All About Blade {15 Months}

Our “Sweet Number 5” is fifteen months old now and growing like a weed! His personality is shining more and more as he grows and he’s a little fireball that keeps us on our toes at ALL times! He currently has 8 teeth (just cut a molar – ouch!), wears a size 3 shoe, size 18month clothing and is still rocking his blonde hair. Love this cheesy grin while sportin’ his nerdy glasses while waiting for the quads to get out of pre-k…

As time goes on he gets closer and closer to his siblings. Brody, Baxlyn, Kylee & Korbin all do really well at playing with him and including him in their activities. Sometimes that means Blade ends up in a tutu and a princess hat drinking pretend tea from a Minnie Mouse cup, but for now, he’s totally fine with that!

 

There is a gate blocking off the quads’ rooms from the rest of the house to keep little mister from getting a hold of all those little choking hazards. Bouncy balls, plastic rings, little trinkets… if it will fit in his mouth he will gladly give it at taste. I swear Blade was built with radar able to detect when the gate or ANY door is left opened. In a house of four year olds (with major selective hearing) doors are left open all.the.time. Baxlyn has always been a huge helper with Blade, especially in this area. She’s always been the one who was able to gently lift and slide him out and away from whatever he was getting into. These days, I’ve caught her several times attempting to beat Blade to a door or other “nono” only to see her be taken down by him in a matter of seconds. She still outweighs him by a few pounds but the dude is strong and can put up a fight for sure!

His favorite thing to get into, I think I mentioned it before, the TOILET. Just the other week he had been missing all of about 41 seconds so I went looking for him. The guest bathroom door was shut, as it should be, so I passed by it knowing he wasn’t in there. I checked the boys room, no Blade. Checked the girls room, no Blade.  Playroom, nope. Kitchen, not there either. A little confused I went back to the closed bathroom door and opened it to find this…

 The quads’ had plenty of bathroom invasions when they were this age (their first act of teamwork seen here) but somehow between the four of them, they always avoided the toilet.. perhaps that’s because there wasn’t a herd of four year olds around to leave the doors open and toilet lids up! Blade is making up for all of that, completely! Here he is, again, caught red-handed…

 Our big man still takes 2 naps a day and sleeps 12+ hours each night. Like the quads were as babies/toddlers he is on a pretty strict, predictable schedule. One thing has always been sure for my kids is that they NEED their sleep. When it’s time to sleep it is time to sleep and he must have his bed, pronto! When it’s time for nap, Blade gladly takes one of his 24 little blankets and heads to his room. We’ve always laid him down awake which has TRULY paid off. We love being able to kiss him goodnight and have him go down (most nights) with a smile as he puts himself to sleep. He still eats just about anything and has a great appetite, too. I  have always been a MAJORLY picky eater myself so it’s crazy to see my kids chow down on things that I wouldn’t even dream of eating. When we order pizza, its the kids who eat the supreme while Mama enjoys the traditional cheese or pepperoni! That being said I’m glad they eat a healthy variety and a lot of it, even if it means our grocery bill is hard to look at.

 

 

 

Blade doesn’t have much of a vocabulary yet, which I’m totally fine with – no rush, buddy! His first word and favorite word to say is “Uh-Oh” but he pronounces it “Ahhh-oooo" and he says it over and over really fast. He will walk around the house “Ah-ooo-Ah-ooo-Ah-ooo-Ah-oo” SO FRIGGIN CUTE! While sometimes he says it just to talk he uses the phrase appropriately when he drops his food, purposefully of course,  onto the floor at dinner time. The only other thing he says (that has meaning) is “Da'”. He LOVES his Daddy… almost too much lol. I love watching Bret come home from work and then watching Blade as he unexpectedly lays eyes on him. He starts with a huge smile and a fast waddle towards Bret, says “Da! Da! Daaa!” and then proceeds to BAWL as if he’s been reunited with the love of his life after being apart for years. Quite the emotional thing, I tell ya, and repeats itself every single day. We signed quite a bit when the quads' were babies. Although I haven’t been as adamant with the signing with Blade, I have introduced a few to him. The one he has picked up on and uses on a regular basis is “more”. Obviously a good one for use at meal times ;) Below is a picture I snapped at Target last week. He saw a tall, bald man from a distance and just KNEW it was Bret. Poor buddy yelled “Da… Daaa!” over and over only to have the man completely ignore him and leave the store. If only we could know what he was thinking at that moment!

