Bear Quintuplets

CMOTC mom Lynne M. shared with us this cute story about a black bear mom, who much like all of us, had multiples. In fact, she had five little cuties which in the bear world is very rare. For all of us multiple moms (and animal lovers), this hits home. Enjoy!

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Content and photos from Tom Sears of Digital Photographics.

THE BEARS AND I

Black bears typically have two cubs, rarely one or three. In 2007, in northern New Hampshire, a black bear sow gave birth to five healthy young. There were two or three reports of sows with as many as four cubs but five was, and is, extraordinary.

I learned of them shortly after they emerged from their den and set myself a goal of photographing all five cubs with their mom, no matter how much time and effort was involved. I knew the trail they followed on a fairly regular basis, usually shortly before dark. After spending nearly four hours a day, seven days a week, for six weeks I had that once in a lifetime opportunity and photographed them in the shadows and dull lighting of the evening.

Due to these conditions the photograph is a bit "noisy" as I had to use the equivalent of a very fast film speed on my digital camera. The print is properly focused and well exposed with all six bears "posing" as if they were in a studio for a family portrait.

I stayed in touch with other people who saw the bears during the summer and into the fall hunting season. All six bears continued to thrive. As time for hibernation approached, I found still more folks who had seen them and everything remained OK. I stayed away from the bears as I was concerned that they might become habituated to me, or to people in general, as approachable "friends". This could be dangerous for both man and animal.

After Halloween I received no further reports and could only hope the bears survived until they hibernated. This spring, before the snow disappeared, all six bears came out of their den and wandered the same familiar territory they trekked in the spring of 2007.

I saw them before mid April and dreamed nightly of taking another "family portrait," an improbable second "once in a lifetime" photograph.

On April 25, 2008 I achieved my dream. When I showed the result to a woman who had purchased a print of the cubs a year earlier she exclaimed, "I have never seen such an extraordinary photograph".

When something as magical as this happens between man and animal Native Americans say: "We have walked together in the shadow of a rainbow."

And so it is with humility and great pleasure that I share these photos with you.

Bear family 2007

Bear family 2008

Sincerely, Tom Sears

PS. As of August 2008, the cubs are doing well but have gone their separate ways and there will not be another "family portrait".

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Thank you Lynne. If anyone has any cute stories, great resources, funny parenting/kid stories, advice, fun places to go, or whatever that you would like to share with the CMOTC moms, please email us. We would love to share it on the blog!

Would you like fries with that?

CMOTC mom Stephanie A. shares with us this funny story about the day she gave birth to her twins.

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The day I went into labor, it was 7:30am when I woke up and I thought I had actually wet my bed. I got up, went to the bathroom and still wasn't sure if it was that or my water had broke. So, I went on back to bed and woke up an hour later, soaked again. Now I finally got it that my water had broke. So, I hopped in the shower because I HAD to shave my legs before I went to the hospital, of course.

On the way there, my husband just had to make a business call. The person on the other end of the phone asked what he was doing and he told them I was in labor and we were on the way to the hospital. She was completely mortified and hung up on him, but not before saying "Are you crazy? Focus on driving!"

When we got to the hospital, I was informed that my doctor, who had told me that he delivers 85% of his babies, would not be able to be there. So I had to let a doctor that I had never met tell me he was going to be the one to do my C-section. Of course, I blame him to this day for not giving me a tummy tuck while he was sewing me up afterwards.

Then, my husband wanted to make sure he had time to run down to Wendy's to get some lunch before they took me in. Cuz he was hungry. And I was in pain and giving birth to his children. But he was hungry. So we waited. I still remember that one of the operating room nurses had me laughing while the anesthesiologist was trying to put the needle in my back for the spinal. He actually had to tell me to stop laughing and hold still!

