Whoa excuse me while I remove the dust

July was the last time I posted. Really?? Yes. Really. A lot has happened in that time...so here we go!

Aiden. talks nonstop. Never stops talking and learns to say something new every single day. It's funny I enjoyed quiet so much, and I think God allowed me the quiet for the first 30 years because he knew after that it wouldn't be quiet again. Aiden's favorite sayings

What made that noise?

That's Daddy's truck.

Hi Momma Hi Daddy

Where did it go?

I want chocolate milk

I want Mickey

Hear the choo choo train?

Hear the airplane?

He talks and he talks and he talks and he will repeat whatever he is saying until he gets a response from someone. He loves to play and still screams when he thinks someone is trying to take something of his. He is getting more frustrated when Max won't leave him alone, and of course Max loves to aggravate him.

Speaking of Maxwell. He loves to pick and can't really take as good as he gives. He screams louder than the others combined. He loves loves loves his animals. He will sit and wait for the cat and ask over and over to see her, but we can't torture the cat to keep Max quiet so we have to set limitations for how many times he can see the cat. He loves her and will sit with his arm around her, but the other three are less gentle at times and will come up and pet too hard or lay on her. Good grief I can almost hear her say "I DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR THIS!" when one lands on her. Maxwell lets the dogs into the living room and will run happily around from dog to dog just petting them. Foxy isn't so big on toddlers and Ace is ok for a while then he's ready for peace. Sunny would sit and be trampled forever if he could. We watch them all carefully so we know when they have had enough love from the littles. Max could eat his weight at every meal, and really tries. He loves water, and would much rather drink that than milk. We make sure he is getting enough milk and then he gets water. Aiden on the other hand will refuse water and only ask for milk.

Alexis is still speaking quadanese and it's hard to understand a lot of what she says, but with a little bit of patience and a lot of repeating we figure out what she is saying. Sometimes I get it on the first go, and sometimes I get it on the 50th. She is still the tallest and very much the momma. She is very sensitive and hard headed at the same time. She is the giggle machine, and the just have fun with life type of girl. She jumps and dances and sings. it is refreshing to have a least one morning child when the others are screaming because you are daring to wake them. She loves purses and playing with baby dolls. She also will repeat a lot of what you say, but of course she puts it into her language. She is also very hard headed and often says "NO I DO IT!" so you can imagine. Bossy pants.

Carolyn is still the smallest with the biggest attitude. She eats more than everyone else too. It's like where do you put all of the food you're eating? In her hair I guess. She is very bossy and very much full of attitude but gives the biggest hugs. She also enjoys aggravating her siblings which can be very frustrating to Maxwell. LOL I'm seriously starting to think she is color blind because while everyone else knows most or all of their colors she still doesn't. She can count and say half her abcs with help she can say all of them, but colors are hard. They can all pick out letters and numbers, and shapes.

Being consistent is so hard, but in the long run I know it is what is going to save our sanity. So I'm trying. With discipline and with just everything. I know when we finally tackle potty training it will be very hard if we aren't consistent. It's a day by day process. Child by child because everything doesn't work the same for all and they definitely do not all respond the same way. So it's a learning process. A very long and tiring process that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world.

Hat Day

Today I brought down some hats for the kiddos to play with, and above are the pictures we were able to get. They are feeling so much better! I really feel like keeping them out of daycare until Monday was the right decision. They aren't coughing much if at all, and they are back to their "normal" selves.

Updates

RSV the dreaded snot monster has attacked our house. It started with Alexis and Max and progressed to Carolyn and Aiden. They first treated them as possible pneumonia, but when we took all four in they did the swab test and they tested positive. They have been getting breathing treatments, and have all really done well with them. Maxwell doesn't tolerate it as well, but Aiden is the pro because of his asthma. Everyone is improving so much, and I am so very thankful for that. They still aren't attending daycare yet because of their weakened immune system. A big thank you to Andy's mom because when she heard all four were sick she called and asked if I wanted help. Andy was out of the country so when she offered I said "YES PLEASE!". So thank you thank you thank you for saving me!

