Here we are!

I'm not sure if we're housebound due to winter in Wisconsin and the demands of infants, or if I've officially become a recluse. There's probably a fine line between the two and I honestly can't tell which side I'm standing on anymore.

A lot has happened since our last update. After months of trying to calculate the best time for a move, we took the plunge and relocated our brood in the beginning of December. It hasn't been the easiest transition (we knew it wouldn't be), but we're here and there's no going back.

Christmas 2011. Our four boys and a cousin on the way! YEP!! I'm going to be an auntie on or around June 18th!

Our Baraboo house is moving painfully slow. After combining the best features from several designs with the architect, we have an obvious favorite (see below). The price tag, however, is slowing us WAY down. We'd hoped to hire out this time, but it's clearly not going to happen. So, once we get things squared away with the bank, it will be work gloves and long hours for us.

The boys are doing well, overall. It's been a huge ordeal transfering their care, but I think we're finally getting all the pieces in place. Healthwise, Ben and Charlie have little to report, but Ike has some exciting news to share! At his last eye exam, the doctor discovered his ROP was finally gone! Whew. Thought we were never going to close the book on that one. No more tortuous eye exams. Thank God. His vision continues to improve, but he still has quite a bit of nystagmus and does not see at a distance. Based on his behavior, the doctor suspected he was severely nearsighted, but upon further review, it's not the case. In fact, he doesn't need glasses at all. So, no one knows exactly what this all means when it comes down to the functionality of his vision, but we're hopeful he'll continue to progress and develop...in Ikey time, like everything else. At their last well-baby exam, Ikey was 17 pounds on the dot. He's still too small for the regular growth chart (he's actually only in the 10th percentile for preemies), but slowly closing the gap. To finish up on Ike, he's extremely coordinated and agile. He doesn't sit, but can roll back and forth across the floor better than anyone. He occupies himself forever with toys and is the happiest little boy I've ever seen. He loves to look out the window and loves to jump. He's exactly who he's supposed to be...I'm sure of it.

Ben and Charlie are doing well. Charlie is a big boy these days, sitting up on his own, moving pretty well on his stomach, and eating solids. We discovered, quite accidentally, that he has two bottom teeth, too! He's a HEFTY 20 pounds, and in the 50th percentile on the regular growth chart. We've started solids with Charlie, and although it took him a good month to get the hang of it, he loves to eat now (no surprise). He doesn't care for rice cereal, but finds pumpkin delicious! Ben is tipping the scale at 18 pounds 5 ounces, and has the most delicate personality of the three. For some reason, Ben is really struggling to sit. He actually resists it. I don't know if it's because he likes to pull up to a stand, or if he finds the position uncomfortable, but I'm anxious to get him back in physical therapy. He's very expressive and wants your attention...all the time.

Our bedtime struggles continue. The boys nap fairly well, but have a lot of trouble going down at night. Bedtime takes HOURS, which is taxing on all of us. We're two nights into a new approach, so I'll let you know how it goes.

William made the move without missing a beat. He gets his easy-going, roll-with-the-punches, laid back personality from his daddy. He talks about Illinois, but is especially fond of Baraboo already. While we're finding our living situation to be rather close quarters, it doesn't seem like William finds anything bizarre about our current arrangement. We finished potty training a few weeks ago....YES! My diaper-wearing population has been reduced to three. He still wears a diaper to bed at night, but he's all about the "big boy undies" during the day. He FINALLY finds his brothers enjoyable and interacts with them more every day. I never thought we'd have a picture like the one below, where William actually let the boys touch him.

My little Badgers! Charlie, William (being brotherly!), Ben, Ike

Look how identical we are! Charlie and Benny

See...all I had to do was mention my bad sleepers and I hear some naughty boys awake from their nap. I think we'll go for a walk on this 50 degree January day, but before I wrap this up, I have one more bit of news that I'm going to make public.

Your eyes aren't playing tricks on you.

Nearly 16 weeks in, I can't hide much longer. Believe me, no one was more shocked than us. Without elaborating on the details, I want to make it clear that the odds of this happening were about as good as conceiving identical triplets. I don't know how we keep beating extreme odds, but for whatever reason, that's how this year has played out. We've gone through the full range of emotions, but at the end of the day, we can only see this as "meant to be." So, baby #5, our grand finale, will arrive mid-July. And yes, I've had an ultrasound and there's only one. That's all for now. More to follow, but I think that's enough for today. Happy 2012...looks like it's going to be another wild one!