Daucsavage family settles into new routine: New routine

NEW LONDON -- It's 7 p.m. and amazingly quiet at the Daucsavage home.

Dinner is in the oven, the house is spotless and 3-year-old Taylor has his mom, Disa, and dad, Trevor, all to himself.

At least for a few minutes.

Then, mingled with a lullaby whispering over the baby monitor, comes the unsettled cry of an infant.

With Taylor proudly leading the way, Disa and Trevor enter the bedroom to see which of their four babies is awake.

It's Seth, who has a tendency to cry louder than the rest.

Not long afterward, Oliver's urgent, higher-pitched whimpers can be heard and he's plucked from one of the two cribs tucked into the small bedroom shared by the Daucsavage's quadruplets in their rural New London home.

And although Addilyn and Micah are sleeping soundly, Disa and Trevor graciously bring them into the living room to be "oohed" over and photographed.

With two babies tucked in the crooks of their arms, and Taylor providing color commentary, the Daucsavages portray pure contentment and calm.

"You should be here at midnight," Trevor said.

Since the addition March 16 of four healthy babies, the Daucsavages have quickly, and admittedly sleepily, adjusted to their new large family.

"It's been going good because they've been so healthy," Trevor said, but it's been "round-the-clock, heavy-duty work."

The first eight days after bringing the babies home, the couple had 24-hour assistance from family members who helped feed and change the babies, and rock them to sleep.

Disa said the first weekend they went solo resulted in some nervous moments as they anticipated "how to take care of four babies at one time."

"I can help," chimed in Taylor. "I'm a doctor."

Taylor turns 4 in July and has already become adept at putting pacifiers in a waiting mouth. He also regularly places gentle kisses on the heads of his baby sister and three brothers.

The Daucsavages seem to have settled into a workable routine that relies on the goodwill of family, friends and neighbors who drop off meals and help Disa during the day when Trevor is at work.

A calendar where the regular volunteers sign up for a time slot is on the kitchen counter.

It's a schedule that includes an unyielding routine of changing diapers, feeding babies and getting them to sleep again.

During the daytime, there's about an hour and a half between the end of one session and the beginning of another. That time is filled with doing laundry, washing bottles, having a grown-up meal, a shower and on the rare occasion a cat nap for Disa.

During the night, the babies sleep a little more, but Disa and Trevor have not had more than about two consecutive hours of sleep since bringing the babies home Easter weekend.

There have been a few surprises as the family maneuvers through each day with quadruplets.

The four babies go through one 32-count package of diapers a day, which is nearly 1,000 diapers a month. They traded in their 60-gallon garbage can for a 90-gallon container.

The babies are growing quickly and consume one can of formula a day.

There's at least one load of baby clothes in the wash a day.

Trevor said he's surprised by the willingness of so many people to help them care for the babies. He's thankful there is a "village" ready to help raise their children.

Disa said it's the little things that surprise her the most, like when she walks into the bedroom and sees four little babies lying in pairs in the two cribs. "It still baffles me," she said.

When asked what the family intends to do Sunday -- Mother's Day -- they both look a little surprised that an important parental holiday is coming up.

"Changing and feeding babies," Disa said simply. "And drinking a lot of coffee."

"We're coffee drinkers," piped up Taylor, conceding that he drinks "pretend" coffee while his parents drink the real stuff.

Although there are no special plans to celebrate Mother's Day, or Father's Day next month, the Daucsavages are walking well in the big shoes of being a mother and father.

"It certainly is a wonderful blessing to be a mother to these five beautiful children," Disa said.