Birthday News Article

http://www.dailybulletin.com/search/ci_13047223

and we have another one

Michael is now walking and Jake is taking 1 step. Miss Jaileigh bug is taking her own sweet time so that she can steal the show. She likes to watch her brothers do things then she copies them.

We had 3 doctor appointments last week. The GI Dr. (reflux), the pediatrician, and the high risk infant follow up clinic. At the GI doctor we were released from his care unless our pediatrician is concerned about their weight gain and then she can refer us back. Michael is still on Zantac for reflux but that isn't a big concern at this time and can be taken care of by the pediatrician. Hooray! No more GI doctor, although I do love him, I wish he was our pediatrician.

Our second appointment was to the pediatrician because the babies all had runny noses. No fevers and little coughs. I went in thinking that we would NOT get immunizations because they were sick and I was wrong. I was so mad! Shots=2 weeks of cranky babies that don't sleep! She said the babies were fine and they didn't have any infection so she wanted to give them 1/2 of their shots. aarrggghh. We left with 3 to 4 shots per baby, 1 finger prick per baby, 1 inhaler (just in case), 1 prescription for cough medicine, and 2 hours lost from waiting. The babies iron levels are normal this time HOORAY! Last time they were really anemic.

Both doctors want us to start weaning to whole milk and to add 1 bottle of pediasure a day. The babies don't eat baby food anymore. They think they are waaaayyyy to mature for that. They like to feed themselves. So we are to continue feeding them yummy healthy foods.

At the High Risk Infant Follow Up Clinic the babies were evaluated by a Physical Therapist, Dietician, and a neonatalogist, they were weighed, measured, and examined. Last time we were there our appointment lasted 6 hours. This time we were in and out in 2. They were ready for us. They had 2 neonatologists and 2 resident physicians to help give the babies their physicals. They passed all of their tests with flying colors. They are well above their adjusted age (9months) and actually are at the chronological age (1year) for everything but size.

Anthony

Jakob

Michael and his toothbrush

Daddy and Jaileigh

Playtime and the DeMarias consists of plenty of floortime. In the air we have Jakob and Michael. On our bellies we have Anthony and Jaileigh.

Jakey is showing his pearly whites/gums

and some more floortime

and the answer is . . . . .Anthony

Guess Who's Walking-Yes It's True

One of the boys started walking the day before his birthday. I kept saying one of these babies is going to walk before their birthday and sure enough I was right! Any guesses on who the little lad is?

Big Mike is holding (clockwise) Anthony, Jakob, and Little Mike.

Birthday Party Part II

. . . . and everyones favorite, CAKE pictures.

Waiting for the cake and snacking on watermelon. We decided to fore go the cute bibs that matched the decorations because I was too lazy to tie them on.

The CAKE, Yummy chocolate cake with butter cream frosting and vanilla pudding filling. We asked the stores if they would donate the little individual cakes for the babies, trying to get some quad perks here, but NO they were all too tight. Since octomom or maybe J&K businesses are really reluctant to give multiples discounts anymore.
Happy 1st Birthday Cupcakes- thank you Nurse Lee-Lee!
Sweet Tooth Cupcakes

NICU nurses - Jessica, Melissa, Karen, and Toni

The Keller Family and the DeMaria family. Keller quads just turned 7 on July 3. When I was younger I used to go in and help Michelle and Jeff with their quads. I was cursed/blessed with the quad curse and had a set of my own 7 years later.

Jeff, Michelle, Mason, Carson, Jaxon, and Amanda

Jaileigh

Anthony and Dana- what a cute picture!

Michael

Jaileigh

Jakob- deep in thought. He had a rough day. I had to hold him for most of the party or he cried. Did I mention that my kids came down with a cold the day before their birthday? Their FIRST sickness in their life! One year without being sick is pretty darn good! especially for quads!

The babies and their cakes. It took them a minute to figure out that they could eat it. Michael is checking out Anthony's cake first to make sure it isn't bigger than his!

"What is this?" Anthony

Double fisting the frosting- Anthony

"Mom, I think I am this is tooooo much sugar I feel myself slipping into a coma" Anthony

"Are you sure I get the whole thing?" M

"I can't seem to fit my whole hand in my mouth" M

Mikey

Jakob attacking the candle.


