Wilke Quads

Matthew Thomas Wilke

2012-01-16T22:36:00.003-05:00

Matthew Thomas Wilke. Baby A. "Matty". 3.9lbs. 17 inches.

My Matty. The "oldest" of the crew. He was known as the "door greeter" in the NICU. He had the biggest eyes---and he would just lay there and STARE at you until you acknowledged him.

Matty has had his share of dr visits and such. At six months old, he was hospitalized for intestinal surgery. He had about 10 inches of his intestines removed due to dead tissue from NEC he developed in the NICU. He has seen the GI dr as well as been followed by a Nutritionist since birth. At one time we were concerned with his growth and Failure to Thrive, but not anymore. He is on the lower end of the growth charts now-but he's on them-and that's what counts. Since Austin is so tall, it is hard to not compare the two boys, b/c Matty is more on the petite side.
But with that being said, he is an energetic and fun loving little boy. He tends to be the "clown" of the group. He enjoys being silly and making the others laugh at his sillyness. Matty started wearing glasses this past Fall. He developed a lazy eye, that is being treated with prescription glasses. Matty loves the color red, and loves Lightening McQueen, Batman, and Spiderman. He also enjoys playing with babies with his sisters-where he is always the "Daddy".... :) Matty-Mommy loves you TOO MUCH!!!! I am so proud of you! XOXOXO

Emma Rose Wilke

2012-01-16T22:30:00.003-05:00

Emma Rose Wilke. Baby B. 3.9lbs. 17.75 in long.

"Emma Rose-pretty as a rose" we used to whisper to her in the NICU. She would smile-as if she knew what we were saying. Emma is a spitting image of her daddy. When I look into her eyes, I see her daddy. There is definitely NO denying her! :)

Emma is such a good girl. She loves to please me. She enjoys cleaning her room "all by herself"--so that she can run and tell me she did so. She is very attached to her dad and me. She always is ready to snuggle with Mommy. Emma is so beautiful, and smart....she does really well at Memory game-she focuses on the cards so well, she is always a winner! Emma likes to shop, likes to play dress up, and loves playing with Katie. Emma is the first one to help Mommy--and she is so caring with her siblings. She is also the tattletale of the group! But I LOVE IT! Someone needs to be! :) She is the first one to tell me if someone is doing something they shouldn't be---and wants to make it clear she had NO part of it! :) Emma-Mommy loves you TOO MUCH! XOXOXO

Kaitlin Ann Wilke

2012-01-16T22:19:00.003-05:00

Oh, my sweet Katie. Kaitlin Ann Wilke. "Surprise" Baby C. 3.8lbs and 17.5" long. What a surprise she was! Katie is the baby the doctors were unaware of until I was 29 weeks pregnant---two weeks before delivery!

Katie has come SO FAR in her short life. She amazes me EVERY day. She is smart, beautiful, caring, and definitely ornery!
"Katie girl" was hospitalized the longest of the quads. She was airlifted to Childrens Hospital in Philly when she was only 16 days old-after she stopped breathing on us in the NICU. CHOP doctors finally diagnosed her with a double arched aorta, and had that repair done to her heart a few days later. She spent 11 weeks in the hospital, in total. She was found to have swallowing problems, and had a GJ feeding tube placed in her stomach. She had a hard time being extubated after her surgery---the doctors were unsure why. It was a very scary time. I remember one doctor in particular, in those dark days that I didn't know what would happen when she could not be extubated....he pulled me aside and said, "Mrs. Wilke, she will be just fine. She's doing things at her OWN pace. When she wants to breathe on her own, she will." That dr gave me my first glimmer of hope in Katie's prognosis.
With that being said, Katie is a vibrant and energetic 5 year old! You would never know of her hospital stays the first year of her life, as well as her many helicoptor rides to CHOP, and intubations, etc. She is my fighter. She is headstrong and determined. She is a leader. All those nights in the NICU I told Katie to "fight".....well, she sure is now! lol
Katie is my twin-I love looking into her eyes--and seeing a piece of me look back....She resembles me so much when I was younger.
Katie is smart and beautiful. She can be a bit bossy. :) She can be serious and goofy all at the same time. She loves to put on "shows" for the whole family to watch-she calls herself the "Amazing Katie"--and loves to have the attention on her! She adapts to who she is playing with very easily. Katie loves animals right now. She loves playing doctor to the animals. She says she wants to be a "nurse for babies" when she is older....I sure hope her wish comes true! Katie girl--Mommy loves you TOO MUCH. XOXOXO

Austin Ryan Wilke-5 years old

2012-01-16T22:10:00.003-05:00

Austin Ryan Wilke. Baby D. 4 lbs 18 inches long. My true "baby boy". I remember his little body having some bruising on it b/c of all the tugging and pulling it took for the dr to get him out of me. He was always the "healthiest" of the four kids.....
Austin was the first one to come home, right after Thanksgiving, about 3 weeks old. He was a good baby, always very content.