Aiden
Aiden fell not too long ago and hurt his ankle. We were worried enough to keep taking him to the doctor for xrays, but nothing showed. He is walking back to normal so we're no longer watching him closely. He hurt his ankle by falling on it getting out of the bounce house. Aiden is talking and repeating everything we say really clear now. It's crazy how much he says. He still loves the balls, and Pooh bear. He loves Donald duck too, and all of the other MMCH characters. He and Max sometimes fight over the Mickey, but he always screams for Donald. Aiden loves throwing things and either saying "uh oh" or "where is". He is doing awesome at his colors, and knows pretty much all of the little bird cutouts I laminated for colors. He calls Carolyn - Carrie Max - Max Alexis - A-Lex. He's very cute with the way he talks, and always ready to laugh.

Maxwell
Max. Max. Max. I am trying very hard to figure out what to do with him. He screams bloody murder at home and slaps, claws, hits, and pushes everyone around him when he is mad. We're trying to figure out how to get him to be less of a monster and more of the sweet boy he usually is. He loves loves loves to color, and not just on paper. He loves to color on the choo choo wagon, toy box, baby gates, WALLS, and sometimes even the floor. I don't know how he finds crayons but seriously thank goodness crayola is so easy to get off everything. Max is still the Mickey Mouse crazy. He loves anything and everything Mickey Mouse, and if it is in the house he considers it his. He is one of the best eaters we have, and weighs the most. He is very funny and sweet when he wants to be. He makes silly faces, and constantly picks on the others. Sometimes it's just him wanting to hug them, but other times he is pulling on their clothes and laughing because they are screaming. Maxwell started speech therapy around April/May, and graduated out of the program this week because he already achieved all of his goals.

Alexis
Alexis is the momma. She tells everyone "NO NO!" if they do something she knows they shouldn't. She gets a very serious face when she scolds too. It is really funny to watch. She loves pushing the boundaries too. If she shouldn't do it she will try to see if she can get away with it. Bouncing on the couch? Yes. Standing on the coloring table? Yes. Sitting on the back of the chair instead of the seat? Yes. Standing on the couch/couch arm? Yes. I could go on and on, but I won't. She loves to giggle and I love to listen to her, and is a very sensitive little girl. If you tell her not to do something in a stern voice she will usually cry because it hurt her feelings. Cattie is still her best friend, but she loves her "baby" which is a Cabbage Patch doll that I had growing up. She is currently the worst eater, and tests the cheek capacity by shoving as much of something in her mouth that she can.

Carolyn.
C-Biscuit is still the diva. She aggravates everyone, and then screams when they retaliate. She is very loving and enjoys sharing even though she will always say no when you ask her to share. She is still the smallest and the sassiest. She started speech therapy the same time as Max and has also graduated this week from the program. So thankful for their achievements! She is our slowest eater, and often hoards all the food she can. She adopted my favorite and first cabbage patch doll last month. It's her baby and she loves to hug her, but can often be seen carrying her by the pigtails. Everything is red to Carolyn, but she does know the color names so that is good with me. She still loves her books, and sitting in a lap while watching TV. One night while Andy was gone she took some miniature marshmallows and tried to put them in her ears like the foam hearing protectors like Andy wears. Crazy girl.

I can't believe in less than a month they will be 2! Where does the time go? Picture post coming soon!

Update

Aiden thinks spitting milk is hobby.

Maxwell loves to give hugs and kisses.

Alexis climbed out of her crib.

Carolyn is still screaming.

HAHA :) That's not all, but I'll update more soon. I PROMISE!

