Step Right Up for Your Train Ride!

Here is a video of Broox pushing Virginia and Rainer on the train. Don't worry. Broox gets to ride too, but I think he enjoys pushing even more. Our only problem now is that we need a longer path.

What's Going On at 13 Months

Jane

Jane is pulling up on everything and can let go and lower herself to the ground unaided. She loves to walk her baby buggy and the activity table around the playroom. She loves to get a ride on the train from her brother Broox. She sits and he pushes. The minute they hit a wall, she bounces up and down on the seat and cries for him to get going! (I have a video of this that I will post.) She has eight teeth and I have felt at least one molar ready to make its appearance soon. She still loves to have your undivided attention and is going through a little bit of a clingy stage. She does not like to be put down for a nap or bedtime. The upside is that she is thrilled to see you when you go and get her and loves to be cuddled, hugged and kissed. Whenever someone has her and she decides to go to someone else, she looks back at the person that had her originally to see how they react. She gets a really serious expression on her face like she is thinking that you must be really upset to have lost her. She has a big personality for such a little person. She has learned to roll a ball back and forth with me and gets a big kick out of it. She likes to babble and screech loudly. She knows how to wave and sometimes even does it to her brothers and sister.

Virginia giggling

Virginia is pulling up and standing alone at times. She can push around all of the walker toys that we have and can move pretty fast. She also likes rides on the train. Virginia spends a lot of time working on buttons, and switches. She likes the toy we have where the animals pop out of doors when you push and turn buttons and then she closes the doors as quickly as she can. She also likes to put the letter blocks into the slot on the train. Virginia loves soft plush animals that have ears. Whenever she finds one in the pile of toys in the playroom she grabs an ear and sticks her thumb in her mouth. She has done this since she was little and usually does it when she is tired. I've even caught her asleep on the playroom floor because it just felt that good. Virginia is very serious about the toys that she likes. There are a hand full of things that she likes to carry around with her for hours. If someone is able to pry it from her she gets very upset. Otherwise, she is a very easy going baby and always smiling. Virginia has six teeth so far.

Broox

Broox has the sweetest smile and loves to give hugs and get as close to you as he can. He and Rainer get a real kick out of each other. He is our closest to walking. He is spending more and more time just standing up on his own and has gotten very skilled at walking behind a walker. He used to just sit down when he hit a wall. Now he can step to the side, turn the walker around and push it the other way. He loves to push his siblings on the train and likes to ride as well. He takes any chance he gets to escape from the playroom. He prefers everyday things that adults use to any of his toys. He likes to open and shut doors and empty baskets and shelves. He is not scared of anything and tries everything first. He is so ticklish. He is doing well with his helmet and has made some progress. However, it looks like he will still need to wear it for a few more months. He likes to babble and make clicking sounds with his tongue. Broox also has eight teeth.

Rainer

Rainer has just started pulling up, but that has not slowed him down one bit. He is a fast crawler. Rainer likes picking toys out of a basket or bag and also likes being pushed on the train. He can make lots of different sounds and does a lot of babbling. He likes to wave and dance to the music on his toys. He still loves his 3:00 bottle although now it's a sippy cup. He is the most excited before meals, kicking his legs and bouncing in his seat. He has hilarious expressions and laughs a lot. He thinks his brother and sisters are very funny. Rainer has eight teeth and still has red hair. It looks really bright in the sunlight. He recently learned how to blow a little horn that we have. He had it in his mouth one day when he accidentally blew and a loud noise came out. He looked up at me laughed a little and then shyly buried his head in his lap. He's still bashful about it when the sound surprises him.

The babies love to attack the boppy mountain

It's still cold, but Spring weather is just around the corner! Hopefully we'll be putting up these jackets for good very soon.
Jane watching her daddy.

The boys decided to have a wrestling match.

Virginia checking out the squirrels in the tree branches.

We Are One!!!

The babies had a fantastic birthday party in Brewton last weekend! They were surrounded by loving friends and family, who helped us celebrate their amazing first year. Here is a picture of the table we set up while the babies took a nap.

Rainer ready for his party

Virginia in her party dress made by Granny

Trying to get a shot of the quads all dressed up. They were too interested in the guests in the other room to look up.

Virginia, Broox, Jane, and Rainer: 1 Year Old

Digging in!

The whole fam! We've all come a long way.

Opening gifts

I hoped to get a great picture of the babies on their big day. Everyone was pretty tolerable, except for Jane. She wasn't having it.

Virginia is clapping for us...her new favorite trick.

The best we could do.

Daddy and Broox practicing walking. I don't think it will be too much longer.

Happy Birthday Virginia, Broox, Rainer and Jane! We love you so much and can't imagine our lives without you. We couldn't be more excited about what your second year will bring.

Snow Fun

We had the most beautiful snow all day today. It's the most snow I've seen on the ground in Alabama in a long time. I noticed the babies watching the snow fall several times throughout the day, and when Gray got home from work we took them outside to experience it.

Broox took off crawling as soon as his legs touched the ground. He liked spreading the snow around a little before his mittens got too wet.

The girls just sat, watched the flakes fall, and took it all in.

Rainer was cold, wet and wanted to go inside.

We only stayed out long enough to snap a few pictures and let them feel the snow for a bit, but it was a lot of fun.

My Little Clown

Rainer is such a funny boy. He has always made faces that make me laugh out loud, and his newest one did not disappoint. On this day, Broox laughed at him each time he did it. You can hear him cackle in the background at the very end.

Serious About Oral Hygiene

Every night we brush the babies' teeth then we give them the toothbrushes and let them do some brushing on their own. They absolutely love it! I'm sure it has something to do with the sweet toddler toothpaste on the end of their brush. Watch how quiet, focused and happy they are in this video with their toothbrushes.

After they have brushed for a while, I take the toothbrushes back up and we start putting the quads down for the night. Watch and see their very different reaction.

I thought that maybe they were upset because they knew bedtime came after tooth brushing. I tried doing it in the morning and I got the same result. Those babies just love to brush!

Crawling Exploration

The babies spend the cold winter days in the playroom and rarely venture beyond its gates. Today they did a little exploring in the house and I thought I would post a video so you could see them crawling. Rainer was busy playing with blocks so he didn't participate, but he was having fun. I was so happy that I was actually able to get a video to upload. I have lots to post so hopefully my good luck will continue. I don't know how to edit them yet, however, so this gets a little long if you're not a grandparent.