Babies Situation:
The babies turned 17 months on Wednesday which was also the birthday of my niece Angel who would have been 9 years old. She was born really early at 20 weeks and didn’t make it so she got to spend her birthday with Jesus in Heaven. On a lighter note, the Girls are growing bigger and getting faster! Trinity is around 19 lbs and 29 inches. Kinsley is around 18 lbs and 28.5 inches. Trinity was moved to a convertible car seat this past week – still rear facing though – since she is at the max length for the infant car seat. We’ll probably move Kinsley to the convertible in the next few weeks.
Last week, we switched them over to whole milk which wasn’t an accepted change at first but in the last 2 days the Girls are back to taking 16 oz a day. Their solid food intake is going well too. We have them eating a nice variety of foods. We’ve noticed that Trinity is a meat eater but Kinsley not so much. Trinity will eat all the meat on her plate while Kinsley will eat all her cheese and vegetables(like her Mama). Trinity is also a slower eater like her Dad but Kinsley is more like her Mama eating quickly always waiting for more. It’s so cute. Kinsley will tap her fingers on her tray like she’s bored. She’s somewhat impatient – another trait she has inherited from meL
Sleep wise, the Girls are doing better. With all the changes this summer(bottle to sippy cup, formula to milk, feeding schedule), they have struggled with sleeping through the night. I think they are also teething right now which doesn’t help either. We have our good nights and our bad nights. I’m sure we are on the path to more good nights than bad since we are done with making any major changes for now.
Developmentally, the Girls are running(toddler style). They can make it from one side of the room to the other in seconds. I know if I open a bathroom door or their bedroom closet door, my time is limited before both of them are in there looking for trouble. We’ve been practicing scribbling with crayons which more crayon eating occurs than actual coloring but hey, you have to start somewhere. At this age, I wouldn’t expect anything less. The Girls have also learned to hold spoons. They love this!! Every day, I let them feed themselves yogurt or pudding. For the most part, the food makes it into their mouth. I think Trinity is going to be a leftie like her Mama and Kinsley appears to be right handed like Daddy. Time will tell though. Both Girls can show you where their belly is and Mama’s nose. Not only can they point to my nose but they will even pick it for me if I let them(which I don’t). They have definitely figured out where their noses are and seem to only stick their finger up it when someone is looking. It makes me giggle every time.
Parent’s Thoughts:
This toddler stage is awesome!! Don’t get me wrong that it is a lot of work but watching them grow and learn has been a true blessing. We love teaching them new things or being surprised by them doing something new that they had learned that day. You should see how the Girls light up when they see their Daddy. They both give him this extra special smile that no one else gets. It melts my heart to watch! There is definitely a special connection there. Keith is a great Father and spends a lot of quality time with them. I love all the hugs I get in passing. I sit on the floor as they play and in passing, they stop, climb on my lap, we’ll sing a few songs and give some hugs and kisses, and then they are off to play some more. This happens over and over. I couldn’t ask for anything more.
Our Encouragement:
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23:6
Birthday and Vacation...
Babies Situation:
The Girls are 15 months, finally 1 year adjusted and almost running!! We have been very busy in the last few months. In May, we had the Girls 1 year Birthday party with around 75 of our friends – it was amazing! The Girls turning 1 year was a big milestone and there was nothing better than to share it will our friends.
In June, we took our first family vacation to Panama City. The drive wasn’t fun but the week we got to spend with my sister and her family and Keith’s brother and his family was amazing! Each family had their own room and bathroom so the Girls slept in back-n-plays in our room. Unfortunately, they were still waking up a few times a night and with the thin walls of the condo, they were also waking up everyone else too. No one seemed to mind though. Everyone would get up the next morning with a smile on their face pretty much laughing at us. The Girls loved the new environment. The kitchen and dining was tiled which was somewhat new to the Girls. They were unsure of how it felt which forced them to walk. Spending this week in Florida really accelerated their walking. The ocean and pool were also new to the Girls. They had been sick for so many weeks before the trip that we never got the opportunity to take them to the pool. Kinsley was fine with the ocean and the pool but Trinity needed some convincing that it was safe and fun. We did see a few tar balls but that was only one day.
Developmentally, the Girls are still doing great. Their “cause and effect” toys are teaching them a lot. They are also loving their riding toy. They fight over it and don’t like to share it. When we push them across the room on it, they get the biggest smile on their face. We are even teaching them to push each other since they are able to climb on and off of it on their own. Trinity is repeating a lot of words these days. She is saying Daddy, Mommy, eggs, Sissy, ashes(from Ring around the roses). Kinsley will randomly say Daddy, Mommy, and sometimes “up” and “cup” from the Dr. Seuss book “Hop on Pop”. She likes to whisper so we can’t always here what she is saying. She is funny though. She whispers when she talks but she screams when she cries. She has learned that the louder she screams, the faster Daddy and Mama move – especially at night. Personality wise, I still find Trinity more dependant wanting to be entertained. Kinsley is definitely independent and will go play by herself with no issues.
Eating wise, the Girls are doing great. Over the next 2 months, we will be weaning them from formula onto PediaSure and whole milk. The pediatrician doesn’t want them on whole milk entirely since they are only in the 5% on the 12 month chart. They are off all jar food and eating all table foods which is great. They eat a well balanced diet of a meat, vegetable, and fruit for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We are still using bottles as well which will change soon. With the Girls taking such a large intake of formula, I don’t want to disrupt it at this time. I feel the large amount of formula intake is due to them trying to catch up for the time they were sick. The calorie intake is very important right now for weight gain. Trinity should be around 18 lbs and Kinsley is 17.5 lbs. Once they come down to taking 20 oz per day, we will take away the bottles and only offer the sippy cup. Once the sippy cup is in full swing, then we’ll move from formula to the PediaSure and whole milk. I am not concerned with pushing either right now since they really just turned 12 months last weekend.
Parent’s Thoughts:
Keith and I thoroughly enjoyed our vacation in Florida. It was very enjoyable for us to have a change in scenery and to hang out with our family. I miss our siblings, especially our nieces and nephews. Next time, we’d like to go for 2 weeks. We weren’t ready to come home after the one week. It was neat to watch the Girls flourish in the new atmosphere too. They adapted quickly and squealed as they explored the new surroundings. The Birthday party was perfect too. I wouldn’t change a thing. A lot of work and preplanning went into the party but it was totally worth it. God continues to bless us day after day and we are very thankful. We look forward to raising these sweet baby Girls in a Christian home.
Our Encouragement:
Let your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me.
Psalm 40:11
The Girls are 15 months, finally 1 year adjusted and almost running!! We have been very busy in the last few months. In May, we had the Girls 1 year Birthday party with around 75 of our friends – it was amazing! The Girls turning 1 year was a big milestone and there was nothing better than to share it will our friends.
In June, we took our first family vacation to Panama City. The drive wasn’t fun but the week we got to spend with my sister and her family and Keith’s brother and his family was amazing! Each family had their own room and bathroom so the Girls slept in back-n-plays in our room. Unfortunately, they were still waking up a few times a night and with the thin walls of the condo, they were also waking up everyone else too. No one seemed to mind though. Everyone would get up the next morning with a smile on their face pretty much laughing at us. The Girls loved the new environment. The kitchen and dining was tiled which was somewhat new to the Girls. They were unsure of how it felt which forced them to walk. Spending this week in Florida really accelerated their walking. The ocean and pool were also new to the Girls. They had been sick for so many weeks before the trip that we never got the opportunity to take them to the pool. Kinsley was fine with the ocean and the pool but Trinity needed some convincing that it was safe and fun. We did see a few tar balls but that was only one day.
