Question of the week

What is the craziest thing someone has ever said to you about your multiples and how did you respond?



I think one of the craziest questions that we have actually been asked is if we have two boys and two girls.

Really? There are three babies in pink with bows in their hair and one child in blue and it's that hard to figure three girls. I really think that most people just don't look at the babies, they just see a bunch and start asking questions. Our response was usually just 'Uhmm, no.'

But, the craziest question asked was asked to my Mom.

She was getting her hair done and the lady doing it was asking how I was doing and all (I was stilll pregnant at the time). There was an older lady in the beauty shop at the same time listening to the conversation. After it was explained to her that I was pregnant with four babies at the same time she asked my Mom if they all had the same father.

Yes she did!

I don't know for sure how my Mom answered but I told her that she should have just told her 'No,  she's like a dog in heat, that girl is.'

Moral of the story: Stop. Think. Then ask. lol

Question of the Week

From the multiples and more blog, here's the question of the week:

How do you encourage your multiples to develop and maintain their own individual identities?



Do you plan to, or already separate them in school?

We chose to separate our kids in school from the beginning. When they started school we were living in a  very small house and they all four shared a bedroom, so the time apart at school was very important to    them. They each took great pride and ownership of their own classrooms. Aside from that, we also wanted    them to make their own friends rather than cling to each other. It's worked out great for us.

Do you encourage your kids to pursue separate interests, or try to keep them in the same activities?

We encourage them to pursue the things they are interested in and strive to work out the kinks when they happen. There's been everything from soccer to fencing to choir and a whole lot in between. We   encourage them to try new things if they're interested, but once they sign up they have to finish out their    commitment even if they decide they don't like it.

What are your feelings on dressing multiples alike? Coordinating names?

We've never dressed them alike and their names don't coordinate. I figure that they get treated like parts of    a whole often enough, I don't want to encourage that any more than is necessary.

If your kids are older, do they still like to, or choose to dress alike?

They don't chose to dress alike now either. Heck, I'm not sure they even talk to each other when they're at   school.

What specific things do you do to help encourage your children's individuality?

We encourage them to do the things that interest them, regardless of whether it interests any of the others.    Especially when they were younger Dax or I would take one of them with us when we ran errands so that they could have some alone time with us. (We usually stopped for lunch too.)  Dax makes sure to spend time with Wyatt doing 'guy' things and the girls like for us to have girls' day out (which for them means going shopping.)

Multiples and More Question of the Week

Describe your children's personalities, in birth order. Do you think your kids personalities are related to their birth order?


No, I really don't think their birth order has much to do with. I think most of the birth order personality traits come because of their length of time in the family in certain rolls. For example the first born has been around longer so tends to get put in the roll of 'helping' when a new baby comes along. A second child is the baby until a third child is born, then all of a sudden he's not the baby, but he's not the older child that gets to help out either, thus feels kind of lost (creating middle child syndrome.) And I don't think that multiples get the chance to establish those kinds of rolls. I feel like they just grow into their natural personalities. But, that's just my opinion. :0)


Is your baby A any bolder or more dominant than B, C, D?

Yes, my baby A (Addison) has a hard time remembering that she's not in charge of the whole house.



Does your last-born reach milestones last as well?

Actually, my last-born (Kirsten) has reached many of the milestones first, from being the first to cut teeth to the first to wear a bra (of course, Wyatt's not in the running for that.)


Are there any characteristics that you feel are somehow related to birth order?

No, not really. They have such different personalities. And Wyatt and Abigail were born at the same time (c-section) so I don't know what those traits might even be. lol


Do you find that a lot of people like to "classify" your kids? How do you feel about it?

I guess I don't really look at things as classifying them.

I mean, it's not hard to see that Addison is bossy, loves to talk (all the time), and isn't afraid to take charge.

Abigail is very artistic. She has much more talent than the other three and she works hard at it.

Kirsten is very girly. She loves all things glittery and sequencey (probably not a word). Not to say the other girls aren't, but not like Kirsten is.

And Wyatt? He just doesn't care. Unless the girls want to use something that belongs to him. Then he cares a lot.

I don't really think that classifies them or compares them to each other. We all have different strengths and weaknesses. It's true when we're adults and when we're kids.

I guess that means that if it is classifying them, then I must not be bothered by it. lol

Question of the Week

What are the top 5 items that every parent of multiples needs?


1. Patience.

2. Patience.

3. A sense of humor.

4. The ability to have a schedule but still be flexible.

5. Patience.

I think that pretty much sums it up for me. If they had wanted six things I would have also included patience. Sometimes they wear thin at our house.