Quins’ First Birthday Party

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31123, 28 July 1966, Page 2

Quins’ First Birthday Party

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, July 27. The Lawson quintuplets—the first in New Zealand—were one year old today. Their birth at the National Women’s Hospital late at night on July 27 last year brought congratulations and gifts pouring into the Lawson family from all over the world. All the quintuplets, although seven weeks premature, were in good health at birth and have since made good progress. In fact, they are advanced for their age. All are talking, standing alone, have some teeth and are on the verge of walking. Samuel, the heaviest, now weighs 201 b Boz, Lisa, 191 b lloz, Deborah, 191 b 9oz, Shirlene, 181 b lloz, and Selina, 171 b lloz. This time last year they weighed: Samuel 41b,

Lisa 31b 3oz, Deborah 41b 3oz, Shirlene 41b 2oz and Selina 31b 13oz. A Hectic Year For Mrs Ann Lawson the year has been more hectic than she ever imagined. “The problem has not been the babies or dealing with them but dealing with everything which comes by having five babies,” she said. Before they were born last year all Mrs Lawson was worried about was “getting them all and having them healthy and well.” It was not until the babies came home that she ever thought about whether she would be able to manage bringing up five children at once. But she admits the babies have been no trouble. They were all unusually good—probably better than Lee Ann (Mrs Lawson’s eldest daughter who will be seven in November). Mrs Lawson will never refer to the famous five as “the quins.” “That makes them collective and something abstract,” she said. “I always think of them as the babies—they are all so different and individual. The word 'quins’ puts them together as one thing.”

Mrs Lawson’s ambition is for the quins to lead normal lives—never to be thought of or think of themselves as anything unusual, as freaks. “For myself, I just want to be a mother to them all,” she said.

As the quins have grown their individual personalities and differences have become more apparent. Even the three blonde-haired babies— Selina, Shirlene and Lisacan easily be identified today. Their expressions, characters and outlook are all completely individual. Deborah, with her funny

little screwed-up face, dark heavy hair and wide smile is the “hard-case” of the group. She laughs at anything and will gurgle along with the others whether she understands the joke or not. She has three new teeth, can stand easily by herself and, like the other four, can walk quite well if she has just one finger to. clutch. She is probably the ringleader and will egg the others on to any mischief that appeals to her.

Lisa is a fat-cheeked and wide-eyed baby. She smiles happily, showing four teeth, and adores any sort of music —she tries to join in when Mother or Nana Menzies sings to her. She is the most sensitive and needs more attention and entertaining than the others. Shirlene is the little lady. She has blonde curly hair, deep blue eyes and a flirtatious smile for everyone. Whenever Lee Ann plays the piano or she hears music, Shirlene dances or waggles and twists. Shirlene has six teeth. Selina is the actress of the group and loves to pretend she is shy by pushing a hand over her eyes and peering with a smile from between her fingers. She knows already what power a smile, a wide-eyed innocent expression or a delighted gurgle have on those who look after her—and she uses them. Samuel is either very solemn, contemplative and serious, summing up everything, or is full of fun, gurgling and laughing. He has six teeth, a mop of brown curly hair and huge blue eyes. He loves to tease his sisters and will grab handfuls of hair and give them a playful tug. “If one of the babies does

some new thing, within three days they all can do it,” said Mrs Lawson. Father’s Choice Their father, Mr Sam Lawson, is even more attached to them now. “I must admit, when I go into the nursery the one I’m attracted to is always the one making the least noise and smiling the most. With five I can take my pick—a different quiet one every day,” he said. “It is all the more exciting and interesting now they are starting to walk and talk—and with five all doing this it is really something. “I think I’m like most men. Unlike women I don’t go mad as soon as I see a baby—it is seeing them develop characters and become personalities that makes me love them and become more and more attached to them. It was open house at the Lawson home at Te Atatu from noon today until early evening for close friends, relatives, two grandmothers and a great grandmother.