As we approach the boys' 8 month birthday, we are pleased to announce they are doing very well. They continue to eat well and are sleeping better every night.
Both Jared and Anthony had a trip to the pediatric opthamologist a few weeks ago, for a routine eye check up. He was pleased with their vision as of yet and will be seeing them again in six months. From here on out, they will be seen every six months for eye exams unless something irregular comes up.
They are both sleeping well at night, with a few night terrors every once in a while. While, these night terrors don't wake them up, their screaming sure wakes me up. We have been directed by the nurse at their pediatrician's office, not to wake them up when they are having a night terror, but rather just to let them cry. Unfortunately, these can often last 10 or even 30 minutes. According to the nurse, babies and toddlers often have night terrors during a new developmental phase in their life. They can start as early as six months and come and go throughout their childhood. Also, both boys are rolling over comfortably now so I am in their room multiple times each night to check on them since they like to sleep on their sides and tummies now.
The boys have also enjoyed time in the pool this summer. They love the freedom of being to splash and kick. In fact, bath time has become a mini swimming/splash session, as I am usually soaked after giving them both a bath.
Bad news, the boys both had their first cold about a week ago. But with a humidifier, sleep, vapor baths and of course, saline drops and an aspirator for their nose, we all made it through fine.
Still no teeth yet. Both of them have been drooling and chewing like crazy, but no sign of a tooth on either of them. Yesterday afternoon, Anthony's mouth had a little blood in it and although I wasn't sure if that is a normal sign of teething, that was my first thought. Turns out, looks like he just scratched his gums with one of the many things he likes to put in his mouth :)
They are both getting stronger each day. While neither of them will sit up on their own for any duration of time, we see improvement day to day. Anthony, in fact, would rather stand than sit if he has his choice. He is much happier if you hold his hands and let him stand in front of you rather than sitting in between your legs.
They have become a lot more playful lately and love when I "get them" or play peek-a-boo. They also noticed each other for the first time a few weeks ago and even had their first fight. Jared wanted to suck/chew on Anthony's arm, but I guess Anthony did not want that, because Jared ended up with a scratch on his forehead. Albeit a coincidence, I still thought it was a funny sequence of events.
Anthony has found his screaming voice - yeah!! He tends to be more vocal than Jared in that he loves to talk all the time. He will talk in his sleep, talk to himself if he wakes up early from his nap and of course, loves yelling. It is funny, because you are not sure if it is happy or sad at first, but it turns out, he just loves to hear himself!
Thank you for your continued support and love,
Fight On! Little Fighters!! Love Momma
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Celebrating 4 Months Home!
Today, we celebrate having our boys home with us for four months! It seems like it has gone by so fast.
Great news to report, we received a call from the boys' pediatrician and it seems that Jared's brain bleed and cysts have resolved on their own! Yeah!
Jared and Anthony are still doing wonderfully and are changing ever minute of every day. Still growing stronger and stronger. Jared is the first to roll from his back to his tummy, but Anthony is not far behind and will be doing the same any day now. It is so funny to watch them learn how to flip their little body over. Jared knew what he wanted to do, and just kept trying harder and harder with a little progress each time, until he finally made it. I never even tried to teach him, he just started arching his back and flipping one leg over on his own. That is the stage that Anthony is in now, arching his back and getting the idea.
With rolling over on the horizon, swaddling has become our next hurdle. Last appointment, I spoke to the doctor about swaddling them, and she said it is safe until they are able to unwrap themselves and then the blanket or wrap become a suffocation risk. Since Jared was showing interest in rolling over, I knew we would have to stop swaddling at some point soon.
One night last week, I thought we would test it out...cold turkey. Huge Mistake!! I was up until 3:30 AM with them on and off until I finally gave up and swaddled them, then miraculously, they slept. But the weird part is that when they would cry, it was actually a scream and when I would go check on them, they were still asleep but screaming and crying so loud. I didn't know what to think. Any time we would put them down without swaddling, I would have to answer to this type of crying. I did a little research online and it seems that this is very common for babies that love to be swaddled as much as Jared and Anthony do. It seems that while they might be outgrowing swaddling due to safety reasons, they are not quite ready to let go of it yet.
So according to my research online, it seems that they are actually having a type of nightmare due to the fact that they do not feel secure that Momma is around and able to be there for them when needed. (It was either that or the startling reflex waking them up, but since they do not actually wake up while crying, it seems that the nightmare/security issue is our issue.) So, after reading suggestions online, we are now going to slowly (day by day) un-swaddle one limb at a time. So currently they sleep and nap with their left arm out, which seems to help, slightly. They are still having crying periods a few times each night, but those should decrease soon (I hope). It was either this, or some Moms suggest shutting the door and not going back in until the morning and I am just not quite sure I can handle that.
I do (not surprisingly) have a hard time letting them "cry it out." I understand that that is the best way for most babies, but I just have such a hard time letting them get to that point after all they have been to. Luckily, bedtime and nap time are relatively easy for them and there is little if any fussing or crying to get them to sleep. They are well into their routine now.
It is so cute, they are finally starting to acknowledge one another now. They often times just sit and stare at each other, it seems like they are saying "Hey, I know you...and you look like me!"
They are still eating every four hours during the day and still love everything they have tried so far. Some type of squash will be our next venture, as for now we are trying out yummy combos...Sweet Potato/Banana mush anyone??
Now that we are eating more, they are flying through the formula and diapers...It really gets crazy with two at the same time. Recently I had to go to the Babies R Us by our house 3 times before they had the formula we use, I tried to explain to the sales associate that I do not have time to be running back and forth. So the next time, I called to check first, and after waiting on hold for 18 minutes and then having to call back to wait another 6 minutes, I could have just driven there myself! Geese - don't they know I have hungry twins at home :)
Many thanks again for your continued love, support and prayers. We owe everything to God's grace.
Fight on Little Fighters!! Love Momma
Great news to report, we received a call from the boys' pediatrician and it seems that Jared's brain bleed and cysts have resolved on their own! Yeah!
