Showing posts with label ella. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ella. Show all posts
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Beat It
One of my fondest memories as a child was dancing to Michael Jackson's Thriller Album at one of my childhood birthday parties (probably about age 6 or 7) at my old house in Pleasant Hills. It was barely dusk. We'd been partying all day and Thiller must have been a recent release. (Playing with my cousins on the weekends still sits as the BEST thing about my childhood - particularly during football season. This event happened to be in the summertime... but I digress.) Anyway - our backyard had a patio that sat right near the house and looked upward to a hillside, sloping gradually up to a plateau at about five feet. On that evening, my cousins and I decided to use that plateau as a stage and do crazy monster dances to Thriller, Billy Jean, and Beat It.
Last night Geana and I took all of the kids to Glenolden's fireworks display. They had been postponed from earlier in the year and this was the make-up date. While we were waiting for it to get dark, the DJ was playing a lot of songs from the Thriller Album and MJ's Beat It came on. I caught myself thinking back to my childhood where - at about this same age - at about the same time of night - at about the same time of year, 24 years ago, - I was doing crazy dances to this very song with the children closest to me in my life. I don't really know what took me there - it just kinda happened. I watched the kids dancing and couldn't help but think of them in 24 years. What would they be doing? Who would they be with? Would Michael Jackson still be played at events like this?
After a bit of reflection, I immediately pulled out my camera and started to capture the kids dancing and laughing together. This was the video of Ella, James, and Robby that I got... once again Robby steals the show.
Last night Geana and I took all of the kids to Glenolden's fireworks display. They had been postponed from earlier in the year and this was the make-up date. While we were waiting for it to get dark, the DJ was playing a lot of songs from the Thriller Album and MJ's Beat It came on. I caught myself thinking back to my childhood where - at about this same age - at about the same time of night - at about the same time of year, 24 years ago, - I was doing crazy dances to this very song with the children closest to me in my life. I don't really know what took me there - it just kinda happened. I watched the kids dancing and couldn't help but think of them in 24 years. What would they be doing? Who would they be with? Would Michael Jackson still be played at events like this?
After a bit of reflection, I immediately pulled out my camera and started to capture the kids dancing and laughing together. This was the video of Ella, James, and Robby that I got... once again Robby steals the show.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Birthday Presents
Today is the quads birthday - and it's also Geana's birthday. She wrote this earlier in the week and I thought I'd share it with you today. Happy Birthday to my lovely wife... and to my four crazy quadruplets.
By Geana Morris:
OMG – were you freaking out when they told you, you were having QUADRUPLETS!?
Do you want the real answer? Or, the answer I give people on the street because I know it is what they want to hear?
Street: OMG, YES. I was totally freaking out. I was like, OH MY GAWD - WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?
Real: No. Strangely enough, this weird sort of calm came over me. Anyone who knew me pre-quadruplets could tell you I am not a calm sort of person. But, when faced with the overwhelming truth of something incomprehensible, my body went into this calming mode that even I can’t explain.
As my four are turning five, it is causing a nostalgic moment in which I look back and ponder wistfully at the last five years of my life. Where did the time go? The last time I looked, I had 4 babies and now I have 4 soon-to-be kindergarteners. What’s the deal with that?
As a biological defense mechanism (I suppose) my body has forgotten some of the story re: pre-birth and birth of my quadruplets. Fortunately, I have a Discovery Health show from which my most vivid recollections come. I do remember bits, like feeding time when I would line the kids up and use my homemade bowl contraption to feed them sort of like an assembly line and singing (to the tune of Down by the Station),
Up in the bedroom, early in the morning
See the little babies all in a row.
See the little Mommy feed the little babies
Chug, chug, toot, toot, off we go
I didn’t know what to expect. I knew I would need 4 cribs, lots of bottles, formula, diapers, etc. But other than that, there really wasn’t anything to prepare for prior to bringing them home. I was fortunate to find an organization called Mothers of SuperTwins (MOST). There I joined a group specifically for Quads, Quints and Sextuplet parents. The group and reading lots of books, gave me some sense of what I would need and some decisions I would need to make along the way. Like, RSV – I had no idea what that was prior to having premature babies. But I was ready for the visitors when my babies came home.
