites once they are blown up. They look all the colors over and make a choice. Andrew had a small accident with one balloon they sent the pack running for cover. They do not understand that some item cannot be fixed.
Mon, Dec/28/09 All: The kids are getting better after all the holidays and playing with the new toys. They are still cranky and not eating well. We think Avery and Nicholas have the final teeth coming in. Or they just don't want to eat what we are serving. They marched to bed like angels and went to sleep with no issues. This was a nice treat for Kristen.
Sun, Dec/27/09 All: Today, was like no other, well for Quads that is. The yelling, pushing, screaming is only something Steven King could appreciate. The idea of tired and cranky is lost on this scene. It is more a scene of mental patients that have found the sugar jar next to the spray paint. If you don't under that, sorry it a mental picture only a few of us can understand, including Mrs. Metzer. We are trying to pick up and organize today. Kristen has taken the roll as Zookeeper and while I try and put stuff in some order. We traded roles at lunch. If you can call it lunch. They took a good nap today and then OPENED the outside door. They tried to flood the house with the garden hose. Glad they don't understand how the faucet works. They pulled the house and played with it. Yes, it is cold and they did get their hats and jackets out on their own. So, It was hard not to laugh at kids in footed PJs with coats and hats on pulling a garden hose into the house. All this was going on as Kristen was changing their beds. We then ate dinner. Dinner was ok, not great, but the kids did try the Watergate salad. Matthew and Avery seemed to like it. We did a good job getting the house back in some order, and the kids went down easy tonight. I am hoping tomorrow will dawn a new happier day. Come on 7.... Who wants to bet it will be a 1. ha-ha.
Sat, Dec/26/09 All: We run to the store to get milk and a few items for the week. The kids are playing and went for a nice walk with Nana and Cheryl. They did not nap today and boy did we pay. They are playing with the toys and really having fun. We opened the sit and spin they got. We had to think about how does one teach a child to spin..? This is an interesting concept. The kids had to learn to sit, lock their legs, hand over hand turn and then get the result of a spin. This was a great laugh for us as they spin and go flying off or fall over. They all did very well and want to use it on the couch, but we don't allow this the fall is too far. They do like it and I am sure they will get better at it. The house is a bomb site and the kids are in need some serious down time. We hope to get that tomorrow.
Fri, Dec/25/09 All: Merry Christmas! Yes, the kids woke to a visit from Santa. He must not be paying the elves well this year! They did not understand why we needed them to come down the front stairs as they are accustom to using to the back stairs that lead directly to the table. We made them wait to all come down together and this also was strange to them as they are used to a change the diaper and run for breakfast. They are coming down the stairs when I remember I left the room with the tree open, so I run to close and lock that door. Andrew is horrified that the door is closed. He really wanted some of that tree. He melts down and does not want to go any further. Nicholas ran by Santa and went for breakfast. Matthew went for it and was really happy. Avery stayed with Andrew trying to help him. Let us start with stockings. They had a few item in there stockings. Nicholas was the only one that got the idea of a stocking, but that is not a surprise as he likes to put items in containers. We then get to big Santa gifts. Santa brought 4 big wheels. They played with the big wheels. These are ok, but took 3 hours to put together all 4. Let's say 4 big wheels in the house is not a bother, but more a pain in the back side, heels, feet, legs.... Chins, don't forget the chins. Well, I think you get the idea. Then we have to take the big wheels away and try to get some breakfast in them. Bad idea. The next order of business is to try and open presents. Avery tore off every piece of wrapping paper and handed it to us. The only one that understood to ripe it with no regard was Nicholas and Andrew. Matthew and Avery were very methodical about removing the paper. I think it was more, 'Am I going to get in trouble for doing this...? Are you sure? I am not sure you understand... I think this should be something you yell at me for...!' Matthew got a rain stick, Andrew got a car, Nicholas got a tickle me Elmo hands and Avery got a doll with gear. They really enjoyed it all, but I have to talk about Nicholas's experience with the hands. They talk and vibrate, they are bright red and like gloves. He loves gloves and we thought this was something he would love. He did, until they started to vibrate.... I have never seen a toy be launched so fast in my life. He freaked out. He is not sure about them, but I am sure he will with time. It has been a long day and the kids are tired. They did not eat well today and the schedule is shot. I think it was a good Christmas and we hope yours was as well.
Thu, Dec/24/09 All: Santa has arrived and delivered his load. He has brought some amazing stuff for the kids, I guess he did not check his that close this year. Tomorrow will be a long day and I am sure the kids will be exhausted. I plan to get some photos loaded. I did not realize I had forgotten that. The kids did well today. Avery is a bit under the weather. Not quite herself and color is not good. The kids did not get much sleep today, so that might account for the CRANKY TOODLERS we have. The wind here was amazing today. It is going to be a COLD Christmas Morning with the family. I like cold on Christmas!
Tue, Dec/22/09 All: Took the kids to the park before it rained and went to see the Duggan quads. We had fun and the kids did well. They are getting so much better climbing all the equipment. It never stops to amaze us how far they have come. Yep, they did manage to find the mud. Then they announced to us they required Chicken Nuggets. This was funny as it was Noon according the clock. I guess little tummies do realize food over play time. We had a nice nap and got some wrapping done. We had baths and general mayhem for the rest of the evening. I sure will be glad when we have new toys to play with.
Sun, Dec/20/09 All: Today went well. We had some fun and kids did really well. The kids ate well and tried a few new things. They tried Bananas Fosters. Not sure they like it, but did not say YUCK! We had some good time running and playing in the sunshine today. Got a few presents wrapped. They kids can be really helpful putting stuff up as long as they wish. They seem to get side tracked. Avery had an experience with a spider. It crawled across her blanket. I picked it up and dealt with it. Well, she will no longer take the blanket and it took 10 minutes to get her back in the room. She is so her mother. It is the first spider we have seen in a long time in side. It was a little one to, but she is not amused. So I am sure tomorrow she will have forgotten and all we will be well. Leslie brought over some presents for Christmas and put them under the tree. The door was still open and Matthew and Andrew sat down and took a present and were looking at each other when I rounded the corner. I am sure that 10 - 15 seconds more and it would have been ALL hand a flying! They seemed a bit upset, ha-ha, no really really upset. Matthew is easy to bribe with a cook and he moves on, now Andrew is a tough sell.
Sat, Dec/19/09 All: Today was a very busy day. We will be gone at least half the day tomorrow to celebrate Nana’s birthday so I needed to get what I normally do on Sundays at least started today. The kids played inside this morning because it was too cold to be out again. After nap time Michael said he would be happy to take them outside to play since it had warmed up a bit and give me some peace to finish up some stuff around the house. I managed to get all the laundry done, everyone’s bed changed, some ironing and dinner started. I had bought some strawberries at the grocery store when I was there and the kids haven’t seen them in a while so that was part of dinner tonight. Avery and Matthew plowed thru them and asked for more. They basically ate Nicholas’s and Andrew’s strawberries because they weren’t eating them. Nicholas and Andrew did however proceed to complain loudly about them being taken even though they weren’t going to eat them. Dinner seems to be our toughest meal when it comes to the kids being picky. We had another hug fest in the bath tub tonight but this time it involved all 4 of them. So cute!!! They are also starting to walk around and sing songs like the ABC song or Twinkle Twinkle. It is very sweet to watch/listen to them. I just can't believe that Christmas is less than a week away!
Fri, Dec/18/09 All: Nana and Boppa were here taking care of the kids today so we could get the remainder of our Christmas shopping done. It ended up being a nice day and the sun came out so Nana took the kids for 2 walks and playing outside. I think they really enjoyed it. I think it has been mentioned before that the kids are starting to be helpful and if they finish a snack package of this or that they with either bring it to us or actually go throw it away on their own. They are also noticing where things are kept in the house and even on rare occasions putting them back for us. Most of the time it is Nicholas that puts stuff back but tonight it was Matthew. Without being asked he saw the baby wipe container just sitting on the floor of the family room and he decided to pick it up and put it back on the changing table. We were SO excited. We have been trying to get really excited when the kids do something to help us in the hopes that they keep helping. Any little bit helps at the end of the day. The kids were so tired after being outside and going for a walk they really didn’t fight going to bed tonight.
Thu, Dec/17/09 All: ECI was supposed to come today but we got a call from the therapist asking if it was ok if she cancelled her appointment. She had been in 3 houses the previous day all with sick children and wasn’t feeling her absolute best. I was more than happy to cancel especially being so close to Christmas I’d rather not be nursing 4 sick kids the week before Christmas with everything we still need to do. We took advantage of the morning and got the kids dressed and loaded in the car to deliver some Christmas cookies. We stopped for some lunch before coming home. The kids do wonderful at lunch time when we take them out to eat. The manager of the restaurant couldn’t believe how clean under the table still was when we were done. She said she has seen adults messier than that. I think it was more that the kids were actually hungry. We had been hoping for a break in the weather but didn’t get it. It has been raining/cloudy/cold for the last 2 weeks or so and the kids would love to get outside. Hopefully tomorrow will be a nicer day and the kids can get outside.
Wed, Dec/16/09 All: Speech therapy was here working with Matthew. She is very pleased with his progress. I don’t know if we mentioned at her last visit she feels that Matthew has come so far in such a few short months that if she had to evaluate him again he more than likely would not qualify for services. He still has a little way to go to catch up with the other 3 but he is doing well. The other kids are doing well. They keep amazing us every day at the things they think up and do. Tonight was a bath night and normally I’m trying to dodge however unsuccessfully all the splashing going on in the tub. We had gotten Matthew out of the tub and were getting Nicholas dressed when I happened to look over in the tub to catch a really cute sight. Andrew and Avery were exchanging hugs. Andrew outweighs Avery by about 3 pounds now so when they would hug he basically would lean in and knock Avery over. They would fall into the water and start giggling and then get up and do it all again. At one point Andrew asked Avery for a kiss to which she presented him with her cheek. Not what Andrew had in mind since he thinks all kisses right now are supposed to be on the lips.
Tue, Dec/15/09 All: Matthew’s vision teacher was here today. I got a chance to discuss what the diagnostician from the school district had to say. The vision teacher thinks Matthew is doing wonderful. She didn’t seem to think Matthew would have any trouble in school aside from wearing glasses. Both teachers Matthew has had and the original evaluator all are amazed considering what Matthew has been thru with his eyes just how intact is vision is. Matthew is one of the best cases they have seen as far as amount of vision saved. Matthew will be going thru another eye evaluation in March along with the other evaluations. Unless something comes up we may be basically done with vision help. The tentative plan as it stands right now if the evaluation goes right the teacher doesn’t want to close his file because she said it is difficult to get it reopened. What she would like to do is basically just suspend services for Matthew and just check in on him about every 9 weeks or so just to make sure nothing has changed.
Mon, Dec/14/09 All: We tried to get the kids to play nice today and well it went ok. They are talking so much and it is amazing the combinations that come out and what they say. ECI was here today. We have appointments all week. We got some Christmas cards out and I am sure we will get finished with them sometime. We are getting 4-5 word sentences. They are helping out so much. They will take things to where they need to go and will try to help. Nicholas is a real helper. Matthew is really coming along with helping. Andrew was not in a helpful mood today. Avery was hit and miss.
Sun, Dec/13/09 All: Doughnuts, Screaming kids, Laundry, Screaming kids, Cookies, Screaming kids, Food, Screaming kids, Baths, Screaming kids.... Rinse repeat. It is a day to say the least. We have moved to a grazing type of meal. I hate it. We let the kids eat ALL DAY. They are constantly eating and it like a nothing I have ever seen. The constant sound of crunching is horrible. The dog will no longer eat cheerios, apple jacks or fruit loops, or Gold Fish... She has had her fill and will look at them and walk by. We are having good success with them. They seem to be back on weight gain. We have had a lot of slide on weight since the move from bottles and high chairs. They still do not eat meals, like we would like. They do not want to eat what is on the plate, but will eat what is in your hard. This is fine, if you are not sitting with Matthew and Andrew. The bite they take will reduce your waist line! We hope to get some more cookies baked and if possible some gifts wrapped. We have so much to do before the holidays it is not funny.
Sat, Dec/12/09 All: Today, Nicholas opened the back door to let the dog in. I asked him to in jest, but he really did it. That puts us at a weird place, and makes all door locks mandatory now. We tried to get some cookies baked today. It is really hard to do that kind of stuff with all them around. Andrew's night light came in today! Amazon did some really fast shipping! We are thinking Andrew might be afraid of the dark. I cannot imagine why; 3 others in the room making noises in the dark.... I think I would like a light to! He was really pleased at bed time with it. It is 1am and I think we have some cookies made. Tomorrow will be another long day.
Fri, Dec/11/09 All: Nana and Bapa came today to let us try and get some Christmas shopping. Wish they could have stayed longer. We only got about 1/2 done.
Thu, Dec/10/09 All: The School came out today to talk to us about what they could offer and what we are going to do with the transition from ECI to school. We were expecting more to be honest. We have 4 appointments in March to see if they qualify for anything. I do not think they will, as the lady was a shocked at how good they were doing. I am not sure what people expect? Monkeys or drooling? They are going great.
Wed, Dec/09/09 All: Crown and ECI today. So it was long day.
Mon, Dec/07/09 All: After a fairly quiet weekend of Christmas baking and playing with the kids, we had quite the eventful Monday. I hope this isn’t a sign of things to come this week. The kids have honestly been doing better about following directions. They have even, for example, on their own thrown away the wrappers from snack size packages of goldfish crackers without being asked because they know that is what they are supposed to do. We decided since the kids had been good and because we really didn’t want to cook dinner we would go out and grab something to eat. Dinner went ok but not as well as the kids normally do if we take them out at lunch. Andrew was our big eater at dinner and just kept packing the food in. He seems to do that before he hits a growth spurt. I don’t even want to think about all the food he will go thru when he becomes a teenager. We got back in the car and were going to run by the grocery store to pick up a few items that we ran out of when baking this weekend. I stayed in the car with the kids because it was raining and Michael went in to the store. The first store didn’t have what we were looking for so we were off to the next store. Again, I stayed in the car with the kids and Michael went in to the store. He came out with most of what we needed except for 1 item. We were also trying to waste some time for people to get home because we wanted to drive around and look at Christmas lights. We thought we could quickly check one last grocery store before giving up and heading home. This is where the whole evening began falling apart. We just get to the grocery store parking lot when I hear Andrew behind me coughing. I didn’t think much of it and thought maybe he might be getting another cold. Then Andrew began crying and we turn around to see him start to throw up. I stopped the van and Michael jumped out and ran to the back to grab a roll of paper towels we have back there to start cleaning him up. Well he just kept throwing up and throwing up. He was so upset. I think he emptied his entire stomach. We decide he needed to get home immediately so we can get him cleaned up and in clean clothes. We get home and Michael unbuckled all the kids out of their car seats and sent them into the house. I ran in the house to get towels, clothes and diapers for Andrew so I could put him in the tub to clean him up. Michael got him out of his clothes and brought him into the bathroom. Then Michael went outside to the car to pull out the car seat and start washing it out. I am trying to give Andrew a quick bath but all he can do is cry that he wants his shirt and pants back and I’m sure he didn’t understand why he was the only one in the tub. The other 3 were completely up to NO good at this point. Michael came in to find that the kids had dumped out Bailey’s water bowl all over the kitchen and were basically swimming in all the water. That, in and of itself, would have been bad enough but we weren’t done yet. They took Bailey’s food bowl, dropped it and it smashed into pieces everywhere. Matthew ended up with a cut on his finger but nothing major thankfully. It was good that everyone needed to be changed into their pajamas because all their clothes were wet except for Andrew. We gave Andrew some crackers to settle his stomach. I don’t know if he was just too full or if he will be the one to get car sick. We watched a bit of Mickey Mouse Christmas and then the kids were off to bed. I hope tomorrow is better. We have a busy week coming up with lots of appointments and a meeting with the school district about what needs the kids might still have since the kids will graduate from the ECI program by their 3rd birthday.
Fri, Dec/04/09 All: 2 inches and counting. The kids like it RAINING SNOW. That is what they called it. Matthew slipped and did not like the cold snow in the face. Andrew will move to the snow belt. He loves it. Avery and Nicholas played and ran in it. Avery like hearing the flowers crunch under the snow. We took some Pictures I hope to get up today. We will go back out in the snow once everyone warms up. I made some Snow Ice Cream for the kids. It reminds me of my childhood. Avery loved it, the boys were ok with it.
Thu, Dec/03/09 All: It has been a good day. They made a whole in the wall yesterday, again. They basically ate all day long. They were asking us for food, so we let them have some and they just never stopped all day. They ate lunch and dinner. So, let's all pray the eating bug is back. We got the tree finished today. We are all excited when they kids see the tree and go OOOOHHH and WOW or Pretty Lights. These things make us smile. We are expecting SNOW tomorrow and are very excited to let them see and play in it. Yes, it is not Minnesota, but for Texas it is amazing. Nicholas amazes me with his mechanical abilities. Nana got a train for the tree, and Nicholas has figured out to make it go you have to plug the coal car into the engine. They are all so smart, between the building and mastering things we would not have thought up in a million years. Andrew has real talent at watching what you do and then repeating it. Like opening a locked door with a key. It was a shock to have a bathroom visitor, but the others came in to so I was not lonely. ha-ha. Matthew really sees shapes and items he likes like NUTS. There is a can in the kitchen and he will ask for them. Now 4 kids with mouths full of nuts reminds me of a Squirrel convention. It is funny to see them with mouths full until someone forgets to chew and then it is disgusting. Avery, well how to say, she is the kind of girl that takes you by the hand and tells you what she wants NOW. Seriously, she will come get you and take your hand and pull you to where she wants to do or show you something and you WILL do it or she will tell you what for, we think. The kids really love bailey and she is such a good dog to put up with all the hair pulling, pushing, kicking and general abuse she gets. Tomorrow is SNOW and we can't wait need to get to finding the winter clothes. Night all!
Tue, Dec/01/09 All: Wow! It is December already. How did we get here so fast??? I am pretty sure we will be running from here until the end of the year to get everything done. Today, we got up early because we had Christmas pictures scheduled for this morning. We got the kids dressed and in the car and made it to the appointment on time. The kids didn’t do so well taking pictures and I don’t think the photographer got the point to just keep snapping pictures. The one we ended up with has 3 of the 4 at least looking in the direction of the camera. I’m hoping that before their birthday they might be more cooperative. It is really frustrating to not get the picture we hoped for. We then decided since the kids were dressed and we were almost to the mall we would head over to visit Santa. To say they were not thrilled to “meet” Santa again would be an understatement. Nicholas took off running down the mall screaming. The only thing that stopped him is that his pants started to fall down and slowed him enough that Michael could catch him. Avery and Andrew cried and screamed. Matthew was an angel and just sat next to Santa wondering what everyone else’s problem was. I’m hopeful next year will be better. I have to wonder if it ever gives Santa a complex from all the kids screaming at him. We loaded the kids up and realized that by the time we got home they would be asleep and wouldn’t eat if we didn’t feed them first. We stopped and ate some lunch. The kids are so well behaved and eat really well when we go places. We have had comments from a few restaurant owners lately about how amazed they are with the kids’ behavior. I just hope it stays this way. We got home and put the kids down for a nap. Matthew and Avery are our only 2 sleepers. Andrew and Nicholas decided they had had enough after the first 30 minutes. We got window #3 replaced today with stronger glass. I just hope this is the last window we will replace until the kids start sports. We were discussing what we wanted to make for dinner when the doorbell rang. We totally forgot that Matthew’s vision teacher was due for her visit today. By the time she left it was dinner time and so we had to just throw something quick together. The kids played after dinner and we tried to watch come Christmas shows. With 2 tired and cranky kids we decided to put them to bed a bit earlier than normal. I know I should be making use of the time the kids are asleep to decorate the Christmas tree but after a day like today I just don’t have the energy to do it. Maybe I will get it done tomorrow during nap time or at least make a good start at it.

November
Sat, Nov/28/09 All: In a fit of insanity or stupidity, we call around to find the only place that carries Flocked Trees (White). Thank you Cornelius Nurseries! We load the kids up and head to get a tree all 6 of us. They like the flowers and it was neat asking them to name the colors and getting answers. I never thought about using a gardening center for color work. The tree on top of the minivan and we driving back from Katy. We realize it is lunch time and we did not pack anything so we stop at chick-fil-a. They do so well there. We get home and they are tired of being cooped up and we put out some outside lights and decorations and let them run. Nicholas is a sweetie, but no nap makes him a bit of a butt head. Now it is time for dinner and baths and parents fall sleep soon thereafter.
Fri, Nov/27/09 All: We head to get a tree today, just the 2 of us. Well, Houston Garden Center is full of idiots that don't want to carry White Trees. Yes, the trees we have bought for 7 years there. I think they are just being racists against white trees, They only want to carry the dark ones. I call the corporate number and a basic answer they don't care and don't want my business. At this point we are upset and head home to try and get some Christmas stuff put up. We are not able to put up much as they are breaking everything.
Thu, Nov/26/09 All: Turkey Day! Congrats we made it. The kids allowed us to cook. They are in the process or wrecking the house. They are not sure what is going on with all the food. We got them dressed with help today.
Wed, Nov/25/09 All: Daddy cracks a tooth and is in the dentist for the day.
Tue, Nov/24/09 All: We still have runny noses and coughs around here but not so bad that I think the kids need medicine anymore. We had another ECI appointment today. The kids are doing well and have made tons of progress since we started with ECI. We don’t have much more time with Jackie left since the kids have to exit the program when they turn 3. I know the kids are going to miss Jackie a lot since they ask for her several times during the week. We fed the kids lunch and put them down for their nap and Michael headed off to the dentist. After their nap I got them up and we came downstairs. I was talking to Michael on the phone while I poured juice for the kids while he was on his way home from the dentist. He is getting a new crown and a few fillings. I gave them some juice and they all proceeded to sit by the windows to drink it and unfortunately bang their heads against the windows. I’m sure you can see where this is going. I tried several times to get them to stop and when I thought they had stopped I headed to the pantry to get food for Bailey. On my way to the pantry I hear behind me “Uh oh….broken”. I turned around only to find that Nicholas had shattered the window with his head. This is definitely turning out to be a MUCH more expensive day than we ever thought. The vision teacher came to work with Matthew. She ends up playing with all the kids now that they are downstairs most of the time.
Mon, Nov/23/09 All: The kids are slowly getting over their colds. I’m sure we will have symptoms for a while yet but I’m hopeful the worst is over. This morning Nicholas came down for breakfast and was about to get in his chair when he noticed some marks on the floor behind his chair. He looked at me and said “clean up”. I told him we would clean it up after breakfast and that he needed to get in his chair. He repeated to me that he wanted it cleaned up. Again I told him after breakfast and to get in his chair. I went back to pouring milk for them and Nicholas disappeared. I looked up a minute later to see Nicholas dragging the vacuum cleaner behind him that he got out of the closet under our stairs. He took it over and put it on top of the stuff he wanted cleaned up. Then he started undoing the electrical cord and walking it over to the outlet to plug it in. He was serious it needed to be cleaned up. Michael came downstairs and helped him finish plugging the vacuum cleaner in and went over to help. Instead of it being dirt it was crayon pieces that had been left on the floor so the vacuum was no help. Again….I just can’t believe what they are starting to put together. Today we had ECI behavior therapy to help stop head banging. It is slowly starting to work. Michael broke a tooth and is headed for the dentist tomorrow. Hopefully he won’t need a crown.
Sun, Nov/22/09 All: We have all come down with colds which is why the blog hasn’t been updated. The kids have been doing pretty good about it however we are having to trick them into taking medicine to help them. They have really never had to take much in the way of medicine since they came home from the hospital. They have been requesting to watch Finding Nemo a lot lately. I don’t quite understand how kids can watch the same show over and over and over. The kids are all doing quite a lot and understanding a lot lately. They have gotten into a few drawers in the kitchen that were left without baby proofing. We actually over bought a some batteries because with all the toys we go thru lots of them. Well they have ended up in a drawer without baby proofing. The kids have found them unfortunately. We were asking them to pick up the batteries and put them away when Nicholas took the one he had, walked over to the drawer and opened the drawer. We would have been thrilled if he had just put the battery back in the drawer so what came next was unbelievable. Nicholas took out the package, opened the package, put the battery back in the package, closed the package and put it back in the drawer. He then shut the drawer. We were dumbfounded!!! They are REALLY starting to pay attention.
Tue, Nov/17/09 All: November is Prematurity Awareness Month and today is National Prematurity Awareness Day! In newborn intensive care units across the country, babies born too soon and too small are fighting to stay alive. Nearly 20 million babies worldwide are born prematurely each year, and more than one million die. It is the #1 killer of newborns and can lead to lifelong disabilities. The worse is that the number has increased 31% since 1981. Being high order multiples, we knew that the kids would be born premature no matter what I did. To varying degrees each of the kids has been affected by being born premature. I am truly grateful for the March of Dimes and all the research they do to help give these babies the best possible start after an early birth. November 17 is dedicated to raising awareness of the crisis of premature birth. Learn about premature birth and what you can do to help at marchofdimes.com/fightforpreemies.
Sat, Nov/14/09 All: We had a moment today. The kids decided to go into the office and open 2 boxes of altoids and a can of mixed nuts and spread them all over the floor. I start cleaning this up and the destruction continues to the shoe center all over the house. The laundry room clothes and what not everywhere. This leads the little ones to get on the kitchen counters and get the jar of candy corn we use as a reward and go to the dining room and open it on the table and proceed to eat the whole container. It has been a long day.
Fri, Nov/13/09 All: The kids really like cool days for outside time and it wears them out. It has been none stop laundry this week. I think Kristen said she has done 10 loads a day this week. The dog lost here water bowl, due to kids play in it. Avery washes her feet in the water bowl. The dog is not thrilled with that. Andrew for some reason only know to him, wants to be on top of the table, standing or sitting both are fine with him. Matthew has been our quiet on this week. Nicholas is stubborn about a few things and OUTSIDE is one of them. They are eating and not eating meals it is frustrating to us to waste food.
Thu, Nov/12/09 All: The kids really matchbox cars. I got them 1 each and it has been a huge hit on the tile as they go so far. We did not realize they were ready for them.
Wed, Nov/11/09 All: The kids opened the pantry and OMG they decided to have a pantry dinner. We provided dinner, did not eat it. We forgot to lock the pantry and the rest is all over the floor. It is like rabid dogs got in to the boxes. I think someone even bit the corner off one box!!! After an 1 hour of cleaning, we have the floor emptied and our backs are wiped. I guess I know what tomorrow will be. It is shocking to me just how much mess they can make when they want to.
Mon, Nov/09/09 All: Today, we are going to Chick-Fil-a for story time with the kids. This is a first and we will see how it goes. On the positive side at least we have lunch decided. The goal is to get more stuff sorted in the 2nd bedroom and if possible some other items done. It is rainy today and will be interesting how the kids will do getting out in it. Will they walk with us or just play in the rain? Any Bets?
Sun, Nov/08/09 All: This week has been filled with table work. We have the kids at the table and are working on getting them to eat with us. This has been a challenge and is getting better. We have also lost 2 gates this week due to kids breaking them. So the only gates left are at the stairs and are not the ones that started there. We are working with them having full house access. This is hard as the mess is everywhere. We have put up a lot more items as to keep them for breakage. It is our goal to start trying to get them clean up more, it works to some degree, but never fully. We implemented paper plates and plastic forks to help the dish washer out. This has gone well and reduced the clean up more. It is nice to eat as a family, but since they can see each other now they want to yell at each other. This is hard on the ears. Matthew is a bit grabby for a reason we don't get. He will eat for a while then pull the person sitting next to him towards him. We don't know why and the victim does not like it. We have started preparing the 2nd bedroom for the split. Yes, we are going to split them into 2 rooms. It needs to be done, but we do fear it a lot. As the closets can to be secured to a level that our kids cannot get into. We are doing a lot of sorting and organizing as to clothes and items in that room. We are considering getting them the next level of bed when they go to that room. This would be logical to do and easier on us. We will see. They are getting to tall for the beds they are in and let's just ignore the BLOTS they bring from the bed they have pull, yanked, broken out. We are going to put off potty training until after the holidays. We are not sure we have the energy to do it all and we think consistence will be the key.
Sat, Nov/07/09 All: I take the kids out to play side and things went ugly. I get the cars out for the kids and they decided to follow bailey out the driveway and to the street. This is a first as they had not gone out on the street. Victoria across the street was out and was so helpful. Kristen was changing beds and doing the billion things she does every day. All I can see is Matthew and Avery heading down the street, Nicholas still in slow mode and Andrew trying to catch up. I am so happy we don't have many cars on our street. We ended up going around the block and that wore some energy out of them.
Wed, Nov/04/09 All: Nicholas has an issue with light bulbs being burned out. This kids will not allow them to be BROKEN. He keeps telling that the one light has burned out. This is day 3 of that and I am now headed to the store to get blubs as we are tired of hearing it. It also makes him mental if you unscrew them, but that is just us being mean. (ha-ha)
Tue, Nov/03/09 All: I have added a lot of photos from the 24th till today. I have also added a collection link to view that day on page.
Sun, Nov/01/09 All: After a long day yesterday and the time change I think we all were still tired. This morning the kids played outside on the driveway while we took down all their high chairs and moved them to the garage. We also gave them hot chocolate since it was a cool morning. Avery didn’t seem to like it. I’m not sure if it was because it was warm or what because she will happily drink chocolate milk. Avery also fell this morning and scraped up her face right under her nose. I’m hoping that it will be pretty well healed by the time we get to taking Christmas pictures. We pretty much let the kids have the run of the entire house while Michael and I tried to clean up the cabinets behind where their high chairs used to be, catch up on laundry and clean the mess that was left after getting home from Halloween. The kids are doing pretty good in the booster seats at the table. I find it amusing that they seem to pick the same seat for every meal or close to it. The only thing that has ever been “assigned” to them has been their beds.

