Surely Our Kids Will Have Nicer Teeth

Looks like we did something before anyone in the history of Great Britain!

Congrats to the Kelly Family!

Recipe For Disaster

We took the kids out to the Old Country Buffet last night... because, if nothing else, our family has class.

Seriously - I'm shocked that there are not knock down drag out fights at OCB on a daily basis. The place is a festering melting pot that breeds anger, frustration, chaos, and injury. Let's examine...

Generally, the clientele at OCB is kinda trashy. I don't want to judge EVERYONE who goes to OCB as being trashy, but it's a general observation of mine. I mean - hey - I go to OCB and I don't consider myself trashy (although others may beg to differ). Further, I have several non-trashy friends who occasionally frequent the establishment. It's cheap, kids love it, and there are unlimited amounts of ice cream so I can totally see why people would take their kids there. All I'm saying is that, in general, the crowd isn't the same as you'd find at... say... Ruth's Chris Steakhouse.

Okay - so you take a bunch of trashy people who are starving and you put them in a room with crazy amounts of food. Obstacle #1 is that, although there are obscene amounts of food, it always seems that the good food is empty. Everyone is perpetually waiting for the employees to refill the courses that they desire. This happens EVERY TIME we go to OCB without fail. Mac & Cheese - never there. Waldorf Salad - always full. This may have the result of, I don't know, pissing some people off...

Obstacle #2 - OCB is uber-kid friendly. Listen - that's the reason that we go to the place to begin with. The problem is that you have a bunch of hungry, trashy people with lots of food in front of them - that could disappear at any minute. Now you throw kids into the mix. People generally have little patience with their children, so imagine everybody in the restaurant stressing at the fact that they have to get the kids food (that may disappear) as well as their own food. Kids create several other issues with the potential of pissing people off, too. Like - last night there was this unattended kid who kept scooping and scooping and scooping the Mac & Cheese onto his plate. He weighed all of 40 pounds (and I could have thrown him across the buffet but that's not why I mention his weight.) It was clear that he wasn't going to eat all that he was shoveling, but he was in front of me and my 5 kids so we just had to wait. Then, of course, there isn't enough Mac & Cheese for us - so we have to wait until its refilled. A few minutes later, as I'm leading my brood back to the table with plates that are piled full of Mac & Cheese, there is a 3 year old - also unattended - who darts out from under a table next to us and almost makes me spill my meatloaf and potatoes all over the restaurant floor. Luckily I'm known for my grace and coordination so I deftly avoid his attempt at a chop block.

This brings us to obstacle #3 - Old People (look in the background of the picture above). We've successfully piled our plates full of super healthy food and the kids have sat down at the table and have started to eat. Now I have to head up to the drink station to get all of our drinks. I end up in line behind an old couple who can't figure out how to work the intricacies of the fountain soda machine.

Old Man: How do I get ice?
Old Lady: You push the button.
Old Man: Whaaa?
Old Lady: PUSH. THE. BUTTON.
Old Man: Oh... ok. Here?
(slowly reaching for the ice button)
Robby: Want me to do it?
Me: Shhh.
Old Man: You can do it for me if you want.
Robby: Ok.
Me: No - that's ok, sir. We will wait. Robby go back to your seat, please.
Robby: Ok. I want all of the drinks mixed together.
Me: You'll be lucky if you get ice. Now SIT.

You'll be happy to know that we finally got our drinks and sat down to eat dinner. After dinner we ate our ice cream and left the restaurant without incident. Here is a picture of Anna eating her chocolate cake and ice cream. Mmmmm....

Morris Quadruplets Videocast Premiere!

Introducing our latest venture... The Quadcast Videocast. This is our first attempt at a videocast and I'm hoping to return to blogging and sharing our family experiences with you in the upcoming weeks and months! Enjoy and I'll talk to all of you soon!

Happy Holidays!

School... It Kicks Your Butt.

It isn't a coincidence that I have not made a post since the kids started school. I'm exhausted and I feel like I never slow down. Geana's working, all five kids are in school full-time, and I've been getting them ready to go in the morning and putting them to bed at night by myself. I've also been extremely busy at work recently and I even do laundry during football games on Sundays. Needless to say - free time has been scarce.

