Cheer Competition

Ok, so my two girls love gymnastics and had been doing it for a couple of years. While we were in the NICU, I put pictures of Sophia & Sadie in with the babies. One of our primary care nurses noticed them in their leotards and asked if they had ever done any cheerleading.... seemed like SUCH a good idea at the time! Once a week practice (compared to 3x's for gymnastics) both girls would be on the same team, and it is closer to our house. Well, the girls LOVE it and here are some photos from their 1st competition at George R Brown Convention Center in Houston.

Sadie is the 'flyer' in the front of this stunt (top right). They are actually moving with the girls in the air....



Sophia mid toe-touch!




Sadie getting ready to start her stunts...




Sophia in finishing a tumbling pass.

Thanksgiving 2009

So much going on, such a BUSY time of year... We had an AMAZING Thanksgiving meal at my sisters house this year.

Here are just a few shots of the girls and babies.

The family (my attempt at a photo.... :)



Ruby



Gunner



Saoirse


Jude getting his Thanksgiving turkey...

Ireland vs. France

World Cup qualifier games are going on now and this weekend Ireland played France. We watched the game at some friends of ours house (they happen to be French) They just had a baby 4 weeks ago so it was nice to visit! They have a french station so the ENTIRE game was in French! No sub-titles!!

Ireland lost. :(

They play again on Wednesday (in France), hopefully they'll win this one or else they're out.

Here are my boys in support of their team (pre-game).



This is a random picture of Gunner- poor baby!!

Jude Peter

Jude Peter(originally going to be Shooter!!)

Jude is my smallest child. He has been about 2-3 pounds lighter than the rest of the babies for some time now. It took awhile the Dr. and I to realize that Jude needed to be on 'special' formula. (neocate). After the switch in formulas, he has been gaining more and seems to be a lot less fussy.

After taking a look at the pictures, you will notice that Jude looks completely different than the rest of the babies. DARK hair, DARK eyes, and a more yellow complexion. He has the LONGEST, most AMAZING eyelashes ever. When he looks up at you, they almost hit his eyebrow. Lucky boy! I'm sure his sisters will be envious!!

We call Jude the 'running man'. I have never seen a child move the way this kid does. Whether he be eating, in an exersaucer, or on the floor, his legs are MOVING. RUN JUDE, RUN!!!

I will say this about Jude- for the most part he is a content child. But, when he is hungry or needs to be changed, he SCREAMS. Blood-curdling SCREAMS~ until his issue is resolved. He's something else.

Jude in the swing



Jude in crawling mode



Jude sleeping...

Saoirse Kate

Saoirse (pronounced SOR-SHA if your from Belfast and SEER-SHA if your from southern Ireland)We say SOR-SHA.

Saoirse is a word in the Irish language that means 'freedom'. I have loved this name from the first time I heard it... I KNOW that she will be tortured in school as I am sure EVERYONE will struggle to pronounce it. She can always go by Kate :)).

For all of you who don't know, my husband is from Belfast. He immigrated here about 8years ago. His entire family still resides in Belfast. Since we've been married, we have made the journey to Ireland every other year. This summer, his family came over for the christening. Next Christmas, we will go there. Yes, 6 kids, 2 planes, and 14 hours. I cringe just thinking about it... but, we do have a GREAT time when we're there. My husbands family is great and there are SO many volunteers already for baby care! We might actually get a few good nights out in town- YIPPEE!!!

Saoirse was the first baby home about 2 1/2 weeks after she was born. Sweet, smiling, girl. Saoirse LOVES her thumb. She was the first to find it and keeps it in her mouth most of the time. Saoirse loves Yo Gabba Gabba. Its like she is hypnotized every time this show comes on.... she actually stops whatever she's doing, her mouth opens, and she just STARES.

Recently, Saoirse has also been very weary of new people. For example, some of my girlfriends from work came over, she SCREAMED when they tried to pick her up. She also hides her face in my shoulder when someone she doesn't know is talking to her... maybe she will be my shy one? Only time will tell!!

Here are some pics of Ms. Saoirse:

MOSQUITO BITES



Wet, teething, face!



Sleeping...