October
Sat, Oct/31/09 All: Today is the kids’ 3rd Halloween. We put them down for a nap hoping they would take a long one. We fed them a slightly early dinner and then tried to get the kids in their costumes. It was definitely an uphill battle. We finally got everyone dressed or at least most of the way. Matthew was not interested in wearing the hat that came with his pirate costume. We had been trying for several weeks to work on getting them to say “Happy Halloween” and “Trick or Treat”. They also have a new love for candy corn. I tried to explain to them that we were going to houses and they might get some candy corn. Last year they were content to just ride in the wagons as we took them to the different houses. We weren’t sure what to expect this year with the independent streak that is starting to show up in the kids. We thought we would take the wagons just in case the kids got too tired or weren’t willing to walk. They started down the driveway to the sidewalk and down the street. We were so early starting because we didn’t want to be in the dark trying to manage 4 toddlers and people driving. We went to a few houses nearby and then to a different section that Michael and I had noticed before had tons of kids. Andrew was a big trooper. He walked almost the entire time and had no issue going up to the doors. Avery was so cute she would go up to the door and say “treat” and hold out her bucket and smile. I think they really liked the idea of getting candy. The first few times they wanted us to open the candy for them right then and there. Nicholas switched between wanting to pull the wagon and ride in the wagon. Nicholas did realize he would get things by holding out his bucket, he proceeded to walk to homes and just stick out his bucket. Matthew walked quite a bit and I’m not sure he was really into trick or treating. Towards the end, Avery and Matthew stayed in the wagon. We got home and the kids were busy checking out what they got in their buckets. I still am not entirely sure they understood it was candy. They also came to the door for a while to watch the other kids come up and trick or treat while Michael and I handed out candy. Once we ran out of candy we got the kids ready for bed and put them down. They went down quickly! I forgot to mention, I hate Nerds candy. Nicholas and Avery got these cute little boxes of Nerds and somehow opened then and proceeded to pour them all over the house.
Fri, Oct/30/09 All: Matthew passed with flying colors. He was loopy from the happy drugs and was really hungry. We were told no greasy food. So we took him to Olive Garden. Let's say for a kid who was supposed to have a sensitive tummy from the meds. He ate 2 1/2 breadsticks, 1/2 a chicken breast, Fettuccini noodles and graham crackers. We were also told to expect some Toxic vapors from the meds... It is Matthew how would we know? He melted the fur off the dog this morning, but that is another story. Nana and Cheryl came to help while we went with Matthew and they brought a puppy with them. Yes it did leave! The kids really had fun with the puppy and I am sure that puppy will never trust innocent looking children again. ha-ha. Mo-Ka-de is Avery's personal word we would love to know what it means.
Fri, Oct/30/09 All: Matthew's hearing test is today at 1:30. He can not eat past 7am and we are supposed to have him in a happy place??? I am sure some where this must make since. We are hoping for a pass. We believe he will pass and it is more that he just does not care.
Thu, Oct/29/09 All: Today's booster seating went well. They ate and seemed to accept the idea, they are still going to the high chairs, no we still have them up in case it all went ugly. The kids had a funny evening. They really seem to be getting the idea that the other Toy Stealers are more than that, they might be fun to play with. Nicholas is playing in the bedroom on Door duty as usual. He loves to have them knock on the door and open it and say 'NO!' then slam the door. It is really funny. He does change it up and says other things, like 'Hi' and 'who is it?' they all played and laughed with Nicholas on this tonight. Avery had not gotten the idea that when she is playing and running that she needs to look out for the wall! She is giggling and running looking at the others and BAM! Hello wall! Andrew collided with Avery and if he does not have a shiner tomorrow it will be a shock. Matthew played with Nicholas and the door.
Wed, Oct/28/09 All: We are in booster seats at the table. Yep, we bit the bullet and did it. It went well and we had a pot roast with veggies. No one ate that of course. Well, let me correct that: Matthew tried the carrots, Nicholas tried the Potatoes, Andrew licked the ketchup off the meat, Avery ate the bread, but Kristen and I liked it. It was a nice meal. I have to say it is strange having them that close to you. It is upsetting to Kristen to not have them eat. We do have a policy of this is all you are getting. If they don't eat it they do go hungry. This is really the only way we do it.
Tue, Oct/27/09 All: I have a few things that have happened this past week, Matthew has started to whistle. Nicholas is sharing and passing out items. If you hold up a Gig'em thumb. They say Gig'em Aggies, Whoop! Today was a bit nuts. We went to get flu shots and only one cried. They did well and did not cause any issue. They ate well and had a nice nap. We watched the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! tonight and it was enjoyed by all.
Mon, Oct/26/09 All: ECI today and Hair cuts. The kids look so much better thanks to Kim! They look like 3 little boys again. Sad, but they are growing up. No Nap today as the schedule got hosed. They really need it. We are doing Flash cards with them and they love it. I am looking for more if anyone knows where please let us know.
Sat, Oct/24/09 All: We headed to the Dewberry Farms today for the pumpkin patch adventure. We decided to do it without strollers. We walked in holding hands and the kids did amazingly well. We waited in line for tickets and they did great. We had some fun looking at pumpkins and the sights. They started playing with the small pumpkins... This lead to a quick exit as we were seconds from some Pumpkin-Chunckin. I saw the idea fire across the faces and stopped it before it happened. We started walking toward the pumpkin orchard and they had a nice flower garden. They kids loved it. They played with the flowers very nicely. Andrew is real funny kid, he stops and smells the flowers. He is the only one to do this, it is really cute. Nicholas was walking down the row and wouldn't you know it. He finds the only mud in the area. Did I mention we have/had new shoes. We walk/ran to the orchard and the kids loved the long run. It was neat to watch them all running as a group. I yelled 'RUN' and off they went. The kids liked the pumpkins and tried to figure out the what and why. I am not sure they understood why the pumpkin is on the ground. They did play, roll, lick and kick them. Lick, yes I do mean that. We have no idea why, it was kind of like them tasting to see if they were real. After a good bit in the fields we get on the hayride back to the main area, as they were getting tired. The hayride went well. It was strange and neat to see who liked and hated it. Avery hated the ride, screamed the entire time. Matthew and Andrew loved it so much they were screaming to leave. Matthew and Andrew really loved the bouncing nature of the hayride. Nicholas was neither here nor there about it. The driver, Michael, offered to let the kids on his tractor. Andrew was in Heaven. The others like it. So, we head to get some lunch. As we get to the food area, the lines are really long and I did not know how long it will take to get the food. I see a cookie stand that is empty and get cookies for the kids. They loved it. I go looking for drinks, they are all bottles. The kids are not at 20 oz bottles with no straws. I find some kid cups, but you have to buy an entire meal. This lead to snow cones for the kids. I know that sounds weird. It was a bit messy, but so was the cookie. They did well trying to hold them. Kristen sat with them on the bench and they did so well sitting with her watching the people. Avery decided on carrying a cookie and eating it. Nicholas makes a snail look expedient, unless you take his snow cone. We head out to the car for snacks and juice boxes. We head home and by this time we are starving and stopped at a Whataburger. The kids start yelling for fries... I get in the back as Kristen knee is killing her. The kids wanted a bite (operative word) of the burger. They took at least a 1/4 the burger, but I have to say I am real proud of Matthew, Andrew and Avery for eating it. They really seemed to like a burger. They have never shown any interest before, well before was more abject disgust. Nicholas just wanted fries. We get home and play with sidewalk chalk as Mom get beds changed and baths ready. We had baths and dinner and tried for a bit of TV time. That time turned into a full on brawl. So, in lieu of decided to take bets on the winner, we put them down to bed. It has been a long day and the sand man is calling.
Thu, Oct/22/09 All: ECI today. We have started working with Flash Card and it is going well. Matthew knows what an Octagon is. We were so proud of him last night he named all the shapes and most of the colors. They are all almost perfect on the colors. It is funny that when they see certain colors like Pink and Purple they will say 'Avery' or Green is Matthew, Blue is Nicholas, and Yellow is Andrew. This is funny to us as that is there blanket color. It is amazing how the mind makes connections. They know what a stop sign is also! Now will they listen to stop when we say it??? The Cards started tonight with Matthew adamantly saying Cards! It took a second for this to register as to what he wanted. I am proud to see him really trying and loving his glasses. His glasses and bedtime is rough. He cries when you take them and this hurts us, but it has to be done.
Mon, Oct/19/09 All: Nicholas was slightly more accepting that I was there to greet him first thing this morning. I can only imagine the joy I will hear out of Nicholas when Michael greets him Wednesday morning. The kids ate breakfast and played while I tried to get the house picked up. They ate lunch and I let them jump in the bounce house afterwards. I thought this might burn out enough energy that they would take a nap and give me a chance to do some more work around the house. The kids actually went down for a nap better than they have in a while these last 2 days. I actually had to wake them up because I was afraid they wouldn’t want to go to bed with such a long nap. They were pretty grumpy this afternoon. I got dinner together and brought the kids down. Nicholas requested a fork and so then everyone else had to have one. I’m actually thinking we have been missing a huge opportunity in getting the kids to eat a few more things. Normally we give them utensils when the food is messy and otherwise we let them eat with their hands. They really enjoyed eating dinner tonight with forks. Maybe letting them have forks at every meal might get them eating some different things. It is definitely worth a try at least. After dinner we went back to playing and the kids were running around like crazy and dancing to music I was playing for them. They were chasing each other and giggling with one another which was so cute. I even got them to give each other hugs for the most part. I think it has been written about before that Matthew wasn’t big on hugs over the summer well tonight he wanted to give everyone hugs it was so heartwarming to see the change that has been happening with him. There is 1 more day left before Michael gets home. I’m hoping he will be home in time to put the kids to bed because I know they miss him. Not that it is a shock that taking care of quadruplets is difficult but doing it alone means it is that much tougher. I appreciate just how much Michael pitches in and helps with all the day to day things that need to get done and I will also be happy when he is home. His help has definitely been missed.
Sun, Oct/18/09 All: This morning was a repeat of Saturday morning. Everyone asked for Daddy and Nicholas took some convincing to let me change his diapers and eat breakfast. I left the kids to play while I did some things that needed to be done around the house and get ready for my family to come over. We were getting together for family birthdays. During lunch Matthew’s glasses broke again. I called my parents in a panic because the eye glass place was supposed to close at 1 and it was noon. I was hoping they were close to arriving so I didn’t have to load all the kids up to get Matthew’s glasses fixed. They were just pulling into the driveway. My dad said he would run the glasses up and see if he could get them fixed while I finished lunch with the kids. He came back with broken glasses because the place was closed. I’m guessing since the last time we ran his glasses up there they have changed hours. For now they are actually sewn together with thread and seem to be holding up. The kids actually went down for a nap today which worked out really well so everyone could eat and open gifts with less confusion. The kids went to play outside with their cousins for a bit and then it was baths and dinner. With all the activity and visitors they were pretty warn out and went to bed quickly.
Sat, Oct/17/09 All: Michael left for Waco for 4 days so I’m taking care of the kids alone. He helped put the kids to bed last night and was gone before they got up so the kids didn’t know he left. Normally, he goes up and gets the kids and changes diapers before breakfast. When I opened their bedroom door the kids were surprised to see me. They kept asking for Daddy. I got everyone changed except for Nicholas. I think he was convinced that Daddy was still somewhere in the house. It took about 20 minutes before he was ready to cooperate. Throughout the day the kids kept asking for Daddy. I had decided that when Michael left I would try my best to feed the kids some other things besides different forms of chicken. The kids are not known to be adventurous eaters with the exception of Matthew. He will at least give most things a try. They have been getting bored of chicken, or at least that is how it seems to me, because they are not eating it. They aren’t eating the new stuff either. It was a full blown rejection at dinner. They didn’t eat a thing I made except Matthew ate some mandarin oranges. Nicholas looked at me while his dinner was in front of him and asked for cookies. I know Nicholas didn’t understand my response when I told him that if he had any complaints he could take it up with management on Tuesday when they (meaning Daddy) got home. After dinner I blew up the bounce house so the kids could get out some energy before going to bed. They kept going to the windows that overlook the garage and driveway and saying Daddy hoping he was coming home. The kids did really well today but definitely missed Michael.
Fri, Oct/16/09 All: I head to Grand Lodge in the morning and Kristen will be with the kids for a few days. I hope she does not need Therapy when I get home. We have a funny new word. Eeeewwww! It is a riot to hear Avery say it. I have added a few videos and I hope to get more added over the weekend.
Thu, Oct/15/09 All: We took the kids to Lowes for a repair trip yesterday. The banister and walls need help. I got the banister repaired, but the walls are a different thing. We are going to do a temporary patch to try to get Kristen until Tuesday. ECI today and a lot of stuff to do before Grand lodge.
Tue, Oct/13/09 All: We were exchanging hugs tonight and it was a riot to watch. They were all doing so well with hugging and not being upset by it. Avery started the hugging war and it took a bit, but everyone got involved and it was funny to watch. I am going to get a book on sheetrock repair as the children decided to put a nice whole in the wall about a football size hole. They have been picking at it since they did it, so I am going to have to address it before I got to Grand lodge.
Sat, Oct/10/09 All: Today was a long day. The crew got up at 5. Yes 5. And with no naps we have some really cranky babies. After a long morning of fighting and wishing I was dead. We got to lunch it went ok and we tried for Naps so Daddy could watch the Aggies on TV. It was a good game none the less. Dinner rolls around and they decided to eat cereal for dinner with sides of chips and crackers. It was what they found in the pantry, when they broke into it. Yep they found what they wanted to eat and did a great job. They ate well, now I am not sure if it is nutritionally balanced. Matthew ate a whole package of dried cherries. I am concerned as to what will come from this, but that is tomorrow. They ate the potato chips, then decided to play shake the bag. Yes, we did have to clean the floor from all the chips. A side note, the dog will only eat so many potato chips. She does have a limit. The evening rolled on and it was your usual thing. Expect Avery and Andrew decided to play who could jump the farthest off the couch. Avery won the distance metal, Andrew won the THUD metal. That boy hits the floor with a THUD. Matthew tried to get into the competition to be rebuked by Avery. He then went to sit with mommy. We tried out the Halloween costumes with them. We are going to have a bit of trouble getting them to wear them. Tomorrow is baths and play time since it is so nice and it will be a very busy week.
Thu, Oct/08/09 All: The world without Naps is not a happy place. We took the kids to the park to play. To say they got dirty is not really the best description. They were filthy. Get stopped and got some lunch and then to baths. The interesting part is the power went out. So we ate and bathed with no power. Poor Andrew, he does not seem to be ok with no TV. We did our best to get them to take a nap. They did not take one until power and TV was back. It seems the hum of Technology helps them sleep. Andrew took a nice digger tonight and got a good size goose egg. Nicholas really needs more sleep. Matthew is the walking dead. Avery is a bundle of energy. We hope to try out there Halloween customs this weekend.
Tue, Oct/06/09 All: Today was a major issue. We lost containment on Sunday and they overran the gates. This morning we find them running upstairs. As the day progressed we did our best to get them to take a nap and tried to get them to sleep, we failed. We are trying to get something for dinner lined up and here comes Avery falling down the stairs as she vaulted the back stairs. The funny point in this is she is not near as loud falling down the stairs as her brothers. This means they are now no longer safe. This means we had to deal with the night time solution of sleeping and when they get up. We had to put their door back on and tie the door closed. We hung the baby monitor at the top of the door to make sure they are ok. We think Avery may be afraid of the dark. We gave her a night light and that seemed to help.
Mon, Oct/05/09 All: Today, Nicholas and Avery started out very early this morning. Michael said he heard them playing upstairs by 6:15am. They got over the gate again and were watching TV after a bit of head banging on the gates to wake us up. Michael had to run Bailey to the vet for her check up and while she was there she got a much needed bath. We also had them run a urinalysis because we were worried she had an infection or something wrong. We were half right. The struvite crystals that we had managed to get rid of several years ago are back. We managed to catch it extremely early so Bailey hasn’t been in any pain or had any damage done to her bladder. We just have to feed her a bag of special dog food for a while and it should clear everything back up. While Michael was gone I got the kids up or I should say Andrew and Matthew because they were still in their beds and gave them breakfast. The morning was pretty quiet. The kids again didn’t take an official nap. They just crawl over the gate and want to go back to playing. I don’t know if I would be so frustrated about this if the kids weren’t so cranky by the day’s end. They fall asleep here and there and interrupt each other’s cat naps and the fighting over everything is insane by 6:15 pm. We are noticing the kids can at times be extremely sweet to each other. While Nicholas was napping, for the second day in a row, at the top of the stairs one of the kids went and got his blanket and covered him up. Another sweet thing was this past weekend when we were giving the kids a bath. Andrew, out of the blue, decided to give Avery a kiss. It was so sweet and about a minute later Avery kissed him. It is at least a bit encouraging that we are teaching them to be kind and sweet to each other. I hope remembering these small acts of kindness makes the frustrations we are dealing with not so hard. Michael had to go to lodge tonight so I tried to play with the kids before bed. I think I was more of a referee than anything. I tried to put the kids to bed. Last night the kids were so tired they didn’t even attempt to climb over the gate so I didn’t expect them to tonight. I was wrong. In less than 5 minutes Avery and Nicholas again were out of their room and had the TV on. I went back upstairs again to put them in bed. I managed to get Nicholas first and put him back in the room but in the process I turned on their bedroom light. Andrew stood there and kept asking me where Avery was. I chased Avery down and put her back in their room. This time they decided to stay and fell asleep about 15 minutes later. We definitely need to find a solution to keep them in their room I think for everyone’s sanity. We have a busy week ahead of us. Matthew starts speech therapy tomorrow. We also have 4 more ECI appointments thru the rest of the week.
Sun, Oct/04/09 All: First, We are 2 1/2 today. We are woken to the sounds of kids in the kitchen. The giggling and jabbering that only say.... We have gotten into something and we like it. Yep, Nicholas and Avery vaulted the gate and were sitting on the table eating candy corn and trying to get into the Oreos they had for dessert last night. Nabisco has good packaging, it seems to hold up to the attack. It was a bit surprising, but if you saw the video we posted yesterday it should be a shock. It is a rainy day here so no walks. Just laundry and a NAP???
Sat, Oct/03/09 All: Today started out just like every other day in this house with no hint of change in the air. Michael played with the kids upstairs this morning while I spent some time cooking in the kitchen. We brought the kids down for lunch and fed them. Matthew had managed to get one of the screws out of his glasses so Michael headed off to an optical shop nearby to see if they would help fix them. I cleaned the kids up after lunch and sent them upstairs to play for a while longer while I cleaned up from lunch. I went upstairs to put them down for a nap which they weren’t happy about but what toddler wants to quit playing and sleep. I headed downstairs to try to finish the last 30 minutes of a movie I had been trying to watch for the last 2-3 days. In less than 5 minutes here comes Avery down the stairs extremely proud of herself and was shortly followed by Nicholas. Now before I put them down they were trying to pull the trick on me of loading all their stuff in the bathroom so they could vault that gate and come down the stairs but I caught them and locked the door. It never occurred to me what they would try after that. I went upstairs to find out how they got out only to find instead of the pile being in the bathroom it was outside their bedroom door. Matthew and Andrew were at the gate trying to make their way over it. Just as I was trying to call Michael to see if he had any ideas on how to stop them he pulled into the driveway. We grabbed the video camera and went upstairs to “set them up” so we could catch it on video. Michael did post the video on the site if you want to get a good laugh. Needless to say the kids didn’t nap yesterday. We fed the kids dinner and gave them a bath and went to play with them until bedtime. They were so exhausted I don’t think it even took them 10 minutes to fall asleep and to my surprise they didn’t even attempt to get out. I’m afraid of this being the end of naps in the house unless we can come up with an idea of how to keep them in their room. If you have any suggestions please please send them to us.

September
Wed, Sep/30/09 All: How can I describe the events of yesterday? We get the kids ready to go to the BounceU. It is a bounce place like the one we went to that Andrew loved. We get the kids in the car and realize that there is no power. Yes. The kids turned something on that we did not see and the battery was dead. I am glad I had the charger from my Jeep. A jeep is always in need of a jump. I hook the charger up and get enough power to start turning stuff off. Andrew is yelling, 'BROKEN, TV BROKEN'. We get the car started and head out. We drive to the wrong location and it is close so we have to go to the other one. This would have been ok, If we had noticed this prior to getting them out of the car. 4 kids ready to bounce and then put them back in the car. This was not a quiet event. We get to the correct location and well we are not impressed. The bounce in College Station is cheaper and better. I think we could drive to it cheaper than what we paid here. The issues I had was it was not clean, no AC and the stuff was for BIG kids. They played for about an hour then they were so hot they were bringing us there shoes. We took this as they are done. At the entrance is a car you put coins in to make noise and move. I know there has to be a word for them, I just don't know it. The boys were sitting in it, so I asked Kristen for some change and I started it. Let's just say the kids have never run so fast way in their lives. They were not ok with it moving. They loved the lights. We load them back up and head home and we stopped by to see PK as we had not seen him in a while. Theresa, I am sorry we missed you. We chatted and went home to get some lunch and it was really a bag lunch. IE What food from bags can they have now! I like to call it Pantry cooking. At this point they are wiped out and took a small nap which was followed by dinner and baths. Matthew is a dream eater. He is so willing to try foods. The others are ingrates and truly frustrating when it comes to food. They are not willing to try anything and dont like the standard fare. We do baths and to bed. It was an entertaining day to say the least. We have ECI today and a long walk I hope.
Sat, Sep/26/09 All: Took the kids for a walk today and they did well but got a little tired. We have some cute harnesses for them 3 dogs and a bear. Avery has the bear. They like to wear them and really seem to get the idea. Andrew and Avery are good walkers and lead the pack. Nicholas has 1 speed, SLOW. He seems to have a nice slow walk with no possibility of urgency. Matthew is both, he can be slow or fast, it depends on what his issue is. He likes the flowers and how they bounce when he touches them it is really nice to hear him laugh. They tell everyone about clouds, mailboxes and trees to name a few. They do not understand the concept of HOME. They see a house with a gate and similar brick color and they try and walk up the driveway. We blew up some balloons to help them get the idea of catching. They did really well with this the balloons float in the air longer and seem to help them work out the arm movements. Luckily, we did not get any POPS. We had another spectacular failure at dinner. Why are we not just giving them Peanut butter Ritz crackers I will never know.
Thu, Sep/24/09 All: I forgot to mention that the kids decided they were tired of waiting on the bounce house. So 4 minds worked out a plan. Jimmy open the door and get the inflator for the bounce house and drag it down the hall. Put it blower in the correct place, plug it in the wall, turn on the failsafe button and then turn on the blowers power switch. At this point we hear the blower. They were working on figuring out how to get the tube on the blower to inflate the house. This is not a joke. This is actually what happened. It is amazing how they can do something impossible if they have the will.
Wed, Sep/23/09 All: The kids tried a bounce place today that was more a jungle gym than bounce. The did have fun. They got very tired and we are hoping for a quieter day.
Mon, Sep/21/09 All: The kids are doing well. Naps have disappeared again.
Fri, Sep/18/09 All: Massive store run for us. Nana and Cheryl are here to help us out.
Thu, Sep/17/09 All: ECI is here today and the kids are in one of those moods. Poor Jackie. Jackie is our ECI rep and we love her. She got hugs and kisses this day and it is funny to see a professional melt.
Wed, Sep/16/09 All: Speech came to work with Matthew and figure out what they want to offer him. Well all of them to be honest. They teach us and we teach the rest. It works. Andrew is getting real heavy. I think he is really packing it on. This is good for him, if only Nicholas would eat more. Yes, I know I say that now and at 15 I will hate those words.
Tue, Sep/15/09 All: Well, zombie town does not describe what we have today. The kids are in a coma. They eat breakfast and went to play. Well play, now that is not exactly what I would call it. They found a spot in the room and got a blanket and camped out there for a while. Lunch came out of nowhere and ECI was here. ECI is working on speech with the kids. This is just the beginning with speech. They are going to help teach us what to do to help them communicate better. This is a common thing in multiples. After this we go for a nap. Nicholas fell asleep during lunch and Avery and Andrew were closed eye eating. Matthew was an eating machine. We go for naps and what can I say WE all got naps, well until the phone call and lady at the door. The phone woke me up and then the dog say 'the vision teacher at the door for Matthew' in a loud series of barks. This was a shock as she was not on the schedule. The dog woke everyone up. This led to basic meltdown of the kids as they NEED more sleep. They eat dinner, picked at it more like. Then we let the watch some TV before bed time 8. Well, since I found all 4 sleeping/resting on the floor and couch. I put them to bed early and had no complaints. I hope another good 8 hours of sleep will make tomorrow a better day.
Mon, Sep/14/09 All: We went to the retired teacher luncheon. It was good to see all the people. The kids did well, they were a bit on the shy side. We then ran to the field house to see a few people and to beg to let the kids run a bit. Coach Francis was more than obliging. He and Carrie let them down on the track and field. It was a riot to see them run round the track and run on the field. I think Avery is the fastest. I wish I had a camera that day. They loved the green cart they use. I think Andrew is going to a truck man. We then got a call from a friend telling us we had no power from 11am until 6. They had some issue in the high tension lines. So we slowed down as we drove home, but as we drove into the driveway, the power came up. We did have fun but the kids are beat as are we. I am hoping for a down day tomorrow.
Sun, Sep/13/09 All: Cranky, Cranky, Cranky. The kids did not sleep in the car last night and were a bit upset at the idea of going to bed at 11:45. They awoke at 7am this morning. I got Donuts as they have been asking for them all week. Let's just say that was the best part of the day. I think the kids are overtired and confused. We have a small trip tomorrow, then the schedule should be back in place and hopefully some normal happiness again. We have been very busy and are all very tired.
Sat, Sep/12/09 All: Today was a busy day. We headed out of town to attend my brother’s wedding. It took a lot of planning to make sure we had everything we needed since it had been raining for several days and the wedding was outdoors. We loaded up the kids and stopped to have an early dinner on the way. Everything worked out time wise and we got there the same time as my parents and one of my aunts and uncles. They helped us carry the kids up to an area that was covered to keep them out of them out of the mud and out of the rain. The kids did really well staying where we wanted them too. Matthew did make several attempts to get into the house and check things out. Before the end of the wedding the kids were asking for their blankets since it was close to their bedtime. After very brief visits with family Michael changed the kids into their PJ’s and we got them into their car seats with some apple juice and a movie and headed home. They did fairly well sleeping most of the way home and I think were happy to be in their beds.
Fri, Sep/11/09 All: Ok it is official. We have now wasted everyone's life. How do you ask? I posted the 1000th photo today. No joke. The kids are great and we are going to try and get to a wedding tomorrow. God help us.
Tue, Sep/08/09 All: I let Kristen sleep in until 9am. This is when she freaked out that she over sleep. The kids enjoyed a pile of cheerios and milk cups. They really loved this and were happy. It did not last, but that is another story. We had ECI today and the school. I am still not sure how the school works. Today was a day I don't want to repeat. We did not get any real nap as they went down late then had to be woken up early. It was a trade off with who would scream for an hour. We tried to finish cleaning up some for family this weekend. That is a chore as we do not have much free time. Nicholas seemed to be pushing my buttons the most today. Avery and Matthew have started singing Twinkle-Twinkle little star. It is a riot. They are getting the melody, and a few words, but the rest are what they want to put in there. If I can get it on tape I will. Tomorrow we have the behaviorist so it will be a long day again.
Sun, Sep/06/09 All: It was a day to do all the normal things we do on Sat and Sun all together. It started with donuts. Yes, donuts. It takes 5 dozen donuts holes to fill 4 kids. They eat like it is there last meal. The logical person in me says they would drop from a sugar coma, but nope they never take a hit. Laundry, baths and rain are the features for the day. It was a cranky day here, so I hope some sleep will help them a bit.
Sat, Sep/05/09 All: We venture out on our first out-of-town trip. We get the kids in the car and head out. We get an hour down the road to a chick-fil-a we planned to go to. The kids walk in with us, holding hands like we have been working on, and we find a table and 4 high chairs and order food. They ate lunch and did so well. They were surprised at the Dr. Pepper instead of milk. They did well with it. We love the comment people say and the need to talk to us. It is amazing what people say. We get to Navasota and they all go to sleep but before Andrew went down he sneezed twice at the county line. Yes a 20 minute nap is all we got. We are heading to a birthday party for Zach at a bouncy place. We arrive and wake them up. They were not amused. We go in and they are a bit shocked and standoffish, this fades and they have a great time. I am shocked at how well they took to the slides. They were 15-20 feet and the kids were ready to go. Andrew was in heaven. I cannot say we have seen him that happy ever. Seriously. He was going up and down as fast as his little legs would take him. They all were jumping and generally playing in a nice way with all the other kids. Avery learned that if she smiles and puts her arms out the young man working at the place he will pick her up and up her back in the entrance. This allows her to cut in line and get more sliding time. Amazingly smart she can be. Nicholas is just having fun with all the space and things do and see. Matthew can run and play with the best of them and did really well. Well 3 hours go by with no slowing and it is time to leave. Well, the parents think it is time to leave. We have to take Andrew out kicking and screaming. He did not want to leave. We then make a run out to see my folks at the cemetery. I wanted to let the kids out, but there were too many people about and I did not wish to disturb anyone. The headstone was leaning and we ran by to Jodi at the Funeral Home. The kids had fun running around the funeral home and it reminded me of my grandfather. We then ran to grab a bit to eat with Kristen's parents and then off to the house. It was a game day, so traffic was horrible. We did have a nice drive home which started at 8:00 and we got home at 10pm and the kids had finally fallen sleep in the car. We get home and the poor puppy needed out. We get the kids changed and into bed and it is now 11. We then start cleaning up all the cups and stuff we do for the next day and it is 2am. Going out seems easy to people, but with 4 it can be a real effort. It took 3 hours of prep to leave and I have to say we did enjoy it. I did think we would get the kids to sleep in this morning, but Nope 7:20 am they started. For our first outing, I have to say it was a success, but we are tired. I think this gave us brief glimpses, into the near future with the kids, that the possibility of getting out and having fun with the kids is on the horizon.
Thu, Sep/03/09 All: We took the kids to story time at the library. It went ok. They did well with the other kids, until the puppet show. They darkened the room and this sent Avery into a screaming fit and Matthew tried to climb in with the puppets. It was embarrassing. Other than that it was fine.
Tue, Sep/01/09 All: Is it really September? I think the medication is working for Matthew. He has slept ever night and we are not having any head banging. His little head looks so much better. Andrew is frustrated at his sister. She will not let him sleep alone. He ends up sleeping with his head against the back of the crib and his legs hanging off. Not sure how to address this. Nicholas is good and but a bit nuts. We have ECI today.

August
Sun, Aug/30/09 All: We are trying to get lunch ready for the ingrates, and I hear 'Broken, Broken' from that sweet child Andrew. I walk over to the stairs to see Nicholas has broken one of the bars in the gate. This is followed by them trying to go thru the newly formed escape hatch. Yes, we do have an idea for Halloween... Prison Break. But Seriously we have an issue and I am not sure how we are going to make it to REASON. Reason is that age when they understand that something has a cause and a result. I am not sure how we will survive getting there. I moved Avery's bed near Matthew as she was not sleeping in it. To our surprise she loves it now, I think she felt too far away from the others. Avery has now started to dismantle her bed. I do mean dismantle. We have 2 bolts that not long have a home and the other bolts are loose and will not hold a tightening. This is going to lead me to either adding brackets to her bed or Throwing it out and they can sleep on the floor. Matthew seems to be sleeping and is happier. Andrew has decided to call his mother, Kris. This is distressing to Kristen. It is funny and we are working on calling Kristen Mom. I am Daddy, and he looks as her and goes Kris. It is cute, but upsetting to her as she worked so hard to earn that title.
Sat, Aug/29/09 All: It is bath day. Yep, every Saturday evening we spend bathing, drying and cleaning the bathroom. And then we get to shower. Nicholas in the early morning decided to take Matthew's glasses and see just how far he could bend them. We presume it was Nicholas as he was holding the evidence. There was a pop and it was all over followed by crying and 'Broken, Broken' with the look of you can fix it right. This lead to Mom and Matthew heading to the glasses store to get a replacement. They don't make his current ones any more. We are going to have to get new ones. The day was a wash as the schedule was hosed and everyone was in a screaming mood. Matthew is starting to point to things again. I think sleep is really helping him. He took a Major nap (4 hours) and slept through the night.
Fri, Aug/28/09 All: Matthew's appointment. It went ok. I am not sure we got want we wanted to hear, but I don't think we knew what we wanted to hear. First we had a really long wait. Matthew really enjoyed playing with a deaf girl that was there, it really shocked her mom. Matthew really seemed to engaged her and they played a game of tag it was cute. We get into the doctor's office and we are going through the exam. Matthew does really well. We shocked the doctor with the sheer volume of data we had and the details we could provide. I mean you would think some parents try nothing and go complaining. We have tried everything so we are now here. This was a bit surprising. It did help him take us more seriously though. I do think the only reason we were seen is Dr. Coats thankfully called and made the point we need to be seen. He was concerned that Matthew's language has been slipping and he is not sleeping. The doctor upon finishing the exam says he is not autistic and is neurological sound. This is a very positive thing. Now, he is regressing into himself from the patching/restraint and not enough one on one time. The doctor gave us a prescription that will help him sleep and stabilize his mood. IE happy pills. We are going to have to work on dosage. We were also told we need to get more people around him and engaging him. I am not sure how to do this. This has a lot of issues; Flu season, Schedule, People, etc. He is not concerned about his head and thinks the banging is a compulsion, habit he has gotten in, and we are going to have to start working with a more aggressive approach to helping him. We are getting him a hearing exam as he did not respond to the doctor like he wanted, but with 3 other kids yelling I am sure he blocks out certain noises. We will also start a speech therapy with him. This will help him catch up. I am thinking Swedish, Blond... Oh wait for him that is right. Kristen stop hitting me. Ha-ha. He is a sweet kid and we love him, but at times you have to say, where are my HAPPY PILLS. Thanks for all the prayers and thoughts. We still need them for a while.
Thu, Aug/27/09 All: I let the kids downstairs while we made lunch for them. It did not end well as I they went into the office and decided to open the cupcakes that were on the table they took into the office and proceed to eat them. Avery was eating the icing and then gave the cake to her brothers. They loved it. The poor dog was outside watching this unfold with a look of 'This was not me!' We cleaned the icing up and get them to lunch. Did I mention they got up at 6am and tried to break the walls down! All I can say is it made us wonder why God gave us ears! Tomorrow is a huge day with Matthew. We are praying a lot for some resolution. I am sure Kristen will not sleep and we cannot say how bad we need an answer.
Mon, Aug/24/09 All: Well some little kiddies got an extra bath today. During Nap time Matthew went potty and decided to remove the diaper. Then bless him! He sat in Andrews bed, on the floor and don't for get the walk art. Andrew proceeded investigate this streak in his crib. So, off the beds and more laundry for Kristen.
Sun, Aug/23/09 All: Well some little kiddies got an extra bath today. During Nap time Matthew went potty and decided to remove the diaper. Then bless him! He sat in Andrews bed, on the floor and don't for get the walk art. Andrew proceeded investigate this streak in his crib. So, off the beds and more laundry for Kristen.
Sat, Aug/22/09 All: Pudding. All I need to say is Pudding. We were planning on some pool time, but it got later than expected and at 111 outside as an index we get a bit concerned. We are really focused on Friday and Matthews appointment with the neurologist. We have all our teeth except 2 year molars. Matthew is getting these. Nicholas and Avery finally have all there's in. Andrew has had his for a while. It is hard to check progress as my fingers can only take so many bites. They swell and are to easily bitten by the next one. They are starting to like bread. This is really helpful. Matthew ate corn on the cob tonight. Andrew looked at me an laughed like you must be kidding. Nicholas and Avery poked it and were not impressed. We are really working hard on clean up and cloth changing. They are getting it down really well. It is the impromptu changes that leave them naked when we are not expecting it that make for long days.
Wed, Aug/19/09 All: Michael ran to pick up lunch today because time got away from us working on projects around the house so I was home with the kids. The phone rang and to my surprise it was someone from the neurology department!! I explained what was going on with Matthew and our concerns. The gentleman I talked to was trying to reach a doctor to see if they would come in on their day off to see Matthew. He came back to me and asked if he could call me back after he did some more calling. About 20 minutes later the phone rang again and the gentleman from the neurology department told me Matthew has an appointment on August 28th with the head of the neurology department. The doctor is coming in on his day off!!!!! We are over joyed that someone is going to look at Matthew!! We hope that there is nothing seriously wrong but that maybe we can find some answers as to what is going on with Matthew. I was asked if Matthew had ever had an MRI or CT scan because they would like to see copies but Matthew has never had them only head ultrasounds to check for brain bleeds. My next step is to get Matthew’s medical records and head ultrasound from the hospital to take with us to the appointment. Today has been a huge answer to our prayers that we could get some help for Matthew.

The other 3 kids are doing well and Michael told me that they constantly asked him where Matthew was yesterday afternoon while we were gone. They are really starting to talk and put ideas and words together. The other day we were all up in the kids play room when Andrew walked over and beamed a smile at Michael and said “Hi Daddy!!” Andrew then turned to me and smiled and said “Hi Kris!!” It was all we could do not to laugh because the way he said it was with such conviction. We have tried to explain to him that is not what he should call me but he still does it about half the time. I figured at some point when the kids got closer to their teenage years when they “know everything” they might attempt to call Michael and I by our first names….I didn’t know the teenage years were going to start when they were just 2!!! Haha
Tue, Aug/18/09 Matthew: I took Matthew for his eye appointment with Dr. Coats. I expressed my concerns to him about all the head banging Matthew does. I asked him if it was having eye problems that might be contributing to the head banging. Dr. Coats immediately sent off an email to a doctor in the neurology department that Matthew needed to be seen because this was extreme in his opinion. Dr. Coats was concerned he might cause a hemorrhage. I wasn’t sure but hoped this would help in getting us in to a neurologist before January. Dr. Coats went ahead and dilated Matthew’s eyes to make sure there wasn’t any swelling he could see that might be pressing on Matthew’s optical nerve causing Matthew pain. Everything looked good. Dr. Coats wants to see Matthew in 6-8 months and I think at that time we might be looking at being able to refine Matthew’s glasses prescription a bit. Dr. Coats told me to call him on Friday if we did not hear from the neurology department.
Tue, Aug/18/09 All: Today is Matthew's eye appointment. We are really hoping Dr. Coats will take us seriously and look to see if his eyes could be causing his head banging. It is a long day today and I will update later as to what we are told.
Sat, Aug/15/09 All: We have been working on naming more object and sentences. Multiple word phrases are coming and it is interesting to watch them thinking about something before saying it. We have been working with Matthew more on his speaking and contact. At this point he is really good. We have not had much head banging this week. Andrew the other day head butted Nicholas when Nicholas stole a toy. Nicholas is working on dressing himself and is getting really good at it. Avery is doing great with her words. They are still not eating that well and I think breakfast is pointless. We got the shelves put in the end room and the window is fixed. We moved the cribs around and they seem to like the layout better and do less grumping. The initial bed move had everyone sleeping with Andrew. Andrew was not amused... Well, except Nicholas. Nicholas sleeps with Nicholas ONLY. We went out to dinner yesterday and it went really bad. Avery went mental in the restaurant. It does amaze me how OLD people get so upset when you are taking out a crying child. I appreciate they don't want to hear it, but seriously do you think we do?
Tue, Aug/11/09 All: The splash pad went ok. It was good for them. They played and tried out a few new items. Avery really got the swing. She got the idea that she needed to hold on and then it was on. She was in heaven. Avery and Matthew enjoyed the see-saw. I did all the see-sawing for them. They really loved the up and down of it. Nicholas and Andrew liked the tunnels and play equipment. We spent about 2 hours playing there. They liked the water, parents did not. Whoever designed it did not have kids putting bark much that close to water. They were a bit messy. I had to run back to the house to get the window guy to measure. Side note: We found the glass we could not find the kids were throwing it on the tile in Avery's bathroom. No cuts. Ok, back to the story, We are getting the kids in the car and they are messy as are we now. Kristen gets them home as I am in the other car. I get lunch and as I come home all I see is the car doors are open, strange, I had to ask. Kristen tell me she is lucky she had the door open as the kids locked the doors on her. They ate lunch and we have stopped cutting up chicken nuggets. I am trying to get them more to a normal place if that is possible with 4. They ate well and then off to the tub. Baths go as normal and then to bed. They nap well and ECI is here. They get up and play and we are at dinner. I do not know where the day went, but it was gone in a flash. We are praying the neighbor will baby sit and if she does we are going for an ice cream at Dairy Queen. It was nice to get some ice cream, now if we could figure out how to talk about something besides babies lol.
Mon, Aug/10/09 All: Well it is starting to rain and the Kris and I run out to get some plants(5) in the ground we purchased a month ago. Any complains talk to someone who cares. It is still nap time and they are in there room. We are maybe outside for 10 minutes with at least an hour left on their nap. We come in and they are awake, so we go to get them up and I see glass on the floor. Yep, Let's say it together gang! Window number 2 is down. It will be replaced Wednesday and I have duct taped cardboard over it. No, I do not expect this to hold. I expect to see cut fingers and blood everywhere in the morning. The reason is these kids are to curious and will not leave something new alone. They will do their best to play with it and it will all go horrible for us. So, now that we are prepared and ready for tomorrow I guess it will be what it be. Tomorrow will be a very long one we are taking the kids to the splash pad tomorrow and have ECI in the afternoon. I figure we will need mental help by 5. We have really started cracking the wipe on stuff we want stopped as the nice/loving approach is not getting it done. We are both extremely exhausted and tired. Did I say we put together shelving in the end room yesterday. Yes, we built more shelves to try and hold some of the stuff we cannot put in closets as those are destruction areas. Closets are off limits to anything under 5 feet. They take it out and play/make a mess with the contents. At this point all I want is a rock to climb under and ear plugs.
Sat, Aug/08/09 All: We woke up to a chill morning. The AC seems to have decided to get stuck on some temp and it was 68 in the house. I turned off all the ACs to no avail and then ended up throwing the breaker. It has been a nice morning as the house has warmed up. Nana brought a DJ lance outfit from Yo-Gabba-Gabba and it had black rimmed glasses. They are a riot. the kids love them and are all taking turns wearing the glasses.
Wed, Aug/05/09 All: ECI 6 month review. This was a normal project that was laying out what we want them to do the next few months.
Tue, Aug/04/09 All: It is early in the morning and Matthew is banging. I am trying to get video for the doctor, but it is hard. The green light on the camera attracts them. I found Matthew for the 2nd time in Andrews bed and he was banging. I feel sorry for Andrew, everyone likes to sleep with him or raid his bed. He really is a sweet heart for not putting a smack down on them. Nicholas and Avery are up this 3:20am with Matthew. I think Matthew is waking them. It is 5am now and it seems to be getting quieter, this is mostly due to a cheating dose of Benadryl. It seems to drop Matthew. I will have to pour over the data to see what changed that has him up. He has been really getting better. Today we have ECI.
Mon, Aug/03/09 All: The kids got into the closet and used the toy box to get to our CDs. Yes, we are getting dinner ready and it starts raining CDs in the entry way. Tomorrow, I think I know what our job will be.
Sun, Aug/02/09 All: We took the kids for dinner to the BBQ shack and they did really well. They did not eat which is a new issue. They don't seem to want or like anything. Except they loved the lemonade. Avery would like an all milk diet. As we have tried to expand what they will eat, we have seen a problem that we are not sure how to address. They do like some things for example grilled cheese. So we tried to add bacon or ham to it and now they will not eat it. Same is true for quesadilla, they would eat the cheese one until we added the chicken. Now they will not touch either. Kristen and I believe some of this aversion to new foods has to be because there is no older sibling to imitate. We are really starting to hate feeding time. We cook they do not eat, clean up, repeat. That is getting really old.
Sat, Aug/01/09 All: As today is Matthew's banging day, we are trying to track variables and we eliminated the afternoon outside time. It seems to have worked as he did no bang. Avery has started counting with Andrew to 10. We put Hats back in play and they really liked them. They can now take them on and off and really seem to be enjoying it. As today is messy day, we let them try ice cream. Is there anything better than a like Blue Bell vanilla? I don't think so. Avery, Nicholas and Matthew are in heaven. Andrew, funny Andrew, is not to accepting of this idea. He does love the cup it came in. They did really well eating with spoons and getting ice cream. Nicholas took small pieces of cheese and dipped them in the ice cream. Not too sure that be a winning flavor, but who is to judge.

