Playing Catch-Up!

Hey all. Sorry for making you look at Bill's mug for so long. We've been SO busy lately! Don't worry....we've been keeping track of our adventures on camera and have all sorts of good stuff to post. Hopefully the plethora of pics and video clips will make up for our absence.



Let's see, where did we leave off? Ah, yes....Father's Day (seems like FOREVER ago). Then was the Quad's "Coming Out" party at Mike and Vicki's. The babies got to meet so many people that day, and handled it with a much grace as any 7 month old would. They found nice, comfy shoulders to nap on and then were ready for more. They were having so much fun that they really threw fits when it was time for bed. Thank you to all who came to celebrate our 4 healthy, beautiful babies!

Forrest and Aunt RayRay. Forrest will try to put anything within 10 feet of him into his mouth. Freud would have something to say about that.

He especially likes cold, shiny things

Pius getting his feet wet

Pius with Great Aunt Glo

Crissy Elsen with Danna

Budda and Danna

Danna taking a catnap with one of our wonderful helpers, Janet

Laine snoozing on Monica Roberts

Pius sawing logs with Great Aunt Donna

Most of the reason we have been so busy is because our perfect little schedule has been thrown out the window. We really wish that kids could take bottles until they were eighteen. Who needs to spoon feed anyway? If any of you moms or dads (especially parents of multiples) know a good system of bottles, spoon feeds and naps, please enlighten us because we are going crazy! We wake them up with a bottle, put them down for naps a couple hours later, spoon feed them when they wake from their nap, and this is where it all goes to hell. We still are tinkering, but we have so many things to do that our schedule is always different. HELP US!!! Side note on the feeding... We've been attempting to make our own baby food. I bought frozen peas, carrots and green beans and steamed them. A few seconds in the blender and voila! I put the pureed food in ice cube trays and let them freeze, then pop them out into freezer bags and label them. Right now, the babies are eating about 2 heated cubes with each feed. SO much cheaper and (I think) more healthy. I need to get to the farm and art market for fresh squash, sweet potatoes and other fruits and veggies. I think we may even try a little avocado. Fun, fun.

We have started swimming lessons at the Y just like our friends, the Hanson triplets. The first day (and only day so far), was kind of chaotic. We forgot about the class until 11 o'clock the night before, so we had to wake early and start soliciting for help (there has to be an adult per baby...obviously). We pulled Bucko and Grandpa Rog out of swimming retirement that morning. We showed up about 5 minutes late, but there were so many kids there already so we were already going to be in the second group anyway. It turned out to be a three-quarters of a success. Pius and Forrest loved it the entire time. Danna liked it after she figured out that we weren't going to injure her, and Laine pretty much despised the water from the get-go. Overall, it wasn't too bad, and we think that when we are more prepared it will go better. Plus, Uncle Jim Selenke and good friend/regular helper, Melody Ramsey, volunteered to be regular assistants.

Laine and Papa Rog playing

The drop of drool is Laine's special touch

We bought the choo-choo wagon for the kids for their 7-month birthday...and it is AWWE-SOME. The kids love to go for their nightly walks around the neighborhood and see what everyone is up to. We originally saw this on the Murray Quads blog. This could quite possibly be one of the best purchases we ever make for the kids. Pros: one person can pull, each baby has their own compartment to erase any possible tussles that would occur (i.e. hair tugging, biting, eye-poking, etc.), they each have a cup holder (which will fit a 12 oz. can perfectly...HOLLA). Cons: Kind of bulky to travel with, the extra trailers only come in one color, only the first seat has a storage compartment, doesn't reverse well. All cons we can live with.

Daddy, Banana, Frosty, Lainer and Pi-man on their first train ride

Thank you to all the well wishers on our anniversary. We celebrated 8-years of volatile wedded bliss on June 24th. That's 7 1/2 years longer than anybody thought the two teenage idiots would make it. Look at us now. We said yesterday that the reason our kids are so cranky sometimes is because they are a product of our love for each other. Those of you who know us well understand, I'm sure. Billy's cousins Crissy and Jennea, and Jennea's fiance Jim came over to watch the kids so we could have a night out. We were planning on going to Tokyo's Japanese Steakhouse for dinner, but pulled in and realized it was closed for good. So instead we went a few doors down to have dinner at Lainie's place of work, Emerson Biggins. After eating, we spent the rest of the evening at Uncle Jim and Aunt Renee's house. It was there (after one or two adult beverages) that Jim volunteered to be the swimming assistant. It was a low-key and very enjoyable evening.

Crissy with Pius and Danna

Laine and Jim just kickin' it

Forrest and Jennea

Four kids in 8 years is a pretty good average, I guess!

We were such young pups, back then!

Also that day, we attempted to take our first professional photo shoot. My co-worker, Gary, also dabbles in photography. Actually, he had a very successful career in his homeland of Japan. We were his first attempt at quadruplets...imagine that. Unfortunately, as we stated earlier, our schedule is still in a transition phase, and the babies were not down with all of the shenanigans. We did get a few good pictures, and we will post them when they are available. Good thing that Budda was there to help distract and hold and appease.

Cousin Becky is in town from New Orleans for a visit home. She came over to see the babies on Wednesday and was amazed at how big they've grown. We will never be able to thank her enough for everything that she did for us in Phoenix. Thanks Becky, we love you.

Miss Becky with Forrest, Danna, Laine and Pius (look at those cheeks!)

As for Dance Wars. We have taken some footage of the babies' mad dance skillz, but we still have A LOT of editing to do. We promise the videos soon. For good measure, here are a few more miscellaneous pictures.

Think she'll always see the world through rose-colored lenses?

Daddy and Big Poppa (Bill got slimed)

Angela with a laid-back Danna

Adam trying to imitate Forrest. Forrest says, "You have to be cute to be able to pull this off!"

Forrest Michael....you can KINDA see his dimples

Pius James

Danna Lynn and Laine Ryan

Bucko with a "just waking up" Laine

Love,
B,M,P,F,D, and L

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

P.S. I just wanted to point out that I stayed up until almost 4:00 a.m. JUST to finish this post. I was starting to fear for my life because of our recent abstinence from posting. Now, instead of hating so much, you can come over and watch the quads so I can get some sleep. Sheesh! Don't make me regret all this time and effort!