Rub-a-Dub-Dub, Five Babies in a Tub

With my mother-in-law here this week, we decided to be adventurous and give the babies their first bath in the big tub. It was quite a workout getting everyone undressed, weighed, bathed and dressed again---all while trying to prevent drowning and other life-threatening activities. The babies had a blast, and in the end, so did we!

Bath in the Big Tub...By the Numbers

1 Grandma
1 Mom
1 Big Sister
2 Cameras
1 Video Camera
1 Big Garden Tub
4 Inches of Water
2 Towels on the bottom of the tub
5 Pairs of PJ’s to take off
2 Wet Diapers
3 Poopy Diapers
1 Puddle of she-she on the carpet

(Note: she-she = what we call urine at our house)
2 Towels and
20 Sprays of Spot Shot to clean it up
1 Baby Scale
5 Cute Naked Bums
1 Bottle of Baby Wash
5 Washcloths
1000’s of Splashes

10 Ears to wash behind

5 Heads of hair to wash
9 Puddles on the floor
5 Hooded Bath Towels
5 Clean diapers
3 Matching Girls Outfits
2 Matching Boys Outfits
1 Baby Brush
100’s of Smiles
5 Clean Happy Babies!

More Fun Pictures from the Week:

Ryder, Rustin, Kassidy and Kyndall

Everybody loves laundry day at our house!

The whole crew in the morning before school:
Kassidy, Riley, Kyndall, Kaiya, Ryder, Rustin, and Kaydence

Mother's Day Dinner on the Back Porch
Kyndall, Rustin, Ryder, Kassidy, and Kaydence

Rustin, Kassidy, Kaydence, Ryder and Kyndall

Baby Council: Ryder, Kyndall, Kassidy, Rustin and Kaydence

Rub-a-Dub-Dub, Five Babies in a Tub

A Tribute to My Mom

Betty Ann Curtis aka "World's Greatest Mom"

Top Ten Reasons Why My Mom is the BEST!!!

10. She is super-organized. I have learned a lot from her, and being organized is the only thing that has kept me sane with all these babies!

"Mimi" with Kaydence, Kassidy, Rustin, Ryder and Kyndall

9. She is the ultimate multi-tasker

Mimi with Kassidy, Kaydence and Rustin

8. Growing up, she drove me (and my 5 other siblings) to all of our extra-curricular activities. She was our biggest cheerleader and almost never missed a performance, game, meet, etc. that any of us was in.

Rachelle, Mom, Tiare (my sister) Other siblings not pictured: McKay, Colby, Ryan and Shane

7. When it comes to finding bargains, my mom is amazing.

Mimi and Papa with Ryder, Kassidy, Kyndall, Kaydence and Rustin. (The outfits the babies are wearing were only $5.)

6. She makes magnificent meals in the microwave. Until I went to college, I didn’t even know that “normal” people brown ground beef on the stove

5. Family always came first with my mom. She made sure that we read scriptures and had prayer together as a family every day. We also had “Family Home Evening” every week.

The Curtis Family (minus Colby) in Summer 2006

4. Any moment can become a Kodak moment when my mom is around.

Our first trip to Rudy's BBQ with my mom and brother Ryan.

3. She is a good friend—she listens and gives good advice.

2. She is a terrific “Mimi” (what the grandkids call her)

Kaiya, Mimi and Riley at Ed Debevic's in Chicago.

1. She has been incredibly supportive. From the moment that I told her that we were expecting quintuplets, my mom has been there for me. She provided emotional support during the ups and downs of the pregnancy and she spent a large chunk of her summer taking care of Riley and Kaiya while I was on bedrest (in the middle of trying to sell her house and put on a huge family reunion).

My mom and I the day before delivery.

Since the babies were born, she has come nearly every month for 10-14 days at a time to help take care of the babies. She has sacrificed a lot in her own life to be there for me, and I am so grateful for her. I could not have asked for a better mother---she is the BEST!!!

Back: Mom, Rachelle Middle: Kaydence, Kassidy, Rustin, Kyndall Front: Ryder

A Tribute to My Mom

9 Months Old!

Kyndall, Rustin, Kaydence, Ryder and Kassidy

This week the babies turned 9 months old! At our church, kids can go to the nursery during Sunday School when they are 18 months old, so we are half-way to nursery age! I can't believe they will all be one in three months. Here is an update on each of the kids:

Name: Kassidy aka "Spike"

Age: 9 months

Weight: 16 lbs 8 oz

Height: 27 inches

Accomplishments: scoots on tummy, finally eating most baby foods

Known Weaknesses: strong dislike of most vegetables, big-time "Momma's Girl"

Superpowers: heightened sense of "stranger danger", super-grasp cling

Health prognosis: recently diagnosed with Grade 2 urinary reflux (where the urine refluxes back up the ureters to the kidneys), will hopefully go away on its own in 6-9 months

Name: Kaydence aka "Curl"

Age: 9 months
Weight: 15 lbs 3 oz
Height: 25.5 inches

Accomplishments: First tooth (now she has two!)
Superpowers: Super-smile and infectious laugh, turbo-speed "army" crawl

Known weaknesses: Large curl especially attractive for grabbing hands
Health prognosis: no known medical issues

Name: Rustin aka "Red"
Age: 9 months
Weight: 17 lbs
Height: 26.25 inches
Accomplishments: First and fastest crawler, pulls up to standing on furniture
Known Weaknesses: "Grass is greener" complex--always wants someone else's toy
Superpowers: "Bulldozer" crawl--he lets nothing get in his way
Health prognosis: Eczema, super-sensitive skin (the sacrifice you have to make for having great red hair!)

Name: Kyndall aka "Peanut"
Age: 9 months
Weight: 12 lbs 9 oz
Height: 25.75 inches
Accomplishments: Second to crawl on hands and knees, finally eating baby foods without force
Known Weaknesses: because of her small size, many children (most notably my own) confuse her with a baby doll
Superpowers: Pilate's expert (loves the plank position) and projectile vomiting (though this power is starting to fade)
Health prognosis: Needs to gain more weight

Name: Ryder aka "Ladies Man"
Age: 9 months
Weight: 16 lb 11 oz
Height: 27.25 inches
Accomplishments: Can hold bottle by himself (when he's in the mood), champion jumper
Known Weaknesses: fairly immobile, easy to bully
Superpowers: Huge heart-melting smile, super-flirt
Health prognosis: lingering ear infection

Name: Kaiya aka "Princess"
Age: 5 years, 2 months
Weight: 41.5 lbs
Height: 42 inches
Accomplishments: recently learned how to ride a bike with no training wheels
Known Weaknesses: finds unusual places for dirty clothes, hums when she eats food she likes
Superpowers: dancing dynamo, extremely clever and a little too smart
Health prognosis: no known health issues

Name: Riley aka "Jedi"
Age: 7 years 10.5 months
Weight: 52.5 lbs
Height: 46.5 inches
Accomplishments: starts swim team this week, straight "A" student
Known Weaknesses: can be very emotional, homework procrastinator
Superpowers: awsome reading skills, super creative, magnificent memorizer
Health prognosis: no known health issues

9 Months Old!