July
Fri, Jul/31/09 All: Matthew slept and did not bang last night. Thank God. He finally woke up at 9am this morning and he seems real chatty. He is really a changed child since he is getting sleep. We have no biting from anyone and they all seem more engaging with each other. We are giving him Tylenol at night and since that first dose things have gotten so much better. Now we have 2 concerns: 1. Is a daily dose ok in a kid his age? 2. Why does he need it. Again, I am not amazed at the lack of help you get from the medical community. Thankfully we are smart enough to track 20 variables and then try stuff. The Doctors want tracking and think it is a good idea, and again why am I paying you. ha-ha. Sorry Soap box. We have some errands to run today and hope to spend some time in the grocery store trying to come up with food that is not chicken nuggets and something maybe they will eat. I think I forgot to mention, this week during the messy meal, we had the kids using spoons and forks it was such a pleasure to see that.
Thu, Jul/30/09 All: Hi Guys and Can I see are the phrases. Avery looked at Matthew and ask 'Can I See?' She was talking about his cookie. The look of you must be kidding on Matthew's face was a riot. We have gotten a bit tired of these 4 walls and took the kids out for a bit of earns. They did well and seemed to like it. Matthew wore his glasses most of the day and we were expecting head bang tonight.
Wed, Jul/29/09 All: Nancy Ann and Kathleen were here today. They had fun with the kids. The kids love the new books. I think they were a bit shocked at how big they have gotten and what all they can say. I know they enjoyed seeing them. We are looking forward to seeing them again. After they left, we decided to get dinner together and in a fit of Madness we loaded the kids up and went to Raising Canes for dinner. Yes, we went out by ourselves with no help. To make this even funnier, we went without strollers. We have never walked into a restaurant without prior knowledge and it was kind of fun. It went pretty well. Yes, we did have a yelling contest and it stopped in about 2 minutes. The rest of the time they did great. They did eat, and Andrew sat in a booster chair as they did not have 4 high chairs. We are so tired that it is going to be an early night. Just to note this was our FIRST OUTTING only. The Doctor wants us to video Matthew banging. Yep, we were asked to let our child beat himself and Video it. What can you say about that. We have been pouring over the data and blog and come to the conclusions that: 1. Tylenol stops his banging and everyone sleeps. 2. It seems to have started when we started patching his eye. This leads us to wonder if all the input is just giving him headaches.
Tue, Jul/28/09 All: Today was a riot. ECI was here and the kids were in rare form. During bath time, Nicholas decide Mommy was going to put his clothes on. This is normally my job. He was sitting on her knee and looked at me and said, 'No!' with a finger point. It was really funny. We have more and more language and multiple words together. Tomorrow will be a fun day.
Mon, Jul/27/09 All: I am amazed everyday at hospitals and concept of scheduling. We call for Matthew to see when he is scheduled and we are told they can't schedule any appointment till next year. So, now what. I am back to my point that Doctors really only want the easy stuff, like brake jobs. TCH is a great hospital, but you have to be kidding. Let's just say if this is now think how bad it will be if OBAMA gets his way. WOW! If Matthew continues bang until NEXT YEAR, Kristen and I will be in a nut house. Today is ECI dealing with why Matthew is banging. Well, we are waiting till old lady gets back that seems to have more a clue of what is not in a textbook. We are going to play today and we are hoping for a nap.
Sun, Jul/26/09 All: Matthew is up again tonight. It is 4 in the morning and he just will not sleep. He has woken up all the others and I am afraid we will have a riot on our hands today if they dont get some sleep. I am about to take him for a ride in the car to see if that will put him out.
Thu, Jul/23/09 All: ECI today. The kids got haircuts and look a lot better. We are working on language and cups. Andrew is counting from 1 to 10 with ease.
Sun, Jul/19/09 All: Today started like many Sundays have before. I got up when I heard the kids up and starting to play. I walked sleepily out to the kitchen to start making breakfast and noticed that Michael had left to pick up breakfast. He came home and asked me if I was up for taking the kids to the Aquarium pyramid at Moody Gardens today. I said sure and my head started spinning as to what we needed to get together so we could go. The kids played upstairs while we got the stroller attached to the car and diaper bag/snacks etc ready. We dressed the kids and off we went. The drive there went really well we even got a short nap out of Nicholas and Andrew. I felt bad that it was getting close to the kids lunch and nap time but figured we would monkey with the schedule at least one day. We went through the exhibits and I’m not sure the kids were terribly impressed. I’m not sure if it was because they were too hungry and tired or just too young to care yet. We thought we would try to grab some food before loading the kids up and heading home. I didn’t see anything that the kids would eat so we pulled out some snack food that I brought. The kids snacked a bit and we waited for the rain to subside so we could load them up and go home. It poured almost half the way home. Matthew and Avery fell asleep first and then Nicholas. Andrew kept yelling “oh no!” every time he heard the thunder. Andrew did fall asleep before we got home but we are definitely short on sleep time today. The kids enjoyed the rest of the day not strapped into a car seat or stroller.
Sat, Jul/18/09 All: We played outside today and enjoyed a few sprinkles. It is nice to see an overcast sky, because it seems cooler to be outside. The kids did well and Andrew, Avery and Matthew started playing in the golf cart like it was car and they loved it. This was the first interest they have ever shown. We decided to take them for a quick drive in the drive way and that went great. Nicholas is ok with it, but could care less to be honest. Since that went so well, We took them for a quick spin around the block and then dinner. Again, they did not eat anything. Since it was messy night it was off to baths and then to bed.
Thu, Jul/16/09 All: We took the kids to the Firehouse today. It was great they loved the parking lot and oh yeah the big pumper truck was cool. Matthew and Andrew liked it the most. The all loved the knobs and gauges. They ran in the long bays of the firehouse and really loved it. They did so well. We then ran to target and got a few items we needed. Avery got upset about something and started screaming. She did not stop till we were 1/2 way home, bless her. After a few headache pills and some lunch we are going to play with the bounce house this evening, because it is so HOT again.
Wed, Jul/15/09 All: ECI today. Nicholas decided to click his highchair straps into the buckle. He was really pleased with himself.
Tue, Jul/14/09 All: Here Ye! Here Ye! Let it be known that the 2nd year video has arrived.
Mon, Jul/13/09 All: It has been long weekend and long nights. Nicholas had a nightmares last night and Matthew banged. Nothing much to say, but I have to make the following statement. We are exhausted at trying to deal with Matthew getting up in the middle of night. It is frustrating to not get sleep and we are exhausted. The ECI people are telling us to take him and try a sleep study. How in the (BLANK) do you take a child, of 2, to get a sleep study in a bed, in a room, in a strange place to sleep. Will not happen. Oh, and lets ignore the Adhesive issue and how much pain 40+ sensors will cause him, cause no one will care and they will think we are being dramatic. We are considering an MRI for him, but how many times should a child be put under in a year. We are wondering if it is headaches. We are charting times looking for a pattern. Everyone so nicely says, 'He will grow out of it'. I am going to mental on the next person that says that, Tie them up and drag them home for an experience in Matthew land. Maybe if these medical people could/would actually see/live it, they would be less dismissive. The funniest one ever is that we need to ignore his negative behavior and redirect to something positive. How do I this at 3am? ... They just look at you. I am sorry to rant, but just no sleep and lack of ideas is driving us nuts. I do feel sorry for Andrew. He tries to sleep through it and everyone seems to like to sleep in his crib, except Nicholas. Nicholas sleeps with himself only. Just keep us in your prayers, we need them.
Thu, Jul/09/09 All: The day started at 1:15am with Matthew head banging. We finally get him to sleep. I could not get back to sleep. We get them breakfast and try and get some dishes and laundry started. Remember children are supposed to be stupid until educated. Within the next 15 minutes, we hear a strange clinking sound. And it concerns us and we go running. they opened the bathroom in some manner. They destroyed the room, emptied the drawers and played with all the items in the drawers. Avery was busy tearing up and dismantling a flower topiary, Matthew eat a 1/3 of the diaper ointment cream. Nicholas and Andrew are generally wrecking the place. All I can say is welcome to 9:05 at the Blair house. We are planning on pulling out our toe nails by Noon, if anyone is interested.
Wed, Jul/08/09 All: We let the kids try out a bounce house. They loved it and played for a long time.
Tue, Jul/07/09 All: ECI Today. The kids are ok. The wounds are healing and all seems well. Nicholas and Matthew were woken from a nap but the others. Let's say 30 pounds of 'HI!' will walk even the deepest sleeper. It was a day and has been a long week . The kids do not like dinner. We tried Bon-Bons with them. OK. Stop laughing! Seriously. They did like them, but did not eat dinner.
Mon, Jul/06/09 All: It is a good day we have some old friends coming over Lana, Peyton and Zach. They are running late and it is getting onto feeding time. Did I mention is had been a nice morning. I come in the door with food, well I was meet at the car door saying .... Where the.... GET IN HERE. IT IS TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACARE IN HERE. A BLOOD BATH. So, I put the food on the table and go running upstairs to see blood everywhere; on the carpet, walls, bedding, you name it. Kristen got a call from the vision teacher (New lady) who wanted to set a time and she had to grab a calendar. In the next 30 seconds we lost 2 pictures and 3 feet and hands are cut with glass. I am glad to report that Matthew, Yes Matthew, was holding a shard, but was not cut yet. Andrew and Avery had cuts on the hands and feet. Nicholas had a few small cuts. Andrew had been looking at the pictures in the guest bedroom and we had talked about removing them. Well we waited and got screwed. Avery is not happy with me. She has a deep cut on her finger and I may have to get it looked at after naps if it has not stopped. Andrews toes have stopped and he seems annoyed but ok. Let's just say I need help and sleep. Kristen and I are exhausted and beat and the day is still early. We got the majority of the blood off the carpet and furniture, but not sure about the bedding will get to that this evening.
Sat, Jul/04/09 All: Happy 4th! It is a great day. We played in the pool in the morning and eat and took baths. Then we decided to, yeah we, not take any naps and scream the rest of the day because we love Mom and Dad. We bought a portable slide and it is a major hit! They all took turns and went one by one. There was a little cutting in line. Matthew decided Avery was to slow and pushed her down the slide and they get back in line to which Avery resolved the matter with a swift bite to the bottom of Matthew on the latter. Man can that kid move! NASA would have been proud of that take off. They all really loved it. Andrew did amazing with it and figured out face first was more fun, until he meet Nicholas face to face with the clack of coconuts. Nicholas loves sitting on top of the slide looking over everything. It is a nice to see them play nicely on a toy.
Wed, Jul/01/09 All: Yesterday, it rained here for the first time since April. The kids had finished dinner and we let them play in the rain. Andrew did not like the thunder and would yell 'Oh No!' every time. They all yelled as it thundered and it was funny. They ran in the rain and jumped in the puddles. They did not want to come in, but it was time and we were concerned about the lightening being so close. Today will be busy we have more builder people here today and appointments. It will be long day. I am working on the video section and hope to have it redone by the weekend. Once it is done I can add videos easier and might get to them that way.

June
Tue, Jun/30/09 All: We have some fun idea to talk about. The kids have really started saying HI to each other. And they will not stop saying HI until they are answered. They are giving kisses to each other and Hugs. We had a little rain last night and I hope it will be cooler this week so we can take them to the park again. We have Crayons in the cards today. I am sure they will eat them, but we will see.
Mon, Jun/29/09 All: I got the trailer hitch installed on the car so we can take the quad stroller with us today. It will allow us to try and go on an outing. We are not sure when but we want to try one. It will allow Kristen to get out without me also. I had plans for today that never seemed to get done as I kept getting interrupted. The kids are exhausted and need sleep from all the workmen that were here. This week will not be any better sad to say. Kristen is almost done with the video.
Sat, Jun/27/09 All: This weekend was pretty quiet. Lots of playing inside because the heat has been so bad.
Thu, Jun/25/09 All: Wednesday and Thursday we had some warranty work done on the house. The kids have done some damage to the walls which required some sheetrock work, texturing and painting. Unfortunately the work was still wet both days when it was time for the kids to take a nap so we loaded them up in the minivan and Kristen drove around in hopes of getting at least a small nap out of them. Neither day was very successful in the nap department which resulted in evening meltdowns and earlier bedtimes. We still have some more work to be done this week but hopefully it won't interfere with the kids nap schedule. Nana and Boppa came on Friday to see the kids and give us a break to run some errands.
Wed, Jun/24/09 All: Kristen took Avery to her eye appointment on Tuesday. The doctor thinks what he was able to check looks fine. Avery was definitely not the most cooperative patient. Avery cried when she was on the elevator but did good waiting in the big waiting room. When Kristen took her back into the ophthalmology department she started crying and didn't quit. Kristen was even unable to calm her down. The one good thing is while Avery was screaming she did keep her eyes open to at least be examined a bit. The doctor would like us to bring her back in for a follow up 6-12 months from now. Hopefully she will be a better patient.
Tue, Jun/23/09 All: Avery's eye appointment is today. Bath schedules are messed up and it will be a long day. Nicholas decided to sleep in. He was standing at the top of the stairs with this look of why am I alone? It was to sad. Matthew was yelling for him from the breakfast table. Avery kept trying to wake him up, so I stopped her. Andrew well, he was excited to get to eat. Fingers crossed for Avery to be ok and not need anything.
Mon, Jun/22/09 All: Diapers be damned. Some clean some not, and the carpet was cleaned. It has been a unique day and the kids won today. Nicholas was our dream child today he likes shorts. After 4 episodes they are back in onzies.
Sun, Jun/21/09 All: Happy Father's Day.
Sat, Jun/20/09 All: How to describe yesterday's events... The day started as any other with breakfast and playtime. They go for a Nap. The noise level did not go down as normal at nap time as I go and check and it out. The nap time never happened. They decided to pull over, we guess, the changing table onto the floor and then use it like a jungle gym. More proof we are raising Monkeys. We never heard it go over on to the floor. No one was hurt, until we removed the table. That really seemed to upset them! They finally fall asleep for a short nap. Nicholas wakes us upset. We are planning for a little pool time. The pool time was fun. Matthew and Andrew are really settling into the water and enjoying it. Then for a treat as it is hot I get them all some Ice Cream bars. The try and eat them, but most melted. This lead to the dog eating a whole popsicle stick. So we are watching her now to see if she can pass it. Oh great now I have to watch more poop. Kristen goes into the house to get changed and get dinner ready. In the mean time, Nicholas and Andrew are playing around on the Patio. Nicholas slips and does a face plant on the concrete. Busted lip, abrasion on his forehead, and a huge bruise and lump. I saw him going down and it was fast, but like a tree falling. I do not think he understood to even put his arms out to stop himself. How he is screaming. While this is going on, Kristen decides to take a slide into home plate on the tile in the kitchen. Ankle, Knee , hip and back now hurt. Oh did I say her pride! Yeah that was a bit hurt. She tells me the only thing she can say positive is that no one saw it. Now on to dinner and bed time. It is a quiet night, until Matthew starts banging at 2 am.
Fri, Jun/19/09 All: We went to the park , the other morning, to try and beat the heat. It was fun, but the kids seem to be more affected to heat than we do. ECI was here yesterday. Nana and Cheryl are here today. We are getting a lot more language from everyone. Andrew is now saying, 'Help Please' when he gets into something and needs us. We are both proud of this functional word usage. Each of them has over 100 words that actually mean something. We are not counting the random words they say. It is funny to me what they pick up. When I get them up in the morning, I guess I say, 'Hi guys' as they are now saying it to me when I come in. We are moving to 5 diapers and trying to burn down the 4 ones. We have had them downstairs most of this week and they love it. We are tired of picking up though. So, if it continues we will spend some time removing items from the down stairs. Kristen made homemade chocolate chip cookies yesterday. It was a massive hit. Matthew took out his buddy for a cookie. Andrew ate it and said 'YUM'. Nicholas came running for one. Avery took a small bit then crammed the cookie in. For a warm cookie all play stops and we have complete attention. It was a real positive thing to see them eat something we cooked, cause that seems to be a unique event. We are going to keep trying normal food and they will learn to eat it I am told. I have no idea what this weekend will hold, but I bet will involve babies.
Tue, Jun/16/09 All: Yesterday was filled with destruction. We have 2 new holes in the walls. The cardboard on the stairs is now gone. It is going to be a long day we have ECI today and we are going to try and get them out this morning as it is cooler. I am sure tonight is bath night. And No I have no idea what is for dinner! Anyway no one will eat it. (Smile) I guess that is the most frustrating thing we face is picky eaters.
Sat, Jun/13/09 All: The day started as most do. Screaming and Yelling. If yours do not start this way, I pity you. A quiet morning with the ability to collect your thoughts, a nice peaceful breakfast and sanity. Ours start at 7am with the screaming and yelling and something even earlier. Matthew last night decide to have a long talk with himself, about what we have no idea, but he giving himself what for. My guess is he was talking to the stuffed dog we got him. The kids are obviously tired today and the bags under their eyes are visible. I let them come down stairs to breakfast as I do every morning. Nothing major. They don't eat it, and the dog gets fatter. After a pointless breakfast, the kids end up downstairs. Yeah, did I mention they removed a baby gate from the wall! Yep. 1 of 4 down. So they played down stairs with us so we could try and get some stuff done. See, that is what a person with 1 kid says... With 4 getting anything done is kind of impossible. They set about destroying the downstairs and playing with everything they could. As the morning wore on we end up at lunch. Yep, did not eat it. They go for a nap... Nap this word is a myth. They all, yes all, decide to go potty and then serenaded us with a resounding chorus of screaming. If we got a 35 minute nap it would a shock. As a side note, once you enter the nap zone, there is no turning back. Once the overlord arrives it is there duty to change and release the minions on the house. Well, today I am wiped out and let them go as I did not bring juice with me and we all head downstairs. Did I say Kristen was trying to get a nap! They come down the stairs with the energy only kids have and start playing. We had planned to take them out the pool today and have something messy for dinner. As the afternoon gets longer it is about 4 and we are going to take them to the pool, but they decide to ALL 4 sit on the couch and watch what is on the TV. For the next 45 minutes they are quiet and sitting like little angels. For dinner, I made spaghetti. It is the first time they have seen it, but wait I forgot something. As Kristen and I get there plates together and bath supplies organized there is a little giggling from the door. To our Horror, the 4 have OPENED the dog food container and are have a nice snack of dog food, and they were sharing very nicely with the dog. The sound of crunching dog food from a child is a really sick sound, but they really seemed to loved it. We had to fight them for the nuggets. At this point we plant them in the high chairs and try to finish getting everything done. We put the spaghetti in front of them and are expecting the worse. They eat the watermelon and that is about all. We let them sit for a bit as the bathtub is filling and them Matthew, bless him, grabs a hand full and throws it. At this point I pull all the trays and they off to bath time. It has been a long day and Mom and Dad need some quiet time.
Wed, Jun/10/09 All: Went to build a bear yesterday for the kids and let them pick one. Avery chose the pink bear, Nicholas chose a green frog, Matthew chose a dog and Andrew chose a bear. They seemed to like the outing to the mall. It is just so Hot outside right now and it is still early in the year. I added more photos today. ECI is here today.
Tue, Jun/09/09 All: ECI was here today and the kids are really tried. It is 4pm and they are still sleeping. This is shocking and we are going to have to wake them soon or dinner is shot. Going to try and find something fun to do tonight. Might try something on the WII.
Mon, Jun/08/09 All: Matthew has been home 2 years. This means they have all be in our care for 2 years! This is amazing. We took them to the park for a play. They love it. We had a few scraped knees and a small spill off the bars. Matthew has a nice bruise. Andrew got sick in the car. It was from the heat. They were getting so hot, we had to call it. We had baths and a quiet night.
Sat, Jun/06/09 All: We woke up late with the kids yelling. I change the kids and Andrew was sleeping in. So, I let him sleep. Meanwhile, the others are down having breakfast and they decide Andrew is missing and Matthew leads the call for their brother with "Anroo, Anroo!" They keep this up for a good bit. After 30 minutes, we wake him cause he needs to eat. We went to swim again today and it was fun. Andrew and Matthew decide they needed the push cars at the pool. Nicholas decided they needs a wash. So in the pool the cars go. Yes they did have kids in them at the time. Andrew really enjoyed the pool today. Avery figured out the water hose controls the dog. This led to a swim for the dog. Bailey, the dog, was not happy with the idea. We let them try vanilla ice cream bars on a stick. The mess was amazing. After this it was dinner and baths.
Thu, Jun/04/09 All: The kids decided to pull up all the flooring and while Kristen and I were chatting about something. It struck me that the pieces could be used to make cubes. I know at time brilliance comes in weird places. We began to try and make one and it was a massive hit and we made a few more. It is not strong enough to make tunnels. They did have fun with them for a while and then they got a bit destructive and stood up in the cubes and they came apart. It was fun for a little while. Kristen got a hair cut yesterday and we played chase the dog under the bed. The kids love that game, now the dog I am not sure about. She is ok with it, but I also try and keep them from hurting her also. I hope to get a few more changes to the site made. If anyone has any ideas please drop me and Kristen an email. They woke us up this morning at 6 am in full form so it will be a long day.
Tue, Jun/02/09 All: Avery has been hone 2 years today. We tried KFC last night with them and it went well. We are close to getting the kids Names out of them. I mean in a real understandable manner. We have Androo and Nickee and Afree and Matthouu. We are getting other words like again and we are working on sentences with them. We are making them use word to get items not just cute smiles and kisses. Andrew and Nicholas are really beat up with bites this week. Avery and Matthew are not as bad, but do have some. They are trying to get a point across and seem to respond with a bite. We are working on this, but do wonder if more words will help solve this. They are hording toys now. They are taking the toys that they feel belong to them today and hide them in the push cars or in a corner. This is funny cause Avery believes they are all hers and makes a happy time unloading the piles when they are not looking. She makes sure to scatter them around the room. Nicholas seems to go mental at this offence and chases Avery when she is caught. Breakfast time has really become how much food can we throw on the floor. I never realized how aerodynamic breakfast cereal is.
Mon, Jun/01/09 All: I loaded some Photos. I have more to add today. All is good just quiet today.

May
Sun, May/31/09 All: We took the kids out to the pool and it was a riot. We put them in the new vests to help them float. It was a riot watching them try and walk. They hated them. We took them out into the water and they could not feel us through the vests so they hated it after a hour of upset baby we took them out and they started to relax. They got in the water and played and finally they (Avery and Nicholas) decided it would be fun to JUMP into the pool. Yes Jump! We were caught a bit off guard. We did catch them, but it was close. Andrew has to warm up to the water and has a routine he does as he tests out the water so we let him do his thing. Matthew is not sure with his vision. Avery and Nicholas are full steam. We started teaching them to kick in the water. They are all doing it now and they will do it when asked this is good as it is the start to teaching them some water safety. After a long day we took them in for dinner and a bath. Today was really quiet they were worn out and slept well both days.
Thu, May/28/09 All: Yesterday was going nicely and all was well. We go to bath time and POOP hits the fan! We had 1 done, 1 in process and 2 still in the tub. Nicholas was grunting and we were joking about him going. This leads to screaming by Kristen as I am putting Andrew upstairs. I come in to find that Matthew has dropped a nice quick and run. Nicholas then grabs it, and does not like what is in his hand. He then proceeds to throw it. Now it is everywhere. The tub looks horrible and I have to say Nicholas is freaked out cause we are yelling to stop. Matthew and Avery are running naked in the bathroom and we are now in pressure mode. We get Avery diapered and Matthew the entire time trying to keep the Brown Bear in the tub. This leads to Nicholas in the shower with me as it was the only place for him. I am not sure he understood the shower. We get them upstairs for bit of quiet time before bed. Followed by 1 hour of cleaning the tub, Did I mention we ran out of cleaning products. Today is a busy day with ECI, the builder (repairs) and a tree removal company. We lost a tree and it is too close to the house to me to take down. Matthew was up all last night and I have a big headache so it will be a long day!!!
Tue, May/26/09 All: Baby Weights are in. And yes they have reclaimed the lost territory and expanded the empire nicely. Over the past few months we have had some battles from Losing bottles to learning how to eat people food. We are excited to say they seem to have it. And Andrew has exceeded our belief. Just make sure not to leave anything you want back on his highchair! If you do we will see it in a few hours. ha-ha. Nicholas still has a way to go, but he has his last teeth coming in and I am sure that has to effect the appetite. I have to announce that Nicholas, Yes Nicholas has learned how to use a fork! He has used the fork for the past 3 days now and we are so proud of him. I am sure the others will learn from him. Andrew and Matthew use it to get food to them, then take it off the fork and eat it. Avery seems out right disgusted with the whole idea. She has a lot of teeth coming in also. We had some laughs today and a lot more words. I have been lazy on taking photos. The show Oswald is a baby drug. It is wonderful. They ask for it and we turn it on. Ask 'Os-wauld'. It is really cute. They even name the characters that are in the show. Dass-ie (Daisy), Os-wauld (Oswald) and Hen-ree (Henry). It is really cute. We had no idea they were saying it. We were not sure what they were saying until it came on the TV and they started saying the word and names. It was a shock to us as we hate that show and normally turn it off. Andrew was walking around all weekend saying Daisy his way and it is a real laugh.
Mon, May/25/09 All: The zoo went really well. The kids did amazing for Cheryl and Barbara. The loved the Giraffes and fish. The fish were a big hit. Avery roared like a lion at the Giraffes. Nicholas kept everyone quiet and happy in the shelter are the rain came down. We also had a great time getting projects and things done we never have time for. We cannot say what a real help this was. We are tried, but at least that Christmas stuff is finally put up! I have some photos and I plan to get some today of Nicholas. Happy Memorial Day!
Sun, May/24/09 All: Nicholas has been home 2 years today. Aunt Cheryl and Barbara have ddecided to take the kids to the zoo. God help them! Kristen and I are going to try and get some stuff done around the house.
Fri, May/22/09 All: I hope to get the camera out and get some pictures taken. The kids are really starting to sting things together. They have decided they want to Oswald. It is the most mind numbing thing I have ever seen, but they all watch and get nice and quiet. We have started using it before bed time. Yesterday, they started saying the characters names. This was interesting as we have never used them. The names are Henry, Daisy and Oswald. We are playing and Andrew starts saying to Nicholas, ' Daisy' and Nicholas replies 'Henry', followed by a resounding Oswald. As the TV was not on. I took this to mean they wanted some TV before bed time. I cooked 15 pounds of hamburger and 2 pounds of bacon for the freezer yesterday. This really makes prepping meals easier when all u have to do is thaw it for 2 minutes in the microwave. We let the kids try Hamburgers yesterday. Bun, Meat and cheese with ketchup and a side of Onion rings. The Onion rings did well, except the onion was a bit of a bother to some. The burger went ok. They did not eat much of it but did try the idea out which is good.
Wed, May/20/09 All: Matthew's appointment went well and he does not have to go back for 3 months. The Dr Coats said his eyes looked good and the blood we are seeing is normal. He cannot be in the pool for 2 more weeks, we are guessing this is a bacteria issue. Took the others outside yesterday and ran the life out of them. We have appointments all day today so it will be busy.
Mon, May/18/09 All: At 3 am this morning i am awoken by talking. I go to investigate. I hear Matthaw and Nicholas having a detailed discussion for about 5 minutes about something. But they were really talking about it. It was a riotand I was trying not to laughing. I really mean a conversation. No real works, but the structure was right.
Mon, May/18/09 All: To Recap: Matthew has been a big trooper through all of this. They took him back to surgery at 1:00 pm and we were leaving Children's by 3:00 pm. About 15 minutes after we got home he was jumping around in the kitchen.

Kristen takes Matthew back tomorrow for his post-op appointment. She plans to show the doctor his chest so it can be documented in his file. Matthew did have an IV for the surgery but he didn't seem to be bothered by the tape they used. We have been using an adhesive eye patch since October without issue and he has had a few band-aids and those haven't been a problem either. When we originally brought him home from the hospital on the apnea monitor he was fine, but as the months went by his chest developed sores and we just thought it was from constantly having something there. I just can't believe how quickly he developed these sores. The Kids had a blast at the NICU Reunion. It is a busy week and we have a lot to get done. Thank you Theresa for your help.

Avery has started barking like a dog. It is funny. The dog does not seem amused.

Sat, May/16/09 All: Matthew, poor Matthew. He banged all last night again. We have no idea why, but man it is frustrating. Finally got him to go to sleep at 4am. We did baths early today as we are going to the NICU Reunion tonight. This is new for us as we have not been out at night with the kids before. They do love a doughnut hole breakfast. The reason I started the thought today with Poor Matthew is he got a bath and it was his first since surgery. When he was a little guy he had the adhesive leads on his chest ALL the time. As time when by in his young life he seemed to get allergic to them and break out in sores. I have posted a picture of what he has as of today. This is 4 days later and he only had them on for 2-3 hours. If anyone knows anything about this problem please let us know. We are excited about tonight.
Fri, May/15/09 All: All is well. Matthew seems to be getting better and his eyes are looking better. He hates is eye drops and we have to hold him down to give them. I was banging his head this morning which woke me at 4am. I got him back to sleep, wish I could. The surgery seems to have really helped him. To me is seems he is not falling as much and runs with more confidence. Andrew has really found a happy place and is a real joy to be around these days. Nicholas and Avery are working out some issues. Nicholas steals from her and she bites him HARD. I am sure they will get a solution worked out soon. We have Matthew's follow-up this coming week. We are not able to go for walks as we are supposed to keep dust out of his eyes so we are house bound. We are going to try and go to the NICU Reunion on Saturday evening at the Children's Museum. This would be a first as we have never gone out at night with them.
Thu, May/14/09 All: I made a few small tweaks to the site. I hope everyone likes them. I hope to get some more done soon.
Tue, May/12/09 All: It has been a long day and we are exhausted and I have to say thanks to Nana and Bapa for their help today. I do not know what we would have done without them. The Surgery went well. We waited longer than the surgery took. He was in and out in 30 minutes. He did great with the anesthesia . We had some concerns with it based on his last surgery. He did really well this time. We got a glowing report from Dr. Coats as to his retinas and the overall procedure went like a text book. So I can only say Thank God for that! He looks like someone beat his eyes up and we have to keep him out of the water, wind and no rubbing his eyes. We have a check up in one week and if all is well we might be out of the weather on that.
Mon, May/11/09 All: We are getting ready for tomorrow with Matthew. We are not sure how it is going to go. He has to be at the hospital at 9:45. this is funny as he will be a bit hungry and by 11 he will be eating the furniture. We are praying it will go fast and easy for him. We are still concerned so any prayers will be appreciated. I will try and give an update tomorrow when we know more.
Sun, May/10/09 All: Happy Mother's Day to all and Margaritas for you. We took the kids to the club for a Mother's day brunch with Kristen's family. Kristen got a nice gift. She helped or there would have been no way to do it. We got the kids hand prints on paper and a nice frame for each. Matthew's Surgery is on Tuesday and is weighing on us.
Sat, May/09/09 All: Added some Photos. We are planning more pool time today with them.
Sat, May/09/09 All: Well, we lost our minds today and took the kids out to the pool the blow up one. It was a pretty day and they had baths and a messy dinner (goulash) coming, so why not. We started at the little pool and the kids were doing really well. Andrew seems to be warming up to the idea. He really got involved and got into the water and did some nice splashing. I took Avery over to the big pool to let her try it as she really likes water. Well the boys were not happy about the idea , and wanted to know why not them. They convinced the dog to break the fence down and they started running for the pool. Yep no joke. We had a blast and they did ok. They are not to steady with the sloping entry yet. They sat in the water and walked on the benches. Then one by one they took wrong steps, as they do, and face plant and floating like a dead man in the pool. Nicholas was the best, his face in the water and he was looking around, Andrew did it was not happy, Avery learned that water in not recommended for the lungs and Matthew climbed on my head. This happened so fast for each of them, but it did give them a nice fear. Yes, fear. A limit if you will. While this was going on we have 2 pool poopers. Yep, you know the swim diapers are not really meant to hold a load and be in water. We ended up in swim suits and a garden hose to wash them down. So we are trying to figure out our next move and a light get broken in the landscape, Matthew climbs up the 10 foot ladder, to the top. We strip them to naked babies running in the yard. Let them dry for a couple of minutes then re-diaper and go to dinner. The dinner went well and the bath time was easy. They went down fast tonight. Tomorrow is mother's day.
Fri, May/08/09 All: Matthew's surgery is scheduled for Tuesday. His pre-op yesterday went ok. We have to be at the hospital at 9:45 for check-in. He can't eat before 12 hours before. All we have to say is they had better be quick as he is going to be HUNGRY! We are hoping for the best.
Wed, May/06/09 All: I go to get the kids up for breakfast and am hit with the smell of Desitin. Yep, we obviously forgot to get it off the table last night. I go get Kristen and we had to laugh. Each child has a tube and is playing with it. It is on the floor, the walls, the cribs, the outfits, and none on them! Yep they are clean. We had fun cleaning the carpet this morning. We will be moving the changing table out of the room. We have no idea where it should go. No photos of this were taken. We are going to finger paint in the drive way this afternoon. I bet the dog will be nice and colored when we are done. The paint says it washes out. We will see. I am doing this to get the kids to make Mother's day presents for Mom. Yes she does know, but how in the world could I do it without her involved. We bought white shirts to cover them and if all goes as planned, Add laughter track here, we will have each one put their hands on a piece of paper.
Tue, May/05/09 All: We get the kids up from there naps. This sounds normal. We enter the room to find Matthew sitting on the changing table. Yes, sitting on it. He scaled it. No help no boxes or support. He went up the side like Spiderman. We know this as when we took him off the table to change diapers, he went back up it is a flash with no assistance. It was amazing to watch. They are all so active. We are going to try and get the items removed that could cause a problem.
Mon, May/04/09 All: Wow. 25 months! And we are still sane or as close as we get. We took the kids to play today outside in with the blowup pool. They were not sure what to think. Avery loves it. Nicholas and Matthew love the side, but not the impact into the water. Andrew was having none of it. He stood by the door and wanted in. He is not really into this nature idea. This was the first time they were in the yard bare foot we think also. No allergies that we saw, which is a good thing. We played for a good while and ordered a pizza, no takers. We let them have popsicles. This was a riot. They held them and most tried them. They melted and made a nice mess. Andrew did not get the idea or was disgusted by it. Nicholas was screaming and could not figure out why it was making his hand cold. Tried to show him, but that is how he wanted to do it. Avery used hers to try and break everyone else's. She was successful with Andrew's and he was upset. Matthew ate his and turned green from the popsicle. All in all we had fun and bath time was quick. Bed time was really quick. It seems 2 hours hard running in the sun will drop them. I have noted this for a weekly occurrence. ha-ha.
Sat, May/02/09 All: Kim came over and gave the kids a much needed hair cut. She is a great stylist if anyone is looking. Everyone is better and happy. We tried to let them come play in our room. It was an interesting morning to say the least. It started with Doughnuts. Yes, I think ALL of them could eat there weights in Shipley's. 3 dozen doughnut holes, no joke seriously. We were then lead to playing in the downstairs to see if we could run some of the sugar out of them. We are going to try shake-n-bake tonight with watermelon. As it is getting warmer and the mosquitoes are getting worse, we try to get some outside time. We got a small pool, blowup, to allow them to get used to the idea a bit more. Now, I hear some laughter about this. Andrew and Nicholas are not sure about the open water pool idea. Avery and Matthew are more like cartoon characters running for the water. I can't even say how often we have had to pull them from the pool or herd them away from it. Been really bad about pictures with being sick. Did not figure anyone would care about that.

