The Length a Quadruplet Brother Goes To Get Some One On One Attention

You might have caught that Isaac spent the wee hours of the morning in the ER with his daddy.  Apparently, he was in desperate need of some one on one time. So much for a plain ole boring fever. 

Shortly after we tucked him into to bed for the night he woke up in a panic, gasping for air.  It was obvious that his airway was constricted, and so we immediately administered a breathing treatment (only the 2nd one he’s ever had one in his life) and he asked to return to bed.  Not an hour passed, before he awoke again, even more upset and having an even more difficult time breathing.  Although he wasn’t coughing much, he had the classic seal bark and his airway sounded textbook strider.  He calmed down with in the steamy bathroom, but we didn’t feel comfortable putting him back to bed. 

Brad took the little dude to the ER while mama stayed back with the other three sickies. Just look at the poor little pitiful dude:

 

They were seen in a flash and had awesome care at Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital.  Can’t say enough about that special facility.  So thankful to have great care so close.

After getting his fever down some and getting a steroid treatment he was feeling more like the little Isaac we all know and love:

Hopefully we’ll ALL be on the mend soon. 

We are soooo grateful for your prayers not only for our little sickies, but for keeping Brad’s family in your thoughts and prayers as well. 

Fever In The Morning. Fever All Through the Night.

*****UPDATE**********

After putting the boys down for the night, Isaac has woke up twice, with a raspy strider and gasping for breath.  (So much for non-scary illnesses.)  It looks like classic croup, but we don’t want to take our chances through the night.  Our on call doctor advised us to get him to the ER, and Brad is on the way with him now, while I stay here with the other 3 sickies.  We would so appreciate your prayers!  Poor Little Dude. I’ll update you soon.

*************************

Yes it’s getting warm outside, but we have four little bodies all toasty on the INSIDE too. 

Summer Fever x4.

Just when we thought we had the bedtime routine heading in the right direction…

However, we are so grateful that despite the fussiness and fever that we no longer have preemies with compromised immune systems.  We no longer have the fears of RSV or worrying if a respiratory illness will lead to hospitalization.

Give it a few days and they’ll most likely bounce back to their normal little spunky three year old selves. 

And the sprinkler will be waiting for them.

*** Also,would you all be keeping Brad’s family in your prayers?  I won’t go into details, but we are awaiting some tests results and your prayers would mean the world.***

 

How To Get Your Kids to Stay In Bed : Tips From a Quad Mom and Her Readers

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again.

WE ARE SO STINKIN’ BLESSED WITH OUR FAMILY OF READERS!

I came to you discouraged, exhausted, and in tears and you came to the rescue.

Seriously, if you’re having any trouble with bedtime at your house, there’s some brainy, creative, and insightful ideas in the comment section of “Give Me a Magic Solution for Bedtime” post.

 

Here’s just a sampling of the ideas shared that might just work for your bedtime routine:

“We could give him 3 pennies for his nightstand and tell him he had to give us one each time he got up. Whatever he had leftover the next morning went into his piggybank.” – Heather

“We did a sticker chart for a while and if they got a sticker in the morning for being good at bedime, 10 or something meant a special adventure with mommy or daddy or grandma ALONE.” – Aimee

“Each night they went to bed well a new train car would appear on their wall after they were asleep. We just drew a new one on paper each night. They loved waking up to see a new train car - it took awhile - the train was pretty long but eventually they didn't need it anymore. To everything there is a season :)” - Fisher Family

“I used duct tape. It works for anything. And Amber and Adam are only slightly scarred emotionally. :)” - Belinda C (Facebook)

“We use the "Teach Me Time" clock with Brooke. You can set it to glow green at the hour that it is okay for them to get up.” – Andrea P (Facebook) (I found this clock on Amazon if you are interested, it' looks like a great find!) 

