Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Long Over Due!!

We have had a wonderful month!! I am so sorry it has been sooo long for an update!! We had a couple of nice days last week so we went outside!! YAY!! It was so nice to get the babies out of the house!! Here we are enjoying the outdoors.

Reese waving
Gavin riding his fire truck

Gavin enjoying the outdoors


Here is our out door play area. I have to say the day before I tried to let them do their own thing in the front yard. They were everywhere. It was like fireworks. Maggie went to eat the neighbors rocks, Lauren went to eat the other neighbors mulch, Gavin headed for the street and Reese went to ride her car. I talked with a neighbor and the next day, they played in the "jail".


Lauren and Maggie
"let us out"

Lauren driving her car


Lauren in the neighbors yard


Maggie


Gavin

Reese
I have great news Gavin is WALKING!!!! Reese is getting very close!
Have a great rest of your week!


Wednesday, February 25, 2009

1st Birthday!!!

We had the best day on Saturday! We celebrated the quads birthday with our families and it was so special!! We can not believe how time flys ( I know everyone says that but it is sooo true!!) I was Dr. Marshall's today for their one year check ups (I only take two at a time otherwise it is just to much for me to be able to really focus on each baby) and we were talking about how blessed we are! I look at these babies and can not believe how well things have turned out. We give God the glory every single day!!!! The only thing Dr. Marshall mentioned was Lauren's weight. She wants her to gain a pound this month. I know that does not sound like much, but the month before she only gained an ounce. Other than that, they look great!!!

Current Stats:

Gavin: 19 lbs 7 oz. 29 1/2 inches

Reese: 18 lbs. 7oz. 29 1/2 inches
( I don't think this is right because she is def. not the same as Gav and Maggie)
Maggie: 19 lbs 6 oz. 29 1/4 inches

Lauren: 14 lbs 27 inches.

We have a ton of birthday pics. We had to capture every moment!!!! The theme was "Our sweathearts are turning one" I can't say that Jon loved it but they are only one and do not know the difference.



Lauren
Maggie
Reese
Aunt Risa and Gavin

I love this picture!

Maggie and I


Look at all of our presents. I think we are a little spoiled!!

Maggie looking for her gifts!! What a cute little bottom!!
Lauren showing off her new Emu's from Aunt Risa. She is very loved!!!





Lauren is saying "get back this is mine"

The Cake
Thanks Russ Ann!!!
Everyone had their own cake with their initial!!
Our entire fam!! Sorry the picture is a little blured.
Gavin eating his cake
He loved it!!!
Lauren mostly checked hers out.
She is the one I was hoping that would eat it!! :)Lets pack on the pounds!!

Maggie looking at every piece very carefully!


Reese enjoying it just like her mommy!!
Grandpa Michaels feeding Maggie

We are looking forward to this year and being so much more active!!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY Gavin, Reese, Maggie & Lauren!!!

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Lauren

Lauren is doing great!!! She just started crawling about a week ago and she is everywhere!!! I love it because now she can follow her siblings everywhere and she does!!! It is so sweet to see this little 13. 8 lbs crawling so fast. She def. has her own personality. She lets people know what she wants!
February
(1 day old)
March


April


May



June



July


August
(Lauren is on the far right)
Align CenterSeptember



October


November
(we love this sweatsuit :) )
December


January
February


Thank you God for Lauren!!!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Maggie

I am so sorry it has taken forever to do Maggie!!! I coach cheerleading and it has been a very busy time, Competition season!!!
Maggie is doing great!! She is getting closer everyday to walking. She just got over a cold and so kindly gave it to Reese. I can't complain because we have had a very healthy winter.
We also had a wonderful visitor today. Our infertility doctor came to visit us along with a few of our favorite nurses!!! It was so great to see them. You would have thought the president was coming the way I was cleaning and getting everything ready. Dr. Jarrett means the world to us because without him we would not have our sweet babies!!!
February
( one day old)
March
(Maggie is on the left)
They put the girls together after a week of being in the NICU. They loved being together!



April


May



June
Maggie is on the right.
After looking back I took more group pics of Maggie instead of individuals on a few of the months.
July
Maggie is on the right


August


September


October

(2nd from left)


November
(Maggie on the right)

December


January

Thank you God for Maggie!!

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Reese

Her is Reese!! She is so funny. Her new thing is to laugh out loud. She loves to make herself laugh. She puts a smile on my face several times a day!!


Feburary

2 Days Old!!


One week old


March




April




May



June

I did not have an individaul pic of her. She is on the far right.


August

September
October


November


December






January



Thank you God for Reese!!

Gavin


Today I thought I would highlight a baby every couple of days since they are almost 1!!! I can't believe how much they have changed and grown into such healthy little babies. We give the glory to God every day!!! I started with Gavin since he is the oldest!!


February


March




April

Gavin came home!!!


May




June

Notice we were on monitors- We were so excited the day those left our house!!!

July


August



October


November

December
He is in a very random outfit.