April
Thu, Apr/30/09 All: Happy Birthday Kristen! She is 40 today. Only Kidding she is still 29. We wanted a nice quiet day, well that is shot. Appointments today and no nap. So It will be a lot of screaming, and the kids might also. Andrew liked the Goulash last night. I mean really liked it. We have introduced Graham Crackers. Those are a major hit.
Tue, Apr/28/09 All: Been under the weather. We had funny moment the other day. We go up to get everyone up from there naps to find Avery Buck Naked. She was out of her outfit, buttons still snapped, Diaper gone and a nice wet spot on the carpet. But she sure was happy with herself. We are all getting better. Kristen got her license renewed and due to the rain and flooding all appointments are off. This should lead to a nice quiet day.
Sat, Apr/25/09 All: Bath day! Need I say more. So Sloppy food and messy all day. The night ends with the boys chasing each other around the couch and Avery laughing. We have a nice cough now. We hope that gets better soon. Nicholas seems to be getting taller. Matthew has some seriously long legs. Andrew is just happy and very strong legs. Avery seems to be growing and getting bigger. We are in serious need of haircuts again. We look back and are just amazed at where we have come from and what is standing in front of us. At times you watch them all and just wonder how have we made it. Where did the time go. Do you remember when.
Fri, Apr/24/09 All: Nicholas started jumping and getting ground clearance. Matthew can say Matthew. We are having a lot of issue with the kids not eating. They don't want to try anything new and are tired of the same old. It is really frustrating. Andrew and Avery have my allergies poor dears. They are runny noses and the amount of snot is.... How can I put this.... Could fill the 7 seas. They are all enjoying jumping on the couch and I am threatening to get a trampoline. Avery is just the talkative one. She will carry on a conversation with you, about what we have no idea, but she does expect you to respond when she stops. It is really funny. Nicholas jumping is a huge thing. He has been trying to get off the ground but the mechanic just eluded him. It is a riot to get them all in a row and say, '1…2…3..GO!' And they all start jumping. It is like a room full of deranged bunnies. Matthew and Avery are starting to Frog jump. Andrew is a great jumper, but he would rather destroy the couch. I have to get a pile of dirt for them. Today is diaper run, Wipes and groceries. So a long day, but thanks to Nana and Bapa for letting us go together to get this done.
Thu, Apr/23/09 All: Matthew had a long night. We gave them Pedilite last night as they were not hungry. They inhaled it. Matthew had a bit too much and his tummy was upset we are guessing. So at 10:30 he is screaming for 2 hours. We finally get him back to sleep. Then he would not go to sleep and help trying to talk to the others and they were out so he banged his head till 8am! That leads to long days. Kristen thinks he is becoming a Klingon. I really laughed at this as it seems so true.
Wed, Apr/22/09 All: Kids are better today and seem to be ok. We are going to take it easy today and make sure they are over it. I added a lot of Photos today and I added the professional picture we took. They took a lot of pictures and I only posted a handful.
Tue, Apr/21/09 All: I expanded the play area in the yard yesterday to let them have more space. We are waiting to hear from the doctor's office. I need to know if we need to start back on patching. Well, I think we have our first illness or low grade something. Andrew ran a temp yesterday and in great today, Matthew and Nicholas are running temps today. Nicholas went back to bed. It was 8:30 this morning when I WOKE them up. There is something wrong with the term woke a baby. Why would you do this. Avery is fine for now. I am working on photos this morning.
Mon, Apr/20/09 All: Well, The Hospital just called and told us the Doctor had an emergency come up, so we have to wait. He canceled all surgeries that day... I am sure he will have fun on the Golf Course. Kind of upsetting as we have to arrange a lot to get there, but that is our problem. So, we are waiting till we get a call back tomorrow or whenever they get around to it. Yes, I just hope our help will be able to drop everything. Oh wait they don't care about it being an inconvenient... Sorry this is a soap box issue of mine with Doctors. I will stop here as it really gets under my skin. Matthew is on hold. I will update everyone as soon as we know something. Thanks and fingers crossed.
Sun, Apr/19/09 All: Andrew was carrying his favorite dog toy toward the couch and was saying, 'Ssssit''Ssssit''Ssssit' Man it sure sounded like something else. We are now going to be a bit more careful. Please feel free to tell us what word your child said first. We need a laugh.
Fri, Apr/17/09 All: Nana is working hard with the kids today. We let them try the piano and they love it! We had fits when we took them off. Tomorrow we have a play date with the Haby's and are looking forward to seeing them.
Thu, Apr/16/09 All: As the Doctor has given us clearance to eat any food we want with the kids, excluding shell fish and bottom feeders. They got to try Chocolate Chip cookies. It went well and I am glad to say it was a hit. Nicholas is so sweet and loves to share, he will give you the smaller piece. ha-ha
Wed, Apr/15/09 All: We took the kids for 2 year photos today. It went well. We got some nice photos and they outfits were amazing. We got there at 9:30 left at 11 then ran the get Matthews CBC done for his platelets. He need this for a check and surgery. His numbers were great! That was a huge lift for us. That took a little longer than expect till almost 1. Then we run to solve our WARDROBE MALFUNCTION. Yes, we bought an outfit without checking all the pieces. So, Nicholas is showing a little tummy in a few shots as it is a 6-9 months top not the 24 his brothers are wearing. We got that switched out and the time is 1:35 then we run to get them some lunch. We get home at 2 and the kids are Hungry and done by 2:30 and ready for some TIME OUT OF THESE SEATS! They are running around and I am sure dinner will go bad as they ate late and they will pass out tonight with no nap. This is fine as Kristen has a wake to go to. Mrs. L. you will be missed. I am hoping for a low key night and an early bed. It will not happen, but I can hope. I have the photos cut and the CD in the drive. I will get them up as soon as I can.
Tue, Apr/14/09 All: Bath tub is like Mexico; you don't drink the water. A quote from Kristen tonight to the kids during bath time.

ECI was here and we had a Matthew's eye appointment. The kids were with Dad all day and we played and destroyed the house with the utmost efficiency. We almost ran out of things to do. We cooked dinner and no one ate it. How are they going to get bigger if they dont eat. I know I am the only parent to ask this question. Then to baths, it was a riot. The tub was filled high today and to our surprise it went well. Avery really seemed to enjoy it. She relaxed into a reclined position as one does and was waiting for a chilled apple juice and her ABC book and she was there for the long haul. Seriously! She really likes water. Meanwhile, the boys decided to get into items on the ledge and destroy and make a grand mess that only a Aggie can enjoy. There was paper and shreds everywhere. As I write this, Kristen came in and asked me If I wanted to see today's Tub ring. 4 kids do leave a ring. Play hard and let them know you were there. The Blair family Motto. I hear a rustling and the dog has come in so I am sure they are up to something.... Oh they got the animal crackers.... Oh Joy.... More Vacuuming tonight! Tomorrow we hope to get some 2 year photos, we will see if 2 year olds will allow them.

Matthew : Matthew's patching is now over and we are happy. His surgery is on the 21st and we need a lot of prayers for a positive outcome. He is prepped and ready all we have to do it wait now.

Sat, Apr/11/09 All: I added the Birthday Photos. The kids are good and looking forward to Easter. I have more Photos to add, but the camera is upstairs and I am not willing to go get it right now. They played in the push cars we got them and really like them. Kristen is hard at work on the 2 year video!
Thu, Apr/09/09 All: At the doctor's office, The kids were in diapers running amuck. Matthew tried to pick his safe. Andrew tried to pull out all his charts. Nicholas was flirting with the receptionist. Avery was climbing in and out of the chairs. They closed all his doors then opened them when they found his light switched. So they were each in a room playing on/off and yelling ON or OFF. The rest of the time they were running up and down the hallway yelling with hand in the diapers. It was embarrassing. Avery screamed the entire time. We get home and they nap to be working by the vision teacher for Matthew, we forgot about. We did have fun and it was a riot. I am not sure they were ready or prepared for the Blairs. ha-ha. We have ECI today and something else I forget. I would say it is going to be a good day, but I am sure something will make it great. The kids are saying so many new words. It is really hard to keep track who said what.
Wed, Apr/08/09 All: The Doctor went well. We really like him. The kids did well, but did not like to be stuck with needles and tried to destroy the office. I forgot how it was to go somewhere that they were not in a stroller and there was no baby proofing. Kristen and I are exhausted. We had a long list of questions and got a lot of answers. They did blood workup on all the kids which is the first since they came home. Everyone's was good, Matthew's platelets were a bit low, so we are going to get the checked again.
Wed, Apr/08/09 Matthew:
Weight: 25 pounds.
Height: 34 inches.
Head Circumference: 18 1/2 inches.

Andrew:
Weight: 26 pounds.
Height: 32 3/4 inches.
Head Circumference: 19 1/2 inches.

Nicholas:
Weight: 24.6 pounds.
Height: 33 inches.
Head Circumference: 19 inches.

Avery:
Weight: 23.12 pounds.
Height: 32 1/2 inches.
Head Circumference: 19 1/4 inches.

Tue, Apr/07/09 All: Tomorrow is the big 2 year baby appointment. We have to get there at 9am. This might be interesting as we have never tried an AM appointment with the kids since breakfast. We are busy getting stuff together for the meeting tomorrow. We have baths and sloppy dinner tonight.
Mon, Apr/06/09 All: We had fun in the sun yesterday afternoon. They played with the sidewalk chalk and did not eat it! It has been a busy weekend and we have a busy week with Doctor appointments.
Sat, Apr/04/09 All: Happy Birthday! It has been an amazing 2 years. They have learned so much this past year. From Walking to Running to Talking to Jumping. We are excited about the coming year and what it will have to offer. I know there will be new challenges and struggles, but the laughs will hopefully outweigh any negative. Today will be the same for them. We got some party favors, Like hats and horns. I am not sure what they will do with that.
Fri, Apr/03/09 Matthew: We did not get a good report on Matthew. His patching is helping but not near enough. This lead us to 2 options: 1. Patch him 3-4 hours a day or 2. Surgery. Let's look at what this kid has been forced to undergo. 2 hours per day X 6 months (180 days) (Subtract 20 days) = 320 Hours of patching so far. This means he has been tied down for 13 1/3 days so far. If we went with Option 1: patching. This means he would be 4 months for 4 hours a day, which means he would be tied down for 480 hours or 20 days. That really seems stupid and unfair to him. They could not give us any prediction that patching for 4 more months for 4 Hours a day would solve it. This basically leads us to the only option. It looks like April 21st we will be getting his eye surgery done. What scares us the most is that the last eye issue he had left him on a vent and he almost died. We are very fearful as there is a real possibility he could go blind from the surgery. The only nice thing is that, it is a day surgery and should be quick. All: Tomorrow is Birthday. We have a few people coming by, let us know if you are.
Thu, Apr/02/09 All: Matthew's eye Appointment is today! ECI is here this morning for Avery. We are just hoping for the best. Yesterday ended as one of the worse days for us. It just went downhill fast. Nicholas and Andrew knocked over drinks in the computer room. Then we go to baths and it is Poop in the tub night. 3 out of 4. Have you ever tried to coral 4 to get it removed to then have the next on drop a bomb. Then Avery falls on the drain plug and it cuts her hiney. It just lead us to feeling like bad parents. Today is going to be a very long day and we can hope/pray for a Happy outcome.
Wed, Apr/01/09 All: Well we are pregnant again.... April Fools. I had to do it. We had the baby proofers out to add some more gates as the inmates are over running the guard towers. They also added a few cabinet locks we missed the first time. The Dog went to the vet and got her shots, teeth cleaned and a bath! She will be happy. We are working on the 2nd annual year video. We do plan to get some two year pictures taken. All in all we are looking forward to Saturday.
Wed, Apr/01/09 Matthew: We need a lot of prayers for Tomorrow is the Eye Appointment. We are hoping for progress and if possible to stop patching. So fingers crossed.

March
Tue, Mar/31/09 All: I have downloaded the last photos off the old camera. Yes. It is dying and the photos are getting bad. It was really bad today and I have had enough with it. Kristen and I have talked for a while about this issue and had done a fair bit of research with our LARGE amount of free time. ha-ha. We now have a new cannon what we hope will be a nice long run, but just in case I bought the 4 year warranty. It covers water damage! If you are not thinking the Toilet or pool or Hose, you have not been watching. We are greeted everyday by new experiences. It was nice to see Kristen get a daddy moment with the kids. I was coming home with lunch and she had stepped away for 2 minutes to get trays ready and to what did my ears hear.... Splash Splash. Yes they did jimmy the lock and get into the bathroom again. So it was splish splash and a little laugh and a they were having fun. I think I will get them a toilet for the yard and put a garden hose it in... They would love it... Only Joking. Not sure Kristen or the HOA would allow it.
Mon, Mar/30/09 All: This is going to be an easy week, until Friday that is. We do not have many appointments. Next week will be extremely busy. We have a lot of things to get done that have been waiting for time. So, we will do our best to get them knocked out this week. It is 4am and I am up. I am making some more site changes today. I hope everyone like them.
Sun, Mar/29/09 All: Teri came over for a bit today and brought the kids an early Birthday present. It was a family day today and we tried to play. The kids are leaving the shade alone more since the duct tape is holding it to the wall. They are still tired, but sleeping more. Feedings are not going well they just don't want to eat new things. This is frustrating to us as it makes the meals really boring.
Sat, Mar/28/09 All: We took the kids to the Hospital to visit a Mom who is in a similar situation as we were. It was fun and I think we gave her some hope. We saw Dr. Hare and it was good to see her. It was the first time she has seen the kids. I think we made her day. The kids did well, Avery does not like to be in the Stroller. They did nap some, but no near enough.
Fri, Mar/27/09 All: Kisses and more Kisses. Nicholas, Andrew and Avery are giving kisses now. Avery makes the smack noise. She tried to kiss her brothers and they just look at her. We have had hugs for a long time. Matthew does not seem to care, but he is saying at least 15 new words yesterday. Like Monkey, Water, don't know. We are having a word explosion. They are all saying so many words and it is coming so fast. This is great and should help them tell us things. We are working on Naming objects so they get the idea.
Thu, Mar/26/09 All: I took the torn shade and tried to duct tape it. they bent the metal hanger on the wall. Trying to think a solution for that. They are getting really cranky without the naps. Avery slept on my shoulder for a good 1/2 an hour. They were awake at 6:20 am this morning. They are in there room until 8. They are playing with each other. At Nap time yesterday, we had a smell that could only be described as epic coming down the stairs. You guessed it they opened the diaper pail. They opened a few, but thankfully they were only wet ones. So they are down to Beds and changing table in the room.
Wed, Mar/25/09 All: 1 month with no bottles! This is a great thing, but to be honest bottles were easier than sippy cups. The shade held over night, but we will see today at nap time. We are really praying for the April 2nd Matthew eye appointment. It is terrible to have to restrain him 2 hours every day, but it is for the best. We are hoping we will get a green light to stop, but hope is all we have. It will be what it will be. I forget the Latin for that. It is amazing how much language you lose with kids. I am starting to revamp the website a bit to deal with the fact we are going to be 2. So let me know if you see something or thing of an idea.
Tue, Mar/24/09 All: Kisses from Andrew today with a hug. It was so cute. ECI was here today. It was a rainy day today so no outside time. They took down the pull down black out shade today. My engineering of the hooks worked and held up well. They blind came away from the tube. I solved that with a little handyman's secret weapon... Ductape! We will see if it holds.
Mon, Mar/23/09 All: We went to see the bluebonnets with the kids. It was the longest car ride we have taken with them. We fed them lunch and headed out. The idea was they would sleep in the car. They do not seem to be car sleepers. They took a few cat naps, but that was all. We went to a field Lana told us about. Thank you also. We had hopes of a nice picture with all 4 sitting together... No way on God's green earth was that going to happen. They ran and played in the flowers. The Bakers came out to see us and the kids. We saw our first tractor. It was a hit. They all stopped and watched as it drove by. Matthew was the first to decide he wanted a break and climb into the car to sit for a bit. The others followed. We had some juice and crackers. Avery enjoyed running. Andrew was not really into the idea of a field it seems he likes more level ground. Nicholas did ok and seemed to like the vastness of it. It was a huge field and I have to say, I have not smelled Bluebonnets in a long time and it was good. I have some photos I plan to get up later today if all goes well. Today is ECI.
Sat, Mar/21/09 All: Well, Spring insanity set in and we decided (we is debatable, but let's use it for now) to clean the pool and wash the car as the weather was amazing. Kris and I cleaned the pool and chairs while the kids slept. Then we brought them down to help Mom and Dad clean the car. Yes, water hose and soap bucket. They loved it and had a blast. Avery really enjoyed the soap bubbles and then she found the hose. Let's just say that a diaper can only hold so much water. She was soaked. Matthew and Nicholas got in on the fun. Andrew was not sure about being sprayed or wet, but the bubbles were fun. Then we had Chinese food for dinner. Yes, a first for them. It was not a big hit, but they will get more tomorrow as we ordered to much. Then baths and bed. Kristen and I are exhausted, smelly and tired. Did I say tired? The words are really coming. It is like a house full of parrots. Now, I am off to find some Ice Cream and then to bed. Night all.
Fortune Cookies Say:
Matthew: You will be successful in love.
Andrew: Now is the time to try something new.
Nicholas: Adversity is the prosperity of the great.
Avery: Action is worry's worst enemy.
Thu, Mar/19/09 All: We are doing our best to introduce new foods and I have to say Matthew is a great eater. The rest of them, well, let's say they are not open to new ideas. It is a balance between new and old. How do you get them to eat new foods and not starve. Cause 4 HUNGRY kids makes for LONG DAYS. Breakfast seems to be the worse. Fresh cooked pizza is a hit, but reheated is not. Cereal is not a hit, but the marshmallows in the cereal is. Pancakes and waffles depend on the day. I will say if I never see a chicken nugget again I will be happy, but it is the core food they will eat. French Fries and ketchup are a big hit. We have moved to forks over spoons. The forks seem to be the better action for them. We tried Fajitas last night. Matthew loves Guacamole and the rest. The others were not sure. The chicken did not go over any better than the beef. They tortillas did a bit better, but the shredded cheese was a hit. The cleanup is another matter all to itself. They are starting to really manage the stairs well. Kristen is still concerned when they play on them. We are hoping for another run to the park this weekend.
Wed, Mar/18/09 All: We took the kids to the park. They tried the slide out and loved it. They would laugh and smile as they went down. Nicholas tried it on his belly. Avery and Nicholas like walking up the stairs. Andrew and Matthew were climbing up and down the stairs to the slide. Matthew and Andrew seemed to done and went over and climbed into the stroller. They sat in it for a bit then came out and went back to playing. They did so well and we had juice and snacks before we went home. We are playing at the house while we are waiting on dinner. Avery face plants in the drive way. She has a nice busted lips. They played and really seemed to be happier since they napped. They also went to sleep easier. We have ECI today.
Tue, Mar/17/09 All: Happy St. Patrick's day! It is a special day for us. It was a fun weekend. We are trying to get more outside time with the kids. It is hard to do when weather is up and down. We will not be doing green pictures. Tonight is wet t-shirt day. We are getting better with night time sleeping. Naps we have 1 last attempt. The room has been stripped and they are doing ok with it. I have a lot of pictures to post, hope to get it done today. We have moved Matthew's patching to the AM.
Kids update: Blackout shade went up today. I figure out the engineering to (Finger Crossed) keep it up. We have our first nap since 2-25-09. If this is still true tomorrow I am sure the whole house will be napping!
Mon, Mar/16/09 All: Nicholas is saying something. (Amie) We have no idea what it means, but he is real pleased when he says it.
Sun, Mar/15/09 All: Mollie Hatton was here to see the kids. She brought some wonderful meals for us. The kids are growing and getting smarter. We are getting little projects done, but we have a lot to do and so little time to do it in.
Wed, Mar/11/09 All: Anytime the kids see a radio, they say 'Nite Nite'. The kids are looking forward to see Nana and Cheryl on Friday. The closet smells now with the diaper bin in it. Nothing we can do, but they seem to leave it alone. I have to try and install a dark-out shade this weekend.
Mon, Mar/09/09 All: Avery was wearing an outfit that allowed access to the diaper. She put her hand into it and pulled out something sticky... She did not like it and tried to fling it. Matthew said 'Oh No'. The kids need a new blind in their room. I am trying to come up with a solution for it. All our neighbors are leaving. Both sides are gone. I guess we are not great neighbors, 4 kids can't imagine why ha-ha. Went for a nice walk. Nicholas went to a screaming place during the walk. He wanted something no idea what. They have really seem to be laughing at each other more. Kristen's Hard Drive bit the dust. This lead me to start my online back up.
Kids update: Sleeping at night now in their own beds on their own. Naps are still a miss.
Fri, Mar/06/09 All: It has been a long and stressful week. Bedtime is getting better or they are just so tired they don't cant stay up. Naps are a thing of the past. They do not seem to be willing to take them. I have to install a blackout shade this weekend. We hope this will help them sleep more. I am concerned about the first time one of them pulls and it goes up at full speed. That could be worth a laugh, but will probably scare them to death. We took them out to try and get the mail. That did not work. They did play outside a good long while and we were getting concerned about them getting sunburned as they were all read. Guess it was heat as it went away. I have finally loaded all the videos on my PC. Now, finding time to edit them is another story.
Wed, Mar/04/09 All: Happy 23 months. Now ,will they make it to 24! I have to say Kristen and I are tired of playing baby roulette. Yes, Baby Roulette. It a unique game played many Multiple Parents. The game is simple 4 babies and an unknown culprit. This game can be played at any time. Well played is not the right word since it is more a forced action. You pick a child and raise them up and a whiff to see if you have won. Yes, won. The loser gets a full one. I say loser it can be Losers. And if it is all 4 you can smell it from downstairs, so that does not count. I cannot imagine knowing who it is without having to do the smell test. We are getting compound words now little by little. We have never seen the kids yawn so much as these past few days. Tonight is messy night and will be fun.
Tue, Mar/03/09 All: Thank you Becky and Joe you made our day! You could not have timed it better. The flowers are amazing. For all you with the take home game, the plays of the day are... Yes, it seems to be a symphony of lunacy, from crying I am tired, to I am hungry, to I want your attention. I have to say they are winning this round, but tomorrow is a new day and another chance at failure. We have been told it will take 14 days for the kids to adjust to the changes. This is strange as they push for them and now do not seem to like it. We are holding fast and trying to get issues resolved inside the schedule during the upheaval. We have removed all bottle, pushed dinner back to 5ish, patching is in the AM after breakfast, and we get nothing accomplished all day. No, there is no NAP. They don't take it. We are putting them in their day beds, but sleep can be forced, as much as we would like to. I hope and pray that sanity will return by next week. If not you might want to hide from the FED-EX/UPS guys, cause we will be mailing them out and getting an RV.... only joking. Matthew loves the word Messy... Meppy is how it comes out. Andrew just wants order restored. Nicholas wants his bottle and some sugar, while Avery, sweet Avery, is on a hunger strike unless you feed her item by item. Just remember, if you need to feel better about your life, come over and spend 30 minutes, we promise it will change your outlook.
Mon, Mar/02/09 All: We are sleeping and what do we hear 4 little escape artists playing in the living room. They broke down the gate, and came down stairs and it is not even 6. What a happy day it will be. They were so pleased with them selves and how far they had gotten. Nicholas tried to hide behind a door. All you could see was finger tips. It was cute. No fair at this hour, but still cute.
Sun, Mar/01/09 All: Ok. I found the camera. If you are looking start over around the 19th. I add some I missed.

February
Sat, Feb/28/09 All: We did not give any bottles yesterday. They seems to finally go down last night. They did try juice boxes ans that was a hit. But as all things go we will see how the 2nd juice box goes. The kids and us are very tired. I had hoped to take them to the garden center, but not sure it will happen today.
Fri, Feb/27/09 All: I can not describe how bad this week has been. It is the worse week since they came home and I have to say it is toughest few days we have been through. I would love to be positive, but it has been a week that crying in the shower would not help. I wish we had help. Now, bed time and bottles last night went worse. They are not napping, not sleeping, not eating. Just unhappy. The thing is they started this ball rolling, by hopping out of the cribs. We have converted the cribs to toddler beds, removed the AM bottle, and more. The amount of change is grand and I hope and pray that this coming week things will start to settle out. We lost about 1/2 a pound in the last 2 weeks, due to the bottles. This is a lot since they should have gained 1/2 a pound. So the real number is 1 pound. This is a lot for a little one, but they seem ok, just upset with us and the world. So we ask for prayers of patience and harmony. And if you are able a call. It has to get better right?
Thu, Feb/26/09 All: Last Night was mental until about 9 o'clock. They did not like the idea of the dark, since they broke the night light. We did leave the hall light on. Baby gated the door and stripped the room. Today Kristen will empty there closet and finish removing everything. The kids ended up in sleeping in the correct beds. I was expecting on the floor. I woke to them playing at 6am so I believe it will another long day. ECI today. It is our guess that night time bottles may go soon as it did not work well last night. And since the world is in upheaval it might be an easy time to get it done.
Wed, Feb/25/09 All: I am sitting checking my email and I hear 'Hi Hi' coming down the stairs! I bolt for the stairs. Yes, Avery got out of the crib! She is running around upstairs and the baby gates are all open. I run wake Kristen as I know she will not believe me and has to see it with her own eyes. In astonishment, I run and check to see if it was anyone else. No. Avery is playing and then she comes down stairs. Followed by Matthew. Yes. It is a good birthday! Amazing how they do the unpredicted when you least expect it. Andrew and Nicholas are still in there crib and I am headed to get them up. It is the end of our lives I presume. I go to get Nicholas and Andrew up to find Andrew in Matthew's crib.
Update: We have 2 in toddler beds. It was a massive party so we are sure it is going to be a LONG NIGHT since they got no naps.
Mon, Feb/23/09 All: It has been a good weekend. We have stopped the AM bottle and that leaves on the PM bottle. Andrew is still a little upset at the idea. They get changed and go downstairs to get some breakfast. Right now that is mainly Cereal (dry). We are not there with spoons. If anyone knows how to get dried mashed potato off wood work I would love your ideas. We have gotten a ton of teeth in again. I hope to get that listed this week to. Yesterday, Kristen was napping and really a sleep, I took the kids out to play. They had fun and we went for a walk in the stroller. They love it. I was on the way back and the neighbors were out and asked me to let them out and play. So, then I see Kristen walking towards us. The kids were running everywhere. We had a few spills but no crying. Then it was off to eat and baths and bed. The amount of words they know and say is amazing. You can ask them to do something like close the door, bring me an item, or anything. They really do follow directions well. It was neat to see the interaction with the other kids. Avery like playing with girls I think.
Thu, Feb/19/09 All: Breakfast is going ok. Nicholas and Andrew are still not happy about the change in schedule. They are taking to eating, but still not sure why. It is a change for us, as there is now more work. Oh joy.
Tue, Feb/17/09 All: Morning breakfast started today. No bottles, except that night time filler. It will be gone soon. The kids were really confused. They had been refusing bottles in the morning so we cut it. Should have been yesterday, but we were to tired. I head up to change diapers while Kris in her sleep state tries to find the kitchen. I have been doing the AM feeds since the beginning to let her sleep a bit as she does not get to bed until LATE. I am starting with Matthew this morning and the look of "what the heck!' was on his face he looked around and felt for the bottle to no avail. Then I put him out of his crib to go find Mom. He is puzzled and walks off. Then Avery, Andrew and Nicholas all get changed. I hear something clattering and I am sure they have overrun Kristen and are all over the house. We get them started with Milk and Cheerios. They all sat there and said NO. In that huff that only a child can do. They start eating, and don't seem thrilled at the offering. The Dog is confused at this offering at this hour. The only bright note in this was Nicholas sees Avery is out of cheerios, cause she threw them off the tray, and hands her some from his tray. She smiles at him and he smiles back. How sweet is that? I do have to say that at 8am the sound of banging high chairs really grates on the nerves. We are done eating and the kids are playing and we will see how the rest of the day does. I am sure it will affect Lunch we are at a wait and see.
Mon, Feb/16/09 All: It has been a long time since Valentine's day. So let me recount it. We are hoping for a little pizza and a movie. That got trashed. A friend with quads had a baby with an issue. So, Kristen went to take her some clothes and what not at the hospital. I was getting the pizza and we were going to eat after the kids were down. We thought we would put it in the oven to keep warm till they were asleep. Well, Kristen left and I did the feed and we both had cold pizza alone. ha-ha. Nana bought them a new bounce ball pit. It is a big hit and it is downstairs, well it is big about a queen size mattress. I am amazed at Bapa, how he was able to inflate this I will never know. I am sure we should all be amazed about the amount of HOT AIR he still has. ha-ha. We are trying to let them down in the kitchen when we cook and get the meal ready. This sounds easy, we have the house baby proofed. It is so stressful and a pain in the you know what. They are into and on top of any and everything. An example is table, yep 4 kids on the table throwing off the items on it and tearing into boxes for food as they are hungry. And the bounce pit will keep them distracted for bit, we thought. Well they seem to be playing but one of the four was everywhere else. It was like a tag team event. 3 would play and 1 would destroy. We are preparing dinner and Andrew walks over to the trash can and in goes my wallet. Yes, right in the trash and he looks at me and smiles with a look of I am helping. We are doing our best, but at times it seems like a losing battle. We are guessing the kids have my allergy to Cedar pollen as the snot is in epic proportions and Kristen and I are stuffy. We know this is allergy as once we take a sinus pill it clears up for us, but the snot monkeys are to young so it is all hands to the RAGS. Yes rags, 4 kids make too much for a Kleenex. Sunday bath time was a laugh, we have a new game called belly flop. Yep, Matthew and Avery like to see just how wet they can make Kristen. Now, I like a good wet t-shirt contest, but it really is not a laughing matter as when the other 3 get knocked over and start crying and screaming. Have I ever said, I hate bath time. It is the biggest pain and agony. I am not sure how it could or can be FUN with 4. It is a huge work load and we are sweaty, tired and wiped out when we are done. I appreciate people who think bath time is fun, let them come over nd try it. It is just my issue, I am sure other hate diapers or feeding; to me those are easy. Yes they are more often, but less of a pain. This leads to the guest bedroom, the babies broke the door down to get in and really love the whole bed, climbing, curtain thing. The curtains are so cute they will hide behind them and pull them back and forth. Yes, they are mounted into the studs with LONG screws. Bailey, the dog, wants so badly to play with the kids but she is too fast and to furry. They love to pet her and pull her hair. We do our best to help her out, but Matthew will be the one bit, he seems not understand the idea of gentle. He grabs and pulls so we have to do our best. Bailey is very good with them, but at some point we all get tired of being hurt. She had enough and went under the bed to get away. This opened a new possibilities to the little ones. They had never thought of UNDER. I am not sure who will be stuck under the bed, but I will bet it is coming soon. Bailey is quietly resting and Nicholas decides he wants to play. He gets down on all 4's and there he goes. All you would see is his feet and hear the laughter. This has been a long weekend and I am sure it will be a LONG week.
Sat, Feb/14/09 All: Nicholas kisses Nana. Nana brought the kids a Ball yard. It is a riot and they love it. They are all bouncing and really playing with it. It is neat cause we can let them play down stairs with it. It is a bit BIG to go up the stairs. Bapa almost passed out blowing it up. (Nana said he had the hot air for it, he replied something... Missed it ha-ha). Matthew likes to come up and say hi. V-Day update soon. I think Chocolate and pizza. Wonder what the kids will do... We are having a snack and Nicholas brings Matthew cheerios. It was really sweet. Matthew is not sure what to make of this it seems. It is stays nice we hope to get out and play today.
Fri, Feb/13/09 All: All the boys are 25 pounds. It was a long Night Matthew did not sleep and banged all night. He has been so good this week not sure what the happened. I will try to post more. We have been focusing on spoons a lot to get them down. It is a tough time as there are only 2 of us.
Tue, Feb/10/09 All: Really bad allergies today. The kids are playing quietly this morning. This is not normal, but Kristen is getting to sleep in a bit which she needs. I have added some photos. I know some people do not like the food photos, but bear with us. At least you don't have to clean them up, but if you are willing to please come over. As we are 22 months now and rocketing to 23, I am amazed every day at the advancements they are making. We are starting to walk upright on the stairs. This scares us a lot, but they seem to want to do it. They have really started jumping off items now and will pull pillows over to land on. I guess they do not like the hard floor. They are getting so tall that our safe places are having to change. The area where you kept items that little hands do not need to be playing with, I.E. a screwdriver. This leads to my shock this morning. Andrew is by far the most advanced when it comes to adding 1 + 1. He watches and studies actions a lot. He understands that if I want it come on it has to have the cable in the wall. This at times is funny to watch, but today lead to point I have to think through. He took the Phillips screwdriver and inserted it into the ground of the outlet. He wanted it to do something I guess. This did shock me, but is going to lead to us looking at what they might put in the outlets now. I am not worried it is only 110 and will not hurt them. It will just scare the monkey out of them. Now Kristen might have more to say on this, but I think she is with the idea that we do not wish to cover every outlet. This is something we should be able to teach them. Monkey see, Monkey don't do.
Mon, Feb/09/09 All: It was a fun day. I cooked hamburger meat, bacon, and burgers to use later. I do this to help us save time when cooking. We tried to add more new food today. We tried Yoghurt and Chocolate pudding, served with fish sticks and Ketchup. Lets ignore what this sounds like. They had fruit and cheese so it was well balanced, just diverse. They like fish sticks and ketchup, cheese and fruit. We gave them a small tub of Yoghurt each to try with spoons. Nicholas and Avery really have spoons down if you ask them to use them. The rest of the time it is hands only baby. They mixed the Yoghurt and Ketchup, on a side note I did try a small dab of it and it tastes better than yoghurt in my opinion. They would plunge a hand up to the wrist and then take it and cram the hand as deep in the mouth as possible OR they would pull it out and watch it drip. Avery decided to put it in her hair and they all worked with spoons for a good long while, except Andrew. Andrew watched the others in abject horror and disgust. You could see he was upset with the idea. He ate the ketchup, but not the rest. We have some pictures. Then we got to pudding for dessert and the mess increased 10 fold. Can you say Pudding everywhere? They did like it until I took the empty containers then a slinging scream festival started. It was bath time and then we played and went for bed. At this point, we spent 2 hours cleaning the high chairs up, floor and wall. So all said it has been a long day and I am looking forward to a long sleep. Tomorrow is hunt the Mommy day so Kristen needs some sleep. I think I will let the horde find her in bed. She will love that right? Stay tuned…
Sat, Feb/07/09 All: The fence held up and we can let them play without chasing them all, this is much easier for us. They seemed to like it also. I posted some new photos today.
Thu, Feb/05/09 All: It is a pretty and warm day so the kids are playing outside. Nicholas put his shoes on today, wrong feet but it was a huge step.
Wed, Feb/04/09 All: Today was a funny day. We were a little down after yesterday. We have been really letting them eat a wider variety of food, or trying to that is. It was going to be a long day and they don't always take to new food, so we try and give them snacks they will eat to allow for life stays happier. Let's just say 4 HUNGRY kids does not make for quiet happy time. We opened the guest bedroom. I go and find Avery sitting on the bed pulling animal crackers out of her outfit and eating them in the most blissful look of contentment. We are making dinner for the kids a few hours later, we tried beeferoni in tomato sauce. It was a mess, but while making dinner, we realize it was really quiet. So, I bolt up the stairs and I see a sight, I holler for Kristen. What to my eyes did I see. 4 kids sitting on the floor sharing a whole bag of animal crackers. There was no fighting or fussing. They were sharing the bounty of their efforts. How they got the bag on the 2nd shelf I will never know, but it was a really cute to see. It was nice to see sharing, honestly. The lady from the school worked with Matthew today and he did well.
Tue, Feb/03/09 All: Nicholas has a new word. No. Yep. Kristen and Nicholas got into a discussion about going to bed. Kristen would say Nite-Nite and he would look at her bold as brass and say. 'No' It was so funny. The evaluation went ok. The hot water heater went out so it a nice refreshing shower this morning. Got that fixed, thanks to warranty. Bailey tried to vault the baby gate, she almost made it. She sees them running and wants to play so bad with them. But she does not seem to understand her size verses there's. The day was good. We are getting more and more out of them. Nicholas will get you an item you ask for. They got into the guest bedroom so we removed everything from it and they love the big bed to play on. Andrew and Avery got caught between the footboard and the bed it was funny to me, not so much to Andrew. Avery was able to get out and play. We enjoyed playing summersault on the bed. They are all getting faster at it and it is shocking to think where we were a year ago to where we are now. Well it is late and tomorrow is another day in the wild world of baby adventures. Just remember tomorrow is a new day with what I am told will be more fun and less diapers, right?
Mon, Feb/02/09 All: This is going to an extremely long week. We have people here today measuring the window. Tomorrow is ECI evaluation for 4 hours, Wednesday is Matthews eye school. Thursday is part 2 of the evaluation, Friday is play day, as they will not have had any playtime.
Sun, Feb/01/09 All: The superbowl... It was at our house today.

