wilkinsonquints: bottles

Shots x 5: Kaydence, Kassidy, Kyndall, Rustin and Ryder

Just before we left on vacation, the quints had their 2-year check-up. They are all doing great! Developmentally, all of them are right where they are supposed to be. I still marvel at what a miracle these babies are! Here are the latest stats from their doctor's visit:

(Note: The stats are about a month old, but the pictures were taken a few days ago)

Kassidy

33.5 inches tall (50th percentile)

24 lb 7 oz (25th percentile)

Kassidy is the "Queen Bee" or "Mother Hen" of the bunch. She definitely thinks she is in charge, but she is also very mothering to the other babies. Of all the babies, she has the hardest time dealing with change---she likes it best when everything happens right on schedule.

Kaydence
31.25 inches tall (5th percentile)
20 lb 10 oz (<5th percentile)
Kaydence is a sweet little cuddlebug. She takes life at her own pace. She sleeps snuggled up with as many stuffed animals as she can get her arms around.

Rustin
32.25 inches tall (10th percentile)
25 lb 4 oz (20th percentile)
Rustin is such a little clown. He is always making us laugh. He is also a true redhead and is very mischevious. He climbed out of his crib for the first time tonight, and I am afraid of what that might lead to!

Kyndall
32 inches tall (10th percentile)
19 lb 1 oz (<5th percentile)
Kyndall is the most independent of the bunch. She is full of spunk and always has a smile on her face. Despite her small size, or maybe because of it, she is the best climber.

Ryder
33.25 inches tall (25th percentile)
25 lb 2 oz (20th percentile)
Ryder is still my high-maintaince man. He likes to have lots of attention and it is rare to find him without at least one of his comfort objects (binky or "nuggie"). He is very sweet and loving and I can always count on him to come running for storytime.

Kaiya
Kaiya just started the first grade and is doing great in school. She is taking gymnastics this year and is in the running club. She loves to turn on music and dance with the babies.

Riley
Riley just started the fourth grade. He loves to read and even sets his alarm to wake up 30 minutes before he needs to, just so he can get some extra reading time in. He is taking piano lessons and is going to play volleyball this season. He is also in the running club. Riley is great at making the babies laugh. I always recruit Riley to help when I am trying to take pictures because he can always make them smile.

Kaiya and Riley on their first day of school on their first day of school. (holding up fingers corresponding to the grade they are in)

Rustin, Kaydence, Kassidy, Kyndall and Ryder----the babies got this great table for their birthday---it has 5 legs---what could be more perfect??

Chillin' on the stools: Rustin, Kyndall, Kassidy, Kaydence and Ryder

A taste of the "terrible twos"--Ryder pushed a chair over to the counter and helped himself to the Nesquik--he looks a little too proud of himself!

I have tried on several occasions to get the babies to drink milk from their sippy cups, but they always refuse. I put off "bottle graduation" as long as possible because I was worried that the babies wouldn't be getting enough calcium and other good stuff from milk if I took them away. With the babies turning two, it was definitely time to get rid of bottles. We had a "bye, bye bottles" party. All the kids took turns throwing bottles into a large trash bag and saying "bye, bye bottles!" Then we sang the good-bye song (from Monster Clubhouse). We clapped and cheered, took pictures and even had treats. The next few days, a couple of them would ask for their bottle, but we just reminded them that we said bye, bye to bottles, and they were OK with that. And, after a couple of days, everyone (except Kassidy, the change-resistor) decided that they could go ahead and drink milk from a sippy cup. Hurray! The next step is to get Ryder and Kyndall to give up the binky......I think that will be a little more difficult!