Driver's education

Every day is a learning experience with these guys, and our 4 days on the road for our second trip to Texas were no exception. Some things we learned on our way there and back:

• Poor Isaac has inherited Mommy and Daddy's car-sickness genes. Pass the bucket!
• Lucy could do sticker pages all day and all night. Even in the dark. (No car-sickness genes for her!)
• As long as the DVD player is running, my kids will not sleep. Not a wink.
• The real trick to getting the Fab Four to sleep in the car is to say that it's nap time and then quit talking to them. (They didn't sleep at all in the car the first time we drove to Texas, so I was elated to find a way to get them to take a nap!)

Asleep at last!

• In the car, Dahlia is always the last to succumb to Mr. Sandman. Always.
• Jude is really, really nasty when he wakes up from a car nap. Stay clear!
• The most effective way to settle down a restless Fab Four: Turn on some Beatles. Instant peace.
• Speaking of peace, it's harder to come by now that the kids' arms and legs are getting longer. We're running out of space in this van!
• It is possible to hear the question, "Are we in Texas?" a bajillion times without strangling anybody. It is possible, but just barely.

And, last but not least, we confirmed something we already knew:

• It really stinks to live a 2-day car drive away from our abuelitos!!

My mother's gift ... to us

Dear Mom,

Three years ago you wrote a letter reflecting on what my children (and Ted and I) mean to you. Dad gave me a copy of it just before the babies were dedicated, but I was too preoccupied and sleep-deprived to appreciate the significance of what I was reading, to properly thank you for such a special gift—or to even remember where I put it. But yesterday I found it. And I love it. And I am publishing it here because I want everyone to know how blessed I am to call you my mother!

Love always,

Suzy

What the Fab Four and Their Parents Mean to Me

I remember the moment I knew I was going to be a grandmother

It filled me with pride, joy, and anticipation of something greater than I could fathom

Little did I know that a few days later I'd learn that it would be not a grandchild but the Fab Four that we would be expecting

Our first glimpse of the Fab Four (6 weeks gestation)

I saw the many emotions that were going through your mind and body—concern, fear of the unknown, excitement, and a myriad of other emotions

Times were fun and exciting, planning was furious and sometimes scary, but excitement never ended as we puts lots of love into the simple but beautiful nursery awaiting the arrival of the Fab Four

Nursery ready for four babies!

Then the difficult days came when mama had to lay everything aside and concentrate only on bringing four precious, healthy bundles of joy into the world—whatever the sacrifice

None of us knew the sacrifice, pain, anxiety, and dedication that this process would require from both Suzy and Ted during those difficult months

My mom and me 
(6 weeks before the babies were born
and days before my mom's double mastectomy)

But then the day came when the doctors knew it was time to bring these precious lives into their new world—on the eve of Christ's birthday—how special

Again their mommy gave her all and with great sacrifice and pride delivered four healthy, adorable bundles of joy into our lives

I'll never forget the excitement in the hallway of the hospital when we heard the lullaby four times in a row and knew the babies were here

I can remember the moment the T and R families came together in the recovery room to see Suzy after the delivery and with pride she and Ted told us the names of their precious babies

First picture together (1 week old)

Isaac Nehiel - Isaac meaning laughter in Hebrew and Nehiel, also a Hebrew name, after his grandfather

Lucia Celeste - Lucia meaning light and Celeste meaning heavenly—how appropriate to this precious little girl—Heavenly Light. Celeste also means light blue in Spanish and is the color of the Uruguayan flag (of great importance to Suzy as that is where she lived most of her growing up years)

Jude Wesley - Jude of course comes directly from a Beatles song (no surprise here) and Wesley a beautiful T family name

Dahlia Solis - Dahlia being one of the flowers we always grew in our front yard in Uruguay and Solis the name of the beach where we took regular family vacations when living in Uruguay—what memories

Again a miracle happened—all the babies were in the NICU just barely over two weeks—unheard of for premature babies—especially quads—again all this thanks to God's protection and the sacrifice of mommy and daddy

Homecoming Day (2 weeks old)

Although the cycle never ends—changing, feeding, bathing, napping, playing, and starting all over again, the precious moments have been many

The pride I feel having a beautiful daughter that gave her all for these four precious little ones

The pride I feel having a son-in-law that loves my daughter and cares for their little family with dedication

The first time I held the Fab Four was the beginning of a new life for me—God's blessing and love radiated through them to me with a healing power nothing else could give

The pleasure of holding each one, feeling their soft breathing, feeling their delicate little bodies against mine was breathtaking and healing

