Selby quadruplets turn 5

Everyone in the seven-member Selby family gets to claim a day of the week. Having a "special day" means each girl -- quadruplets turning 5 today and 7-year-old big sister Brooke -- can pick breakfast, choose a movie and generally have a say in daily decisions. It's one way Brian and Bonnie Selby balance the competing needs in a family where "everything we do is five times over."

The river of laundry, diapers and formula unleashed by the quads after they were born six weeks premature on Aug. 25 in 2003 is a distant memory. Car seats and strollers also are gone, making it much simpler to get out.The biggest challenges now are tracking all the activities, from part-time preschool to ballet to swimming lessons, and tailoring parenting to the girls' evolving personalities.

"They're individuals," said Bonnie, 41. "They don't like to do the same things."

Sydney -- a tall brunette in contrast to her shorter, blond sisters -- is introverted and passionate. Amanda is a "sweet teddy bear" who loves to cuddle.

McKenna and Ryleigh looked enough alike that their parents finally decided on a DNA test to determine whether they're fraternal or identical. Turns out, they're identical.

Along with looks, the two share some personality traits. They're outgoing, strong-willed and free-spirited. But while Ryleigh is the princess, McKenna is more sporty.

The "quad squad" still shares a room, recently switching from toddler bed to bunk beds. To keep things fair, they switch every couple of months so each girl gets time in a coveted top spot.

The four girls also share a middle name -- Faith -- after Baby Faith, a fifth sister who died during the second trimester of Bonnie's pregnancy, the result of an exceptionally fruitful in-vitro fertilization.

Though multiple births are on the rise, quadruplets remain rare.

According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention there were 434 quadruplet births recorded in the United States in 2002, compared to 69 quintuplet births. There were 4 million U.S. births that year.

Mornings at the Selby house are a mad rush to get everyone fed and dressed and Brooke to nearby Superior Elementary, where she's in second grade. At night, even with "assembly line" showers, it takes an hour to get all the girls washed, dried, dressed in pajamas and hair detangled.

And, five years after their birth, the quads' baby books aren't done.

"I still haven't really started," Bonnie said. "The intentions are good, but the time isn't there."

Big sister Brooke is generally "gracious" about sharing her world with four younger sisters. To give her personal attention, she gets to go on "date nights" with dad, a 46-year-old corporate controller for a biotech firm.

Bonnie keeps their Rock Creek home ruthlessly organized.

A new mud room -- previously the laundry room -- keeps a multitude of shoes and coats out of the way. Plastic bins keep art supplies and toys contained. A drawer in the kitchen holds hair brushes and ties.

The basement was transformed into a fantasy playroom with the help of friends.

Walls are washed in pastel hues. A friend painted a tree on one wall, while Bonnie added hand-painted letters that spell out words like "dream" and "laugh." There's a "schoolroom," a homemade wood "stage" and a playhouse donated by a neighbor.

The Selbys said they've been blessed with both material donations and donated time.

A friend with older twin girls regularly leaves clothes on the doorstep. A stalwart volunteer from Rock Creek Church has continued her weekly visits since the girls were born, coming each Wednesday to make peanut butter sandwiches. Bonnie's mother, Minnie Byrd of Denver, remains their No. 1 helper.

The girls celebrated turning 5 with a weekend party at Chuck E. Cheese. They donned princess outfits, played games and indulged in the rare treat of soda.

Turning 5, McKenna said, is "to be older and do more fun stuff."

The family took their first real vacation, a weeklong trip to a ranch near Gunnison in June, since the quads were born. But their favorite activity of summer, hands-down, was a trip to Denver's Elitch Gardens amusement park. Coming in a close second was learning to ride two-wheel bikes and learning to swim.

Noted Ryleigh, "I'm learning to blow bubbles out my nose."

Asked what it's like to be a set of four, the girls are stumped. After all, they've never known another way.

Five years into living as a family of seven, their parents can't imagine a different reality, either.

"This is my life," Bonnie said. "You either fight it or learn to love it. I love it."

