1st Christmas

I had been envisioning what this day was going to look like with all 6 kids. I was so excited because I am still so much like a child when it comes to Christmas. I love this time of year, especially Christmas morning. We had spent Christmas Eve with Jeremy's parents, sister, brother, and our nephew. The kids got so much stuff it was crazy, but again only interested in paper and bows. Except Casen, he was crawling on boxes.

I stopped today and realized that a year ago, I had just had the cerclage put in, and was resting and growing four sweet miracles, that we would be meeting in April. Of course we didn't know that then, but April 2, Cooper's placenta had had enough.

Christmas morning Haiden & Kennedy woke us up to tell us Santa had come to town, and they wanted to get the babies up. That is just what we did, little did the babies know that they would get more paper to eat. Just kidding! The big kids came down and saw what Santa had left for them, they were so excited, but what took my breath away was when the big kids left their toys and went over to the babies, and said "come on Ella, Cole, Cooper & Casen Santa left you all stuff too" they picked up the babies one by one and carried them to their presents, and began to play with them. Never even thinking about their toys, just wanting to play with their brothers & sister on Christmas morning. I always worried before they were born, if the older kids would be jealous, and still amazes me that they have never been jealous or resented the quads. They are such sweet children. All six of them! Shortly, the babies were getting fussy, and not very interested in their toys. So we laid them down and played with Haiden & Kennedy. It was a great morning. Auntie Ashley showed up to play with everyone, and shortly after Auntie Heather and Gavin came as well.

I got to cooking for Christmas lunch, since we were expecting more family. My Papaw & Gammy , Uncle Bubba & Aunt Sherri, Hunter, Luke, Uncle Mark, Auntie Heather, Gavin, Nonnie & Popo, Uncle Brian, Mamaw & Papaw, and more family all joined us for lunch. It was great. We decided to do a Mexican Fiesta instead of the traditional foods. It was a HIT! I attempted a new cheesecake recipe, and even though it was a 5 hour ordeal, and a mess in Ashley's oven, it was the BEST cheesecake ever. Thank you Mimi for the recipe.

Of course with more family came more presents, and again same story eating paper & bows, and climbing on packages. Poor babies, they were soooo overwhelmed. They got to spend time with their great grandparents, which is always so special since Papaw is 85!

After such a wonderful day with family, we were all in bed by 9pm. We have been so blessed, and I thank GOD everyday for such a wonderful life full of such blessings and joy!

It was just way to much for Cole to take:)

The Stockings were hung

Here is what a chimney looks like with 8 stockings hanging from it. I was really glad I could fit them all on it. A big thank you goes out to Mamaw for making each and everyone of our stockings. We have had ours, but she managed to complete all four babies in time for Santa Claus to drop a special something in them.

Candy Cane Anyone?

Nana bought the cutest Christmas pj's for the babies. They looked like a bunch of candy canes. We went to Nonnie & Popo's for Christmas Eve to open presents. The kids were so cute, all they wanted to do was eat the tissue paper or bows. Except Casen, he has learned how to pull up on everything. Mr. Climber was always wanting to climb on the boxes or pull up on them. Now, granted he has absolutely no idea how to get down. He looks like a pole falling, no bending, just straight back. I feel myself always holding my breath, just praying he doesn't hit his head or break something. I can't ever seem to catch him in time. What a stinker. After Nana brought over the pj's we got them dressed for bed, and laid them down in hopes of St. Nick would soon arrive. But before he could arrive Cooper, Ella & Casen wanted to check out the lights on Nonnie's tree. They sure wanted to get them to there mouth. After we did finally get them toi bed, Nonnie, Auntie Heather and I got to making the enchiladas for Christmas Dinner.