“We did timeouts in the PeaPod Tent; if they wouldn't stay in their beds. We set up the tents in a separate room from their bedroom and would remove the offender from the bedroom if they got out of bed. I usually didn't give them their blankie so that they would understand I was serious and it was time to go to bed and blankies are for bedtime in BED.” –Joy L (Facebook)

However, I truly believe that  EVERY child is different.  My own 4 being a prime example of this very phenomenon.  What works for one of them, by no means works for all of them. Our particular offender was not motivated by surprises, positive reinforcements, or verbal praise.  Likewise he did not respond well taking away toys, losing privileges, or punishment. 

So what do you turn to when neither positive nor negative reinforcement works?  NEUTRAL!

I remember watching the Stay in Bed Technique on Supernanny pre-quads. The days when I thought I was such a good mom (before I even had any kids)! Several of you mentioned that it had worked for you, and I was willing to try anything for a full nights sleep!

The basics behind the technique is you are not allowing your child to gain the attention (negative or positive) that they are seeking by getting out of bed.  You complete the normal bedtime routine (bathroom, prayers, drink, book, etc.) and then put them to bed. The first and second times they get up, you reinforce that it’s bedtime by telling them and leading them back to bed.  After the third escape you just keep leading them back to bed, without a word or cuddle.

I’m not going to lie to you.  THIS IS HARD WORK!  We had one persistent little dude who was bound and determined that his excuses would get his way. I couldn’t have done it without my Tag-Team-Buddy, Brad. Over 100 put downs later and over an hour of continuing to put him back in bed, he was FINALLY down for the night.

But here’s the best part: 

Our consistency has paid off! 

He’s been staying in his bed without getting up for 3 NIGHTS IN A ROW!!!!!!

I asked for a “Magic Solution”. 

And you didn’t let me down.

I.O.U.

A Taste of Absence Does The Heart Good

This weekend Brad and I were able to get a short little breather.  It’s amazing what some comfort food (while it’s still warm) and a couple hours away with some good reads will do to recharge your spirit.  Uninterrupted conversation and riding in the car, rather than a van filled with car seats, was a welcomed retreat. Funny how holding hands can feel a little more like high school again. And how you could care less about traffic or waiting in a line, because you’re not rushed for once. And although the time passed too quickly, and responsibilities awaited us at home, we feel more empowered and energized to make it through the week.

It always amazes me how even a little taste of absence can make the heart grow fonder.

It does the heart good, doesn’t it?

 

(Special thanks to Brad’s parents for giving us a much needed recharge.)

Somebody Give Me the Magic Solution To Keep Kids in Bed for the Night

(Door Knob Opens)

“I need to go potty.”

(Back to Bed Tactics)

(Door Opens)

“My toe hurts.”

(Reluctant Back to Bed Tactics)

(Door Opens)

“I need a drink of water.”

Minutes Pass and I Think All Is FINALLY quiet for the night…

(Door Opens)

“I need my yellow dog.”

(Desperate Back to Bed Tactics)

(Door Opens)

“I need a drink.”

“There’s thunder in my room.”

“I need something.”

“I need a hug.”

___________ FILL IN THE BLANK WITH ANY EXCUSE IN THE BOOK!

(Minutes often turn into hours)

Yesterday I tweeted and FBed for ideas on how you keep your kid(s) in their bed. Some of them we’ve tried and others I’m willing to give a shot at.

Having Potty Trained Boys Has Wreaked Havoc On Our Bedtime Routine. We’ve tried SO MANY things and nothing is motivating 2 of our boys to stay in their beds at bedtime. Not even my teary pleas. Once they are asleep they stay in their beds, but our nights keep getting later and later. And we are getting weary.

The later their bedtimes get, the later we find ourselves going to bed – because we crave a little “down time”, and time to finish end of the day tasks.

We aren’t alone in this right?  I’m turning to you for a dose of encouragement, creative suggestions, and just your support. 

(I know in the grand scheme of things this has little value and it’s turned into more of a whine session than I intended.  Forgive me for that, and see me through this trying stage, could you please?)

I’ll compile a list of suggestions and maybe if we ALL put our brains together we can come up with the magic cure to keeping your kids in bed for the night. We’ll patent it, write books, go on tour, make T-shirts, make up a DVD series…

Think of all the frustration we’ll save parents for generations to come!