Austin has grown into an amazing and smart little boy. He "thinks" he is OLDER than the other three kids b/c he is so much taller! He is about a head taller than his quad siblings! He calls them "my kids"....lol. Austin likes to be "in charge". He likes to control the situations around him. He is very smart, and has a great vocabulary. He likes to figure things out. See how they work. Put things together. Take them back apart. He wants to figure things out on his own. He doesn't like accepting help. He likes to be very independent!

Austin was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome this past Spring. Aspergers falls within the Autism Spectrum, a very high functioning form of Autism. Austin has a great vocabulary, is very smart, however, could use some help with social skills. Since being diagnosed, I have worked hard to get Austin the services he needs. With the help of these services, Austin has made GREAT progress over the past few months-and I am very proud of him!

I am looking forward to continuing to watch him grow and explore the world around him-he is an amazing little boy! Austin-Mommy LOVES you TOO MUCH! I am so proud of you----XOXOXO

5th birthday professional pics

2012-01-16T22:07:00.003-05:00

Again, I can't believe they are 5! I had a girlfriend of mine make these shirts for the kids...."1 of 4, 2 of 4, etc." Each kid chose their favorite shirt color---they came out super cute! Big kids!

FIVE years old?!?!

2012-01-16T22:01:00.004-05:00

How can that even be possible???? I CANNOT believe my four "miracles" turned FIVE years old. What a journey it has been. I am amazed by my children every day....how smart they are, how beautiful they are, what great people they are becoming.
We celebrated their 5th birthday at a local gymnastics place. The kids LOVED it. I also allowed each of them to have their own "theme" cake...Matthew chose Lightening McQueen from CARS, Emma chose Tinkerbell, Katie chose Belle from Beauty and the Beast, and Austin wanted Transformers.... :) I really wanted to show them that they ARE quadruplets, but they also are INDIVIDUALS, with different interests and likes. They were thrilled to have their "own" cake with their "own" cake flavors and fillings.....
We had a great time celebrating with our friends and family. I am so fortunate to have such great people surrounding and supporting us!!!

First Day of Pre-K (9/2011)

2012-01-04T22:44:00.002-05:00

"It was nice growing up with someone like you-someone to lean on, someone to count on.....someone to TELL on!"

Sisters and brothers.....forever...

2012-01-04T22:33:00.003-05:00

"Sibling relationships - and 80 percent of Americans have at least one - outlast marriages, survive the death of parents, resurface after quarrels that would sink any friendship. They flourish in a thousand incarnations of closeness and distance, warmth, loyalty and distrust."
Erica E. Goode,

Girls' Christmas Dance Recital

2012-01-04T22:28:00.003-05:00

This was a great year of DANCE in our family. This year, Lexi celebrated TEN years of dance with the studio she attends. CAN'T believe it's been TEN years since she's started. I look at her first dance pics and seriously, it seems like yesterday. AND this year, the little girls started dance class! We TRIED class LAST year, however, *I* ended up taking the class, NOT them! So this year, they went with the teachers with no problem, and enjoy it! They are in a ballet/acrobatic/tap class that meets weekly. Both really enjoy it. They had their first recital in December. Lexi did a jazz number to "Little Drummer Boy" and was REALLY good. The little girls did a "ballet" to "I'm the Greatest Star"....SUPER cute.....so glad I have it on video for years to come.... :-) SO proud of all three of my girls...

Where did 2011 go?!?

2012-01-03T21:40:00.003-05:00

I can't believe it's been so long since I've updated this blog. I'm on Facebook too much! LOL Here are some updated pics from Christmas 2011. The kids and I are doing great...the babies turned 5 in November...Nick is 9, and Lexi will be 17 in May. Crazy how time flies. I will try and udpate here more often.....

Summertime fun! 2011

2011-08-27T00:28:00.002-05:00

BBQ time....

2011-07-22T21:41:00.000-05:00

Beach Time!

2011-07-22T21:38:00.001-05:00

This is the first year that I have ventured to the beach with ALL of my children.....great times, great memories!

My Allstar baseball player!

2011-07-22T21:35:00.001-05:00

Just like last year, Nick made the AllStar baseball team. He was super excited! He was a starting pitcher...and did a great job!

NICU Reunion at Sesame Place 3/26/11

2011-04-06T22:03:00.002-05:00

Our first Harlem Globetrotters game!

2011-04-06T22:00:00.003-05:00

A classmate of Nick's had his birthday party at the Harlem Globetrotters game...Nick has never seen them play and was very excited to do so. They put on an awesome show, and afterwards, stayed around for autographs!!