This being said - I've been taking some notes of our goings on here at Casa de Morrisquads and some of the highlights from the past month are:

1. It took Robby and James about a week to figure out that the teachers at school tell them apart by the glasses on James' face. One day, in the second week of school, as I was unloading them from the van, one of their teachers said to James, "Good Morning Robby." To my astonishment Robby was wearing James' glasses and James wasn't wearing anything. Both boys has big shit-eating grins on their faces. Clearly they thought this was a RIOT! As other cars were pulling up into the car line and kissing their children goodbye - I had to quickly pull mine aside and tell them that this was not acceptable behaviour. To which James said, "Well - what if we just switch our shoes?" "Fine." You've gotta pick your battles in this house.

2. It also took about a week for me to get used to styling the girls hair. We're at the point now where I feel like I can brush their hair and not have them look like they've been on a 12 hour bender. This is a major accomplishment.

3. It's taken some adjusting for Sammy, who has been out of sorts with Mommy working all the time. He's slowly coming around and this morning he even helped me get the kids dressed. See - they wear uniforms to school everyday and today was the first day that the quadruplets had to wear sweatshirts over their collared shirts. Being a second grader, Sammy is an expert on the Saint Andrew School uniforms and was showing James how to tuck in your golf shirt first - then pull on the sweatshirt - and finally pull the collar out of the top so that it lays flat on top of the sweatshirt. This makes for enthralling reading, I'm sure, but it was super cute to look over and see Sammy being an older brother and helping out the little ones. It was one of those moments that just makes your heart melt.

4. Soccer. Let me fill you in... Saturdays have been taken up with soccer. The quads are on one team and Sammy is on another. We will sit at Hillcrest Elementary school for 3 hours or more on Saturday afternoons waiting for the games to start, watching the games, throwing football, and playing on the playground. Luckily - the weather has been phenomenal. Robby has turned into a little athlete (I think because he is very aggressive and has ZERO fear. I don't know if this is a good thing or not.) He has scored 3 goals in 2 games. I'm already looking into hotel accommodations in Oneonta, NY for the Soccer Hall of Fame induction weekend in 2045.

That's it from the Morris Family. Apparently our show aired again on The Discovery Health network last week. Check your local listings b/c if I'm not posting to the blog and you HAVE to hear about our family - you can always just watch us on TV!!!

Oh - one last thing... I was listening to this song on YouTube this morning as the kids ate breakfast. I heard Ella singing the chorus as she was getting out of the van today. We'll see what notes come home... oops!

The End of an Era

Most of the kids baby things - highchairs, booster seats, bumbos, bottles - were all lost in the fire. One symbol of their toddler and infant years, however, was not. Our Quad Stroller.

We bought it from a family in NJ who had triplets but thought that the extra seat would be helpful to them. They decided that it wasn't and took it off. I remember when we got the dumb thing that the seats were painted blue and red... like it wasn't obnoxious enough as it is. I promptly painted the thing a more neutral color, reattached the fourth seat, and we were on our way.

This monstrosity took us everywhere. We took it to the zoo. We won parades by decorating it. We took it to school when Sammy had a Halloween parade. We took it to the farm. This stroller took a family that was, really, immobile - and allowed us to get places. Sure we drew attention wherever we went - but it was worth it. See, it was more than a stroller to us... it was freedom.


I took the picture above this morning. We're putting this bad boy on the block and hoping to sell her to another quadruplet family that is looking for freedom and has still not really been able to find it. Our kids are starting kindergarten and don't fit in it anymore. Subsequently - we have to find ways to pay for their school shoes, their folders, their school bags, and their activities. It's funny because I can see us moving onto another stage in the "High Order Multiple" life. We're selling away the last remnants of their infanthood so that we can move on to the next stage and survive.

Quad Runabout Stroller: $450
Quad Runabout Stroller Carrying Hitch: $150
Selling your freedom: Priceless

*We're selling the Stroller and Hitch together for $500 total if you are in the Philadelphia area and able to come and pick them up. Leave me a comment.

Movie Night.

I got home sooner than usual today because work let us out early for the holiday. With the extra time, I thought tonight would be a good night to sit down with the quadruplets and watch a good, old fashioned family movie. After searching Netflix Online I ended up deciding upon a can't miss... a classic.

