BABY BOOM : MILITARY COUPLE HAS THEIR HANDS FULL WITH 4 NEWBORNS.Byline: Karen Maeshiro Daily News Staff Writer The Rowe home shows the telltale signs of the newest additions to the family: two high chairs in the living room, four infant car seats stacked atop another in the next room, two swing chair sets. Diane Rowe, 39, a reserve officer in the U.S. Air Force, and Robert Rowe, 39, a test pilot for the U-2 program at Lockheed Martin For the former company, see . Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is a leading multinational aerospace manufacturer and advanced technology company formed in 1995 by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta. ``Skunk skunk, name for several related New World mammals of the weasel family, characterized by their conspicuous black and white markings and use of a strong, highly offensive odor for defense. Works,'' are the proud and loving parents of 6-week-old quadruplets. ``The most fun part is just watching them,'' Diane said. ``It's fun to watch them interact in the crib, touch each other, move toward each other, and move away too. We like cuddling with them.'' The Rowe babies - Sophie, Robert, Hannah and Lorraine - were delivered by Caesarean section caesarean section: see cesarean section. , a minute apart, beginning at 5:52 p.m. June 24 in a record-making delivery at Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley Hospital. The three girls and boy, whose weights ranged from 3 pounds, 4 ounces to 4 pounds, 6 ounces, were the first quadruplets born at the hospital in its 41-year history. After being cared for in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit Noun 1. neonatal intensive care unit - an intensive care unit designed with special equipment to care for premature or seriously ill newborn NICU ICU, intensive care unit - a hospital unit staffed and equipped to provide intensive care , Robert and Sophie came home the third week in July, followed by Hannah and Lorraine the next week. Given their backgrounds, it's not surprising that Diane and Robert have kind of adopted a military-style regimen to handle the new members to their family ranks. ``It's been busy. There's a lot of organization, kind of almost a military style of getting things organized,'' said Robert. ``Things are more or less ordered with `children will be cleaned and assembled, and feeding will be concluded at this time.' '' Feedings occur every three hours. The four siblings go through loads of diapers, about eight to 10 a day each. ``The day starts with changing diapers, feeding, holding them, and then a short respite before we do it all over again,'' Diane said. Diane said they give each child a day with doting dote intr.v. dot·ed, dot·ing, dotes To show excessive fondness or love: parents who dote on their only child. [Middle English doten. mom and dad. ``What we try to do is that baby has priority that day over the others,'' she said. The pair has had some help. Diane's cousin came to help out for a week, and the Antelope Valley Mothers of Twins and Triplets Club has offered its support, bringing the Rowes a home-cooked dinner, donating baby clothes and equipment, and offering support. The hospital also gave the couple diapers and a gift basket A gift basket, or fruit basket is typically a gift that is delivered to the recipient at their home or workplace. There are different varieties of gift baskets, some which have fruit only, some with dry/canned goods only (such as tea, crackers and jam) although the standard that contained gift certificates for dinner and tiny JetHawks uniforms, plus a company donated infant formula Infant formula is an artificial substitute for human breast milk. Formulas are designed for infant consumption, and are usually based on either cow milk or soy milk. Use of infant formula has been decreasing in industrial countries for over forty years as a result of antenatal . As with any new parents, the Rowes are deprived of sleep and are a little more tired these days. Robert likened it to pulling all-nighters back in college. But the couple, who has been married eight years, don't mind one bit. They had suffered a miscarriage miscarriage: see abortion. miscarriage or spontaneous abortion Spontaneous expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the uterus before it can live outside the mother. last year, and the quadruplets were the result of in-vitro fertilization. ``When you are given a great opportunity, a great gift from God, you don't think about how everything's changed,'' Robert Rowe said. ``We knew from January on that this was going to happen. It's a terrific gift. We are seeing the fruits now of powerful prayers. It's beautiful.'' CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: (color) Robert and Diane Rowe hold quadruplets, from left, Lorraine, Sophie, Hannah and Robert, who arrived one minute apart June 24. Jeff Goldwater/Daily News |
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