Nick's savings account....

2011-04-06T21:59:00.003-05:00

Nicholas asked to open his own savings account today....he was sooo proud to put his money in his "own" account that HE controls.....He even signed for the deposit!!!

A day at the park....

2011-04-06T21:57:00.003-05:00

Spring is creeping up on us.....I surprised the kids after school one day with an afternoon at the park....they had a BLAST! AND better yet, were GREAT listeners!

Trenton Devils game

2011-04-06T21:56:00.002-05:00

Nick and I joined his fellow Cub Scouts at the Trenton Devils Hockey game.....as usual, Nick had a blast!!! And Mommy spent too much money! LOL

T-ball season begins!

2011-04-06T21:53:00.002-05:00

I cannot believe that my little munchkins are big enough to play t-ball! Where has the time gone? I am so excited for them!

OLS Freshman Basketball team!

2011-04-06T21:51:00.003-05:00

Nicholas made the Freshman Basketball team at OLS. He was super excited and played a great season! So proud of my little point guard!!!

More birthday pics

2011-03-16T21:12:00.002-05:00

Mommy's 34th birthday party

2011-03-16T21:09:00.002-05:00

My little boys....

2011-03-16T21:07:00.003-05:00

Brothers. Or "bubbies" as I call them. "Sissies" and "Bubbies".....They will forever have a friend in each other. A friend, a protector, a confidante.....always. LOVE these boys.

Snowy days

2011-03-16T21:05:00.005-05:00

Here are my munchkins posing for the camera with the snow......

Happy 34th birthday to Mommy!

2011-03-16T21:05:00.002-05:00

My children and I on my birthday.....LOVE these kiddos!

Goodbye 2010!!!!

2011-03-16T21:03:00.003-05:00

We had a party "quad style"...LOL Nothing like blowing horns by FIVE kids all night long!!!!

Christmas Day

2011-03-16T21:02:00.003-05:00

My girls were all ready to go to Nanny and Poppy's house for dinner......they picked out their own clothes...and sunglasses! LOL

Santa came!!!! 2010

2011-03-16T21:00:00.002-05:00

Christmas Eve 2010

2011-03-16T20:58:00.003-05:00

We went to Nanny and Poppy's house this year to celebrate Christmas Eve. The kids all received new pajamas for their Christmas Eve gift (our tradition!!).....They were sooo excited for Santa's arrival!

Christmas gifts from the babies 2010

2011-03-16T20:57:00.003-05:00

I received these absolutely adorable ornaments from the babies for Christmas....They did a great job decorating them!!!! Cuties!

Christmas party at school...

2011-03-16T20:53:00.003-05:00

The babies got a surprise visit from Santa Claus at school this year! They were sooo excited as they heard the ringing bells approaching their classroom!!!!

And the stockings were hung...

2011-03-16T20:47:00.002-05:00

by the chimney with care......2010

Joey and Nicky's 4th birthday party!

2011-01-05T22:23:00.003-05:00

Our good friends, Joey and Nicky, invited us to their bowling party to celebrate their 4th birthday in December! We were all so excited to attend---Austin kept mentioning "throwing the balls at the LIGHTS!" LOL I kept trying to explain to them that there were pins you had to knock down---I don't think they "got" it until we were actually there! Nick had a blast as well-he was on a team with younger boys we didn't know-but he did so well helping them, teaching them, playing with them-It was definitely a proud Momma moment for me.....It is showing what a caring boy Nick is. And the BEST big brother!!!
Thank you Kim and Anthony for inviting us to Joey and Nicky's birthday party!!!! We all had so much fun---we love all of you!!! (Esp. my future sons-in-law!!!! LOL) (We have an arranged marriage in the works--LOL)

St. Nicholas Day

2011-01-05T22:22:00.003-05:00

Here they are.....all kids' shoes lined up for some "treats" from St. Nicholas.....Nick INSISTED my sneakers be included as well. And I am happy to report that St. Nicholas did leave the Wilke kids some chocolate candies in their shoes! So exciting!

Thanksgiving placemats!

2011-01-05T22:18:00.003-05:00

I had to include these adorable placemats the kids made for me for Thanksgiving! Aren't they the cutest things? Their handprints made the turkey and they each made their own "feet", and it was accompanied by this so stinkin' cute poem!!! Love them!

A night of Christmas lights....

2011-01-05T22:14:00.003-05:00

The pictures are dark, but we did go see the Martell House this year again. The Martell house is a local home that has an enormous light display in his front yard, backyard, etc. It has become "tradition" for our family to take a walk through every year. Aunt Patti, Uncle Vinny, Nanny, Lexi, Nick, the babies, and Mommy all ventured to this home on a Saturday night....Austin initially would NOT take a picture with Santa Claus...he just stood from afar and kept mentioning "tool bench" loudly, so that Santa could hear him! LOL By the end of our walk, Austin did want to take a picture with Santa.....and they got more candy canes, too!!!! All in all, a successful trip to see Christmas lights.... :)

Silly Katie girl

2011-01-05T22:13:00.002-05:00

Here are some random pics of Katie being silly.....love this girl! :)

Nick is a red belt!

