July 4th Pictures

These days it takes all hands on deck to get a group photo of these guys. No one wants to sit still since they've been on the move. OK, all are standing, now look this way!

Oops. We lost Tyler.

OK, he's back.

Ricky would rather lick and chew on the couch.

Hurry! Take it quick!

"I'm going to get my big sister Jenna for putting this stinking bow on my head! You just wait! When you're not looking, I'll be sneaking into your room to seek and destroy!"

Bling End of Season Swim Party

Back row: Brittany, Destiny, Jordan, and Savannah
Front row: Sage, Dominique, Victoria, Grace, V.V., Emily, Jenna, and Sage. Two weren't able to come, Ally and Kathy.

Reagan, one of the coaches, her mom made the cake for the girls party. It looked awesome and tasted even better! The girls had a great time swimming over at the Meridian pool. Food, friends, and fun; can't ask for much better than that!

Jenna getting her softball trophy. Thanks Daron and Natalie for getting them for the girls and for making us the CD with all the pictures on it.

Ashley in mid flip. I thought it was a pretty neat pict!

Old Settler's Reunion Parade

The quads did great at the parade on thursday July 23rd. We walked down the hill from our house to main street. We had to stop a few times to say hello and so people could see the quads. They did great through the parade. The sirens on the fire trucks and ambulance didn't bother them a bit! Everyone kept telling us we should have been in the parade, but I was afraid it was going to be too hot. I told people we were the preliminary parade. We were just getting them warmed up for the real thing! So maybe next year we'll join the line up...The McLean Train! Emily and Jenna lining up for the parade.

Faith and Ashley on the Jr. High Cheer/Football float.

Leah wondering what's going on.

Heath chillin with Nana.

Ty giving a closeup.

Jenna and Emily zipping by. They would barely slow down for a picture!

Ricky is ready to roll!

Parade is over and ready for the trek back up the hill. Time for bottles and bed!

June Picture Overload

Its not a 2 seater!

Jenna with Pluto and Goofy at Magic Kingdom

Jenna and Mollie checking out some 80's hair at Hollywood Studios after they had ridden the Aerosmith Rock'n Roller coaster. I got the coffee mug for my souvenir!

Jenna and Mollie on the plane. I have no idea why the picture is this small!!

The kiddos were fascinated with climbing on the baker's rack and playing with the toaster oven (yes, its unplugged). The toaster oven has now been moved up higher, but they still crawl on the bottom.

Ty and Leah would rather pull up on the jumper instead of sit in it.

Leah taking a ride in the laundry basket.

This picture cracks me up. Heath's feet /legs are in the air. he was perched on the edge of the bouncer.

My little sweeties!

Ty having some cheerios with Dad.

Heath splashing in the kiddie pool with Ty's hiney shining!

My silly girl.

Another face that just makes us laugh. We tell Ricky to show us his teeth and he squints his eyes and grins big!

Little grampa inching his way to standing up in the pool.

Little stuck there girl?

I could use a little help here, again.

Miss Photogenic

Pose for the camera!

I'll just take a little bite...

Ty decided my lap was better than the water that day.

I'm just going to dunk my ducky, he won't mind.

Ty says get me out of here! Heath is sympathy crying in the back.

Hico Bling coach pitch softball team. Proud of ya girls!!

The VERY VERY LATE June/July Update

Well, after being in a blogging funk for over a month, my computer has now decided to start giving me trouble. Yea me! I was trying to load more pictures but keep getting an "internal error" message. Go figure. So I'll try to add more from our laptop after I get the pictures copied to a disc. So once again I started this post on July 7th and now its already the 25th. The kiddos have been doing awesome, getting bigger and busier everyday!





Everyone wanting to play with Heath's bouncer. I finally had to put the bouncers up in another room, no one wants to sit still in them anymore. They would rather crawl in them backwards and stand up and give their mother a heart attack!

Pa with the quads on Father's Day. Randy had worked the night before and was back on the next so he slept through Father's Day.

The quads were helping me clean out the wrapping box. I had lots of wet ribbon after they got finished.

