Mr. Theo is 110% boy! This little man is certainly the rough and tumble type equipped with all the loud and smelly bodily functions. His features strongly resemble Frank, including those beautiful blue eyes. He also is growing to be quite strong and can now hold up that 97th percentile noggin with ease. He loves to swing his arms, pound his feet and beat his chest, which can make him quite a threat if left too close to his sisters. But, he also is as sweet as pie and loves to smile, snuggle and hold hands with all of his sisters. He’s already an amazing older brother!
Nicknames: Theo, Thor “god of thunder,” Nana’s Lil Buddy
Birth Length: 14.5 in
Current Length: 24.8 in
Birth Weight: 2.87 lb
Current Weight: 16.1 lb
Favorite toy: Abigail, the rattling bird who resides in Sherwood Forest and Ziggy the Zebra
Favorite past time: Making noise! Whether it be by knocking a rattle, pounding his fists or making sounds with his sweet mouth
All we wanted for Christmas was a Silent Night, and we got it!
At the conclusion of the holiday season, we celebrate not only the kids sleeping through the night but the passing of a memorable year. It certainly is a time of recollection; I ask myself: where have we been and where are we going?
It is hard to believe that at this time last year we were not even pregnant. We were amidst the emotional journey of trying to conceive. After years of trying, we found out in March, 2013 that we were going to have a family all at once.
The news that we were going to have quintuplets definitely took a few weeks to digest, and even longer to wrap our minds around. As many know, the emotional journey did not stop at conception but rolled on. With discussions about multi-fetal reduction and attempting to navigate the best possible perinatal care, our pregnancy was a trying journey. In May, I said goodbye to Frank, family and friends in Madison and hello to Mesa. Arizona brought new friends and the best doctor I have ever worked with. It truly seems like just yesterday that we hopped on a plane, praying that we would not be too late to have our urgent surgery. I also cannot believe that Frank and I were apart for almost 3 ½ months. Despite the miles that separated us, our marriage grew greatly during that time.
Then during the early afternoon on August 3, a nurse came into my hospital room and shared that were going to have babies in a few hours. With a bang we had a beautiful family. Many know the trials and tribulations that followed; the life of a NICU parent.
I sit amazed. I am truly awestruck at how God’s hand has cared for us every step of the way, His provision through His strength, Spirit and people never left us and continue to be ever present.
One of the many ornaments and generous gifts that we received from from our family at the Community Christian Church (Lincolnshire, IL). Many thanks!
I look at my beautiful children, each a unique blessing, and am overwhelmed by His handiwork. The quints are now 5 months old. They are happy, healthy and developing right on schedule.
Lillian GraceKali is not so sure about this Santa character.But, Kali definitely loves her Grandpa!Theo loves his pinky hippoBella sporting her Christmas outfitBaby Ellie is pretty in pink
What else could we ask for? Where are we going?
Instead of choosing a self-improvement goal, I resolve to soul-improvement and to continue to be present with my family and to truly seek what the Lord desires for our family and I. On January 11th, we will dedicate our children to God at Blackhawk Church. I am excited to commit each one of our miracles to their heavenly Father for His will and His purpose.
I close with a prayer from Billy Graham,
“Our Father and our God, as we stand at the beginning of this new year we confess our need of Your presence and Your guidance as we face the future.
We each have our hopes and expectations for the year that is ahead of us—but You alone know what it holds for us, and only You can give us the strength and the wisdom we will need to meet its challenges. So help us to humbly put our hands into Your hand, and to trust You and to seek Your will for our lives during this coming year.
In the midst of life’s uncertainties in the days ahead, assure us of the certainty of Your unchanging love.
In the midst of life’s inevitable disappointments and heartaches, help us to turn to You for the stability and comfort we will need.
In the midst of life’s temptations and the pull of our stubborn self-will, help us not to lose our way but to have the courage to do what is right in Your sight, regardless of the cost.
And in the midst of our daily preoccupations and pursuits, open our eyes to the sorrows and injustices of our hurting world, and help us to respond with compassion and sacrifice to those who are friendless and in need. May our constant prayer be that of the ancient Psalmist: “Teach me, O Lord, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end” (Psalm 119:33).