Some of the more diligent readers may remember that we recently watched Jaws with the kids and had a blast. It was harmless and we made a game out of it. The kids actually had a fun time with it and so did Geana and I. Tonight on the other hand... was a different story...a Neverending Story. You'd think we were watching Silence of the Lambs. Let me walk you through the movie.

Like many people in their early 30's, I remember The Neverending Story from my childhood. I remember the song... "The Neverending Stoooohoryyyy.. da da daaa, da da daaaa, da da daaaaaa.." ...and I remember this guy...

I told the girls at the onset of the movie, without really remembering anything about the film, that there are princesses and princes and horses... and it isn't a cartoon - it's all in REAL LIFE! They perked up.

Ella: Wow - real horses? I'm gonna love it!
Anna: Me too!
James: Are there unicorns?

The were hooked. This was going to be the movie of the century - the best pick in years! (It's hard to get a movie that all four of them enjoy). Then... about a half an hour into the movie this happens:


Yup - that's the scene where the brave and beautiful horse gets sucked in to the swamp of sadness and promptly expires. No more horses or unicorns would make an appearance for the remainder of the movie. Crap.

Anna: Daddy - I don't know if I'm gonna like this movie. Are there anymore horses?
Me (having no idea): There has to be, honey. It's a fairy tale, don't worry about it. After all - it was the swamp of sadness. You're bound to lose a couple of animals in the swamp.
Robby: Yeah - like Bambi's Mom!
Me: Shut-up, Rob. There is a cute dog coming up soon. Just wait!

Unfortunately before the nice cuddly white flying dog could show up... we get this guy.


This made all four kids jump out of their seats and lay on my lap - I'm being pummeled here.

James: This dog isn't fun. He's mean.
Ella: Daddy - I don't like this movie.
Robby: It's like when Olde Yeller gets rabies!

I was about to turn the movie off when our friendly dog (The Luck Dragon) showed up and the kids just loved him. Whew! Were were out of the woods. They were re-engaged and watching quietly. Things were looking up.... And then we come to this scene:

James: Dad - I can see her boobs. They should put a shirt on that statue.
Me: I know, James.
Robby: Yeah - like in Roadhouse when...
Me: Shut-up, Rob.

Okay - I made that last one up but I couldn't resist.

We finished the movie up and the kids are now in bed - surely dreaming of evil dogs, dead horses, and boobs. But honestly - the ending of that movie stinks. The empress is sitting with Bastian (the kid who read the book) and hands him a grain of sand. She tells him that this is what is left of Fantasia. She instructs him to make wishes and it will come back? WTF? Lame. This movie will be one of those movies that will remain in my head as a wonderful movie from my childhood that was ruined by watching it as an adult.

Kinda like Roadhouse.

Distracted...

First of all - I'm posting this while trying to watch the three boys and keep their excitement contained for our trip today. We are leaving for Harrisburg to see the Senators play the Altoona Curve in about a half an hour. It should be fun!

Yesterday, at the Morris house, we had a little kid's party for the quadruplets. There were twelve kids here - five of them were ours. We played on the water slide and sang happy birthday... all of the usual stuff. I think that I could get used to this staying home stuff. (I took off W-F of this week).

I'm searching for stuff to write as I'm telling Robby and James to let Sammy go to the bathroom in peace... so I'll just leave you with this picture from yesterday. I'll be posting more pics of our baseball trip today to my twitter account. Follow me if you haven't done so already... a link is on the right side of this page. BYE!

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!

1 Year Ago

Exactly one year ago, yesterday, was the worst day of my life. If you are new to this blog, our family endured emergency brain surgery to Sammy (our oldest) at about 6:15 in the evening, followed by a devastating house fire at about 9:15pm - from which our friend and Geana's sister safely evacuated all four of our three year-old quadruplets as well as their own two children (cousin Justin is in the pic above). Sammy was hospitalized for a week and we were out of our house for about 4 months as it was cleaned and rebuilt. As I reflect back on those memories, I can't help but be grateful for each member of my wonderful family. We could have easily lost all of our children on August 1, 2008.

Sammy:
Thank you for being so sensitive. I know that I get on you at times for not being "tough" enough and for not sticking up to your little brothers when they gang up on you. I know you can do it and just choose not to. When I really sit back and think about it... I'm glad that you are so caring of the others around you. That deep rooted quality within your being will set you apart from almost everyone else as you grow up. I urge you to not let go of that piece of you as you get older and to let it be the foundation of who you become and share it with everyone who gets close to you. It makes you incredibly special. I love you. Thank you, also, for you increased interest in baseball this past year.