Developmentally, the Girls are still doing great. Their “cause and effect” toys are teaching them a lot. They are also loving their riding toy. They fight over it and don’t like to share it. When we push them across the room on it, they get the biggest smile on their face. We are even teaching them to push each other since they are able to climb on and off of it on their own. Trinity is repeating a lot of words these days. She is saying Daddy, Mommy, eggs, Sissy, ashes(from Ring around the roses). Kinsley will randomly say Daddy, Mommy, and sometimes “up” and “cup” from the Dr. Seuss book “Hop on Pop”. She likes to whisper so we can’t always here what she is saying. She is funny though. She whispers when she talks but she screams when she cries. She has learned that the louder she screams, the faster Daddy and Mama move – especially at night. Personality wise, I still find Trinity more dependant wanting to be entertained. Kinsley is definitely independent and will go play by herself with no issues.
Eating wise, the Girls are doing great. Over the next 2 months, we will be weaning them from formula onto PediaSure and whole milk. The pediatrician doesn’t want them on whole milk entirely since they are only in the 5% on the 12 month chart. They are off all jar food and eating all table foods which is great. They eat a well balanced diet of a meat, vegetable, and fruit for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We are still using bottles as well which will change soon. With the Girls taking such a large intake of formula, I don’t want to disrupt it at this time. I feel the large amount of formula intake is due to them trying to catch up for the time they were sick. The calorie intake is very important right now for weight gain. Trinity should be around 18 lbs and Kinsley is 17.5 lbs. Once they come down to taking 20 oz per day, we will take away the bottles and only offer the sippy cup. Once the sippy cup is in full swing, then we’ll move from formula to the PediaSure and whole milk. I am not concerned with pushing either right now since they really just turned 12 months last weekend.
Parent’s Thoughts:
Keith and I thoroughly enjoyed our vacation in Florida. It was very enjoyable for us to have a change in scenery and to hang out with our family. I miss our siblings, especially our nieces and nephews. Next time, we’d like to go for 2 weeks. We weren’t ready to come home after the one week. It was neat to watch the Girls flourish in the new atmosphere too. They adapted quickly and squealed as they explored the new surroundings. The Birthday party was perfect too. I wouldn’t change a thing. A lot of work and preplanning went into the party but it was totally worth it. God continues to bless us day after day and we are very thankful. We look forward to raising these sweet baby Girls in a Christian home.
Our Encouragement:
Let your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me.
Psalm 40:11
Catching Bugs (Rough Few weeks)...
Babies Situation:
The Girls have had a rough 4 weeks with catching a few nasty viruses but I think we are finally over this last one. Kinsley has had diarrhea since last Friday but last night was a successful night of no diarrhea diapers – Thank you God!! With Keith traveling for work all week, it has been a very long week for me but it’s over and Kins is feeling better so we are all good.
Developmentally, Trinity is back on track. She is walking 75% of the time and just talking up a storm. Last night, she was brave enough to hold something in her hand while walking across the room. A few times this past week, she attempted to run across the room which resulted in her falling but she tried it a few more times. She is getting more brave! In her high pitched voice, she calls me “Daddy” and seems to be saying “Sissy” randomly. She is now bottle feeding herself which is bitter sweet. I love giving them their bottles but it does get difficult when they are hungry at the same time. One usually had to wait their turn fussing for 10 minutes while the other is getting her bottle.
Kinsley is slowly getting back to her old self. She is Queen of funny faces and in the last 2 days, I have noticed that she is making a lot more than what she’s done in the last week. She is probably walking 50% of the time. I think in the next week she will really take off with her walking if we can keep her healthy. She will say “Mom” once in awhile when she wakes up from a nap or in the morning. Before she got sick, she was jibbering a lot so I’m sure that will come back soon. She is not bottle feeding herself yet which is somewhat our fault. When I do let her feed herself, she gets so interested in watching the formula move in the bottle that she stops eating and starts playing with the bottle. Since she has lost about 1 lb in the last 6 weeks, calorie intake is very important. If we hold the bottle for her, she’ll take what she needs. I think this weekend I will let her bottle feed herself but I will be right there with her encouraging her not to play but to eat.
Parent's Thoughts:
The last 6 weeks have been very difficult for not only the babies but for us. The Girls haven’t slept well since they got sick so we are both lacking sleep. Hopefully we’ll catch up over the weekend!! Between having sick babies and working full time, it has been trialing but we have managed it well. Keith and I are a great team and I am very thankful that he is right in there with me helping. I never imagined how much harder it is with having sick babies. It is heart breaking to watch your babies go through hard times but it is comforting to know that they will build up tolerances which will make them stronger.
On a good note, the Girls are so much fun!!!! We read books, play with toys together, sing our ABC’s (well Mamma sings and they just smile), splash in the bath tub, dance to music and clap our hands to the beat, and they love helping Mama fold clothes and put them away (not really, they actually laugh as they pull everything out of the drawer and enjoy knocking over the folded pile). I cannot believe they are 14 months old, 11 months adjusted. Time flies when you are having fun!!!
Our Encouragement:
Do not withhold your tender mercies from me, O Lord; Let your loving kindness and your truth continually preserve me.
Psalm 40:11
The Girls have had a rough 4 weeks with catching a few nasty viruses but I think we are finally over this last one. Kinsley has had diarrhea since last Friday but last night was a successful night of no diarrhea diapers – Thank you God!! With Keith traveling for work all week, it has been a very long week for me but it’s over and Kins is feeling better so we are all good.
Developmentally, Trinity is back on track. She is walking 75% of the time and just talking up a storm. Last night, she was brave enough to hold something in her hand while walking across the room. A few times this past week, she attempted to run across the room which resulted in her falling but she tried it a few more times. She is getting more brave! In her high pitched voice, she calls me “Daddy” and seems to be saying “Sissy” randomly. She is now bottle feeding herself which is bitter sweet. I love giving them their bottles but it does get difficult when they are hungry at the same time. One usually had to wait their turn fussing for 10 minutes while the other is getting her bottle.
Kinsley is slowly getting back to her old self. She is Queen of funny faces and in the last 2 days, I have noticed that she is making a lot more than what she’s done in the last week. She is probably walking 50% of the time. I think in the next week she will really take off with her walking if we can keep her healthy. She will say “Mom” once in awhile when she wakes up from a nap or in the morning. Before she got sick, she was jibbering a lot so I’m sure that will come back soon. She is not bottle feeding herself yet which is somewhat our fault. When I do let her feed herself, she gets so interested in watching the formula move in the bottle that she stops eating and starts playing with the bottle. Since she has lost about 1 lb in the last 6 weeks, calorie intake is very important. If we hold the bottle for her, she’ll take what she needs. I think this weekend I will let her bottle feed herself but I will be right there with her encouraging her not to play but to eat.
Parent's Thoughts:
The last 6 weeks have been very difficult for not only the babies but for us. The Girls haven’t slept well since they got sick so we are both lacking sleep. Hopefully we’ll catch up over the weekend!! Between having sick babies and working full time, it has been trialing but we have managed it well. Keith and I are a great team and I am very thankful that he is right in there with me helping. I never imagined how much harder it is with having sick babies. It is heart breaking to watch your babies go through hard times but it is comforting to know that they will build up tolerances which will make them stronger.