2011-01-05T22:10:00.003-05:00

Nicholas tested to become a red belt in karate this past December. He was required to make up TWENTY moves of his own, as well as memorize the 44 steps of the previous belt...and was required to "spar" another member of the karate school. He did excellent and is now a red belt in karate! I believe after red belt, there is a red/black belt, then a black belt!!! Way to go, Nick!

First Preschool Pictures

2011-01-05T22:07:00.003-05:00

Oh my, I still can't believe I had FOUR babies at once!!!! But seeing is believing, LOL! :-) I had the babies' first "school" pictures done together-mainly to save on money....I get their pictures done throughout the year at various studios, and I wasn't willing to pay $30 per child for pictures I was not sure would come out okay......In any event, I think this group photo came out super cute...and I LOVE the class photo---as you can see my kids are more than half of the class! :-)

Santa Claus came to preschool!

2010-12-29T23:41:00.002-05:00

The kids had a special treat at their preschool Christmas party! Santa Claus arrived! We heard the jingling bells and just KNEW it was Santa! Matty, Emma, Katie, and Austin were simply AMAZED....and soooo happy!!!! Well, that is, until Katie opened the present Santa gave her. She was MAD! LOL She turned to me, and said, "Mom-where is my PINK GUITAR??????????" LOL She continued, "I don't want THIS!" (meaning the My Little Pony book Santa had given her!) I could not believe the words coming out of her mouth! She sure is becoming an independent and spunky little girl!!! She knows what she wants-that's for sure!!! I did have to explain to her that the "big" presents Santa brings underneath the tree---that he didn't have enough room to bring it to the preschool.....LOL. Gotta love kids! :)

Christmas Show 2010

2010-12-29T23:39:00.002-05:00

Nicholas had his Christmas show at school....Aunt Patti, Uncle Vinny, Lexi, me and the babies all were there to cheer Nick on.....He even had a small speaking part...where he talked about what his traditions were on Christmas Eve....The funny part was that Nick told the entire audience we go to Midnight Mass (we don't!) and we even sit around the table and eat ICE CREAM together (We don't!)....LOL I guess he was getting ready for Confession on Monday morning!

Santa Baby.....

2010-12-29T23:36:00.001-05:00

Mommy "attempted" my own photo shoot with my babies.....Not too shabby.....

FOUR stickers!

2010-12-15T23:31:00.003-05:00

Austin has had a bit of a rough time transitioning to preschool. His teachers and I have implemented a Behavior Chart for his 2.5 hour day.....Ms. Gail breaks the 2.5 hour day up into four "periods" where he can earn a sticker for good behavior. Well, I am pleased to say that Austin is really doing well. He has a temper...however, with guidance from Ms. Gail and Ms. Cori, he has learned to "stop", "take 3 deep breaths" and think of a better reaction.....and he really takes his time to take those steps to calm himself down, before making a bad choice. So cute tho, the other day, he got mad at one of his sisters....he ran up to me and said, "Mommy, I took my deep breaths and everything, and I'm STILL MAD!!!" Love that boy!

Wilke Quads turn FOUR!!!!

2010-12-15T23:20:00.003-05:00

How in the world could my "babies" turn FOUR? Seriously-FOUR years old???? And I'm still calling them my "babies"...I think I always will! :) We had a great day on November 3rd. Thanks to our good friends, the Kennedy's, we decided to use their birthday present, gift cards to Build a Bear! My kids have been there, however, only one at a time, and with my parents....so I was a bit anxious to see how taking four of them at once would be.....It went WELL!!!! It was so much fun to watch them pick out which bear they wanted...and all were different! They listened intently to the worker there, and did just as she asked.....They had an absolute blast! As we left, the girl gave me free ChickFila coupons for the kids.....so off to ChickFila for lunch we went! :)
When we arrived home, we were greeted with a bunch of balloons and cookies from Aunt Patti and Uncle Vinny.....this totally made my day and their day, too! What a surprise!
At night, we had family over and celebrated once more....We had vodka rigatoni and yummy cake!
I feel so grateful and blessed that I have so many wonderful people (family, friends, and my cyber buddies, too!) that genuinely care about me and my children. Life IS good! :)

Blog is now private

2010-12-10T22:37:00.002-05:00

Due to some crazy "stalker"-like issues on Facebook, I figured it was safer to make this blog private....I don't keep up on here as much as I did in the past....Mainly because I am addicted to Facebook! :) In any event, I will make more of an effort to post at least weekly, so that my children will one day have a "journal" of their lives.....through Mommy's eyes...

