Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.

Look for us in the Lifestyles Section of St. Louis Post Dispatch on Janurary 3rd, 2009.
I plan to keep up soon with my blog and get you up to speed with our chaos. Especially since the babies are starting to sleep through the night. Enjoy these times they are precious and unreplaceable.
Love Ya,
Jill

What we have been up too - in November.

Man it has been a long time since I've talked....

Well the month is going by quickly - the days faster.

I cannot believe the babies were 4 months on December 8th.

I am trying to recall all of the special moments we have been up too.

Here's the list -

Went out on a date with my husband and friends, managed to tailgate and attend a Rams game, visited the pediatrician unfortunately quite often, physical therapist and plenty of Black Friday Shopping lately. As for the real news ......... the babies are all growing like a weed and catching up with their adjusted age for weight. They started the RSV shots each month and seemed to tolerate them alright. The have awakened and are starting to smile, coo and laugh out loud. I am happy to let you all know we are starting to get some sleep....


Some Firsts ............
Kurt is leading the way ...
he laughed out loud and smiled a lot in November especially the 23rd.
he rolled over on the 25th and gets his head up high on the 16th.
mom's nick name for him is smiley - he is content and just smiles and coos constantly
right now he only cries when he is hungry or stinks his pants.

Cole is the strongest baby, physically. Very masculine! He has changed the most in looks and behavior. He used to be very cranky, now he is content and below laughs with a large grin across his whole face. Cole does let you know when he wants you though.
He laughed also with Kurt on the 23rd. Actually they laughed out loud at each other together.
So far gets his head up but would rather be on his back.

Molly is also a very smiley girl but loves to be held. She sucks her thumb and twirls her hair/ear like her aunt carol. We are trying desperately to stop the thumb sucking, but she is winning. As for laughing not sure if she has belly laughed yet but she did smile on her Dad's birthday Dec. 1st, plus she likes to get her head up and look around too.

Meghan has plumped up and looks adorable. She is the crankiest of the group, but is battling a bad reflux. So far she hates to be on her stomach while awake, but loves to sleep that way. She especially lets you know she wants you to pay attention to her and flip her to her stomach at 4:38 or 4:39 a.m. each morning. She Coos like none other and is precious when she gets her smiles out, they too explode across her face like Cole. She is very strong, physically also and is my biggest baby. Her Firsts November 24th smiled and cooed. lifted head on the 18th of November.

They Currently weigh ..............
Kurt 13lbs.
Cole 13Lbs. 5oz.
Molly 11Lbs. 2oz.
Meghan 13Lbs. 8oz.

Plan to update with pics tomorrow
Jill

Happy 1st Halloween !!!

My 1st family photo

JILL
MOLLY, KURT, COLE, & MEGHAN

JASON & KYLE

KYLE

We Finally got out and enjoyed a little car ride to my Aunt Sandy's house for our traditional trick or treating event. It was great!! Jason & Kyle loved the trick or treating. We enjoyed the fun, made chili and hot dogs, got lots of candy and relaxed with the luxuries of being out of our house !!!! The best part was knowing the babies had the same support and protected environment to do well at without taking chances of getting them sick. It was good for Chris and I to be able to be social, but a big thank you goes out to Dr. Rudolph for allowing this to happen. It's nice when these occasions can happen since they are so young and vulnerable right now to the RSV virus season approaching.

Hope you enjoy the pictures as much as we do.............

Baptism - 10/26/2008

Sandy & Dennis - Meghan's Godparents


Jeff & Shellee - Cole's Godparents



Ann & Scott - Kurt's Godparents

Katie & Adam - Molly's Godparents

Queen of All Saints

Congratulations little ones -

What a great ceremony and a beautiful day. Chris & I were very excited to have our first full outing with our whole family to see and support us in this great event. This was our first commitment to bringing up our children in a loving and faith filled environment. I cannot thank Monsignor Simon enough for welcoming our family and providing our babies such a unique and loving experience. We are very proud of them.