On a good note, the Girls are so much fun!!!! We read books, play with toys together, sing our ABC’s (well Mamma sings and they just smile), splash in the bath tub, dance to music and clap our hands to the beat, and they love helping Mama fold clothes and put them away (not really, they actually laugh as they pull everything out of the drawer and enjoy knocking over the folded pile). I cannot believe they are 14 months old, 11 months adjusted. Time flies when you are having fun!!!
Our Encouragement:
Do not withhold your tender mercies from me, O Lord; Let your loving kindness and your truth continually preserve me.
Psalm 40:11
First Steps - Week of May 10th...
Babies Situation:
We have some very exciting news to share!! Miss Kinsley took her first 4-5 steps this week. The Girls will do anything to get their hands on the TV remote so our Nanny decided to entice her with it and it worked. I was pretty skeptical when Nancy told me what Kinsley can do until I tried it and she walked!!! It was amazing!!! Now Trinity hasn’t fallen for the remote trick yet but we will continue to work with her on it to see if we can have her walking very soon. Not bad for 13 months, 10 months adjusted.
We have more good news! Because the Girls are doing so well developmentally and aren’t showing issues with eating, the Occupational therapist has released them from therapy. We are officially on our own except for the GI specialist and he really doesn’t change anything. We give him an update and he tells us to continue with what we are doing. He did suggest that we wean the Girls off their nightly dosage of Prilosec so we’ll start that soon. He also wants us to continue with formula since it is their main source for calories. Both Girls are still pretty small (like their Mama) and in the 10th percentile on the adjusted chart for weight. They are not even on the chart for their real age.
In the last few weeks, we have had some exciting activities. We were able to help celebrate the Reid Twins turning 1. It was a great party and such a huge milestone for micro-preemies. The Reid family is very dear to us and we have enjoyed watching their sweet babies grow over the last year!! We also did the March for Babies last week – what a blast!! We had 5 families walk with us and we were financially able to surpass our goal. Thank you to everyone who helped with that. The March of Dimes is a great cause and we are living proof of their research and support.
Parents Thoughts:
It is such a great feeling to know that your babies are on the right path developmentally. It has been a saving Grace to have weekly visits from the Occupational therapist providing guidance and expertise on how to get the Girls caught up to their chronological age. Her exact words were “they are doing exceptionally well for being micro-preemies”. Thank you God!! Now I just need to get them to eat more or I need the peace and comfort that they are getting what they need so I need to leave it alone!! They are very active and burn lots of calories. Luckily, it hasn’t affected them developmentally but it seems to be a persistent topic with the GI specialist and pediatrician. Both say they are doing great and look great but it is a topic that we discuss at all appointments so it lingers in the back of my head – daily! Overall, the babies are doing great. They love to play all day long and get into everything that they aren’t supposed to be in. True blessings!!
Our Encouragement:
Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
Isaiah 51:11
We have some very exciting news to share!! Miss Kinsley took her first 4-5 steps this week. The Girls will do anything to get their hands on the TV remote so our Nanny decided to entice her with it and it worked. I was pretty skeptical when Nancy told me what Kinsley can do until I tried it and she walked!!! It was amazing!!! Now Trinity hasn’t fallen for the remote trick yet but we will continue to work with her on it to see if we can have her walking very soon. Not bad for 13 months, 10 months adjusted.
We have more good news! Because the Girls are doing so well developmentally and aren’t showing issues with eating, the Occupational therapist has released them from therapy. We are officially on our own except for the GI specialist and he really doesn’t change anything. We give him an update and he tells us to continue with what we are doing. He did suggest that we wean the Girls off their nightly dosage of Prilosec so we’ll start that soon. He also wants us to continue with formula since it is their main source for calories. Both Girls are still pretty small (like their Mama) and in the 10th percentile on the adjusted chart for weight. They are not even on the chart for their real age.
In the last few weeks, we have had some exciting activities. We were able to help celebrate the Reid Twins turning 1. It was a great party and such a huge milestone for micro-preemies. The Reid family is very dear to us and we have enjoyed watching their sweet babies grow over the last year!! We also did the March for Babies last week – what a blast!! We had 5 families walk with us and we were financially able to surpass our goal. Thank you to everyone who helped with that. The March of Dimes is a great cause and we are living proof of their research and support.
Parents Thoughts:
It is such a great feeling to know that your babies are on the right path developmentally. It has been a saving Grace to have weekly visits from the Occupational therapist providing guidance and expertise on how to get the Girls caught up to their chronological age. Her exact words were “they are doing exceptionally well for being micro-preemies”. Thank you God!! Now I just need to get them to eat more or I need the peace and comfort that they are getting what they need so I need to leave it alone!! They are very active and burn lots of calories. Luckily, it hasn’t affected them developmentally but it seems to be a persistent topic with the GI specialist and pediatrician. Both say they are doing great and look great but it is a topic that we discuss at all appointments so it lingers in the back of my head – daily! Overall, the babies are doing great. They love to play all day long and get into everything that they aren’t supposed to be in. True blessings!!
Our Encouragement:
Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
Isaiah 51:11
Visit to the NICU - Week of April 26th.
Babies Situation:
This week we took the Girls back to the NICU to visit some of their old friends. We saw many nurses, doctors, and therapists who saw the Girls on a regular basis. It was a nice to see everyone and to catch up. Everyone looked great and their smiling faces once again brought comfort. They will always be heroes to us and we are so thankful for having them apart of our lives.
The Girls are doing great. They are so close to walking. Both will stand without holding on to anything. Trinity does it a little more than Kinsley but Kinsley is very fast at moving around her activity table that is about 12 inches tall. She’ll go half way around it and then turn around quickly heading the other way. These Girls are so active!! They explore every inch of our living room and hardly ever take a break. I like sitting on the floor with them. They will crawl over me and go behind my back as they cross the room. A few times they will run into me with their shopping cart but they are usually in a hurry to get to the other side of the room so I will get a few quick kisses and then they are off again. They also like to go in behind the chair where we can’t see them and they just giggle. There’s a lot of belly laughing going on in our house. They really enjoy each other!
We did change up their feeding schedule. They are now getting bottles and solids at separate times of the day. Since the schedule change, their intake on solids has increased while they seem to be maintaining the same amount of formula. Yeah!!
Parent's Thoughts:
The visit to the NICU brought back a lot of memories. Even just parking in the parking garage. I parked in that garage at least 140 times (since the girls spend 135 days in there and I was in the hospital myself for 5 days). Most days, I made 2 trips to the NICU so that number is most likely double. I did see a few moms pass through to visit their brand new baby and my heart sunk for each and every one of them. I almost felt guilty for being in there with my healthy babies just knowing how they felt and knowing what road lies ahead. To everyone out there – If you think about it today or this week, please pray for all these NICU babies and Parents. They need it!!
Our Encouragement:
For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth.
Psalm 71:5
This week we took the Girls back to the NICU to visit some of their old friends. We saw many nurses, doctors, and therapists who saw the Girls on a regular basis. It was a nice to see everyone and to catch up. Everyone looked great and their smiling faces once again brought comfort. They will always be heroes to us and we are so thankful for having them apart of our lives.
The Girls are doing great. They are so close to walking. Both will stand without holding on to anything. Trinity does it a little more than Kinsley but Kinsley is very fast at moving around her activity table that is about 12 inches tall. She’ll go half way around it and then turn around quickly heading the other way. These Girls are so active!! They explore every inch of our living room and hardly ever take a break. I like sitting on the floor with them. They will crawl over me and go behind my back as they cross the room. A few times they will run into me with their shopping cart but they are usually in a hurry to get to the other side of the room so I will get a few quick kisses and then they are off again. They also like to go in behind the chair where we can’t see them and they just giggle. There’s a lot of belly laughing going on in our house. They really enjoy each other!