1st Christmas Party

Casen kissing Nonnie

Kennedy posing for the camera

Cole "all smiles"

The babies went to their first Christmas party. My Aunt Debbie always has Christmas Eve at her house, but since a lot of us have little ones, we have moved it to a Saturday in December. It is always a fun time with family, and lots of yummy foods, (boiled shrimp my favorite). I was a little nervous about how the babies would act since their bedtime is 6pm. To my surprise they were perfect little angels. In fact, several family members commented on how good they were. One funny memory of the night was when Ella, Cooper & Cole got their first taste of a sour pickle. They loved it, in fact Cooper liked to have ripped his Nana's hand off to eat the whole thing. She had to call in reinforcement to help her. We laughed forever at Coop. Ella and Cole made the funniest faces, but of course wanted more. When we were opening presents all they wanted to do was eat the wrapping paper, that was really all they were interested in. Jeremy's family joined us this year, and it was wonderful to have them there. As the night came to an end, we decided to change them into their pj's for the ride home, and of course they went right to sleep. We took them straight from the car to bed, and viola.... they slept through the night. It'll be interesting to see the difference next year, being a year older.

Cooper with Hazel

Casen and his Uncle Mark

Cole with Auntie Heather

Cole getting a taste of a pickle

Ella tasting a pickle

TEXAS SNOW down by the GULF!!!!!!!!

You know what they say about Texas weather. "Stand there 5 minutes and the weather is sure to change. That is exactly what happened today. Yesterday, the weather was 75 degrees down here in Galveston, but today it is 39 degrees. Then the unthinkable happens tonight

IT SNOWED!!!!!!!!!

Some of you reading may be thinking to yourselves big deal it snowed, but what you don't understand is it hardly EVER snows in TEXAS. I tried to wake Haiden, but he was quick to remind me that he has seen snow before, and was going back to bed. So off to get Kennedy up, because of course there was NO WAY I would wake the quads. And Jeremy was working nights, so off to get Kennedy. She was such a good sport, she and I played in the snow for about an hour. Then Nana came over to join in the fun. They ended up having a snowball fight. Yep, enough snow for a snowball. Cooper did wake up, so I took him to the door and let him watch the snow falling, he quickly saw it, and just stared at the falling snowflakes. I got it on video.

On another note, everyone is officially steamrollers except Cole. Cole is so laid back he is just not worried about getting anywhere in a hurry. Everyone is also up on all fours. Cooper, Cole, & Casen are all doing the inchworm or Army crawl. Ella can go, but she is not all about fighting with those stinking boys. I guess she figures she did that long enough in the womb. No teeth, just drooling babies, and wanting to chew on everything. Casen is however, almost able to push himself up from his belly to a sitting position. No one is sitting by themselves yet. Now with everyone OFFICIALLY MOBILE, let the gate placing begin. :) Even though they are getting around no one is messing with the tree or the presents, not this year anyway. They are very fascinated by the lights on the tree.

Cole is also shaking his head "no no". It is so cute. Ella is still doing the lizard tongue. Cooper has a new trick when you put him into his bed, he pulls down the bumper pads so he can see out, it is hilarious to watch. Casen must have seen him do this because he too has started it, but the difference with Casen is, he screams and yells when you are walking out of the room. Almost as if he is saying "duh, I am watching you leave us here, and apparently you are ignoring my screams." Yes, I am ignoring his screams.

I still have two thumb suckers, Ella and Cole. Cole now takes his blanket and wraps it around his hand before he sucks his thumb. They are only sucking it when they are going to sleep. Here is some pics for you to enjoy.

Iron Chef America

That's right, you read it right, we had Iron Chef America, Perez Quad Style, live in my kitchen on the day of Thanksgiving. How, you might ask, well let me tell you. Jeremy had to work nights on Thanksgiving, so he went to lay down around 10am, right after we had fed the babies. I on the other hand, had a lot of cooking to do to get ready to go over to Nonnie & Popo's for dinner. If you don't already know Haiden loves to cook, and watches cooking shows. Well when I am cooking he always wants to help, no biggy right? Also I should mention Kennedy is starting to want to help. This is where Iron Chef comes into play. The babies decided they were not going to hang out and play in the floor, there was just too much action going on in the kitchen, so I thought "OK I can do this, get them, put them in bumbo chairs on the counter and just keep cooking. WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
First of all, I now have ALL 6 kids in the kitchen wanting to help, and I am attempting to make Pecan Pie, Broccoli & cheese casserole, corn casserole, and chocolate delight (which let me inform you I have done a million times) but, with all my help somehow I couldn't even read the recipe to even begin the pecan pie, much less any of the other dishes. At this point the phone was ringing, babies yelling, big kids wanting to know when the cooking is going to start, and Daddy upstairs asleep, OH yes and dinner time was just a few hours away. It's funny when I watch Iron Chef none of this is ever going on, so I figure it only happens when you in the kitchen of Perez Party of 8. I decided to give the babies big spoons and spatulas to bang around, and the big kids pecans to start chopping, and me, well I just kept rereading the recipe and laughing. I at this point turn to everyone and say "O man I sure hope I am getting all the correct ingredients in each of these dishes, if not oh well, who else gets to have Iron Chef America live in their kitchen"