Slowly but surely Blade is starting to take after his siblings. He’s starting to help pick up toys and put things “in” when asked. Sure, he dumps everything out after completing the task, but he’s learning :) He has also started throwing away his diapers. He loves to pick up the old diap, march to the laundry room and put it in the trash can. That being said, we’ve found many other non-trash items in the trash can as well but that’s ok! Blade also recently learned to use the stick vacuum that the quads use on a daily basis (speaking of it, thanks Hoover, for sending me the ‘thank you’ package I received in the mail last week!). He’s not the most efficient but you’ve gotta’ start somewhere! At almost five years old, the quads are just starting to realize that vacuuming is work. While they usually don’t mind, I am starting to get the occasional eye roll when I ask one to vacuum and rarely do they fight like they used to on who “gets” to vacuum. Those sweet days of thinking chores are privileges  are coming to an end. Luckily Mr. Blade is following right behind them and can live it up when asked to vacuum ;)

My sweet boy and I got our very own date just the other day to visit Dr. Reyes for his 15 month check up. Here he is enjoying the van ALL to himself as he waves to me from the back seat. Hellloooooo back there, Bubby!

 Rockin’ back and forth on the little horsey in the waiting room. The germaphobe in me cringes to think about how many (some sick) kids touch that thing each day. I’m realllly hoping it’s wiped down multiple times a day...eww.

 I love this one of him standing on the big boy scale for the first time so proud of himself…

 In the short amount of time we waited for Dr. Reyes to come, Blade managed to make it look like a tornado had hit the place. He nearly emptied his diaper bag, climbed up & down off of the exam table a few dozen times and shredded the white paper that was tightly stretched over the table.

He showed off his baseball skills as he played a little ball with Dr. Reyes before starting his check up – so sweet :)

Blade’s 15 month stats:

Weight: 27lbs (80%tile)

Height: 32 1/2in (86%tile)

Head Circ: 18 1/2 (45%tile)

Overall a very happy, very healthy baby growing right on track and hitting his milestones within average time frames! We are so thankful to be blessed with such an incredible little dude <3

 

Pre-School Progress!

Brody, Baxlyn, Kylee & Korbin just started their second semester of preschool. They just KNEW they would be in kindergarten after the Christmas break and were pretty bummed to learn that they were STILL in pre-k! They only go for 3 hours Mon-Fri and, although they enjoy it, they feel like it’s such a loooonnnng time before I return to pick them up. I’m anxious to see how they handle next year when they attend all-day kindergarten at the same school. Dude, they were just born and I’m already blogging about Kindergarten?!

Kylee & Mr. Brody are in the PPCD program while Baxlyn & Korbin are considered general education but they are all in the same, small class with the same teachers. At the beginning of the year I was a little worried about the special bond Korbin and Baxlyn have and how it would play out in the classroom. While they are definitely two independent individuals, I know they think the world of each other and rarely does any other kid compare to their BFF’s awesomeness. To my surprise, their teachers tell me they do great, split up willingly and that sometimes you wouldn’t even know they were siblings. All four have done good academically and are making progress at their own rates. Because of Brody & Kylee being in the PPCD program, we meet often with their teachers and other staff to discuss their progress and any struggles they may be having. They both have individualized plans that are designed specifically for their needs and their teachers do a great job at working with each of them closely on certain things. Brody & Kylee are also receiving physical and occupational therapy through school as well. Although therapy is VERY different in the public school system than it was with ECI, I am thankful they’re getting some extra attention when they can. We’re currently working with a company to start receiving in-home therapy again which I feel is MUCH needed. As a mom who has been thrown into the medical world and learned a little here and there over the past four….umm…FIVE years, I know without a doubt we need the professionals!

My sweet Brody enjoys school as well as his teachers. Each morning while waiting in the carpool line he asks what day it is. It’s important to him to know if it’s a “gym day” a “computer day” or a “playground day” and he likes to know BEFORE he walks into the school what the agenda is. He is smitten with a precious little girl in his class and talks about her constantly. He’s always the last one out the door when I pick them up, insists on hugging his teachers goodbye, waving through the window at all of his friends and loves it when he get’s a chance to say hello to his little friend-girl’s mommy :] During the 20 feet walk from the school door to our car he has already told me what he did that day, what color his teacher’s shirt was and asked multiple times if I want to take him to Shogun for lunch. Brody is still my BIG TIME NON-STOP TALKER but is sweet through and through. Here’s how he currently writes his name – HUGE HUGE HUGE progress over the last couple of months…

He is for sure my least artistic of the bunch. He would MUCH rather be playing outside, picking up sticks, building a fire or riding four wheelers than sitting to color, draw, play games or watch TV. This is a picture he brought home from school that he drew of Bret’s work…

   

I *think* this is his person…

I try to do little learning activities at home with them. Although 99% of the time I feel like a failure in this area, I give myself the credit that I do try. Here’s a little craft thing we did last week. After coloring the “N” we sat and wrote out words that started with “N”. He did the best of the four at thinking of “N” words!