Tyler, the little monkey, had to get his feet in the ribbons too.

On June 6th, we went out to Mary McCoy's house for a retirement party for Sherry Montgomery. I work with these ladies at the hospital. This was actually only the 2nd time we've had them out and about around others except for doctor's appointments. The babies did great and everyone enjoyed getting to see them.

Tyler sitting with Randy at the picnic table.

Jodi Golightly holding Leah. thanks Jodi for surprising with diapers throughout this past year. they always come when I'm running low!

Ricky hamming it up with Mary Pack.

Heath sitting with KK (Kathy Kegans).

Ty-man!, Red man, spider monkey, monkey, grandpa, sugar puddin , Bubbie

Ty has crazy hair a lot! When we get back from walking it usually has some curl going on from the lovely Texas humidity and after he gets up from napping. By the first of June, Ty was pulling up on everything and tripod sitting. By the end of the 2nd week in June he had sitting up mastered. He also got down cruising around the coffee table. He was still commando crawling until the end of last week , all fours crawling on the 17th. As of July 21st, he's finally got his first tooth coming in! Bless his heart, its really reeked havoc on his little tummy. Let's just say that this past week I've had 3 great surprises when I get him up in the morning. When we went to their checkup on June 18th, he weighed exactly 15 lbs. and was 26 1/2 inches long. He says "Ma" for me only when he's crying and wants me. He's eating great and still on his Prevacid twice a day. The pedi wants us to start trying to wean him down to 1/2 once a day. He's been quite the whiner at times these days. He squeals and cries when one of the others is touching him. He can crawl all over them, but you better leave him alone! He also gets mad when they mess with something he's got. Lots of tug of war going on around here! When Randy put him in the kiddie pool for the first time he hated it. On the second try i eased him in and he decided it wasn't so bad. He of course wanted to stand up and pick at the grass. My sister calls him grampa a lot. They way he groans and the way he's so careful and slow about getting up and down out of standing (most of the time). and like I said the boy is a monkey! He was in the playpen crawling up it with his feet. and if you're sitting on the couch or on the floor leaning against the couch or chair, he's shimmying up and over your shoulder! He now squishes his face up (bitter beer face!) and snorts like Leah. He's also saying "da-da" now. He likes jacking with the mini blinds whenever he can get hold of them. He's a sympathy crier. If you get onto someone else, then he cries too. If you get onto him, he'll lay his head down on the floor and cry. So pitiful! Lately he's become more of a mama's boy and likes to put his head on your shoulder. Can't help but love those moments!





He-man, Heath-ers, Heathanator, Bubbie, sugar puddin, Happy Feet

Heath has kicked it up a notch over the past 2 months. At the beginning of June (the 4th) he started scooting on his tummy, aka commando crawling. At first he didn't use his legs much. But a few weeks later he was hauling it around the house. He was sitting up good by the 8th of June, just couldn't first figure out how to get down! 2 weeks later (the 23rd), he had it figured out. ECI came to evaluate all 4 but only Heath was enrolled into the program. the others were put in follow along for now. His muscles were still tight in his hips and also his hamstrings. So we started doing exercises to help loosen him up which helped his mobility. Within 3 days after they came he started pulling up to his knees (the 14th-first pict above caught the moment!). Within 2 weeks he was already more ROM in his hips. By his next visit on the 25th, the PT was already very happy with his progress. He decided he'd show us! On July 3rd he got his 3rd tooth, the top front tooth, on the left. and he also pulled up to standing too! On July 4th he said 'mama". He also says da-da now too. He likes to pat your hands for patty cake. On the 14th he got the right front tooth starting in. On the 17th he started doing some crawling up on all fours. He'll take 5-10 crawls then back down to the faster commando crawl. this past week he started shaking his head no and waving bye. It sounds like he either says bye and sometimes its ba-ba. Could mean lots of things! He still hasn't figured how to get up to sitting from crawling but the therapist says that comes after he's crawling better. He's cruising better along the coffee table and pulling up on pretty much anything. When he's mad/ throwing a fit/crying when he's sitting up, he puts his head down when he cries. It's soo cute. He likes making lots of funny noises with his mouth too. Lately its him rolling his tongue or swishing sounds with his spit. I don't know why I put a bib on the boy. He likes too roll it up and shove it in his mouth to chew on after he gets a nice big bite of food. So it still gets everywhere! He loves playing in the pool too. He loves to splash and stretch out on his tummy. Pick and eat a little grass is good too! Lately we call him Happy Feet. when you hold onto him to stand him up he gets his feet to moving! Its the funniest thing! He also has the funniest laugh or should I say giggle. he also makes this coughing noise like he's clearing his throat. When we went to their checkup on June 18th he weighed 17lbs and was 26 3/4 inches long. his weight wasn't as close to Ricky's as I thought it would be. Heath is also done with his DOC Band too. Everyone was great in the office, but...Yippee!!!! No more trips to downtown Dallas!!!!