May Update

Aiden is now saying tons of words, but his current favorite is “no”.  Aiden do you want to go night night?  No.  Aiden do you need a diaper change?  No.  Aiden do you stink?  No.  Aiden are you ready to get up?  No.  Aiden come here so I can change your diaper.  No.  Aiden…. No.  This is our constant conversation with Aiden.  We’re working on not telling Momma and Daddy no, but so far that isn’t doing much good.  Just be consistent is what I tell myself.  Now that it’s HOT outside we’re able to enjoy the play area outside more and Aiden enjoys going down the slide and playing in the house we have.  He really like pointing out birds, and ducks when we go on choo choo rides too!  He was recently evaluated for speech therapy and it was decided that he does not qualify since he is speaking so much.  His favorite characters are still Tigger and Pooh, but he’s having a lot of fun learning what things are.  Aiden is still throwing fits and screaming when something doesn’t go his way.  He also freaks out when someone comes near him and he thinks they’re trying to steal something.  He does ok with the spoon and fork, but we haven’t mastered it yet.  We’re just going with the flow, and not stressing out since sippy cups stressed me out so much I’ve learned to just let them go at their own pace.  hopefully before college they’ll get it.  Aiden has developed a love for Cattie which is causing some problems because we all know who goes into full meltdown mode if Cattie isn’t around.

 

Max is still the mischievous one, and not only is he the one that looks like he should always be in trouble he has started aggravating everyone.  He sits on top of Alexis, steals her paci, steals her Cattie, and laughs while she screams.  He steals whatever Carolyn has and giggles as he runs away.  He does the same to Aiden, but has to work harder to get whatever Aiden has because Aiden holds on to everything so tightly.  Max did qualify for speech therapy since he doesn’t vocalize much.  He understands what you want from him fairly quickly so the therapist thinks it should be easy to get him speaking.  We think it is more his personality because he is the shyest and most quiet.  I think he just doesn’t want to talk, and being a quiet person myself I can understand that.  He’s still a momma’s boy, but is doing much better with Andy.  He now runs to him to play a lot.  Max is always cracking himself up about something, and usually when he is upset it isn’t for long.  The biggest challenges we have with him are his aggravating everyone, and that he lashes out at the others when he his mad or getting in trouble.  We’re working on those areas the strongest.  He is very sweet though and when he isn’t up to mischief he will get everyone their cup or favorite toy to help calm the individual down. 

 

Alexis is still the little momma hen.  She enjoys telling the others to “shh” and getting on them when they do something they aren’t supposed to.  Usually it’s just a “NO NO NO” from her when they are messing with her cattie.  Aiden will get her cattie and she will scream because there are two catties but she knows exactly which is the first and original cattie.  She does NOT share the original Cattie, but is happy to have Aiden take the dupe.  She did not qualify for speech since she is talking more than Carolyn, but less than Aiden.  She “talks” a lot so her vocalization isn’t a problem.  She copies what we say very well too, and we’ve been working lately on what the different animals do.  Her current favorites are the cow and crocodile.   She does not like the water much, but loves going down the slides outside.  She is still a very big cuddle bug, and loves for someone to read to her while she sits in their lap.  Everyone’s favorite book is currently The Wheels On The Bus.  She also loves to dance to the Mickey Mouse club house song Hot Dog.

 

Carolyn is fearless now that her tubes are in.  She hasn’t lost the wild streak that she developed since they went in.  I was hoping it was a phase, but so far she is still standing up and climbing on everything she can so she can say “TADA!”.  She is saying more words, but qualifies for speech therapy since she doesn’t really vocalize as well as Aiden and Alexis.  She is probably more delayed just because she had so many ear infections and was constantly hearing muffled talking instead of clear voices.  She is doing really well and has been gaining weight and really growing these past few months.  She is still the smallest, but that is OK!  She loves giving hugs, and will throw her arms wide to run to you for a hug.  She is working on saying cheese when I take her picture, but she ends up scrunching her entire face up so it’s less of a smile and more of a crazy look.    It is still adorable though so I usually end up laughing instead of taking her picture.  She is doing really well with saying Hi and bye and waving when she says it.  I’ve noticed Carolyn really loves wearing dresses and will just seem more excited when she is getting dressed. 