In addition to MOST, I found Mainline MOMs. The only group of people who don’t refer to me as “the quad mom” – well, most of the time. It’s a place I could go to and be Geana Morris. I am a mother to quadruplets, therefore I get the adjective. But there, I was just a mother like the rest who had too many kids and not enough hands. Albeit, I had 8 (10 really) hands, but who’s counting. This group of women didn’t let me drown alone. They forced themselves on me because they knew if they didn’t I would’ve tried to go it alone. No – they didn’t force help like bombarding and taking over babies, etc. They forced me to get out, laugh, talk, and think about other things at a time when I could’ve just vanished into a haze of babies and all of their stuff.
Oh, and the baby nurse, Rye. I had no idea who she was. Really, an online friend gave me her info and in a desperate moment when the quads were 6 months old, I called her. She came over, took pity on me and within two weeks scheduled the babies and forced me to get dressed EVERY day. That was a hard task – not the scheduling, she had that under control in ONE day. It was the dressing thing… I had no clothes! Rye saved me and my marriage. The quads still got to bed at 7:30 every night. Everyone says “Oh…. You must have gotten no sleep for the past 4 years” I definitely play into it when it will get me some sympathy, but truthfully, from 6 months old the quads slept from 7:30pm to 7:30am EVERY NIGHT. We got more sleep then singleton parents who rock their babies to sleep and refuse to put them in bed awake letting them fall asleep on their own. Suckers! (jk – not suckers, just ill advised)
Between then and now, it is all a blur. In fact, I often come to tears when looking at photos from the last 4-5 years. I have a vivid memory of Robby pushing himself up to sit and turning around to look at me (is it a true memory or Memorex – I’ll have to go watch the shows to figure it out). I especially love the clip of Ella trying to walk at Theraplay and falling back on her bum (thanks D.H. for thinking that was worth seeing). Otherwise, my heart breaks at the memories that couldn’t be stored in this over-worked brain of mine.
I do remember lots of hugs and kisses. Sheesh – I can’t get out the door without hugging and kissing everyone. I will need to remember that and plan accordingly once I start working again. I know my kids yell, because I yell. I am trying to work on that. I do as well with not yelling as I do with dieting. Every morning I wake up and it is going to be the day I do everything right…. Usually by 10am I’ve yelled and eaten the wrong things! Some day. Some day.
I’m gearing up for the first day of Kindergarten. I can’t tell if I will be emotional or not – you know, it’s been a long five years. Will I fill up at the thought of my babies growing up? Or, at the thought of how the heck did I just do what I did? Remember, in the beginning I had no idea – I still don’t. I was looking at my sister’s 14-year old twins tonight and thinking – HOLY GOD, what am I going to do with 4 of those!? No, I think I will be filling up because they survived me. Regardless of how I messed up or yelled or wanted to be anywhere but here at times, they survived. I don’t know about you, but I know there were days when the sun came up and I thought “how can I do this again?” Thinking, this cycle never stops – day after day, after day – this is hard and I’m tired – this isn’t glamorous and if one more person rushes over wide-eyed and gushing I will scream. They survived homework and tantrums. Meetings. Boredom. Because sheesh – there were times when I was bored to death. I love them and all, but hey I loved working in town and going out to lunch and taking showers and buying clothes and talking to people too. Yea… they survived me.
So, instead of all that, I give the street answer:
OMG, YES. I was totally freaking out. I was like, OH MY GAWD - WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?
Happy 5th birthday to Robby, James, Anna & Ella – the best birthday presents ever!
By Geana Morris:
OMG – were you freaking out when they told you, you were having QUADRUPLETS!?Do you want the real answer? Or, the answer I give people on the street because I know it is what they want to hear?
Street: OMG, YES. I was totally freaking out. I was like, OH MY GAWD - WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?
Real: No. Strangely enough, this weird sort of calm came over me. Anyone who knew me pre-quadruplets could tell you I am not a calm sort of person. But, when faced with the overwhelming truth of something incomprehensible, my body went into this calming mode that even I can’t explain.