My husband told the doctor that he wanted to see them as soon as they came out. So the doctor proceeds to gut me like a fish and pull Baby A's (Abbey's) head out, but only her head, and tells my husband: "First one's out!" John stands up to look over the lovely, dual use gown that they had strung up as a drape so we couldn't see, and he sees just her head sticking out of the incision, which is of course covered in blood. He sat right back down and sort of yelled: "You know that's not what I meant!" To which all 16 people in the room laughed hysterically. And I thought: "THAT was for the Wendy's!"

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Does anyone else have a funny birth story or funny parenting story? Please comment below or send your story to us at columbusmultiples@gmail.com.

Nobody Told Me...

Twins Sweat

This is the one thing no one told me about before having twins. The sweat, oh the sweat. I guess when you think about it, it all starts when you are carrying the babies inside your belly! There are many different sweats that you have as a twins mom.

1) Stand up sit down - This is the sweat that happens when you find yourself on the ground playing with the babies at a comfortable temperature. Next thing you know you have a poopy diaper, so you are up. Change the diaper, crawl back on the ground, then you smell something. You guessed it, up again. Then crawl back on the ground only to realize you have been holding it for an hour now because you did not have a free moment to relieve yourself, so you guessed it, up again.

2) The hustle - You are playing with a baby only to realize you hear a funny gurgling. You quickly search the room for a burp cloth so you can catch whatever it is that comes up.

3) The indoor/ outdoor - This sweat occurs when you are outside in the cold, then go inside someplace and try to get the kids settled. You still have your coat on and cannot help but sweat.

4) Let's get outta here - This one occurs when you decide on a limb to go someplace. You quickly bundle both babies, cage the dogs in the basement, carry the babies to the car. By the time you get into the front seat, you guessed it, sweat.

5) Embarrassed sweat - Everyone has been there. You are in public and you have a screaming baby. You pick them up, get them calmed down and back into their seat. Next thing you know you have another screaming baby. Repeat. Not only are you tired from holding the babies, but you are completely embarrassed. Pretty much immediate sweat.

That about sums up my baby sweats! I am sure you are happy to have read this. Please feel free to add your own. I am guessing my husband loves me just a little bit more right now.


Written by Michele mother of Grady and Gwen 6-29-09
www.kotheclan.blogspot.com

The Two Year Doctor Appointment...

Who’s had this doctor’s appointment or something similar? Share your funny adventures with the group!

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The Two Year Doctor Appointment...

Today was the twins', C and O, two year doctor appointment. Oh, wait. Let me start again. Today was the twins two year doctor appointment and they had NO nap. Feel it coming???

The first thing we learned after getting into the room was that they have progressed to the big scale in the hallway. The "hallway" is a very narrow one, lined both with patient rooms and the doctor's offices, as well as desktops mounted on the walls for nurses... and again, it's NARROW... oh and busy... and around the corner and two halls down from our room. Again, feel it coming?

Let me recant the journey to the scale for you:

Nurse: They get to go to the scale in the hall now.

Me: Are you kidding?

Nurse: What do you need help with?

Me: (just starring at her)

Me: (coming out of it) Okay boys, let's go.

(C starts crying. I pick him up, take O's hand and we walk to the scale.)

Nurse to C: Okay let's get you on there.

C: (whining and refusing to get on... purposely falling off as soon as he is put on it)

Me: (on my knees next to C) Come on C, it's only for a second.

Me: (in mid-beg to C to get on the scale, I glance to where O WAS in this very busy narrow hall... seeing O heading into a doctor's office)

Nurse: (Just standing there)

Me: O, get back here please! (run to get O, tripping over a perturbed doctor in the process, C following and whining.

Nurse: Let's try that one, who is he again?

Me: (staring at nurse again) "That's O. Okay O, how about you try it."

(O gets on scale and then goes to wall to be measured. Thank you O!)

Nurse: Okay C, your turn.

C: (Whining loudly... sounding something like "no freaking way lady!" if his whines would be translated since he still does not use words)

Me: Okay C, how about I get your binky. If you have your binky will you stand on the scale?