Halloween pics!

2010-10-27T19:09:00.001-05:00

4th birthday party!

2010-10-27T19:05:00.002-05:00

I cannot believe I just celebrated my babies' 4th birthday. (We had the party early on 10/16....their actual bday is not till 11/3....but I wanted to do it before Halloween, so we could pick pumpkins and such)

We had a beautiful Fall Day at the farm.....apple picking, pumpkin picking, corn maze, food, and pinata...... :-) The kids had a blast!

Some Mommy and Me pics....

2010-09-24T22:19:00.001-05:00

I am trying to take more pics of the kids and me.....Here are my tries..... :)

Travel soccer!

2010-09-24T22:17:00.000-05:00

Boys loving on Nanny and Poppy

2010-09-24T22:15:00.000-05:00

FIRST day of Preschool

2010-09-23T22:03:00.002-05:00

Wow, the time has come.....my little miracle "babies" started pre-school! How could this even be possible???? They were all anxious to go....and all did amazingly well. Well, except for Emma....lately she has been so attached to me. Emma cried and cried....I felt so bad. BUT, I placed her in Ms. Gail's care and Emma held on to her soo hard.....I felt bad, but I KNOW this is good for them AND for me! :) I am so proud of my babies....SO PROUD!

Pool time!

2010-09-23T22:01:00.001-05:00

We spent many HOT afternoons in our backyard above ground pool this summer.....Here are some snapshots....

Philadelphia Zoo

2010-09-23T21:56:00.002-05:00

My sister, Patti, and our friend, Debbie, took the kids to the Zoo. We had a bit of a late start, so when we ended up getting really far parking, we were thrilled to find a trolley that took us right to the Zoo!

In any event, kids had a great time, we had a great time.....More memories for the kiddos. LOVE being able to do these things with them....AND this is the FIRST time ALL the kids got a pony ride and was NOT scared!

Angelia's Birthday Party!

2010-09-23T21:52:00.002-05:00

We had so much fun celebrating Angelia's birthday with her at Pump It Up. My kids jumped, jumped, and jumped! LOL

They had a blast with our friends, the Zerilli's, as always!

Thank you for inviting us! Happy Birthday to Angelia!!!

Nicky's 8th birthday

2010-09-23T21:45:00.002-05:00

Wow...time really has flown by. My Bubba is 8 years old already. I remember like it was yesterday, the way he first turned his face to my voice soon after he was born. I was smitten in that moment.....My Nicholas has turned into such an amazing young man. He is thoughtful, caring, and the best big brother I could have asked for the little ones. He has never been jealous of the attention they get and has never been jealous of them. They are "his babies" as he calls them. Nicholas has become quite the athlete over the years. I really enjoy watching him play. He is amazing to watch.

Nicholas, Bubba.....Mommy is so very proud of you. You are an amazing son and brother. I adore each and every minute we spend together, and especially love our night time "cuddles" before you go to sleep. Happy 8th Birthday, my handsome boy. Love, Mommy x0x0x0

Poppy's 64th birthday

2010-09-23T21:41:00.002-05:00

Tonight we celebrated Poppy's birthday. Nicholas insisted on wearing his Communion suit for the "party".....The kids had a great time singing to Poppy and celebrating with him! We love our Poppy!!! He is the BEST!

Summer 2010 Update

2010-07-23T23:01:00.003-05:00

I am so sorry it has been so long since I last posted. I have just been busy.....obviously! LOL I promise to update some pics soon....

My children are THRIVING. Absolutely THRIVING. I am so proud of each of them and would love to talk a bit about each of them. They continue to amaze me everyday. I am so proud to be called their Mommy.