Jake enjoying

Jakey

"I'm DONE, get my out of here!" Jakey

Jaileigh eyeing her cake

YUM!

Jaileigh is "taking the cake"

Clean Up Time

Birthday Party Part I

This has taken me so long to post and it isn't because I haven't been trying. Something is wrong with something. I can only upload 2 or 3 pictures at a time. SO, I am doing 2 posts because we have a ton of pictures. This post is the people we love and owe our first year to! Mind you this is only the people we were able to capture in photo. Those of you that we didn't catch we know who you are and thank you too!


Night NICU Nurses. Toni/Anthony, Jessica/Michael, Karen/Jaileigh, and Melissa/Jakob
Have I mentioned that the nurses would come over and help me for MONTHS after the babies were home. They were and ARE amazing!


Jessica and Anthony- too cute

Tasha and Jaileigh communicating. Tasha was another primary NICU night nurse.

Dana and her mom Dorothy. Dana, Dana, Dana, she has done too much to list. We owe her a bunch! Her mom pretty much kept everyone in stitches at the party. Look at that sassy look she is giving the camera.


Grandma and Mikey - only picture I could find of grandma. She must have been dodging the photographer. : )

Anthony and Anthony. Anthony W. was one of my students when I still taught. He came to meet his namesake.

Nurse Karen and Michael

JEsSiCA and MiChAeL- Another of our Primary NICU nurses. We LOVE Jess! She was Jakob's primary nurse the day he was born. She still comes out to visit and play with us.

Nurse Toni and Michael- I talked Toni into becoming one of our primary nurses and I am soooo glad that I did. There have been many times that I have texted her since the babies have been home with silly questions. She also was the nurse that found Mikey's PDA. He was symptom free and she heard the murmur when she was during her accessment.

My wonderful fellow quad mom, Michelle. She has been so AWESOME! She has held my hand through the whole even, pregnancy, birth, and 1st year. Couldn't have survived without her! She flew out at least 6 times to help me on weekends and when Mike was away with work. She is such a super friend. We love her!!!! I can't say enough about her.

Megha holding Anthony and Karen on the far right. These two have been at my house constantly. If I am in a bind I can text one of them and they come running. Mike and I will be forever indebted to them! We have promised them our next firstborn children. HAHA.

The girls are former students that came out to meet the babies and to help set up the party. Thank you!

Megha and her "baby"

Our roomies from the NICU- The Fiore Trips- Aiden, Audrina, and Andrew. We met the Fiore Family in the NICU and we have stayed friends. They will soon be celebrating their 1st birthday Sept 17!

Amber and Audrina, one of the triplets. Look at all her hair!

Big Mike/Daddy and little Jaileigh-bug

Nurse Tabitha holding Michael and Jakey, Nurse Lindy with Anthony and Jaileigh

Momma Fiore and her baby trips with the help of the Dunkley sisters

Kari, Cathye, and Jade. Kari and Cathye are 2 of our wonderful helpers. We wouldn't have survived the 1st year without them! Jade is Cathye's granddaughter. Cathye is the Quad Squad Lady that scheduled all the volunteers for us. She is amazing!

By the end of the afternoon the babies were beat! They lost their clothes after the cake eating. Karen ran home and got them another outfit but we didn't get any pictures after that.

Anthony and his NICU nurse, Lindy. Lindy saved this little boys life and we will be forever grateful to her. We were so blessed to have her as Anthony's primary nurse. He was so sick. She still has the touch with him.

Jaileigh and Wendy, a friend from Crestline. She traveled A LONG way to visit! Thank you!

Michael fighting the zzzzzzzzzzz's

Jakob with Nurse Tabitha. Her boyfriend is really Mikey (sssshhhhh don't tell her hubby)

After the party we thought the babies would come home and sleep. Boy were we wrong. They were so overstimulated that they couldn't settle down. Here is their 2nd birthday outfit in honor of the Cubs being in 1st place in their division (for a minute: ) )

The presents that they babies got, even though we said NO presents. These kids are pretty spoiled! The LOVED opening them. Thank you to all!