The Kids are Finally Healthy!

After a month of illness, the kids are finally healthy. It's so great to have them back to their normal selves. These little kids are growing up so fast and are getting so smart and at times sassy! When the kids were younger I used to tell my sister Jeannine how I couldn't ever imagine getting really angry with my kids or that anything they did would ever bother me because they used to be so sweet all the time. She assured me that the time would come. How sad that they have to grow up and turn into little people with strong emotions at times. No it's not sad, it's good, but hard to deal with four little people at once with strong emotions and learning that they can be naughty if they want to. Cambria, Addison, Weston and Brynlee really are great little kids, but time-outs are a common occurrence around here. Especially with my cute Brynlee and cuddly Weston. These two truly try my patience. Not that Addison and Cambria are perfect--they're not. They also get time outs, but Brynlee and Weston are my more high strung children and more prone to anger. However, Addison and Cambria are more prone to whining. So, they all have their great parts and more trying parts. It's so interesting how I have two of each personality type. Addison and Cambria are more laid back.

One day this month, Maria and I took the kids on a walk on the canal to feed the ducks. It was their first time to do this! They absolutely loved it!

Last night as the kids were being put to bed I took some cute shots of them.

Here's my cute Weston in his crib tent with his stethoscope on. Weston is my rough and tumble little boy who can be so sweet and cuddly one moment and then angry and into all sorts of trouble the next. Weston has the cutest and loudest voice. He and I went to Walmart this week and everything he saw that he recognized, he would yell it out for the whole store to hear. We're working on the inside voice thing. Weston knows his colors really well. I love this shot of him with his doctor gear on because it reminds me of my brother Stephen. My mom told me that Stephen was just like Weston when he was little and now Stephen is just the nicest guy. That gives me hope that my rough little guy can turn out like his uncle Stephen who's a plastic surgeon. I could imagine Weston with a career where he gets to take things apart and put them back together like a surgeon does. Right now he's especially good at the taking things apart part.

Here's my handsome, sweet Addison in his crib. Addison is just such an easy-going little kid. He is definitely learning though to ignore our requests for him to come to us to get ready for bed. It seems like Addison has a body made of rubber. He is a little gymnast and is very tough on his own body. He's talking so much these days, but it's so hard to understand some of his words. Addison loves to make the sign for "cold" from the Signing Time videos to make us laugh. Addison also knows his colors really well. This week was my sister Jeannine's B-day and I took Addison with me to bring her breakfast. He probably said "Aunt Nini" about 50 times as we drove there and when he saw her at church he said her name many times also. He loves to say "An Nini".

Here's my skinny, sweet and sassy Brynlee before bed. Brynlee is such a sweet little cuddler. She wants me to constantly hold her and says often "hold you". It's very endearing, but tough when I have three other kids to tend to. I've always said that Brynlee has the toughest time being a quadruplet. Brynlee loves to sing and speaks so well and remembers the words to many songs. It's so cute to hear her singing in her crib many songs. Some of her favorite songs are: the Barny "I Love You" song, "It's More Fun to Share" and "Nap Time" from Yo Gabba Gabba, the colors song, the clean up song, etc. She just loves to sing and has such a good memory. Brynlee is a very smart girl! Unfortunately, one of her favorite things to say right now is "no" and "I don't want it". She's definitely learning to show us that she has her free agency.

Here's Cambria reading her books before bed. Cambria is my sweet and caring little girl. She definitely is learning to whine and learning to ignore us when we request her help. She's probably tired of always helping everyone because it's so a part of her personality. Cambria is talking a lot these days and is constantly trying to have a conversation with us by asking us the questions "What are you doing now?" or "What happened?" and she always uses our names when she asks us those questions. It is so adorable! During church yesterday it was so cute because she was feeding Addison her Cheerios. Her generosity amazes me at her age.

The kids continue to be sick, but they're sure cute!

The kiddos are still sick and it almost seems like they're getting worse! Addison threw up Friday during his nap after a coughing fit and then threw up again Sunday during his nap and Cambria threw up after she went to bed from coughing so much. I know doctors tell you not to until they're 6, but my sister suggested giving them 1/2 teaspoon Dimetapp. I've also tried homemade cough syrup--1/2 - 1 teaspoon corn syrup and my nanny suggested honey mixed with oil. We've also given them warm juice, ran the cool mist humidifiers in their rooms, put Mentholatum under their noses and on their chests and put nasal decongestant drops in their noses and suctioned them out. Who knows what will take away their awful coughs and congested noses. It's been pretty rough. I feel so bad for them. I wish I could figure out how to get them better so that life around here could get back to normal and the kids wouldn't have to suffer anymore.

However, we've had some cute moments with the kids. Yesterday before the kids went to bed, Jeremiah and I found Weston sitting in the dolly's stroller and Brynlee and Addison were taking turns pushing him around the house. It was so adorable!!