Jared and Anthony are still doing wonderfully and are changing ever minute of every day. Still growing stronger and stronger. Jared is the first to roll from his back to his tummy, but Anthony is not far behind and will be doing the same any day now. It is so funny to watch them learn how to flip their little body over. Jared knew what he wanted to do, and just kept trying harder and harder with a little progress each time, until he finally made it. I never even tried to teach him, he just started arching his back and flipping one leg over on his own. That is the stage that Anthony is in now, arching his back and getting the idea.
With rolling over on the horizon, swaddling has become our next hurdle. Last appointment, I spoke to the doctor about swaddling them, and she said it is safe until they are able to unwrap themselves and then the blanket or wrap become a suffocation risk. Since Jared was showing interest in rolling over, I knew we would have to stop swaddling at some point soon.
One night last week, I thought we would test it out...cold turkey. Huge Mistake!! I was up until 3:30 AM with them on and off until I finally gave up and swaddled them, then miraculously, they slept. But the weird part is that when they would cry, it was actually a scream and when I would go check on them, they were still asleep but screaming and crying so loud. I didn't know what to think. Any time we would put them down without swaddling, I would have to answer to this type of crying. I did a little research online and it seems that this is very common for babies that love to be swaddled as much as Jared and Anthony do. It seems that while they might be outgrowing swaddling due to safety reasons, they are not quite ready to let go of it yet.
So according to my research online, it seems that they are actually having a type of nightmare due to the fact that they do not feel secure that Momma is around and able to be there for them when needed. (It was either that or the startling reflex waking them up, but since they do not actually wake up while crying, it seems that the nightmare/security issue is our issue.) So, after reading suggestions online, we are now going to slowly (day by day) un-swaddle one limb at a time. So currently they sleep and nap with their left arm out, which seems to help, slightly. They are still having crying periods a few times each night, but those should decrease soon (I hope). It was either this, or some Moms suggest shutting the door and not going back in until the morning and I am just not quite sure I can handle that.
I do (not surprisingly) have a hard time letting them "cry it out." I understand that that is the best way for most babies, but I just have such a hard time letting them get to that point after all they have been to. Luckily, bedtime and nap time are relatively easy for them and there is little if any fussing or crying to get them to sleep. They are well into their routine now.
It is so cute, they are finally starting to acknowledge one another now. They often times just sit and stare at each other, it seems like they are saying "Hey, I know you...and you look like me!"
They are still eating every four hours during the day and still love everything they have tried so far. Some type of squash will be our next venture, as for now we are trying out yummy combos...Sweet Potato/Banana mush anyone??
Now that we are eating more, they are flying through the formula and diapers...It really gets crazy with two at the same time. Recently I had to go to the Babies R Us by our house 3 times before they had the formula we use, I tried to explain to the sales associate that I do not have time to be running back and forth. So the next time, I called to check first, and after waiting on hold for 18 minutes and then having to call back to wait another 6 minutes, I could have just driven there myself! Geese - don't they know I have hungry twins at home :)
Many thanks again for your continued love, support and prayers. We owe everything to God's grace.
Fight on Little Fighters!! Love Momma
Monday, July 19, 2010
Boys still growing!
We have updated weights on both of them! As of the beginning of July, Jared weighed 13 lbs. 10 0z. and Anthony weighed 14 lbs even. The pediatrician said that she is very pleased with their growth and that they are even on the growth chart for weight. They both fall into the 3rd percentile for 6 month old infants. Jason and I were very surprised and overjoyed to hear that!
As far as length (24" each) and head circumference, they are not quite on the chart for 6 month olds yet, but the doctor is optimistic that at the rate they are growing, it won't be long. We were also very surprised to find out that Jared has a bigger head circ. than Anthony now. For a long time we jokingly called Anthony "Big Head" because his head seemed so much bigger than Jared's, but not any more.
Both are still enjoying discovering new foods. I have been cook and pureeing most all of their baby food from the beginning, it is so easy and very nutritious for them. I do find myself going to the grocery store more often than usual and of course, most of my cart is fresh organic produce, not a bad thing. They have loved carrots and apples recently. I also introduced a single grain oatmeal in lieu of rice cereal, Jared loves it but I think it gave Anthony an upset tummy. He had a few pretty fussy days and threw up twice, so we will try the oatmeal again later. No big deal for him...Rice cereal has always been his absolute favorite.
The boys are well on their way to sitting up on their own. We have been using their highchairs for feeding for some time now, which has helped them get used to the idea. Jared seems to have slightly better head control than Anthony right now and can actually sit on his own for all of about 2-3 seconds before falling over. Anthony will sit up with support but is not all that interested. He gives it about 10 minutes and then is over it and wants to be held.
We have noticed over the last few weeks that Anthony seems to be the "cuddler" of the two. He has not problem settling in and cuddling up in your arms for a snuggle. He rests his head right in the crook of your neck and just hugs you. It is so cute. Often times when I am sitting on the couch holding him, I find him moving his little fingers back and forth on my tummy almost as if he is trying to tickle me.
They are both still sleeping well and responding very well to their four hour feeding schedule.
They are becoming increasingly vocal and love to sit and talk. As soon as they wake up in the morning, the conversation begins. I love to egg them on with phrases like " I Loooovvveee Yooouuu" and "Hhhiiii Mooommmaaa" it really gets them talking up a storm.
Jared has a follow up head ultrasound scheduled for tomorrow morning at St. Jude. The pediatrician wants to follow up to see if the cysts from his brain bleed have completely resolved. She will call with the results in the next few weeks. I think we will have to stop by the NICU to see if any of our nurses are working, I am sure they would love to see the babies.
The boys are doing great when we go out and about. I took them to have their 6 month pictures done last week and they have enjoyed their first trips to the pool (which they both loved). Speaking of swimming, since they went in the pool for the first time, they have been getting me soaking wet with all of their splashing and kicking in the bathtub. Once they can sit up on their own, it might be time for the big bathtub.
