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Show Mother's joy quadrupled received extra attention. The odds of having quadruplets is one to 600,000. Another remarkable thing about the Cross babies is that Denise was able to carry them 34 weeks out of a normal 40 week term. The babies had good body weight and few problems. They stayed in the hospital hos-pital to gain weight only three weeks after birth. Caring for four babies plus two other children is impossible for one person. The Cross family was far away from their Utah home and their family. Denise's parents, Glen and Edith Randall of Center-ville, Center-ville, traveled to California to help out. Neighbors, the Air Force workers and church members all assisted. One of the first problems facing the Cross family was financial. John, a technical sergeant in the 60th Air Base group, said it cost between $3,000 and $4,000 just to get the basic things needed for four babies. The Cross family discovered even far away from home and family, fami-ly, people are sympathetic and generous. gen-erous. "The Air Force couldn't By DONETA GATHERUM LAYTON Take the work involved in-volved in caring for one four-month four-month old baby, times it by four, then add the curiosity of a four-year-old and the constant energy generated by a six-year-old and you have the daily challenge facing Denise and John Cross, parents of quadruplets plus two older children, chil-dren, a challenge that will bring new meaning to their celebration of Mother's Day. On Christmas Eve of 1987, doctors doc-tors at Travis Air Force Base in California determined it was time for Denise to deliver her four babies. Months earlier, through the use of ultrasound equipment, doctors doc-tors knew she would have four babies. They were well prepared for the delivery. Since September, Denise had been carefully monitored moni-tored in a bed rest atmosphere with limited exercise to insure good muscle tone. The medical staff at Travis was alerted that the time had come. Eight pediatricians, two neonatal doctors and one nurse were assigned to each delivery. Daniel, weighing four pounds eleven ounces, arrived first. He was followed fol-lowed thirty seconds later by David, weighing in at four pounds fourteen ounces. Next came the , largest of the quads, Robert, who was five pounds three ounces. Merinda Noel, the only girl, was the last delivered. She weighed three pounds fourteen ounces. The combined weight of the babies exceeded ex-ceeded 19 pounds, a remarkable fact considering Denise is petite. The Cross babies were the first quads born at Travis AFB in its 40 year history and they immediately have treated us any better," Denise De-nise stated. Neighbors, friends, church members and strangers all contributed gifts, money and time. The Travis Commissary and its vendors made important donations not for publicity, but because they wanted to be helpful.' Military groups like the Retired Officers Wives Club, the Enlisted Wives Club and Family Services all sent contributions. The Similac company donated 40 cases of their product. It is nearly near-ly used up. One of the first priorities TSgt Cross had was to get a transfer back home to Hill Field and Layton. The Crosses own a home in Layton that they were renting while John was assigned to Travis. The Air Force was gracious in giving giv-ing John a Permissive Humanitarian Humanita-rian Assignment. The family moved back to Layton in March. Quadruplets definitely change a person's lifestyle. Obviously Denise De-nise is constantly washing clothes. Thanks to the many practical donations dona-tions of disposable diapers, the Cross family fills their four alloted cans to capacity each week. John is committed to finishing their basement so the family has more sleeping room. The babies are doubling up in cribs now to conserve con-serve space. This will have to change very soon because the babies are growing so rapidly. As Denise talked, she seemed to be looking forward to four crawling babies, four toddlers, four two-year-olds, four teenagers. "We'll take things slowly, one day at a time," the supermom with a super-dad super-dad for a partner, concluded. i - ... f i "A "r - i - - - . - , :r- .' Mother's Day will hold a new meaning this year for the Cross family of Layton. Jaycee and Angela (front) recently welcomed wel-comed four new siblings into their home. Mother, Denise, gave birth to quadruplets, Daniel and David, whom she's holding, and Robert and Merinda, held by their father John, on Christmas Eve. |