James:
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 cross the line to inappropriateness (is that a word), but as you get older and learn how to navigate that line and make people laugh without talking about poop and butts (sometimes it still works), you'll become even more funny and make me laugh even more as time passes. Thank you, also, for allowing me to link back to a poop joke in this post.

Robby:
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 misbehavior and occasional craziness into the bright, smart, and intelligent little boy that you have become. I will strive to give you the attention that you need in order to help bring out the incredible little boy that lives within you. Thank you, also, for all of your help while I've been in my cast. You've done everything that I ask of you - even taking out the trash at the ripe old age of four years old.

Anna:
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 - usually so that they stop crying. You're wonderfully wacky and I can see the creativity that bubbles within you. You're also hot and cold, my dear. When someone crosses you (even if it's me) you aren't afraid to show me how you feel. But then your crooked smile lights up my eyes and your dimples pierce my heart. You are my grandmother - Gram Morris - through and through. Thank you for living up to the nickname, "Drama" that I gave you when you were a weeeee little baby.


Ella:
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. Thank you, also, for learning to snore so loudly that you wake me up in the morning when you come into Mommy & Daddy's bed.

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!

OCNJ - Day 7

I didn't have time to post last night because we were packing up to leave. Then this morning we were rushing to get out by 10am. Then my internets were giving me problems at home... At long last here is a list of events from the last day of our vacation:

1. Beach
2. Buy Hermit Crabs
3. Geana and I went out to eat crabs and drink beer... not the hermit crabs.

As I was laying in bed the other night I was thinking - "What is summer vacation without a soundtrack?" I was listening to a lot of DMB this week - so here you go... about a 10 minute slide show of our pictures.

To my kids: When you look at the posts from this vacation 10, 20, or 30 years from now, guys, I wrote them for you. Mommy and I had a great time! Thank you for being such wonderful little people and for filling our lives with so much joy and love. Every moment is a treasure and an adventure.

OCNJ - Day 6

What is one to do with four year-old quadruplets at the beach when it rains all day?

First off - you've got to accept the fact that the day is lost and that you are going to be left to your own devices to find creative, entertaining, and fun stuff to do. A trip into town is what we decided would be fun. They have food, they have shopping, they have crafts, and it turns out - they have fire trucks. Other than the rain - it was destined to be a wonderful day!

We started off by stopping in a beach store where Ella promptly found a new pair of sunglasses that she just HAAAD to have. After much deliberation, we (Ella and I) decided that she was a bit too young for this particular pair, although they were cute. We took a picture anyway to relieve any screaming in the store. Maybe she can get them in 2026...


From there we traveled down the main drag a bit further and we found another store called "Butterfly Boutique" where we made crafts and painted stuff with the kids. It was perfect.


Back out into the rain. Grandma suggested that we seek out the firehouse - which turned into the highlight of the week so far. We walked into the station and we were promptly scooped up by fireman J. O'Neill of the OCFD and given plastic fire helmets. He took us on a tour of the station. I mean - everywhere. He took us into the kitchen, the sleeping quarters, the locker room, the room where they sit and watch tv, and of course - the garage where they park the trucks. The kids all had a million questions and weren't the least bit shy to tell them about our house fire that happened about a year ago. We headed into an ambulance where they told Fireman O'Neill about Sammy's trip in the ambulance. No doubt Fireman O'Neill could tell that the Morris Family are veterans when it comes to setting your house on fire or getting whacked in the head with a golf club.
After sitting in the ambulance and asking him about oxygen tanks and broken legs, James and Ella took turns trying on the fireman's gear. James said, "Dad - I don't want to be a mall Santa anymore. When I grow up I want to be a fireman! Okay?" I told him that he can be anything he wants to be (secretly saying, "YES!!!" to myself). Ella looked adorable in the gear. I just wished that I had the beer glasses to add to the outfit. Oh well... maybe in 2026. No - wait - if she's hanging out in the firehouse in 2026 and trying on the firemen's clothes that would also fit into the category of unacceptable. But I digress...

We left the firehouse and ventured back out into the rain. Everyone was in a great mood, despite the downpours. Nobody was even thinking about the ocean, the pool, or the sand. We stopped at some restaurant for lunch... mmm...