I'll start with my older kids.
Marc will be 18 in October. He has had a rough few years. He currently does not live with me. I continue to pray for him that he makes better decisions for himself and that he remains safe and healthy. I love him dearly.
Lexi turned 15 this May 8th. She's enjoying her summer by reading and writing A LOT! She is always writing another story, or finishing up an old one. She is an amazing helper to me with the little ones....and my life wouldn't be as easy if I didn't have her to help me. She is the babies' second Mommy for sure. She has decided to continue with dance this coming year, and will be taking a Ballet-Pointe class, Tap, and Jazz.
And my Nicholas. He is such a good boy. He will turn 8 years old soon, on August 7th. I can't believe my little Bubba will be 8. Time sure does fly. He is a good kid. He has done well in school this year, and does amazingly with athletics. He played basketball this past winter, played baseball this spring, and even made the All Star baseball team this summer! He is an AMAZING athlete and I just love watching him play. He also made the Travel Soccer team for this coming year. It will be much more competitive for him this year compared to Rec soccer in previous years. He is a great big brother to the babies......and still favors Austin! :-) They have such a bond.....
And onto the "babies".....or "toddlers".....or "kids", lol:
Matthew is still a Mama's boy. He loves to be cuddled and hugged and kissed. His communication skills have really come a LONG way. He "stammers" at times, but I am not worried....I think he will be just fine. He is FINALLY on the growth charts, which makes this Mama very proud! He is still smaller than the others, but I think that is just how he will be. Not a big deal. He loves to dance with his sisters, and play trucks with Austin. He still has quite the "whine" when he wants something, tho! LOL
Emma is a bit of a tomboy. She loves to keep up with the boys and play all types of sports. She also loves to play dress up and dance around the house a lot, too. Her language has really taken off, but she does have a bit of a lisp these days....but I think she'll be just fine. She is my "tattletale" for sure....always the FIRST one to tell Mama who is doing what wrong! LOL
Katie.....well Katie has definitely become a feisty and stubborn girl. lol. She goes after exactly what she wants and will NOT stop until she gets it. Again, I say, "Go for it, Katie"....only b/c this attitude is what got her through all her hospital stays when she was so young. She had to be feisty to survive. :) Katie also loves playing sports, but is also very nurturing with her dolls and bears. She has named all her bears/dolls "Katie" and rocks them to sleep daily......Medically speaking, she is doing well. I am in the process of trying to find out exactly what is going on with her airway. We had a Cardiac MRI done recently, and i am still awaiting the results on that. Some talk of surgery has been mentioned, but IDK anything for sure. Apparently, her trachea is "collapsing"....Scary words to hear about your baby girl.
And Austin.....He is still my thinker. He loves to figure things out. And he is SOOOOO CURIOUS. So inquisitive at times that it gets him into trouble. He wants to figure out how things work, why they work, etc. He's a smart boy. He rides a two wheeler with training wheels.....and definitely thinks he is NOT part of the Quad Squad....Since he is so much bigger, I think he thinks he is older, and takes the role of big brother to the other three! LOL But my big guy is still attached to his crocheted "blankie"-and anytime he is upset, tired, or cranky, he NEEDS his beloved blankie. :)
All four are potty training. They are all doing well. Matty has had more accidents lately, but we are working on it and hopefully all will be good soon. All four start pre-school this Fall! Woohoo! Five hours/wk.....Two 2.5 hour days....I CAN'T WAIT! :) I think it will be soooooo good for them. I am just so excited for them to have the opportunity to be around other kids, socialize, and learn in a structured setting. And I am excited to have a few hours to myself!!!! Such an exiting thought !!!
Anyway, I will update soon with pics......

Philadelphia Zoo 5/1/10

2010-05-02T23:01:00.004-05:00

My sister and I took Nicholas and the little ones to the Zoo.....by ourselves....without a stroller.....BUT WITH leashes!!! :) It worked out really well, too. I was so impressed that all the little ones really listened well. The girls and boys shared ice cream....we stopped for frequent drink breaks (as it was a 90 degree day!).....and had dinner after we left the Zoo. The little ones didn't want to leave the Zoo....they kept yelling "more animals!"

Silly Communion pics

2010-05-02T22:59:00.001-05:00

My Nicholas is quite the character.....LOL....and so is Uncle Vinny! LOL

More Communion pics

2010-05-02T22:57:00.002-05:00

Communion party 4/24/10

2010-05-02T22:55:00.003-05:00

We took our family out to Mastoris Restaurant for a luncheon.....in celebration of Nicholas' First Holy Communion. We had a great time, and Nicholas was very amused that he received presents on this special day!

Nicholas' First Communion 4/24/10

2010-05-02T22:50:00.003-05:00

I can't believe this day came for my little boy---such a milestone! He was so excited to make his First Holy Communion-and I was just as excited for him! He even insisted on trying the "wine" at home, to make sure he doesn't make a funny face at Communion! LOL He did an excellent job, and I am so very proud of him....Congratulations, Nicholas!!!

Jenkinson's Aquarium 4/8/10

2010-05-02T22:46:00.003-05:00

I made a very last minute decision to take the kids down to Point Pleasant beach on this very hot afternoon. We went to Jenkinson's Aquarium for the first time-and it was a success! The kids are at a great age to be interested in seeing different "fishies" and animals. Afterwards, we even took a few steps in the sand.....the girls said, "Mommy, WHAT IS THIS???" LOL....It's not like you bring your quadruplets to the BEACH everyday! :) MAYBE this year, tho......MAYBE.....All in all, we had a great day trip.....Nick won some prizes after playing some games, we ate some good ice cream.......we can't wait for summer!

More outside fun after Easter dinner....

2010-05-02T22:43:00.002-05:00

Outside fun after Easter Dinner....