C: (face lights up and hands shake in excitement)

Me: (to Nurse) Can you watch O for a second while I go get the binky from the room?

Nurse: Sure.

(C and I go back two halls over to get binky. When I turn around, while still in our room, to go back - both O and Nurse are standing there. WTH?!)

Me: Okay boys, let's go back.

(C starts crying again wanting held, I pick him up. O starts running, out the door and down another hall the opposite direction of the scale. I run after him dodging the nurses at the nurse desks lining the walls and the doctors in this narrow hallway - did I mention it was a VERY narrow and VERY busy hallway? Finally catch up to O - thinking to myself 'why is no one helping me? Clearly he is an escapee. Where is the fricking nurse that said she would help?' - and finally get back to the scale.)

Nurse: C can you get up on the scale?

C: (Whine and cry)

Me: (down on my knees again, at his level) C we had an agreement. I gave you the binky and in exchange you agreed to get on the scale.

C: (reluctantly gets on the scale)

Me: (Thankful I packed the binky for a possible emergency AND amazed that the negotiation even worked! Basking in the glory for one second... then... wait... where the heck is O?!)

Nurse: (Just standing there.)

Me: O?!

(find O rounding another hallway and bring him back, along with C who of course followed on my heels still whining.)

Nurse: C can you come be measured please?

C: (looking at me like 'do I have to?')

Me: (giving him the 'do it or the binky dies!' look.... all while restraining the Olympic sprinter - O - who is trying hard to break free.)

C: (reluctantly goes to be measured while whining.)

Nurse: All done. Now that wasn't so bad was it?

Me: (thinking 'if I didn't know that you come back and give my babies shots after their appointment, I may have just…”)

When we got back to the room I was sweating…profusely.

However, it did get easier. The doctor was in shortly, so we didn't have to wait too long with napless whiny boys who didn't want to be in the cramped room with a sweaty mommy... especially since they knew of the fun halls that were outside the door.

The appointment went relatively well, after which I was given the twins height/weight stats... along with O's running stat... a 7 second 100 meter sprint. Not bad....

From http://www.themooressix.blogspot.com/

The Moores Six

Check out these two posts from The Moores Six here and here.

YUCK!

So, I did it again. I ventured into the mysterious unknown with a set of 4 yr old twins and a 2 year old. I needed 40 fruit roll-ups for the kids' class. Some kind person had suggested COSTCO since it carries bulk and the prices are good. After my work-out I decided to be brave and head to COSTCO. Big mistake. But any of you with kids could have told me this already.

I had a few things working against me. 1) They were way hyper from running around like crazy people at the athletic club's child center 2) It was lunch time. Hungry and hyper children are never a good combo. 3) I had 3 children age 4 and under with me. Bad recipe, right? Well, they caused all kinds of usual havoc while we were there. That- I was ready for. What I was not ready for was to look down to find that my 2 year old had POOPED IN HIS SHOE! What? How does one go about pooping IN A SHOE?

Well, after 5 years of parenting, I've learning two things. 1) Put NOTHING past them. 2) Don't let your 2 year old wear boxers, no matter what kind of fit he throws. While running around tearing apart Costco, he had managed to have a bowel movement and it dropped out of his underwear, down his leg and INTO HIS SHOE! Ick! EEEEWWW! Gross! I have cleaned up MANY dirty diapers and underwear in my day but this one was a new one for me. It was disgusting.

I had to ask the sample lady to pass me some napkins while I announced, "Wow, you must have stepped in something!" No need to clue her in to this nastiness but I'm sure she could have smelled it; thankfully she was really old. The shoes are now running through the wash for the 2nd time and amazingly, there wasn't a spot on the underwear. My 2 yr old did take a long, hot bath when we got home...so did I! Yuck!!!!

Posted by KP at www.necessaryventing.blogspot.com