We pray for our nation and its leaders during these difficult times, and for all those who are seeking to bring peace and justice to our dangerous and troubled world. We pray especially for Your protection on all those who serve in our armed forces, and we thank You for their commitment to defend our freedoms, even at the cost of their own lives. Be with their families also, and assure them of Your love and concern for them.
Bring our divided nation together, and give us a greater vision of what You would have us to be. Your Word reminds us that “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 33:12).
As we look back over this past year we thank You for Your goodness to us—far beyond what we have deserved. May we never presume on Your past goodness or forget all Your mercies to us, but may they instead lead us to repentance, and to a new commitment to make You the foundation and center of our lives this year.
A special thank you to Hayley for the beautiful photos that she took of our children at 3 months. She is a very talented photographer. Her patience over the five-hour shoot was divine!
Be sure to check back at her homepage for more Photos by Hayley.
We have a few photos to share below, and are excited for the rest!
Theodore JosephIsabella MarieLillian GraceKali MaeElliott Rose
The African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child” is holding true for the V-5. It simply takes more than one person to not only teach a child the ways of life, but to care for their physical needs. Consider Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, if a child is unable to satisfy the lower needs, physiological & safety, then it will be that much more difficult to achieve the more advanced needs of love, belonging and esteem.
In the last few weeks, we have been blessed by our own village of family and friends who have paid the quints a visit and helped Mom and Dad not only care for the kiddos, but care for themselves, too! It has been such a blessing to have regular volunteers. Now, the majority of the quints care times have someone here to offer another hand. I must admit I do cherish my one-on-one time with the kiddos. Sometimes it is nice when we get to have cares with just them and I. Yes, it does get a little crazy at times, but I have found if I turn on oldies and sing and dance with them; they love it! A fave is “Baby, I’m Yours” by none other than Mama Cass!
Many, many thanks to our family who has made the trek up from Northern IL many times to help and visit.
Uncle JD with Ellie & Bella
Thank you to our church family who have come over at all hours of the day, including 3am, and at the drop of a hat to help us. Thank you to the Madison Area Mom’s of Multiples for yummy meals and snacks. Thank you to our new friends and co-workers who have also been there for us in the last month.
The Vanderwall home has quickly transformed into baby central with pack and plays, bouncy seats, burp cloths and pacifiers abounding. Everywhere you look you see signs of our little ones. We are also trying hard to create an environment at home that is conducive to growth and development.
Theo staking out in the Pack N Play
We hope that the V-5’s domain will:
Help them differentiate between night and day.
During the day the kiddos stay on the main level in well-lit areas. Here they are exposed to the sounds and hustle and bustle of day time. At night we keep them upstairs in their nursery where it is dark and quiet. We also are intentional about not talking or playing with them during their night-time care times. We are down to business at 12am and 3 am. This has proven to be very helpful in getting them on their care schedule.
Practice good nutrition.
All of the quints enjoy breastmilk for all their meals. However, since they were premature it is common practice to fortify their milk for additional calories, protein, vitamins and minerals (sodium, calcium, phosphorus to name a few). Their calorie goals vary quite a bit and like adults are based on their weight, ranging from 108-120 Calories per kilogram body weight. On average breastmilk has 20 calories per ounce, whereas the quints require 24 to 26 calories per ounce to grow at the desired rate. Therefore, we are adding Similac Neosure to their milk. We also are sure that they get their multivitamin (poly-vi-sol) daily.
Rare Occurrence- Ellie is quiet and alert, awaiting lunch.Mommy & Lily
Exercise their Mind.
Lots of time and attention is poured into identifying strategies to develop baby’s brains. There are an assortment of toys, books, apps, programs, etc. that promise to make your baby a genius. However, I’m a firm believer in simplicity and believes that attention, bonding and communication, or ABC’s, develop the brain just as efficiently as any of these other tools. I have actually learned that some toys touted for brain development can actually over-stimulate the child and increase the risk of ADHD/ADD.
Currently, the V-5 enjoy tracking exercises where we use a black and white images or toys and move the image from left to right. This activity strengthens communication between the left and right hemispheres of the brain, or communication across the corpus callosum. We also love to chat and sing with our little ones. An ideal time to chat is when we are changing them, because we are 12-14 inches away from their little faces and are able to maintain their attention.
Massage for Emotional Well-being.