January

Holding his bottle with one hand! What a stud!


Trying on his new hat from Grandma Michaels.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

11 Months!!!

I can't believe the quads are almost a year!! Where does the time go? It seems like just yesterday I was laying at Carle Clinic watching every minute of the Australian open. What a difference a year makes!!!! We are truly blessed with how well our babies have done over the past year.

Here is what we have been up to the past week!!! First we all watched as President Obama was sworn into office.




Second, Maggie was so tired she fell asleep sitting up. She is sooo flexible!


Around bedtime it can get a little crazy around here, so to make everyone happy Jon and I strap one baby on and then each hold another. Everyone is happy!!

Jon with Lauren
Reese and I

Everyone playing this morning in the kitchen.


Maggie pushing Lauren around the family room. She is such a good sister!!!
We started taking baths together. All I have to say is this is an experience. Gavin acts like he is swimming in a pool by himself. He is swimming, splashing, and drinking every bit of water he can. He is doing all of this as if he has the place to himself. Gav is so funny, he just has a blast!! They all love the water, the girls are just a little more dainty and calm.
Gavin started on the other end of the tub right before this pic was taken :)


Reese and Maggie


For a second we had all four in the tub. Gavin is just leaving:)
Gavin is getting his two upper teeth. This is his new favorite toy!!
Have a wonderful weekend and please remember to keep Kayleigh in your prayers!!! They are deciding whether or not to use a trach.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

We have had a very busy week!! Monday we went to Urbana to see Dr. Lowery to follow up on their eyes. The babies did great! We left the house around 1:00 so they could sleep in the car during their second nap time. The eye appointment took around an 1 1/2 because they had to dilate their eyes 20 mins. before seeing Dr. Lowery. The first set of drops went great, but they knew what to expect the 2nd time and needless to say they were not as happy. They did great, though!! It was just hard because there was no where for them to go. I was not about to let them start crawling around on the ground, YIKES!! Jon and I took turns holding them and trying to keep their attention. Reese and Lauren do not have to come back!! Their eyes are doing great! I was nervous for Lauren since she was on the vent for so long that there could be eye trouble. (A severe side effect can be blindness) Thank you God!!! We are truly blessed everyday!! Gavin and Maggie both are a little far sided. Dr. Lowery believes they will outgrow this, he will see them back in a year.

We went back to Urbana on Thursday to see Dr. Morton to follow up on their development. This appointment was in the morning. There was no way our babies were going to be able to sit in their car seats for another two hrs. So this time I disinfected the room completely and laid down a huge blanket. It worked out so well. I am sure the nurses probably thought I was crazy for setting up camp, but our babies were much happier. I have to say Jon is the best dad!! Not many dad's could keep three hungry and tired babies busy while I was with Dr. Morton during each babies checkup. Everyone at Dr. Morton's office was so impressed with how well the babies are doing. The Pt thought they would just be starting to sit. Reese and Maggie checked out with flying colors. Dr. Morton would like to see Gavin gain a little weight to keep up with his height. He would like for Lauren to see a nutritionist. She also has a little low tone in her trunk that he thinks she will out grow. I am still doing extra exercises with her to increase her strength!! Please pray that area will get stronger!!!!

I have also added another link to blogs we follow. It is Kayleigh's story, she was born at 1lb 1oz. and is 6mos. old and still in the nicu. Please keep her in your prayers at night!!!!! She seems to be quite the little fighter.

Here are a couple of photos from today:)


Gavin riding his bear. He is a tough one to catch smiling!!
Now Reese will always smile for a picture!

Gavin just took Maggie's pacifier


Lauren, she is so sweet. She is trying soooo hard to crawl. She gets so frustrated because her siblings are everywhere and she wants to keep up! It breaks my heart!!!


Maggie got her first bruise today. She was looking out the front window and fell. It is hard to see here, but it is on her left cheek.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Pray for the King Family

I have just come across this wonderful family. They just had 25 week old quads a couple of days ago. PLEASE pray for the King family and their sweet babies. They are just getting ready to start a hard journey in the NICU.

You can send them thoughts and prayers on their blog at

http://treverjennaeva.blogspot.com

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

The Michaels family had a wonderful Christmas!!! We spent Christmas eve with Grandpa and Grandma Michaels, Aunt Kassie and Great Aunt Ginny. The babies did great!!!
The girls sitting at Grandpa and Grandma Michaels house with their new stocking caps. Thanks Miss Wilson!! We love them!!


Gavin crawled into Grandma Michaels' basket with the Apple to Apples game!


Here is the entire gang at Christmas with the Michaels, minus Aunt Kassie.
Christmas Day we took off during their morning nap and went to Grandma and Grandpa Samuels house. We stayed for several days!! I have to say the quads adjust so well to staying at new places, especially since they never do it.



Reese climbing on her gift from Aunt Kassie and Uncle Clint. Gavin is on his way!!!




My sisters and I in our Christmas pajamas. Yes, our mom still gets us matching pajamas.