4th of July brought their first parade! My aunt's neighborhood has a big block party every year which starts with a parade up and down their street then has backyard games, bounce houses, swimming and a pot luck lunch. We decorated the boys' stroller with American flags and red, white and blue streamers and I pushed their stroller in the parade...while they slept :) But it was fun nonetheless! They even won their first medals, the prize for best stroller, or was it cutest sleeping twins (?) doesn't matter, everyone received a medal for something.
The other day we went shopping and a woman asked me how old the boys were, when I replied "6 months" she said "what big babies!" Can you believe that? I don't particularly think they are big for their age (only 3rd percentile) but can you believe that someone actually thinks they are big?? My heart dropped...I never thought I'd hear that about one of my babies. One of my babies that was born 3 1/2 months early and weighed approx 2 lbs. Holy Moley!! Now everyday I look at them and tell them how big they are :) Thank you to that lady at the mall!!
I sincerely apologize for the delay in the posts, I am definitely going to make an effort to post their progress more frequently. I appreciate everyone who continues to check in on us and is eager to hear about how they are doing. I guess I need to get myself on a schedule and set aside a time to blog.
Thank you again for all of your continued support.
Fight On! Little Fighters!! - Love Momma
As far as length (24" each) and head circumference, they are not quite on the chart for 6 month olds yet, but the doctor is optimistic that at the rate they are growing, it won't be long. We were also very surprised to find out that Jared has a bigger head circ. than Anthony now. For a long time we jokingly called Anthony "Big Head" because his head seemed so much bigger than Jared's, but not any more.
Both are still enjoying discovering new foods. I have been cook and pureeing most all of their baby food from the beginning, it is so easy and very nutritious for them. I do find myself going to the grocery store more often than usual and of course, most of my cart is fresh organic produce, not a bad thing. They have loved carrots and apples recently. I also introduced a single grain oatmeal in lieu of rice cereal, Jared loves it but I think it gave Anthony an upset tummy. He had a few pretty fussy days and threw up twice, so we will try the oatmeal again later. No big deal for him...Rice cereal has always been his absolute favorite.
The boys are well on their way to sitting up on their own. We have been using their highchairs for feeding for some time now, which has helped them get used to the idea. Jared seems to have slightly better head control than Anthony right now and can actually sit on his own for all of about 2-3 seconds before falling over. Anthony will sit up with support but is not all that interested. He gives it about 10 minutes and then is over it and wants to be held.
We have noticed over the last few weeks that Anthony seems to be the "cuddler" of the two. He has not problem settling in and cuddling up in your arms for a snuggle. He rests his head right in the crook of your neck and just hugs you. It is so cute. Often times when I am sitting on the couch holding him, I find him moving his little fingers back and forth on my tummy almost as if he is trying to tickle me.
They are both still sleeping well and responding very well to their four hour feeding schedule.
They are becoming increasingly vocal and love to sit and talk. As soon as they wake up in the morning, the conversation begins. I love to egg them on with phrases like " I Loooovvveee Yooouuu" and "Hhhiiii Mooommmaaa" it really gets them talking up a storm.
Jared has a follow up head ultrasound scheduled for tomorrow morning at St. Jude. The pediatrician wants to follow up to see if the cysts from his brain bleed have completely resolved. She will call with the results in the next few weeks. I think we will have to stop by the NICU to see if any of our nurses are working, I am sure they would love to see the babies.
The boys are doing great when we go out and about. I took them to have their 6 month pictures done last week and they have enjoyed their first trips to the pool (which they both loved). Speaking of swimming, since they went in the pool for the first time, they have been getting me soaking wet with all of their splashing and kicking in the bathtub. Once they can sit up on their own, it might be time for the big bathtub.
4th of July brought their first parade! My aunt's neighborhood has a big block party every year which starts with a parade up and down their street then has backyard games, bounce houses, swimming and a pot luck lunch. We decorated the boys' stroller with American flags and red, white and blue streamers and I pushed their stroller in the parade...while they slept :) But it was fun nonetheless! They even won their first medals, the prize for best stroller, or was it cutest sleeping twins (?) doesn't matter, everyone received a medal for something.
The other day we went shopping and a woman asked me how old the boys were, when I replied "6 months" she said "what big babies!" Can you believe that? I don't particularly think they are big for their age (only 3rd percentile) but can you believe that someone actually thinks they are big?? My heart dropped...I never thought I'd hear that about one of my babies. One of my babies that was born 3 1/2 months early and weighed approx 2 lbs. Holy Moley!! Now everyday I look at them and tell them how big they are :) Thank you to that lady at the mall!!
I sincerely apologize for the delay in the posts, I am definitely going to make an effort to post their progress more frequently. I appreciate everyone who continues to check in on us and is eager to hear about how they are doing. I guess I need to get myself on a schedule and set aside a time to blog.
Thank you again for all of your continued support.
Fight On! Little Fighters!! - Love Momma
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
They boys are doing well and changing everyday
Jason and the boys with Dr. Hicks and Nurse Imelda at the St. Jude NICU Reunion
Anthony graced us with our first "Diaper Blow Out"
Anthony not liking the stroller too much...eventually he gave in.
Jared on his first stroller ride, a little more enjoyable.
Anthony not liking the stroller too much...eventually he gave in.
Jared on his first stroller ride, a little more enjoyable.
As Jason mentioned in the last post, they are still in the beginning stages of enjoying solid foods. Yesterday was their first day taking their highchairs for a ride, they will learn to love them, I'm sure. They have been eating both bananas and avocado for the past few weeks, in addition to rice cereal, and today we tried sweet peas. It was their first jarred baby food. After getting a whiff of them, I wasn't exactly sure if they would like them as much as they did.
Yesterday afternoon we went for a walk and it was the boys' first time in their stroller without their carriers. With the help of some balnkets to prop them up, they did just fine and fell asleep before we got home.
Thankfully, they are sleeping well at night without any more middle of the night feedings. Thier bedtime is 8PM with another late night feeding at 11PM then they sleep until 8AM when we start our day. I am currently in the process of changing them to a 4-hour schedule. It seemed to be what they wanted and are doing well so far. Although I am still having a little trouble with them sleeping continuously through their naps, there is no problem with their eating.
