My 4 of a Kind

Sadly this is probably the last year that I will get total control of what the kids are for Halloween so I wanted to make it a good one...

Racefans!

All the boys like to go to the races and cheer for their favorites...Luke, Trevor, and of course the infamous Joe Schmoe.  Joe Schmoe came up when they were asking who every single driver was and we didn't know them all so we started making up names.  The one that stuck in their brains was Joe Schmoe...the guy is everywhere!  He works with them, drives all sorts of truks we see, lives down the road, does naughty things.  Imaginations at their best!

Last weekend Ben took the boys to the big race and they went to the driver meet and greet.  They all came home with signed picture cards from some drivers and Matthew was so excited to get one from Luke!  He slept with his pictures and woke midway through the night because he thought he lost them.  Ben came home from work the other night with a picture for Matthew personalized "To Matt- Luke Shannon #13"...the kid had the biggest smile on his face for hours!  He slept with the picture and then when he woke in the morning there was an hour meltdown because it was bent so now I need to go get him a "frane" to keep it nice. 

So proud!!!

Pumpkin Carving 2012

I was so disappointed when we went to the annual pumpkin carving at the bridge sponsored by the American Legion and I forgot my camera.  The kids are finally old enough to do a lot of it by themselves and they enjoyed it for the most part.  Luckily we had a second chance to carve pumpkins with Nick and Elise and I was able to get some great pictures of them digging in!

Aubrey was thinking..."You want me to touch THAT STUFF?!?!?"


The boys were ready though!






Since Elise was doing it Aubrey thinks that even a princess could do it!




Keep scooping!






Time to design!






Redneck pumpkin carving at its very best...a drill to make eyes!


So proud of the finished product!










All 8 pumpkins!

37 months!

3 year well child

The quads 3 year well child check was totally uneventful...there was nothing Dr. Stasny was concerned with and they all stayed on their curve as far as growth.  I guess we can't really ask for a better report! 

Matthew
36.75" - 33rd percentile
30 lbs - 31st percentile
BMI 15.6 - 35th percentile

Brady
39" - 84th percentile
37.5 lbs - 92nd percentile
BMI 17.3 - 84th percentile

Aubrey
36" - 26th percentile
27.5 lbs - 17th percentile
BMI 14.9- 23rd percentile

Cameron
36.5" - 27th percentile
31.5 lbs - 48th percentile
BMI 16.6 - 68th percentile

Pregnacy and Infant Loss 2012

The loss of a pregnacy is the loss of a dream...regardless on how many months, days, hours or even minutes you have known there is a life growing inside you.  The dream has begun the moment you see those two lines, you hear those words you have waited so long to hear, you shared the news with those who are the closest. When it all too soon becomes a nightmare that you wish you could wake up from it becomes a memory you never forget.  It clouds your bliss should you ever be fortunate enough to become pregnant again.  It has you waiting for the other shoe to drop your entire pregnancy.  It keeps you from fully enjoying subsequent pregnancies.

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day is a day of remembrance for pregnancy loss and infant death which includes but is not limited to miscarriage, stillbirth, SIDS, or the death of a newborn. It is observed annually in the United States on October 15th. This day is observed with remembrance ceremonies and candle-lighting vigils, concluding with the International Wave of Light, a worldwide lighting of candles at 7:00 p.m.   In October 1988, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed October to be National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month stating "When a child loses a parent they are called an orphan.  When a spouse loses his or her partner they are called a widow or widower.  When a parent loses their child , there isn't a word to describe them.  This month recognizes the loss so many parents experience across the United States and throughout the World.  This is also meant to inform and provide resources for parents who have lost children due to miscarriage, etopic pregnancies, molor pregnancy, stillbirth, birth defects, SIDS and other causes."

According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, among women who already know they are pregnant, nearly 15 percent will have a miscarriage. Stillbirths occur in nearly one in 200 pregnancies in the United States every year. Premature birth occurs in between 8 percent to 10 percent of all pregnancies in the United States; it remains one of the topcauses of infant death in this country. SIDS is the cause of about 2,500 infant deaths each year.

Today we are not only mourning the loss of many of our own dreams but also the loss many of our friends have experienced.  They may be gone but never forgotten!

An Angel In The Book Of Life
Wrote Down My Baby's Birth
And Whispered As She Closed The Book
"to Beautiful For Earth"

Ice cream makers!

