Tag: Lancaster

Baptizing the Quadruplets

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Monsignor, Bryan, and Monica hold the quads.

Bryan, Monsignor, and Monica hold the quadruplets after they were baptized in Lancaster this weekend.

Time has been flying by. It feels like yesterday I was hanging out with Monica in the hospital, waiting to meet the four new additions to our family. And with Charlie, Eleanor, Caroline, and Owen almost five months old, it was finally time to celebrate their baptism.

I’ve been fortunate enough to spend time with the quads almost each week since they were born and watch them grow and develop such incredibly different personalities. Caroline’s so calm, Owen’s a thinker, Ellie’s feisty, and Charlie’s the big cuddler. They’ve all been smiling and wiggling and squirming and growing much faster than I’m ready for!

After my aunt, uncle, and cousins passed us on the Turnpike, we arrived at the church midday Sunday and were met by my grandfather and cousins, everyone awaiting the arrival of our little celebrities.

Monsignor Youtz was so excited to baptize the quads, noting that they were the first set of quadruplets he’s ever baptized and the first quads to be baptized in the diocese. There were a lot of giggles during the service when all four would start wailing at once, or when Monsignor would check the name with the godparents before reciting prayers to prevent calling a baby by the wrong name, or when all four were quiet and then my cousin’s one-year-old son, Finn, would start crying. We’ve had so many great memories in that church, the quads’ baptism was just one more added to the list.

After taking a million pictures, we went back to Mon and Bryan’s for sandwiches and sweets, and with my aunt and mom holding the babies hostage, I got to hang out with my cousins, which is always one of my favorite things to do. I always go to each one with something different and when we all get together, you never know what you’ll be dying of laughter over.

These four little people so quickly wormed their way into my heart and I was so excited to share this special day with them!

Monica’s Bab(ies) Shower

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The ultimate March Madness...but I've got the best Final Four picks any bracket could muster.

The ultimate March Madness…but I’ve got the best Final Four picks any bracket could muster.

All four carseats sitting on the couch, lined up one next to the other, with not an inch to spare–that was one of the most exciting moments for me since the quadruplets were born. Our family has four new babies. Yep. It’s still a jaw-dropper.

I’d seen them all side by side, crib by crib, a few times before in the hospital, but this was exciting. With Charlie, Caroline, and Eleanor released earlier in the week, we received such a happy, unexpected surprise to have Owen home just in time for Monica’s shower.

After a quick visit at my grandfather’s house (and to check the score of the VCU-Michigan game, of course), my mom and I made the quick drive over to the party. Bryan dropped off Monica and the quads at my cousin, Mary’s, house to celebrate and we ate while talking with Monica and oogling over the quads, asleep in their carriers. Mary had the cutest shower decorations, with baby outfits hanging on clotheslines around the rooms, and Hershey’s bars with “HE” and “SHE” outlined in blue and pink.

I got to spend time catching up with my aunts and my cousins, Samantha, Caitlin, and Melissa, which I rarely get the chance to do, and everyone got a chance to hold a baby–and with four babies, there was no need to subtly inch closer and hint that you wanted to hold the baby next.

I can’t pick favorites with the quads, but somehow I’ve ended up holding Charlie a few times now, though I’m certainly not complaining! It’s easily one of my favorite things in the world and I could hold any of them for hours and not bat an eye.

It was such a fun afternoon, and I’m so, so excited I’m going to be able to spend so much time helping Monica and Bryan out with my favorite quads!

Happy Birthday, Quadruplets

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Eleanor, Caroline, Charlie, and Owen...my favorite quadruplets!

Eleanor, Caroline, Charlie, and Owen…my favorite quadruplets!

“Monica’s pregnant!” My mom exclaimed on the phone a few months ago after a long night working.

“Monica’s having a baby?!”

“More than one…”

“Twins?! Monica’s having twins?”

“Keep going…”

“Triplets…?”

“Keep going…”

“Yeah, right. As if she’s having four babies…you’re lying.”

