End of year wrap-up

As I'm catching up on blogging, I just need to do a random update post.  I can't believe there's only one day left of 2012!!  Every year about this time I try to run through the past year in my mind thinking of everything that's happened and changed in my life and plan what to do differently in the next year.  Last January seems like a million years ago.  We had just decided to keep the babies, I was wrapping up my work responsibilities to go on medical leave, and being kidnapped to Babies R Us to register for gifts- which I thought was the most overwhelming thing ever (those were the days ;))!  This year has been filled with many challenges, but many more blessings!  We are so thankful for everyone and everything that's helped us get through this last year.  One thing is evident as we go along everyday- God is good!

Now on to the randomness...

We brought the kiddos to their first birthday party for a good friend's 1st birthday!  They did well for about an hour then Allison got upset and we scooted on out of there.

We have officially dropped the 10:30pm bottle for the biggies and they are now sleeping 11 hours straight!!  Still feeding Levi and Allison, but it's so much easier with only 2.

Still waiting on Levi's helmet.  Leah is now on the highest calorie formula allowed and I think she's gaining weight a tad faster... we'll see.  She has started eating a tiny tiny bit of cereal and tolerating it!  I'm hopeful this will continue to improve.  I have also learned to put her g button in all by myself, so I can avoid some ER visits- yea!  It's much easier than I thought it would be.  I might just have to get my nursing degree for a 2nd career :)

Happy 2013 Everyone!

Big smiles from Caroline, Allison, and Levi

My 2 big boys- Andrew & Benjamin

Girly Girls- Allison, Leah, and Caroline

Merry 1st Christmas!

We had a nice, "quiet" Christmas at home this year.  I'll have to wait a couple of years to do all the activities I've always wanted to share with my kids at Christmas time, but it was fun getting started this year!  One thing I'm not looking forward to being peer pressured into- Elf on the Shelf!  Maybe it won't be cool anymore once they're big enough to understand?  Anyway...

Dave and I always drive around looking at Christmas lights on the 23rd, so this year after the bedtime routine, we loaded up the babies into the van and took off cruising around Houston checking out lights.  The babies slept through the whole thing, but we enjoyed it.  Unfortunately, it was too hot outside for us to do our traditional hot chocolate :/.  Earlier that day, Dave's family came to visit and brought the babies some thoughtful gifts; it was nice to see everyone!  Christmas Eve was spent much like any other day.  We did take some Christmas PJ pics by the tree and open the few gifts we had for them- not like they had any clue what was going on.  The funniest part was that Allison and Andrew were scared to death by the sound of ripping wrapping paper!  My mom got them several toys and Dave and I got them their stockings and baby's 1st Christmas ornaments.  Christmas day we headed to my grandparents house for the afternoon!  The babies were great in the car and at their house.  We just ate yummy food, played games, visited, and opened a few gifts.  It was a surprisingly relaxing day.  I'm sure future Christmases will be much more hectic!

Christmas jammies- Ben, Levi, Alli, Andrew, Leah, Caroline

around the baby tree

opening their presents

Christmas outfits- Alli, Ben, Leah, Levi, Caroline, Andrew

We really rank

While surfing around Google news, my dad saw a picture of the babies and clicked on the link.  Turns out a local news channel ranked their feel good stories of the year and we were #1 and #5!!  The birth was #5 and Leah coming home was #1.  I was quite shocked to realize how popular our stories were!

Here's a link to the article:

KHOU article

The Quints!

 Last week I had the opportunity to visit a friend who recently had quints!  In an effort to get babysitters for my own babies so I could help with the quints, I collected 4 extra quint helpers.  Yes, my friends/family and I all wanted to take a break from sextuplets to go babysit quintuplets!  She does not live in Houston, so we made an entire day of it.  We left immediately after the morning feed, got donuts and kolaches for the road, and gave the quint parents a break from their mid-morning feed until late afternoon.  It was so fun!!  The babies were excellent- just ate and slept!  We mostly chatted, watched tv, and ate yummy food all day long- and held some cute little babies, of course!  It was neat to be around itty bitty ones again.  They are doing a great job as quint parents too!  We HOM moms have to stick together you know :)

Levi's Song

Yesterday my dad (Pop) made up a song about Levi then challenged me to do better.  I, of course, think mine is better!  They are to the same tune- Rawhide theme song.

Pop's version

Rollin rollin rollin
Rollin rollin rollin
Rollin rollin rollin
Levi!!

He's small and he's feisty
He wears a dirty diapy
He likes to roll across the floor

He likes to jump and holler
Drink milk from his bottle


My version

Rollin rollin rollin
Keep that big head rollin
Rollin rollin rollin
Levi!!