Septuplet joy for Egyptian couple

An Egyptian woman has given birth to seven babies in the northern city of Alexandria, doctors said. The mother, named as 27-year-old Ghazala Khamis, is said to be well and the septuplets - four boys and three girls - are reported to be stable. The babies are said to weigh between 1.45 and 2.8kg (3-6lb); the couple already have three girls.
They sought fertility treatment hoping to have a boy, and were said to be astonished at the multiple pregnancy. Since the introduction of in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment 30 years ago, the number of multiple births has increased dramatically.
Health experts say septuplets are very rare, and it is even less common for all to survive. The seven were delivered by Caesarean section a month early, and all have been placed in incubators designed for premature babies. The woman's brother said that the Egyptian health minister had promised free milk and nappies for the babies for two years, to help the family cope.

Heated seats may be frying your sperm

Scientists from the University of Giessen in Germany, reporting in the New Scientist, have warned that heated car seats could damage sperm production.The optimal temperature for healthy sperm production is between 35 and 36 degrees centigrade , which is 1 to 2 degrees centigrade lower than core body temperature. However, having tested the effects of heated car seats on 30 healthy men, scientists found that the average scrotal temperature was 37.3 degrees centigrade . This was enough of an increase to damage sperm production, according to Andreas Jung, leader of the study.

The study involved 30 healthy volunteers, who sat on heated car seats for 90 minutes while fitted with temperature sensors. An hour into the trial, the average scrotal temperature of the men sitting on the heated car seats was 37.3 degrees centigrade, with one man reaching a high of 39.7 degrees centigrade . In contrast, the average scrotal temperature of volunteers sitting on non-heated car seats was 36.7 degrees centigrade . If the scrotum is subject to higher than optimal temperatures, effects
also attributed to laptop use and keeping a mobile phone in a trouser pocket, the body's ability to keep the testes cool is compromised and sperm are able to swim less far. This has a negative impact on men's fertility, with studies also suggesting that the partners of men who drive for over three hours a day take longer to conceive. Tight-fitting underpants have also been found to reduce sperm counts, as compared to men wearing loose-fitting underpants, a Dutch study has found.

Perfumed 'risk' to future fertility

A principal investigator for the Human Reproductive Sciences Unit of theUK's Medical Research Council (MRC) has revealed that using certain cosmetics during the early stages of pregnancy could affect fertility in males in later life. Professor Richard Sharpe undertook research on rats, which showed that after exposure to certain chemicals commonly found in cosmetics such as perfume and household fabrics, the actions of male sex hormones were blocked and the animals suffered fertility problems.

Professor Sharpe and his Edinburgh-based team believe that there is a crucial window between eight and 12 weeks of pregnancy when the male reproductive system is established and male sex hormones are activated. It is at this time that if exposed to chemicals in cosmetics, the male fetus 'may not realise its full reproductive potential, including the size of the
penis and testes, undescended testes or sperm count', he said. Professor Sharpe told the Scotland on Sunday newspaper that the 'male programming' window occurs far earlier in fetal development than previously thought, and it is at this time that male sex hormones such as testosterone are most active.

Speaking to BBC Scotland's news website, he said: 'If you are planning to become pregnant you should change your lifestyle... We would recommend you avoid exposure to chemicals that are present in cosmetics, anything that you put on your body that might then get through your body into your developing baby'. He added: 'It is not because we have evidence that these chemicals categorically cause harm to babies, it is only based on experimental studies on animals that suggest it is a possibility'.

Disorders of the male reproductive function can affect up to one in six young males with low sperm counts being the most common dysfunction. Professor Sharpe said that the chemicals he is concerned about may also increase the risk of suffering testicular cancer in later life.

Pregnant Blonde

The other day my neighbor, who is blonde, came running up to me in the driveway jumping for joy! I didn't know why she was jumping so excitedly but I thought, "what the heck", and I starting jumping up and down along with her.

She said, "I have some really great news....

I said, "Great. Tell me why you're so happy."

She stopped jumping and breathing heavily from all the jumping up and down, told me that she was pregnant. I knew she'd been trying for a while so I told her, "That's great I couldn't be happier for you!"