For the kids birthday birthday they got an ice cream maker from Nick and Elise and we have been waiting for a night that they could come over for dinner and dessert because the kids were insistant that Elise had to be the one to help them make their ice cream.  I was amazed at how easy it was to make and that they were able to do it almost entirely on their own.  The fact that it was delicious was a bonus for sure! 

Getting ready to make the ice cream!


Spin, Spin, Spin!








Oh...this is getting hard!


Time to top our ice cream!


YUMMY!!!!

Dance Class Drop-out

When Aubrey first started talking about taking dance classes the boys were excited to join in too.  Ben was reluctant to let the boys take dance but in our small town there is not much else offered for children their age so I thought why not?!?!  It would give them all the opportunity to get out and do something fun without hanging onto me.

The first class was kind of rough.  Matthew came out half way through crying and the other three followed him right out the door.  I brought them all back in and ended up sitting on the floor in the dance room while they didn't participate. 

Week two brought more of the same from Matthew but the other three were just fine.  They all came home talking about their teacher and showing us the new moves they had learned while singing the "Whistle While You Work" song from Snow White. 

The third week came and I thought I would try to bribe Matthew with a lollypop.  I bought the four of them each a ring pop and told them if they stayed in class that I would let them have it when the class was over.  Matthew wouldn't even go in.  At the end of class I gave the other three their pops and Matthew cried as I gave his to another little girl.

I thought that might be enough to make him break the cord because he talked all week about how he was going to dance class and how he was going to stay in there the whole time.  So again, I bought pops and brought them with us.  We got there and he was hesitant to go into the building and when it was time to go into the dance room he started shaking.  I have never seen him do this before so I bent down and asked what was wrong.  He started crying and said "Mommy, don't leave me in here it makes my belly hurt" so obviously I kissed the other three and brought Matthew back to the waiting room with me.

The waiting room wasn't good enough.  He cried that he just wanted to go home.  He wanted Daddy to pick him up...anyone for that matter.  I put his coat on and brought him outside and we walked around on the big deck that they have for a little bit and snuck a peak in the classroom window to see that the other three really were enjoying their time and following all their teacher's instructions...YAY! 

When the time came that class was almost over so I told Matthew we had to head inside because the other kids would be upset if they came out and couldn't find me.  We weren't in the door yet when he started crying that he didn't want to go in.  I explained to him that he was all done taking dance and that he could be in the waiting room with me from now on while the others danced but he didn't want anything of it.  So now the lollypop bribe had a different meaning...I got him in the waiting room by giving him the pop that he wasn't earning for dancing. 

Did I give in about the lollypop, maybe, but after seeing his reaction to having to go into dance class I realized he wouldn't have done it for anything in the whole world...and he shouldn't have to!  The class was meant to be a fun way for them to enjoy sometime away from me and get to know some other kids.  The other three are still loving dance and I think that is fantastic!  I will continue to bring them to class and Matthew and I can get some time coloring in the waiting room every week and everyone will be happy.  Maybe after seeing the dance recital Matthew will decide that he really does want to be a part of that next year...maybe not...but either way the choice will be his and whether or not the rest of them go will be up to each individual. 

I am hoping that baseball in the spring goes smoother as I will be right in view the whole time and Daddy will be the coach!

Fall is here!

So far it has been a rainy fall but we look forward to the days when we can go out and let out some of the energy that is pent up inside the crazy kids!  Fall also means Halloween time and our friend Karen Teale of First Firefly made some very cute shirts for the quads to wear this season.  This design is available on her website in both long and short sleeve, single color only.  I can't wait to see what she comes up with for Christmas next!

Tour of the fire station

The kids are very interested in fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars so when Uncle Dan offered to take them on a tour they were so excited to go and check everything out.  When we got there they wanted to touch EVERYTHING, try on helmets, sit in the trucks...you name it!

I think they were just as excited to see the tractor in the shed because they had to check that out first...and of course a garbage truck!


Vvrrrrrrroooooooooommmmm...it's fireman Brady!


Watching Uncle Dan set up the ladder truck!




Up, up and AWAY!




Firemen and firewoman in training!


Taking a ride!








Oh how they wanted a ride in the police car...hopefully that is one dream that never comes true!


Next up Uncle Dan asked if they wanted to try out the ambulance...Woo Hoo!






The foursome and their cousin Aidan!


Aidan might be 19 months but he is nearly as big as Matthew.  Matthew decided to show everyone he was stronger though!


Thanking Auntie Allison and Uncle Dan for a fun day!