My Indiana Connection

Molly, Jill & Callie





Molly, Jason, Kyle & Callie

Not often do you just call up friends and they come running to help - just because. My friends decided to just pick up and come into St. Louis for a long extended weekend to help me while putting their lives and families on hold. I just want to let them know how thoughtful they were and that I was so glad they could help. Although I miss them already......................... Thanks most of all for coming in and for helping me to relax. I now realize I have the rest of my life to stress over laundry & keeping the house clean, so instead I WILL start enjoying these babies....... Hope you all had a good time .....

P.S. Happy Anniversary - Dan & Molly.

Bottle Propping

Molly Kurt

Meghan Cole

What a horrible mom --- to bottle prop.

I agree if you have just one.

BUT since I have been losing sleep and not seeing any time to get caught up over the next decade Chris and I decided to try this ................. Well we only bought one.
We decided to try it on everyone to see if it would work. So if the babies are awake they can eat efficiently and very fast with just one person awake. We went from a 2 hour schedule time frame to 1 hour schedule and we are currently getting to 45 minutes. I love the milk maid and would recommend it to multiple moms. It does have it's downfalls, but if you alternate babies and use it just during the middle of the night to help your marriage survive without biting each others heads off then it is well worth the decreased holding/bonding time. I do have one question - who really does bond with their children at 3-5a.m anyway when they see them all day and night to love on them???? I figured it was well worth the much needed sleep instead. So if anyone needs to bottle prop .... here are a few pointers ..................
make sure the baby is wide awake, make sure the bottle is positioned in their mouths correctly and that they can still stop sucking if need to, have a firm boppy, and most of all do not leave them by themselves.....

My Dad and Papa

October 21, 2007 @ 5:30 p.m.
Last year was a life altering event that I wish no one would have to live through.
My father was brought to heaven ................ to protect these 4 babies that were in Gods plan for me. As the year anniversary passes I can only feel the pain of my loss surfacing to the center of my chest. I realize in time the hurt will fade to good memories, but for now I want to take a moment out of my busy, hectic life and let my father & their grandpa know we miss him and love him and thank him for all of his love and support - no one does/did it better.
I miss you dad and always will ........................................... Jill

What happens in our day ~

From bottle washing, diaper stacking, formula making, & feeding schedules not to mention LAUNDRY .... I mean lots of laundry. well here is a little look at our new day of supplies...........

1.) Diapers - this is an idea of 2 1/2 weeks worth of use. It takes 240-260 diapers per week to cover this issue.

2.) My daily bottle making for the 4 babies and storage. On average it takes my help 1 hour to complete this task which entails washing yesterdays bottles, refilling them, than storing them into the mini fridge. We make enough bottles to feed from 11 am that day to 11 am the next. That would equal =28 bottles per day. Then we use them and refill the gray tub by the sink with empty bottles. It always amazes me how fast it fills up (the grey tub) and how much volume we use daily to keep these little ones fed.

As the laundry continues to cycle (another never ending process) I am taken back by the help and generosity I need that seems to come just when I'm thinking "how am I going to do all of this....."

what a blessing it is to just unlock your front door and know that someone will be coming to our rescue. The surprising thing is that they are happy to come..................... and I am thrilled to have them ............. I'm hoping they will enjoy coming for months maybe years ...................

Although my house will never be they way it was before the quads arrived ...... I can actually say my house is filled with love and the hard work that is never ending and by the end of the day the accomplishments are seen by the smiles and full bellies of these four precious miracles. Thanks to my help I am able to seem organized and less chaotic .............. a much needed boost to my ego.

Well here is a schedule of my day to day activities :

7am -9am feed for 2 hours ( 1/2 hour per baby) my help arrives at 7:30-8:00 a.m. to help feed, start washing bottles, dress the older boys, round up my laundry and/or get me geared up for the new day. At 9:30 I evaluate what needs to still get started and help out once the babies are full and resting .. Usually a good cup of coffee is needed ........ funny I never drank coffee before the Quads were here .