January
Sat, Jan/31/09 All: Updated words today. We have a lot. Some we don't hear as the noise level is just too high.
Fri, Jan/30/09 All: Yes, I did go into some detail on teeth. It is more a point when the Doctor asks we will know. After looking back it is funny that the number of teeth count is birth order. The yard is segmented off so the kids are more contained. This will allow them to play more and cause us less stress running after 4. A nice side effect it keeps the dog in the backyard now also. Nana and Bapa are here today as they are most Fridays. They help they give us just being able to get some earns run is very appreciated. I do think they are nuts to keep coming back, only joking. It is going to be a fun day we are getting pillows for the kids today. Nicholas really wants one, he balls up his blanket to make a pillow, so we will see how it goes.
UPDATE: With a crash and a crack and a pop. That is the end of window # 1. Yes the babies broke a window today. We have double pain, so they only got through one sheet. I have called the glass guys they are coming to measure and I hope we get it fixed ASAP. Ok, off to sweep up the glass. It was the window in the juice room. So I am not sure what we are going to until it is fixed.
Thu, Jan/29/09 All: Teeth everywhere. Matthew is cutting his incisors. Avery has her molars in. It can be a bit cranky of a day. Matthew seems a lot happier now that they have cut and are working in. He is also eating like a horse. I am sure the weights tomorrow will be good. I can not wait till April to get them measured.

Teeth:
Matthew (Total = 14)
Upper Lower
Central incisors 2 2
Lateral incisors 2 2
Cuspids (canines) 2 0
First molars 2 2
Second molars 0 0

Andrew (Total = 12)
Upper Lower
Central incisors 2 2
Lateral incisors 2 2
Cuspids (canines) 0 0
First molars 2 2
Second molars 0 0

Nicholas (Total = 9)
Upper Lower
Central incisors 2 2
Lateral incisors 2 2
Cuspids (canines) 0 0
First molars 1, cutting 1 0, cutting 2
Second molars 0 0

Avery (Total = 8)
Upper Lower
Central incisors 2 2
Lateral incisors 2 0
Cuspids (canines) 0 0
First molars 2 2 cutting
Second molars 0 0

Wed, Jan/28/09 All: We are working with spoons and bowls with the kids. This is why not as many updates. We have the idea that food is in the bowls and the spoon has something to do with it, but no connection yet. They are good about figuring this kind of thing out. We have more teeth coming every day, I will try and get a count, if my fingers survive. We have gone back to all 4 in the tube together as it is just faster and they are all ok with the tub now. Andrew and Nicholas have gotten so much better with hair washing. They did not like the spray handle. They are all good now. I have to comment that we give baths after dinner so I was them up, strip and de-diaper and send them to the tub. Yes, they know when naked to go to the tub. It is a riot to see a little hiney running for the tub. I got the makeshift fencing material, need to get it in the ground today or tomorrow. It is a bit cold today I think.
Mon, Jan/26/09 All: OT for Matthew today.
Sat, Jan/24/09 All: Andrew and I went to the tool store. He loves them and my drill. This lead to a bit of awe for him. We had a blast and I think he enjoyed it. He walked and held my hand till some lady almost ran him down so it was back to carry. This was ok, as I walk faster than him ha-ha. Little legs don't travel fast.
Thu, Jan/22/09 All: We have had some nice boring days. Matthew has learned to Jump. Nicholas is trying, but with no forward motion. Andrew and Avery can cover a room hopping. It is a riot. We let them play in the crib room. This is as we are trying to wear off the novelty of it, well we hope. We are now on Straw cups. It took about 3 days and we had it. We tried to introduce bowls and spoons again. It is still a struggle for them to get the idea. Andrew has taken to a blanket for comfort, he reminds me of linus from peanuts. A lot of appointments today ECI and others.
Tue, Jan/20/09 All: It was a long day as the nap time was zero and the kids need a nap. They really need a nap! Today we are going to try to get them to sleep some. They were up early so who knows how today will got. I am not sure they will watch the Presidential Coverage today. They don't really like the news and will walk up and turn the TV off if it is on.
Mon, Jan/19/09 All: Took the kids to the part and let them run and play on the swings it was nice, but still hard to keep track of 4. It did not seem to wipe them out. We were very surprised. The carpet cleaners are here today and we hope they can get it all out. We did get Avery's hair cleaned last night. It was a mess but it worked.
Sun, Jan/18/09 All: Well, we are still cleaning off the Vaseline. Every time we think we got it.... A new surface is found. We let the kids downstairs to play in the Tupperware and we think all the doors are locked. The Pantry was but somehow came open. Let's just say glass bottles on tile is not a good thing. All 4 were in the pantry and we hear a crash and we have pizza sauce and glass everywhere. After washing feet and stripping kids we see blood on the floor. It was everywhere. Andrew, Matthew and Nicholas have cut feet. Avery bless her heart listened and did not move. Nicholas was just a scratch and Andrew cut his big toe. Matthew cut his heal and the arch of his foot. He was bleeding and we put them in the high chairs to try and get some control back and then assess the situation. We get the bleeding stopped and a band aide on it. It seems to be ok. At this point we start cleaning the floor and getting the glass up. This has not been a good few days. I added photos today.
Sat, Jan/17/09 All: What do you get when you have 4 kids and a jar of Vaseline. It is amazing the mess they can make. It was a full jar as we have never used it, but it was on the changing table. It was on the carpet, walls, doors, clothes, cribs, and anywhere you can imagine. Matthew's face was shiny and Avery looked like a 50's greaser. Once we see this it was all we could do but laugh, sure is it upsetting and a lot of work but they sure are interested in new found items. So, I stripe them and Kristen goes to get the bath ready. We washed them 3 times to get all the stuff off the bodies. The hair is another story. We had to wash the boys 3 times and it was all out as we had their hair cuts this week. Avery we washed. And after 3-4 washes we hope it is ok, go to dry her and it is a mess. At this point, we go to the sink and get the dawn dish soap, she was not pleased at the next 3 washes and some came out, but she still looks like a 50's greaser. We will have to get them in the tub again today to try to get more out.
Fri, Jan/16/09 All: I posted some Photos, still have a pile to get through. Weights are in. I wish Nicholas and Avery ate more. Avery loves ketchup on dunk food in. Nicholas just does not seem interested. Andrew and Matthew eat the trays we server them on. They don't taste or savor. They devour and I am not sure they breathe while inhaling the food. Only Joking, but seriously they are great eaters. We had gains and they are all getting a lot taller. We have noticed that they can now look over the top of the TV and certain places that were safe to put things are no more. It is amazing to look back a year ago and see where we were. If it is a nice weekend we plan to get them out for some fun in the sun. The Weatherman says it will be 70 this weekend. Fingers crossed.
Wed, Jan/14/09 All: Kids got haircuts today. Kristen is a bit sad as they look like boys now. They are a bit shorter than we wanted, but I am sure it will grow. I am in Georgetown tomorrow. I am having a bit of an issue with this new image software. If anyone has used Adobe elements please drop me an email.
Mon, Jan/12/09 All: The kids are doing well we are going to have to talk about Snow day. We load the 4 up in hats, gloves, jackets and shoes for a trip to the Snow day fun. We are able to park about 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile from it. A decision is made to allow the kids to go without strollers. We proceed to walk with kids in arms toward the event and they don't want to be held, they want to walk. Some of them get down to walk/run. We get to the event with no issues. As we are not used to navigating the crowds it takes a bit to get them to the snow area. I wish the snow area had been bigger and maybe restricted to 3 and under. Big kids throw snow and little ones don't like this. We had a 1 kid to 1 adult ratio. (Thanks Nana and Cheryl) We introduce them to the snow. They all took about 3 steps and fall. Andrew face plants and it is over for him, Avery falls over and starts licking the ice. Matthew falls and does not understand it and gets upset, Nicholas ventures out and gets hit with fragments of a snow ball and back to Nana he goes. This all happened so fast it was impossible to film. It was nice that people did not realize they were all ours and for once we were just able to enjoy. We then took them, when I say took I mean they ran off, to see the park. They ran and ran, Avery tried to run up the big hill, it was funny to see her trying to figure out the incline and how to make her feet work like she wanted. And yes we realized in the photos that she is in a bunny outfit and No.. Snow bunny was not our goal. It was just a heavy jacket we had. Then Avery saw the lake. She is fast, but we are still quicker than her. The DJ was playing music and they all danced and Matthew was really working the crowd trying to get people to play. He danced like we have never seen he was a mad man. Avery found a little girl her age and was trying to get to dance to no avail. The dancing when on for a bit. A front had come through that morning so it was windy and cold. They finally wore us out so we gather them up and let them walk to the car as the idea of being carried is not ok with them. Matthew sees a single stroller and walked to it and started unloading the stuff that was in it to take a ride. It was cute and what gave us the sign they were done. On the trip to the car the kids did a lot of the walking . Avery ran to the car without stopping. How she was not so tired I will never know. Andrew walked some and carried some. Matthew was upset and walked and took off his hat and gloves in a little tantrum. Nicholas walked a bit then Mom picked him up on her shoulders and he decided this was a much more dignified manner of travel. His face was of udder contentment. We get to the car and get them in and the boy are yawning and Avery is still going. We are amazed that hats and gloves stayed on the boys so long. Avery did not want them at all. Andrew and Nicholas like the hats and gloves. We had sore arms and have made a decision that we will still use strollers for at least 6 more months. It was fun and we all had fun. I will get some pictures up soon.
Sat, Jan/10/09 All: Today is Snow Day. I am not sure when I will have photos up as I am rebuilding my PC. So don't worry. We took the kids out yesterday and played with sidewalk chalk. It was fun until Matthew started eating the chalk. I don't mean tasting it. They all did that. He took a bit. All I have to say is the noise was awful. He did not seem to like it either. He really did not like us trying to clean his mouth out with paper towels. Andrew and Avery found the rocks in the yard where the gutter goes into the yard. The loved the rocks, digging them out, the sound they make on concrete. They all had fun then we went for a short walk, then dinner and baths. Matthew did not sleep well last night he was up most of it. So today will be fun. Kids and Snow, I have no idea how this will go. Fingers crossed.
Fri, Jan/09/09 All: Avery completes 4 summersaults in a row. She has been trying to get the push over and has it now. Andrew is very interested to how she is doing it. I am sure it will be no time before the 4 are rolling everywhere. Also, just a note they only do it on the couch. Avery decided the floor is too hard and the couch has better bounce for a push. Smart and funny. We got them new shoes yesterday. The boys got work boots that are waterproof and will be there outside/muddy pairs. Avery did not like the boots, actually cried at them, so we compromised on Sneakers with pink in them. She was much happier. I don’t want to hear I am giving in; it was a definite dislike and refusal.
Thu, Jan/08/09 All: Matthew get his new glasses again today. We hope they last longer than the last pair.
Wed, Jan/07/09 All: Matthew is going to get seen by the Vision specialist 2 times a month. Avery is becoming a Stripper. She does not want to wear pants it seems. She needs to say warm. I am going to try and get some water proof type boot/shoes. On Saturday we have snow day in our subdivision. So they kids will get to see snow. Not sure how to get to stay together. This will be out our first off outing not in a stroller.
Mon, Jan/05/09 All: OT is today for Matthew. We have the School evaluation tomorrow with him.
Sun, Jan/04/09 All: We tired the kids out on sippy cup with a straw today. Matthew and Nicholas got it, while Avery and Andrew need some more convincing. Avery figured out how to get out of her pants tonight and Nicholas was chasing her with the pants. It was funny. They are all dancing to music and it is a riot to watch 4 dancing in 4 different ways.
Sat, Jan/03/09 All: I built the toy box for the kids toys today. It went ok, not as much screaming a normal. ha-ha. It is amazing how you get better at instruction once you have kids. They like it. Matthew wants to sit on it. It solves Andrew's need for Order. Nicholas got his fingers caught in the side while closing it. Avery enjoyed empting it of all the toys. Yesterday evening, we are changing them into sleep ware and I look over and Avery and Andrew and pulling down there diapers. I go, 'Hey what are you doing?' They stop and start looking around for who I am talking to. It is funny to see them do this. They have grown so much in the past week they can now see over the TV.
Fri, Jan/02/09 All: A New Year what possibilities will it bring. What new adventures will we have?! I am sure it will be lots and who know how many outfit changes it will take. We built the play kitchen for them yesterday and let them play with it that evening. It was a blast. They had a lot of fun. Andrew tried to eat the plastic Hot Dog and Nicholas wanted the Hamburger. Avery wanted the coffee while Matthew loved the grill. I am going to get some more pictures up today I have a lot in queue.

December
Wed, Dec/31/08 All: New Years eve. Got all the lights and tree out. The kids played in the tupperware cabinet. They made a huge mess and ran all over. I have started some photos.
Mon, Dec/29/08 All: Matthew got new glasses. He was flirting with the little girl his age in the office. She did not seem to care. He was talking to everyone and had a great time. The new glasses are so much easier on his nose. Andrew tried to put his foot on top of the baby gate and pull up. I hope he forgets. I redirected him quickly. Then we went on an outing and ended up in the yard. Let's talking about outside time. The kids were playing in the yard and Kristen had 2 and I had 2. 2 went around the house to where the pool was. Avery run full tilt to the pool and ran out on the cover and jumped on it and had a blast. She provoked the others to join her. They did with no issues. The dog was not happy with them on the pool cover. The moral to this story is they are faster than us and have no fear. This being said, they were all wet and cold, so this lead to a bath to clean and warm them. I remember when 4 kids would fit in the tub. It is a tight fit now. It does lead to faster baths, but the mess is amazing. Let's just say we are wiped out. Tired no longer explains how we feel. The Hatton's were here and brought some amazing toys and books to the kids. They loved them.
Sun, Dec/28/08 All: Played and Pooped today. Yes it was a record for 2008. It was like 20 diapers today. That means they don’t go tomorrow right, please tell me that is right. It has been a long day and my nose will never be the same. I have to download the camera tomorrow I hope, but no promises. We have more words.
Thu, Dec/25/08 All: Merry Christmas to all! It went great the kids love it all. The biggest hit was a pretend Vacuum cleaner. If it worked I would pay Nicholas. He cleaned for at least an HOUR. He was in the room, behind the furniture. Amazing. At 6:30pm we called it, the volume was too loud. The bottles were taken in less than 5 minutes. It is so quiet it was concerning. They are so asleep we checked for breathing. Yes they are, but wiped out. They played so hard and enjoyed it all so much. Logan was here he is 6 months and a cousin. He is so cute and I think he liked seeing other kids. Nicholas sure seemed to like him. I have not gotten the photos or video off yet, hope to tomorrow. Santa brought them a kitchen/Grill. It is 2 sided and we hope will let 2 play on each side. Now stop laughing. I am serious...! As so much was going on today we are hoping to have it built this weekend.
Wed, Dec/24/08 All: The kids are sleeping all snug in their beds, while visions on tomorrows conquests dance in their heads. As Santa arrives and delivers his cheer, we are thankful and excited for tomorrow. They opened a gift today and it was ok, but man that paper was amazing. It ripped, it tore, it crackled, and crinkled, but best of all was the fun of watching 8 little eyes light up that is was ok to play with the paper they found. I am sure tomorrow will be a blast.
Sun, Dec/21/08 All: The great milk rebellion of the evening. The kids are nuts. Some alien must have switched them after baths. Santa can’t get here soon enough! We need new toys for the troops.
Fri, Dec/19/08 All: Matthew's appointment did well. He passed and it looks great. We have to patch until April and then we will see. Yes this is a long time, but he showed a massive improvement. Clarification, he can do whatever he wants no restriction in school. His retinas were tacked down with the laser, on oil or freezing was done. He has a 5% greater chance of a detach retina more than a non-surgical person. He sat in the chair and did enjoy playing in the office. Dr. Coats was a head banger to so that helps to know. He was amazed at the speed of the progress and said we were doing great getting him patched. This is nice to hear and we will keep going. It is such a lift off our shoulders to hear he is making progress and it is going well. The others missed him and did their best to make the most mess and keep up the diaper load to cover his absents. I love them for that.
Thu, Dec/18/08 All: Yesterday did not end well. The children decided to open 2 doors and play with the toilet, the paper, a few cloths and anything else they could get their hands on and put in the water. They splashed and had a great time. This Grinch found them and stripped them to eat dinner then baths. Then Matthew proceeded to make a milk fountain, while the rest fill the belly buttons with milk. Yes no joke, I have pictures to prove it. Nicholas has found a career as a locksmith. He can open/jimmy any lock he finds. No idea how he is doing it, but he is very successful. So, in the blink of an eye they are making a dash for the bathroom, when we bolt into action. Well Andrew is going to have a bruised finger. He got his pinky caught in the door. He is ok and will live to fight another day. Matthew has his eye appoint today and it is a stressful time for us. We are really hoping for good news. Prayers and Fingers Crossed. Speaking of Fingers crossed, Nicholas can do it now. Not sure he realizes he is doing it but he does it.
Wed, Dec/17/08 All: Yesterday was an amazing day! We got a lot of good news. Avery passed her hearing test again. This means she is free from them unless we see something that concerns us like lack of speech or no responding. The other news was from the School evaluator for visual issues came to see what services Matthew might need to make school better for him. As previous stated, He did so well on the test and we got the report back which says he is NOT FUNCTIONALLY BLIND. This is a huge weight off our shoulders. We are very concerned about his sight as we don’t know what he can see. The report also said he ignores he left side and we have to put more on his left to make him focus on it. This means he now has an assigned seat in the lunch room. If we put everyone on his left he will hear them and look that direction. This is our take on a fix. We have his appointment tomorrow with Dr. Coats and we hope to get a good report. I believe we will still have to patch for a while. The school also gave us some questions we have to ask the Doctor. An example is: are his retina’s stable for gym and rough play. This is concerning as he is the rough play master. He loves to jump and play. We are a bit concerned, but guarded with hope. Matthew decided to play JUMP off the couch to the floor last night. He started on the stairs jumping down and the flop on the floor is a riot but has to hurt I would think. It was funny, he cleared the toys out of the way before jumping. He is a smart kid. Nicholas has kissed us all now and decided to draw on the wall during Coloring time. Glad I repainted! Andrew has decided to start throwing item; Milk cup, toys, anything he does not want. It is odd to see him looking for something and throw whatever is in his way. It is funny for now, but this is something we are going to correct now as it can’t go on much further. Avery had a time at the hearing play and did well, except when they put the probe in her ear. Kristen held her and they blew puffs of air into the ear. That did not sit well with her, can’t blame her for that. Dr. Edmonds said her ear drums look great and she is good, but we can do a yearly if we wish. Tomorrow is going to be a long day and Matthew is in our prayers. I just hope he will be accepting of the things they have to do to look at his eye. We are going to get to baking some cookies during nap time we hope and an oil change in the car.
Tue, Dec/16/08 Avery: Great News! She passed her hearing exam and is no longer going to have to go. She did great with all the tests and Dr. Edmonds said her eardrums and everything looked great! So, This leads to the point that when she ignores us, it really is ignoring us. (Busted Avery!) I have to say she looks so cute in the jacket though!
Boys: While Avery was out with Mommy. The Boys and I got to work on a little additional baby proofing. I had to put a shelf up in the play room to protect the Tivo. I it is not the pretty solution I would like, but it is secure and darn successful. I have a bit more cables to tie up later today while they sleep. They love the drill and the tools the Laser level was a HUGE hit. That red beam on the floor is solid gold. I have to remember that when I need some laughs. I get it all done and Nicholas, who is the major offender with the Tivo, came over to investigate and was really annoyed at the results. All he can do now it turn the power off. That is Parents 1 Kids 0, but the day is Young.
Mon, Dec/15/08 All: It is the busy week for us. Today, we have people here for Matthew and something this afternoon. Tuesday is Avery's hearing check up, I am sure they will have to sedate her and OT and DT is here, plus more. Wednesday, I have to get the car in for service. Thursday is Matthew's eyes and we are deeply concerned. I am sure we will get ok news, but it is still a need for prayers. I am sure we will have to get him new glasses also. Friday is grocery store and Christmas shopping for one of us. Saturday is something. And Sunday is NOTHING!
Mon, Dec/15/08 Matthew: The FBISD person was out to investigate Matthew's needs today. We have a great schools system here that gets involved early and makes sure he can have what he needs. Well, Matthew was on impressive mode today. He kept his glasses on and did every test and passed most. He seems to have a diminished vision on his left side, but with work we should be able to help him. We are starting the plan that will help us get him whatever help he needs. She was impressed with his overall abilities. We feel better.
Sun, Dec/14/08 All: Trying to bake. Kids destroying the house. Nicholas does a swan dive off the changing table and Andrew tries to fly. So.... All in all a good day, or bad not sure.
Sat, Dec/13/08 All: We got some Christmas stuff bought yesterday. I am guessing the rest will be online. Hope to get some photos posted today. OK posted them. They are a mix of the past few days back to 12/6.
Fri, Dec/12/08 All: More Cardboard is up. They attacked the garland again. Nicholas and Andrew have figured out that he has to put an item into the lock to get the doors open. Nicholas made an item from a stick to try it. Andrew is making notes of where we put things. We have a lot more teeth also.

Teeth:
Matthew: 8 Front and 4 molars
Andrew: 8 Front and 2 molars
Nicholas: 8 Front and 0 molars
Avery: 6 Front and 0 molars

Date: 12/10/08
All: We took them for a ride yesterday in the car to get plates on it. They loved it and the boys slept. It was hard to wake them they were cute. It is sleeting today so it is an inside day.
Tue, Dec/09/08 All: I love rainy days. They sleep more. Work Avery up and man did she jump. I don't think she even registered me talking to her she was so deep asleep. I have some photos on my desk to post. I hope to get to them soon. I have to get a cable kit today to hide cables from the kids, they are unplugging stuff and pulling it off. The funny story was 3 boys on top of the TV with Avery in control of the remote. It looked like a circus show.
Mon, Dec/08/08 All: Pool cover and baby net is on the pool. So no more pool issues. I have taught Andrew and Nicholas to fetch what I throw. This is amazing as the dog will not do this. She sits and watches them run back and forth with this look like what idiots, don't they understand if you don't get it, he will not throw it again. The kids seems to like it and it wears them out. You can't leave the gate open as they are all able to crawl down them and back up with ease. We are trying to work more with Avery as she does not get the time she needs as the boys are demanding. Nicholas will sit in your lap forever I think. We are thinking about going out for a drive with the Christmas lights sometime soon. Not sure they will care.
Sat, Dec/06/08 All: We took the kids to play outside as you do. It was fun and they are getting so much more adventurous. This lead to us getting 2 in the house and Matthew taking a dip in the pool. Yep, full clothed and the pool is 60 degrees. So I also went in after him. Nicholas pulled the bark off the tree. Avery and Andrew are mad yard runners. Avery figured out she could go through trees that are close together. Andrew loves the lawn sprinkler.
Thu, Dec/04/08 All: Nicholas kissed Kristen and she was so happy.
Mon, Dec/01/08 All: Only 24 days till Christmas! What, Where, when… Oh I have to get busy…! Well we have the tree, but have not trimmed it yet. Lights on the house are up. The garland is up on the banister. I have to stop here. We knew the garland would be pretty and an issue to the kids. It is something new and has to be played with. I have put up a cardboard barrier on the railing. It works except when the boys try and tear a hole in it. Tape did stop them making a bigger hole. We have EC/OT for Matthew today. This is going to be an extremely busy week as is this month.

November
Fri, Nov/28/08 All: The kids were wiped out with all the attention. Stuffing was a big hit. Turkey not so much. We are getting our tree today so I can't wait for them to see the lights on. I wonder what kind of awe we will see.
Thu, Nov/27/08 All: Happy Turkey Day. I am sure we will get plenty of laughs today.
Wed, Nov/26/08 All: We got an email that the Gosslins are coming to Houston and it is 'only 30 buck'. Why would anyone pay to see her and her sellout for personal gain values? Oh poor me I did this to myself, now pay me. That is just my thought. All is well, Matthew took a tumble and the tumble won. He has a nice shiner. We are getting a lot of words. WOW is the best one.
Mon, Nov/24/08 All: Officially, we lost yesterday and the babies won. We hope for a draw most days, but... The day consisted of mostly the usual stuff; destruction and mayhem. The chairs have been removed now as they are using them as tools. They pushed the chair to the ledge on the 2nd story and the little hands pushed all the items that we had on it off on to the downstairs floor. It made a massive crash. This was followed by a general play and meal. A little later we started baths. This is not too uncommon and we have a nice routine. We had finished Matthew and Andrew and were working on the Nicholas and Avery, when we heard a bang that made the dog sit up. So, I go to look and to my disbelief Andrew, the golden one, is standing there destroying my entertainment center. He turns and smiles and is happy with that look only a parent knows. I love you and I did this, but I don’t know if you know so I will keep smiling. I was shocked to see him as I, Yes I, put him upstairs. I go running to see how he got out. Both gates are locked and nothing seems a miss. So, I reinsert prisoner #2 into the arena. He bolts for the chair he arranged near the gate and vaults it lets say 5 seconds. The most concerning thing was that he is smart enough to do this, the other is that he has no fear. He could have fallen down the stairs, but thankfully he did not. All the while Prisoner #1 (Matthew) is sitting watching TV oblivious to what is occurring. I mean it is only Andrew and well I have more important things to do. It is my TV time and we patched his eye. Meanwhile in the bathroom, Avery crawled onto the ledge behind the tub, nothing new she does that. Then she left a nice present for us. I guess it was easier than changing a diaper, but still. Nicholas later decided to play a game with a sock. If you put it on the floor and then grab it real quick he laughs. The final score for the day was Baby 4 Parents 0. We hope for better luck today.
Sat, Nov/22/08 All: Matthew tooth upper left came in, Andrew Upper right and Nicholas and Avery are all getting things to come in.
Fri, Nov/21/08 All: Weights are in. 95 pounds of baby 24 times a day up and down the stairs. Why cant I eat that icing again? Matthew did well with the playpen, but just likes to bang his head it seems. The bump is going down. I am still amazed at how when we go out all the comments we get. Groceries today and then a lot of projects. We are trying to get the kids outside more, not sure it can be done today with the wind and cold. Nicholas and Avery are having crib play time. They are babbling at each other and throwing things in each others cribs. It is a riot to listen to.
Thu, Nov/20/08 All: ECI today.
Wed, Nov/19/08 All: Photo day. It did not go well. Matthew and Andrew were great and very happy. Nicholas and Avery are another story. They decided go mental. We got one picture and then we said well heck why not get Santa done. Matthew loves Sanata as does Andrew. Avery and Nicholas wanted nothing to do with the idea. I have pictures and will post tomorrow.
Mon, Nov/17/08 All: Cheryl and Leslie let us go out on Saturday night and we had a nice dinner. We got home about 7:15, man the part does not even get started before we are done. Today is ECI/OT to work with Matthew. We moved Matthew back to a playpen. His head looks so bad. We moved them to Footie Pajamas last night. They loved them. Matthew and Avery's fit really well. Nicholas and Andrew got bigger ones as they are more, how to say, larger. It is funny and I have some photos. We got the Heater issue resolved, so it will go above 68 upstairs. It is a busy week. We have Christmas Pictures this week.
Thu, Nov/13/08 All: Andrew top right molar tooth broke through today. Matthew has 2 bottom molars coming in and they are HUGE. He is in a lot of pain. Nicholas and Avery are just here. ECI today.
Tue, Nov/11/08 All: I am posting photos now. The midgets are well and we are having a laugh at them every day. Yesterday was beat up on Nicholas day. I missed the memo, but poor Nicholas was not having a good day. They stole and took his tractor. It is hard to watch, but it is part of the learning process. It was a big laugh when Avery put a whipping on him. This morning, Nicholas had decided that was not going to happen again. He took a few toys and then proceeded to sit on them. Matthew is getting frustrate with the patch, but not much we can do. Andrew is a real stinker. He really wants to figure out the world. He loves books. Avery is very focused, when she gets it into her mind that she wants something… There is no stopping her. I can put my hand on her head and hold her in place for a few minutes even and she is not deterred. Matthew fell asleep in my lap last night with his patch on, it was really cute. We think they need more sleep, but try and tell them that. They are starting for fall asleep in the noon high chairs.
Mon, Nov/10/08 All: Today I am out of pocket, so Kristen will be on her own today. It is going to be a busy week here are we have lots of appointments.
Sun, Nov/09/08 All: Well, what can I say… I have been converted to Minivan land. Not happily, but forcefully. We purchased a Toyota Sienna minivan. Yes, I do have to keep saying Minivan. It is part of the therapy. It will allow Kristen to take the kids somewhere if I am gone and it lets us get out as a family. Our first trip was to Sonic and then to Jones. It was weird going out together and getting to chat. The kids seemed to interact more. I have photos coming soon.
Fri, Nov/07/08 All: Weights are in. The kids are doing great and is it really almost Thanksgiving! Well, we are trying to get ready to do aome earns and it goes REAL quiet upstairs.... And we did not notice at first then... We realized and the photos say the rest.
Thu, Nov/06/08 All: ECI today.
Tue, Nov/04/08 All: The Kids tried to vote and were turned away. We also enjoyed playing with distribution of wealth, But Nicholas did not like the idea of his candy taken.
Mon, Nov/03/08 All: OT for Matthew and I posted some new photos. I am working on Halloween, be patient.
Sun, Nov/02/08 All: Nicholas decided to play with the Hershery bar and hold it. It melted in the package and was liquid, thankfully the package did not leak. Avery started blowing kisses. She is not sure how the noise is made and she sucks her cheeks in and makes fish lips. And then blows them with her Hand. MAtthew is doing so well with his eye patch. Andrew is a big laugh he can be so silly. THey opened 5 doors and enjoyed it. Linens were everywhere. They liked sweetarts and skittles. The amount of drool that was created from the sweettarts could have filled a lake. I have to clean the carpet today. ha-ha.
Sat, Nov/01/08 All: Halloween was amazing. The kids were so well behaved. IT was great to be in a neighborhood where people are out with their kids and enjoying being in the spirit. We were the only parents not dressed up. The kids went as ducks and in the wagons. They liked the idea of getting candy from the buckets we gave them, but taking it from others they did not understand. So people put the treats in the wagon and then they played with it. Nicholas enjoyed hording the treats he got. Andrew liked the bucket idea a lot. Matthew well loved the candy, and realized that a milk dud box does fit in the mouth. Avery also loved the candy and figured out how to open the Twix bar. And then proceeded to share it with the others and they sucked it dry, well dry is not the exact term… They loved running around in the outfits and even went to the door when people showed up. They were pretty worn out and went off the sleep land as the hoot and hollers from goblins played outside. Happy Halloween 2008… Hey stop eating my 10% candy tax. Pictures will be posted soon.

