Monday, July 30, 2012

Progress. Progress. 4YO Update.

I wanted to be there fully, completely for each one.  

I wanted to be able to hold them until they stopped crying.

I wanted to listen to them with undivided attention.  To hear what they had to say without any distractions or input from others wanting my attention.

I wanted to make sure I knew what their favorite book was.

I wanted to make sure they weren't worried about something that they never had a chance to bring up.

I wanted them to feel like they were an only child... if only for a few hours.

So I did....

I took each one to their four year old check up individually and had a lunch date afterwards.  It sucked up a whole week for me and I got nothing else done, but I loved every minute of it.

BRIELLEN JEANNETTE
29 lbs - 6%
38" - 16%

Out of the five, she is the only one to get a not so glowing review... because she hasn't gained weight since December.  The doctor thinks that it's because she was sick so much and that by getting the ear tubes, she will start eating more and gain weight.  I'm not so sure... this girl is STUBBORN!  It is like an act of congress to get her to even try a bite of anything new.  Plus, she has stopped eating peanut butter, so I am SO worried that she will not gain the weight she needs to when we go back to the dr. next month. 

Nothing makes you question your parenting ability than a child who is not growing like they should... ugh!  ANY advice on how to feed a picky child is greatly appreciated!  I think I've tried everything, but maybe the wise moms reading this will tell me something I've missed!

When I asked Brie where she wanted to go eat, she said Mexican.  So we tried a new place called Alicia's in Cypress... Awesome food!  


Even though she asked for Mexican, she would only eat queso...


I wish... I could get this girl to eat more food!!





IVY ELIZABETH
36 lbs - 60%
40.5" - 68%

My big girl.... Just like her mama, she likes to eat!  Seriously a snacky girl.  She would eat all day long if I would let her.  We are still on a strict-ish eating schedule, so I don't spend all day in the kitchen, but this girl will ask for something to eat in between all meal and snack times.  NOW I know why mom's let their little ones chew gum!  



Bookstore to get new books... (After this trip, I made getting a library card a priority.)  Am grateful that my kids like to read, but sheesh, $15 for a book!?!)


She wanted chicken strips french fries and lemonade, so we went to Willie's Icehouse.  (It's funny, they ALWAYS think they want lemonade, but HATE it when they drink it.)




LUKE HARRISON
34.5 lbs - 33%
39.5" - 16%

Still my serious one, but has a silly side that I find SO endearing.  


He chose Mexican food... To mix it up I took him to Gringos (love!)  He's my tortilla guy and will eat a million!  Gringo's has self serve ice cream and he was in chocolate heaven!  
Hi. My name is Luke. And I am a chocoholic.  He tells me a story involving chocolate everyday.  (He is borderline robot-oholic as well.)

Green is still his favorite color.  If you ever wondered how powerful a parents influence is on a child, this is an example... His color was green when he was a baby, so everything he has has been green.  Even after giving him plenty of opportunities to change colors as he gets older, he still chooses green.  Four out of the five are this way.  




MITCHELL THOMAS
35 lbs - 38%
40.5" - 56%
Silly, silly boy. Constantly making jokes and laughing his big belly laugh!

(No makeup for me this day... rough night the night before.  Not a rough night as in having a good time, but rough night as in being woken up a million times in the night for not very important reasons... Someone had the nerve to wake me up in the middle of the night to ask me to get them a book!!! Excuse me, but I. don't. think. so.)


Once Luke let it out of the bag that Gringo's had ice cream, there was no other option of where to have lunch, no matter how much I tried to convince him otherwise.


Mitchell makes up for any picky eaters that I may have.  He can EAT!  For the amount of food he eats, he should be huge!  



SIDNEY ALUN
28.5 lbs - 4%
37.5" - 10%

Our sunshine girl.  Always happy. Always wakes up with a smile.  Always eager to please.

Even though she weighs less than Brie, she is steadily gaining weight.  She eats EVERYTHING, but like a bird. 


And here we are back at Gringo's....  


Ice cream!