They are well into 3 month size in regards to clothes, so they are growing like weeds. We have our next appointment with the pediatrician in the early part of July, so we will have updated weights and lenghts then.
The boys are anxiously awaiting to celebrate Jason's first Father's Day with him, unfortunately for him it also lands on my birthday. I am not too worried about my birthday this year, Jason deserves a day of his own.
Thank you again to all of you who continue to follow our story on here. I will do my best to update it more regularly with their new and exciting changes.
Fight on Little Fighters! -Love Momma
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
It's Been Quite a Month!
As you can see the frequency of posting here has slowed considerably. Daddy is back to work in full swing and Momma has but only a few minutes a day to herself. This doesn't leave much time to check in here and update the world on how the boys are doing. But, we are committed to post here when we can and let you all know how they are doing.
The theme of the last month has been sleep: how can we get the boys to do it, and how much is Momma getting? As with any baby there is a direct relationship between how much they sleep and how much the parents sleep. Danielle has been working very, very hard to set and maintain a schedule for the boys to make life easier. Thankfully her efforts have paid off greatly. Using the advice of Nicole Tafoya, who has expertly sleep trained three babies herself, Danielle has been able to get the boys to sleep at night between four and five hours straight.
This is a considerable improvement over the first few weeks the boys were home. The boys will now generally sleep from 12 a.m. to 4 or 5 a.m. That is not to say they will not fuss during that time, but at least there is no middle of the night feeding anymore. The next step is cutting out the early morning feeding. The last couple of nights the boys have not wanted that feeding, but they were extremely fussy, so time again will be our friend in getting Momma some relief from her seige.
Notice that I mention Momma exclusively as it relates to middle of the night duty. I am lucky enough that Danielle lets me sleep and does not wake me up often during the week. It's not that I can't or won't help, it's just that they don't always wake me up. Danielle hears everything. I guess it's a mom thing. She lets me sleep so that I am not totally wasted for work the next day. For this I am so fortunate and so appreciative.
The boys are now slowly making their way to regular food. At the last doctor's appointment the pediatrician said to start with rice cereal once or twice a day. The boys have taken to that very well. At first they were sloppy trying to suck the spoon like a nipple. After a few times however, they got the hang of it and now eat their cereal like champs. In the last couple of days we've introduced new food besides rice cereal. I'm happy to report that Jared is a big fan of avocado. Anthony not so much, but he eats it. The next food is banana. We started with veggies first (I know, avocado is fruit but it's not sweet so we count it as a veggie) so that they will get used to unsweetened food first.
I'm sure the big thing on your mind now is how much the boys weigh. At the last appointment in May Anthony checked in at 10lbs. 4oz. and Jared was 9lbs. 12oz. I would expect the boys to be much larger than that by now. We've noticed the last couple of weeks that they've gotten really big. They are now out of newborn clothes and into 0-3 months, with some of those outfits getting tight. Some of the outfits in fact were worn once and have now been retired. As for diapers the boys are fitting comfortably in Stage 1. Everyday they seem to grow an inch. When we get another weigh-in we will happily keep you informed.
As for their health in general, the boys are doing superb. The doctor is pleased with their progress. While clearly behind on the growth chart, they are climbing up at an intense pace; in fact much, much faster than the doctor expected. It is not a gradual increase, it is almost a straight line upward on the graph. The growth was so fast that the doctor gave us the green light to cut out a feeding, as I noted above.
The brain bleed on Anthony is no longer a concern, and Jared's was healing rapidly at the last check-up. He still has one more follow up ultrasound to make sure it has completely resolved, but overall the doctor is not concerned.
On the eye front, the boys are doing well. Dr. Adrean released them to a pediatric eye doctor. We had our first appointment with Dr. Lingua who gave the boys a clean bill of health so far. He said they are pretty badly far-sighted at this point, but that is common. According to him it should get better, but the fact that Momma wears glasses and so does Daddy means they probably weren't going to have perfect vision anyway.
Having the information about their sight has made it easier to understand their behaivor. We were concerned they weren't focusing on our face, or objects etc. Well, that was because they can't really see anything closer than three feet in front of their face. Now that we know their range of sight, they've really seemed to come alive. They focus on things, look right at us, and track objects and sounds. They also really seem to recognize us and even smile at us. Mind you its a real social smile, not an, "I just farted and so I'm smiling now."
Jared in fact really likes to do one thing in particular: watch TV. It is the funniest thing. The kid loves to watch TV. If he's near the TV he will fixate on it. He will cry if you hold him so he can't see it. When he eats we sucks on his bottle and focuses on the TV. When he lays down on the floor for tummy time or play time, he turns his head to watch the TV. It is an absolute crack up.
In general, Jared is far more alert about his environment than Anthony. He is always watching things, and looking around. Anthony is more content to relax and sleep. Jared wants to be in the action. He is harder to put to sleep, harder to keep asleep, and in general far more feisty than his brother.
I think he's going to be our trouble maker. His little personality is really starting to assert itself. Anthony's is too, but his is far more mellow. Anthony goes with the flow and is content to be awake, quiet, and happy.
Seeing their personalities developing has been so great. Seeing how far they've come in five months has been such an amazing journey. While the NICU was a difficult ride, having them home has been as well at times. There are good days and bad days at home, but with everyday they grow, and that is a blessing.
So, stay tuned here for more updates. We will make every effort to do them when we can. There is plenty coming up this month. Daddy's first Father's Day, Momma's Birthday, and this Sunday is the NICU reunion. By the way, Momma's first Mother's Day was a hit. Momma had a great day and was very happy. The boys and Schnitzel sent her flowers, made her breakfast, and bought her a very nice ring. Daddy did all the work of course, but they said to add it to their tab. Overall, it was a great day.
We continue to pray for more great days. Thanks to you all for your love, support, and (good) advice. We love you all!