Gunner Paulson

Gunner. This was MY name choice. I always said if I had a son, I would name him Gunner. It took my husband a little while to get use to the name, but finally he caved and said OK. My husbands name is Paul. Actually, everyone in my husbands family's name is Paul. You know in my Big Fat Greek Wedding, everyone was Nick? Well my hubbies family- PAUL. His dad is Peter Paul, grandfather- Paul Peter- nephew- Paul Richard, and he is Paul Patrick. OK. Enough said.

When his sister called me and said I would have to name on of them Paul, the wheels started turning in my brain.... After explaining the situation to one of my co-workers (thanks TRISH!!:)), she suggested PAULSON, and it was PERFECT!!


Now, when we found out we were having quads, and that there would be 2 boys and 2 girls, I immediately started with the names... My original names for my two boys were Gunner & Shooter. Yes, Shooter. I really do like that name! (When I was in NYC, I remember reading a page 6 article and there was Waylon Jennings son, Shooter. He was the coolest cat I'd ever seen. Really stylish and funky.) Well, after running this name by my husband- he informed me that he would be shot getting of the plane if he arrived back in Ireland after naming his two sons, Gunner & Shooter. So, Shooter became Jude!

Gunner is the SPITTING image of my husband. I mean IDENTICAL baby photos. The only difference is my husband is much darker... black hair and dark brown eyes. Gunner has my eyes and lighter hair (for now). Gunner is my BIG boy. At 7 months old, he weighs 21 pounds and is 28 1/2 inches long. He's been the biggest since day one and not much seems to have changed!! Gunner is also my happy child. When I say happy, I mean ALWAYS HAPPY. This child smiles from am to pm. He is also on the verge of crawling and crazy teething. He's up on all fours and rocking... then lunges forward-I think in the next few weeks he'll be EVERYWHERE.
Time to install the baby gates!!

Ruby Ailish Gilbride

In the next few days I'm going post a little about each of the babies now as their personalities are REALLY starting to show. Today its about Ruby.

I have LOVED the name Ruby forever. Ruby Rubes. Rubix Cube. Ruby Booby. These are all of her nicknames. Poor kid. Her middle name Ailish (pronounced ALE-ISH) This is the Irish version of ALICE, which is my middle name and my grandmothers name. Ailish means in Irish "noble".
Ruby is our VOCAL child. Very demanding. If she wants you to look at her or pay attention to her, she SCREAMS, its not a cry, just a shrill, ear piercing SCREAM. Then, when you do head her way to see what's goin on, she smiles.... funny little girl. Ruby also has a HEAD full of curly, dark brown hair. Loves being held by her dad.... one of the best eaters we have: open mouth, insert food!


Ruby channeling Olivia Newton-John



Ruby... always talking! And the faces....



Peaceful.

7 month Pictures

We got these GREAT stickers from etsy.com that you stick onto onesies for the first 12 months. I didn't start them until 6 months- so here are our 2nd set (7 month pictures!)




Jude





Saoirse




Ruby




Gunner






Also, here are some random shots on the swing in the backyard....

Ruby


Jude


Saoirse



Gunner

Halloween Preview...

Last but not least, here is a 'preview' of the kids in their Halloween costumes!!


Sadie (as a Geisha) Erin (their best friend from Ireland) Sophia (midnight fairy)



All the kiddos HALLOWEEN 2009


Sophia & Sadie


Ruby (sugar baby) Jude (tootsie roll) Saoirse (smarties) Gunner (M&M)


Saoirse... sleeping in her costume!!

More Christening....

The Family



SAOIRSE


RUBY


JUDE

Christening

Well, when I have the chance, I POST!!! Here are photos from the christening of the babies, August 1st, 2009. We had an AMAZING party and boy what a turn out!!! We had my husbands family/friends fly to Houston from Belfast Ireland (total of 8) and my family and friends came down from NYC, Cape Cod, and Colorado!! Here are some photos of the babies on their day!


Gunner


Babies


My mom & all of her grandchildren (my dad was golfing! :))


Irish Grandparents and their grandchildren (minus Grace who was still in Ireland)


All the grandparents and babies




Grandparents holding Ruby & Gunner


Godparents: Mike & Kathy Eaton with RUBY


Levi Rollins, Eric Munoz, and Sinead Mulholland with SAOIRSE


Dan & Jess Kunkel with JUDE


Frank & Donna Kunkel with GUNNER