Then she said, "There's more" I asked, What do you mean there's more.

She said, "Well, we are not having just one baby. We are going to have TWINS!"

Amazed at how she could know so soon after
getting pregnant, I asked her how she knew.
She said....

(You're going to love this!)

"Well, that was the easy part. I went to Wal-Mart and they actually had a home pregnancy kit in a TWIN-pack. Both tests came out positive!"

IVF wife sues over delays that made her use donor eggs

A pregnant woman is suing her health trust after she was forced to conceive using a donated egg because of delays in treating her.

Greta Mason, 42, claims a barrage of unnecessary fertility tests followed by a six-year wait for treatment meant her eggs were too old to be used and she could only conceive using a donor.

She is upset that she will now give birth to a baby to which she is not genetically related, and claims earlier tests showed it was her husband who had the fertility problem.

Mrs Mason, from Worthing, West Sussex, claims that when she was finally given a clean bill of health, she and her husband Chris were kept on an NHS waiting list for four years before they even got an appointment for IVF.

Then when they had treatment after a further two years, doctors discovered that Mrs Mason's eggs were too old to be used and she could only conceive using an egg donor.

Mrs Mason, who expects her baby next week, said: 'Whilst I am sure I will love this baby when it arrives, I am absolutely devastated that it is not genetically mine.

'I had always dreamed of having my own flesh and blood child who will inherit my genes so it was an absolutely shattering blow.

'But the hospital failed to monitor my hormone levels and did not notice that my ovaries were getting too old to undergo fertility treatment.

'I always wanted a baby with my husband but the truth is that this baby is genetically another woman's, and at times during my pregnancy, because the baby is not related to me, I have simply felt like an incubator.

'It is so upsetting to think had we not had to wait four years just to get an appointment, we could have had our own genetic child by now.

'Chris and I know we are having a baby boy and are very much looking forward to having him but I also feel terribly sad because I will never look at my son and think, "He's just like me".'

Mrs Mason and her husband, a 43-year-old bus driver, married in 1993 and started trying for a baby in 1995, when Mrs Mason was 29.

After two years without success, they began fertility investigations.

It was soon discovered that Mr Mason had a problem, but doctors insisted that Mrs Mason should also have a range of tests, even though she had become pregnant in an earlier relationship, and miscarried.

'Unsurprisingly, all the tests came back showing my uterus was healthy and my eggs were normal,' she said.

At last, the couple were put on an NHS waiting list for IVF treatment. But after six years, when the treatment started, Mrs Mason was given the shattering news that her ovaries were too old.

'We have since discovered that whilst I was on the waiting list my hormone levels should have been checked twice a year to ensure I was not nearing the menopause,' she said.

'If this had been done, the doctors would have had an early warning that my eggs were getting too old to be used for IVF and they could have brought us in for treatment earlier.'

Having been told their only hope was an egg donor, the couple found there were virtually none in the UK and were forced to seek private IVF treatment in Spain, where donors are guaranteed anonymity and are more plentiful.

Mrs Mason said: 'Because fairhaired donors are rarer in Spain, guaranteeing a baby with blue eyes like me would have meant a wait of another year in Spain, so we opted for the next available donor.

'This means our baby might well have brown eyes and will not have any of my fairer characteristics. But I couldn't deny Chris his chance of having a baby.

'Whilst we were thrilled to be having a baby at last, I couldn't help feeling how unfair it was that although I did not have any fertility problems, I was the one who ended up without a genetically related baby. It has put a huge strain on our marriage.'

The couple have been forced to remortgage their house to pay for their Spanish treatment, which cost £15,000.

A spokesman for Oliver Swain and Co solicitors confirmed that they have taken instructions from Mr and Mrs Mason to sue Worthing and Southlands PCT.