DIRTY BOY! While I was bathing one of the other babies, Ricky had found a balloon in Jenna's room that she had taken a marker too! So of course it goes straight into his mouth which then turns into marker all over his face, his hands, and his clothes!





Lee-Lee, Miss Prissy, Peanut, Princess, Witchy Woman, suagr puddin

What? What are you staring at?! I'm saving my biscuit for later. Oh my, what a girl! She already doesn't take any crap off the boys. Usually she's the one dishing it out! Ruling the roost already.
On June 1st she was pulling up in her bed and by the end of that week she had started cruising around in the bed, plus the coffee table and everything else. By the 2nd week in June she was sitting up good. She's still commando crawling, but every now and then gets up on all fours. She FINALLY started holding her bottle on June 19th. She has by far been the pickiest eater and has just now started eating solids better. She's also messier than the boys when eating too! If she doesn't want it, she's either spitting it all over the table or lets in all runs out of her mouth. then she likes to wipe it all over the table, lick the table, turn around and lick on her chair or grabs me with her dirty little hands. Such a sweet girl! She also likes to get a mouth full of milk and then lets it all runs out when she doesn't want anymore. Attitude. Yes, she's got it! sometimes she's very quite and observant (I think she's scheming/planning her attack) and other times she's a wild woman. She tries to take anything the boys have. She wants to crawl on the boys. She especially was drawn to heath and his DOC Band. She was always grabbing the top of it and yanking on it. Now that its gone she just pats him on the head or in the face. She's been caught crawling up into Jenna's little wicker rocker that I have in their room. Last Sunday we caught her standing up int it! Another heart attack for mom! But Nan got the pict! The occasional pacifier stealer. she now loves to crawl in the baskets that I keep the toys and extra wipes in. She gets mad a squeals if she can't get in or if someone else (usually Ricky) tries to crawl in too. she loves for Jenna to push her around the house in the basket too. If she can't get all the toys out, she sits on top of them. She even crawled into the basket UNDER her bed. Now that was fun getting her out of that one! She loves playing in the water too. I have some good picts of her posing in the kiddie pool. She staring clapping and shaking her head no on the 13th of July. On July 16th, she finally got her 1st tooth, bottom front, right. Two days later she got the one on the left bottom coming in too. She's not been very happy about it! Oh the faces and sounds the girl makes! Makes me chuckle just thinking about it. She squishes up her nose and dose an lovely loud snort now. there's another noise she makes that I can't even explain! She's the best napper. When she's in the tub she like to look at her self in the overflow drain cover. She like to bend backward in your arms or does a back bend on the floor using her head instead of her arms! She also loves to tear up the mini blinds. but then she's the best one to play by herself in her bed or on the floor. On June 18th she still outweighed Ty but only by 4 oz. She was 15lbs 4 oz and 26 1/4 inches long.