Fight On, Little Fighters!- Love Daddy
The theme of the last month has been sleep: how can we get the boys to do it, and how much is Momma getting? As with any baby there is a direct relationship between how much they sleep and how much the parents sleep. Danielle has been working very, very hard to set and maintain a schedule for the boys to make life easier. Thankfully her efforts have paid off greatly. Using the advice of Nicole Tafoya, who has expertly sleep trained three babies herself, Danielle has been able to get the boys to sleep at night between four and five hours straight.
This is a considerable improvement over the first few weeks the boys were home. The boys will now generally sleep from 12 a.m. to 4 or 5 a.m. That is not to say they will not fuss during that time, but at least there is no middle of the night feeding anymore. The next step is cutting out the early morning feeding. The last couple of nights the boys have not wanted that feeding, but they were extremely fussy, so time again will be our friend in getting Momma some relief from her seige.
Notice that I mention Momma exclusively as it relates to middle of the night duty. I am lucky enough that Danielle lets me sleep and does not wake me up often during the week. It's not that I can't or won't help, it's just that they don't always wake me up. Danielle hears everything. I guess it's a mom thing. She lets me sleep so that I am not totally wasted for work the next day. For this I am so fortunate and so appreciative.
The boys are now slowly making their way to regular food. At the last doctor's appointment the pediatrician said to start with rice cereal once or twice a day. The boys have taken to that very well. At first they were sloppy trying to suck the spoon like a nipple. After a few times however, they got the hang of it and now eat their cereal like champs. In the last couple of days we've introduced new food besides rice cereal. I'm happy to report that Jared is a big fan of avocado. Anthony not so much, but he eats it. The next food is banana. We started with veggies first (I know, avocado is fruit but it's not sweet so we count it as a veggie) so that they will get used to unsweetened food first.
I'm sure the big thing on your mind now is how much the boys weigh. At the last appointment in May Anthony checked in at 10lbs. 4oz. and Jared was 9lbs. 12oz. I would expect the boys to be much larger than that by now. We've noticed the last couple of weeks that they've gotten really big. They are now out of newborn clothes and into 0-3 months, with some of those outfits getting tight. Some of the outfits in fact were worn once and have now been retired. As for diapers the boys are fitting comfortably in Stage 1. Everyday they seem to grow an inch. When we get another weigh-in we will happily keep you informed.
As for their health in general, the boys are doing superb. The doctor is pleased with their progress. While clearly behind on the growth chart, they are climbing up at an intense pace; in fact much, much faster than the doctor expected. It is not a gradual increase, it is almost a straight line upward on the graph. The growth was so fast that the doctor gave us the green light to cut out a feeding, as I noted above.
The brain bleed on Anthony is no longer a concern, and Jared's was healing rapidly at the last check-up. He still has one more follow up ultrasound to make sure it has completely resolved, but overall the doctor is not concerned.
On the eye front, the boys are doing well. Dr. Adrean released them to a pediatric eye doctor. We had our first appointment with Dr. Lingua who gave the boys a clean bill of health so far. He said they are pretty badly far-sighted at this point, but that is common. According to him it should get better, but the fact that Momma wears glasses and so does Daddy means they probably weren't going to have perfect vision anyway.
Having the information about their sight has made it easier to understand their behaivor. We were concerned they weren't focusing on our face, or objects etc. Well, that was because they can't really see anything closer than three feet in front of their face. Now that we know their range of sight, they've really seemed to come alive. They focus on things, look right at us, and track objects and sounds. They also really seem to recognize us and even smile at us. Mind you its a real social smile, not an, "I just farted and so I'm smiling now."
Jared in fact really likes to do one thing in particular: watch TV. It is the funniest thing. The kid loves to watch TV. If he's near the TV he will fixate on it. He will cry if you hold him so he can't see it. When he eats we sucks on his bottle and focuses on the TV. When he lays down on the floor for tummy time or play time, he turns his head to watch the TV. It is an absolute crack up.
In general, Jared is far more alert about his environment than Anthony. He is always watching things, and looking around. Anthony is more content to relax and sleep. Jared wants to be in the action. He is harder to put to sleep, harder to keep asleep, and in general far more feisty than his brother.
I think he's going to be our trouble maker. His little personality is really starting to assert itself. Anthony's is too, but his is far more mellow. Anthony goes with the flow and is content to be awake, quiet, and happy.
Seeing their personalities developing has been so great. Seeing how far they've come in five months has been such an amazing journey. While the NICU was a difficult ride, having them home has been as well at times. There are good days and bad days at home, but with everyday they grow, and that is a blessing.
So, stay tuned here for more updates. We will make every effort to do them when we can. There is plenty coming up this month. Daddy's first Father's Day, Momma's Birthday, and this Sunday is the NICU reunion. By the way, Momma's first Mother's Day was a hit. Momma had a great day and was very happy. The boys and Schnitzel sent her flowers, made her breakfast, and bought her a very nice ring. Daddy did all the work of course, but they said to add it to their tab. Overall, it was a great day.
We continue to pray for more great days. Thanks to you all for your love, support, and (good) advice. We love you all!
Fight On, Little Fighters!- Love Daddy
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Eye Appointment a Success!
On Monday we ventured back to Dr. Adrean's office for a follow up exam on the boys' eyes. All of the staff was delighted to see the boys and were shocked at their growth over just three short weeks. It is strange to us to hear the comments about how big they are getting because we don't seem to notice, as we see them everyday. We can only go by the size of the clothes or diapers to tell if they've grown.
Anyway, Dr. Adrean examined both boys and determined that all looked great with their eyes. So great in fact, that he released them to a pediatric opthamologist from here on out. The issue from here is long term effects of their prematurity on their eyesight. Some potential complications are near or farsightedness, loss of peripheral vision and cross-eyes. In all likelihood they would need glasses at some point anyway given that both Momma and Daddy use them. What we are concerned with is something like a loss of vision or crossed eyes. Any such issue though can be corrected and Dr. Adrean is not concerned. So, unless and until there is a reason for concern, we won't be.
