Sebring Florida

Highlands Today Newspaper Article

May 16, 2006

Quads Come Home

By BILL RETTEW JR.
wrettew@highlandstoday.com


 

SEBRING — Hunter, Preston, Gabrielle and Alexandria are finally in the real world.

The Ewing quadruplets, born within seconds of each other April 3, recently left Florida Hospital Orlando, to a homecoming filled with marathon feeding and diaper changing for the parents. And lots of love.

On Monday, the proud parents referred to their care as “overwhelming and exhausting.”

“It’s fun most times,” said Anthony Ewing. “But when they’re crying, you can’t deny them anything, and you don’t know what to do, it’s frustrating.”

Elisa Ewing said that it takes two hours for her to feed the children when alone and 32 diapers a day. Thankfully, there are many to help, including her sister-in-law, Lauran Gaines, and niece, Desiree Gaines.

“As soon as someone walks in the door, I hand them a baby and say, ‘please feed,’” said Elisa Ewing, with a smile.

Then, the newborns settled down in the arms of their caretakers.

The room became quiet with all eyes lovingly turned toward what will be the center of attention for decades.

“It’s a blessing,” said Anthony Ewing. “When we found out that we would have quads, they gave us a chance of reduction. That’s not a chance. We are blessed.”

Faith kept them strong so far, said Elisa Ewing.

“We had to believe our faith and believe in God who had a reason,” said Elisa Ewing, who simply felt that it would all work out.

“I didn’t know how to give feedings, change diapers or bathe a baby.”

Mother favors the boys, Hunter and Preston, while father enjoys the girls, Gabrielle and Alexandria. At birth, the smallest weighed 2 pounds 2 ounces and the largest, 3 pounds 11 ounces.

Everyone involved had noticed that the quads are already bonding and sometimes acting alike as siblings and twins.

“You can tell that they are sisters,” said Desiree Gaines. “They’re connected. When one grunts, the other one does.”

“When one squirms, the other one squirms,” said sister-in-law, Lauran Gaines.

The girls are much more laid back, but the boys are twin terrors,” said mom, while laughing. “They cry at the same time and raise their hand at the same time.”

While the boys were dressed in identical outfits, on Monday, Elisa and Anthony Ewing said that they won’t force the quads to wear identical styles and colors in clothes, only because they are sets of identical twins.

“They’re going to be the way they are,” said the proud papa.

“They’re going to tell you what they want,” said Elisa Ewing. “They’re going to dictate and tell you.”

Anthony Ewing, a former race mechanic, works 12-hour days as a car salesman for Alan Jay Wieldstein and gets little sleep because of the baby duty. Elisa Ewing worked out an hour at a time prior to the pregnancy, and now finds even walking a short way tiring.

Like most couples, they worry about finances . Elisa Ewing said that she’ll need to go back to work as a psychotherapist to purchase much-needed necessities, such as a van to fit the entire brood.

“We really wanted to do this,” she said, about giving birth through two implanted embryos. “We lived in an RV and took out a loan, but essentially when I got pregnant, we expected one baby.”

The couple is thankful to their parish, the congregation of St. Catherine’s Church, which they said has given much support.

At least once a day, when out and about, Elisa Ewing said that she hears the same refrain.

“Better you then me.”

But the proud mother has her rejoinder.

“It’s a blessing.”

This story can be found at: http://highlandstoday.com/MGBNG08F9NE.html

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