Best Mothers Day Ever

I can remember Mothers Day 2009. We had just moved to England, and were getting settled in. My mother and father-in-law were visiting after our family vacation to Dublin, Ireland. We had a great time. I was getting anxious awaiting my first doctors appointment at my new reproductive endocrinologist, which was the following Tuesday....We had been trying for so long to have A baby...just one! I never stopped trying, even when people told me, "maybe you're just not meant to have more kids", and "be happy with the kids you have"....Those comments were always so hurtful, but they never made me give up hope. I always had this feeling that I was destined to have one more baby. So, I pressed on and started seeing my new dr. We attempted and IU in June, and it didn't work. We had another try in July but we had to abandon the cycle when and ultrasound showed that I had too many follicles (meaning that I had a big chance of high order multiples)... So, we found out in August that Howard was deploying in September..I had one more try before he left. I wasn't very hopeful, just for the fact that i was so stressed preparing for him to leave. We went ahead and did the procedure when an ultrasound showed JUST 2 follicles. So, on August 15 we began our journey. Howard deployed 2 days after I found out I was pregnant. 2 weeks later, we discovered the quads =) My normal state during a pregnancy is.....stressed, but happy. I'm always so worried that something is going to go wrong, or happen. It's so strange,but in such a high risk pregnancy I was calm. I was relaxed. I had this feeling throughout my pregnancy that God was with me and everything was going to be alright. It makes me teary eyed to think about, because I'm just so grateful. I had such an uneventful pregnancy for such a high risk pregnancy. So, as I sit here in the peace and quiet listening to my 4 little angels breathe, and grunt...I'm just so thankful. My kids are the best gifts that I've been given. This mothers day I was given the gift of having all 4 of my babies be healthy, and at home with my 2 big boys. I'm so full of love and happiness. My 6 kids are an answer to my prayers. They make me smile every day, and make me a better person. So, here's to my BEST Mothers Day ever!!!

4 little people

It's so funny how someone SO small can have a personality SO big...I've spent the past week with my babies,trying to learn them. Trying to figure out what each cry is for, and trying to figure out what they need individually. Here's what I can tell about each baby.....

Hensley is our 'dainty' little girl. She is long and lanky, and has a perfectly round head. She rarely cries, and if she does it's more of a wimper....just to let us know that she needs something. She's such a happy easy baby, and definitely daddys little girl =)

Paisley is our chunky monkey... She loves her bottles  =) She's not a huge screamer, but definitely has a set of lungs on her... She is fairly laid back, and is definitely going to be a handful, I think!

Presley is our tempermental little girl. She's got the loudest scream of 3 girls! She seems to be the playful one. She'll lay on the floor and just kick around, and have a good ol' time! She's got these cheeks that you just cant help but to wanna squeeze!!

Karson.....ahh little Karson! He's by far the biggest screamer of the group!!!! He's a demanding little fellow, that knows what he wants!  He loves to be held, and hates having his diaper changed!!! Hes the one that has to eat 15 minutes before it's time!!Mommy's little boy =)

Catching up

It seems like catching up is all i've been doing for the past month since having the babies....especially since they came home. There's just not enough time in the day now. I finally caught up on thank you cards today!!! I'm trying to catch up on my blogging, but I'm so exhausted I'm not sure I make sense =) Everything else is still waiting to be done.... The laundry,the dishes, dusting, cleaning toilets...I'm trying to just sit back and focus on what's important.....Those babies, my big boys,Howard, and myself!

They're Home!!

Well, it's been a long time coming.... The babies are finally ALL home! We got to bring Paisley and Presley home on Friday April 23, 2010, which was exactly one month after their birthday!! Hensley followed on Monday April 26, 2010, and Karson came home on Wednesday April 28, 2010.. We feel so blessed that the didn't have to stay longer in the NICU. I can honestly say that I miss a lot of the staff there. They had some really great nurses that took the time to get to know not only our 4 precious babies, but to get to know us too. They really seemed to care, which made it so much easier for me to leave at the end of each day. Words can't express how FULL my heart is now that all of my children are under the same roof. Thank you God =)

My moment

This past week has been great! The babies are doing excellent, and are continuing to grow! All of the girls are 4 lbs -4lbs 11oz now! Little Karson is still .....little Karson =) He's growing too though, and is now  3 lbs 11oz! I am so in love with these little people! They were all Ok'd to attempt breastfeeding last week. We've been working on it! Paisley got a "gold star" on day 1 for eating like a champ, but has since backed off. Presley has not got a clue of what/how to nurse! Karson is excellent. That little guy really surprised everyone!! And Hensley is the BEST of them all! ( she told me she is Baby "A" for a reason ;) Yesterday I got to have a "moment". It was so special. My 4 babies and I were reunited! I got to hold all 4 of them at one time!

Almost 3 weeks!!

Somehow, my precious babies are now almost 3 weeks old! I don't know where the time went! Seems like I just had them yesterday! It could be my exhaustion tricking me though! I've gotten questions like, "How are you exhausted if you don't even have babies home to take care of?"..ANSWER: I wake up to pump every 3 hours througout the night! AND, I go go go non stop daily to get Keaton to school, and get myself to the hospital! Im one busy momma!

The babies are doing really well. 3 of them are still out in open air cribs, and are beginning to try and bottle feed some. Tiny Karson, however, is back in the warmer. He was struggling to maintain his body temp and stats, so they decided it'd be best for him to be in there.

Have I mentioned how blessed i feel to be the mommy to my 6 awesome kids!?!? GOD IS GOOD!

Whew!

The last two weeks have flown by for me!! The quads are here! They decided to not wait until their scheduled Csection to arrive though =) March 23, I went into labor on my own, and delivered my 3 girls and 1 boy via Csection at 12:27, 12:28, 12:30, and 12:31 pm. They attempted to stop my laboring with the dreaded Magnesium Sulfate, aka: the Death Drug! Obviously, it was not effective! The babies were all born relatively healthy, and perfect! Hensley came first, and then Karson, Paisley, and Presley followed. They ranged from 2 lb11 oz to 3 lbs 8 oz. Karson (my growth restricted baby), was obviously smaller than his sisters! That little guy has been a fighter though!

The babies have all been graduated to the Level II NICU now, and are classified as "feeders and growers". They are doing so so well, and we couldn't be more pleased! We are both completely in love with these tiny people that God blessed us with.