Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Anya, Connor, Aidan and Rory are totally fine with being nine and are going to make the most of their last single digit year by continuing to be as rambunctious and charming as ever.
According to parents Zall and Cynthia Koohpaima, while the quadruplets may be rowdier than ever, their loving and enigmatic nature makes the challenge of parenting Bahrain’s favourite foursome a whole lot easier.
Cynthia, a secretary for a telecommunications company, said: “It is challenging to say the least and parents of ANY multiples will agree. At this age they are testing each other’s limits, which is normal, but no less frustrating!
“They seem to love pushing each other’s buttons but they are growing a bit more independent with each passing day, week and month.
“I’ve had it said to me by others caring for twins and triplets that the children are more inclined to fight to be heard over each other, and focus a parent’s attention on them and them alone, at any given time.
“They have to share everything, including YOU.
“They do argue and fight about the silliest things sometimes, like: ‘He’s BREATHING NEXT TO MEEE!!’ I’m hoping that will wind down sometime before they reach, oh, 20? But no matter what, they’re a blessing!”
Despite the regular bickering or tantrums, their parents love their energy, laughs, smiles and hugs that they also share and spread throughout the house.
“Aidan continues being the most reserved and shy of his siblings but once you get to know him its hug central.
“Rory is still very much the organiser and planner, whereas, Connor is Cynthia’s gentle giant. As for Anya, she still runs the show!
“One day, Anya cornered me while I was brushing my teeth, sat on the edge of the bathtub, gave a big sigh and said: ‘You know, mummy, having brothers sometimes is really hard. They keep forgetting I’m the boss’.
“If you think I’m arguing with that, think again!”
The fraternal foursome, who were born on February 1, are in the third grade at Modern Knowledge School and study in separate classrooms to help allow their own personalities to shine through.
Cynthia says that they each have a different set of educational strengths and not weaknesses per se, but challenges that don’t come naturally. “It’s kind of fascinating really to observe,” she added.
Unfortunately they were unable to fully enjoy their birthday this year as two of them were quite sick.
While they celebrated with relatives during the traditional ‘family Friday’, Rory and Aidan were unable to with their classmates.
Each class in the school celebrates the month’s birthdays on the last Thursday of the month and poorly Rory was hospitalised for a week with pneumonia and Aidan fell ill a week later with bronchitis.
And even thought their learning style is different, one thing they can all agree on is firing an overflowing amount of questions at their mum at any time of the day or night.
Cynthia said: “One morning the sun was barely up, we were on the way to school and Connor suddenly asks me how hurricanes are formed. Seriously! So from my groggy no coffee brain I dragged out the most easy to understand factual scientific explanation that I could. Thinking I was off the hook, I took a breath. Next thing I know, they are alternately firing off similar questions about all sorts of things and I’m doing my best to answer each child honestly.”
Despite the constant questioning and endless energy, Cynthia and Zall, an agency manager in travel and tourism, still feel grateful and blessed.
They were born at the International Hospital of Bahrain and shortly afterwards appeared on to the front page of GulfWeekly. It was a momentous occasion when they arrived as Zall and Cynthia had been trying for years to give their daughter, Arianna, who is studying marketing at Bahrain Polytechnic, a sibling. To her surprise, she ended up with three brothers and a sister…a gift that keeps on giving.
GulfWeekly hopes to continue to update readers on their journey to adulthood.