There are many benefits of baby massage, including stress management. Massage can help to foster emotional health and promote self-soothing. Touch via gentle strokes stimulates the central nervous system to produce more serotonin, the happy hormone, and create less cortisol, a stress hormone. Typically, as a result the infants breathing and heart rate will slow and they become more relaxed. Often times, this relaxed state does not result in sleep but rather a quiet, alert state perfect for play-time, snuggle-time, or positive feeding interactions.
Massage for their Tummies.
Our quints are a gassy bunch. It is no joke that post-feeding sounds much like a barnyard. Therefore, anything we can do to ease their gas pains and help their digestion is a must. Frank loves to take them on bicycle rides all over “town,” moving their little legs in a circular fashion. They have also come to enjoy this and almost do it on their own when you lay them on their backs. Frank tends to take them to the Candy Shoppe, where Mom prefers a trip to the Puzzle Place. We also practice the “I Love You” strokes on their bellies, which can help to stimulate movement throughout the digestive tract. A fool-proof method for gas relief is to place them on their tummies with rounded shoulders and knees tucked up and to glide your hands down their back while supporting their bottoms.
Stretch their Bodies.
Since sleep is one of their favorite past times, these little ones can get awful stiff. We continue to try to prevent flattening of their heads and promote good neck mobility. Moving their limbs up and down and inward and outward can help to preven
t these little hedgehogs from staying all bound up. We also like “windshield wipers” with their bent knees to help open up their hips.
Tummy time is also a great way foster good motor development and upper body strength. It is best done when the infant is alert. Some of the quints love tummy time and others are still learning to like it. It can be quite a frustrating position for them, so we are sure to keep the sessions short and sweet.
Elliott is prepping for her calisthenics
Encourage Good Coordination.
Newborns are able to open and close their hands, but often times these movements are reflexive. During the first three months of life grasping becomes more intentional and an ideal time for developing foundational skills for hand-eye coordination. The quints are already starting to show signs of good coordination as they reach and grab items from their mobiles, as well as, objects near their face…including mommy’s hair.
Quints circled up for Yoshi Calisthenics on HalloweenNow it’s time for Follow-the-Lily.
All of these activities certainly add up for a full day, but there’s nowhere else we’d rather be!
The V-7 is one happy family! After one week of having the quints home, reality has settled in and it truly feels like we are one big family. There have certainly been some trying moments in the last week, but overall we are amazed at how well the children have adjusted to being at home. They slipped right into our “care” schedule, are getting to be more comfortable in their cribs, and their feeding skills are drastically improving.
Baby Pinwheel: Lily (Green), Theo (Blue), Ellie (White & Pink), Kali (Yellow), Bella (Pink)
We have made several trips to their primary doctor for weight checks. Their growth is a primary concern upon discharge and thus remains a primary goal in the outpatient setting. Often times their weights will be checked every few days, but more often one time per week. All of the quints are growing somewhere between 15 to 30 grams per day, which is an appropriate growth velocity for their age. The higher end is almost an ounce per day. We are excited to see them tracking on their growth curves. Often times, we are not sure where they are packing away the pounds, but when it comes to Theo we are positive its building that melon head and that Bella is tucking it away in her sweet cheeks.
This week has also been quite busy socially! The quints have met their great Grandpa and Grandma, great Aunts, and cousins.
Beautiful FamilyLove from Aunt Debbie. I think she’s done this before.Love from Aunt DarlaTheo & Grandma Vanderwall
It is such a pleasure to see all of the love these little kiddies are getting. It makes for one happy family!
On Saturday, October 20, we welcomed home the last, but certainly not least, of the V-5- Lillian Grace. It was a very happy homecoming and exciting to know that we are beginning the next chapter of our family’s life together. We are truly overjoyed every time we look to our living to room to see all of the bouncy seats, previously filled with their teddy bears, now filled with our beautiful children; It is quite a surreal moment.
The first picture of all 5 quints together in the same frame! From left to right: Bella, Theo, Ellie, Kali, Lily.