Abuelita Joanna holding the Fab Four for the first time
(5 weeks old)

The connection that would come between me and the babies when I would change them, feed them, bathe them, make their bottles, hold them, comfort them, talk to them, or discover a glimpse of their personalities cannot be described—only felt

The glorious feeling I get when I see them progressing into little people, watching them discover their new world, that first smile, that first laugh, that first time I felt like they knew I was someone who loves them unconditionally will only grow as they and I grow together

Are there difficult times? Absolutely

Being far away and not being able to have more moments to cherish with them and their parents

Longing to put my arms around each one of them and around their beautiful parents each day

Learning I can't stop and shop in the baby section of every store

Days when I would like to be there so Suzy and Ted could get some extra sleep or a homemade meal—oh how I would love to give it to them often

But we are all blessed!

The Fab Four just before their due date (6 weeks old)

Four beautiful, healthy babies

Two loving, healthy parents—I am so proud of them both—what exemplary parents they are

A God who cares for each of us even when we are far apart

The privilege of being only a phone call away when we need each other

To God I give each one:

Isaac Nehiel - the joy of my heart

Lucia Celeste - the light of my life

Jude Wesley - my kindred spirit

Dahlia Solis - my precious flower

Suzanna Raquel - also a precious flower in Hebrew (lily or rose) - I am so proud to be your Mother

Theodore Wesley - I am so proud you are the father of the Fab Four and the husband of my lovely daughter

At the babies' dedication (6 months old)

My love for each of you cannot be measured

May God bless and protect all of us as we grow together in the love and knowledge of Christ is my prayer

Your loving Abuelita, Madre, y Suegra

Joanna

Fun with the abuelitos

April got off to a great start with a visit from my parents, who stayed with us for a whole week. As always, I loved, loved, loved having my mom and dad here, and the kids had a great time with their abuelitos! Not only did the Fab Four get a whole lot more personal attention while my parents were here, but they also got to do some really special things like ...

Take their first trip to the zoo! It was colder than we'd hoped (the kids had to wear their winter coats for most of the morning), but a chilly day meant no crowds and lots of opportunities to view the animals up close. We got to see penguins, seals, a polar bear, sharks, a bald eagle, lions, giraffes, rhinos, elephants, cheetahs, a porcupine, and more! The best part? My parents gave us a membership so that we can go back anytime we want. Thanks, abuelitos!

The Fab Four also ...

Got their first tricycles! Rather than put a bunch of candy in the mail at the end of the month, my parents chose to give each kid their very own Radio Flyer as an early Easter present. The chicos weren't quite sure what to do with the trikes, but the adults had a good time helping them to figure it out. I think we're going to have a lot of fun cruising the neighborhood trails once they get the hang of it—my problem is going to be keeping track of all of them! Watch as the Fab Four check out their new rides for the first time:



And, last but not least, the kids got to ...

Eat at Mommy and Daddy's favorite pre-quads restaurant for the first time! The night before my parents left, we all went out to eat with Tío Ner, Tía Harriet, Tía Glenda, and Glenda's brand-new fiancé, the soon-to-be Tío Bill. The kids were fantastic, and a lady at a neighboring table even took the time to tell me that she couldn't believe how well-behaved our four toddlers were. Let me tell you, I was one proud mamá! Here we are enjoying some chips and some Chavo:



Thanks for celebrating your 40th wedding anniversary a little early by coming to see us, abuelitos! We love you and can't wait for your next visit!

Saying goodbye to the abuelitos 
(left to right: Jude, Isaac, Dahlia, and Lucia)

All together now

On Thanksgiving, the Fab Four got to play Grandma T's piano for the first time. It was a momentous occasion, but I guess no one told them that—the carefully staged quartet stayed together only long enough to give us the shortest concert ever:



Does anyone else get the feeling that they were just humoring us?

23 months old ... and fasting

Fasting is not the first word you'd associate with Thanksgiving, but that's exactly what our kids did at their very first Thanksgiving dinner yesterday (you may recall that we had to skip the holiday last year because we were all sick). Given the fact that they've been pretty picky during the past couple of months, I must say that their refusal to eat came as no surprise—at least not to me and Ted (hopefully Grandma T didn't take the rejection too personally).

I know the kids will eat when they're hungry, so I don't get too worried about how much (or how little) they're putting in their mouths these days. But I have to admit that it's still frustrating to spend time making a meal and then see perfectly good food go to waste! Even worse is when one (or more) of them decides to whine and/or throw a fit about what I've put on the table. I'd much rather they just shake their heads and laugh—preferably to the tune of a Beatles song, like this:



Let's hope that they don't turn up their noses at birthday cake next month!