As my four are turning five, it is causing a nostalgic moment in which I look back and ponder wistfully at the last five years of my life. Where did the time go? The last time I looked, I had 4 babies and now I have 4 soon-to-be kindergarteners. What’s the deal with that?As a biological defense mechanism (I suppose) my body has forgotten some of the story re: pre-birth and birth of my quadruplets. Fortunately, I have a Discovery Health show from which my most vivid recollections come. I do remember bits, like feeding time when I would line the kids up and use my homemade bowl contraption to feed them sort of like an assembly line and singing (to the tune of Down by the Station),
Up in the bedroom, early in the morningSee the little babies all in a row.
See the little Mommy feed the little babies
Chug, chug, toot, toot, off we go
I didn’t know what to expect. I knew I would need 4 cribs, lots of bottles, formula, diapers, etc. But other than that, there really wasn’t anything to prepare for prior to bringing them home. I was fortunate to find an organization called Mothers of SuperTwins (MOST). There I joined a group specifically for Quads, Quints and Sextuplet parents. The group and reading lots of books, gave me some sense of what I would need and some decisions I would need to make along the way. Like, RSV – I had no idea what that was prior to having premature babies. But I was ready for the visitors when my babies came home.
In addition to MOST, I found Mainline MOMs. The only group of people who don’t refer to me as “the quad mom” – well, most of the time. It’s a place I could go to and be Geana Morris. I am a mother to quadruplets, therefore I get the adjective. But there, I was just a mother like the rest who had too many kids and not enough hands. Albeit, I had 8 (10 really) hands, but who’s counting. This group of women didn’t let me drown alone. They forced themselves on me because they knew if they didn’t I would’ve tried to go it alone. No – they didn’t force help like bombarding and taking over babies, etc. They forced me to get out, laugh, talk, and think about other things at a time when I could’ve just vanished into a haze of babies and all of their stuff.
Oh, and the baby nurse, Rye. I had no idea who she was. Really, an online friend gave me her info and in a desperate moment when the quads were 6 months old, I called her. She came over, took pity on me and within two weeks scheduled the babies and forced me to get dressed EVERY day. That was a hard task – not the scheduling, she had that under control in ONE day. It was the dressing thing… I had no clothes! Rye saved me and my marriage. The quads still got to bed at 7:30 every night. Everyone says “Oh…. You must have gotten no sleep for the past 4 years” I definitely play into it when it will get me some sympathy, but truthfully, from 6 months old the quads slept from 7:30pm to 7:30am EVERY NIGHT. We got more sleep then singleton parents who rock their babies to sleep and refuse to put them in bed awake letting them fall asleep on their own. Suckers! (jk – not suckers, just ill advised)
Between then and now, it is all a blur. In fact, I often come to tears when looking at photos from the last 4-5 years. I have a vivid memory of Robby pushing himself up to sit and turning around to look at me (is it a true memory or Memorex – I’ll have to go watch the shows to figure it out). I especially love the clip of Ella trying to walk at Theraplay and falling back on her bum (thanks D.H. for thinking that was worth seeing). Otherwise, my heart breaks at the memories that couldn’t be stored in this over-worked brain of mine.I do remember lots of hugs and kisses. Sheesh – I can’t get out the door without hugging and kissing everyone. I will need to remember that and plan accordingly once I start working again. I know my kids yell, because I yell. I am trying to work on that. I do as well with not yelling as I do with dieting. Every morning I wake up and it is going to be the day I do everything right…. Usually by 10am I’ve yelled and eaten the wrong things! Some day. Some day.
I’m gearing up for the first day of Kindergarten. I can’t tell if I will be emotional or not – you know, it’s been a long five years. Will I fill up at the thought of my babies growing up? Or, at the thought of how the heck did I just do what I did? Remember, in the beginning I had no idea – I still don’t. I was looking at my sister’s 14-year old twins tonight and thinking – HOLY GOD, what am I going to do with 4 of those!? No, I think I will be filling up because they survived me. Regardless of how I messed up or yelled or wanted to be anywhere but here at times, they survived. I don’t know about you, but I know there were days when the sun came up and I thought “how can I do this again?” Thinking, this cycle never stops – day after day, after day – this is hard and I’m tired – this isn’t glamorous and if one more person rushes over wide-eyed and gushing I will scream. They survived homework and tantrums. Meetings. Boredom. Because sheesh – there were times when I was bored to death. I love them and all, but hey I loved working in town and going out to lunch and taking showers and buying clothes and talking to people too. Yea… they survived me.So, instead of all that, I give the street answer:
OMG, YES. I was totally freaking out. I was like, OH MY GAWD - WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?