We did change up their feeding schedule. They are now getting bottles and solids at separate times of the day. Since the schedule change, their intake on solids has increased while they seem to be maintaining the same amount of formula. Yeah!!
Parent's Thoughts:
The visit to the NICU brought back a lot of memories. Even just parking in the parking garage. I parked in that garage at least 140 times (since the girls spend 135 days in there and I was in the hospital myself for 5 days). Most days, I made 2 trips to the NICU so that number is most likely double. I did see a few moms pass through to visit their brand new baby and my heart sunk for each and every one of them. I almost felt guilty for being in there with my healthy babies just knowing how they felt and knowing what road lies ahead. To everyone out there – If you think about it today or this week, please pray for all these NICU babies and Parents. They need it!!
Our Encouragement:
For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth.
Psalm 71:5
OT to end??? - Week of April 12th.
Babies Situation:
The Girls are getting stronger at pulling up and moving between furniture. They got their first set of tennis shoes which seems to help. I also got them some new toys from the AMOM (Austin Mom's of Multiples) consignment sale. They now have a table with activities on top of it that requires them to stand while playing, a shopping cart that they push back and forth across the living room, and a talking mirror with lights (it's like a karaoke mirror).
Trinity loves the push toys and goes back and forth all day. Kinsley isn't as strong so she'll push a toy if encouraged but it's rare for her to start it on her own. Julie, the OT, says that Kinsley is a perfectionist so she will walk when she has it mastered. Trinity is the opposite. She'll go for it, fall, pick herself back up, and start again.
Julie has now moved her visits to every other week. She said the Girls are doing great developmentally and they seem to be ok with eating different textures which can be a problem with reflux children. She'll come a few more times and then she thinks they can be released from her care.
Trinity has had a rough week of teething. She has been up throughout the night all week long. She has been able to put herself back to sleep without our assistance. Hopefully, Keith and I can recover on our sleep this weekend. Kinsley was slobbering pretty bad too so she might be entering a bad teething stage now. Oh, a quick update on our first trip to church with the Girls. We decided to try one of the morning services which happened to fall at nap time. From what we were told, Kinsley cried most of the time and Trinity cried out of sympathy for Kinsley. We'll be trying a different service time next week.
Parent's Thoughts:
I cannot believe OT is talking about releasing the Girls. It's a great milestone to hit but honesty, it scares me not having the safety net of someone in the medical field checking on them weekly reassuring me they are where they should be at this point. It was nice having Julie come weekly to show me what the Girls should be working on next. Now I have to figure it out on my own!!! I already do this but I will continue asking God for wisdom as I raise these special little Girls. They bring such joy to our lives!!!
Our Daily Encouragement:
Cast your burden on the Lord, and he sustain you.
Psalm 55:22
The Girls are getting stronger at pulling up and moving between furniture. They got their first set of tennis shoes which seems to help. I also got them some new toys from the AMOM (Austin Mom's of Multiples) consignment sale. They now have a table with activities on top of it that requires them to stand while playing, a shopping cart that they push back and forth across the living room, and a talking mirror with lights (it's like a karaoke mirror).
Trinity loves the push toys and goes back and forth all day. Kinsley isn't as strong so she'll push a toy if encouraged but it's rare for her to start it on her own. Julie, the OT, says that Kinsley is a perfectionist so she will walk when she has it mastered. Trinity is the opposite. She'll go for it, fall, pick herself back up, and start again.
Julie has now moved her visits to every other week. She said the Girls are doing great developmentally and they seem to be ok with eating different textures which can be a problem with reflux children. She'll come a few more times and then she thinks they can be released from her care.
Trinity has had a rough week of teething. She has been up throughout the night all week long. She has been able to put herself back to sleep without our assistance. Hopefully, Keith and I can recover on our sleep this weekend. Kinsley was slobbering pretty bad too so she might be entering a bad teething stage now. Oh, a quick update on our first trip to church with the Girls. We decided to try one of the morning services which happened to fall at nap time. From what we were told, Kinsley cried most of the time and Trinity cried out of sympathy for Kinsley. We'll be trying a different service time next week.
Parent's Thoughts:
I cannot believe OT is talking about releasing the Girls. It's a great milestone to hit but honesty, it scares me not having the safety net of someone in the medical field checking on them weekly reassuring me they are where they should be at this point. It was nice having Julie come weekly to show me what the Girls should be working on next. Now I have to figure it out on my own!!! I already do this but I will continue asking God for wisdom as I raise these special little Girls. They bring such joy to our lives!!!
Our Daily Encouragement:
Cast your burden on the Lord, and he sustain you.
Psalm 55:22
Small Sips - Week of April 5th.
Babies Situation:
The Girls had another great week! They are talking up a storm and getting into everything that they shouldn't be getting into. Oh, and how could I forget teething!! They each have 4 teeth now - 2 on top and 2 on the bottom and let me tell you they are sharp!! The Girls have been interacting with each other a lot more lately. They smile and belly laugh at each other all throughout the day. There is nothing better than sitting there watching them communicate like this. What a joy it is to hear them laugh like they do.
Our newest challenge this week is getting the Girls to take their milk from a sippy cup. They do not like it at all!! Nancy tried for the first time yesterday and there was lots of crying. We tried last night and it didn't go over so well. Keith was trying to feed Kinsley and she threw a fit. She kept trying to crawl over to me hoping I would help her. Hopefully, Nancy will have better luck. This weekend is going to be a long weekend if not.
Parent's Thoughts:
We are so excited! We are starting back to church this Sunday. It will be another learning experience for the Girls but a very good one for them. We have not been able to attend church regularly since the Girls came home last July so this is one step closer for us to getting our lives back on track.
Our Daily Encouragement:
When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.
Proverbs 4:12-13
The Girls had another great week! They are talking up a storm and getting into everything that they shouldn't be getting into. Oh, and how could I forget teething!! They each have 4 teeth now - 2 on top and 2 on the bottom and let me tell you they are sharp!! The Girls have been interacting with each other a lot more lately. They smile and belly laugh at each other all throughout the day. There is nothing better than sitting there watching them communicate like this. What a joy it is to hear them laugh like they do.
Our newest challenge this week is getting the Girls to take their milk from a sippy cup. They do not like it at all!! Nancy tried for the first time yesterday and there was lots of crying. We tried last night and it didn't go over so well. Keith was trying to feed Kinsley and she threw a fit. She kept trying to crawl over to me hoping I would help her. Hopefully, Nancy will have better luck. This weekend is going to be a long weekend if not.
Parent's Thoughts:
We are so excited! We are starting back to church this Sunday. It will be another learning experience for the Girls but a very good one for them. We have not been able to attend church regularly since the Girls came home last July so this is one step closer for us to getting our lives back on track.
Our Daily Encouragement:
When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.
Proverbs 4:12-13
1 Year Old - Week of March 15th.
Babies Situation:
It was a big week for the Girls. They are officially 1 year old!! We had a very intimate celebration with my Parents, the girls Nanny (Nancy), her daughter, and one of the girls NICU nurses (Andrea). It was perfect! We were able to focus on the Girls all day long! A big party is soon to come!! The girls also celebrated St. Patty's Day in style! Grammy O'Brien (even though she is more Italian than Irish) sent the cutest outfits that the girls wore all day.