 

Last month I had surgery to repair my abs and remove the excess skin.  It was technically a tummy tuck, but the doctor called it something else.  I can’t remember what he called it.  That was a very hard recovery and I’m 5 weeks out from the surgery feeling much better, but still in pain from doing things I shouldn’t.  Like pick up babies.  Andy’s mom came to help us while I was on leave and it was such a relief knowing someone was here to help.  Words cannot express how thankful I am to her for always being here when we need her and being a shoulder to lean on.  Thank you and we love you!!!

Fun outside (a picture post)

*Aiden wouldn’t sit still long enough for a picture!

CHEESE!

Carolyn flying high.

Aiden flying high.

Alexis and Cattie take flight.

Opening up about PPD

The first time when I knew I was pregnant I was so happy.  It had taken many years for me to finally conceive so when the positive was up on the test I wanted to jump for joy.  I wanted the very best for my little one, and I wanted to be the best mother I could possibly be.  I wanted to be perfect.  I wanted a brand  new nursery with everything just perfect and new.  Then I learned I wasn’t going to be your typical first time pregnancy, and reality took over and I put away the dreams of a brand new nursery.  I still wanted to be perfect though.  When I delivered 8 weeks early I was so happy to finally be able to breathe, but scared for my little ones fighting up in the NNICU.  I remember being ready to leave the hospital after 4 weeks there, and as soon as I was in the car I knew I wanted to stay.  Not because the food was great, not because I enjoyed taking cold showers, and not because I could lay in a super sweet hospital bed while everyone asked me the last time I went to the bathroom.  I wanted to stay because my tiny babies were there, and the farther we drove the more my heart broke.  I went every day possible and we stayed for hours on end, and just enjoyed the time I had with them.  My experience with the NNICU was scary, but probably not as scary as someone that hadn’t prepared for it.  I kept moving forward one day at a time, and then all of our babies were home.  First Max and Alexis came home, and then Carolyn.  Carolyn had to go back to the hospital for another week, but she came home with Aiden that next weekend.  From that moment on it’s been go go go, and when I look back I tried to be perfect.  I tried my best to be the best I could, and then about two months ago that I will never be perfect no matter how much I try.  Why did it take me so long?  Why was I so ashamed to open up to someone and get help?  Because I had postpartum depression and I had no idea.  There was one time when the first intrusive thought came to mind.  I was making bottles and I thought about putting bleach in their bottles.  Not normal.  In any way.  Not ok.  It scared me so bad I shook, and I was terrified that something was seriously wrong with me.  Yet, I didn’t tell anyone I just hid the fear.  I was irritable, I was tired, I didn’t want to do anything except sleep once the babies went to bed.  I thought it would all pass.  It didn’t.  While the bleach thought was the only one I had like that I was constantly scared something would happen to the babies.  I was scared something would happen to me on my way to or from work and who would pick up the babies?  Some days I wished I could just leave the babies at daycare so I could sleep.  Then I started counseling  and the lady said I think you have postpartum depression.  I didn’t want her to be right, and as a matter of fact I thought “uh ok”.  I didn’t think I did.  I thought I was happy when I was with my babies, and PPD is being sad.  It isn’t just about being sad, and that’s something that I never knew.  I wish someone had spoken to me early on that there is also postpartum anxiety.  I wish I had spoken up about having strange thoughts so I could have gotten help a lot sooner.  I’m currently being treated for PPD, and I feel better than I’ve felt in a really long time.  I’m starting to want to do things again besides just sleep.  There are ups and downs, but there are more good days than bad.  I don’t have to be perfect I just have to do the best I can, and at the end of the day pray that it is enough.  I love my children more than anything on this Earth, and I pray when they look back on their childhood they think I am an amazing mom.  Not perfect, but just perfect for them. 