October
Fri, Oct/31/08 All: Happy Halloween!!! The kids got to try out the new wagons they got last christmas and they loved it. I will put some photos up. We pulled them around in it and they had a blast. We plan to use them tonight to take them Trick or Treating. Avery is doing much better.
Wed, Oct/29/08 All: Success! Avery did not go in the middle of the night! So her bottom looks much better. THe boys decided to beat themselves up a bit yesterday. A few cuts and bruises. It is amazing how ruff boys are compared to girls. Andrew and Matthew are dancers. An example song they like is 'She thinks my tractor is Sexy'. Nicholas decided to ride the car down the steps (only 2) and was not sure afterwards it was a good idea. His shins are a little bruised. Kristen got her hair cut yesterday and she likes it and enjoyed a little ME time. With 4 it is hard to get any alone time. I was shocked at what cobra is going to cost us 1100 a month, but what can you do. The kids have to have insurance. We are starting to hear a lot of sounds like words. So we are hoping for some wordage soon.
Mon, Oct/27/08 All: Avery is better better slowly. We took them for a nice walk as it is so pretty out. Then we let them play in the courtyard and they ran and ran. I think we are talking 8 minutes then they were exhausted. I am running to the dentist today, and ECI is here. Matthew is a real trooper with the eye patch. Nicholas and Andrew are both sweet hearts and are doing there best to de-construct a few things.
Sat, Oct/25/08 All: Avery has a 2nd degree chemical burn on her hiney from the stomach acid. We have some medications and Imodium for her. The New Doctor is amazing and really seem to care and actually looked at Avery longer then the other has 18 months.
Fri, Oct/24/08 Avery: Avery is at the Doctors to see what we can do for her.
Thu, Oct/23/08 All: ECI today. It was an interesting night with some new developments. We are going to change Doctors for the kids, since to old Doctor would not listen to us. The New Doctor comes extremely well recommended. Avery’s hiney is getting better, but is still horrible. As the economy has gotten tighter and as I work in the Finance industry, I received a call late last night that our company was laying off people again and I was in this round. So, I am now looking and dusting off the old resume. I was with them for 8 years and really enjoyed it. I am going to have to figure out how Cobra works as the kids have to be covered. So we are asking for your prayers and thoughts as we forge ahead and look for new avenues.
Mon, Oct/20/08 All: Avery went ot the Doc. And yet again we get treated like we are idiots and have to tell the Doc what her job is and how have to remind her X and Y. Is there a Doctor out there the will take you seriously? It dumbs founds me how they just dont think people know what they are doing. Sorry for the soap box. Basicly we got the same advise we already have so... We are going to keep doing what is not working... Thanks Doc... I posted new Photos today.
Sun, Oct/19/08 All: Avery's poor hiney. She is teething and drooling everwhere. This is leading to issues and nite time poops that she sits in until we get up. This is hard to deal with as if we go in to check we wake the others up. She is red raw. We talked to the doctor and got some cream and told to use paper towels not wipes. We hope to get to the pumpkin patch soon.
Sat, Oct/18/08 All: We started Matthew on the eye patch and arm guards today. It went well. He was upset at first then we turn on the tv to a show he likes and it that helped. He had them on for about 1 1/2 hours with his glasses. The other kids were interested in what the heck these things were. Then they lost interest. The arm guards are almost to long for him. This leads to a sad time trying to get up when he falls over. We are going to have to do this for the next 3 months. I can only hope it stays this easy.
Fri, Oct/17/08 All: The kids shoes came in. Yes, they do have shoes now. They seem to like them to. Kind of confused as to why they have them. Andrew is not the biggest accepter. Watching them try and walk in them is a riot!!! Avery looks like she is walking in pudding. Matthew and Nicholas try to run in them. They all like to step on things in them.
Thu, Oct/16/08 All: Kristen got the arm bands and patches today. No thanks to the post office. When the kids walk into something they have started holding the spot they hit, with a look of man that hurt. No crying assoicated with it yet.
Wed, Oct/15/08 All: OT is going to try and work with Matthew twice a month. The mailman did not deliver the arm guards yesterday, instead he put a notice in the box saying we were not home. Does that not just steam you! We have gone to 4 oz bottle at 8am as the kids are starting to not want them. Now, Nicholas still gets 8. He likes a bottle and does not make a mess with it. Andrew and Matthew climbed on top of the TV yesterday. It is amazing to watch them build a solution to an issue. An Issue like, I need to be on the TV. They are really getting running down. We ordered shoes for them. I hope they get here this week. And anyone who does not understand why we have not gotten shoes yet, can go look at the Price time 4. Kristen got her crown today, she is excited to be able to chew gum again. It takes so little at times ha-ha. We had a moment yesterday, on the TV someone said the word, 'Stomp' Well to our shock they all did it. This is neat as it is not us asking for it, it was a word they recognized... Guess we had better get that swear jar out fast.
Tue, Oct/14/08 All: ECI today and OT.
Mon, Oct/13/08 All: We have OT and ECI out tomorrow and the dog is going to the vet at 7am... We have a busy day. OT is coming to see what we can do about the head banging. I have added a new tab for Baby Words.
Sun, Oct/12/08 All: Avery is saying 'Hi'. I am having some major allergies. We are holding off on Matthew's eye patch as we tried it and we are going to have to restrain him to keep it on. So, we had to order arm guards that restrict his ability to get to his eye and pull the patch off. It is not going to be a nice day when we try this.
Fri, Oct/10/08 Matthew: Matthew had an ok eye appointment. His vision has changed some, but not to any great degree. His eyes (white part) are not as white due to the ROP. There is no pressure behind the eye and that all looks well. The doctor has given us a new glasses prescription and he will have to have lasik eye surgery to correct it later in life if he wants to. Now we are going to have to get him to wear an eye patch. No kidding. He has the temperament of a pirate so this might led to some funny stories. He has one eye stronger and is really favoring it. The doctor is going to have us keep a patch on it for 3 hours a day; or try. We will see how he likes the idea tonight.
Wed, Oct/08/08 All: We started makeing appointments for end of year for the kids and Matthew is going to the eye doctor, Tomorrow. He was not ok with what we have been seeing and wants to see him ASAP. So Kristen will take him to see the Doc tomorrow.
Tue, Oct/07/08 All: Where to start... We get another bill in from Aetna on the RSV shots from last year. So have to call them again… It is resolved. I told them I want a letter as proof. Power goes out at 9 am, so we take the kids to get the First Hair cut. They did so well. Nicholas was the only one upset, but he does have the most hair. They look so grown up, and Kristen has a little tear up on them getting old. They look so much older. We stopped by to see Leslie at the bank on the way home and the power was on so all is well. I will post some photos of the haircuts soon.
HAIRCUT Review:
Matthew: He was amazingly ok. He sat and did not even mind us trying to help Nicholas. He was a real trooper.
Andrew: He was great. He sat and really did not mind the idea and was all in all happy with it.
Nicholas: He wanted nothing to do with the idea. He screamed the moment we put him in the chair. I tried to comfort him to no avail. His hair looks so much better.
Avery: SHe laughed and enjoyed the attention and seemed to like the idea of a hair cut. She even tried a bit of babbling with the lady.
Mon, Oct/06/08 All: Kristen's temporary crown came off so she had to try and keep it on. It was quiet ha-ha; only joking. The painters are done and will be nice to have a less people week in the house. The kids are really starting to climb. We got out the Halloween decorations and they are in boxes. The kids enjoyed the playing on boxes.
Fri, Oct/03/08 All: Matthew, Nicholas and Avery have learned to do circles. Matthew will do it till he looks ill. Then the falls down and laughes. The kids became members of the DRT which I am proud of. Thanks to all that helped. THe painters should be done this weekend. I will enjoy it being done and having washable paint on the walls.
Thu, Oct/02/08 All: ECI today. Kids are doing well. Andrew has figured out that if he says up he gets picked up. He really likes it. I think Avery is trying to say it, but has some way to go. We hope they are done painting soon the fumes are murder. They hope to be done on Monday. RSV is now back in full form, so if you are sick or have been around sick people we ask you to stay home. The kids do not qualify for shots are they are to well. Tomorrow Nana and Bapa are here to play with the kids.
Wed, Oct/01/08 All: Kristen is going to the Dentist today crack a tooth yesterday. The kids really messed up her teeth. The kids really slept well and I figure it will be a quiet day with them as they are processing the shot. I am sure they will be back at full speed tomorrow for ECI. Kristen got a new PC so she should be back online.

September
Tue, Sep/30/08 All: Flu Shots. We are not able to get RSV shots this year as the kids are in to good of health. Got to love Insurance and the idea of prevention. They did well with the shots and it was quick.
Mon, Sep/29/08 All: Nicholas really like the idea of opening doors. I think the long handle door knobs we have make it easier for him. We have decided since we can’t find the door locks yet. We are going to lock the doors, when building I had the builder give me extra keys to open interior doors. We will see how long this holds them. The painters are still working to get it repainted washable. Andrew walked in circles till he was dizzy; he would then stumble and find a wall. We laughed as did he. Then he walked to the corner and we believed he was going to be sick. Thankfully he was not. Avery is bouncing on the couch and getting some air. She gets 2 good jump/bounces then flop on the rear. Matthew is our explore and is digging and investigating everything he can. When we got to the make dinner at the kids throw toys down the stairs through the baby gate to get our attention. We are trying to ignore it, but it is funny to see the SCALE of items 4 kids can send down range.
Sun, Sep/28/08 All: Nicholas decides to open the doors upstairs....! Yes OPEN THEM ALL. So we now have to hurry and baby proof the entire upstairs with door lock or room clearing. Andrew then walks up the stairs using the wall to steady himself. Avery is hording the basket of buddies. And Matthew is playing in the electrical cords. It is going to be a long Sunday!
Sat, Sep/27/08 All: Baths today. It is just us here today and it is kind of nice.
Fri, Sep/26/08 All: Welcome to 23... Andrew! Nicholas has not been eating well and all I can say make sure your fingers are out of Andrews way. Matthew is a great eater, but cant seem to pack it on. And in this family that is shocking. Avery is not as large an eater. Now, in a month we have had from 1 pound to 1/2 a pound of gain which is great. We are getting the house painted with washable paint, so there has been some upheavel in areas they can get to. They are almost done which will be nice and we are all amazed at how quiet it makes the house to have washable verse flat. Also they patched a lot of kid damage... Why do I think there will be a lot more? All the kids are fine and growing. Walking is turning into running. We are working on a Stomp. It is a riot to watch them try an imitate you. They can only do one leg, and then they fall over.
Wed, Sep/24/08 All: ECI today.
Tue, Sep/23/08 All: Andrew is getting bitten a lot. We have to figure out a way to get them to stop. Andrew loves tools and things he can investigate. Avery is learning to spin around. Matthew is starting to run. Nicholas is running with the ability to turn at speed. We ordered Halloween outfits yesterday. If you want to know email Kristen. Otherwise you will have to wait for the pictures. I plan to get to the camera tonight also.

Hurricane Ike story: Everyone has been asking and without power it was hard to communicate. The evening of the storm it was a nice evening. The storm comes in and the power goes out at 11:45 and then the booming and cracking begins. The winds were howling and at one point you could hear a growling. It has been confirmed that a tornado did come through and that is what cause the massive damage in this area. At 2 am we hear a large BOOM and there goes tree number 1. At 3:15 a 2nd large boom, and could not see anything, but it was the fence. And at 4am BOOM and the 2nd tree goes. We kept getting up to check on the kids and they were in there room and slept through the entire event. The dog needed to go out during the storm and there was a little scared raccoon on the porch and of course the dog goes mental. Luckily I get her to come back and I am soaked at this point. And the kids sleep on. Saturday started without power and we had to heat bottles in the sink. The kids seemed ok. I started doing some clean up on the yard and looking at the damage. We stay as normal to the schedule and all is ok. It is hot, but the power has to be back soon. We put them to sleep with the windows open and it is hot. This house was not setup for cross ventilation. We have no generator and the coolers and Frig are getting warmer. We had a fun time with neighbors. Sunday arrives and it is now really hot. The kids started getting hot so we took them for a 2 hour walk. It was fun but the damage was amazing. Matthew and Andrew were not doing well with the heat and we had to take cool rags to them to cool them down. We ended up getting in the cars with the kids to get them to cool down drove over to Leslies and left them in the cars to get cooled down. It is amazing how AC can make your outlook better. We spend the rest of the night trying in the dark to pull together everything we need to take tomorrow. It is an amazing pile of stuff that 4 kids need. Monday morning the kids leave to College Station. We are concerned about the milk and getting more. Our neighbors the hatchers let us use their generator to run our fridge. This was an amazingly gift in the midst of storm. Tuesday, the kids are settling in well. I had to stay at home and work. I have been working on tree removal and yard clean up. The fence is back up. Wednesday, Lana and Mollie came to see the kids. The kids have some allergies, but who does not in College Station. Working on the garage getting it all unpacked and organized. Kyle helped me get some storage units before the storm and they really look nice. Thursday, still not power and I have the storage units up now and have finished a lot of project for the house that I would never had time to get to. So that is good. The power came back on at 8:30pm it was an amazing sight. I was about to turn in and get a shower when the hum of electricity was heard it was grand. The dog feeling the AC on went to the bed and slept. I ran to the store to get some detergent for the kid’s beds as they needed to be washed. I call Kristen and tell her she is happy. I also have to ask her not to come home until Saturday. I am having the play area painted out with washable paint and needed it to dry before they came home. Friday comes and back to work for me. So all in all, we had 2 trees and a fence and a lot of sweat which is pretty lucky.
Sun, Sep/21/08 Avery: The funny girl decided to night to a summer-sault. She was on the couch as it was soft I guess. And would put her head down and push with her short little legs and try to go over. The first time I helped and she laughed and laughed. Then again and again. Then she gets the idea that she has to throw the leg over and there she went. It was an amazed face, 'Did I do that?' look. But with all the laughing she attracted the boys and then the space became limited. I am sure this will lead to all kinds of new bruises and bumps.
Sat, Sep/20/08 All: The kids and Kristen came home and it is good to have them here they are sleeping. I have a few thought about the hurricane I will try to get to tomorrow. I have to say I really enjoyed nothing having a computer and not have TV. I seemed to get a lot done without it.
Fri, Sep/19/08 All: We are fine. I will post an update shortly. We have power and all smiles.
Fri, Sep/12/08 All: All the items are tied down and the pool is covered. The kids dont seem to care yet. We are goign to do baths tonight as it will wear them out and we hope they sleep thru most of it tonight. We have ice and water and will be fine. Now, lets all hope none of these trees come down.
Thu, Sep/11/08 All: A little concerned about the new path of IKE. We are going to have to stay as I am not sure we can get packed and on the road before it gets packed. Going to try and get a generator today with Kyle so we can keep a fridge running for the kids milk.
Wed, Sep/10/08 All: Andrew speaks is the shocker. Avery is quacking. Matthew and Nicholas are yelling.
Tue, Sep/09/08 All: ECI today. Yes, I did finally get some more photos posted. Videos are another story.
Mon, Sep/08/08 All: The block party went well and kids really liked it and it is was fun. Nicholas and Andrew fell asleep in the stroller. The temp was really nice and it was fun to meet all the neighbors. We tried a ham and cheese toastie with the kids. Avery hated it, but he rest liked it. It is going to be a long week. We are watching the gulf this week for IKE.
Andrew: We have our first word! Yes, it is offical! His first word is 'UP'. He also says 'ugh-oh', but that is not a word.
Fri, Sep/05/08 All: We have 2 more teeth. Nicholas and Andrew have 1 new bottom tooth. The play date went well. They were not sure what to do with the new one. The little girl kissed Nicholas and his responce was a riot. He smiled and looked coy, then turned and laughed. She tired to play with Matthew, but Matthew did not really like the idea. Avery sat in Mommies lap and watched. They all seemed to have fun and it did wear them out. Saturday we have a block party to go to. Tried Meatballs today. Avery really likes them. The boys were not impressed. So it will be a LONG night since they did not eat much.
Wed, Sep/03/08 All: The kids have a play date with a neighbor. The little girl is younger than ours, but a lot bigger. It will be interesting to see how they respond to someone new since they have never seen other kids in a play environment that are on there level.
Mon, Sep/01/08 All: You know it is going to be a long day when you sitting playing with the kids and Mom says, 'Oh my someone fudged there huggies!' I am still laughing. But that is our lifes some days. It is nice and sunny here and no hurricane rains.

August
Sun, Aug/31/08 All:We did KFC for dinner and I got a large side of Mash potatoes. Thinking that sounds like fun and it is bath night. Well boy was it. Matthew put them in his eyes after eating some. Nicholas loves gravy and tipped over the container, played in the potatoes and put them in his hair. Andrew wiped them on everything! Avery made sculptures with them. She is not sure about the texture. We thought they must be hot at first then she kept trying to figure it out. They all loved it and made a great mess. We had to do speed baths before it started to DRY.
Fri, Aug/29/08 All: The bottle removal is going great. The weights are going ok. I am happy to report we had a gain and removed bottles so that is great. Now we need to see them keep going up.
Wed, Aug/27/08 All: The bottle removal has gone well. We still have 2, but they are doing well with it. Tomorrow is a busy day for the kids.
Mon, Aug/25/08 All: Nicholas bites himself and leaves an amazing imprint after the yelling stopped. I have to say it is Monday and it is going to be a long week.
Sun, Aug/24/08 All: 2 Kids down and 2 in the tub. Splish splash they are taken a bath. We are getting less screaming now, which is great news that I can report. We have created a Snack room now. This will really cut down on the trips we carry 4 kids up and down. I posted some photos. We had a dorm fridge thanks Wes and Lana. So we got some rubber flooring and I put up some shelving in the room to store snacks. This should really make the stains less also. We are now down to 2 bottles a day 8 am and 8 pm + a 2oz vitamin bottle. The main work is real food. This is hard as we are trying to figure out meals for them and such. I will post some photos tonight. Avery is trying Old McDonald now. I am trying to get some video of it, just hard.
Fri, Aug/22/08 All: Matthew has a new thing he is trying to sing along with Old McDonald. He is trying the E-I-E-I-O. He says, "oo-ah-oo-ah-oo". It is really cute and he loves to say it. It has been a long week and we are looking forward to a quiet weekend. Food is going great. We may even cut the 4 oz bottle at 4 this weekend. This should put us at bottles at 8am and 8 pm. As we have to add a snack in the afternoon we are going to move the 4 feed to 5. This will cause some more stress on us, but it needs to be done for the future. The main issue is trying to figure out what to feed them since 4 is a meal to themselves.
Thu, Aug/21/08 All: ECI today, Pool issues, cabinet guy and more. So, if God loves us he will make the day go fast.
Wed, Aug/20/08 All: We introduce bowls today. It is 14 year today and looking for a few more to come. They did really well with the bowls and pasta with Veggies. We are trying to get them to use it instead of the tray. Nicholas and Avery decided to dump the bowls over. Nicholas on the tray, Avery on the floor. Matthew licked it clean. Andrew was not impressed. How to sum up the evening. We get some Italian for dinner a nice Lasagna and some Chicken Fettuccine. The kids are asleep and we sit to eat. The door bell rings the dog goes nuts and people want to chat. Oh joy! So an HOUR later. Our dinner is stone cold and a microwave could not save it. And now we have to give up on eating and bath the kids. Well, 1:25 later we are done. The kids did great. Did I mention the baby lock under the sink came off? Yeah, a large piece of wood with it. So now we have to get our showers and get to bed so we can start tomorrow... A really long day!
Tue, Aug/19/08 All: We cut the 4pm bottle in 1/2 and add a meal. So it will be a long week.
Mon, Aug/18/08 All: New Photos were posted today. We try a cheese pizza... They love it. Andrew barfs, cause he forgot chew it and then eats more pizza. They all did really well. It is an unbelievable mess.
Sun, Aug/17/08 All: We introduced Grilled Cheese sandwiches. They are a big hit and each one will eat 1/2 a sandwich. Avery and Nicholas require us to cut them into pieces or else they just make a mess. Andrew is a more delicate eater.... He takes it and inserts the entire thing into his mouth then chews. We do cut them into triangles using a pizza cutter. Matthew just eats it. He is more a machine with it comes to food. I do have some photos that I hope to get to tonight if all goes well.
Fri, Aug/15/08 All: Andrew got upset the other day and decided to throw a full blown tantrum. He was flopping on the floow kicking and screaming. We were laughing at it and I dont think it was the responce he wanted. He has not done it since.
Thu, Aug/14/08 All: It is amazing to see 4 kids walking. We had Andrew and Matthew trying to get into a box. We have had no issues with the loss of the noon bottle. SO we have started adding a snack at 3. We hope to start removing the 4 bottle in the next few weeks.
Thu, Aug/14/08 All: Welcome to 22, Nicholas! As we have been working to modify the feeding schecudle to a 3 meals and 2 snacks. We have removed one bottle and we only have 3 left. As today is weigh in, I am happy to report they are gaining! This is great and we are happy to see them moving ahead with the changes. This lets us believe we can keep going. I know it will be a lot more yelling. Andrew decided to yell all day yesterday. Matthew is being a bit mean when he wants something. Nicholas likes to shut the door or gate on the family. Avery is just nuts. She is having a fun time trying to run from you when you look at her and go, I am going to get you. she takes off.
Wed, Aug/13/08 All: ECI Today.
Tue, Aug/12/08 All: We are amazed they are doing so well with the loss of a bottle. Matthew is getting better at walking. They are really starting to get the idea that what they want and mine. Andrew likes to take from the others, but gets bent out of shape when it is taken from him. Avery does not like things taken. Where Nicholas and Matthew get mad and go get it back in a.... can we say direct manner. We had a good bath. No screaming.
Mon, Aug/11/08 All: We have stopped the noon bottle. It went really well yesterday and the kids did not seem to mind. Matthew is trying to walk more, just really hard to get others to leave his glasses on.
Sat, Aug/09/08 All: We took them out last night to a restaurant with the family and it went well. The kids like it and did not make to big a mess or fuss.
Fri, Aug/08/08 All: We changed out the carseats today to front faceing.
Thu, Aug/07/08 All: ECI today. We had a review of what we wanted to accomplish for the next 6 months. Kristen picked some material for curtians. Nicholas was walking and fell hitting the stairs. He has a really nice bruise on his head. It has been a very long day.
Wed, Aug/06/08 All: Walking is getting better. Matthew is getting better when they leave his glasses on. Avery is close to running. All is going ok. Just tired and trying to get things done that we keep forgetting. If anyone knows how to get the built-in car garage door opening to work, I would love to hear from you. Baths are tonight. We have started doing it in 2's as it seems to go better and we are able to stop Avery from crawling around the back of the tub. She will get out on to the ledge and sit and get so cold. Nicholas and Andrew are screaming and Matthew is splashing like there is no one else there. We have ECI tomorrow. It is going to be a lot of late hours at the office this weekend as we have a roll out.
Mon, Aug/04/08 All: It was a busy weekend of screaming. We think they are getting more teeth. This is based on the drool and fingers in mouth. I have always wondered how a kid eats paint chips to get lead poisoning. I now know and I will add a photo. Matthew was licking the whole in the wall where baby gate was ripped out. Andrew has been a bit unhappy and screamy. Avery is a handful of determination. Nicholas is a cuddler. And Matthew is a destroyer. We setup a play house for them and it was a big hit. It works better on its side as 4 fit in it that way. We had a lot of laughs when we would put our heads in through the door or window. They would laugh and push us out to do it again. Looks like we have a storm coming tomorrow, Edouard. Kristen is going to the dentist this morning for a chipped tooth.
Fri, Aug/01/08 All: Matthew has started taking steps. He is a bit unsteady, but was working his heart out last night.

July
Wed, Jul/30/08 All: It was a long day, the kids needed attention and we had cribs to destroy and build. Andrew did better as the night went on. Nicholas and Avery chewed on the crib, then Andrew. So our new cribs were good for about 1 hour. They seem a lot sturdier. I am now concerned at how fast they will get out of them. We looked and looked for HIGH cribs. They don’t make them anymore. Not trendy I guess. Nicholas this morning pulled up on it, feet clearing the bed. So it is only a matter of time, before we hear the great BAM…. WAAAAAA! We will have to start setting all baby gates at night now also. Baths were a large screaming fit. Avery has decided the tub is a jungle gym and was went to climb up the tub, slipped and fell and has a nice cut under her eye. We tried to put ice on it when were done bathing. Yes, she had to wait. 4 kids in the tub, screaming we have to finish. We get he to sit with us and put ice on it and she decided that the ice fells nice on her gums. Babies are freakishly strong and determined when they want something. We did get some ice on it and it looks ok, but she does have a small mark. I am shocked it was not a full shiner. Andrew needed some quality time last night. Kristen sat with him for a couple of hours to get him to go to sleep. Nicholas was and has been grumpy for the past few days. Whining and walking, he is making a general pain in our ears. Matthew on the other hand has been an angel in this. He has really been quiet and ok with the world this week. We are so happy. He was the only one not screaming in the tub. We have been trying some more food and cutting bottles. Cheese cubes are a big hit. They like them better than Kraft singles. Nancy Ann and Elizabeth will be here today to meet the kids.
Tue, Jul/29/08 All: New Cribs arrive today and we have the joy of tearing them down and rebuilding them one down and then one up. That way everyone gets there naps. 2 cribs are up. Can I just say I hate small fingered people. It will take a week for all the cuts and bruises to go away and that is just from Kristen hitting me for being an idiot. ha-ha. We hope to get the rest done tonight and baths, so God help us!
Andrew: Andrew has figured out the key to the baby gate is the latch and is working like on it like an addict. He spends about 10 minutes every hours review its design and making strategies and plans. He will work it out soon, he thinks... We hope not!
Mon, Jul/28/08 All: All is well and lunch is going well. The world looks normal and they are eating. In the blink of an eye, we had 3 standing in the highchairs. This is strange as we normally belt them in. So, we start cleaning them up and we hear a mighty clunk and a scream. So, who do you think fell out the chair? The baby in question was leaning on the back and we guess decided to get to the bar and the highchair went sliding out and that is how fast it happens. Ask Kristen if you think you know who it was. 1 in 4 odds are better than the lottery. The winner gets a grand prize of 1 bag of diapers, used of course. We need the clean ones. ha-ha. The baby is fine, more scared than hurt. They bounce remember. Only kidding.
Sat, Jul/26/08 All: America's funniest Home vodeo is not a show, more of an idea lab for Quad parents. We catch it from time to time and see things we know might be coming. This really makes us think. We got the kids a new book and they really like us to read to them, but it can be frustrating with 4.
Fri, Jul/25/08 All: Matthew has decided that a finger in Andrews eye is an easy way to get a toy back... This is going to lead to some fights. Andrew then goes up and pulls his hair. Avery will not leave Matthew's glasses alone. Nicholas is a brute force stealer. It was a rainy day yesterday and the kids enjoyed dark I think. They slept more than we have seen. We are hearing more babbling. I appreciate people say they hear words, but I think they are wanting to hear them. We are teaching Andrew to say Uuh-o. He is working on it. Matthew and Avery are starting to yell. Nicholas is watching while trying out a few sounds. We tried to swing them again last night. Andrew and Nicholas are better, but not really ok with the idea. Matthew and Avery actually crawl off the blanket after the turn and wait. It is wierd, but the 2 seem to be ok with the share.
Thu, Jul/24/08 All: I went out to put the trash out and little did I know what I would find. Earlier in the day, there was a large Raccoon in the back yard, just waiting there. I saw it run from the front (trash area ) to the back gate. Luckily Bailey did not see it. I dismissed this as it was rainy and I figured the spillway was blocking the way how am it was waiting. I got the trash together and as it was diaper trash… It had to go out now! I open the can and to my amazement there were 3 little raccoons sleeping in the can. They got in but could not get out. They were sleeping and they were young based on side. I ask Kristen to come see the trash, well she said a few word… ha-ha. She decided to watch from the window. This leads to me getting them out of the can. I tip it over and one ran out no issue. I look and try to figure out why the others did not go. One was caught and the other was not going to leave him. I took a small rake and freed the one and turn the can over again. They were huddled together and did not want to go or were too scared. The trash can is a 90 gallon. This lead to me taking the rake and pulling one out and he scampers off. The little female was a bit more scared and I had to turn the can over to get her out. Now, this morning it is amazing that no one was in my trash. Ha-ha. I will spend the evening cleaning the can out now…. Oh joy. This has been another day at the baby farm.
Wed, Jul/23/08 All: We are starting to walk better. Still a bit surprised Matthew does not want to walk yet. We tried a new game. We take a blanket and put a kid in it and swing them. Kristen was singing London Bridge and Avery started humming it. It was cute. Matthew and Avery traded turned until we were to tired to keep doing it. Funny how you get old and cant swing a 22 pound dead weight for 30 mintues. When I was 18.... only kidding. Nicholas and Andrew did not like being swung. We will try them again. Nicholas is so sweet he comes to you to just cuddle as does Andrew as of late. I tried them with a straw. I took some soda in my straw and let each kid try it. They love the Mountain Dew, but dont like water that way. I guess they like the flavor, but 4 kids hopped up on caffene would be smart.
Tue, Jul/22/08 All: ECI today.
Mon, Jul/21/08 All: It is a wobbly-world in the Blair house. Avery is leading the building project. I have a picture to post to explain this. They are doing a lot of walking and playing. It is wild to watch 4 kids start walking. It is funny and I don’t want to offend anyone, but it has come to mind that watching them wobble around a room like a drunk remind you of college. How the falls don’t hurt more I will never know. They are all getting more bruises as they fall more.
Sun, Jul/20/08 All: The kids have made a bridge to get to the windows. Avery falls off. Andrew decides to pull the blind off. Matthew is holding the structure. Nicholas is sitting quietly with the remote. It is going to be a long day. We try Fish sticks today.
Fri, Jul/18/08 All: Matthew’s glasses have been modified and they seem to be much more comfortable on him. They are all 4 walking. Matthew stood up and took 2 steps. He did this again and again. The rest are all over the place. Avery is the best and showing off with her ability to walk and turn while holding a toy. Nicholas is a bit upset at this and falls in front of her to slow her down. Andrew can stand up in the middle of the floor. It is getting really exciting and scary at the same time. We are starting with the next round of teeth it seems. I can only say I can’t wait till that is done. We are letting them crawl up the stairs after lunch and that is going well. They are very supervised! We have been trying them out on any types of food. They seem to be ok with most. I did bubbles for them tonight and it was great. I think Matthew could see them. He lit up and was so happy. He cried when they went away. Everyone had fun with them.
Thu, Jul/17/08 All: We are bathing kids and then letting them play. Little to our knowledge an incident has occurred in the playroom. Yes an incident. I use this word to get a point across. We never heard any screaming or yelling, more than normal. We do the final pickup from the bath and head upstairs to where the kids are. We find Nicholas with some body art. Yes, he had a tribal tattoo on his arm. We are not sure who performed the art work, yet. We are looking at teeth to figure out who it was. Yes, Nicholas was bite. He has teeth marks on the top and bottom of his left arm. Now, I hate to say it, but I am sure whatever he did to provoke it might have been deserved. That being said we do not want biters. So, we will have to work with them all to make sure that is kept to a minimum. I will post a photo of the artwork.
Wed, Jul/16/08 All: Avery has decided she will walk and not crawl. She is getting better at turning. Andrew will walk between object he wants. Nicholas is getting better at moving, but is not sure it is better than crawling. Matthew is going today to get his glasses repaired. He fellow inmates have twisted, ripped, and finally broken his glasses. Avery is the number 1 offender, then Andrew. Avery is hell-bent on the glasses when she sees them on Matthew. We don’t know why, but it is her mission, like Andrews is to unplug the TV.
Tue, Jul/15/08 All: Kristen and I are very tired, I did not sleep but an hour last night and Kristen is in pain from her back. She has a disc out we guess. Makes it hard to sleep. It is sad when you get old. The kids are good. Matthew has started to try and walk he took 2 steps, then did not try it again.
Mon, Jul/14/08 All: Nicholas, Avery and Andrew are walking more and more. Matthew is trying it, but not a walker yet. Avery is really good and can get from objects and can turn. Andrew and Nicholas are more your straight line guys for now. I figure in 3 weeks we will have no crawlers left. Today is a busy day for Kristen, she has people here all day, so the kids will be a bit cranky tonight.
Sun, Jul/13/08 All: Andrew has started moon-crawling. He is crawling backwards. I think we got this on video, but will have to see if it comes out. He is doing it when he is tired and it is really wierd to see. They are getting more bruises now as they falling over form greater heights.
Fri, Jul/11/08 All: The injection sites on the kids are no longer flaming red and they seem to be a bit happier. We are going to try and get a tunnel for the kids to play in. Avery, Andrew and Nicholas are getting so much better at walking. Matthew has not tired, but we are not worried. There little knees are so raw for carpet burn. We are treating it for some time now. Bath time is an experience and if we can get Nicholas to learn to re-like the bath our life would be a lot quieter.
Thu, Jul/10/08 All: The kids like pickle relish and Matthew and Avery like hot dogs. Nicholas and Andrew are looking at it with some disgust... They poking it.... and looking at it a bit more. Poking... Nope I am not going to eat that, arms crossed. They do like Kraft singles and bananas now. The Lunch conversations are a riot. It is funny to hear the babbling at each other. ECI today.
Wed, Jul/09/08 All: 15 month appointment! 3 more shots so it will be a long day for them. We have flu shots in September and No more visits until April! Yep. So that should be helpful as we dont have more trips down town. Well to that Doctor anyway. Stil have eyes and ears in December.
Tue, Jul/08/08 All: Tomorrow is the 15 month doctor visit. We are hoping all goes well and I am sure it will. There are no issue and thye get more shots so it will be a long night.
Mon, Jul/07/08 All: Babies are a bit tired for the long weekend. They really had fun.

Walking:
Nicholas: Welcome to the world of standing and walking. He was in the center of the room and got up to a stand and then took a few steps. He would have done more if those darn legs would stay closer together. He was really trying hard and was getting so tired.
Andrew: He took is first steps today. He was holding onto a push toy and turned and walked 5 steps. He has not tried to stand up and do this yet.
Avery: She is a machine and was our first to stand and walk. She can take a good 10 steps and has control. She gets to excited and falls over, but she is getting faster and faster at it.
Matthew: He does not show any interest in walking. He can walk behind a push toy, but does not have the confidence to do it on his own. This may be due to what he can see. We are wondering if the floor is now out of his vision.
Sat, Jul/05/08 All: Yesterday was a good day we have a lot of firsts and fun in the same arena. Matthew, Avery, and Nicholas were ok in the pool. Andrew wanted nothing to do with it. I go in with him and he was just not having it. We will try again later. But they were so cute in the swim trunks. Avery’s suit is to cute to. We had a busy day with friends and family for the 4th. We had a Burgers and dogs. Matthew did not wish to sleep, so he was sitting with us and I decided to let him try some corn on the cob. He took to the idea and really like it. I had to stop him when he put the end in his mouth, but corn is a hit. Also we tried out watermelon with the kids. It is really messy, but a huge hit. The fireworks did not seem to bother them. Bailey could not hear the booms either so she was happy. It was a great day and we had fun. I posted some pictures.
Fri, Jul/04/08 All: Happy 4th! We are excited to see how they do and hope to get a photo or 2. Today we have some friends coming over and it will be a simple BBQ and fun day.
Thu, Jul/03/08 All: The nutritionist came out to see Avery. It looks great she is exactly where she should be on weight to height so that makes us feel better. We are going to get some help on planning menus and how to feed the 4. It is kind of difficult as we start removing bottles to make sure we replace the calories and they don’t start lagging behind. We also want them to get what they need on a balanced diet.
Wed, Jul/02/08 All: Avery is getting better at taking steps, but get frustrated as it is not as fast as crawling. Nicholas has an affection toward doors and keeps locking kids in rooms. Andrew is scared of going down steps. Matthew is learning to put objects into and out of others. ECI is out today. We have modified our play schedule to give them a bit of structured play. Morning is toys and books, Afternoon is cars and walking, and Evening is open baby gate time upstairs. They really like the last one. They get full access to the upstairs.
Tue, Jul/01/08 All: We are going to have lunch at the hospital with the kids today. We are going down to see Dr. Simchowitz. We have not been able to see him since the babies came home. He really helped when they told us it was 4. It will be fun to see him and a nice lunch. The Luby's plate lunch I have missed. Lunch was great and kids loved seeing the Nurses and Doctors. We get home to some quiet... Well all but Matthew, he wanted to play. I will be he drops tonight. Bailey woke the rest up as some idiot came to the door. You have to love dogs, but hate the need to bark.