Developmentally, the Girls are doing great! They pull up on everything and are cruising back and forth across the baby gate and couch. A few days ago, we got them a toy that they can hold onto while walking. As they get bigger, they will be able to ride it. Julie, the occupational therapist, says that they are doing so well that she is ready to decrease her weekly visits to twice/month but our pediatrician has asked that she continue to see them weekly until we know there are no issues with eating solids.
In 3 weeks, Julie will re-evaluate to see if every other week is the right call. Some new things the Girls are doing...We have caught Trinity licking the wall a few times and if Kinsley hears the word "no" it only motivates her to move faster at what she plans to do. Trinity's favorite toy right now is the piano and Kinsley is loving baby dolls!!
Parent's Thoughts:
I have to admit, I was somewhat afraid of what emotions would come with the Girls actual birthday. For sure I would be thankful and happy that we made it and that the Girls were doing so well but part of me was afraid that some of those other memories would creep in of how I felt throughout the NICU stay. With God's Grace, I woke up the morning of their 1 year birthday feeling as if I was free of those memories. Thank you God!! Ever since, I have not thought once of them. I am thoroughly enjoying every minute I get to spend with my babies. They are growing up so fast that I don't want any of it to be taken for granted. Happy Easter!! I hope everyone remembers the true meaning of this weekend!!!
Our Encouragement:
From the fullness of his grace we have received one blessing after another.
John 1:16
It was a big week for the Girls. They are officially 1 year old!! We had a very intimate celebration with my Parents, the girls Nanny (Nancy), her daughter, and one of the girls NICU nurses (Andrea). It was perfect! We were able to focus on the Girls all day long! A big party is soon to come!! The girls also celebrated St. Patty's Day in style! Grammy O'Brien (even though she is more Italian than Irish) sent the cutest outfits that the girls wore all day.
Developmentally, the Girls are doing great! They pull up on everything and are cruising back and forth across the baby gate and couch. A few days ago, we got them a toy that they can hold onto while walking. As they get bigger, they will be able to ride it. Julie, the occupational therapist, says that they are doing so well that she is ready to decrease her weekly visits to twice/month but our pediatrician has asked that she continue to see them weekly until we know there are no issues with eating solids.
In 3 weeks, Julie will re-evaluate to see if every other week is the right call. Some new things the Girls are doing...We have caught Trinity licking the wall a few times and if Kinsley hears the word "no" it only motivates her to move faster at what she plans to do. Trinity's favorite toy right now is the piano and Kinsley is loving baby dolls!!
Parent's Thoughts:
I have to admit, I was somewhat afraid of what emotions would come with the Girls actual birthday. For sure I would be thankful and happy that we made it and that the Girls were doing so well but part of me was afraid that some of those other memories would creep in of how I felt throughout the NICU stay. With God's Grace, I woke up the morning of their 1 year birthday feeling as if I was free of those memories. Thank you God!! Ever since, I have not thought once of them. I am thoroughly enjoying every minute I get to spend with my babies. They are growing up so fast that I don't want any of it to be taken for granted. Happy Easter!! I hope everyone remembers the true meaning of this weekend!!!
Our Encouragement:
From the fullness of his grace we have received one blessing after another.
John 1:16
We're Still Standing...
Babies Situation:
The Girls will be 1 year old next week. Wow does time fly! We have had a wonderful, blessed year. Thank you God. Both Girls have mastered the art of pulling up and are starting to cruise and play with toys while holding on to the baby gate. Kinsley has figured out that there are buttons on the TV. She gets great enjoyment out of turning the TV off and then turning to see your reaction. Smart Daddy has taken care of that one though by putting the baby gate in front of the TV. In the last few days, Kinsley has finally figured out how to sit down from a standing up position. She does it very slowly and carefully - it is actually pretty graceful. Trinity hasn't figured that part out yet. She is very quick to pull herself up on everything but hasn't figured out how to let herself back down. This has not really been any issue until it's bedtime and you find her falling asleep standing up.
Both Girls have had major teething going on this week, especially Trinity. Since last weekend, there has been few naps and broken sleep at night. Trinity cannot even crawl across the room without stopping to put her hand in her mouth. No sleep+poor feedings=fussy babies and sleep deprived parents :( Hopefully, we are almost done with this bad teething spell. Both seem to be getting better each day. We only heard one cry last night and it lasted 3 seconds. We do have a bad habit to break though. Trinity has been in so much pain for the last three nights that we have rocked her to sleep. Last night we tried putting her down without rocking her and she wasn't going to let us get away with her/our normal routine. I think she enjoys it as much as we do... ha. Tonight is going to be day 1 of trying to break the bad habit we have all formed. Please pray for us. I am weak and cannot stand to hear my babies crying.
On a more positive note, both Girls are officially crawling on their hands and knees with the exception that if there is a new, hot toy across the room they know to drop to the elbows for speed. It is quite the show to see two 15 lb babies speed across the room for the same toy. There is lots of huffing and puffing that goes along with it.
Parent's Thoughts:
Overall, the Girls are doing great. Julie, the occupational therapist, said that developmentally they are catching up to their chronological age for being 1 next week. We have really enjoyed watching them develop. What a joy it is to see your babies grow. We go for their last RSV shot today. Yeah!! We have almost made it through RSV season. It is a true blessing that we have been able to avoid this nasty infection thus far. We have been taking them out to eat on patios and trying to get them somewhat exposed to life outside the house. They are slowly adapting. In a few weeks, we will start taking them to church and to indoor facilities like the mall or a store. We are planning at least 1-2 outdoor/indoor activities per weekend. We will be having a 1 year birthday party either late spring or summer (once flu/RSV is minimal) so we need to get them ready to socialize. Please continue to pray for good health and adaptability. We do appreciate all the comments on the blog. The support has really helped us through this year.
Our Encouragement:
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57
The Girls will be 1 year old next week. Wow does time fly! We have had a wonderful, blessed year. Thank you God. Both Girls have mastered the art of pulling up and are starting to cruise and play with toys while holding on to the baby gate. Kinsley has figured out that there are buttons on the TV. She gets great enjoyment out of turning the TV off and then turning to see your reaction. Smart Daddy has taken care of that one though by putting the baby gate in front of the TV. In the last few days, Kinsley has finally figured out how to sit down from a standing up position. She does it very slowly and carefully - it is actually pretty graceful. Trinity hasn't figured that part out yet. She is very quick to pull herself up on everything but hasn't figured out how to let herself back down. This has not really been any issue until it's bedtime and you find her falling asleep standing up.
Both Girls have had major teething going on this week, especially Trinity. Since last weekend, there has been few naps and broken sleep at night. Trinity cannot even crawl across the room without stopping to put her hand in her mouth. No sleep+poor feedings=fussy babies and sleep deprived parents :( Hopefully, we are almost done with this bad teething spell. Both seem to be getting better each day. We only heard one cry last night and it lasted 3 seconds. We do have a bad habit to break though. Trinity has been in so much pain for the last three nights that we have rocked her to sleep. Last night we tried putting her down without rocking her and she wasn't going to let us get away with her/our normal routine. I think she enjoys it as much as we do... ha. Tonight is going to be day 1 of trying to break the bad habit we have all formed. Please pray for us. I am weak and cannot stand to hear my babies crying.
On a more positive note, both Girls are officially crawling on their hands and knees with the exception that if there is a new, hot toy across the room they know to drop to the elbows for speed. It is quite the show to see two 15 lb babies speed across the room for the same toy. There is lots of huffing and puffing that goes along with it.