At this point we were exhausted. It was time to venture back to the house - but not before stopping to smell the beautiful flowers outside one of the stores.


We got home and took a nap. Remember - naps are your friend. Robby and I had a brief argument on this point but I eventually won... barely.

Daddy: Time for naps guys.
Robby: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
Daddy: Yes. If you take a nap you'll have more energy for later.
Robby: To do what? It's raining. We can't go anywhere.
Daddy (trying to think of something threatening): I'm gonna call the firemen and make you sleep in the station with them.
Robby: Fine. I'll get my shoes on.
Daddy: Ugh.. Rob - just go to bed.
Robby: Ok.

He puts up a good argument but when push comes to shove he knows when to give up. He makes the most wonderful faces, though.

When the kids woke up we had shrimp for dinner with Old Bay...mmm...


Then the kids did a craft with Grandma and Caitlin while I watched the Phillies game. They went to bed full, happy, and excited for Mommy and Sammy's return (which should be late this evening.)

OCNJ - Day 5

So far... we've survived. Breakfast was donuts made on the boardwalk again... mmm...

I'm realizing that this blogging everyday thing is harder than you would think. I feel like I'm just giving you guys a mundane download of daily activities... but have no fear... today's post will be gripping, enthralling, and even downright controversial. (Not really... but you're hooked, right?)

We started the day with a puzzle. Fun stuff. James liked it.

Then we (Caitlin, my mother, and I) got the kids dressed and we all headed to the beach (my dad came too.) As I sat on our porch yesterday watching fathers lugging mounds and mounds of overly excessive (albeit necessary) beach equipment up from the beach with their wives and small children rooting them on - I decided that I would venture out to the beach today despite my cast. I would not bring the mounds and mounds of equipment, though. The Morris' are minimalists. Each kid would get to carry a bucket, a shovel and a frozen margarita. I mean what is a beach vacation if you can't enjoy your kids' time on the beach? We dressed the quads, lubed them up, and set sail for the shore.

Surely you noticed the cute children burying Caitlin in the sand but look at the picture again - did you notice the pathetic gimp in the background? "HEY HAND ME A MARGARITA!"

Robby was attacked by a wave and when I asked him how big it was he couldn't stretch his hands up high enough. I asked him if he held his breath when the wave got him and he looked at me with the most indignant face and told me, "No Dad - that would be cheating." I didn't ask him to explain. I just went with it.

We spent some time after lunch around the pool - cooling off and relaxing before coming inside for naps. That's right... kids take naps on vacation from 3pm to 5pm while on vacation with Satan Dad. We all need them. We all love them. And when it's 9pm on the boardwalk - we all appreciate them!

Naps were followed by a round of miniature golf where I taught the kids that you drive for show and putt for dough. To which Anna replied, "Dad - I have no idea what that means." She proceeded to hit a 35 on the back 9 and kicked all of our asses... I think I was being hustled because she won a round of ice cream for her brothers and sister after we finished up our round of golf. That's Tiger on the right.

Ice cream... mmm....After ice cream, golf, and dinner (not necessarily in that order) - we headed home to crash... and crash we did. The kids got ready for bed and fell right asleep in their beds. They wanted to watch a movie in their room because there is a TV and a VCR. The only problem is that the only VHS tapes that the place owns is 101 Dalmatians (which we've seen 101 times) and a Clint Eastwood western. We opted for no TV tonight and they didn't put up a fight.

Now it's time for Daddy to fall asleep. Honestly though - I'm not having to do much. My mother and Caitlin are really doing most of the work and I'm sitting in the background barking orders. But I think Anna speaks for us all in saying, "COME BACK MOMMY!"

OCNJ - Day 4

I should've known that today was going to be a bad day as soon as I woke up. Today - we woke up at 7am again. There is just something about vacation that makes kids wake up early. I've decided to just accept this - and sleep when I'm dead.

The morning started by me coming upstairs, getting on the computer, and updating my blog - as I've done every morning. On this day the kids were out of control - running up and down the steps, jumping on the couch, screaming at the top of their lungs... anything you can think of. Geana promptly dressed the kids, loaded them up, and left to get them out of the house.

I showered and then caught up with them about forty five minutes later at a quaint little restaurant in town where they were having pancakes and eggs for breakfast. On the surface - they had seemed to calm down a bit.