The babies in their Christmas pajamas. Thanks Aunt Risa!!



It was so nice on Saturday we took the babies outside to see the geese. I think we might have scared the geese away.



Jon and Gavin walking around my parents backyard. Notice the geese are gone :(



Aunt Risa reading a bed time story. They love listening to books. Notice Gavin is out of sight. He usually takes off during book time


Reese and Maggie looking out the front window.

Lauren looking at herself in the mirror. She loves this game!!

We went to the Dr. on Wed. for their RSV shots. Our current weights are:

Gavin: 18 lbs 3 oz

Maggie: 17lbs 12 oz

Reese: 17 lbs 10 oz

Lauren: 13 lbs 4oz

They are growing very well!! We are so blessed.

Happy New Year!!!!

Friday, December 19, 2008

10 Months Old!!

Where has time gone??? We have had a busy last couple of weeks!! Reese and Gavin are crawling everywhere!!! They are new best buds, it's so cute. Maggie is starting to chase after them, but also enjoys hanging back with Lauren. They have been exploring new parts of the house and love looking out the window!! There's been a few times when they've tried crawling through the windows:) We also added another feeding to the day!!! We are at four bottles and two meals. They're all doing so well and seem to love all foods, I know that will change!

M,R and L playing by the back door

L and R by the window. Lauren has really started talking up a storm. She and Reese have the best conversations!!

Gerber was so generous to give us 50 coupons for free 12 2-packs of baby food. I was having trouble getting it all myself so a few friends helped me out. Here are the boxes of baby food sitting in our kitchen. Reese is so excited!! THANKS Janan, Karin and Brenda!!!!


Gavin loves crawling to the front window and licking it. He might be the next Ralphie :)

Reese and Maggie

Gav and Reese looking out the front door. Jon ran out and took this pic.


M,R and L trying to get the bag of wipes!

We have gone from two stocking's to six!!! We LOVE it!!!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We spent it at grandma and grandpa Samuels' house. That is the quads first road trip. They did awesome!!! They adjusted like pro's!!! It was so nice to get away and for the babies to see something else besides our house!!! RSV season can get us a little couped up.


Lauren and Gavin doing a little reading before the big road trip!!

We are loaded up andready to go! We left on Wednesday and Jon came on Thursday so that he could clean the carpets. It was LONG overdue with four babies.

I love the angle of this picture taken at grandma's house. Jon and Lauren are watching Gavin.

Grandma and Grandpa Samuels

Happy Thanksgiving!!
(Reese, Gavin, Maggie, and Lauren) The girls watching Baby Einstein before bed!
They are so cute!!
Today we received the best early Christmas present. Our dear friends Mr.and Mrs. Hurliman made this shelving unit for us!! It is so nice to be able to organize everything and get if off the floor, since everyone is becoming very mobile!!!!
THANK YOU MR. HURLIMAN!!!!



Friday, November 21, 2008

What a 48 Hours!!

Things have been happening around here!!! We are so excited because the quads have reached some huge milestones!!!!

1. LAUREN IS ROLLING OVER!!! She can roll over her right and left sides. She can also get her legs up from underneath her to begin crawling!! Yay!!

2. Gavin started crawling, actually army crawling. Reese smiled at him so he decided to go toward her to grab her face, but much to his surprise she got him! He turned right around. It was so funny!!

3. Maggie and Gavin have become great eaters. They started off pushing their tongues out but now can't wait to eat!

4. Reese is talking up a storm. She has such an outgoing personality!!!

This video shows everyone in action!!!

video

Have a great weekend!! Jon and I are going on another date night!! Aunt Kassie and Uncle Clint are going to babysit!!!

Sunday, November 16, 2008

We have a had a great week!! Aunt Kassie has been begging for an update so here it is! Our days fly by.
Here is a typically day at the Michaels:
6:00-6:30 Wake up
6:30 Morning bottle
8:00 Breakfast (oatmeal and a vegtable)
8:40 Baby Einstein
9:00 Morning nap
10:30 -11:00 Wake up
11:30 Bottle
12:00 - 1:00 Play
1:00 - Afternoon nap
3:30 - Bottle
4:00-5:30 Play
5:30 Bathtime, Books and Bottle
6:30 - All are in bed :)

We are so blessed. Jon and I have great sleepers!!! Love it!

Lauren started wheezing last week so we took her to Dr. Marshall. Everything looked great (of course I was totally thinking RSV) she just put her on a nebulizer, as needed. We started at four times a day. Lauren does awesome with it!! She is such a trooper!

I love playing on the floor with my babies!

Grandma Samuels with Maggie and Reese


Gavin is working on sitting up. I thought this pose was so cute!

Aunt Kassie and Jon getting ready for bath time. This is one of our craziest times of day. As you can see they are all over the place.

Grandma giving Lauren a bath. All of the babies LOVE their baths!

video

Here is Gavin trying to sit up. Here you go Aunt Kassie!