Parent's Thoughts:
Overall, the Girls are doing great. Julie, the occupational therapist, said that developmentally they are catching up to their chronological age for being 1 next week. We have really enjoyed watching them develop. What a joy it is to see your babies grow. We go for their last RSV shot today. Yeah!! We have almost made it through RSV season. It is a true blessing that we have been able to avoid this nasty infection thus far. We have been taking them out to eat on patios and trying to get them somewhat exposed to life outside the house. They are slowly adapting. In a few weeks, we will start taking them to church and to indoor facilities like the mall or a store. We are planning at least 1-2 outdoor/indoor activities per weekend. We will be having a 1 year birthday party either late spring or summer (once flu/RSV is minimal) so we need to get them ready to socialize. Please continue to pray for good health and adaptability. We do appreciate all the comments on the blog. The support has really helped us through this year.
Our Encouragement:
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57
Back in Action...
Babies Situation:
The Girls turned 11 months on Feb 18th. so they are now 7 1/2 months corrected. We had a good, healthy week. No colds or stomach flu - only teething!! Both are slobbering excessively with hands or toys in their mouth constantly. They cannot even make it across the room without stopping and sticking their hands into their mouth. We know this is a phase so hopefully we'll have a break soon.
We introduced high chairs to the Girls over the weekend. They loved them!! They think it's a new toy which makes keeping their attention on eating almost impossible. From the looks of things, we might have to start over on how much solids we can get them to take. They are more interested in the chair and what's around them rather than the food. Oh well, lesson learned.
Kinsley loves solids so she'll take anywhere from 1 oz to 4 oz per feeding but when she takes around 4 oz that means she only took a few ounces of formula. Trinity loves her bottle so she will finish her bottle but only take 1 to 2 oz of solids. The new position of sitting up makes it harder for Trinity to keep her food in her mouth since she has an over active tongue. I'm sure the OT will be able to help her with that.
Julie, the occupational therapist, has us pretty much working with the Girls on the same things. We are working with them on crawling on their hands and knees, pulling up, and eating from high chairs. Our pediatrician said that we could start introducing stage 3 solids but Julie would first like to start feeding the Girls crackers to see if they will chew their food rather than just swallow it whole. I bought some Ritz crackers for them to practice on. Both Girls are loving to pull-up on the couch (with assistance) but Kinsley did it on her own yesterday. Keith was watching the Girls while I was away hosting a baby shower. When I got home, Kinsley crawled over to the baby gate to say HI and pulled herself up on it to see me. It was awesome!!!
Parent's Thoughts:
Overall, the Girls are advancing great. We had ECI come out and do another evaluation last Friday and they both are ranking at 8 months which is great for micro preemies. They are not delayed at all for their corrected age. Due to being sick for a few weeks, they did loose a few ounces which slowed them down developmentally but they are back on track. We know there will be more set backs but we'll work through them and pick up where they left off. We are not concerned at this time that they are not closer to their chronological age. They have plenty of time to catch up. We are just enjoying them as they are.
Our Encouragement:
May the Lord continually bless you with heaven's blessings as well as with human joys.
Psalm 128:5
The Girls turned 11 months on Feb 18th. so they are now 7 1/2 months corrected. We had a good, healthy week. No colds or stomach flu - only teething!! Both are slobbering excessively with hands or toys in their mouth constantly. They cannot even make it across the room without stopping and sticking their hands into their mouth. We know this is a phase so hopefully we'll have a break soon.
We introduced high chairs to the Girls over the weekend. They loved them!! They think it's a new toy which makes keeping their attention on eating almost impossible. From the looks of things, we might have to start over on how much solids we can get them to take. They are more interested in the chair and what's around them rather than the food. Oh well, lesson learned.
Kinsley loves solids so she'll take anywhere from 1 oz to 4 oz per feeding but when she takes around 4 oz that means she only took a few ounces of formula. Trinity loves her bottle so she will finish her bottle but only take 1 to 2 oz of solids. The new position of sitting up makes it harder for Trinity to keep her food in her mouth since she has an over active tongue. I'm sure the OT will be able to help her with that.
Julie, the occupational therapist, has us pretty much working with the Girls on the same things. We are working with them on crawling on their hands and knees, pulling up, and eating from high chairs. Our pediatrician said that we could start introducing stage 3 solids but Julie would first like to start feeding the Girls crackers to see if they will chew their food rather than just swallow it whole. I bought some Ritz crackers for them to practice on. Both Girls are loving to pull-up on the couch (with assistance) but Kinsley did it on her own yesterday. Keith was watching the Girls while I was away hosting a baby shower. When I got home, Kinsley crawled over to the baby gate to say HI and pulled herself up on it to see me. It was awesome!!!
Parent's Thoughts:
Overall, the Girls are advancing great. We had ECI come out and do another evaluation last Friday and they both are ranking at 8 months which is great for micro preemies. They are not delayed at all for their corrected age. Due to being sick for a few weeks, they did loose a few ounces which slowed them down developmentally but they are back on track. We know there will be more set backs but we'll work through them and pick up where they left off. We are not concerned at this time that they are not closer to their chronological age. They have plenty of time to catch up. We are just enjoying them as they are.
Our Encouragement:
May the Lord continually bless you with heaven's blessings as well as with human joys.
Psalm 128:5
To pooped to pop - Feb. starts with a mess
Babies Situation:
The Girls are 10 1/2 months old, 7 months corrected as of the first week in Feb. Trinity is now army crawling when provoked with the TV remote while Kinsley is zooming around the room on her little elbows. For the next few weeks, we will be working with the Girls on pulling up and cruising the furniture, crawling with their hands and knees, and going from a laying down position to sitting.
The Girls have had a rough start to Feb. with the stomach bug. We noticed their appetite decline about 1 1/2 weeks ago but that was probably due to teething. On Tuesday Feb 2nd., Kinsley vomited on Julie, the girls OT. Later that night, she had her first diarrhea diaper. Trinity was soon to follow. They both made a trip to the pediatrician on Wednesday and we were told to keep them hydrated but also to keep our eye out for dehydration. The issue here is that the Girls are very picky eaters and will only take their formula - nothing else. Their formula is milk-based which in turn doesn't go well with the stomach bug. Long story short, it has been some long days/nights and lots of stinky diapers!! We are giving them Florator for Kids twice/day and 1 oz of pedialyte(through a syringe). The largest syringe we have holds 5 ml. We have to fill it up 6 times to get 1 oz!! eek! After 4 days of this routine, it seems as if they have gotten a bit better (No dirty diapers since 7:30am Sat) - Thank you God!! I hope this is a sign that we are through the hardest part. Now we need their appetite to come back so that they can regain the pound they didn't gain this past month. Trinity weighs 14.11 lbs and Kinsley is 14.2 lbs.
Parent's Thoughts:
It has been a very tough start to Feb. for Keith and me. It has been stressful trying to figure out what the Girls need and how to comfort them. It is not a good feeling to be holding your crying baby and to have no idea what hurts and how to fix it. We have done our research and lots of trial and error to get these Girls better. I think it is finally paying off. Hopefully, we can get some sleep tonight along with the Girls. Kinsley has learned that if she yells (not cries) really loud, we will come running to find a little, round smiling face peering out at us through the crib slates. No matter what time it is though, it still puts a smile on our face.