Breakfast is usually fast or missed that day and it is never peaceful. If I get a chance I will try to get a shower in, but I'm usually too busy folding laundry, getting supplies, running after Kyle or Jason or socializing with the help for the day. My day seems structured do to the babies schedule, but actually each day is different and unplanned on activities to accomplish. Mainly I try to complete one task that may have been the task I wanted to accomplish the day(s) prior for example .......... clean the bathrooms or vacuum...etc.. I used to be a freak about cleaning and straightening up ............ it's just my nature but I can see how much I've already relaxed over the last 2 months about my house ....... funny thing is .......its because I physically can't do anymore I'm actually too tired.. and lately would rather socialize and enjoy the babies instead..

~So let the work and the dust settle ............ and enjoy the miracles of my day ~

Molly, Jason(4), Cole, Meghan, Kurt, & Kyle(2)

My Little Helper -

Kyle is 2 ......................... enough said right.

Well, besides picking up constantly after him and attending to his needs, Kyle is a very enjoyable, loving and sometimes helpful little boy. Somedays you love them more than others today was one of those days............

Here is a little recapture of our Morning with Mom .......

The Reflux - has hit the Quads

MOLLY

KURT

MEGHAN
COLE

GERD - or Gastrointestinal Reflux Disease -

Better known as Mom and Dad's worst nightmare has started.

Cole, Meghan, and Kurt have all started spitting up and shrieking in pain post feedings. We thought it was the beginning of the post preemie stage when the babies seem to want to be awake, held, and stimulated more. Instead we have little ones who are shrieking in pain after they eat because their esophagus is irritated with gastric juices from their stomach contents causing irritability and pain. Meghan seems to be the worst requiring a lot of attention and special care. For the last few nights Chris and I have taken care of one or more of them throughout the night - meaning they need to be held up right to prevent this burning pain.

So the treatment is ZANTAC we hope.

As for the babies they are growing big, gaining weight and becoming unique individuals. As far as Dad & I can tell Cole likes to eat sleeping then awakens curiously after feedings and wants to see if you have noticed he is awake often playing possum. Kurt likes to evaluate his surroundings. He is often found looking around for hours peacefully and quietly. (He's gonna get away with everything) Meghan lets you know if you have disturbed her, irritated her or wants your full attention. Last but not least Molly loves to be the baby although she is the oldest. She is very laid back, looks around usually at night and is the smiler of the group. All of the babies are content so this GERD needs to move out of the Schwartz Clans esophagus so we can all have a smooth and enjoyable,but tired newborn stage.

Here are some pics from their Due Date - September 28th, 2008.

Cole's Recovery

Cole has been doing well. He was grumpy post surgery and little sore from his incision. I was suprised from his quick recovery. When Jason was 23 days old he also had pyloric stenosis. He was the youngest ever to have laproscopic surgery to repair this valve. He had lost a lb. and it took him 4 days in the ICU to get released. Looking back Jason was a lot sicker before he was diagnosed. Cole on the other hand was being watched much closer due to prematurity and being a multiple. I realized he was very sick after the last stool I had induced earlier that afternoon. Once he vomited during the night it was only a matter of scheduling coverage for the other siblings and deciding which hospital to go too. I preferred Childrens hospital with my single babies, but decided to drive to St. John's due to Cole's birth and history prior to this upcoming hospitalization. I'm glad I did. Well, the care was good, the surgeon was informative and cautious.(something I'm glad about with babies) And his recovery efficient. Cole is up to his normal feedings, stooling well and tolerating a 4 hour schedule once again. Thank goodness. By the way Cole didn't miss a beat he eats second and sleeps soundly, and lets you know when he wants to be up and out. He loves his pacifier ..................................