It has been quite the past few weeks getting everything ready around the house for all the little ones and finally transporting them home. Here’s a quick look at how it all went down:
Mommy and Daddy build the V5 a beautiful new nurseryBella prays to Jesus, asking Him to bring her, her brother, and all her sisters home very soonBella’s prayers are answered and NICU diplomas for all five babies appear on the counter of the nurse’s stationOne by one, the quints pass their car seat test and are cleared to go home from the hospitalNow, the dishwasher at the Vanderwall residence is always filled with baby bottles…
and mommy & daddy’s arms are always filled with babies
Indeed, getting the opportunity to be with the quints 24/7 has opened our eyes to their little quirks and deepened our understanding of their budding personalities. There were some assumptions we made about these little ones early on, which are proving to be a bit off, and some that were and still are spot on. Here’s the latest update on each of the quints, in the order they appear in the group photo above.
Isabella Marie
Our Sleeping Beauty, would much rather spend her day catching some zzzz’s than anything else. She is a tough one to arouse, which is good and bad. It’s a struggle at meal times, but a joy when everyone is wound up and she is just relaxing. But, when she does wake up and join the party she can be quite the happy little girl.
Sleeping BellaExcitable Bella
Theodore Joseph
Tutti Frutti, leads this Barnyard bunch in their animal chorus with his manly toots. Theo is definitely a little boy, but also our little cutie. He has the most precious face, and loves to lock eyes with you. He continues to be a champ when it comes to downing milk and apparently has shared this skill with his sisters because their feeding skills are getting much better.
Looks like our cute Mr. Tutti has something brewingTheo passed out after one of his trademark high-volume feedings
Elliott Rose
Ellie has earned the nickname, “Cray Cray” for her recent frantic antics. Our experience living near Cabrini Green tells us this little one is proving to be quite the little gangster, rolling around the west-side of Madison with her hat pulled up, or down, and we swear she’s throwing signs, too. She also is learning how to play her parents and can turn on and off the tears like a light switch. She is still our little doll face, but definitely not the saving grace we thought she would be. She is our feisty little peanut.
Quintessential EllieEllie is dancing to the beat of her own drum
Kali Mae
Our little screecher monkey, still can hit the high “C” with the best of them. But, she has proven to be more mild mannered than we thought and is turning into a fair self soother. She still has the most definitive features with her dark, thick hair and darker complexion. She also has a smile that can melt anyone’s heart.
Sleepy time KaliKali Mae will make you an offer you can’t refuse
Lillian Grace
Our silly Lily, tends to still be our quiet observer. During her alert times of day, she will sit and just look around for hours. She also loves to be spoken to, and truly appears to be listening empathetically. I often think she will be a counselor one day due to these budding listening skills. She is also our silly one with the most adorable smile. She will smile in any circumstance, which is a wonderful reminder to smile, too.
Our alert lil’ Lily Bug“Tell me more,” says Lily.
We are cherishing each and every moment with these little ones. Now that we are all home we are excited for our family time spent reading books, checking out black and white baby flash cards and laughing our way through the feeding frenzy which comes around every 2-3 hours. It’s a riot!
The quints are one week from being full-term babies and the race is on! Bets have been placed by many on their healthcare team as to who will make it home first.
This past week has provided some challenges on their road home, including getting their 2-month vaccinations, which included:
The doctors warned us that the kids may not be themselves for about 24 hours after the vaccinations and they were right. The most common symptoms include:
Fever
Pain at the injection site
Poor appetite
Fatigue/Sleepiness
Increased Spells
Periodic breathing
Everyone spiked a fever and ended up sweating through their clothes. Their appetites were not the best the following day either due to them being a bit sleepier. Honestly, the best way to describe it is that all of their “issues” from a few weeks back, reared their ugly heads.
Silly Kali Mae who may be one part screecher monkey and another part parakeet.
For example, Kali who tends to “bear down,” meaning to grunt to either pass gas, poop, or protect her airway from reflux, was doing so much more often. When she bears down she often forgets to breathe… she isn’t the best multi-tasker, yet. The frequent bearing down led to poor respiration and thus desaturation (decreased oxygen in her blood) where she had to be put back on her nasal cannula to receive extra air flow. Luckily, she only had to remain on it for 24 hours. The unfortunate news is that because she had this “Spell” she got 5 days tacked on to her stay before she can be discharged. So, Ms. Kali’s discharge is now projected for October 15th.
Lillian Grace playing peek-a-boo when she is supposed to be snoozing.