A week of freedom

While we were in Texas, the kids were thrilled to have the run of my parents' completely toddler-proofed house. Mom and Dad really went the extra mile to prepare for our extended visit, installing all sorts of safety locks, putting down rugs on the tile floors to cushion any falls, using booster seats to transform their kitchen table into a feeding table, and hanging blackout curtains in the kids' room. They even put several items of furniture into storage—both to accommodate our four PeaPods in the guest room and to create this veritable toddler heaven of toys, books, and stuffed animals in the dining room:


No longer being confined to their "gated community" meant that the kids had the freedom to explore and experience all sorts of new things—like hiding pacifiers in the recycling bin, tearing up the newspapers that my dad left laying around, and watching their beloved Baby Einstein DVDs at eye level (and within hands' reach, to boot!):


The kids also loved being gateless because it allowed unlimited access to one of their very favorite things: shoes. They all enjoyed finding their own shoes around the house—and putting them on and taking them off, seemingly ad infinitum—but Dahlia was the first to commandeer a "pair" of grownup heels:



Lucy, of course, was quick to follow in her footsteps (with a little plastic bling to complete the look):


For me, the best part about not having gates was that the kids burned off tons of energy running all around the house (and I expended quite a few calories, too, just trying to keep track of everyone!). One afternoon, Jude thoroughly entertained himself (and us) by repeatedly running to the kitchen and "hiding," calling out his own name while he was out of sight, and then running back to the living room to say "boo":



I was worried that the kids would stage a revolt once we got back home and they realized that the gates were back in business, but so far I've heard no complaints. And as long as they're still happy, I'm not changing a thing!

All aboard!

Check out our new ride:


That's right, folks—we are the proud owners of a Step 2 choo choo wagon! Ted's parents actually gave it to us for the kids' birthday, but space issues prevented us from storing it at our house (and, therefore, using it) until now. We feel very fortunate to have it, as it's currently out of production and quite the hot commodity in the world of higher-order multiples. Thanks, Grandma and Grandpa T!

First time in the Choo Choo
(clockwise from top left: Jude, Isaac, Dahlia, Lucy)

We weren't sure what the Fab Four thought of the choo choo when Ted first strapped them in, but they ended up LOVING it! I like it because it's a nice alternative to our mammoth stroller: In the choo choo, everyone can face the same way and see in all directions, two features that will come in handy on walking trails, trips to the zoo, trick-or-treating, and the like.

Of course, I had to get the kids' first choo choo ride on video:

The boy who cried wolf

There once was a boy named Jude. His favorite things to do were to be chased, to hide from Mommy and Daddy, and to giggle his head off when tickled in just the right spot. Oh, and he also loved to WHINE.

Mommy and Daddy didn't like for Jude to whine. They tried all sorts of things to get him to stop. The only approach that seemed to work was Abuelita Joanna's trick of asking Jude, "Are you whining?" Upon hearing this question, Jude would invariably shake his head vigorously and stop whining—at least for a little bit.

One day, Mommy was working in the kitchen when she heard Jude whining. Although she was used to hearing this sound, she still looked up to make sure that he was all right. He was standing in the corner by the gate, against the wall so that he could see her. This was his favorite spot in which to whine at Mommy for being in the kitchen.

Mommy called out to Jude for him to stop whining and went on working. After a little while, she noticed that he was still whining. Although it wasn't even close to nap time, he was sucking on a pacifier and gripping his night-night. Mommy figured that his teeth must hurt, so she gave him a dose of Motrin and went back to the kitchen to work.

A few minutes later, Daddy passed by the gate and noticed that Jude was still whining! "Jude," said Daddy. "Are you whining?" Daddy was ready to whine at Jude so that Jude could hear how ugly it sounded, when Daddy suddenly noticed that something was wrong with Jude's leg. It was stuffed between the wall and the gate, all the way past the knee, and Jude couldn't get it out! No wonder he was whining!

Lucy investigates the scene

Daddy quickly began to disassemble the gate to free Jude's leg, while Mommy ran over to see what was the matter. Jude began to cry, but only because of the commotion; he wasn't hurt.

After Daddy saved him, he reminded Jude about the story of the boy who cried wolf, and he explained how this situation was the perfect illustration of that story: Because Jude whined all the time, Mommy and Daddy looked right at him and didn't even realize that he was in trouble!

Did little Jude learn his lesson? Only time will tell ...