He's small but he's mighty
Can jump twice his height-y
Burrows his head and scoots across the floor!

He is a good eater
And rides a six seater
When there's cereal he always asks for more!

Levi in mid-flip over his boppy

At almost 8 months...

Somehow it got to be mid-December without me realizing it.  We have partially decorated the house for Christmas (tree, stockings, nativity, wreaths) and I sent out Christmas cards.  But still no presents under the tree and I don't foresee a time when I will acquire any gifts- no time for shopping!  Not to mention no ideas for presents either.  Oh well, hopefully I will be forgiven.

Christmas card picture 2012

The days go by so fast around here.  I swear I look at the clock every afternoon and think "How did it get to be 3 o'clock already?  I haven't done anything!"  Took me 4 days to clean the bathrooms- pathetic!  We're doing 2 spoon feedings a day now (lunch and dinner) in addition to the 5 bottle feedings, and Leah's feedings in between, so I really am feeding babies all day long.  We have started veggies- sweet potatoes!  Big kids ate it, but were quite unsure about it.  Levi hated it.  Allison gobbled it up- I guess she has been waiting for real food.  Caroline is the best eater- that girl loves her cereal!  Andrew sometimes waits patiently and other times cries whenever the spoon goes towards someone else.  While waiting for food they can all get pretty cranky and tuned up.  Dave entertains them by clapping loudly and I entertain them with silly dance moves and singing "Itsy Bitsy Spider".  They calm down every time!  During the song, Caroline and Allison always giggle at "washed the spider out".  It's so cute.

Allison being her messy diva self

Levi likes it!

The babies are so fun right now!  The big ones are really starting to sit up.  Levi can do it sometimes, Alli has NO interest whatsoever.  She prefers to stand, definitely the little diva.  They all love to play with their feet.  Levi often stares at his feet and hands, but his favorite thing is jumping.  He just started rolling around and is SO proud of himself.  He has even back flipped over his boppy pillow.  They are interested in each other and Maggie as well.  Caroline seems to be the most advanced and I predict she'll be the first to crawl.  She is very curious, grabs at everything, and rolls across the floor.  She seems to enjoy Maggie the most.  Andrew is super whiny right now and is gnawing on everything... so I think he may be teething.  BUT he's twinkle toes no more!  He stands up with his feet flat.  He is the craziest sleeper and has the best hillbilly laugh. Ben is just fat and happy.  His new trick is to squeal- high pitched and loud.  He is more tolerant of being on his tummy and his big belly helps him balance while sitting.  He enjoys standing upright in his starfish position- legs wide, head high, and arms straight out horizontally.  Their current weights range from 11 lbs (Leah) to 19 lbs (Ben)!  Still 5 lb difference between bigs and littles.  They are great at sleeping through the night now, and I may get brave enough to skip the dream feed soon.

Andrew, Caroline, and Benjamin showing off their new skills

Levi still doesn't have his helmet, but I'm hoping all the paperwork side of it gets done soon.  Allison's hemangioma is being monitored by a surgeon now.  Leah's on an extra high calorie formula now to attempt to boost her weight gain.  She is still not eating well.  She managed to pull out her button again this week.  The ER visit wasn't too long which was nice, but I could handle not going to the ER for a long time.

We got their 2nd dose of flu shots recently and it went very smoothly.  The pedi let me pull up the van to the back entrance and bring in 2 at a time to get a shot then switch them out in the van.  It only took 15 min!  I love that our doctor is flexible and accommodating.  It was also raining, just for kicks.  

Did I mention they will be 8 months old in 8 days?!  I'll be planning a birthday party before I know it.

The First Thanksgiving

We had a nice low-key Thanksgiving celebration with our family this year.  With an upcoming out of state wedding, I wanted to save all my traveling stress for that and stay at home for the holidays.  When I think about how much stuff to pack and plan for it overwhelms me!

My grandmother hosted Thanksgiving lunch this year (she lives about 45 min away).  My parents, Dave, and I loaded up the babies after the morning feed and drove on down to West Columbia.  We only took a few blankets and activity mats and the dancing dog (it's a lifesaver) and it was great!  The babies got plenty of attention from extended family which they LOVED.  We also did a test run of attaching the stroller to the back of the van and going for a walk in someone else's neighborhood and that also went well :)  We ate in shifts and stayed about 4-5 hours before heading home to get the bedtime routine on schedule.  The only mishap was my grandmother's oven accidentally locking the dressing and green bean casserole in!  The dishes stayed in there a week before a repairman could fix it... yuck!  And I found some pecan pie wrapped in foil underneath a van seat a few days after Thanksgiving.  Oh well.  We were very pleased with the whole mini travel experience and how well the babies handled it.

4 generations!