Our Encouragement:
Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
Psalm 71:17
The Girls are 10 1/2 months old, 7 months corrected as of the first week in Feb. Trinity is now army crawling when provoked with the TV remote while Kinsley is zooming around the room on her little elbows. For the next few weeks, we will be working with the Girls on pulling up and cruising the furniture, crawling with their hands and knees, and going from a laying down position to sitting.
The Girls have had a rough start to Feb. with the stomach bug. We noticed their appetite decline about 1 1/2 weeks ago but that was probably due to teething. On Tuesday Feb 2nd., Kinsley vomited on Julie, the girls OT. Later that night, she had her first diarrhea diaper. Trinity was soon to follow. They both made a trip to the pediatrician on Wednesday and we were told to keep them hydrated but also to keep our eye out for dehydration. The issue here is that the Girls are very picky eaters and will only take their formula - nothing else. Their formula is milk-based which in turn doesn't go well with the stomach bug. Long story short, it has been some long days/nights and lots of stinky diapers!! We are giving them Florator for Kids twice/day and 1 oz of pedialyte(through a syringe). The largest syringe we have holds 5 ml. We have to fill it up 6 times to get 1 oz!! eek! After 4 days of this routine, it seems as if they have gotten a bit better (No dirty diapers since 7:30am Sat) - Thank you God!! I hope this is a sign that we are through the hardest part. Now we need their appetite to come back so that they can regain the pound they didn't gain this past month. Trinity weighs 14.11 lbs and Kinsley is 14.2 lbs.
Parent's Thoughts:
It has been a very tough start to Feb. for Keith and me. It has been stressful trying to figure out what the Girls need and how to comfort them. It is not a good feeling to be holding your crying baby and to have no idea what hurts and how to fix it. We have done our research and lots of trial and error to get these Girls better. I think it is finally paying off. Hopefully, we can get some sleep tonight along with the Girls. Kinsley has learned that if she yells (not cries) really loud, we will come running to find a little, round smiling face peering out at us through the crib slates. No matter what time it is though, it still puts a smile on our face.
Our Encouragement:
Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
Psalm 71:17
Just Sitting Around
Babies Situation:
The Girls turned 10 months on Jan. 18th.!! Yeah! Both are in full swing of teething. Kinsley's second tooth broke through over the weekend but you can only see the first one when she smiles. Trinity still has no teeth breaking through but she has had low grade fevers, drooling, and fussiness so we know it's going to happen soon.
Both Girls can sit. Trinity is a little bit stronger and can sit longer but Kinsley does sit on her own. We started off giving them large, tall toys to play with for them to lean on and practice. Now OT suggests giving them small toys where they have to balance to strengthen their core muscles. It's working!!
The crawling is coming along. Kinsley now whips around the room in her half army crawl(she's about an inch off the ground) getting into everything she shouldn't get into. It's funny to watch her. She first looks around the room to see what's off limits and then goes for it. She like bedroom shoes, cups, remotes, cell phones, plugs, and going behind the couch. Over the weekend, Trinity started moving more. She will army crawl a few inches but that's it for now. She hasn't realized that she can make it across the room. Boy are we in trouble when she does!
Parent's Thoughts:
It has been such a joy watching them grow. They are doing new things every day and it feels great for them to meet their milestones month after month. At this point, they are doing everything they should be doing for 6 1/2 months old. We will continue to work with them on crawling, sitting, and some standing. We have so much fun with them. We all get to laugh and play together which reminds Keith and I what life is really about. Thank you God.
Our Encouragement:
I have great confidence in you; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.
2 Corinthians 7:4
The Girls turned 10 months on Jan. 18th.!! Yeah! Both are in full swing of teething. Kinsley's second tooth broke through over the weekend but you can only see the first one when she smiles. Trinity still has no teeth breaking through but she has had low grade fevers, drooling, and fussiness so we know it's going to happen soon.
Both Girls can sit. Trinity is a little bit stronger and can sit longer but Kinsley does sit on her own. We started off giving them large, tall toys to play with for them to lean on and practice. Now OT suggests giving them small toys where they have to balance to strengthen their core muscles. It's working!!
The crawling is coming along. Kinsley now whips around the room in her half army crawl(she's about an inch off the ground) getting into everything she shouldn't get into. It's funny to watch her. She first looks around the room to see what's off limits and then goes for it. She like bedroom shoes, cups, remotes, cell phones, plugs, and going behind the couch. Over the weekend, Trinity started moving more. She will army crawl a few inches but that's it for now. She hasn't realized that she can make it across the room. Boy are we in trouble when she does!
Parent's Thoughts:
It has been such a joy watching them grow. They are doing new things every day and it feels great for them to meet their milestones month after month. At this point, they are doing everything they should be doing for 6 1/2 months old. We will continue to work with them on crawling, sitting, and some standing. We have so much fun with them. We all get to laugh and play together which reminds Keith and I what life is really about. Thank you God.
Our Encouragement:
I have great confidence in you; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.
2 Corinthians 7:4
The Texas Tooth Step...
Babies Situation:
The Girls have had a good first week of the year. Kinsley is cutting her first tooth but doesn’t seem to be too bothered by it. She has a small, sharp, nobby tooth that just broke the surface. A few months ago, she had more symptoms than now which included eating poorly, broken sleep patterns, and lots of drooling. Trinity is going through all of that right now. She is drooling heavily and eating poorly. She doesn’t want to play as much and is very needy – she wants to be held a lot.
The occupational therapist, Julie, came this week after being off for the holidays. She was very impressed with how much the Girls have changed and improved over the last few weeks. She said both Girls are above their adjusted age of 6 months except for sitting on their own. We will be working on that!! Trinity is stronger throughout her back and can sit a little better and for longer but she still needs assistance. Kinsley is weaker at sitting but she has mastered lying on her side which is the next step to sitting up. Julie feels both will be sitting in the next few weeks!
We are still working on feeding the Girls different solid foods. Today they had sweet potato and absolutely loved it. Yesterday was peas and from what I saw on Kinsley’s face, it isn’t one of her favorites. Julie did tell us that kids with severe reflux will be pickier with textures and taste so she plans to monitor Kinsley’s eating habits. Still today, Kinsley will not eat oatmeal or rice cereal. Trinity will eat everything and anything. You can’t feed her fast enough and she gulps it all down.
Parent's Thoughts:
It has been really neat watching the Girls grow –personality wise and developmentally. Both are very different from each other. Trinity is miss smiley, she loves food, but she doesn’t care too much about anything that she might have to work for. Kinsley is more serious with a sweet smile. Food isn’t her #1 priority but physically, she is all over the place. It seems like the one’s weaknesses is the other’s strength. Overall, we had a good week of health!! Thank you God!!
Our Encouragement:
Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday.
Psalm 37:5-6
The Girls have had a good first week of the year. Kinsley is cutting her first tooth but doesn’t seem to be too bothered by it. She has a small, sharp, nobby tooth that just broke the surface. A few months ago, she had more symptoms than now which included eating poorly, broken sleep patterns, and lots of drooling. Trinity is going through all of that right now. She is drooling heavily and eating poorly. She doesn’t want to play as much and is very needy – she wants to be held a lot.
The occupational therapist, Julie, came this week after being off for the holidays. She was very impressed with how much the Girls have changed and improved over the last few weeks. She said both Girls are above their adjusted age of 6 months except for sitting on their own. We will be working on that!! Trinity is stronger throughout her back and can sit a little better and for longer but she still needs assistance. Kinsley is weaker at sitting but she has mastered lying on her side which is the next step to sitting up. Julie feels both will be sitting in the next few weeks!