Ricky-Roo, chunkie monkey, honey bear, bubbie, sugar puddin, roos-man (new one from Jenna)

Come on in, the water is just right! This boy is busy! He's getting into things, tearing up things, chewing on everything! the first of June he was sitting up so pretty and straight. By the 2nd week in June (8th) Ricky was pulling up to standing in his bed, coffee table, anything pretty much! In another couple of days he started cruising the furniture. the boy is now getting braver and lets go every now and then. I think either he or Ty will be the first to walk. On June 19th he got his first top front left tooth (3rd in all). then by July 6th the right top front one was coming in. And this past Monday(July 20th) his 5th one started in, on top left to the big teeth. At the Dr. appt in June (18th) Ricky weighed 19lbs and was 29 1/4 inches long. he's alot taller than everyone else. By Father's Day he started taking about 5-10 crawling on all fours and then couple days later was crawling all the time, not more belly flops! The poor guy has calluses on his knees from him being on the go so much. As you can tell by his weight , he's the best eater. Ricky was saying da-da by July 1st. As you can also tell by the pict he loves the water. He likes trying to eat and chew on the kiddie pool and have even caught him putting his face down into his bath water. Bath time is a wrestling match! He wants to stand, he want on his belly, he wants to sit. I'm soaked by the time i get him out. He followed me in the bathroom one day to get the bids I had hung in the tub the day before. i left him standing there while I ran to the kitchen . When I came back he was IN THE TUB playing. He of course had bonked his head on the way over the side but never cried once. i found him crawling around going after this bubble bath that shaped like a ladybug. God bless hard heads!! He's a toy stealer. Already fighting with his siblings including Jenna. She tells him no and he hollers back at her. Leah and him have gotten into a slapping match on a few occasions and tug of war with Ty over plastic bowls! He likes to yank the paper off my printer and tear it up , eat it, etc.. You tell him no, he smiles at you. so he gets to hear it repeatedly and is already getting his little hands spanked. He's quite the bruiser pushing and knocking the others out of his way. he can be quite the Mama's boy. He occasionally tries to test his teeth on you. VERY SHARP! He doesn't like it when one of us leaves the room.
Very loud when he wants to be. Whales when he wants out of his bed and your trying to ignore him hoping he'll go back to sleep. Worst napper. Pacifier stealer. Loves being in my lap and will push out others to get there. Love to hear him jabber. Will squint his eyes and smile and show you his pearly whites. He also purses his lips and blows. He has the most beautiful blue eyes that will melt your heart!

We're trapped! We'll be good! Let us in! We have one baby gate up by the computer desk to try to keep them away from it. But they go around the other way now to get to it. It at least detains them a bit.

Our super sweet nurse, Lisa Laughlin and her husband came by for a visit on there way home one Sunday. We love ya and miss ya girl! I got a call from marketing at cook's and they would like to do a story on the babies in a magazine I believe they put out quarterly. So we are super excited to talk about our sweet babies and what a wonderful experience we had a Cook's. We owe so much to these precious people who have forever touched our lives! We are honored that they would want to do a story on our four miracles. We are so looking forward to the reunion which was rescheduled for the October the 4th. It hits right before we go back in quarantine for another winter.

Snack time after their afternoon bottles. My aunt Kay still comes on Wednesday afternoons to give me a hand. Love to see her walk in the door!the babies go into attack mode when you get out the container of puffs. THEY LOVE THEM! Before its all over with, if your in the floor with the container their in your lap trying to beat each other out of the next bite.

Jenna posing with the babies in their room. she's been such a great help this summer! I told her I didn't know what I was going to do without her when school starts again. she's so good to help entertain them, helps feed, grabs clothes for bath, and helps soothe a crying quad just a name a few of the things she does. She got to go with my sister Kristi, her husband Brad and Mollie to Disney World the second week in June. she had a blast with them and forever grateful that they let her tag along. jenna wa also busy through the first of July with softball. Their team, Hico Bling got second in the district and got to go to the tri county playoffs. They didn't advance past the tournament but we were all super proud of how great they did this season. they all improved so much and did a great job of working together as a team. We decked her mustang out for the Old Settler's Reunion parade. Her BFF Emily road with her. Today the girls got together for a end of softball season swim party. the had a great time and all got an awesome trophy for all their hard work. they even had a purple and pink Bling cake! Yummy! Tonight we headed down to the park to ride rides and visit with old friends. And next week aunt Kristi is going to stay with the babies so we can take the girls to the Great Wolf Lodge. I am forever endebted to her!