My little Cole

Cole

Kurt

Meghan

Molly

Cole


Kurt & Meghan - 6 weeks old


Our 6 week picture - Molly, Kurt, Meghan, Cole

Cole has been growing like a weed. He is the youngest of the 4 babies and my baby of all babies. He has been constipated and looking back on a week of events and some discussion I can see why we ended up where we did..................
Cole had been straining to go to the bathroom quite often but never seemed to quite manage to get out a stool or have a consistent pattern. I would be lying if I thought it was just rock hard stool that concerned me but he was vomiting too. So like the hospital I gave him glycerin suppositories so he could be relieved.
Well, I forgot to tell you the night before ( I think Monday) Cole could have died - very scary,but thank god I was in the room. I was feeding Molly when Cole vomited after I fed him, It sounded like a lot , but I was sitting in the chair with Molly and waited for him to cry,grunt, etc.. Well he didn't .... So I got up still feeding Molly and saw him turning blue. I had a moment of oh shit and decided to chuck Molly's bottle, place her quickly not softly into Meghan's side of the bed between Meghan and the wedge and pick up Cole. I gave him many back blows, and started sucking all kinds of milk from his nose and mouth and did it all over again till he cried and regained color. Needless to say I checked on him quite a lot over the next hour feeding Molly and Kurt and wondered if I should spend the night in his room. Oh well .... I didn't ...
But as the story goes he was blocked up and was going that way again and so was Meghan .... So I called the doctor & the call was to give 1 tablespoon of Karo syrup in their bottles 2X's a day and let them demand feed no longer than 51/2 hours between feedings. OK good an answer to this problem......
So My kids were chugging right along on a 4 hour schedule with Meghan eating 100ml, Cole at 90ml, Kurt 90ml and Molly at 80ml. I increased there feeds by 10ml (Monday) and started the Karo Syrup in 2 bottles throughout the day yesterday (Tuesday).They were all waking up early to eat.
Well today(Wednesday), .......They are starting to get sluggish and not eat well and not wake up. ( just a few feeding) So I fed them at the regular 1/2 hour time limit and if they ate 60+ I would call it o.k.. So I went to a 41/2 hour schedule at 8 p.m.tonight ( Wednesday night) ...................... we will see - it's trial and error ..................... So Last night (Wednesday), the babies fussed from 10:30 till Chris fed them at 11:30-1:30 (starting to become a habit.- the fussing) then I set my alarm for 4:15.................... Megan started fussing at 3:45... .so much for that Idea of letting them sleep through, so I got up, got the bottles and headed for their room ................ all of them were out cold................ so I ...... fed them ........ remind me never to do that again ..... so everyone ate 1/2 their bottles at this feeding time ( I could not feed some we'd be a mess in the a.m. )
Well I can recall today (Thursday) that they were very sleepy after the Karo bottles .. which were at Chris's feeding last night and this afternoon. plus bath time ....... So again I called the Doctor
I felt like a new mom .... repeatedly questioned my M.D. about the dosage of Karo and further suggestions to this high octane syrup that seemed to just make feeding time more painful and the kids more sleepy (not a bad side effect if you just have one baby and could try letting it sleep through the night without major consequences. )
So its Thursday afternoon when I just happened to walk into the room where Cole is being burped by my help and I see him arch way back, and start to foam at the mouth. Of course without hesitation I grabbed him, starting suctioning his mouth, requested my help to go to the nearest store and by my favorite glycerin suppository for him. He was relieved, but the scary thing was his stool was all liquid and very green ............ actually it shot across the room as I massaged his belly. (really resolve does work).
Then I did a familiar test Dr. Herbers did on my son Jason over 4 years ago - this reaction prompted me to believe Cole has pyloric stenosis. I took the M.D. instructions down and awaited for Cole to have them......... At 3a.m Cole vomited his feedings again and I packed a bag, awoke Chris and went to St. John's ER. While I was driving I recalled thinking should I go to Children's hospital instead, I hope this isn't true and Dad you better watch over him. Well at 7a.m. the diagnosis was made and at 11a.m. his surgery was being performed. At 4:30 Cole made it to recovery and was placed in the PICU overnight for observation. He had a few apnea spells post surgery and needed a little caffeine for heart rate drops. All in all he is home and recovering well.

Meghan is next we will watch her to see what happens over the next few weeks.