Many have asked what the boys weight is. We don't know still. We are frustrated too because we are used to getting nightly updates on the issue from the NICU. Our next trip to the pediatrician is Monday so stay tuned for an update on weight and other health issues.
As a whole the boys are doing well. We are still working hard at getting a sleeping routine down for them. In general they seem to be sleeping much better between feedings. This of course is leading to more sleep for Momma especially. While the feedings continue around the clock, the boys have pretty much figured out what nighttime is for. Each baby still has a night or two a week where he won't sleep much, but in general things are moving forward, and that is good.
Developmentally it is such a crap shoot with them. They are four months old today, but are almost 6 weeks out of the NICU and only 3 weeks past their due date. A combination of these three ages are where they are supposed to be. While they are sleeping like 6 weekers, they began rolling over a few weeks back so in that case they are more advanced. We are hoping that the trip to the pediatrician on Monday gives good news that we can try to help them start sleeping through the night soon.
There really isn't much news to report. We are looking forward to an exciting week and weekend though. The boys are able to travel anywhere now and can be around crowds of people. Friday night we have a trip to Aunty Mare's to celebrate Uncle Gilbert and Aunty Stacie's birthdays. Saturday we travel to Aunt Lisa's house to celebrate Mother's Day with Momma's family and Sunday we have a party to attend to celebrate one of their great-great grandmother's 98th Birthday and then it is off probably to Grandma Liso's house to celebrate Mother's Day with Daddy's family.
Most importantly, Sunday is Momma's first Mother's Day. I know she is excited and so are her Boys (Daddy and Schnitz, included). We are so lucky to have her. She really is amazing and has taken to being a mother so flawlessly, that one would swear she was born to do it. I'm sure the boys have some gifts up their sleeves, and can't wait to show Momma how much she is loved and appreciated.
Thank you again for all of your love and support. We are truly blessed.
Fight On, Little Fighters!- Love Daddy
Anyway, Dr. Adrean examined both boys and determined that all looked great with their eyes. So great in fact, that he released them to a pediatric opthamologist from here on out. The issue from here is long term effects of their prematurity on their eyesight. Some potential complications are near or farsightedness, loss of peripheral vision and cross-eyes. In all likelihood they would need glasses at some point anyway given that both Momma and Daddy use them. What we are concerned with is something like a loss of vision or crossed eyes. Any such issue though can be corrected and Dr. Adrean is not concerned. So, unless and until there is a reason for concern, we won't be.
Many have asked what the boys weight is. We don't know still. We are frustrated too because we are used to getting nightly updates on the issue from the NICU. Our next trip to the pediatrician is Monday so stay tuned for an update on weight and other health issues.
As a whole the boys are doing well. We are still working hard at getting a sleeping routine down for them. In general they seem to be sleeping much better between feedings. This of course is leading to more sleep for Momma especially. While the feedings continue around the clock, the boys have pretty much figured out what nighttime is for. Each baby still has a night or two a week where he won't sleep much, but in general things are moving forward, and that is good.
Developmentally it is such a crap shoot with them. They are four months old today, but are almost 6 weeks out of the NICU and only 3 weeks past their due date. A combination of these three ages are where they are supposed to be. While they are sleeping like 6 weekers, they began rolling over a few weeks back so in that case they are more advanced. We are hoping that the trip to the pediatrician on Monday gives good news that we can try to help them start sleeping through the night soon.
There really isn't much news to report. We are looking forward to an exciting week and weekend though. The boys are able to travel anywhere now and can be around crowds of people. Friday night we have a trip to Aunty Mare's to celebrate Uncle Gilbert and Aunty Stacie's birthdays. Saturday we travel to Aunt Lisa's house to celebrate Mother's Day with Momma's family and Sunday we have a party to attend to celebrate one of their great-great grandmother's 98th Birthday and then it is off probably to Grandma Liso's house to celebrate Mother's Day with Daddy's family.
Most importantly, Sunday is Momma's first Mother's Day. I know she is excited and so are her Boys (Daddy and Schnitz, included). We are so lucky to have her. She really is amazing and has taken to being a mother so flawlessly, that one would swear she was born to do it. I'm sure the boys have some gifts up their sleeves, and can't wait to show Momma how much she is loved and appreciated.
Thank you again for all of your love and support. We are truly blessed.
Fight On, Little Fighters!- Love Daddy
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Daddy Back to Work Full Time, Boys Settling In
As you may have noticed by now, it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with the blog on any type of regular schedule. That is because life at home right now is pretty crazy. The boys are still eating around the clock and are not always the best sleepers.
Changing diapers, feeding, soothing, and everything else with them leaves little time for laundry, cleanup, showering, working out, let alone blogging. But, at least I get a break now from it all by going to work everyday. Momma (and Schnitzel!) unfortunately gets stuck holding down the fort. Along with all of the child care, she is saddled with keeping up the house during the day and somehow finding a few minutes to sleep, or a few minutes to shower.
Because she must love me that much for some reason, she lets me sleep more at night than she does. So, even though I am certainly sleep-deprived, Momma is sleepless. I don't know how she does it. I don't know how she functions. I am just grateful that she does. She's my hero.
It is amazing to me how Danielle manages to stay positive at all times. I never see her get upset with the boys, and she never seems to let the hectic nature of our house at this time get to her. I envy that because on many occasions I have felt like I just can't do it anymore. Again, I think therein lies the difference between mothers and fathers.
Going to work has actually been difficult for me. In the first place, I am not getting the 7 or 8 hours of sleep I am used to, so I am pretty tired. Secondly, I miss being home. When the boys were screaming bloody murder in the middle of the night and I was half-dead trying to feed them, I thought I would welcome work back with open arms. Strangely to me, I miss being home 24 hours a day.
I miss spending the time with my wife, and my boys. I miss watching Lets' Make a Deal, and the Price is Right in the morning with Danielle. I miss her laughing at me because I want to watch paternity tests on Maury. But, such is the life of a man. Someone has to work to make sure we can all eat, and I proudly go to work everyday to ensure that. I am blessed that I have a wife that not only can stay home, but wants to stay home and raise her children. Sadly, that seems to be more and more rare these days.
