3.08.2013

{Quad Squad} First Family Outing + Harrison's First Playdate!

It's been a long time coming.

Ever since the babies came home from the NICU at two months old, we required everyone that came to the house, especially caregivers, to have current Dtap and flu vaccines, have been healthy for at least seven days prior to arriving, remove their shoes at the door, wear clean clothes and use hand sanitizer by the gallon. Our babies were so teeny tiny and their immune systems were so far from developed, we had to take every precaution to keep them well as long as possible. They'd do enough hard work fighting to learn how to breathe and eat after birth, a simple cold could have landed them back in the NICU.

Fast forward seven months later and our beautiful quad squad is now nine months old and healthier than ever! The husband and I are so proud of ourselves for a job well done and beyond appreciative of everyone, especially our families, who made sure to take care of themselves to help us take care of the babies.

With the arrival of March 1 came the celebrated, much-anticipated end of lockdown! So out to dinner we went! Mom, dad, four babies and the helping hands of Grandma and Grandpa C. First we had to take pictures before we even left the house since the kiddos looked so darn cute, excited even like they knew what was coming!



hey, where did everybody go?

Everyone had their own baby to be in charge of, we went right after a bottle feeding so the quads were full, chose a restaurant just down the street and timed it so we beat the dinner crowd to avoid curious onlookers and too many questions. Fortunately, it went very smoothly and we had pleasant remarks from the wait staff and manager, who know my mom and step-dad from their frequent visits. Two babies (Logan and Harrison) fell asleep halfway through, Trystan sat happily in daddy's lap and Kailey, who was Grandma's charge, got some attention at the end. It scared me a little, because I know not all dinner outings will go this well!










* * * * 

The next day, I felt a bit more courageous so I packed up Harrison and we made the 45-minute drive to visit my BFF, Lisa, and her boy. He's only 16 days older than the quads! (If you wanna know more about Lisa, check out her hilarious guest post on 10 things you need to know about pregnancy here.)


Harrison was a gem and behaved so well. He played nicely with Warren and his toys and they exchanged a few odd glances. I fed him his bottle and spoon feeding then Lisa and I headed off to lunch, babies in tow. And that went well, too! It was a huge vote of confidence for me because, even though I may have four babies, getting out for "regular" activities with them is a new experience for me. Especially with all of them at once. So it was really nice to enjoy that one-on-one time with my little boy. To top it all off, he napped the entire way home. :)




And real quick...to all those sweethearts out there that tell me what a wonderful mom I am and marvel as to how I "do it all"... well, it doesn't always get done. And sometimes it gets done on the recluse of the couch, while four little faces take turn poking their heads in your laptop, grabbing at your toes and screaming in your face while you scramble to meet an editorial deadline for a luxury magazine that could not be further from your current lifestyle. Just wanted to keep it real. ;)


There's nothing wrong with laughing at yourself when you're (sort of) alone.

11 comments:

  1. Great pics of your first family outing,looks like everyone enjoyed themselves:)
    Love the picture of you and Harrison, he has to be the cutest little guy around.
    You may be keeping it real, but you are still getting it done and with Quads that is pretty amazing:)

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    1. As always, thank you for your kind words! :)

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  2. Oh sweet freedom! I love the idea of taking one baby, or maybe two out for a play date. That's a taste of normal we don't get. It looks like Harrison is keeping up with Warren despite starting out so small.

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    1. Yes! He's just as tall but not quite as heavy. I'm very pleased to see how well these babies compare to term babies.

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    2. I agree, it makes me feel so happy when I see the gaps start closing!

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  3. Priceless! Especially the facial expressions of the babies are awesome. In the last one they all say 'come on, we are here waiting for your attention, so please stop writing now at last'.
    To me Harrison resembles his dad very much - cute.
    All the best for you all!

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  4. YAY! So glad you got out of the house with the babies! Harrison is so cute on his playdate!

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  5. H CallahanMarch 13, 2013

    Amber, I commend you on successfully bringing four beautiful babies into the world!!! I am a first time commenter, so, very nervous!

    Reading your post continually frustrate me... don't get me wrong, you are entertaining and a lovely writer! But, I read things like this post and I feel like you have lost touch with reality. I am a military wife and I had my first child at 23 and my twins a 22 months later (you seem to mock 'singleton' moms like we don't go through any difficulties so, luckily, I have twins). My husband was deployed during this time and my mother lived in Oregon (We were stationed in SC). There are MANY moms in this world who tote multiple children around without any help and they do it without any problems (I am one of them). I took a group of 3 year olds out today (the twins had friends over) and we went to the pool. I did all of this without my mother, father, husband, nanny, and entourage... and I don't praise myself for it. This is real life.

    You are very lucky to have a husband who is around whenever you need him and a family who is able to come and take care of you and your children everyday... you are also financially lucky to have the nanny that stayed up with your kids at night... imagine doing that all alone with no help and twins (yes, most moms have many sleepless days and nights)! Most moms do everything without all of the hoopla you have around you.

    I love reading your blog- but, I think you are losing site of the real world... because, you do not live in it.

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    1. Hi H, I do appreciate you taking the time to share your views on the matter. But your last sentence is actually the very reason I have this blog. I do NOT live in the real world. I live in my world...with quadruplets. It takes up every waking second, as I know you completely understand simply because you have children. Parents are parents, no matter how many kiddos we have! We did not have the financial means to take on a nanny. They were miraculously provided to us through a third party which was kept private by request. We regularly did not get sleep—and still have many sleepless nights—due to the babies being sick or fussy or whatever reason babies normally wake in the night. I never intend to mock any mother out there. Pregnancy is downright hard, being a mother is downright hard. Raising children is a feat!

      I think it's incredible how mothers are able to rise to any challenge before them, I couldn't imagine having a husband being deployed. (And also gratefully thank him for his service.) My first foray into motherhood was rightfully different than the average. It was certainly because I had multiples and because they spent a great deal of time in the NICU after birth. Then we were on strict orders to be on lockdown because of their delicate preemie status. It was a reality I *never* ever thought I'd have to experience. Now, we feel like we are finally getting to move into the "normal" stage of parenting. Bringing babies out in public with us is a feat we have yet to master. Before babies, I never realized how much it can involve to take kiddos out. But mothers do it all the time! Now I use those I see out and about, very much like you I'd imagine, as my motivation for learning to accept my new normal.

      We are blessed, not lucky, to have the help from our parents and that my husband has been so involved. And yes, most moms do everything without the hoopla we experience. But with quadruplets comes "hoopla" and that, too, is another facet of life we have to adjust to. Did you see my past post on questions I've been asked with multiples? People are rude, people are judgmental but people don't walk in my shoes. And I don't walk in theirs. I don't pretend to know how the world works, but I do take a great sense of pride and joy in sharing my own small slice of (quad) life.

      In the end, I document our many milestones—however big or small—on this blog for all those who are interested, for family to keep up with us and for friends to share in our experience. If this continues to offend you, then I graciously suggest moving on to another forum.

      Best regards,
      Amber

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  6. I think you should celebrate all milestones. And be thankful for your entourage of help. Never feel guilty for those who love you and can help. H...you should celebrate her too. As a fellow multiple mom. Why judge? It isn't about who did it bigger or better? Its about doing it!
    Quad mom

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