Happy Easter

I had big hopes for Easter.  I wanted to make each little a basket and hide eggs for them to hunt, but none of that happened.  Let’s face the facts they are 1 year 8 months and they will not remember any egg hunting or baskets.  So it really would have been for us not them, and I’m ok with not hiding eggs and making Easter baskets.  At daycare they had an Easter party and came home with eggs and baskets and candy AND that weekend we hid the eggs for practice.  Turns out Alexis is a star hunter while Max wanted to see just how many he could hold.  Aiden and Carolyn also picked them up, but would put them back on the ground in a different spot.     Then they discovered they could open them and jelly beans were all over the ground.  They ate some of them off the ground jelly beans covered in dirt and grass.  Yummy!

 

Nana sent them all really cute marshmallow frogs for Easter, and I still need to take a picture of them with them.  Hopefully I remember tomorrow! 

 

Today we went to the aquarium for something different to do.  The last time we went it was a huge success and everyone had a lot of fun.  This time…not so much.  We took them on leashes instead of in the strollers.

They aren’t use to walking with the leashes so they’d throw a fit at times because we wouldn’t let go of the tail.  Then they all wanted to go in different directions.  Maxwell wanted to go from animal to animal fast, and then go back to see everything slower.  The rest of the group focused on each area one time which was nice if I wasn’t the one holding the camera and Max.  HA!  So we didn’t get many shots in the aquarium like last time.  We switched kiddos from person to person because they would weave in and out of the crowd and tangle the tails.  They still had fun, and we’ll go back we just have to come up with a better plan of attack and practice more with the leashes. 

Daddy with Carolyn and Grandma with everyone else crossing the bridge.

Max and Carolyn

Max fell not long after this picture and was afraid to get too close to the glass from that point on.  He did better when he was standing on the floor, but anytime he was on a ledge he would get scared.

Aiden and Carolyn

Alexis wanted to be held the entire time, and was really fussy about the leash. 

Then we went outside and took some pictures with the frog.

Max wasn’t too sure about this guy. 

So I sat with him while Daddy took the pictures. 

Then he was OK.

Then it was time for me and C-Biscuit to take a picture.  Love her crazy faces!

Andy did a great job taking the pictures!

Aiden didn’t need me to sit with him, and Alexis was not interested at all.

Happy Easter everyone!

Twenty Months

Aiden is repeating more and more.  His favorite two words right now?  Tigger & Pooh.  He says all the Pooh characters are Tigger until you say the character name and then he says “Pooh”.  Very cute.  He also is understanding to say “please” when he wants something.  Andy was playing with them with his motorcycle helmet and Aiden threw his hands up and said “Please” to have Andy put it on his head.  He loved wearing the helmet.  His asthma and reflux are doing very well and he was sick a little in March, but it wasn’t too bad.  Nothing like last year at this time when we were pulling our hair out trying to figure out why he was coughing.  Aiden is our sweet heart that loves to give hugs.  Aiden will often give hugs to everyone….even if they don’t particularly want a hug.  He’s started throwing fits when something doesn’t go his way in the last few months.  We just distract and keep moving.  Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t.  He still loves balls, and I don’t see that obsession ever going away.  Aiden is a Daddy’s boy and loves playing with Andy.

 

Maxwell still isn’t talking.  Sometimes he’ll say a word or two, but he doesn’t talk like the others do.  All kids are different so we’re not really worried, but we’re still glad that they’re going to start speech therapy soon.  Max’s speech evaluation is actually this Friday, and I’m excited to see what they have to say.  I know he can say words, but he just doesn’t consistently.  Max is running and love loves love Mickey Mouse.  We had to get him his very own Mickey last month, and he loves it.    Max is still a Momma’s boy, but he is opening up to Andy more and more.  Max recently moved up into the toddler room at daycare with all the big toddlers.  He’s only been there for a few days, but seems to have adjusted well.  Max was sick for about a week and a half last month with a virus.  A whole lotta no fun, but he had a good attitude the whole time.