Sad Jude after his release

6 months old ... going on 7!

Yes, this update is late. And yes, it's because the Fab Four are keeping me terribly busy!

Despite my long silence, a lot has happened in the past few weeks. Most importantly, we dedicated the babies on June 28, just days after they turned 6 months old. The occasion was made extra special because all four grandparents, a great-grandma, Tio Johnny and Aunt Holly, and nearly 100 of the quads' closest family and friends were able to join us to celebrate this milestone. It really was a family affair all around: My dad officiated, personalizing the ceremony by extracting meaningful qualities from each baby's name; my brother read Scripture; my dad's brother Ner (a classical guitarist) provided the music while his wife Harriet led the singing; my cousin Glenda took video; and two of my mom's sisters (Priscilla and Esther) catered the reception that followed. The babies must have known that I would need more energy than usual to get through the big day: The night before the dedication, all four of them slept until morning for the first (and, so far, only) time!

Isaac, Lucia, Jude, and Dahlia in their dedication outfits

Speaking of sleeping, the babies have gotten so good at rolling over both ways that all of them are now making a habit of sleeping on their tummies. The girls, in particular, are so skilled in the rolling department that we cannot leave them playing on a blanket anymore without coming back to find them eating carpet across the room. Here's Lucy the first time I found her flipped over in her crib—she was so proud of herself!

The babies have also started eating all kinds of fruits and veggies. Isaac is the best (and least messy) eater; Lucy has been the most difficult to feed (as usual), but she's getting the hang of it. It's so much fun to see the different reactions to new foods. They will often make a face and act like they don't like it—but as soon as they see me smiling and saying, "Yummy!" they decide it's okay after all. Here's Dahlia taking her first taste of sweet potatoes (do you think she likes them?):

Other events of note:

While my parents were here, the quads went to college for the first time! During our church's North American convention, we walked around my alma mater's campus, visited a couple of friends who work there, and got a lot of practice in dealing with curious passersby. The admissions office even announced the Fab Four's visit on its welcome board!

Hopefully the quads will return in 2027 as freshmen!

Later that week, we packed up the quads and took them to visit my Grandpa M's grave. As you may remember, he passed away just a couple of weeks before the babies were born. Although I don't believe there's anything magical or supernatural about a gravesite, I did feel like it was important to take the babies out to the cemetery, even if just for a few minutes. I really wish they'd been able to meet my grandpa and, until they're old enough to understand stories about him, this is as close as we're gonna get.

With Abuelita Joanna, at Grandma and Grandpa M's gravesite

On a final note (pun intended), Michael Jackson died just after the quads hit the 6-month mark. Okay, so he was a tad eccentric, and it's widely held that he led a questionable lifestyle—but hey, his songs are the soundtrack to a large chunk of my childhood! In the past couple of weeks, I've been playing his music for the Fab Four so that perhaps they can become fans, too. I can't think of a better way to sign off on this month's update than with Dahlia's brief tribute to the King of Pop:

(Special thanks to Glenda for her dancing assistance!)

Happy due date!

When I found out I was pregnant, I thought I might have a Valentine's baby. Little did I know then that by February 9 I'd have four nearly 7-week-old "newborns." If I had any energy, I'd write a longer post about what the past few weeks have been like. As it is, though, you'll have to settle for just a small glimpse of the joy these babies have brought to our family since their Christmas Eve arrival:

Abuelita Joanna holding the quads for the first time
(left to right: Lucia, Jude, Dahlia, and Isaac)

What a difference a day makes

To everyone who prayed for my mom and me yesterday, thank you! I know that, without your intercession, I might not have been able to share with you today two pieces of great news:

First of all, my mom's surgery yesterday went perfectly. Not only that, but the sentinel node biopsy indicated that the cancer has not spread—HALLELUJAH! I was able to talk briefly with her this morning, and she sounded pretty good for someone pumped full of morphine. As I understand it, she should be going home later today to begin the healing process. Let's pray for a quick recovery so that she and Dad can fly up here when the babies come!