Yes I know i look quite scarey in this pict. But after a full day of quad wrestling your a little worn by the end of the day. the babies many times during the day will pile into my lap for some reason or another. it usually starts with one needs some comfort from a spill or just needing a little time in mommy's lap. then here comes another, and another, and another. sometimes a feels like a human jungle gym. sometimes if their all upset and crying its the easiest way to comfort everybody. Oh how I love my babes!! I can't imagine my life without them!

Let me give a run down of things happening the past 2 months: June was filled with softball games and practices. thank goodness Nana and Momo would come stay with the quaddies so I could go to the games! Thank you sooo much! I headed to Dallas every 2 weeks for the month of June and July. Like I said, thank goodness that's over! some days it amazes me how much food they pack in on top of their 4 bottles. After 7am bottle, I fix 3/4 cup of cereal with a 4oz tub of fruit and formula for the liqiud for breakfast. Lunch is usually a jar/tub or fruit, 2 veggies or a veggies and a meat combo. After the 3ish botttle most days we have a snack. I have these little mesh bags that you can put fruit in for them to chew and suck on made by Munchkin. they love to have cantelope and watermelon in them, but very messy! then at 5pm they have another bowl of cereal and then a bottle around7-7:15pm. they love to eat cheerios with Randy when he gets home from work in the morning. they line up around the coffe table for their turn. they also love to bug Jenna for mac & cheese at lunch. they line up along the couch and usually holler at her until she gives them some. they love to look out the wondows in their room or mine. And like i said they also like messing up the blinds if I don't get them pulled up in time. Lots of bent ones on the bottom!July 4th we went up to my mom and dad's for her always delicious hamburgers and homemade ice cream. the baies like the ice cream. At first they weren't real sure of where they were, but didn't tke them long to get comfortable and get to playing. Getting them down for a nap was a little interesting since we didn't have any beds to put them in. finally got them down on a quilt but it didn't last long. Will have to think of something else to try the next time we try nap at Nana's. July 5th I got a visit from a fellow quad mom, Brandy Perez. She also has 3boys and a girl that our now 15 months old and also 2 older children, a daughter and a son. She was up visiting her mom during the holidays and trecked over to see us. Loved finally getting to see her in person! Its great having questions to bounce off her since she's a few months ahead of me in quad living. I so appreciate her! the babies had their follow up eye appointments on July the 8th. Only one I was really concerned about was Leah since she was a ROP stage 2 when we came home and was the only one who had followups after they came home. But, all eyes are wonderful!! Another one of the many answered prayers over this past year! Everyone looked great so they don't have to go back for 2 years! That day we also went by and visited Dr. Tabor and the lovely ladies on Jones 3rd floor where I lived for 5 weeks. It was great to be able to let them see the babies after all this time. The babies did great at the eye appointment. It was a little difficult getting the runabout around the small, long and narrow rooms and hallway, but we managed! No one flipped out when they got the drops or during the eye exam. But we were all wiped out by the time we got home! the nurse said, "Oh the drops will make them sleepy." , but no one slept all the way home! Thursday, we went to the Old Settler's Reunion parade. We just live up the street from downtown so I was walking with the quadies in the runabout. We had lots of stops along the way so people could see the babies. The babies did great and didn't even mind the loud sirens! This afternoon while Jenna was at the swim party, I got to run and visit for a bit with another new quad mom, Wendy. Her 4 boys are now 5 months old and only live 20 minutes away from us! There's also a set of triplets that live about 20 minutes from us in the other direction too! We hope to figure out a way that we can all get togther one of these days.

This year had totally flown by! I can not believe that in less than a month the quads will be a year old! I haven't started planning their birthday yet! ( I think I'm in denial once again!) I get all emotional and teary when I think about their "birth day". I still relive that day in my head and hope to blog about it before their birthday. Each day I'm amazed at how far we have come and how wonderful and perfect our sweet Lord has made them. Such sweet precious gifts that I have been blessed with. The power of prayer is never ending!