Fayetteville's Martin quadrulets celebrate second birthdays as parents 'stay organized'

By PAT NEWMAN
Staff Writer

Birthdays arrive in quadruplet at the Martin home in Fayetteville this week.

Life for Sherry and Lee Martin changed dramatically two years ago Oct. 16 when they became the parents of three boys and a girl.

Delivered at Southern Regional Hospital in Riverdale, the quadruplets named Anna, Stephen, Nicholas and David, arrived prematurely but healthy. Today they are thriving toddlers who will celebrate their second birthdays Saturday with a dozen family and friends.

A visit to the Martin household is kind of like dropping in at a small day care center. The garage has been renovated into a spacious play room for the quads, which is painted in cheery yellow and blue. Shelves and a toy chest hold an array of books, puzzles and toys.

In the center of the floor is Sherry, cuddling and playing in turn with each of her energetic toddlers. Unfazed by the occasional screams of protest from Anna when brother David, known as the toy thief, snatches a play thing away from her, or the dozens of toys strewn across the carpeted floor, Sherry sits calmly, restoring order and delivering hugs to the neediest of the four. ”They have not learned cooperation yet,” she says laughing.

The family's day starts around 8 a.m. when Sherry fixes breakfast for her children, who have graduated from bottles and Pablum to sippy cups and cereal. Play time and Sesame Street fill the morning hours. Nice weather finds the quads outside on the swings and slide, their latest favorite activity. “It's like a little parade, a little circle going around,” Sherry said, describing the antics of the four taking turns on the scaled-down slide in their fenced-in play yard.

Mondays, David and Anna are visited by a music therapist who works with the Babies Can't Wait Program.

The two were born with a severe hearing loss, Sherry explained, but are developing their speech with the help of a cochlear implant in Anna's case, and hearing aids for David. Speech therapy requires a weekly trip to Riverdale.

“David does really well. He says about 12 words,” Sherry noted. Nicholas and Stephen are spouting between 30 and 40 words at last count, she added. Anna is still not speaking, but Sherry is waiting optimistically.

One day a week, the quads attend the mothers morning out program at New Hope Baptist Church, and Sherry steals a few hours to run errands, get her hair cut or play catchup on housework.

Watching the Martin quads interact is not unlike watching any group of almost-twos. They wobble, half-running, half-walking across the room, checking in with mom occasionally, by falling into her lap. Anna works with a four-piece puzzle while Stephen clutches his Mickey Mouse, fondly called Meme. “Nicky has a little teddy bear he got for Christmas. It's kind of dilapidated, but he won't go to bed without it,” Sherry said. David likes any toy his siblings have at the moment.

Sherry's best advice to any mother of multiples is simple: “You've got to stay organized,” she said. Right from the beginning, she had a system to feed and diaper her quartet, a storage arrangement for clothing and place for everything.

That hasn't changed. Despite the scattering of toys, neat stacks of diapers are ready for the children when they are and Disney videos are lined up ready for action. Sherry noted that Winnie the Pooh is their favorite, and has a calming effect on the toddlers when they get extra rowdy. The TV sits on a wall-mounted stand, away from the curious hands of the four.

Animal crackers also provide a bit of sedation for the children who respond accordingly to the magical word, “cookie.” While some mothers may fear toddlers' terrible twos, in the Martins' case, it's definitely terrific twos times four.