From there we headed to a store which I will refer to as "my nightmare." This place is lined with shelves and shelves of breakable ceramic figurines, plates, coffee cups, jars, trays, jewelry boxes, etc. The idea is for each kid to pick one, paint it, and then they fire it in a kiln for you to pick up in a few days. Robby seemed to think that this was a good place to practice his jumping jacks and James his yoga stretches. Surprisingly - we escaped the store without breaking a thing. But don't get me wrong - it was touch and go for awhile.

We all painted something (to be picked up Thursday) and headed home to the pool to spend a few hours before Mommy and Sammy had to pack up and head back to Philadelphia for the next three days - Geana has school, Sammy a swimming banquet. (For you new readers - bad things happen when Geana leaves. I don't know why. I've stopped questioning it. It just happens. Geana went away for a weekend a few months ago and came home to Sammy's broken thumb and Ella's asthma putting her in the hospital - stay tuned...)

We headed to the boardwalk, sans Geana and Sammy. The kids all got a small toy to play with before we headed home for baths, dinner, and bed. I managed to snap this great picture of all of them playing with their toys and showing the love for their brothers and sisters:


At this point - it took a turn for the worst - nothing catastrophic... but annoying. I will leave you with a string of text messages between Geana and I from last night:

Kurt: Boardwalk tickets?
Geana: In my handbag.
K: Bummer - ok.
G: I hate school.
K: We hate your school too
G: I miss you guys already
K: We almost got caught in the rain on the boardwalk.
G: Was your cast covered?
K: Nope - I cruised home ahead of the kids. It didn't rain.

(a few minutes later)

K: Robby hit his head on the doorknob.G: Is Robby ok? Who went to the boards?
K: He's fine. Also - James fell off the top bunk but Ella broke his fall. Everyone is ok. We all went except my dad. How is class?
G: Make sure you give Ella her meds.
K: Done. Anna just whacked her head on the table when giving me hugs and kisses good night.G: Kiss them for me.
K: I did. Also did you unclog the toilet before you left?
G: Yes.
K: Ok - something must be wrong with it because it just overflowed all over the bathroom floor. See you soon!

If we live... more tomorrow...

OCNJ - Day 3

The kids, again, woke up at the crack of dawn and wanted to play. Grandpap had gone to the local donut store already and was armed with bait to lure the kids upstairs to the kitchen and bought Geana and me an extra 10 minutes of sleep. It wasn't much but it was something! Nice work Grandpap!

We decided that we wanted to spend the day doing something that Daddy could participate in. I can't swim in the pool... I can't go to the beach... I can't really do the boardwalk very well without falling on my face... so we decided to go crabbin'.

Let me preface our trip by saying I hate fishing. I hate the smell of fish. I hate the way fish feel all slimy. I hate the sight of fish. I hate anything having to so with fish. I mean - I love shrimp, lobster and crabs... but fish - not so much. We got there and the guy reached into his "bucket 'o dead, gross, fly infested fish" and cut a dead bunker in half with his hatchet, spearing him through the eye onto our crab lines. Our bait was set. I just about puked... Robby said, "COOOOOOL!" I'm a wimp. It took Anna about a half an hour to get down from standing on the picnic table because she was so grossed out. SO... either - a) Anna takes after her Dad or - b) I'm a four year-old girl when it comes to crabbin'.

We all got our chance to hold a crab. We caught one without any claws so it was safe for everyone to hold onto him.

James - who at home loves to dig for bugs, worms and other creatures - had the time of his life!

Sammy...
Ella...
Robby...
Anna...

On the ride home from crabbin' all quadruplets fell asleep. I have a theory (which was confirmed today) that people are designed to nap from 3pm to 5pm. If it were not for the wonder drug, coffee, I would succumb to a nap everyday at around this time.
Dinner was spent at the Deauville Inn where Sammy decided that he was too big to order from the kids menu and asked for Chicken Parmesan instead of a hot dog, macaroni and cheese, or chicken fingers. I think that NOT ordering from the kid's menu is as much a passing of age as your first kiss or the first time you experience the death of a loved one. Well - maybe not that much but something certainly changed tonight. Our seven year-old is growing up. Here is a picture of Sammy from 2003, just before our first visit to the Deauville Inn - before the word "quadruplets" was even a thought in our family...