Happy 5th birthday to Robby, James, Anna & Ella – the best birthday presents ever!
Sunday, August 02, 2009
1 Year Ago
You're always trying to make people laugh around you and I see the delight in your eyes when you achieve your goal. Sometimes you cr
You're brilliant. Your mother and I know it. Sometimes, though, your brilliance is lost in your strives to gain our attention. I'm sorry for that. Please know that we can see past your misbe
You are so caring of your brothers and sister as well as your Mom and Dad. You constantly are doing things to make your siblings laugh -
You may have the smallest body in the family but you have the biggest mouth. I can hear you as I walk up the street, walking home from work. You're usually yelling at Robby and James or calling for your Mommy. Fortunately for those around you, your hugs are as big as your mouth. Honestly - I've never felt a hug from someone that is so strong and complete as when you give me a hug. Your fake kisses, as you lick my cheek, are wonderful, too! You fill my heart and every one's who comes around you. Than
Geana:
We've been through a lot this year and, though it all, we've remained together. Sometimes that's simply enough when the stress gets so great that you don't know what to do and don't know where you can turn. I'm looking forward to a new year with a little less brain surgery, some fewer house fires, and a little more time for the two of us... together. Oh yeah - and congratulations on your Master's Degree that you just finished in July. You did it - despite all of the stress and craziness!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
The Things Kids Say
I'm exhausted tonight so here is a brief post about some hilarious things my kids have said recently.
1) Tonight we were at the Llanerch Diner and we were sitting there for about 5 minutes before the waiter decided that he would wait on our crazy family (we are intimidating). Well - the only reason he came over was because Robby screamed at the top of his lungs - "HEY MISTER - WHAT'S A KID GOTTA DO TO GET A DRINK IN THIS PLACE!?!?" Embarrassing? Yes. Justified? Absolutely.
2) As I was getting Ella dressed for bed tonight I had to yell at her. (Yes - we do yell at our kids in the Morris household... quite a bit actually.) Anyway - I yelled at her - saying something like, "Ella - Get over here!" Her teary eyed crying response was, "Daaaddyyy..... You're freaking me oooouut!!"
3) Finally - I'll pull one from the archives. It was Thanksgiving in my cousin's new house in Pittsburgh. All of the family was sitting in the living room around the piano - aunts, uncles, my parents, my grandfather, about 7 cousins and their spouses... we were drinking wine, singing songs, and having fun conversation. (Keep in mind that I see these people about once or twice a year at this point so when we get together it is a real good time and we always have fun.) When all of a sudden Robby comes running into the middle of the room pointing at his foot, "Daddy - I stepped in dog shit! I did - I stepped in dog shit! Wanna see? Wanna see!?!?"
1) Tonight we were at the Llanerch Diner and we were sitting there for about 5 minutes before the waiter decided that he would wait on our crazy family (we are intimidating). Well - the only reason he came over was because Robby screamed at the top of his lungs - "HEY MISTER - WHAT'S A KID GOTTA DO TO GET A DRINK IN THIS PLACE!?!?" Embarrassing? Yes. Justified? Absolutely.
2) As I was getting Ella dressed for bed tonight I had to yell at her. (Yes - we do yell at our kids in the Morris household... quite a bit actually.) Anyway - I yelled at her - saying something like, "Ella - Get over here!" Her teary eyed crying response was, "Daaaddyyy..... You're freaking me oooouut!!"
3) Finally - I'll pull one from the archives. It was Thanksgiving in my cousin's new house in Pittsburgh. All of the family was sitting in the living room around the piano - aunts, uncles, my parents, my grandfather, about 7 cousins and their spouses... we were drinking wine, singing songs, and having fun conversation. (Keep in mind that I see these people about once or twice a year at this point so when we get together it is a real good time and we always have fun.) When all of a sudden Robby comes running into the middle of the room pointing at his foot, "Daddy - I stepped in dog shit! I did - I stepped in dog shit! Wanna see? Wanna see!?!?"
