Three Months!

I can't believe we have four, chunky, healthy and adorable three month old babies! 

Hannah, Tanner, Tyler & Lauren having a pajama party

On Wednesday (October 17), the babies had their 3 month check-up.  The doctor was very happy to see them doing so well, and loved their weights!  There were no concerns, and everything looks normal and healthy.  Andy & I then took the babies home and both grandmas watched all 5 kids while we went on a wonderful overnight date!  (three words: FULL NIGHT SLEEP!).  It was awesome, and felt so good taking time out of our busy life to re-focus on us as a couple.

Here is a picture from out doctors visit & their weights.  Amazing how it wasn't that long ago when I felt they would NEVER would be this big--  Praises to God for chunky monkeys!

Tanner:  9 pounds!

Hannah:  8#, 14 oz!

Lauren:  8#, 12 oz!

Tyler:  7#, 8 oz!

All babies are feeding great and more alert each day.  I forgot how awesome it is to talk to a baby and have them stare at you, listening, as if they understand everything you say!  They are all so cute and are really getting their own little personalities.  They also seem to be developing really well.  With preemies, they obviously aren't going to be like full term 3-month olds, but they all seem to have way better head, neck & trunk control than 2-week olds (their gestational age)!  Just now I had all four babies on their bellies for tummy time when Tyler started to fuss.  I looked, and lo and behold, he has scootched 3 feet up and off the blanket!  Wowza!  I also love how much more social they are becoming.  I don't always have my "OT eyes" on (I am a pediatric occupational therapist), but I do more than not and am so very pleased with how well they seem to be doing.

Here are quick little updates & pics:
Tanner:

Tanner is our biggest and most alert baby.  He is low-fuss and while a little gassy, has also matured a lot in this area.  He seems to have a wise old soul and Andy and I laugh because it feels like he understands everything we say to him.  I think he might be the ring-leader right now, but maybe that's because he is also the biggest!

Hannah:

Our Hannah Grace in the front- she has turned into our best eater and gets the award for not spitting up practically ever.  She is sweet and good natured and loves to cuddle.  And so, so beautiful!!!

Our Smiley little Lauren.  She seems to be so good natured and easy-going.  She smiles at us all the time and makes these aggressive little grunts when hungry that are simply adorable.  And she also is so, so beautiful!!!

The boys: can you tell who is who?

Our little peanut Tyler waving "hi"

Hannah & Lauren being silly on the changing table

So Sweet! The other morning Jenna woke up and wanted to watch TV.  Tanner was on the sofa waiting for me to feed him & his brother.  While I changed Tyler, Jenna spontaneously reached over to hold Tanner's hand.  Awww!

Tanner, Lauren & Tyler in a milk-induced coma on my lap.

Feeds
Life keeps us very busy and with encouragement & tips from other quad moms, I have been experimenting on how I can feed all four at the same time.  Normally, we always feed 2 at a time and each "double-feed" takes about 1/2 an hour.  Thus, feeding all four alone this way takes an hour (and we do feeds every 3 hours).  While I have help from others frequently and Andy helps when home too, I still do a lot of the feedings by myself.  Thus, the need for a quad-feed.

A moment of peace in a quad-feed.  Ahhhh.... all four sucking at the same time with no coughs or spit ups--- (this lasted about 15 seconds, by the way).

As you can tell, they all have these turtle or ducky "bottle huggers".  I also prop the bottles up and prop the babies up in a Boppy.  I have fed all four successfully several times, but it still is fairly hard to accomplish.  The boys need to be burped A LOT during a feed, but if you stop the girls to burp sometimes they lose their momentum and fall asleep (even if they really need a burp).  It still takes a lot of effort for them to feed.  It poops them out (literally & figuratively!) and it is fairly aerobic for me too (I feel like one of those plates spinners).  They all spit-up a fair amount, too, and I don't want any to choke, so I need to monitor all four constantly.  However, when I am alone all day long & feel brave, the quad-feed is starting to become a good option for me!

Andy snapped this of me in action.  

We still feed the babies on a strict 3-hour schedule, but have been stretching out the nights.  So far they average 5-6 hour stretches (note:  this is taken from the beginning of their last feed until the start of the next).  We are following tips from other moms of multiples and the book Babywise.  As they get bigger and we gently push the time a little longer, I am sure this will increase.  I dream of the night they will be able to go 10-12 hours! The only thing bad about stretching out the nights is that often they all start to rouse at the same time, causing what Andy and I lovingly refer to as the "Symphony of Quadstruction".  For those old-school Megadeth lovers out there, we literally have made our own lyrics to the much loved 90's song.  Just smile and nod:-).

Lastly, Jenna continues to love preschool, and is a big helper.  She loves to "hold" the babies and feels that she can do much more then mommy and daddy allow her to, but she also legitimately is a huge help.  She happily will keep watch over a baby on the sofa or floor while I change another, and sometimes I let her hold them all by herself.  Jenna helps wash bottles and throws empty ones in the sink for us.  She helps velcro the tabs of diapers and speaks kind and lovingly to them (mostly... she sometimes says in a loving, high pitched voice, "It's OK Tyler..." and then her voice will change to a mean growl as she finishes, "...now you need to be QUIET right NOW!").  Hey-- she's 4!  But overall she is the most superstar of all big sisters!

That's all I can think of for now.  I still marvel almost every day at how God saw fit to bless our family.  He makes it work somehow, and I would not have it any other way in a million years.  My mother-in-law said something so true the other day: "You know, life would be practically boring if you only had one baby!".  Yup!  We are so blessed.

Hugs!
Becky