As for the boys themselves, which is why you read this thing anyway, they are doing well. They are eating well and appear to be gaining weight. Anthony seems significantly bigger than Jared at this point. When you hold them you can feel the difference. That being said, both are out of preemie diapers and have been for about three weeks now. Both are in newborn clothes now and have been for about three weeks now, so I know they are growing fast.
We don't visit the pediatrician for another week, so stay tuned for actual weights on both. As for the eye situation, we visit Dr. Adrean on Monday again. Last time we told you that if all was well he would release them to a pediatric opthamalogist. Everything is going superb with their eyes, but Dr. Adrean wanted one more visit to make sure the healing process continues to progress. If you ask me I just think his staff wants us to keep coming back, because they all gush over the boys. They are used to seeing a bunch of old farts in the eye clinic everyday, so two little babies is a welcomed sight. But, I digress.
As I noted above, the boys are still feeding around the clock, but I must say their sleeping patterns are getting much better than they were compared to the first two weeks home. Getting up every three hours in the middle of the night is really not that big of a deal for us, so long as the boys sleep quietly between feedings. At the beginning this was not happening at all. They would eat at 2 a.m. and then fuss, and cry, and make noise until 5 a.m.
When they sleep peacefully for two hours in between feedings we can accumulate 5 to 6 hours of good sleep. Thankfully, the last four or five nights we've seen their sleeping patterns at night become restful. As a matter of fact, starting at about 10 p.m., they sleep well between feedings. I've noticed as well that at the later feedings at night they are starting to eat less, falling asleep after only taking 1 or 2 ounces. This to me suggests that sleeping through the night, though a distant hope at this point, isn't really that far off.
We are keenly aware of the fact that the best way to get rid of middle of the night feedings is to ensure solid weight gain. This is of great concern for that reason, but also because the boys are preemies and weight gain is crucial for them. Hence, the doctor has informed us that we shouldn't let them sleep for more than four hours without feeding. Sound medical advice surely. But let me say this: if tonight they both wanted to sleep from 1o p.m. to 6 a.m., you better be armed if you expect to force me to wake them up.
In the first place, there is no waking them up. If they want to sleep, they sleep no matter what we may try to do to them. Secondly, who in their right mind wakes a sleeping baby in the middle of the night? Nutrition is key, but the sanity of the two people who are responsible for the said nutrition is important too.
We've worked hard to establish a routine for them to get them used to the idea that night is for sleeping. We've read a bunch of books, including Baby Wise, What to Expect the First Year, and several on twins exclusively. The books have given us many tips that we have employed that have worked. The books also are full of it a lot too.
The bottom line is that "experts" can have their opinions, but every baby is different and every house is different. You have to do what works for you. That is what we've done, and we've found our hybrid way of doing things, borrowing the best from each book, works better than any one philosophy.
As so many of you have commented, it does get better. We know that, but sometimes it feels like it may never. As one wise friend of ours commented, "The days are long, but the years are short." So, we continue on taking care of our children the best we can, still relishing the fact that after all they've been through, they are here.
So you may be asking, "Don't you have help?" The answer is yes, but if you want to help, please contact Danielle or I. We can find something for you to do for us that would be of great help. But please note it may be something as trivial as taking the dog potty. With multiples there really isn't a ton of time to do simple tasks.
Many people have graciously offered to stay with Danielle during the day, and some have even been over at night to help out. Our neighbor Jennet has been regularly doing the boys' laundry for us at her house saving us tons of time. The other night she came over and soothed the boys so we could have five minutes to eat dinner. She has been an amazing help to us, and is just one example.
I can't stress enough how much having a second or third pair of hands around benefits us. Taking the dog out for a walk, changing a diaper, or soothing one of the boys long enough to get a bottle together makes a huge difference. Essentially, doing something that gives us an extra five minutes of peace while the boys are quiet is worth its weight in gold.
Imagine a world where two babies are screaming for food, there is one parent trying to soothe one, another trying to change the diaper of one, soothe the other, all the while trying to make sure the bottle doesn't melt in the warmer: eight times a day. I'm not trying to be dramatic or exaggerate. It's just pretty nuts at our house right now. I'm just giving the facts to you to illustrate how much your help means to us.
For those who have been out to help we can't thank you enough. Your selfless dedication to helping us out is humbling. You start out as a parent with the idea that you are Superman and can do it alone. You read the books about multiples and all of them say to enlist help. You read that and think, "Yes, but we'll be able to handle it." Let me make this clear: Danielle and I can handle it alone.
But, we are also not so prideful to realize that things are easier and better with help. We are humble enough, I think, to know that we aren't Superman (at least Daddy isn't). So again, thank you for your support and help. Even the encouraging words are great. Those parents who have shared their experiences are great too, because we don't feel like we're alone in this struggle. Actually I call it a siege; we are the Russians at Stalingrad, just holding on for dear life at this point.
All kidding aside, we are enjoying our boys and are grateful they are home and thriving. Again, thank you for your thoughts and prayers. We can't wait to see you all and share our little miracles with you!
FOR PICS OF THE BOYS: http://www.leemophoto.com/blog/
Fight On, Little Fighters! - Love Daddy
Changing diapers, feeding, soothing, and everything else with them leaves little time for laundry, cleanup, showering, working out, let alone blogging. But, at least I get a break now from it all by going to work everyday. Momma (and Schnitzel!) unfortunately gets stuck holding down the fort. Along with all of the child care, she is saddled with keeping up the house during the day and somehow finding a few minutes to sleep, or a few minutes to shower.
Because she must love me that much for some reason, she lets me sleep more at night than she does. So, even though I am certainly sleep-deprived, Momma is sleepless. I don't know how she does it. I don't know how she functions. I am just grateful that she does. She's my hero.
It is amazing to me how Danielle manages to stay positive at all times. I never see her get upset with the boys, and she never seems to let the hectic nature of our house at this time get to her. I envy that because on many occasions I have felt like I just can't do it anymore. Again, I think therein lies the difference between mothers and fathers.