On Saturday Jeremiah took all four kids on a walk around the neighborhood. He is such a great daddy. The leashes help very much when we take out all four by ourselves which rarely happens. I always thought leashes were cruel until I had quadruplets. They are the best invention ever because the kids have the freedom to explore a little and we don't have to worry about them running into the street. At Target Eddie Bauer makes some with monkeys and puppies the kids wear on their backs like backpacks. My kids love their leashes. They call them their backpacks.

Weston in the dolly stroller. The camera was set on the night setting, but I thought this picture was sweet with his big smile and his big, beautiful eyes.

Brynlee, Addison, Weston and Cambria on a walk with Daddy
Aren't they the cutest?! (even the daddy:))

Four Sick Two and a half Year olds are no fun!

Addison and Weston in the fall leaves--I love this shot of their profiles!

It's been a tough couple of weeks with the kids. We went to my parents' house in California for the week after Christmas and had a wonderful time, but the kiddos came home with a cold. It's just so hard when all four of them are sick. Jeremiah and I honestly thought we might lose our minds with the kids today. So much whining and wanting to be held constantly wears me out. Well, thanks to our dear little Weston, we spent lots of money to take our kids into the doctor

Friday night because he was inconsolable. Our pediatrician has hours at night. Well, all the doctor could tell us was they have a cold. I already knew that!! Oh well!! It's good to know that it's not anything more serious, but just sad that we spent all that money to have all four kids checked out to find out something we already knew!! Well, the one good thing is that doctor said that they are definitely on the tail end of their colds.

On Saturday morning we took the kids on a bike-ride to grandma and grandpa Cluff's house. The kids had a great time playing in the fall leaves, picking and throwing oranges, playing on the swing-set, petting the horses, chasing some roosters and just being with grandma and grandpa. These are some pictures of some fun moments yesterday at grandma and grandpa's house. Good thing I have these pictures to remember how good they were yesterday to erase a very challenging day with the kids today!

Weston climbing up the ladder on the swing-set

Addison getting ready to swing

Cambria loving the swing




Addison, Cambria and Brynlee playing with the oranges




Brynlee getting ready to catch an orange. She can actually catch balls now!

Addison in the fall leaves

Cambria, me, Addison, Weston, Jeremiah and Brynlee on grandma and grandpa's swinging cot

Brynlee and Weston enjoying the horse

Weston and Cambria

Cambria actually gave the horse a kiss --yuck!

Weston, Brynlee, Addison and Cambria checking out the friendly horses

Me and Jeremiah and the kiddos before we rode home

Happy New Year Everyone!!

Addison, Cambria, Weston & Brynlee

This is the picture we put on our Christmas card for 2009. This picture was taken in August of 2009 when the kids were 2 years old and 2 months old. Now they are over 2 and 1/2 years old!! The following is the letter we sent out with our Christmas card.

The Cluff Chronicles

2009

Dear Family and Friends,

We hope that this letter finds all of you healthy and happy at this beautiful season of the year.

2009 has been a good year for us despite all the issues that have faced our country.

Jeremiah continues to work with Belmont Homes and serves as an Elder's Quorum teacher in our ward. In his spare time he loves to read, watch movies and sports and play with our kids.

Jayne's life continues to revolve around her four 2-1/2 year-olds and serves in the young women's program in our ward. In her spare time she enjoys napping, listening to political talk radio, exercising, visiting with friends and reading.

Cambria continues in her motherly ways. She's very thoughtful of others and is very sensitive to the needs of her siblings. In her spare time she enjoys looking at books, being tickled, playing with jewelry, coloring, playing with puzzles, cuddling with mommy and daddy and cleaning up messes (and we never even taught her to do that!).

Addison continues to be our mellow fellow that is talking a lot these days, but we can't always decipher what he's saying. It sounds like a mix between English and Chinese, but it is just so cute to see him with that serious face trying to tell us so much. In his spare time he loves using his Gumby body to jump off couches on his head, doing headstands, playing chase with Brynlee, singing, looking at books, swinging, playing with the shape sorter and stacking blocks.

Weston continues to be a magnet to all types of trouble and messes. Anytime it's quiet in our house and Weston is nowhere to be seen, we know we're in for a scary surprise. In his spare time he loves giving great big bear hugs and kisses, exploring everything, eating dirt, wrestling with Addison, looking at books, playing with cars, playing in the backyard and climbing up on things.

Brynlee continues to be our sweet and strong-willed little girl. She is talking up a storm these days and is just so expressive with her voice and facial expressions. She's already counting to ten while skipping the number 7 every time. In her spare time she enjoys watching "Barney" (she loves to sing the "I love you" song from these movies), looking at books, talking, dancing, going on wagon rides to play at the park and playing chase with Addison.

We are so grateful for the many blessings that we have in our lives because of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We consider each of you a great blessing in our lives and we wish you all a Merry Christmas and much health and happiness in 2010.

Love,

Jeremiah, Jayne, Cambria, Addison, Weston and Brynlee Cluff