2010-05-02T22:38:00.002-05:00

As soon as we got back to Nanny's and Poppy's, the kids were ready to let loose......Lexi and Nick were throwing a football around, while the little kids ran for the garage area to ride the bikes in there......It was a chore to try and get them changed into regular clothes......

Easter dinner

2010-05-02T22:33:00.003-05:00

We started a new tradition this year. We decided to give my Mom a break, and go out to a restaurant for Easter Dinner.....and I think we all agreed it went well! Well....."well" for having 3yo quadruplets with us!! :) Austin enjoyed making "concoctions" in his drinking glasses....I believe at one point he had mixed together some fruit, water, ice, and broccoli. Yum!

Easter morning....4/4/10

2010-05-02T22:30:00.003-05:00

The Wilke kids must have been very good this year! The Easter Bunny did make his way to our home this year! All of the children were so excited.....the little ones each got a new backpack (to prepare for pre-school!!) and TOO MUCH candy! Nicky got a WWE mask and some other little toys and TOO MUCH candy! And Lexi....she got the New Moon DVD, some hair accessories, and TOO MUCH candy! :)

Easter Bunny!

2010-05-02T22:25:00.003-05:00

We were invited over to my good friend Brandi's house to await the arrival of the Easter Bunny! Brandi served us a delicious dinner....and almost timed perfectly, the Bunny came to Brandi's house right as we were finishing!!! :) My kids were amazed to see the Bunny so "lifelike" and so close to them....and they had a blast collecting all the Easter eggs......
Thank you, Brandi, again for a great night with the kids! :)

We made the newspaper!

2010-03-26T21:12:00.003-05:00

This link shows the small story they did on our family as we attended the NICU Reunion at Sesame Place on 3/21/10. Check it out!

http://www.nj.com/news/times/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-19/1269236733244740.xml&coll=5

More Sesame Place pics...

2010-03-26T21:06:00.003-05:00

Like I said, the kids had an absolute blast at the NICU Reunion at Sesame Place. I enjoyed seeing the doctors and nurses that were so instrumental in the care of my four little preemies. I get choked up at times thinking of those first days and weeks of their lives. March of Dimes is an amazing group of people that have changed the lives of so many families. My 31 week 5 day quadruplets would not have survived if the MOD did not fight and research years ago for the surfactant drug, which opens the lungs up for them to breathe. My children are thriving now, and I credit the team of NICU nurses/doctors, and the MOD staff for their health. Please donate to this worthy cause. They help so many families. Look what they did for me! :)

NICU Reunion at Sesame Place 3/21/10

2010-03-26T20:59:00.003-05:00

As always, the Wilke family had a blast at the NICU Renunion held at Sesame Place. My children were very into it this year--understood the characters, and understood the Elmo LIVE show we were allowed to watch. We got some great shots of the kiddos with the characters, too....As shown here, Matty is proudly showing off of his MOD tattoo!

Washington DC trip with Cub Scouts 3/20/10

2010-03-26T20:56:00.002-05:00

Fun visit with Aunt Patti and Uncle Vinny

2010-03-26T20:55:00.002-05:00

Emma's expressions

2010-03-26T20:52:00.003-05:00

I still can't believe how big they're getting....then I look at pics like these, and they amaze me! They are little people already!! :)

Austin in a blue dress...

2010-03-26T20:50:00.003-05:00

This is how I found Austin one winter morning.....all dressed in the girls' dress, complete with a power drill!! I couldn't resist taking a pic, and saving it for blackmail one day! :)

Snow! Again! LOL

2010-03-26T20:45:00.004-05:00

We have had a lot of snow this year.....Nicholas has been great with really becoming the "man" of the house, and helping out with the shoveling. I'm so proud of him!

Alls I need is a baby......

2010-03-14T23:49:00.003-05:00

LOL. Seriously, my kids were AMAZED at a friend's baby at Nick's batting cage practice. Little Ryan was in the stroller, and my four kids (as you can see) literally, just stood there staring at him! I wonder if I can borrow Ryan for the day?!

Line 'em up!

2010-03-14T23:48:00.002-05:00

They were all waiting patiently to go have dinner! :) By the way, when you have this many kids-the less clothes, the less mess!!! :) Trust me!

Anya's 1st Birthday Party

2010-03-14T23:44:00.003-05:00

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We were invited to my "niece's" 1st Birthday Party-her name is Anya and she is a Bijon-Poo DOG!~ :) We had pizza, cake, and even played "Pin the Paw on the Dog"! :) The kids had a blast as always!

Painted nails

2010-03-14T23:43:00.003-05:00

Mommy painted the girls' nails....and they thought they were "extra" beautiful on this night!