Going to work has actually been difficult for me. In the first place, I am not getting the 7 or 8 hours of sleep I am used to, so I am pretty tired. Secondly, I miss being home. When the boys were screaming bloody murder in the middle of the night and I was half-dead trying to feed them, I thought I would welcome work back with open arms. Strangely to me, I miss being home 24 hours a day.
I miss spending the time with my wife, and my boys. I miss watching Lets' Make a Deal, and the Price is Right in the morning with Danielle. I miss her laughing at me because I want to watch paternity tests on Maury. But, such is the life of a man. Someone has to work to make sure we can all eat, and I proudly go to work everyday to ensure that. I am blessed that I have a wife that not only can stay home, but wants to stay home and raise her children. Sadly, that seems to be more and more rare these days.
As for the boys themselves, which is why you read this thing anyway, they are doing well. They are eating well and appear to be gaining weight. Anthony seems significantly bigger than Jared at this point. When you hold them you can feel the difference. That being said, both are out of preemie diapers and have been for about three weeks now. Both are in newborn clothes now and have been for about three weeks now, so I know they are growing fast.
We don't visit the pediatrician for another week, so stay tuned for actual weights on both. As for the eye situation, we visit Dr. Adrean on Monday again. Last time we told you that if all was well he would release them to a pediatric opthamalogist. Everything is going superb with their eyes, but Dr. Adrean wanted one more visit to make sure the healing process continues to progress. If you ask me I just think his staff wants us to keep coming back, because they all gush over the boys. They are used to seeing a bunch of old farts in the eye clinic everyday, so two little babies is a welcomed sight. But, I digress.
As I noted above, the boys are still feeding around the clock, but I must say their sleeping patterns are getting much better than they were compared to the first two weeks home. Getting up every three hours in the middle of the night is really not that big of a deal for us, so long as the boys sleep quietly between feedings. At the beginning this was not happening at all. They would eat at 2 a.m. and then fuss, and cry, and make noise until 5 a.m.
When they sleep peacefully for two hours in between feedings we can accumulate 5 to 6 hours of good sleep. Thankfully, the last four or five nights we've seen their sleeping patterns at night become restful. As a matter of fact, starting at about 10 p.m., they sleep well between feedings. I've noticed as well that at the later feedings at night they are starting to eat less, falling asleep after only taking 1 or 2 ounces. This to me suggests that sleeping through the night, though a distant hope at this point, isn't really that far off.
We are keenly aware of the fact that the best way to get rid of middle of the night feedings is to ensure solid weight gain. This is of great concern for that reason, but also because the boys are preemies and weight gain is crucial for them. Hence, the doctor has informed us that we shouldn't let them sleep for more than four hours without feeding. Sound medical advice surely. But let me say this: if tonight they both wanted to sleep from 1o p.m. to 6 a.m., you better be armed if you expect to force me to wake them up.
In the first place, there is no waking them up. If they want to sleep, they sleep no matter what we may try to do to them. Secondly, who in their right mind wakes a sleeping baby in the middle of the night? Nutrition is key, but the sanity of the two people who are responsible for the said nutrition is important too.
We've worked hard to establish a routine for them to get them used to the idea that night is for sleeping. We've read a bunch of books, including Baby Wise, What to Expect the First Year, and several on twins exclusively. The books have given us many tips that we have employed that have worked. The books also are full of it a lot too.
The bottom line is that "experts" can have their opinions, but every baby is different and every house is different. You have to do what works for you. That is what we've done, and we've found our hybrid way of doing things, borrowing the best from each book, works better than any one philosophy.
As so many of you have commented, it does get better. We know that, but sometimes it feels like it may never. As one wise friend of ours commented, "The days are long, but the years are short." So, we continue on taking care of our children the best we can, still relishing the fact that after all they've been through, they are here.
So you may be asking, "Don't you have help?" The answer is yes, but if you want to help, please contact Danielle or I. We can find something for you to do for us that would be of great help. But please note it may be something as trivial as taking the dog potty. With multiples there really isn't a ton of time to do simple tasks.
Many people have graciously offered to stay with Danielle during the day, and some have even been over at night to help out. Our neighbor Jennet has been regularly doing the boys' laundry for us at her house saving us tons of time. The other night she came over and soothed the boys so we could have five minutes to eat dinner. She has been an amazing help to us, and is just one example.
I can't stress enough how much having a second or third pair of hands around benefits us. Taking the dog out for a walk, changing a diaper, or soothing one of the boys long enough to get a bottle together makes a huge difference. Essentially, doing something that gives us an extra five minutes of peace while the boys are quiet is worth its weight in gold.
Imagine a world where two babies are screaming for food, there is one parent trying to soothe one, another trying to change the diaper of one, soothe the other, all the while trying to make sure the bottle doesn't melt in the warmer: eight times a day. I'm not trying to be dramatic or exaggerate. It's just pretty nuts at our house right now. I'm just giving the facts to you to illustrate how much your help means to us.
For those who have been out to help we can't thank you enough. Your selfless dedication to helping us out is humbling. You start out as a parent with the idea that you are Superman and can do it alone. You read the books about multiples and all of them say to enlist help. You read that and think, "Yes, but we'll be able to handle it." Let me make this clear: Danielle and I can handle it alone.
But, we are also not so prideful to realize that things are easier and better with help. We are humble enough, I think, to know that we aren't Superman (at least Daddy isn't). So again, thank you for your support and help. Even the encouraging words are great. Those parents who have shared their experiences are great too, because we don't feel like we're alone in this struggle. Actually I call it a siege; we are the Russians at Stalingrad, just holding on for dear life at this point.
All kidding aside, we are enjoying our boys and are grateful they are home and thriving. Again, thank you for your thoughts and prayers. We can't wait to see you all and share our little miracles with you!
FOR PICS OF THE BOYS: http://www.leemophoto.com/blog/
Fight On, Little Fighters! - Love Daddy
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