Grandmother welcomes four grandchildren in month's time

Like many mothers of grown children, Myke Stanek of Evergreen was hoping for grandchildren.

But she never expected her daughters would grant (much less double) her wish within the same month.

"I wasn't going to push the issue," she said. "But secretly it was, 'OK, any time now.'"

Stanek, 56, became a grandmother of four when her daughters both gave birth to twins in December 2004.

Her daughters, Patricia Albert of Kalispell and Deb Huestis of Great Falls, each had one daughter and one son. Huestis' twins were born Dec. 1 and Albert's were born Dec. 31.

In May or June, Huestis, 33, asked her mother what she would like for Christmas. Stanek replied she didn't know because it was so early.

"'How about some babies?'" her daughter replied.

Not long after, Albert, 29, asked Stanek what she wanted for her February birthday. When she replied it was too early to think about it, Albert told her she'd be getting another grandchild. Albert later found out it would be two grandchildren.

Now Stanek is the grandmother of Elijah and Zoey Albert and Bree and John Huestis. Her sons-in-law are Adam Albert and Jason Huestis.

"We were excited (to have) cousins the same age," Huestis said.

The sisters weren't due to go into labor in the same month. But Huestis' twins were about two weeks early and Albert's were about seven weeks premature.

That meant Stanek had only a few weeks to get used to being a grandmother for the first time before the second set of grandchildren came along.

Stanek, not to mention her daughters and sons-in-law, now are getting used to the realities of twins: two cribs, two strollers, two car seats …

Albert and Huestis, though, say they've been lucky to have family nearby to help.

"I don't know what I'd do without it," Albert said.

Stanek and Albert's mother-in-law, Helen Albert, helps with Elijah and Zoey frequently. Her assistance became even more important once Jason Albert went back to work about six weeks after the twins were born. As an engineer with Exxon Mobile, Albert is home for two months then gone for two months at time. Patricia Albert will return to her job as a dental assistant in May.

Stanek helps out by watching the twins on Mondays when she doesn't work at the Evergreen Wendy's.

Huestis' has help from her mother-in-law as well and her husband was able to take a month off work. Dealing with two infants, though, hasn't been particularly difficult.

"It's great," she said. "It gets easier every day."

Huestis resigned from her job at a museum and will be a stay-at-home mom.

Albert is in the midst of devising a system for handling twins while shopping or running errands. She hasn't tried it yet, but she thinks a sling for one and a car seat for the other should work out once she goes it alone.

Stanek has seen the Huestis twins twice. They most recently came to Kalispell in February. Four babies in the house certainly was an experience, she said.

"He'll cry," she said pointing to Elijah and Zoey Albert. "Then she'll cry. Then the other two are like, 'Oh, I hear noise.'"

Stanek is thrilled with her new role of grandmother to two sets of twins.

"I'm going broke," she joked. "And I want to hold them constantly."

The birth of her grandchildren has made an impact on her beyond just learning how to hold two infants at once. It's made her realize she needs to take better care or herself, whether it's exercising or being more diligent about taking time off work.

"I want to be around for them," she said.

Whether or not the sisters will have any more grandchildren remains to be seen.

"Two was always our plan," Albert said.

Stanek said four is fine by her.

"I'm content right now," she said, smiling broadly. "But if they want to have more, that's fine by me."

Reporter Camden Easterling can be reached at 758-4429 or by e-mail at ceasterling@dailyinterlake.com