I was amazed at how SHY each of them were at the doctors office.  They had to do small tests to make sure they were developmentally on track.  Like "stand up, clap your hands, then sit down"... to make sure they could follow directions. Not ONE of them would do it!  So bashful.  I just begged the doctor to take my word for it!!  I can't help but think this is because they are always together as a group.  Once again, I ponder the dynamics of being a quintuplet and how it will affect their personality.  

It is so easy to get caught up in worry about their development, their future... Am I doing things right? Am I doing things wrong? Am I going to screw them up because I didn't do this or I did do that?  Do I have the right parenting style? Am I too strict? Too laid back?  AHHHH! 

I then have to just take a deep breath and remember that I am not in charge... These are God's children and they will turn out perfectly the way He wants them to either because of or in spite of what I do!

-P.S. Uncle Neal... YES they desperately needed a haircut and YES I have since taken them.  :)  


11 comments:

  1. What a fantastic post!! I am so, so proud of you and Stephen as parents. YOu have risen above and beyond the challenge to parent these gifts well! You do an amazing job. We ALL wonder if we are scarring our children, even when we don't have five at a time!! What precious time you made with each one individually!! I miss seeing y'all and being Peaches to these little ones....gosh they are growing up SO quickly!!! MUST.SEE.YOU.SOON! Love much!
    Peaches

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  2. That is so great that you took them to the doctor individually. That is wonderful. I hope you will stop by and link this post to Multiples Monday on Capri + 3 (which is open until Wednesday night and re-opens each week).

    : 0 ) Theresa
    http://www.multiples-mom.com

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  3. Really love that you dedicated your week to their individual appointments! Don't have any really good advice on picky eaters except to make it fun like your bucket list and possibly install a 3 or 5-bite rule. That's what we did when our daughter was stuck on eating the same thing every day! She is now braver than I am about eating new foods!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I hate to share this news. But your pictures were stolen and posted as someone elses trying to fake multiples.

    http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/67880625.aspx

    Love your blog and your sweet kiddos are adorable all grown up now! They were all beautiful babies!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm sure someone has told you, but I wanted to make sure you saw this and I couldn't find another way to contact you.

    http://theurbanquints.blogspot.com/

    I don't know what can be done, but I wouldn't want someone using my pictures as their own.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lena & Ashley!! Thank you so much for letting me know!! SO creepy! Am going to leave her a comment right now!

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  7. Love that you made a date of their doctor appointments. So fun!

    I have one who always needs to gain a little weight. I give her Carnation Instant Breakfast Drink in the mornings with whole milk. It's an easy 200 calories and makes me less nervous the rest of the day.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hey I'm glad you moderate your comments. I was trying to find a way to contact you on your blog but I could not.

    My name is Alicia. I moderate a mom's forum on a website called The Bump. Two days ago we had a new mom come on the board who just had quints, but through some investigation we found that she was a fake and had stolen photos from your blog.

    its been pointed out that she was fake, and she's been banned form the website and the photos are being removed as we speak, so please do not stress out.

    May I suggest in the future that you water mark your photos that you post here? (I'm NOT saying this is your fault at all!) Picasa is a great, free application that you can download to do that with, and something as simple as the link to your blog across the bottom of all the photos will keep people from stealing them in the future.

    Congratulations on your adorable children. My son is 2 months old now and I can't imagine the strength you multiple moms must have. I hope God continues to bless your beautiful family.

    Alicia

    (feel free to email me, adsharp514@gmail.com)

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  9. Alicia! Thank you for letting me know and taking action on your website. I do have Picasa, but just never use... Trust me, I will now!

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  10. Elle,

    I am so proud of you as a mom! You have done such an amazing job! You are still worried about the same things that you worried about in the NICU and those 5 of yours are just beautiful!

    I think of you often and sometimes long for the support of having rooms close together and being able to chat! Today is the 4th anniversary of bring Ben home! Tis such great, crazy ride!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi Bri,Ivy, Luke, Mitchell and Sidni
    My name is Jenna and I came across your site. You are all amazing, special gifts, miracles, and earthly angels.

    Sounds like the Mexican place, Gringo's is famous with your kids, and for their yummy ice cream!

    I was born with a rare life threatening disease. developmental delays, and 14 other diagnosis.
    http://www.miraclechamp.webs.com

    ReplyDelete

 
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