Monday, May 04, 2009
2 Trips to the ER Later
So I'm not sure if Geana will ever leave me alone with the kids again. Two of our kids had the privilege of taking a trip to the ER yesterday, largely because I was in charge over the weekend. Let me explain...
On Friday night, about a nanosecond after Geana left, Anna rolled over on top of Sammy and hurt his thumb. It was clearly hurt but he could move it. We put some ice on it to keep the swelling down and moved on our way. There were minor complaints throughout the weekend concerning things like putting socks and shoes on but nothing major concerning the thumb. He even played tball on Saturday with no problem. I believe the words, "just rub some dirt on it" never actually came out of my mouth - but they should have.
When Geana got home yesterday he said that practicing piano hurt him and he showed her his swollen thumb. We promptly took him to the local pediatric orthopedist who happens to live just across the street. Her diagnosis - probably broken... take him to the ER.
When all was said and done... X-Rays - broken thumb - sent home in a splint - getting cast today.
On Sunday night, about a nanosecond after Geana came home, Ella was having trouble catching her breath and wouldn't stop coughing. She had complained about her neck hurting throughout the weekend. This is usually her way of complaining about her acid reflux. Honestly - I know that I missed some of her medications this weekend in all of the commotion of watching five kids. She's on Flovent, Albuterol, Zyrtek, and Prevacid several times a day. When she misses her meds, she goes downhill very quickly. I feel horrible.
Anyway - her diagnosis was NO PNEMONIA! Yay! She does, however, have an ear infection and was having a pretty sever asthma attack. At 4am Ella and I crawled into bed and were promptly awoken by Robby and James wanting to get up and get ready for school at 5am.
When casting your ballots, please consider me for "Father of The Year."
On Friday night, about a nanosecond after Geana left, Anna rolled over on top of Sammy and hurt his thumb. It was clearly hurt but he could move it. We put some ice on it to keep the swelling down and moved on our way. There were minor complaints throughout the weekend concerning things like putting socks and shoes on but nothing major concerning the thumb. He even played tball on Saturday with no problem. I believe the words, "just rub some dirt on it" never actually came out of my mouth - but they should have.
When Geana got home yesterday he said that practicing piano hurt him and he showed her his swollen thumb. We promptly took him to the local pediatric orthopedist who happens to live just across the street. Her diagnosis - probably broken... take him to the ER.
When all was said and done... X-Rays - broken thumb - sent home in a splint - getting cast today.
On Sunday night, about a nanosecond after Geana came home, Ella was having trouble catching her breath and wouldn't stop coughing. She had complained about her neck hurting throughout the weekend. This is usually her way of complaining about her acid reflux. Honestly - I know that I missed some of her medications this weekend in all of the commotion of watching five kids. She's on Flovent, Albuterol, Zyrtek, and Prevacid several times a day. When she misses her meds, she goes downhill very quickly. I feel horrible.
Anyway - her diagnosis was NO PNEMONIA! Yay! She does, however, have an ear infection and was having a pretty sever asthma attack. At 4am Ella and I crawled into bed and were promptly awoken by Robby and James wanting to get up and get ready for school at 5am.
When casting your ballots, please consider me for "Father of The Year."
Saturday, November 03, 2007
A Day With The Kids
Geana is in Bedford, PA today, attending the Mother's of Multiples State Board Meeting. This means that, all across the state of Pennsylvania, there are multiples hanging out with their father's today. Below is a chronicle of our day:
5:30 - Mommy woke up and left.
8:30 - Daddy woke up with Anna, Ella, and Robby (James and Sammy are visiting Aunt Roe)
9:00 - Arrive at Dancing School with the three kids. That's right - we were up at 8:30 and out the door by 8:50. I'm accepting "Father of The Year" votes now. Hey - just three kids is cake.
10:00 - Invade the local Dunkin' Donuts and gobble down wee fistfuls of munchkins.
10:30 - Get home from Dunkin' Donuts and use the potty for the first time today. Whew! I was livin' on the edge this morning. Potential disaster averted...