Disney on Ice! 1/30/10

2010-03-14T23:40:00.003-05:00

The kids and I were so excited to attend our very FIRST Disney On Ice at the local arena! :) I was lucky enough to have my mom and sister tag along to "corral the kids"...and we met my very good friend, Brandi (who has trips plus ONE) there as well (and who told me of this event!).....I had a great time-definitely made me want to plan a trip to Disney World one of these days....and my kids also were amazed by the lights/sounds/characters....definitely a trip to remember! :)

Nicky's First Penance/Reconciliation 1/23/10

2010-03-14T23:38:00.003-05:00

Nicholas made his First Penance on 1/23/10 with his class at Our Lady of Sorrows. He did a great job-he was a bit nervous as to what he was confessing to, but he did great, and we are so proud of him!!! Can't believe my guy is going to make his First Holy Communion in a few months!

Mommy's 33rd birthday 1/11/10

2010-03-14T23:34:00.003-05:00

And I didn't even have to make a wish....I have everything I ever wished for: my beautiful and healthy children! :)

Nick's new room

2010-01-19T23:22:00.003-05:00

Nicholas got his room painted for Christmas, too......he wanted a NY Giants room....so that is what he got....and of course, I still have to buy a trophy shelf for all these trophies he is winning!

All lined up at Nanny's house....

2010-01-19T23:21:00.002-05:00

Nicky and Katie...nose to nose

2010-01-19T23:19:00.002-05:00

Christmas morning....2009

2010-01-19T23:17:00.003-05:00

The Wilke children must have been really good this year, because, boy oh boy, did Santa Claus come!

Santa did come!!!!

2009-12-27T00:28:00.002-05:00

Christmas Eve.....

2009-12-27T00:27:00.003-05:00

Christmas Eve was definitely chaotic in the Wilke home.......Thank God the kids were nice all year, b/c they were definitely a bit naughty this night~~ LOL

Nicky's Christmas Show

2009-12-27T00:24:00.003-05:00

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Nicholas participated in his school's Christmas show this year........it was a "multicultural" show this year-with the second grade class being "Asian"...........It was very cute. and even my little ones got "dancing" in the aisle!

I got the Christmas tree up......

2009-12-27T00:23:00.002-05:00

sort of! LOL

Sisters forever.....

2009-12-27T00:21:00.002-05:00

Here are some cute shots of the girls...

A few more "flashbacks"....

2009-11-30T22:35:00.001-05:00

I couldn't resist......LOL

Some flashback pics.....

2009-11-30T22:25:00.003-05:00

Joey and Nicky's 3rd birthday party

2009-11-30T22:22:00.003-05:00

We were invited to our friends' Joey and Nicky's 3rd birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese.....my kids had a blast! I brought my mom with me as "reinforcement" ......LOL. :) Four active toddlers is NO match for Mommy!!!! :) We had a GREAT time and are so lucky to have such good friends! Happy Birthday Joseph and Nicholas!

Santa Claus has arrived......at the mall!

2009-11-30T22:19:00.003-05:00

My sister and I took the kids to the local mall to see the arrival of Santa Claus. The kids were all very excited to see Santa.....and especially Katie-she was searching for him everywhere! Emma was definitely more reserved---she was clinging on to me! All in all, we had a nice trip..........although we did have a very scary few moments of "losing" Nicholas.........we were very fortunate that a passerby brought him to the security officer, who in turn, found us immediately as we were searching for him.....NEVER a dull mo ment.....that's for sure!

3 year old checkup

2009-11-30T22:15:00.003-05:00

I took the babies for their 3yo checkup. By myself. And then even stopped at my sis's work......I have to say........it was do-able! MAYBE, just MAYBE, things will start getting easier??? LOL

Anyway, here are their stats.....all are doing great. Austin's in the 75th% for height and Emma is in the 65% for weight!!! Matty is in 13% for weight, and 5th % for height......
Katie is in 22nd% for weight, and 33th% for height....

Emma 32lbs 37.5 inches
Matthew 28lbs 35.5 inches
Katie 28lbs 36.75inches
Austin 33.5lbs 39inches

Katie's hair cut day.....

2009-11-30T22:14:00.002-05:00

Look at those long bangs!!!

Halloween 2009

2009-11-30T22:10:00.003-05:00

We survived Halloween!!! LOL My sister and I took the little ones to the mall early in the day to do some trick or treating. They did great--all got into it and loved getting special treats!!! They also did EXCELLENT for the night time trick or treating....Austin was VERY EXCITED to "push the button" (aka the doorbell) at all the houses.....even having a brief meltdown b/c Nick "pushed the button" first....I stepped in and asked that poor woman if she minded if they all "pushed her button"...........they were so much more focused on that then the candy! LOL By the end of the evening, as you can see in the picture, Austin was still sneaking candy underneath a table---he thought we didn't see him!!! LOL