Kylee Mae. She too likes school and is impressing me everyday with what she is learning. She always arrives with a huge smile on her face as she JUMPS (even though she’s told not to) out of the car into the arms of the teacher(s) helping unload them in the carpool line and is the loudest to yell “MOOMMMMYYYYY!!!” when she sees me return to get them. Her teachers tell me that each morning one kid get’s to help with roll call. They say that Kylee can recognize almost everyone’s name and call them without assistance! It’s hard to see, but here’s her name that she wrote…

 

Kylee’s person…

Her at-home “J” project.

Practicing her “Z”.

Their teachers always take time to write a little note about each of them almost everyday. They always say that Kylee tries and tries, weather it’s writing or climbing steps she never gives up! Makes me so proud <3

Ahh…. Korbin Korbin. This guy has been quite the handful lately. He’s four, going on ten. He enjoys school but thinks that because he is smart he doesn’t NEED to go each and every day. It’s always a struggle to get he and Brody out of bed but when he does he’s good to go. He enjoys rockin’ out to the Beatles on the way to school each day and always requests Hey Jude or Yellow Submarine. My kind of kid ;)

Korbin’s person. I’m not sure if it is his name he is trying to write above it but he seems to always write the same “letters” when he does write. No matter what he is sure to write something on his pictures!

Another drawing by Mr. Korbin. Notice the sunshine, the tree on the left as well as the grass :)

Then we have Miss Baxlyn. I really enjoy watching her thrive in the classroom and am excited to see what she does, academically speaking, in the coming years. She is always the first one to pop right out of bed to get ready for school. She still LOVES to draw and color and her imagination is far bigger than her 35lb dainty body. Each day her little binder/folder has multiple pieces of artwork she created that day. She also talks a lot about a certain little girl at school she has befriended. I look forward to meeting some of these friends and learning what kind of personalities each of the quads are drawn to in other people! She writes her first and last name on a daily basis without having to look at it, does great at counting and loves to tell me everything she’s learning at school.

 Baxlyn’s person…

She brought this home the other day. Apparently she has mastered her own name and is moving on to learning to write everyone else’s!

Baxlyn’s rocket ship…

Not only in she big on coloring within the lines, she loves making patterns within her drawings as well. Love my artistic little B!

Oh what I wouldn’t give to be a fly on the wall and see them in action at school! Having them home their entire little lives I’ve gotten the privilege to witness almost every little thing. I’m sure most of you would agree it’s awesome to sit and watch little kids explore and learn and experience things for the first time. I’ll say I am super proud of myself for being able to let go as easily as I have as they’ve started to open their little wings and be cared for and led by other people. I can honestly say I am excited for them and despite the fact that they’re growing WAY TOO FAST, I’m looking forward to seeing my little babies off into Kindergarten in the fall.

Sniff Sniff… :]

We’re here, alive and well!

Long time, no post, I know. We’re all doing well and are as busy as ever! We had a great Christmas with family and friends and are gearing up for the quads’ FIFTH BIRTHDAY!! Lots to catch up on so bear with me! For now I’ll leave you with some random pictures of life in our house over the past month or so…

A couple attempts at a group shot. Don’t let the fact that they’re decent fool you, it took 852 pictures to get these. It’s hard enough getting a good picture of the five of them, throw Bret and I in the mix and a *good* family picture is nearly impossible. Perhaps I’ll add that to my {empty} bucket list for 2014…?!

Our sweeeeet Brooke. While playing outside with the quads the other day she somehow got a little boo-boo, blood and all which made it a BIG deal. Around here there’s nothing a band aid won’t fix :)

Korbin & Blade. I’m convinced he’s trying his hardest to grow to be as big as his brothers and sister, that Blade. Love these boys.

Kylee Mae. This girl is one tough, brave cookie. Her cerebral palsy is making itself more known as she grows and it’s really setting in that this is going to be a life long struggle for her. I’ll go further into detail on an upcoming post but you could keep her spirits in your prayers.

 Our first kid-induced hair cut right here. LUCKILY it wasn’t HER hair but her new dolls hair. “It was so long it touched the table” so she chopped it off. I’ll admit she did a pretty dang good job and the doll looks rather stylish!

 

B and her Daddy on Christmas <3

(On a side note, the beard has been cut since this was taken. Halleluiah .)

We went out with my Dad and Lynn to celebrate both Bret and Dad’s birthdays. After an evening of sliding down the huge slide at Trail Dust I tried to capture a picture as we left. Blade, clearly, was over it and the quads were WILD. Again, a good 15 pictures and this was the one that made the blog.

 

Mommy, Blade (with a fever) and Brody. So glad two of the five got my blonde hair :)

Last but not least, Brody & Korbin with the BB gun they got from Santa. Let boyhood begin!