June
Mon, Jun/30/08 All: We opened the upstairs to the horde. They have really enjoyed playing in the upstairs. We open it up in the evenings.
Sat, Jun/28/08 All: Wall-e was a good movie, but not a kids movie. This was the first outing we have had in over 15 months since the kids came home and lets not forget 3 months Kristen was in the Hospital. It was nice to get out and just watch a movie. We plan to take the kids on a walk before it gets to hot. Avery is 2 new top teeth.

Teeth:
Matthew: 4 upper and 3 lower
Andrew: 4 lower and 2 lower
Nicholas: 4 upper and 2 lower
Avery: 4 upper and 2 lower
Fri, Jun/27/08 All: Nana and Bapa are here to give us a few hours out today as they have done for a while. It is a real life saver. It is nice to get out of the house together a bit. We are hoping to get to the movies if we can. We are thinking about Wall-e. So if we fall asleep in the nice DARK, QUIET theatre we will be ok as the kids will get to see it later. ha-ha. Nicholas is not happy we locked his hidden door. He is not amused! Have you ever seen a baby WORK on why is this not working! I know it was yesterday, Now OPEN. It is funny to watch.
Thu, Jun/26/08 All: Today is exactly 1 year past my due date. The kids actually should have been turning 1 around this time if they had been born full term. This is the date we actually have been looking to when we have to consider the kids development. Lately, we have had several people ask us what is ECI. ECI is short for Early Childhood Intervention. It is a program that I think most states have to help parents of children and children that were born premature or have special needs. The first evaluation ECI did when the kids were first home they were right on target or ahead on development so they didn't qualify for services at that time. I was able to arrange to keep in touch with them to make sure the kids didn't happen to fall behind when it came to development. We filled out evaluations back in December for each of the kids on what they were able to do or not do. I sent the evaluations in to ECI and we were contacted because they felt the kids had fallen way behind and needed help. ECI came back out to the house in February to evaluate the kids and make a plan on what we felt were some development problems. In March, we started weekly sessions with a therapist to help the kids and for us to learn what we needed to be working on with the kids. When a child is born prematurely it can take up to 3 years for them to catch up to their full term counterparts. In April we took the kids to the pediatrician for their 1 year check-ups (their actual age) and the kids adjusted age was at the time was 10 months. The pediatrician told us she felt the kids had already caught all the way up in terms of development which is amazing to be honest since they have up to 3 years to do this before it is considered a problem. I think the help and guidance that ECI has provided us has made all the difference. Michael wrote yesterday that Avery has finally become a walker. She is the first to walk but the boys won't be far behind her. They are all able to walk the entire length of the room behind a push toy so it is just a matter of time before they are striking out on their own. They are doing everything a typical 1 year old does except for talking. At this point we are not worried about the kids not talking. The pediatrician and the ECI therapist said this is completely normal for multiples. They don't see the need to attempt to communicate with adults when they have each other to interact with. While we are getting a lot of babbling we aren't getting words and the pediatrician told us not to expect sentences until 3 years old. What all of my babbling has been about boils down to the fact that the kids are doing GREAT over all. We still are behind physically as far as weight and maybe even height still but they are hopefully catching up there as well. Next week we have an appointment with a nutritionist to make sure the kids are getting everything they need to continue to grow as we try to get rid of bottles in the next month which will be a big step. Avery and Andrew have the sippy cups down but Matthew and especially Nicholas are struggling with the change to them.

Michael and I are very proud of the kids. I don't think there is a day that goes by lately that we don't look at each other and tell the other one "did you ever think we would get here when the kids were born?!?!?" The kids were so tiny and fragile when they were born and I think those days are now long behind us. I know I am amazed every day by what new things they are doing and all the things they have already figured out in life. There is going to come a time when the kids are going to out think Michael and me…I just hope that time is later rather than sooner but with these 4 there is no telling when it is going to be!!
Wed, Jun/25/08 All: Mollie and Mrs. Salas dropped by this evening to see the kids. The Kids are growing and working.
Tue, Jun/24/08 All: ECI is here today. We have an ECI person coming to help us figure out how to replace formula with food. What the ratios should be next week. Baby Gates went up today and locks on everything. It looks like a baby prison now, but we can guarantee they can’t break down the new gates. Yes, they ripped out the baby gate for the 3rd time. The 3 inch Mollie bolts did nothing. We have nice holes in the wall.
Tue, Jun/24/08 All: All I can say is.... Jell-o. And everyone who has kids should be ashamed of yourselves not to tell us not to let them try it. I cannot believe the mess. Now let’s hope it comes out of the cloths. We cut the jell-o into 1/4th of the cup. The premade from the store. It was small and how much mess could that make?
Matthew :Well, what can we say about Matthew, He is an eating machine and he loved the squish and splat factor when you hit it. I am not even sure a trash bag would have made clean up easier; more like a firehose or dog with a 3 day hunger. I did not realize one child could make that big a mess that fast.
Andrew : Andrew did not like the concept; the jiggle or the squishy. He one finger poked it with a look of disgust and you must be kidding.
Nicholas: He slowly approached the jiggling mass. He pokes and then pinches it… Oh I can eat it as he watches the others… Then wiz, bang, splat he is into the Jell-o. But he is such a messy eater it was much less evident, between the cheerios and gold fish crackers.
Avery: So prim and proper; until jell-o is involved. She smashed, squeezed and crammed it into her face and hair. She really likes strawberry jell-o.
Tue, Jun/24/08 All: It was an amazingly busy day. We had the 1 year repair on the house and 2 ECI appointments. The kids were everywhere as the workmen did not understand to close things they open. Then we are trying to answer questions while running after them. It was nuts and a real pain. They did a lot sheetrock repairs and this lead to a major issue of the kids can't touch it for 3 hours. That is a big issue as a white spot is a beacon to a kids to try and figure out. We ended up putting them in the car and Kristen drove them around so they could get some kind of nap. They got a about 30 minutes of naptime, which was not enough and they are cranky. Dinner is served and Avery rubs peanut butter through her hair and we have an unscheduled bath. It is the early morning and I am trying to get some stuff done here. It is going to be another scorcher today, yesterday it was 104 here. We have more workmen here tomorrow.
Mon, Jun/23/08 Avery: She has offically become a walker. She can stand in the middle of the floor and walk 5 steps. She is so proud of herself as are we. I am sure the boys will not be long behind her.
Mon, Jun/23/08 All: Busy week. Baby Proofer and ECI. We are moving furniture. Andrew has figured out how to get to the blinds using the sofa. THe baby gate is starting to give, again. I am thinking I need to screw the center into the floor. I may do this in a few days, need the screws. We are trying to move to sippy cups. We just dont have the patience.
Sun, Jun/22/08 All: Play day. We unpacked some boxes and the kids like the paper.
Sat, Jun/21/08 All: We had to move the chair. Avery likes to bang it into the wall. So one more thing to repair.
Fri, Jun/20/08 All: Baby Wieghts today. They are getting bigger, but we are not able to get them enough fat to really bulk up to where they should be according to the charts.
Wed, Jun/18/08 All: We are not blowing spit bubbles. I know that is not a polite thing, but they just started. Nicholas was first followed by Andrew and Matthew, as Avery's front teeth are just coming in she cant yet. She is making good progress on them. It is sad to see the last gummy smile go away. The kids think the word 'Coo-Koo' is a riot. They laugh at it. We are starting to push away the spoon a bit as it seems they want to feed themselves. This is great, but we need to get this baby food gone.
Tue, Jun/17/08 All: Uneventful day. We got some great video of the kids walking behind the push cars. After watching them open the hidden door, we called the baby proofer to come put some lock and more gates in the house. I tried to fix the old gate and it was going well until I hit a stud in the wall. This would take some work, that I needed more steady hand. Trying to hold off 2 kids and drill is kind of hard.
Mon, Jun/16/08 All: We are getting a lot of trial walking and steps now. Avery has 2 top teeth coming in. That makes the total to 23.
Sun, Jun/15/08 All: Bailey tore out her stiches again, so back to the ER for her. I did ask the guy for a medical staple gun. I am thinking we will need it in the future. ha-ha. It was a great father's day.
Sat, Jun/14/08 All: The Kids have learned to open the Hidden room door. They are working together to do it. But I will say they do not like the dark. The screaming was loud and poor Avery was trying to open it, but did not have the wieght to do it. Leslie and Cheryl can over and help us with bath time. It was a great help.
Fri, Jun/13/08 All:It was a wild day of learning and laughing. Nicholas and Matthew were playing on the walking wall that has a viel to crawl through. Nicholas and Matthew were sitting on either side of it and were sticking there head through and the other would laugh and then they would reverse. This went on for a good while then Andrew got his attention peeked so he went to find out what was so funny. They stopped playing as a thrid person did not work as well. We sold our old house today. Kind of sad to see it go, a lot of memories there. Kristen is a bit sad today as it is leaving.
Wed, Jun/11/08 All:Play time and some one on one with the kids. Kristen and I are trying to take one child aside and work one on one with them to give them some quality time. This is hard as the other person has to coral the babies. Matthew has started his own peep-a-boo game. He will cover his head with a blanket and wait for you to say, 'Where is Matthew?' Then he pulls it off and claps. It is a riot. They are all clapping. Avery is drooling like mad so we think some teeth are due any day. Andrew needs more sleep. He is trying out new words, but is real shy and does not say them loud, so we when we hear him we try and respond. He smiles when we do. Nicholas is starting to work on sounds. He clicks and is saying a few babbles. They are all starting to try and babble and put their hand in their mouth to make different sounds. It is a riot. I bounced my hand off my mouth to make a sound and they all stopped and looked. So, I went over to each one and showed them. Nicholas smacked himself so hard he cried. Matthew did really well with it and Andrew was not that impressed. Avery's still has a swollen lip as she will try later.
Tue, Jun/10/08 All:Yesterday was cranky baby day. It started out ok, but they missed the 4pm nap and it went downhill from there. It was the kind of evening that makes you pray for hearing loss. Matthew and Andrew seem to be getting better about the tub. Avery likes the hair dryer. She giggles when her hair is blowing in the wind, per say. Bailey is back at the vet and we should know tomorrow what is wrong with her knee. She was running around the house and should not have been and hurt it. It is amazing to me to open the trash can on a near 100 degree day and have my eyebrows melt off. Let’s just say 4 kids can make a powerful smell when you add heat.
Mon, Jun/09/08 All: Avery fell last night while walking with the truch and hit her chin. She bit her lip and the upper gum and was bleeding a bit. She was really upset and has a set of lungs on her! She is fine now.
Sun, Jun/08/08 Matthew: Today is the last of the special days at least for a while. Today, Matthew has been home for a year. Matthew's spirit and determination was obvious before he was even born. Everyone was on top of him so he had to fight for room. His water broke at just 26 weeks. We were given a horrible outcome for what his life might become but he definitely rose to the challenge and proved everyone wrong. In order to watch him more closely the nurses had to come monitor his heart rate 3 times a day. This was not something Matthew liked very much. The nurses would get the heartbeat on the sensor and Matthew would live with it for a short time then he would kick the sensor and move away. Every time the nurses would monitor him his heartbeat was strong and never showed any signs of stress. Out of the crew Matthew, I think, kicked me the most and boy it would hurt sometimes. Twelve days after his water broke it looked like I might be developing an infection that we couldn't let spread to Matthew so we had to deliver and sent us on our way to the NICU journey.

Matthew by far seemed to have the worst of the NICU journeys but compared to what we could have faced we are very fortunate. He was the tiniest at just 1 pound 10 ounces but he came out and was here to stay. The doctors put him on C-PAP to help breathe which was amazing given his size. We had some tiny setbacks when he didn't seem to tolerate feedings as well as the others and had to be restarted a few times. Everything was looking really good and he was inline with what everyone else was doing until his eye exams for development came back bad. I was headed out to my 6 week check up when Michael came running out the door to stop me in the driveway telling me the doctor was on the phone and Matthew had to have eye surgery the next day. The day of the surgery they had to put Matthew on a ventilator to protect his airway while he was sedated. The surgery went well and that evening when they checked his blood gases his oxygen wasn't high enough to come off the ventilator. They tried repeatedly over the next 24 hours to get him off the ventilator with no success so something was going on. Three days later Matthew had blood, urine and spinal fluid cultures to see if he had an infection which he did. He was so sick we were told we almost lost him. He had to have 14 days of antibiotics before he could come home. Matthew came home on oxygen and an apnea monitor just like Avery. The 5-6 days on the ventilator did a lot of damage to his lungs which he was still trying to heal from.

Since Matthew has been home he has had a few more challenges to face. In November we were told that Matthew would need a cranial band or "helmet" to reshape his head. He had developed a preference to lay on the right side of his head causing it to flatten and he had some unevenness in his forehead which can add to vision problems. Matthew was a star and did really well with the helmet. He was done almost a month ahead of schedule. In December we received some disappointing news. The surgery had saved Matthew's vision but not as much of it as we had hoped. I took Matthew to get glasses at the end of December. We have been told they think he can only see about 2-2 1/2 feet in front of him with any clarity. Once Matthew is grown there are surgeries that will help restore his vision. I know Matthew doesn't have glasses on in a lot of the photos because his brothers and sister are so interested in the glasses they keep taking them off not to mention Matthew taking them off himself. I hope the glasses are the last hurdle Matthew will have to jump.

For everything Matthew has been through he is a great little boy. He was the first to figure out how to crawl and pull up to a stand. He doesn't let anything stand in his way. He is into everything and I do mean everything! He is so curious about the world. He loves to cuddle and be goofy. We are so thankful every day that he is the fighter he is and that we still have him.

To Matthew – Your spirit and determination inspire me. I'm so grateful you are in our lives. I know you have had a tough first year and have managed to never let things stop you. You have grown so much this past year we can't wait to watch you continue to grow. We love you more than you will ever know!!
Sat, Jun/07/08 All: We are going to load both cars up with kids and try and go to Ryan's graduation party. It will be a Fun day. Yes, we have to drive 2 cars as we dont have 1 that will fit them all. And a buddy is a pacifier. I have posted a lot of new photos today.
Fri, Jun/06/08 All: Weights are in. They are all getting so big. Baths went well last night. we had Matthew and Andrew in the tub without the duck and they did so well. We are happy if we can keep this up. It will give us 20 more minutes per bath time. This would allow them to play more if our backs and knees hold out. Yesterday, They were all walking behind push toys. It was amazing seeing them all standing and holding on to walk. This is going to be a long weekend, we have Kristen's family in town for Ryan's graduation. I hope to get some pictures up soon.
Andrew: He took 3 steps on his own. It was awesome!
Thu, Jun/05/08 All: Everyone is walking behind a push toy. They showed off for our ECI lady. Avery and Andrew are getting a lot better with sippy cups. Nicholas has to much food in his hands to grab a cup. Matthew does not want to deal with it.

Teeth:
Matthew: 4 upper and 3 lower
Andrew: 4 lower and 2 lower
Nicholas: 4 upper and 2 lower
Avery: 2 lower
Wed, Jun/04/08 All: We are seeing sighs of more teething. Andrew is now free standing. Avery has learned ot push and walk behind toys. Andrew cant yet, but will soon. He leans forward and the truck goes away to fast. Nicholas is getting the idea and can stand free. Matthew is doing well, no standing yet. Nicholas got 2 more teeth in today.
Mon, Jun/02/08 Avery: Today marks 1 year Avery has been home from the hospital. In all honesty, I expected Avery to have been the last one to come home. Normally, girls do better being born premature than boys do but somehow this wasn't the case with Avery. She had more apnea and bradycardia spells than the boys and was on C-PAP/nasal cannula longer than the boys. Avery also needed several blood transfusions to help with anemia. The biggest concern with Avery while she was in the NICU was a grade 2 brain bleed. The doctors watched it very closely and thankfully between the doctor's care and the prayers we received from everyone it never got worse. On the last head ultrasound before she left the NICU it showed that her body was breaking down the blood and going back to normal. Avery came home on both oxygen and an apnea monitor. We also had to give Avery her "morning cup of coffee" which was a dose of caffeine. This was to help her not go into such a deep sleep to stop the apneas from happening. Before Avery could come home one of us had to be trained on how to use the apnea monitors and oxygen tanks so I went up to the hospital to be trained. We also had to find a pharmacy that could compound the caffeine she needed. After a few days running around trying to get everything organized for Avery to come home we had everything ready. While my mom watched Nicholas and Andrew we went to pick Avery up from the hospital. I must admit I think Avery was the toughest one to bring home and not because of the machines or anything like that but because it meant leaving Matthew all alone at the hospital.

We got Avery home and Bailey had to check her out too when she got home. I swear you could almost see Bailey look at us and say "not another one!!" Avery was pretty well confined for at least the first month. She had to be on an oxygen concentrator which limited how much we could move her around the house. She gave us a few scares by setting off the apnea monitor but we eventually got the hang of it all. Avery has done really well. We aren't seeing any problems from the brain bleed she had which is good. It looks like Avery might be the first one to walk. Avery and Nicholas are very similar. They both are laid back until they want something and then they let you know. We have said a lot over this past year that if Avery is crying you have to go see what is going on because she just doesn't cry. Avery is a very determined girl. If she doesn't want to do something it is hard to make her. When we go for walks she never keeps her hat on for very long so it is a battle of wills with her. Avery is very quick to smile at you and is really silly at times. She is so sweet we are lucky to have her.

To Avery-- Your smile lights up the room and you have brought us a lot of joy this first year. We can't wait to watch you grow and experience life. We love you more than you can imagine.
Sun, Jun/01/08 All: Fun day of playing and destruction.

May
Sat, May/31/08 All: PROJECT: Buddy Liberation part 2

Our day begins on a quiet Friday morning. It is similar to most with the usual activity and sounds at the Blair house. But little did we know that plans were in the works and unfolding. The participants take up their positions in the usual areas and arrange the toys or trophies as they are called. Nicholas has been sending communications to Avery and has persuaded her to assist him in a flanking maneuver on Matthew’s position. She approaches his fortifications from the south, while Nicholas slowly moves in from the East. Andrew, in the North, cannot be drawn into the battle as he is neutral. Andrew has achieved his neutrality as none of his trophies are in danger. Avery, a known friend and ally, approaches Matthew and a warm smile is given and returned, but in the blink of an eye or the flash of a hand… Wiz, Bang, Boom the buddy is torn from Matthew and the ruse is exposed. From this action, open war has been declared. To Avery’s amazement this playful gesture is taken with horror and fury from Matthew. Matthew’s zeal and fervor to re-attain his buddy has no match. Avery moves away toward the gate and into the open territory and moves quickly. Matthew bolts from his seated position near the TV. The chase is on. They travel far and fast, but Avery’s slender frame and 1 pound weight difference makes her faster. Over the toys, over the cushions and on to the floor they go. Faster and faster they go. Then with a flash, and a resounding Pop! Avery’s chance at victory is literally taken away. Nicholas was waiting his time and storing his energy as he knows the foe he was facing. Nicholas is fresh and ready for a fight. For this trophy is the greatest of all, the pre-chewed, slobbery and much beloved buddy of Matthew. Nicholas takes his trophy back to his base of operation for a long chew and a little nibbling. Poor Matthew is tired and Avery looks betrayed, but Nicholas, sweet Nicholas is in heaven. All the while an observer Andrew is watching. You can see him pondering and dare I say plotting his foray into this arena? Has Avery given up? Will Matthew accept his loss? Will Nicholas make it through the night? No one knows….?

We watch this and see it unfold and hope you enjoy this story. It has us laughing as we watch it.
Fri, May/30/08 All: All is well on the Western front. The kids are trying to stand more without things. Matthew decided to crawl into the exerciser without help we have no idea how he did it. Avery has decided she wants big bottles again and not the little ones. So we will see how she does. It sure would save us some time. Avery seems to understand a sippy cup better than the rest. Nicholas likes the liquid, but not the swallow idea, which is just messy. Andrew is our neat freak. He eats so clean and tidy. Matthew is a good eater. I hope to get some more photos up today or tomorrow depending on time.
Thu, May/29/08 All: Julia was supposed to come today... Her alarm did not go off. Only Joking Julia. We have told her they will be walking before she gets here. The ECI lady said walking was about 1 month away at the rate they are going.... GOD help us!
Wed, May/28/08 Andrew: Today is the day Andrew has been home a full year. Andrew had the second easiest journey in the NICU after Nicholas. He needed a blood transfusion or 2 to treat anemia and some medicine for reflux and that was pretty much it. We knew that Andrew would be following Nicholas home pretty quickly but just didn't expect the phone call when we got it. I was happy to have my mom here to watch Nicholas so that Michael and I could go together and pick Andrew up. Thankfully, I had a few days to get used to Nicholas's noises so when Andrew got home I wasn't worried over every noise he made. Nicholas and Andrew ended up being crib buddies since they were the first 2 home and we thought they would each be a comfort to the other.

Andrew has been the fussiest of the bunch. He continued to have reflux for several months after he came home and on top of that he had colic. I don't think he was very happy for several months at the start because of being in pain. Andrew is finally done with all of that, we think, and has become very sweet. He will smile and giggle the fastest of any of the kids. He has the biggest blue eyes that sparkle when he smiles. He is definitely our biggest eater but you wouldn't know it by how active he is. It is difficult to get weight on him. Andrew loves books! He wants to be the first one read to. Every night we put them to bed I think we should give Andrew the nickname of Linus from the Peanuts cartoon. He has to have a blanket to go to sleep and it is so cute how he snuggles up with it.

To Andrew --- We know it hasn't been the easiest year for you, but we are happy to finally see you be happier and feeling better. We love you more than you will ever know and we can't wait to watch you grow.
Tue, May/27/08 All: Matthew and Nicholas and the buddy world speed way. Matthew as sitting quietly and the world was good. A good buddy, some toys and parents watching over me. But little did he see the oncoming storm. The storm was Nicholas, a thief in the night, or at least in a diaper. Nicholas made his way across the floor on a mission of buddy liberation. Matthew, none the wiser, has his defenses down and allowed visitors through the gates. Little did he know Nicholas was not coming to play or even bring gifts. He was bent on Matthew’s buddy. In seconds, smack, pop, bang it was torn from Matthew’s mouth and liberated to Nicholas’s hand and then as a final insult, and without cleaning he starts to chew it in front of Matthew. Matthew is horrified; nay offended and swears revenge on this transgression. So, the chase begins and the mayhem ensues. Nicholas makes it about 10 feet and swipe, Matthew has the package… He crawls away. A quick crawl chase begins and swipe it is back to Nicholas… Well this continues until they were all very tired, like 10 minutes and Matthew ends up with the buddy as he crawls exhausted to Mom for protection. With the spoils in mouth and a quiet suck he takes a small rest. Meanwhile, Nicholas is planning for PROJECT: Buddy Liberation 2. Stay tuned…
Mon, May/26/08 All: Nicholas stood for 5 seconds today. The kids enjoyed a nice walk today and seem to really like the stroller. We started to paint the baby room a bright yellow, like the original room was. Not sure they care, but it means something to us.
Sun, May/25/08 All: Avery in the pool. She did so well. She loved it. We can now see she will be the one we will have to watch. She splashed and floated with us. It was a fun time.
Sat, May/24/08 All: This is the start of several upcoming important days ahead for us. Today Nicholas has been home for a full year. Nicholas had the easiest NICU journey of the group. For the most part, he was what is called a feeder/grower. He needed some small support with breathing but that was it. I remember the day we went to pick him up being filled with both excitement and fear. Nicholas was still so tiny not even weighing 5 pounds yet. I remember Michael driving just a bit slower that day on the way home since it was Nicholas' first car ride. We got home and in the door Nicholas was greeted by our dog Bailey. She smelled him and looked him over but she was confused. Soon it was time to feed the next bottle, which after much worry on my part, went pretty well. Nicholas was quiet and slept quite a bit. That night we tried the crib to put him to sleep but he didn't like it and screamed. We ended up putting him to sleep in the play yard which was smaller and he seemed more comfortable in it. I don't think I slept the first 2 days Nicholas was home. With all the alarms and machines in the NICU it was hard to hear the noises that babies commonly make so with every little noise I found myself checking on him just to be sure he was ok. A lot has changed since those first few days.

Nicholas: Nicholas has a sweet soul that you can easily see thru his brown eyes which he got from his dad. Nicholas is probably one of our more laid back ones of the group. He rarely gets upset but if he does you definitely know it. He has one of the best giggles I have ever heard. Nicholas is the observer. He watched everyone else start to move for what seemed like months before he decided to try it. Once he decides to try something he picks it up fast! He loves to cuddle and is a silly heart.

To Nicholas— we hope you have had a wonderful first year at home and can't wait for many more. We love you more than you will ever know!!
Fri, May/23/08 All: Weights are in. Nicholas is getting 2 more teeth. We think Andrew and Matthew may have some moliers coming. Photos will be up today. Excited for the long weekend.
Thu, May/22/08 All: ECI today. Matthew stood for 5 seconds. Avery can stand and clap. The ECI lady told us they will be walking by August. This is great, but scary.
Wed, May/21/08 All: We tried Nicholas in the pool. The Sun was high in the evening sky and water was 87. He did not like it. It was to big, cold or something. We will have to try again later. Which led us to baths. Matthew free stood for 5 sec. I have downloaded the photos, I hope to get some more up today or tomorrow.
Tue, May/20/08 All: We got our new stroller. It is a quad run-about. It is amazing and so much lighter. It will allow Kristen take them on her own and not wait till I am off work or a weekend. Now the down side we will be eating a lot of peanut butter sandwiches and noodles for a few months.
Mon, May/19/08 All: Avery took her first wobbly steps, 2 and 1/2 is all. She was so happy and we were also. She walked to me from Kristen then back to Kristen. We were both so happy. It did seem to take the power out of her legs as one can imagine. This leads to our real concern… Do we actually promote her walking, I understand this sounds strange, but the boys will follow her example and then our world will change in a big way. I am not sure what mobility in any fashion will do to our lives and just what we will have to bolt down. Nicholas started free standing. This is great as he is doing it without us involved and it is something he seems to want to try. Matthew is a real daredevil; he cannot be tied down and keeps following off things. We have taken to putting pillows around the furniture to stop some of the impact. Andrew also likes to play and thinks the falls are the fun part. He really laughs at the fall. We are getting laughing and a lot of babbling. They are starting to interact more and will babble at each other and respond.
Sat, May/17/08 All: We have Black-bellied Whistling Duck on the fence and it is neat. I cant wait till the kids can watch and learn about ducks. Baths today. Andrew still does not like the water. We had him in it and tried to get him to play with toys and the water. Nope not going to have anything to do with it. Now, Avery likes the spray handle, we let her play with it and thankfully she did not think to spray us.
Fri, May/16/08 All: Andrew is making more sounds and trying to put them together. He is real quiet when he tries. Avery decided to tear up the bolster. Matthew took his bolster down and made a nest to sleep in. Nicholas took his down and was chewing it. We have no idea what to do but keep repairing them until they are a bit bigger. No weights today we are going to move to every 2 weeks as it is to much work. They do not sit still. Nothing really planned for the weekend other than kid baths. We have been feeding them more and more people food at the noon feed. They are doing ok with it, except they pack it into the cheeks and then dont know how to get it out.
Thu, May/15/08 All: ECI today.
Tue, May/13/08 All: I posted some new photos. I need to explain a few. The power drill photo was taken as we tried to put up the curtains in the baby room. The Boys were really interested in the drill. Avery watched, but the boys lined up and it was too cool a photo. Mother’s day photo was taken before anyone got there and they kids were just playing. Now the 11th photos, we have 2 that love the water and 2 that hate it. Nicholas and Avery are great lovers of water and the tub is a fun thing to them. Matthew we are trying the duck and he loves it. We think he needed the smaller space. Now, Andrew was having nothing to do with it. He does not want to be wet or clean. We also bought them some sun glasses, or to be honest Avery. We thought that if she had glasses of her own she would leave Matthews alone. This is not true, but they are cute all the same. We are good. Meet and chatted with a couple that is having Quads and we gave them some advice of what they should expect. The kids have started laughing at what the other ones are doing. Andrew and Nicholas will throw something on the coffee table and it with bounce and wobble and the laughter is infectious. It will draw you across the house to see. You have to sneak to see as once they see you it is over. We have been introducing new people food to them. We tried chicken nuggets and apricots-dried. They were all a hit. Going to try fruit loops today. We have 2 that think they are squirrels; they start cramming all the food into their cheeks and then don’t know how to get it out. It is funny to watch as they try and figure out. The 2 are Matthew and Nicholas. Avery is more of a let’s put in all in my lap or feed the dog. Andrew is a machine and loves to eat.
Mon, May/12/08 All: Mother's day outing. It went really well. We were amazed at how they handled the outing. They really lived silverware. It had not dawned on us that we had never given them any. It was good for about 30 minutes. We got them to try watermelon and honeydew, so cheese, rice and waffles. Let's say everything went well. The Waffles were a huge hit. The kids are worn out and slept really well and were asleep until 8am. So, I fed them and they went right back out. Kristen is going to a Fort Bend Multiples meeting tonight if all goes as planned.
Sat, May/10/08 All: Nicholas and Andrew have decide that they like the rings. They took it over to the coffee table and would throw it down and it would bounce, and the laughs were amazing. They have been laughing for 15 minutes at it. Then gravity took over and to fell behind it and then the fun was over. Avery got herself stuck in the toy bucket. While Matthew has been an adventurer today. We took Avery out at lunch to the pool and let her put her feet in. She moved her toes and then decided what if I kick... Then the fun was on and an outfit change was required. I never let go of her though. We have been trying to get some more boxes unloaded and a picture on the wall in the baby room. It was hard to leave the one we took them home to and we really do miss the fun colors.
Fri, May/09/08 All: Another week closer to feeding themselves, we hope. They are getting the idea about little food, but not stuff like apple. 2 of them have the idea of drinking from a sippy cup, but only if you hold it. We have a lot of work to get done, and have no idea how to do it. Sunday we are going to a Mother’s day lunch, our first outing in months. I just hope we don’t ruin it for everyone else. Weights are in and we are starting up again. This leads us to believe they are starting to settle in.
Thu, May/08/08 All: ECI today. We have a new lady and it was good. The kids like her.
Tue, May/06/08 All: I added a video today. It is my plan to get a tooth count today. Avery really wants Matthew's glasses. She will not leave them alone. The house is still a wreck, but some progress is being made. There is nothing major to report. Have a great day and remember it could be worse, you could have 4. Ha-ha.
Mon, May/05/08 All: Teeth are getting bigger and the concept of biting has begun. This is going to lead to bad places. I hope we can get them to get the word NO or stop. Ouch they like, it is a funny laugh word. We tried to unpack the books last night and Andrew loved the phone book… I am glad we have the Internet, because that book is gone! We found Avery sitting in the toy bucket. We think she was claim them as hers. Matthew has been doing well with his glasses, if the other leave them on him. Nicholas is just a laugh. He like to yell.. Aaaagghhh and wait for a response. They are all sitting really well and free standing seems to be coming soon. We are trying to get more real food in them, but it is hard. We are tired and trying to unpack and add more work seems pointless. I think once we get the house together we will be ok.
Sat, May/03/08 All: Teeth, Teeth and more Teeth. We have a lot of them now it is amazing. Andrew cut 3 today. Introduced them to Cheerios... Let’s say they like them better than fruit!
Fri, May/02/08 All: I did remember to get the poundage of the kids today. They are doing well and the milk seems to be ok with them. We might try upping to 4 ounces this coming week.
Thu, May/01/08 All: Let's just say, Carpet Burn. As the new carpet is being broken in, it is really rough on the kids and they have carpet burn. This is kind of funny to me at least.