Lily and Bella are now focusing primarily on waking up and staying alert enough to eat by mouth. These two are the last with their feeding tubes. They are currently meeting 50% of their nutritional needs by mouth and need to get to 80% before they can consider sending them home.
Bella who somehow has a striking resemblance to Dwight Schrute from the Office in this photo.
So, that leaves Mr. Theo and Ms. Elliott who have been favored by Frank and I to win the race home for some time. These two, despite their bowel surgeries, will most likely be the first ones home and arriving via stork, or Honda Odyssey, this weekend!
Mr. Theo snug as a bug in his sleep sack.Our little doll face, Elliott Rose.
In other news, Frank and I are doing well. We are so excited that our NICU journey is coming to an end, and are more than ready to start the next chapter at home! Frank is coming out of his busy season at work and is planning on taking some time off as the kids trickle home.
I am excited to have him home, so we can establish what life will look- aka a routine- as a family. I am also excited to share that I have returned to my pre-pregnancy weight. I share this for three reasons:
One, I believe it is a testament to good nutrition and regular exercise (just practicing what I preach),
Two, it is clear to me that weight truly is just a number because my body is definitely not what it was before in terms of composition therefore, operation “rebuild your temple, based on I Corinthians 6:19-20), remains in full swing, and
Three, because it has opened my eyes to a whole new population of people I want to empower for better health- Moms!
We also wanted to share with those who were praying for our insurance appeal that we had our grievance hearing. Unfortunately, the committee decided to uphold their decision to deny payment of our perinatal care in Arizona. We would appreciate continued prayer for this journey as we trudge on to the next level. It has become a moral battle of proving the value of life. We are now fighting for more than just our five miracles, and feel as though we have the opportunity to speak for parents who were encouraged to consider multi-fetal reduction and may have moved ahead with those decisions, and thus had to grieve those losses. We also will not back down because we believe in the importance of having a choice in healthcare, and speak for those who may have thought at one point they had no other choice but to give in, or to give up. Most importantly, we also speak for all of the children who did not get a chance at life. We are fired up and ready, so please pray that the committee in this next round would be more open to our appeal.
As always, we thank you for your well wishes, prayers and support. Please know you are a valued citizen of the village that is helping to raise the V-5!
At these monthly milestones, I look back and truly cannot believe all that we have experienced in the last 2 months. It seems like just yesterday that I was trying to figure out how to change the diaper of a 2lb baby in an isolette without lifting them, while being blinded by their “bili light.” Today, I can walk right up to their crib, move a few cords, and lift them up to comfort them. I am eager for the day for them to come home where we can snuggle gown, glove and cord free!
It is also amazing to watch them grow and develop. We knew at birth that they had defining characteristics, but with each day they look more and more different. We thought we would share this growth one-by-one.
Big Brother Theo
Theodore JosephTheo keepin’ it real
Theo celebrated his 2-month birthday with a celebratory surgery. He had his reanastomosis today where they reconnected his ileum, or the lowest portion of his small intestine. His surgery went very well and they are planning to extubate him in the next 24 hours. He had his spontaneous bowel perforation on day 3 of life, so we were very happy to say goodbye to the smelly ostomy bags today. Now, at 6lbs and 7oz this little boy is a fantastic eater and we have no doubt that once he is recovered from his procedure he is in the running to be the first or second one home.
Big Sister Bella
Isabella MarieKung-Fu Bella
Isabella has been our rock with no significant issues from day one. She has become the sleepy one of the bunch, nicknamed Sleeping Bella, aka Sleeping Beauty, and has maintained her quiet personality. She is learning how to eat by mouth and is a champ when it comes to taking a bottle. Breastfeeding is not her forte partially because she’s a biter- not fun. This little beauty is now weighing in at 5lbs and 14oz and leads the girlies in size. A few of the nurses bet that she will be the first one home.
Ms. Lillian Grace
Lillian GraceLily’s Trademark Smirk
Little Lily continues to amaze us with her resiliency. We have had many scares following her grade 2 IVH with surrounding PVL, but she has showed no signs that this is hindering her development. She is one of the stronger eaters in the bunch and her growth has also been stable. She now weighs 5lbs and 13oz.