Secondly, the babies continue to cook ... despite giving us a big scare yesterday morning. It all started after I got another bolus in the middle of the night because I was once again having too many contractions. When Dr. E saw me in the morning, he told me that we were hitting a wall as far as boluses go and, since my contractions were becoming uncontrollable, he'd advised the nurses to get ready for some babies. Not long after he left my room, I began to feel very hot. The nurse turned on the fan and that helped, but I was still very uncomfortable. I started to feel like I was going to faint (which I never do) and no change in position provided relief. When I got up to use the commode, I thought I was going to pass out, so I called the nurse. Then I started having serious pain with my contractions. The doctor came back, they took away my food and drink, and the nurse drew blood to prepare for a possible C-section. I called Ted and told him that he needed to come now. The resident did an ultrasound to make sure the babies were okay (they were), but I was in so much pain that I didn't even open my eyes once to peek at them! The doctor then noted that I was a little dehydrated, so they increased my IV fluids. I think this must have been the problem because shortly thereafter my symptoms subsided and I began to feel more "normal." By the time Ted arrived, things didn't look so urgent, and he ended up sitting in my room all afternoon as I slept (I guess those big contractions really wore me out or something). By evening, my uterus had been quiet for several hours and it was clear that the crisis was over.

This morning I feel completely back to normal, which is good since the doctor just got done telling me that he really thought he was going to have to cut me open yesterday. He also told me that if I can hold out 2 more days (until the 30-week mark), he'll give me a B grade. If I can wait until 32 weeks, I'll get an A+. Those of you who know me well will know that this is exactly the type of motivation I need; I've always been a straight-A student and I certainly don't want to start breaking the pattern now! Plus, we still don't have names for the boys—I guess we'd better get on the stick, huh?

Uncertainty is the only certainty

Disappointingly, I believe that I am already approaching the limits of mag therapy. Why? Well, when I woke up this morning, my nurse informed me that I'd been administered yet another bolus in my sleep because the one I got last night just didn't do the trick. And then during my ultrasound this afternoon, the resident casually asked me what would be my "happy place" (weeks-wise) to deliver these babies, as if she were fishing to see how I would feel about going earlier than originally hoped. I answered that, although I've always wanted the babies to wait until at least the first of December, my mom's surgery and recovery time is pushing that wish back to mid-December now. It will be interesting to see if the doctor drops any more hints about an imminent delivery tomorrow. Regardless of whether the quads come next week or a month from now, I am quite anxious to see what their estimated weights are when they get scanned on Monday!

I am also very anxious about what tomorrow holds: My mother is going into the hospital early in the morning to get prepped for her double mastectomy, which is scheduled for around noon Eastern time. I wish so much that I could be there with her, and I am sick with worry about how her surgery will go (it's supposed to last 3 to 4 hours). Would you join me in praying for her tomorrow and also during the next couple of weeks as she recovers at home? We are hopeful that the mastectomy will get all the cancer and that she won't need further treatment; if all goes well, she should be well enough to travel here within a couple of weeks, if necessary. Whether we get good news or not so good, I am so thankful that she was able to fly out here last weekend to keep me company, help me feel a little pampered, and see in person how HUGE I really am—I absolutely dwarf her!

A roller-coaster week

My first week of bedrest ended on a high note, with a baby shower thrown by my mother-in-law's friends (don't worry, I had permission from my doctor to attend). I had met most of them only once or twice (several years ago, when I was but a blushing bride), and some I had never met before. The ladies immediately put me at ease, however, with their excitement about the quads, myriad questions about how things are going, and offers to help out when the babies arrive. Ted and I were so surprised by their generosity; it's clear that they must love his mother dearly and we are so thankful that they extended that love to us. The hostesses did a fantastic job and, as you can see, I got another cute cake out of the deal!

Unfortunately, the days following this final baby shower haven't been quite as much fun. At my doctor visit on Tuesday, they found a small amount of protein in my urine. Since this could indicate the onset of preeclampsia (click on the link if you aren't familiar with the condition), the doctor decided to run some additional tests (results should be available tomorrow afternoon). On top of this, I've had contraction monitoring sessions registering five, six, seven, and even eight contractions in the past few days. For this reason, my doctor has put me on Procardia, which is usually used to treat high blood pressure but is also effective at relaxing the uterus. I am not very happy about being on meds already, but I'd rather take a pill than be in the hospital or lose my babies. Hopefully this Procardia will do the trick, and my uterus will stay nice and calm for a few more weeks.

I should be used to the highs and lows by now, but I admit that it's been hard for both Ted and me to balance excitement about the quads and the realities of a high-risk pregnancy. Fortunately, we are a team and we are growing stronger every day. I haven't enjoyed losing my independence (even if I weren't on bedrest, I have no energy and I just plain can't move like I used to), but it's definitely given me a chance to appreciate how much Ted loves me and the babies. I couldn't do this without his help, and I try to let him know every day that I don't take his willing sacrifices of time and energy for granted. I am so blessed to have his support, both physically and emotionally. He is going to be a great dad!