We are still working on feeding the Girls different solid foods. Today they had sweet potato and absolutely loved it. Yesterday was peas and from what I saw on Kinsley’s face, it isn’t one of her favorites. Julie did tell us that kids with severe reflux will be pickier with textures and taste so she plans to monitor Kinsley’s eating habits. Still today, Kinsley will not eat oatmeal or rice cereal. Trinity will eat everything and anything. You can’t feed her fast enough and she gulps it all down.
Parent's Thoughts:
It has been really neat watching the Girls grow –personality wise and developmentally. Both are very different from each other. Trinity is miss smiley, she loves food, but she doesn’t care too much about anything that she might have to work for. Kinsley is more serious with a sweet smile. Food isn’t her #1 priority but physically, she is all over the place. It seems like the one’s weaknesses is the other’s strength. Overall, we had a good week of health!! Thank you God!!
Our Encouragement:
Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday.
Psalm 37:5-6
A Year of new beginnings...
We are back and committed to updating the Girls’ blog once a week!! We hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!
Babies Situation:
We have so much to report on the Girls. They turned 9 months December 18th and 6 months adjusted yesterday January 2nd. Trinity is just over 14 lbs while Kinsley is 13.5 lbs. Both are growing so quickly!! Both are still getting treated for reflux. Trinity is only getting one dose of Prilosec per day. Her reflux seems to be mild. Kinsley is getting 2 doses a day and is still not keen on eating. We have to be careful with her feeds not to cause any aversion. Some feeds she’ll only take up to 2 oz and we cannot force her to take more. We give her a break and try again in an hour. Overall, the pediatrician wants them taking 18-20 oz per day and we are meeting that requirement. The Pediatrician also gave us the OK to start feeding the Girls two solid meals a day. They get a fruit or vegetable in the mid morning and then oatmeal for dinner. We have been feeding them prunes for the last month to help with their constipation so they have had some practice with being spoon fed. So far, they have seemed to like everything we have given them especially bananas and prunes. They are unsure on the peas and the oatmeal has taken some time to get used to. We still have a bunch of flavors to try!! Yes, the constipation is still an issue. It is getting slightly better but they have not been able to regulate themselves.
Their development is coming along great!! Over the weekend, Kinsley has taught herself to army crawl and seems to get into everything she isn’t supposed to have. She isn’t so interested in her toys but loves Mama’s cell phone, computer, the home phone – everything off limits!! Trinity isn’t far behind. She is pivoting well and can move about a foot but she seems content with staying in one spot and playing with anything she can reach. I am now placing toys all around their playmate and blanket to encourage them to reach, pivot, roll, and crawl. They are pros at rolling so we haven’t worked on that in awhile. Right now, we are working on sitting up.
For Christmas, they received a few toys that they are able to sit over and play with. Another favorite activity for the Girls is playing in their jumperoo’s!! We now have two of them and they go crazy when they are in them. Trinity loves to jump and has been jumping for weeks. Kinsley finally figured out that she can jump and loves it. It’s so much fun to watch them.
We still have OT coming out once a week. Julie works with them on reaching, pivoting, crawling, sitting, and feeding. Developmentally, the Girls are at their adjusted age of 6 months but ahead of that with their hand skills. We also have ECI coming out once or twice a month. They evaluate them and then give us a few exercises to work on with the Girls to help strengthen anything that needs work. I am still working full time so Nancy, our wonderful Nanny, keeps them. She is great with them and takes such wonderful care of them.
Parent's Thoughts:
As you can see, everyone is doing great!! The Girls are healthy and growing on track. Keith and I have really enjoyed how fun the Girls have become in the last few months. They are very interactive and love to play. They smile all the time and talk (very loudly). They echo throughout the house!! They are starting to play with each other too. Well, sort of. They are actually starting to take toys away from each other but I’m sure they will share in the future. We still feel so blessed and excited to raise these precious babies. We do ask that you continue to pray for good health. Flu season is here until April so we have 4 more months to keep them at home to protect them from any major illnesses. In the last 5 months, they have only gotten to go to the doctor’s, to a few small house parties, and 2 restaurants so we have done a great job protecting them. We still fear the flu or colds so we will be home bound until May. Thank you for all your love and support.
Our Encouragement:
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and to not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11
Babies Situation:
We have so much to report on the Girls. They turned 9 months December 18th and 6 months adjusted yesterday January 2nd. Trinity is just over 14 lbs while Kinsley is 13.5 lbs. Both are growing so quickly!! Both are still getting treated for reflux. Trinity is only getting one dose of Prilosec per day. Her reflux seems to be mild. Kinsley is getting 2 doses a day and is still not keen on eating. We have to be careful with her feeds not to cause any aversion. Some feeds she’ll only take up to 2 oz and we cannot force her to take more. We give her a break and try again in an hour. Overall, the pediatrician wants them taking 18-20 oz per day and we are meeting that requirement. The Pediatrician also gave us the OK to start feeding the Girls two solid meals a day. They get a fruit or vegetable in the mid morning and then oatmeal for dinner. We have been feeding them prunes for the last month to help with their constipation so they have had some practice with being spoon fed. So far, they have seemed to like everything we have given them especially bananas and prunes. They are unsure on the peas and the oatmeal has taken some time to get used to. We still have a bunch of flavors to try!! Yes, the constipation is still an issue. It is getting slightly better but they have not been able to regulate themselves.
Their development is coming along great!! Over the weekend, Kinsley has taught herself to army crawl and seems to get into everything she isn’t supposed to have. She isn’t so interested in her toys but loves Mama’s cell phone, computer, the home phone – everything off limits!! Trinity isn’t far behind. She is pivoting well and can move about a foot but she seems content with staying in one spot and playing with anything she can reach. I am now placing toys all around their playmate and blanket to encourage them to reach, pivot, roll, and crawl. They are pros at rolling so we haven’t worked on that in awhile. Right now, we are working on sitting up.
For Christmas, they received a few toys that they are able to sit over and play with. Another favorite activity for the Girls is playing in their jumperoo’s!! We now have two of them and they go crazy when they are in them. Trinity loves to jump and has been jumping for weeks. Kinsley finally figured out that she can jump and loves it. It’s so much fun to watch them.
We still have OT coming out once a week. Julie works with them on reaching, pivoting, crawling, sitting, and feeding. Developmentally, the Girls are at their adjusted age of 6 months but ahead of that with their hand skills. We also have ECI coming out once or twice a month. They evaluate them and then give us a few exercises to work on with the Girls to help strengthen anything that needs work. I am still working full time so Nancy, our wonderful Nanny, keeps them. She is great with them and takes such wonderful care of them.
Parent's Thoughts:
As you can see, everyone is doing great!! The Girls are healthy and growing on track. Keith and I have really enjoyed how fun the Girls have become in the last few months. They are very interactive and love to play. They smile all the time and talk (very loudly). They echo throughout the house!! They are starting to play with each other too. Well, sort of. They are actually starting to take toys away from each other but I’m sure they will share in the future. We still feel so blessed and excited to raise these precious babies. We do ask that you continue to pray for good health. Flu season is here until April so we have 4 more months to keep them at home to protect them from any major illnesses. In the last 5 months, they have only gotten to go to the doctor’s, to a few small house parties, and 2 restaurants so we have done a great job protecting them. We still fear the flu or colds so we will be home bound until May. Thank you for all your love and support.
Our Encouragement:
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and to not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11
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