Kali-Mae
Kali MaeKali’s impression of Derek Zoolander
This little monkey maintains her feisty personality. She has been struggling with GER the last several weeks, and is now on a formula for spit-ups. It was quite difficult to see this happen, since breast milk has so many benefits. But, when I see how much better she feels and looks, I know it was the right choice. We are hoping that she will quickly grow out of it and be back on mommy’s milk soon. Kali is on the smaller size, but is holding her own with the other ladies in the room at 5lbs and 12 oz.
Baby Ellie
Elliott RoseOur little Peanut
Our little Princess Ellie also celebrated her 2-month birthday with a reanastamosis. She had her jejunum reconnected and was able to be extubated today. It was wonderful to see her breathing on her own and even smiling after they removed the tube. She truly is a tough cookie. Her tolerance for pain and her ability to self-soothe are amazing. We have no doubt that this was only a speed bump on her journey home. She is our little peanut at 5lbs and 7oz, but keeps pace with Theo in the eating department and definitely may beat the other girls home.
We are so grateful for the continued well wishes and prayers for the V-5. Hopefully, in another month we will be snapping these photos from the comfort of our own home!
Time is flying by here in the Madison NICU. The V-5 are now 7 weeks old, and a corrected gestational age of 36 weeks, or 9 months.
Our family has been very busy the last few weeks. The quints spend their days learning to eat by mouth, snoozing and growing. They are all approaching the 10th percentile for weight-for-age with an increasing trajectory. The ladies and Theo are at or near 5lbs:
Bella is 5lbs 1ozLily is 4lbs 15.5ozKali is 4lbs 14ozEllie is 4lbs 10ozTheo is 5lbs 3oz!
We are so excited to watch their progress as they learn how to take a bottle and breastfeed. Theo takes the cake…literally, for being the bottle and breastfeeding champ! We are fairly certain that if we let him, he would chug his bottle down in 3 seconds flat. The ladies are also progressing in their pre-feeding and feeding skills. Lily is by far the most interested, followed closely by Bella. Ellie and Kali are still quite content with having their food trickle into their bellies. The quints have to be able to meet 80% or more of their nutritional needs by mouth before they can have their feeding tubes pulled. They also have to be able to sustain their weight and continue to grow appropriately on p.o. (by mouth) feeds before they can come home.
There are other goals that they must meet prior to coming home. They must outgrow their apnea and bradycardia of prematurity, or their “A’s and B’s”. Currently, they are all attached to monitors that measure their heart and respiration rates, as well as, their oxygen saturation. All of the kids continue to have moments when their heart rates drop (bradycardia) and their respiration rates continue to fluctuate. The only quint that is truly struggling with this task is Kali.
Daddy and his Kali Monkey
The medical team has assured us that this is due to her GERD (Gastrointestinal Esophageal Reflux Disease) and not lung or heart disease. We did find out via an ECHO last week that Kali does have a small PDA (Patent ductus arteriosis) and a muscular Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), but again they have told us that these are unrelated to her difficulties maintaining her oxygen saturation and that both will close as she ages.
The quints have successfully accomplished the third task required for coming home- maintaining their temperatures outside of the isolette. All of V-wall 5 are in cribs! Ellie and Theo have larger cribs because they are in a larger room. The other ladies are in smaller tub-like cribs. Nevertheless, they are champs at regulating their temperature. This means they can come out to play more often!!
Bella with Uncle JDGrandpa T and Lily BugWhispering Sisters (Bella & Lily)
Daddy and Mommy have been busy, too. We have been finishing up their nursery with all five cribs, sorting and color-coding outfits and blankies, and cleaning and child-proofing the house. We also recently bought a 2012 Honda Odyssey from Zimbrick Honda, here in Madison. They were fantastic and met us at our price-point. We are very happy with our baby mobile; complete with 8 seats, and five of which have a LATCH for car-seat safety. Many thanks to Justin and the Gurnee Police Department for helping us to install our seats!
It will still be a few more weeks before anyone comes home for the reasons mentioned above. Ellie and Theo will have their bowel surgeries, anastomosis, the first week in October and then will have to stay in the hospital until they heal and can eat normally again. While we wait to welcome our five little miracles home, we spend our days at the NICU doing what we can to support their growth and development.
Bump 2 Bab[y]ies 