UK Couple told to cool off over noisy sex romps

A cavorting couple who have noisy sex sessions for up to four hours are driving the neighbours bonkers. And after a series of complaints, the marathon romps have caused council chiefs to slap a noise abatement order on Steve and Caroline Cartwright to stop them from shouting and screaming during their late night and early morning love-making.
For two years, neighbours have been getting their knickers in a twist over the prolonged noise. The lengthy escapades have led to over 25 visits from the police and the pair have been arrested twice for causing a nuisance to neighbours and people passing by their open bedroom window. Police have monitored the situation and council environmental officers have frequently measured the sound level coming from the couple’s upstairs bedroom.
Today the couple defended their actions and spoke to the Chronicle about their antics. From their terraced home in Hall Road, Concord, Washington, Caroline said: “I must admit I do scream and make lots of noise when we are having sex, but I can’t help it.”


What the couple said

Caroline said: "I removed the bed’s headboard when a neighbour complained. That stopped the banging on the wall but I can’t stop screaming.
"Apparently I’m so loud people think I’m getting murdered. The police said they have called around because they have feared for my safety.
"We are not using whips or anything like that, we are just making love. Admittedly, we do it with quite a bit of noise.
"We have had threats and people shouting at us when we go outside because of the noise we make. We have upset a number of people. We understand even the postman made a complaint to the police."
Caroline, 47, who is unemployed, added: "Before Christmas last year we were arrested twice. Once we were cautioned and the second time the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the case because they said our love-making was at night.
"Once one neighbour recorded our noises and we had to go to the Sunderland City Council offices at the Civic Centre to listen to the tape. I couldn’t stop laughing. I really couldn’t take it seriously and I’m sure that is why a noise abatement order was taken out against us.
"It prevents me from screaming and shouting at such a level that I’m a nuisance. We have been told to close the windows and doors when we do it but it is hot at the moment so we have to leave the window open.
"We found out 23 years ago that we were having difficulties in conceiving a child so we started to have fertility treatment. Sex became a bit of a chore because you try so hard to conceive, but after I turned 37 we decided to stop trying with IVF because we would have to go private and start paying for the treatment and we couldn’t afford it.
"After that we just started enjoying the sex for what it is and we do it mostly at night for up to four hours, but more recently we have been falling asleep watching the TV and so we wake up early in the morning to do it instead.
"I used to be in a size 30 dress and now I’m in a size 18. I’ve lost six stones, it must be the amount of sex we are having, it’s good exercise.
"The neighbours keep complaining and we have even had our car vandalised, causing £2,000 of damage. People have thrown beer cans and pizza up at the window when they hear us. We enjoy sex and that’s all there is to it."
Steve, 46, a factory worker, said: "We have been married for 24 years and we still have sex all the time. I would say that is a good thing. I bet there are not that many couples who have been together for as long as we have who can say that.
"We like having sex, there’s nothing wrong with that."

What neighbours said

Neighbours complain that the pair sometimes leave the bedroom window open but even when it is shut they can still hear them having sex.
A neighbour, who didn’t want to be identified, said: "When it first started it was a bit of a giggle but it’s no laughing matter now.
"We’ve heard them having sex, her moaning and groaning, early in the morning, early in the evening and late at night.
"They just don’t seem to care and when I approached them about it they just shrugged their shoulders and said they were doing nothing wrong, that it was none of our business.
"But people who pass the house, especially children, can also hear them. I once saw a group of young lads standing outside on a Saturday night listening and laughing."
Another neighbour, who also didn’t want to be named, said: "Everyone is entitled to their private life but the noise is disgusting and it usually lasts a very long time.
"They just don’t seem to care. Something has to be done about it."
A resident from nearby Manor Park said families on the estate were aware of the complaints. The man, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: "When I go to the nearby shops I have to pass the couple’s house and I can hear them. They make a lot of noise, especially her.
"I can do my shopping and as I come home I can still hear them at it".


Police and council say

Sunderland City Council and Northumbria Police said in a joint statement: "Neighbours have complained to both Sunderland City Council and Northumbria Police of nuisance behaviour from the occupiers of the property.
"We have investigated the complaints and have attempted to solve the problem both formally and informally.
"Due to ongoing concerns, the council is now considering the most appropriate form of action to prevent further disturbance to local residents."
The spokeswoman declined to say what action was being considered.