Needless to say, it all worked out, and everything was cooked and I even had time to change clothes and put a little make up on. All though I was seriously thinking that the ingredients on my face, may just have to pass for make up. Just kidding, I looked presentable for Thanksgiving. We had a great time cooking, and pretending we were:

LIVE, on IRON CHEF AMERICA

Now the real question is, can you tell who was Emeril, Bobby Flay, Rachel Ray, Paula Deen, Guy Fieri, or Sandra Lee?

1st Thanksgiving

Please tell me where has the time gone. I am sitting here not even believing that the babies are now 8 mos old TODAY. Who would have thought, that time would have flown by so fast? The last 8 mos have been the most exciting and sometimes trying times I think I have ever experienced, as side from Haidens years of headaches and brain surgeries. But as a great friend shared the scripture with me (that I now live by) " I can do all things with Christ who strengthens me" Boy, I am ever so glad she said that to me one day. I rely on it lots.

Now about the babies~~~ They are doing awesome! They have had there flu shots, 2 rounds of RSV (synagins) shots, and still happy healthy babies. We have been blessed in that area. Of course, I hope I didn't just jinx myself;)

Ella-OR Priss Ella or Lizard as we call her around here now. She is now smiling with her tongue pointed out like a lizard. She has now learned to blow raspberries when she eats, roll over both ways, gives kisses ( mouth wide open of course), and rocking back and forth on her knees. She is up to 15 lbs.

Cole- or Colie Olio is doing great as well. His smile will melt your heart for sure. He is jumping like a mad man in the jumparoo, he has finally quite scooting backwards and now gets on his knees and kind of hops forward. It is too funny. He also has this new thing where if you don't put his bottle in his mouth fast enough, he starts thrusting his pelvis up and down. If you remember he was the one in the NICU that would smile with his Elvis lip.

Cooper - or Coopie, Coops, toupie or cooper the trooper-is the official STEAM ROLLER, he rolls both ways as fast as lighting, he amazes us, He has just this week started getting up on his hands and knees and rocking. I think he figures why learn to crawl when you can roll where you need to go. I must say he has gotten better at eating, he doesn't think he has to stand on his head anymore to eat. Not sure what that was ever about. He is still the biggest, weighing in at 17 lbs. And to think, he almost did make it. He never ceases to amaze us.

Casen- or Tasen, mama's baby - Yes he is for sure a Mommy's boy. He figures he is the baby, and he wants everyone else to know that too. He is trying to push himself up from his tummy to a sitting position. He is about half way there. He is also on hands and knees, except he gets on hands and toes and then hops. Bless his heart, he keeps bumping his forehead every time he lands. He is the official RASPBERRY blower, but of course not until his mouth is full of food. I think I ought to go into business for myself, making food splattered clothing. I am sure you moms can appreciate that. Hey, at least we would already be in dress code for feeding babies. Ok, Ok, I am just kidding.

Before I forget to mention, they have offically started fighting over toys. I can only imagine what it will be like when they are totally mobile.

We all celebrated Thanksgiving at Jeremy's parents house with his family. Nana, Aunt Debbie, Uncle Mark, Auntie Ashley & Kelly, and Auntie Chelsea also joined us. It was great! We had good food, good times, and great memories. The babies hung out in there exersaucers and then went down for a nap. We did manage to get a family photo that day.

We had our first professional family photo shoot on Sunday, I will hopefully get to see some proofs and post them soon. Big huge "thank yous" go out to Popo, Nonnie, Auntie Heather, Gavin and Nana for helping us make that day as successful as possible. They say it takes a village to raise a child, so I am thinking it takes an ARMY to raise multiples. Or at least get them to and trough a photo shoot! Here are some pics for you to enjoy of our first Thanksgiving since the quads have been born.