April
Wed, Apr/30/08 All: Kristen's Birthday. She is good. The kids woke her to a rounding chorus of Happy Birthday only a baby could understand. But it was loud and proud so what else could you want? Andrew has taken to walking around the new play yard/game room as long as a box or furniture is there to hold on to. Avery is trying to stand on her own. No real success, but the resounding thump is a riot, and she giggles after. It is really cute. Matthew has learned the TV button and hit the TV till it comes on. We are not to hip on them watching TV, but there is one show called Yo-Gabba-Gabba that they all love. Well, we like to call it our 20 minutes of quiet time. Nicholas is really exploring the world and trying to figure out why it will not bend to his will. He seems perplexed at this but seems to be working out a plan. I am sure this will lead to many funny stories to come. Otherwise we are doing ok. We have not unpacked anymore boxes and not sure where to start again.
Tue, Apr/29/08 All: It was one year ago we got to hold them for the first time. What memories and how small they were!
Mon, Apr/28/08 All: It has been a long week of moving and packing and now the unpacking. The kids seem to be doing ok with the new environment. Andrew really likes the extra space. Avery can free stand for 5-6 seconds, before an amazing thump on the diaper and a giggle. She really makes me laugh. We are still looking for things around the house, I am sure we will find them soon. Nicholas is a real cutie with a smile. We got to take out some new toys and they are real excited to play. We have 1 baby fence up across the game room opening to keep them in… I do wonder if the claim of tested included Quads? One baby sure, may 2, but 4 might over stress the screws in the wall. We will see. Now for the big news; Matthew has pulled a head on the tooth race…. Wait for it….. 6!!! 3 up and 3 down. He has not been happy and we know why. Avery has 1 and it is coming in well. Nicholas is still at 4 and Andrew has 3-4. Need to check him this morning. The Doctor gave … charged us… for some new diaper rash ointment. It has solved the issue in just a few days. I am sure there is more I have forgotten. New Photos are up for Today.
Sat, Apr/26/08 All: We have all my cousin's Mary Funeral plans together today. The Kids are doing ok. They tried a small bit, and I mean small, of hamburger. They were not opposed to it. The strawberry ice cream was a much bigger hit, except with Nicholas. He has the most amazing reaction to it. His face implodes and his head does this twitch and then he asks for more. It is so funny. I hope to get to the camera today. The house is a wreck, but I am sure we will find our stuff soon.
Fri, Apr/25/08 All: No weights today. I forgot. We are going to try Sippy Cups today!
Thu, Apr/24/08 All: I am glad to say you are only allowed to be so tired. We are exhausted. My cousin Mary passed away and we are trying to make all the arrangements. The Kids are doing great. Matthew has decided to eat his crib, Nicholas is also chewing. Avery is trying to free stand for a few seconds. Andrew is loving all the new things to explore. We let them try a little chocolate milk. Well, let's just say it was a hit. Avery did not want to share, and everyone seemed to love it. I have not found my cable for the camera so it will be a bit longer for photos.
Mon, Apr/21/08 All: We have arrived and are in the process of finding things. Mostly Kids stuff. We now have some basic services on. Avery stood for 3 seconds before falling. More to come too tired to say anymore... Just feel like I am getting old.
Fri, Apr/18/08 All: Tomorrow is moving day. Kristen and I have spent a lot of late nights packing and will be looking forward to it being over. Bailey should come home today from the Vet. She had knee surgery and is doing well. I think the kids will enjoy the new house, but they might miss all the boxes to play, pound and crawl on and over. We will have extremely limited access to the net or phones for a few days. Have a great weekend.
Thu, Apr/17/08 All: Well, busy does not describe our nights. The kids are great and we are exhausted. We have teeth everywhere and baby toys in mass.
Tue, Apr/15/08 All: I am amazed at the kids every day. Andrew turned over a drawer of tools on his head. Poor dear has a few new bumps. Matthew has a new top tooth.
Teeth:
Matthew: 1 upper and 2 lower
Andrew: 2 lower
Nicholas: 2 upper and 2 lower
Avery: 1 lower
Mon, Apr/14/08 All: Nicholas can clap his hands together. We are now working with the others. I also taught him to something I should not have and he bit Kristen. I was checking his teeth and he bite me and I said Ouch, He laughed real hard and so I thought it was funny to... Well, it seems he likes it so much he bites Kristen and waited for an Ouch. She was not amused. I am hoping since it was only for a short period he will forget. We are packing at nights when the kids are sleeping. It is going to be a long weekend.
Sun, Apr/13/08 All: Andrew has 2 bottom teeth now. Matthew has a 2nd one also. I plan a probing expatiation for later today. The person who invented the slide out Keyboard drawer did not have kids, or it would have come with a lock. We have 9 teeth now.
Sat, Apr/12/08 All: Avery has her FIRST tooth! She has been working on it all day and a little tooth is now visible. Nicholas has started clapping his hands. We have been working with him and he can do it without now. It is neat to see them learn. Andrew and Matthew are doing great, if you get them to sit still.
Fri, Apr/11/08 All: It has been a long week. Lots to do this weekend and it is going to be real busy up to next weekend. The kids have started to laugh at each other. We are getting some real explorers. They seem to be doing ok with the shots (7). They are all red and puffy, but they say it is normal. Poor Andrew we started on some Benadryl and it worked wonders on him last night he seems to have slept better. We might try some on Avery tonight.
Thu, Apr/10/08 All: ECI was out today.
Wed, Apr/09/08 All: I added photos today and I think we got some good ones. Today is doctor visit for the first year. We are expecting to hear we need to do 100 things. We know feeding will have to change, but not sure how to do it. The kids get 7 shots so it will be a long night.
Mon, Apr/07/08 All: Still working on Photos. It is my hope to get them done tonight. Nicholas can now crunch a gold fish cracker. He has 4 teeth and Andrew and Matthew look to have a 2nd one coming in. Avery has started drooling.
Sun, Apr/06/08 All: Yesterday was great. We all had fun and the kids sure did enjoy it. The kids got some cute cloths and some great toys! The cake cram was late in the day as they had to have a bath afterwards. It was about 5:30pm and the cakes were placed in front of them. It was a unique thing for them as we have not put mushy food or play food out for them, for good reason. The picture I will post later today and let’s just say I hope the video is half as good as what we say. Matthew is the cake master, more than three-fourth was destroyed. Andrew did not like the icing in his hand, but loved to put it on his head. Nicholas was intrigued with it, but not completely sold on the idea of playing with it. It took him a bit to get into it. Now, Avery wanted nothing to do with the idea. She is no ok with the icing in her hand. She finally got some in her mouth and well what can best be described as a volcano of formula and baby food was ejected from her. It was upsetting to her and then she played in it, before we could clean it up. We then took them to the baths with Cheryl’s help. I stood in the tube and Kris and Cheryl washed the icing off as I helped hold and cleaned the tub. They took their bottles at 8pm and went to bed. Amazing we have no tummy aches and no problems. This is amazing because we expected it from Matthew.
Matthew: Matthew has decided to jump out of the bed again. We only have 1 inch left to lower and we are doing it today. It is amazing what he can do.
Fri, Apr/04/08 All: We are 1. We have made it from 0 to 1. This may not seem like a lot, but to the overlords it a big deal. There is even talk of cake and presents. We are not getting our hopes to high, as we have heard too many rumors in the past of these… Parties! We cannot be seen to be helpful or complacent to the overlords, as when we do they keep kissing and hugging us. We are babies yes, but all the hugs and kisses… When will the indignities end? Please send help. We can only take this for 17 more years, and then we get a parole hearing. Please talk to the warden…. I hear footsteps they come again…

You have got to hate when the kids steal your keyboard. Wow, is all we can say. 1 Year down and we are amazed. It seems like 10 years at times, but at others like only yesterday. It was only yesterday, was it not, that we were just bringing them home. Kristen learning to walk again after doing 3 months of bed rest in the hospital. All the bottles and diapers. I remember the exciting times as we watched them learn to get to all 4’s and to a rocking motion to a crawl a finally for that first pull up to a stand. As teeth are coming in we are going to miss those gummy smiles. We live for the laughs and giggles they bring. As they are getting more mobile and eating more it is a constant challenge to keep up. This coming year will bring many new adventures and trials. We look forward to them all and pray for patience and understanding. We have good days and bad and we hope for more good than bad. As we sit remembering how scared we were and how amazed we are now, I can only guess what tomorrow will bring, but I hope it comes with doughnuts!

Thanks to friends and family for all the prayers and help this year. We will need more for a while I believe. Thanks again from the depth of our hearts!
Thu, Apr/03/08 All: ECI was out today.
Wed, Apr/02/08 All: Going to get 1 year photo taken today. It will be fun, just hope we don’t have a meltdown as it is late in the day. Nicholas teeth are hurting, we think he is about to cut 1 more. Avery has started drooling so it is not far off for her. Matthew seems a bit off. He is more needy than normal and wants to he held and loved on more, this is strange as it is not his style. Andrew is my trooper. He is just going going going. Allergies are killing us today, something must be in bloom.
Tue, Apr/01/08 All: What would induce a child to chew cardboard? Now can you guess which one or two it might be?

March
Mon, Mar/31/08 All: Matthew is doing well not a scratch on him. He seems a bit sore, but he is still at full steam. Matthew and Andrew have figured out how to flush the toilet. This is shocking. Nicholas is standing which makes everyone. Avery is doing great.
Sat, Mar/29/08 All: NICU Reunion today. This is our first outing since RSV started in October. So, we are a bit excited.
UPDATE: Amazing day. We spent it at the NICU reunion and had a blast. There were 4 other sets of Quads that attended and it was neat to tell stories and exchange ideas. We went to Luby’s for lunch and walked over as it was such a nice day. The kids loved it and slept a bit so we were able to eat and as there were so many other multiples eating lunch to we went unnoticed. All was going well until we go to get the 4pm bottle. Then we hear a bang, thud, bang, thud, etc and before we could get to the stairs Matthew was at the floor. We check him over and he seems ok. We are freaked out a bit at this point and nothing seems broken, besides a nice bruise on his head. He was a bit shook up and Kristen is a wreck. We call the Pediatrician and get put on hold for 10 minutes and then a call back 15 later. So, we called our Neighbor, Theresa a nurse and ask her for help. She was down here in no time. Thanks again! We wait an hour and keep him up. Now mind you, He has had 20 oz of Formula and no nap so he is full and tired. He is crawling and doing the normal stuff he does. He seems ok and all looks ok. But still we are a bit in shock. Now, we decide to order a pizza in is like 10 minutes after the hour is up and I am going for the stairs and BANG…. Yep, Nicholas feeling left out jumps out of his crib on to the floor… At this point we are really feeling like bad parents! Then we are checking him at the top of the stairs and…. Yep Matthew has learned to climb them it seems….. What was Nana teaching them while we were out! Ha-ha He got up 2 step and wanted a 3rd one. At this point I am considering Tie down straps. Ha-ha. Well, it will teach us to leave the house. I just hope the pizza guy makes it ok!
Fri, Mar/28/08 All: 1 Week till they turn 1. Kristen and I have been having a few flash backs to where we were and how bad it was a year ago in the hospital. Nana and Bapa are here this afternoon to play with the kids and tomorrow is the NICU event. We are amazed everyday by these little ones. They are so curious and adventurous. They are trying to pull up on everything and everyone. Nicholas does not have it yet, but he is giving an Aggie try! We have to open the blinds in the morning or they try and open them for us. They all sat at the window yesterday and looked out as the trees blew in the wind. They were captivated with it for 20 minutes! And it was good! We are looking forward to the day they can walk, but scared to death with the idea. They have all tried to step and kind of have the idea, but no since of balance. Bailey has done so well with them. Avery decided to pull her hair and Bailey started licking her and Avery finally stopped. She did so well and seems to understand that girls don’t pull like the boys. Avery will grab hair, but the others boys will grab your hair, then pull it and twist it while laughing the entire time. I do have to wonder why any mother of kids would not just shave their hair off to save the pain. It is going to be a busy weekend and next few weeks. The kids have started chewing on the cardboard boxes and it seems to sooth them. We think we are about to go through the next round of teething.
Thu, Mar/27/08 All: ECI was out today.
Wed, Mar/26/08 All: Kristen chips a tooth and is going to the dentist today. The kids are fun and the only issue we have is diaper rash, but we are working on that. We are looking forward to our first outing in MONTHS to the NICU reunion.
Nicholas: First top tooth comes in. It broke through today. He now has 3, 1 upper and 2 lower.
Tue, Mar/25/08 All: All is well with the world and we are more active/destructive by the day. They have taken to chewing on the cardboard boxes. I have no idea why but 4 kids chewing boxes is a riot to listen to.
Mon, Mar/24/08 All: Avery decided to get out of her crib this morning. I started my day with a THUD. I will be lowering her crib today. Avery, Matthew and Andrew can all pull up to a stand. Nicholas is trying just can’t get the leg thing worked out. We are going to the NICU REUNION on Saturday. We had fun with the eggs yesterday. It is amazing to me they all like the gold (Shinny) one best. They seemed to really enjoy the idea of cracking them open and chewing on them. There was no candy in them. It was a good Easter. For a treat, we let them try some Raspberry Sorbet. It was a hit. They loved it.
Sun, Mar/23/08 All: Happy Easter! Andrew we have known about for 1 year today. Today is his finding day. We hope to get some photos with them in the eggs, but who knows how that will go.
Sat, Mar/22/08 All: Matthew finds water in the toilet. We now have to close lids. He was proud of himself to.
Fri, Mar/21/08 All: Welcome to 20 pounds, Nicholas! Andrew breaks into 19, and the others are on his heels. The kids are now able to go over a step, well something like a 1/2 step, but they are managing to traverse the obstacle. Yesterday, Andrew started using his bumbo seat to get up on the couch. The draw of the remote was to powerful for him. So being good parents we knocked the bumbo and he slide down when he lost his grip. The progress so fast it is shocking. We have a busy weekend with Easter and wish everyone a Happy Easter. Nicholas has started patting Avery on the diaper. We think he likes the sound or he is telling her to move. It is just a laugh to watch. I doubt Avery can even tell.
Wed, Mar/19/08 All: Nicholas pulled to his knees in his crib today! It is going to be a long day.
Tue, Mar/18/08 All: Avery stood up and she was pleased with herself. We had our last RSV shot yesterday. Thanks to Cindi and the care group. We will miss you.
Mon, Mar/17/08 All: What is the proper answer to: Do you hear what your son is doing? I ask this cause this is one of those questions that has to be rhetorical and not meant for an answer. I like the answer, No, I am the Dad and do not hear anything until you tell me. But it seems that is not right. Neither is Yes, and what are you going to do about it. Neither is a plain yes. This seems to be correctly answered with walk over to him and solving it. ha-ha This is an excerpt from a conversation we had over Andrew becoming a gopher. He likes to chew on his crib at night. I think he needs more fiber or tooth paste. His tooth in the wood sounds hilarious. Let’s just ignore what it is doing to the crib. We have come to the belief that everything we own will be destroyed in a through and structured manner only a baby can understand. Avery has a real funny laugh and is a joy. Nicholas is really moving and loves to cuddle and play. He seems to really focus on a task. Matthew is our power child. He has the ability to keep on target no matter how far or what item you try and divert him with. He likes the TV. Andrew is our loud child, but man he has gotten clingy and wants us 100% of the time. Avery, Matthew, Andrew can all look over the top of the crib. Nicholas has the idea, just can’t get the legs in the right place. He is so long! Avery has gotten one leg ready to push to a stand, but can't get the other to come along. Matthew and Andrew are able to walk down something and move to another. If you hold hands above them, they are getting the idea of stepping. It is real sloppy, but they kind of have it. Let me say we are scared to death! We are hearing a lot more things out of them, like Da-da and Ma-ma and ba-ba and ga. We have other sounds that we can't understand. Matthew has decided to bang on the wall next to his crib. We laugh at this as it really seems weird, but funny for now. We now have a control item. Yes, no joke control item… Wanna know how we control 4 babies… It is easy, The Remote control, yep they want it or need it, and either way it has to power to stop any playing, crying, mad or upset baby and gets the overwhelming respect that only a few people ever see. The Remote control can draw them across the room, across rivers, through the prairie and even through Purple Mountain to get a chance at a touch and maybe if they are lucky and the overlords don’t see they might get a chance to hold and chew on it. This is how we are, insane yep. Mental oh yes. Well heck we have 4 what do you expect. Happy St. Patrick’s Day! We have a treat photo, if we get a chance to post it today.
Sun, Mar/16/08 All: The Keating’s meet the Quads. They had fun as did the kids. They seem surprised that we manage. As are we!
Sat, Mar/15/08 All: Nana wore the kids out yesterday! The Bright’s are coming today from Louisiana. They are Blair cousins, and there are not many of those. I added some Photos today. Tomorrow The Keating’s are in town from North Dakota.
Fri, Mar/14/08 All: Matthew found a toilet and is standing looking at water with deep delight... Guess we had better start bolting them closed. RSV shots on Monday and we have some family in from out of town this weekend. Nicholas should be pulling up in his crib by the end of the weekend.
Thu, Mar/13/08 All: ECI today.
Wed, Mar/12/08 All: Everyone is doing well. After yesterday's adventure to has to be quiet right??? Kristen is tired and having trouble sleeping. We both have spells of it. The kids seem to be alternating who will start crying out at 11pm. Yesterday, in the afternoon, the city decided they wanted to fix my sidewalk. Let me start this by saying Kristen and all 4 kids were taking a nap! Yes it is rare. Then, the dog spots a truck and has to tell me, as they do. Well, I should have asked them to come back, but did not realize they were going to use a jack hammer. Which lead to a tired, upset crying and that was only Kristen, and the kids too this tends to leads to a long day. Come on don’t you want 4? ha-ha
Tue, Mar/11/08 All: Today started off ok. Then the kid's decided they would start pulling items off the coffee table... Well, I hear a noise of happy pleasure and paper... So, I have to go look. I pick up all the paper and did not notice Avery had a lent roller off the table. Well, she managed to insert it into her mouth, but got it stuck. So, the screaming started. I go to see as she is not our crier, and it was stuck in her mouth, and I mean stuck. This leads me to pull it out. Man that hard plastic tears up the gums. Now she is bleeding and crying and I feel horrible. She is ok, but I think tonight we will clear all the coffee tables off.
Mon, Mar/10/08 All: We go to get bottles and the kids go into my office and Shut the door! Yes shut it. We had to figure out how to get into the room with 4 kids trapped. Well, we did, but it was a real laugh. Kristen is now the pied-piper of babies. She sits on the floor and they come crawling.
Sun, Mar/09/08 All: Need I say more. The Guy you set us on Daylights savings time did not have kids!
Fri, Mar/07/08 All: ECI was fun. She played/taught the kids and they seemed to get it. The coolest thing was the bubbles. The bubbles teach them motor skills as they reach for a bubble. They have started laughing at each other and responding a bit. It is funny to be sitting hearing laughter from them. Nana and Bapa are here today to wear them out! We can’t wait till RSV season is over so we can get out. We are taking ideas for 1st year pictures, so email us if you have any. Yes, we are on the down ward slide to 1 year, can you believe it! We sure can’t, even though it feels like 10 years at times.
Thu, Mar/06/08 All: ECI visit today. They are working with the kids. If you have questions, please ask Kristen, I have no idea what she is having them do. I was just hoping they would change diapers, ha-ha. Avery can pull up to her knees and is trying for the stand. Matthew pulled up on a table and is trying to move from one object to another. Andrew can pull up, but does not understand how to get down. So, he starts screaming... continues screaming until someone helps him to the floor. Nicholas is really crawling. I really enjoy them as does Kristen, but there are days when you just wish for 2 hours of TV on the couch.
Tue, Mar/04/08 All: 11 Months!!! Well Avery is getting better at pulling to her knees and it will be not be long till a stand. Nicholas has started moving. It is ugly, but does the job. It is amazing how they are all crawling differently. Andrew and Matthew are speed machines. The Screaming has gotten lower as the teeth seem to be cut for now. Matthew likes to untie the bolsters and is way to cleaver. He has decided he needs a pacifier. He is the only one. Andrew and Avery like there blankets and Nicholas is just happy.
Mon, Mar/03/08 All: Teeth update: Matthew has 2, Andrew has 1 or 2, Nicholas has 2 and Avery has none, but her gums are getting wider. We went to stage 4 diapers over night to help reduce the blow outs that were occurring.
Sun, Mar/02/08 All: Avery pulls up to her knees. Nicholas has started moving and Andrew has started to step when he pulls up. Matthew is just getting faster. We do feel sorry when one of the falls, but it is hard to help them all the time. Andrew took a spill and hit a toy. Nice bump on the head. I am not sure what hurt more me with ice or the bump. He was fine 2 minutes later. The strange thing is all the kids hate the tape gun. The noise of the tape coming off the roll seems to really upset them. I have gotten a lot of requests for more photos of Matthew’s head since he is free. We do have the original mold of his head. I have to say it is weird to have a head on a stick. Not sure if he will care in 20 years to be honest. I hear movement downstairs and I am sure they need me. They all went to sleep so I figured I would try and get an entry written. Baths are tonight so that is always a wet affair.
Sat, Mar/01/08 All: Fun day with the family yesterday. They wore the kids out and I think they had fun also. Nicholas is getting better at moving. It is a big play day today and as it will be warm we might try a little outside time with them.

February
Fri, Feb/29/08 All: It is a blessing to have Matthew out of a helmet! We have Teeth to report though. Nicholas has 2. Matthew has 1 or 2 and Andrew has 1. Avery is starting to gnaw on things so she can’t be far from it. Nicholas has started crawling this week. It is amazing to see all 4 crawling so differently.
Wed, Feb/27/08 All: Matthew has his final appointment today with the Helmet Doctor for photos. I hope we get a copy! The kids are starting to chatter more and Teeth, we have teeth coming in all over the place. On a side note, babies and USB cables do not mix. They really like the small end of my blackberry cable. I did not realize it would be of issue. I was more concerned about a shock, but they shorted it out or something as the cable does not work now on any PC I have. I have gotten a new one some picture should start again.
Tue, Feb/26/08 All: Matthew starts to walk. Yes. I am not kidding. He pulled up in his crib and started to walk to the other end of the crib. He is actually moving his feet when he does it. What a great present that was. He has to pull up to get upright, but it can’t be long now we are afraid…. Very Afraid! Andrew has a tooth coming in that is going to put us into a mental asylum. I can’t wait till he can talk so he can tell us what is wrong. Nicholas is getting better with his rocking. Avery is speed machine on the crawl. We have start going, ‘Aaarrrggghh’ at each other. The babies repeat and laugh. Andrew loves the word Pica-chew. It took some time to figure out what he laughs so much, but does it not sound like Peek-a-boo. We have the plastic surgeon appointment today and we are hoping he says Matthew is ok, but if not it is ok also. We just want what is best for him.
Matthew: Matthew is FREE of the Helmet! His nasal issue the Doctor saw has also gone away! So he is sailing free. Now I am sure he will get a lot of bruises without the protection of the helmet!
Mon, Feb/25/08 All: We have been awoken for the past 4 days at 5:30am by Andrew screaming. We believe it is teething. So this morning, we did the spoon. This is where you take a spoon and press down on the gum to help to tooth cut through. It seems to have help and he is sleeping. It was a fun day yesterday, the Hatton’s came up for the day. It was really nice to have a warm meal with people. The kids are doing ok. We are just waiting until Wednesday and Thursday for Doctor appointments on Matthew helmet. They start digging the pool today and it should be done my Friday, if the weather holds out. As the kids are getting more and more mobile, the dog has to seek higher and higher ground. The kids love the fact that she moves and has fur. The poor dog does not like the grab and pull game though, well neither does Kristen. Today is my Birthday so I hope we can get a little quiet time tonight for some dinner. We are hearing more noises from the kids. They are all making a clicking noise now and a few other consonants. There is only 6 weeks until they turn 1. This is a shock to us as we are amazed we have made it. At one they go to school for 8 hours right??? Ha-ha
Fri, Feb/22/08 All: WOW! It is Friday already, where has the week gone. The kids are doing well. The weekly weight-in is hard to understand, but let me try and explain. As the babies do more crawling and moving they will gain less and as we start to move to normal foods it should be all over the place.
Thu, Feb/21/08 All: Andrew and Matthew are now looking down on Nicholas. It is kind of cute as the laugh and giggle at each other. We are waiting for next Wednesday's Doctor appointment to see if Matthew's helmet will come off. Nicholas has started rocking and the others are doing speed laps around the house. They can now hunt you down, so be careful where you step they do tend to sneak up on you.
Wed, Feb/20/08 All: Andrew stands up!
Mon, Feb/18/08 All: It was a good weekend. The storms did not bother the kids so that was nice. Matthew is pulling to a stand on anything he can, but the ground is so far away from him when falls. All 3 are crawling, and Nicholas is starting to figure it out. He is starting to rock more. Funny Sunday: Where to start, Matthew from a Pen, we do not know from where and tried to play with it and ended up with marks all over his face. On a side not, Baby wipes remove pen ink really well. Andrew managed to get to a closet and found a hanger and he had a blast, until that mean mommy took it away. Ha-ha. Avery has found that door stops mark a neat noise and are fun to play with. Nicholas managed to get himself under a playpen and enjoyed pushing and kicking it. I posted some photos and I have some more to get to. The complaining started at 5:30am this morning. So I am afraid it is going to be a long day. My and Kristen’s allergies been murder this week so we have not slept well. I have a dentist appointment today.
Sun, Feb/17/08 All: The fun of Quads is walking into the baby room after the nap and the smell knocks you over! Then you get to play the smell game to see who is the offender or offenders! It is not a fun game because the prize NO ONE wants!
Fri, Feb/15/08 All: Matthew has gotten much faster at getting to his feet. So, if he can pull on it he does. Andrew has the idea of pulling up, but no standing. Avery has gotten much faster at crawling and Nicholas is starting to rock. Shots went well, but they are a bit cranky. I hope to get some photos up soon.
Thu, Feb/14/08 All: Happy Valentine’s Day! Matthew is starting to try babble more and all is good today. RSV shoots today.
Matthew: Matthew Stands up!!! Yes, He stood up 3 times today in his crib.
Wed, Feb/13/08 All: Avery is starting to get the crawling down, it is ugly but she is getting it. Avery and Matthew are making 'Ba Ba' noises, as long as no one is watching. Andrew and Nicholas are trying, but the mouth movements, but no sound yet... Well Screaming and laughing. Matthew will hunt you down if he wants you. His speed is amazing.
Matthew: Matthew had his helmet appointment today. It went so well we might be done with it in 2 weeks!!!! So, we have to make another appointment to get it verified then we are good to go. So fingers crossed everyone!
Mon, Feb/11/08 All: Well it has been a busy weekend. The kids are everywhere. Avery, Matthew and Andrew are crawling. Nicholas is rolling, but getting the idea. Avery is starting to babble and we think we hear ‘ba’, ‘ma’, and ‘da’. She is very quiet with it and if she sees you watching she stops. Not sure how to encourage her. And yes I do see the joke that we want them to speak and in a few years we will want quiet. We had fun with playing this weekend and we are working on standing with them. We found Andrew looking over his crib this morning. We lowered Matthew's crib yesterday. Nicholas has started clicking and screaming at you. It is a real laugh to go ‘Arrrrgh’ at him and he does it back.
Sat, Feb/09/08 All: ECI update will be coming soon. Andrew, this morning, figured out how to turn on his mobile. I have a question to all the readers. How did anyone deal with the dog's water bowl? They found it yesterday and like the water, a funny mess, but the long term issue exists. Any ideas or help would be appreciated. Please email us kblair1@gmail.com .
Thu, Feb/07/08 All: ECI is coming today. Oh yeah, I forgot... RSV shot issues started again with the Pharmacy. Our Health Care Company has been great, but the people sending the shots out are driving us nuts. The concept of 4 and billing is a mess. ECI is coming to evaluate the kids to see if we need any assistance. We know they are problem solvers, but there communication does not seem to be on par. We will see what they say, heck at least it is 4 hours of them being played with. Ha-ha. It will lead to a quiet night. I have a few new photos up and will get some videos up this weekend. And my final thought, a multiple parent walks softly as you never know where a toy or sick might be….
Wed, Feb/06/08 All: Andrew has learned he can make noise when he sucks air in. His face is a riot. Avery almost got her foot in her mouth last night. Matthew well he is the curious one. And Nicholas is a bit cranky with his tooth. He seems to be in a bit of pain.
Tue, Feb/05/08 All: Dog Chews. They kids found Bailey's dog chews. They like them… We are not sure it is sanitary or even healthy, but it is funny the dog will not take them back once they chew it. Bailey is now the center of attraction for Matthew and Andrew. They crawl with intent to get to her. The 2 are now crawling to us and it is cool, but scary. I guess they know we exist now. Avery is just a hoot. Nicholas is just calm. The 2 also found the dog’s water bowl... It was funny for about 3 seconds until we thought about it.
Mon, Feb/04/08 All: 10 months today! They seemed to like the super bowl and played during it. We did not get to finish as it was feeding time. It is funny how you reflect and we don’t even remember it last year when Kristen was in the hospital. We do remember eating Wings, which we did this time also. Matthew is greeting us looking over his crib on his knees.
Sat, Feb/02/08 All: Matthew has pulled himself to his knees and was looking over the top of the crib at me when I went in to put them on the play mats. It was a huge shock. Andrew has found the door stops that make a funny noise. He has been playing with this for most of the morning. Everyone is doing well. Avery is trying out her voice more. Andrews screaming seems to be better, we have started making him take a nap and that seems to help a bit.
Fri, Feb/01/08 All: Nicholas welcome to 19! Matthew we think is babbling something. We are not sure what and when ever we try and listen... Well, the other 3 get involved somehow. Kristen's folks will be here today to help out again. We are doing ok. Do not think we will be doing much more than taxes and maybe the super bowl.

January
Thu, Jan/31/08 All: Matthew got a great report from the Helmet Doctor. He is now on the chart as to his head so the helmet is about 6-8 weeks left is all! We are really excited and if he can just get one more growth spurt! Avery has started to make some noise which makes us feel better. We think we are hearing the beginnings off babbling. If you like the video or want to see any photos or have ideas please let Kristen know. We love the feedback!
Wed, Jan/30/08 All: Nicholas tooth is coming in well. He does not feel that great and is a bit cranky. Andrew and Matthew like to steal toys. Avery has started to chatter a bit. The speed they can get around is improving, scaring us. They like to bang on the baby gate, but don’t like it when it falls over. We have started steam rolling each other, well Matthew and Andrew do. It is funny to see though. Avery backed Andrew into the wall and he could not move, we laughed. He had a helmet appointment today.
Mon, Jan/28/08 All: Well, it has been a fun weekend, now back to work. Everyone is getting bigger and more engaging. I have found some video editing software thanks to Wes. So, I will do my best to get more posted. But do remember I will not be doing this in any order so you will have to look to make sure you do not miss anything. The kids are starting to interact with each other. It is funny to see. They smile and laugh at each other, then have no idea what to do, Oh a toy and it is gone. It is just neat to watch.
Sun, Jan/27/08 All: Playing and getting more area covered. They are unstoppable moving machines.
Nicholas: First tooth is arriving! He would not eat last night and this morning we see the tooth coming through the gum! I told Kristen a little Whiskey on his gum would help, she told me no. ha-ha.
Fri, Jan/25/08 All: We had some progress out of Andrew. He learned to keep in a buddy. Yes, we found him in his crib with it in on his own. He and Matthew found some socks and were having a great time. Avery will growl at you, a G sound I guess. Nicholas has started to get more movement. I hope to start getting Taxes organized this weekend. I have to ask should a parent of 4 not get a reprieve for a few years of doing it? We had a feeding issue this week and did not give cereal in the bottles. I guess we know it does make a difference now.
Thu, Jan/24/08 All: I have to stop and say does everyone realize the number of bottles and diapers we have changed. I really will be happy when they start holding bottles. We had some fun yesterday. Matthew has decided the bailey, the dog, looks like a neat toy and has started going for her. Well, she keeps moving after the first hair pull. For some reason, this upsets Matthew and after the 2nd crawl down, bailey left the room. Meanwhile, Andrew in his non-stop rolling from a box of packing paper. Boy did he start to have some fun. We realized something was up when the sound of paper rattling started. It was kind of like Christmas in the sound. We were washing Matthew’s head from the helmet at the time and we go back upstairs and there he is in all the glory of his triumphant over the paper box. It was really a good laugh and he was not screaming. Nicholas has started to really roll and Avery has as well. Kristen is a bit tired as it has been a long week. In the photo from the 21st, we have started putting down blankets for them to play on. This really reduces the amount of spit up on the carpet, and the blankets are easier to clean.
Tue, Jan/22/08 All: The interactions that are happening are kind of funny. Nicholas or Andrew want to play with someone and the other one does not understand. It is just a neat view of human psychology. The kids are good, getting faster at moving. They don’t do it when you watch; you turn your head and BAM they moved. We are ok, nothing to speak of.
Mon, Jan/21/08 All: We had our walkthrough this weekend and the house is ahead of schedule, this is great, but not sure we are ready. We have started packing some items in the evening. We can do about 3 boxes and then we are spent. It is amazing how much effort it is with 4. We are getting a lot faster and more mobile. Nicholas has started moving more, I think he is tired of seeing everyone else moving. We are starting to get interaction between them. Andrew and Nicholas will laugh at each other. Andrew tries with Matthew, but to no avail. Avery is just a cutie, and decided Nicholas feet were much more interesting. I am not sure he likes it though from the screaming ha-ha. I have no idea where the weekend went.
Fri, Jan/18/08 All: It was a long night for Kristen last night. The Kids were not in a helpful way. The feed was long and tormenting. Nicholas, The Lump, hit 18 1/2 pounds! Andrew is to active to gain weight. Avery eats like the boys, but just is not packing them on. And Matthew is in growth mode! Today, is cold and rainy and will quiet we hope. We got 4 High Chairs now, let the entertainment begin. I will try and get some shots of them in it.
Thu, Jan/17/08 All: Matthew’s helmet appoint went well. He is now going to visits ever 2 weeks. The doctor said he is doing great and will be out of it soon. We can only hope. We figure about 6-8 more weeks. Andrew and Matthew are getting the idea that each leg has to move separately from the other. If a toy they want is on the mat they can get to it fast. Not sure if this is able to be repeated yet. Nicholas is starting to roll more and become less a lump and more an active participant. He seems to love Avery’s socks and toes. Avery seems fine with the sock loss, but the toe biting is not going over well. Avery is the quiet one of the all; she seems more contented with life than the boys. She has really started rocking and has full ground clearance. She also knocked over the baby gate and scared herself today. I think poor baileys day of having fur are numbered. She walked into the Arena of babyland and was accosted by the masses. She did really well with it and one big lick seems to hold them back… for now! We have RSV shots today and Kristen goes to the dentist.
Wed, Jan/16/08 All: Matthew has a helmet appointment today. Everyone is good. We are going to stop Andrews Acid Reflux medication today. He seemed fine all day till we gave it to him then he got sick. So we will see. RSV shots. I have to pay the 10K then get reimbursed for the overcharge. I kid you not. The insanity is mind boggling. So, they were supposed to ship it today. Then we will have 30 days to pay it. So, it will be bologna and peanut butter for a few months.
Mon, Jan/14/08 All: The kids are mobile now and can roll and kind of crawl. As we have had a few occurrences with baby gate. They are really taking a lot more attention to where they are now. I know this will get worse, but it is a huge adjustment. Also, Matthew has found his feet. That makes 4 for 4.
Sat, Jan/12/08 All: It has been a long day. We have had our hands full with Andrew and Nicholas. We have started to organize the house a bit to start some small packing. The kids were in Psycho mode today so it has been a stressful day. The house is progressing well and is ahead of schedule. We made a really nice Potato soup today. Tomorrow is more the same. And if I never have to change another diaper, I will be happy. And not to forget we are getting more mobility. Matthew pulled (tried) up on Kristen's pants. Avery is our happy kid.
Fri, Jan/11/08 All: We still have no resolution to the RSV shots. We have our first 18 pounder! We are going to get some high chairs ordered this weekend. As we need 4, no store here stocks 4, and we have no way to transport 4. So shipped will be easier. Everyone has found there feet, except Matthew who can’t see them, but he does love others feet. I cant imagine why they would holler when some bites a toe. ha-ha. They are getting big we were told we can let them start trying other foods we eat. Now, how the heck and I supposed to feed a chicken fried steak to a child can some one tell me? Only joking. But seriously we can try pizza crusts, bagels, eggs, anything soft. We are supposed to be moving to a 3 meals and 2 snacks a day. We have no idea how that is going to work. It will be feeding all day.
Thu, Jan/10/08 All: The Doctor visit went ok. I am tired of being rushed though. Since I am paying for 4 appoints. We get home and the phone rings and it is the Aetna Pharmacy calling about the RSV shots. Ok, first they are approved and over half way done so it must be a call saying it shipping to the Doctor right…. Well, the guy informs me they will not ship it until he has payment for 10K. Yes, 10,000 dollars is our co-pay part. Now, once I got through having a stroke, I get on the phone with Aetna customer care. I start explaining what I was told and et al, to which a 3 hour phone call issues. The concept of family maximum co-pay seems to be a bit over the head on this one. The Max is 3K, like we have 3K just sitting around. Now, we still have no resolution as they took so long everyone was closed. I hope to get something today.
Wed, Jan/09/08 All: It is doctor day and first 5 shots of 7 this week.
Mon, Jan/07/08 All: It is going to be a fun week, we have a doctor appointment for all 4 (shots). And the RSV shots this week. So, if you value your ear drums, it might be advised to say clear or wear protection. Their little legs will be so sore from 7 shots in one week. As this is the first full work week it will be a long one. Now, we have been amazed at how much easier things went without work. So, anyone who wants to sponsor us. Ha-ha. The house is coming along at great speed. We have started planning out the next few months. As Easter (March 23), Birthday’s (April 4 & 30) and Mother’s day (May 15) come so early this year, we have to make sure nothing over runs. People tell us we plan to much, but we have to or we would not have made it this far. We got an email that Ronda had her baby girl a few days ago. It is shocking to see the world moving by you. We really don’t get out much or see much TV. We laugh that we still have things to talk about. We were told in th