10:45 - Clean for about an hour while the kids watch Dora and Johnny & The Sprites.
12:00 - James gets home with G-Mom but Sammy stays with Aunt Roe and Justin to go to the movies. G-Mom leaves and we play dress-up until nap time at 1:00. We devoured a bag of pretzels and I showed the kids how to lick their fingers and eat the salt at the bottom of the bag.
1:00 - Nap Time
That's where we are right now. We're either going to the Zoo or to Chuck E. Cheese this afternoon, I think. It depends on the weather and my ambition once they wake up. I will blog the rest when I get back.
UPDATE - 5:55pm
We ended up venturing out to Chuck E. Cheese. I made the mistake of thinking that a Saturday afternoon at 4pm wouldn't be very crowded. WRONG! I knew that there would be some people there, but there were enough people there to make you think the Pope was speaking or something. PLUS - about 25% of the games didn't work. Literally. I'm not a complainer but I was contemplating talking to the manager. It's hard enough to take 4 kids there, but having to test every game started getting annoying. I'm too tired to list all that was broken - but it was a lot!
4:00 - Arrive a Chuck's.
4:01 - Realize I've made an error in judgment about the number of people that go to Chuck E. Cheese on a Saturday in November.
5:00 - Leave Chuck's with two spiders, two dinosaurs, and two hair clips - courtesy of our 76 tickets.
6:00 - Dinner
6:30 - Mommy Home
7:00 - BED!
5:30 - Mommy woke up and left.
8:30 - Daddy woke up with Anna, Ella, and Robby (James and Sammy are visiting Aunt Roe)
9:00 - Arrive at Dancing School with the three kids. That's right - we were up at 8:30 and out the door by 8:50. I'm accepting "Father of The Year" votes now. Hey - just three kids is cake.
10:00 - Invade the local Dunkin' Donuts and gobble down wee fistfuls of munchkins.
10:30 - Get home from Dunkin' Donuts and use the potty for the first time today. Whew! I was livin' on the edge this morning. Potential disaster averted...
10:45 - Clean for about an hour while the kids watch Dora and Johnny & The Sprites.
12:00 - James gets home with G-Mom but Sammy stays with Aunt Roe and Justin to go to the movies. G-Mom leaves and we play dress-up until nap time at 1:00. We devoured a bag of pretzels and I showed the kids how to lick their fingers and eat the salt at the bottom of the bag.
1:00 - Nap Time
That's where we are right now. We're either going to the Zoo or to Chuck E. Cheese this afternoon, I think. It depends on the weather and my ambition once they wake up. I will blog the rest when I get back.
UPDATE - 5:55pm
We ended up venturing out to Chuck E. Cheese. I made the mistake of thinking that a Saturday afternoon at 4pm wouldn't be very crowded. WRONG! I knew that there would be some people there, but there were enough people there to make you think the Pope was speaking or something. PLUS - about 25% of the games didn't work. Literally. I'm not a complainer but I was contemplating talking to the manager. It's hard enough to take 4 kids there, but having to test every game started getting annoying. I'm too tired to list all that was broken - but it was a lot!
4:00 - Arrive a Chuck's.
4:01 - Realize I've made an error in judgment about the number of people that go to Chuck E. Cheese on a Saturday in November.
5:00 - Leave Chuck's with two spiders, two dinosaurs, and two hair clips - courtesy of our 76 tickets.
6:00 - Dinner
6:30 - Mommy Home
7:00 - BED!
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Letter of the Week - Ella
Dear Ella,
You were my angel today. While everyone was throwing fits because they didn't want to leave McDonald's playland, you just sat there - getting your shoes and socks on just like we had asked. In the whirlwind of raising five kids, I don't say it often enough, but you are incredibly special to me because I rarely have to ask you twice to do something. Usually we ask - and you do, which is wonderful! Mind you - you don't ALWAYS do what you are told, but at least you don't mess around if you don't want to do it, which I adore. I know that there are never any games with you and that you'll speak the truth about what you want. You shoot from the hip - just like your mother. You're as cute as can be and are constantly making me smile. Thank you for being the calm in the middle of our storm today (and everyday). I love you!
Love,
Daddy
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