Well, my mom was not lying. After calling my grandfather to confirm my mom’s crazy story, my cousin, Monica, and her husband, Bryan, were indeed going to have quadruplets in the spring. Everyone was beyond excited; four more new additions to the family…at once!

While most times I hate sitting at home all day, applying for jobs and watching Boy Meets World and Dawson’s Creek reruns with Herbie, my timing was really fortunate. With Monica in the hospital since before Christmas, and a free schedule on my end, I was able to go up and visit her whenever I wanted and just hang out, something we rarely get to do. I’d definitely say I’ve had a blast on those visits, but I’m not sure Monica would consider being cooped up in the hospital for two and a half months “a blast.”

Finally, March 9th was the day. After getting to the hospital with my parents, pink and blue cupcakes in hand, we sat in the cafeteria with my aunts and uncles, my grandfather, and Bryan’s parents, waiting to get an update on Monica and the quads. Everyone was healthy and doing great, and it wouldn’t be more than a few hours before we could see them.

Bryan took us back in shifts to see them, and the babies were so breathtaking. We met Eleanor, Caroline, Charlie, and Owen, and, of course, I, scarcely to be found out and about without my camera, was snapping away like crazy. They were so tiny, so precious, and so adorable…although I kept having to nudge my uncle and ask which baby I was oogling at! While in the NICU, one of the nurses told us that Monica and Bryan had the first quadruplets the hospital’s had in eighteen years, which is quite an impressive record to break, considering it’s a women and babies’ hospital!

I was just excited to get to see them, take a million pictures, and share that big day with Monica, Bryan, and my family! There’s something about babies that just puts a big smile on your face and fills the world with hope, and with four new babies, it was four times… well, everything!

Happy Birthday, Eleanor, Caroline, Charlie, and Owen!

Mary & KC’s Wedding

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I rang in 2013 with my favorite cousins at Mary and KC's wedding! Happy New Year!

I rang in 2013 with my favorite cousins at Mary and KC’s wedding! Happy New Year!

It wasn’t going to be your typical New Year’s Eve, that’s for sure. With my cousin, Mary, preparing to ring in the new year by marrying her fiancé, KC, it was definitely going to be a New Year’s Eve to remember.

We arrived in Lancaster at the hotel to eat pizza before the ceremony, with my cousins, siblings, and I cracking jokes about how truly Pennsylvania the wedding would be, held at a quilt museum in Amish country. We then all met in the lobby shortly after to take a shuttle to the church. After a quick ceremony, we arrived at the Lancaster Quilt Museum, and we quickly took back all our jokes, seeing the beautiful venue. Mary and KC would host the last event at the venue before it closed the next day.

We signed ornaments for Mary and KC and then held cocktail hour before being ushered into the main space for dinner. After pasta and chicken, we started dancing into the new year. I taught my cousins and aunt how to Wobble and we had a blast watching everyone’s crazy dance moves.

My cousin, Monica, set to be Mary’s matron of honor, was forced to miss the festivities, staying in the hospital since she’s pregnant with quadruplets. While it was strange not having Mon around, no one let her miss a thing. Her husband, Bryan, came and we FaceTimed her so she could watch the whole ceremony and then passed around the iPhone for hours so everyone could say hi. We texted her goofy pictures of ourselves with our New Year’s hats on and it was awesome to include her in Mary’s day, even if she couldn’t be there in person.

The next morning, after brunch at my aunt and uncle’s house, we got to stop by the hospital to visit Monica, who looks fantastic. I was so happy to see her in person, tell her all about the wedding, hear how she and the babies are doing, and I know I’ll be back quite often to visit!

It was perfect being able to ring in 2013 with my family, even if I took some cracks from Dom and Connor for the picture of me in my festive tiara and glasses I sent to them after midnight. It was by far my best New Year’s Eve ever and I was so glad I got to share it with so many of my favorite people!

Congrats, Mary and KC!