Alexis has been in the toddler room since the first week of April.  She adjusted very well being away from the others, but Max didn’t do so great adjusting to her being gone.  He cried when he would see her at first, but they all gathered together during play time when the toddler and extended nursery  play together.  Alexis has started saying “no”, and during our recent visit to the Easter bunny she cried “No, no, no, no” when she decided she was scared of him.  She’s climbing still, and running things.  She still is the momma of the group, and is very helpful.  She is saying more words, and is even calling for Toodles during The Mickey Mouse Club House episodes.  She enjoys running down the slides we have in the backyard, or jumping down halfway and running/falling the other half. 

Carolyn is still doing well, but has had an ear infection since having her tubes put in.  We have to go back for her follow up appointment soon.  She’s still in the extended nursery with Aiden until May when they will move up to the toddler room with Max and Alexis.  She is still running and climbing.  She really likes picking on her siblings.  The one thing she has to have at night is her Pink Seahorse that lights up and plays music/ocean sounds.  She enjoys putting her hands in her hair when she is eating so we’re trying to break that because it’s pretty disgusting.  She doesn’t seem to mind it though.  She loves peek a boo and is saying a few more words.  She’s been throwing fits, and has several looks that lets you know what she is screaming about.  It’s either excited, annoyed, mad, or wanting something.  She’s not big on jumping down the slide or off things like Alexis is due to the fact that she gets scared easily. 

Easter Bunny

Today we went to see the Easter Bunny!   When we first got there the Bunny was there, but soon walked down to either go to the bathroom or switch who was in the suit.  Waiting on the bunny…

Carolyn sat there for about three seconds and then decided that was more than enough time with him.  Alexis decided after about two minutes she wasn’t interested.  Max wasn’t sure, but sat there long enough for the pictures.  Aiden did not care where he was sitting.  I am not 100% sure he ever turned around and saw the bunny.  LOL 

This is what we got.  I’d say since no one is screaming we did pretty good!  Grandma held Alexis and I held Carolyn while the bunny held Max and Aiden.  Alexis held Cattie, Aiden held Pooh, Max held Mickey, and Carolyn held me.  LOL  Grandma tried to get me to sit like she was sitting, but since I wasn’t supposed to be holding Carolyn anyway I didn’t feel comfortable sitting on the floor.  I wish I had because it would have been so cute to have them all perfectly sitting.  haha!  oh well.  It is what it is.  Andy tried to get behind and play peek a boo but I think he was too far back for them to think he was funny.  Let’s not forget that big smelly bunny that was touching them. 

 

After we got home I tried to get them on the couch all smiling.

They weren’t really interested in that either, but they did want to play.

Playing with Daddy

Silly sisters

probably my favorite picture from the day.  Carolyn is a HOT mess.

Fun time with Max and Momma

Carolyn showing her sweet side.

A happy Maxwell is the BEST.

Aiden is CRAZY

Alexis the wild child.

Carolyn’s PE tubes

Due to having 4 ear infections in 3.5-4 months they decided to send her to ENT.  The ENT said to wait until March to see if her fluid cleared up.  When we went two weeks ago her ears were still full of fluid with no movement.  SO basically she was hearing everything muffled and had constant fluid.  He said we could wait, but he didn’t think we would see any change in her ears.  So we scheduled the surgery for PE tubes that next Thursday.  On St. Patrick’s Day I took Carolyn in to the surgery center in her frog pj’s at 0730 and around 8 she went back for her tubes.  I could hear her screaming in recovery down the hall when she was starting to wake up.  Not because she was in pain, but because she was out of it and didn’t know what was going on.  She was screaming until I got her home and fed her.  She ate and then sat in the swing to watch cartoons, and within 15 minutes she had fallen asleep and was snoring happily.  She woke up a totally different Carolyn.  She has been in a good mood 95% of the time since she woke up.  That’s 3 days of good moods.  CRAZY!  She is doing awesome, and we go back in 4 weeks to make sure everything is going well with the tubes. 

YAY for a Happy pain free Carolyn!!!