Happy Birthday to my Babies

You are still the babies. Each year I think the term "babies" will get replaced in our house with a word such as the little kids or the quads or something that groups you together but today you all turn six and you are still the babies. We don't use that word to imply that you are still little ones in diapers, or needing us to make you a bottle or pushing you everywhere in a stroller. Instead the word is used as a way for us to say "Kenzie, Isabella, Tate and Rylan" in one single word instead of 5. I know people often laugh when I still call you the babies but I just can't imagine calling you anything else even though you are big kids who are entering kindergarten in just 4 days.

I am at a complete loss at how we went from hearing the doctors say we will be delivering in the next 48 hours to having all of my children in elementary school. They say the days are long but the years short and it completely describes the last 6 years. It flew and in a way it saddens me that my youngest children are 6. My days as a mom to babies is gone. My days as a mom to toddlers are gone. My days as a mom to preschoolers have also left. But all that said I can not wait to be the mom to 4 kiddos who are so excited to tell me what they learned in school, what art project they did, who brought which treat for their birthday snack. This is a year when you will all learn and grow so much and I am excited to be the mom who gets to witness all of it.

Tater Tot
Oh buddy you are only turning 6 but if you had a magical way to be turning 8 you would be. The first glimpse I got of  you at 10:26pm six years ago after realizing you were a little boy were "he looks just like Drew." This statement couldn't be more accurate because you are your brothers idol and want to be everything he is. You love sports like him. You love playing rough like he does. You love being outside. You do NOT like anything risk taking or extreme though. You will ride your dirt bike all day but don't ask you to tube behind a boat because you will tell everyone you are just find driving it! You know what you are comfortable with and you do not care to try anything out of this zone even if Drew is having a blast. You are 100% boy in everything you do. We are really looking forward to you starting school because mom and dad can see you struggling with going from a little kid to a big kid. You have many tears through the day because you just aren't sure how to handle your emotions. If something is hard for you- you cry. If something isn't fair- you cry. If someone is bugging you- you cry. This wears on us and we both feel being in a classroom with a teacher who is not mom or dad will be so helpful for you. Tate, you are so loved and though you are much taller than most 6 year olds I cannot wait to see you grow this year as a kindergartner. I don't think school will be easy for you academically but we know you will do amazing things when it comes to anything on the field!

Izzybella
I am sure this will be the year that you figure out when you say your name it is Isabella and not Izzybella but if not I am just fine with you continuing to tell people you are Izzybella. I know it causes confusion to some because they aren't sure what you just said but mama loves it. Your brother Tate is 100% boy and you are 100% girl. Unicorns, baby dolls, frills, hair accessories, jewelry, painted nails. These things are all you. I use to think you took after Natalie because you are so much like her. You are independent and often have your mind made up and will argue your stand until mom tells you to stop many times over. You are the calmest one of our kids until you are not and then you leave the room because you know you are going to throw a fit and prefer to do that alone. You are smart, just like Natalie, and it comes easy for you because you soak up the knowledge. In the last year though I have realized you have so much of Aubrey in you too. You love doing art and are found daily sitting at the kitchen table coloring. You love animals and will often have the cats laying in your arms like babies even though 2 of them won't come near mom or dad. You have a love for your friends that amazes me at such a young age. You will be our social butterfly. One of the highlights of your day is when you can make or give a gift to one of your friends. I cannot even tell you how many days you brought things to preschool this last year whether it was a bead necklace you made, a coloring, a stuffed animal or a book to give to a friend. You are a giver and I love that about you. Boo you are ready for this next year. You are ready to be taught. You want to be part of the school your brother and sisters attend and I can't wait to see all of the friendships you make this year. I love you Izzybella!

Rylan
Our Baby D. I get the biggest smile on my face when I try to write about you! You my son are our mischievous one. Dad and I were talking last night about you and how you gave us the biggest scare when you were 24 hours old. For the next 9 months I just keep telling all of your therapist and doctors to just tell me you had CP. I could handle it and just wanted you to get the therapies you needed. They told me over and over you didn't have it and would be fine. I didn't believe them and would often cry because I just wanted you to be the best you could be in life. Oh how little faith I had! You started proving me wrong when you were the first to start walking and you continue to show me even today because of all the quads you are the smartest. You have a way of absorbing the world around you and this includes the television when we allow you to watch it. Our house could be burning down and you would have no clue if you were watching that dang tv! I believe you have a mind like your father's, a mind of an engineer. You see the world differently than your mom and you have a way of figuring things out. You also have an amazing way of being a shithead. This is said with so much love! We have said you have been one since right before delivery since you are the reason we delivered. This continued as a toddler when you would figure out how to steal a toy from a sibling but make it look like they tried stealing it from you. You continue, even at age 6, to hold this title. You will find a way to pick on a sibling but the minute you know you are going to get into trouble you come crying to us that someone did something to you. Two phrases that we would love to delete from your vocabulary are, "I don't knoooooow" & "okaaaay". Boy those 2 phrases coming from you are like nails on chalkboard. And don't even get started with daddy on your smirk! I am sure I will be hearing from your teacher this year because I am pretty sure you are up for challenging her in your mischievous ways. Rylan I am still betting on you being an engineer or a professional pick pocketer when you grow up and for some reason I think your smirk will follow you into your profession of choice.

 

 

Kenzie Rae
My sweet baby girl. You are the oldest and will tell everyone that when Tate tells them he is the biggest. You hold that Baby A title proudly and you do not let your size dictate anything you do. You are like your brother Drew in the sense that you have a zest for life. You love life as long as life gives you enough time to wake up. You remain my cuddle bug and love your time with mom and dad but this year you did finally give up the need to be carried but now you always come up and ask if you can hold my hand. Yes, you can baby girl as long as you need to. You do still give me one hour a week though in which I get to hold you tight and that is during mass. That is my time to love on my little girl. This year we realized that your love language is acts of service. What amazed me so much is that you also realized this and have come to understand the importance of gratitude when someone shows their love this way. You thank us so many times throughout the day and you are always the first child to say "thank you" which often has 6 other kids realizing they should be thankful. It amazes me how quickly in life you have realized how important it is to show gratitude to others but it goes along with who you are. Of all my kids you are the one I am not ready to have grow up. I would bottle you little forever if I could and I know your daddy would say the same. You don't let anything in life slow you down. You are an amazingly hard worker and don't stop until something is finished. You give your all when you are part of a team. You have a loyalty to your brothers and sisters and I know you will keep a watchful eye on everyone for me. Kenzie you were described as feisty when you were first born but I don't feel that has followed you through your first 6 years; instead I would say you are determined and full of life. You may get bigger this year but know you always have a place to cuddle with mom and dad. 

 

My babies, you are so excited for your day today. Rylan mom is sad because you will no longer hold up 5 1/2 fingers because you now get to extend that sixth finger all the way up. Today is about you; the 4 babies I turned over to God when I found out I was expecting you. I didn't think I could do it. Some days I still don't think I can but everyday I am so thankful that I get to be your mom. The 4 of you have made me a better person. You have taught me what is important in life. You allowed me to realize how amazing your daddy is and how much I love him. You blessed me in ways I could never have imagined 6 years ago starting at 10:24pm. Kenzie, Isabella, Tate & Rylan....you are 6 and so very loved.

Happy Birthday Babies