Eyes, Nose, Fingers, Toes!

This is the TRUTH about what happens when you teach toddlers about body parts...

"Eyes" ::Poke:: (As in POKE in your EYE)
"Nose" ::Poke:: (As in toddler finger in your NOSE)
"Mouf" ::Poke:: (Same finger IN your MOUTH)
"Ears! EARS!" ::Tug:: (Tug on our earrings)

My all time favorite from Miss Addison herself - "Gasses" (swipes glasses off my face, quickly followed by...) "EYES!" ::Poke, Poke":: ... As if needing glasses to see isn't bad enough, I now have a toddler finger in my eye. And if you are thinking for one second that I could have stopped her... WRONG... girl is QUICK. And I fall for it every time! Call it her sneak attack.

"Hand" ::Smack:: (Me: "Not nice, we don't hit." Blake: "No, no Sissy. Not nice!")
"Toes" ::tug, tug:: (Me: "Blake! Stop tugging my toes." Blake: "hahahah TOES hahaha")


The very best part of this is the absolute PRIDE they have on their face when they have identified the correct body parts. So at the end of the day, I suppose it's all worth it, but really I hope they learn to be more gentle as I try hard to encourage them to be.

60 Days - 2 whole months

Without a single tube feeding! (And she is gaining weight! 23.1 lbs is the official weight.) And this last week she has suddenly started eating one waffle AND... AND an entire Greek yogurt for breakfast (it used to be one or the other.) Her appetite is growing for sure, and I am seeing her eating a lot more.

We couldn't be more proud. And to celebrate I made her a double layer chocolate cake! And I am also excited because for the first time ::knocks on wood:: neither kiddo had a reaction to the icing. The plain.white.vanilla.icing. Lol.

Today ( 1/15/13) is the official date for this "versary" but we celebrated on Sunday while Daddy was home for work, so he wouldn't miss out on the celebration.

Milestone Monday

I am not sure it's really a milestone BUT.... They like their veggies, and enjoy a good grilled cheese and spinach sandwich for lunch. And I guess in some ways this is HUGE for Addison, up until a few days ago she wouldn't eat grilled cheese. Blake enjoyed them, hated them, and appears to enjoy them again. Addison is also officially addicted to milk, like as in 24 ounces a day. WOAH! And still eating like a champ.

Blake now tells us every night "brush teeth" and walks in the bathroom on his way to bed every night, and at nap time too. They both actually really enjoy brushing their teeth and I let them take turns "practicing" on their own while I help the other. He is also talking more and more in sentences. And Addison is taking cues from him by picking up new words every day. (Mommy needs to be careful what she says).

Oh and let's see... This morning during breakfast I was correcting Addison for being rotten instead of eating and I said "Do you want to be punished today?" She turns to Jake and goes "Daaaaaaada?" In this really innocent voice, hands folded in front of her at the table as if she were about to negotiate. He looked at me and I could see it... Co-parenting went out the window and he was about to give in. Well played Addison, well played. Learn how to work Daddy already. Sigh.

And we are at the stage where it's "I do it", "Daddy do it" or "Mommy do it" and if we do not honor these requests, tantrums ensue. (Blake)... For example - Me: "Come here so Mommy can put you in your chair." Blake: "Dadda DO IT!" or Jake: "Ok buddy bedtime, lets go." Blake: "MOMMA DO IT!"

So yeah. That's where we are right now. It's pretty exciting watching them grow and learn to do all these new things.

Santa Comes to Town...

First and most important.......

ADDISON HAS BEEN TUBE FEEDING FREE FOR 30 DAYS!

30 days ago I tube fed my budding toddler through her feeding tube for the very last time. Today I did a weight check and she is weighing 22.2 lbs, which is steady from a week ago. Which is also a huge accomplishment because as I mentioned, weight loss is typical with tube weaning and they won't take her tube out until she gains weight for 3 months in a row. So holding steady is actually on the right track. I am hoping that this means the weight loss is over and that we will be in the gain column soon.

To celebrate I thought "We should have cake, minus the icing because apparently my kids are allergic to cake icing." (Poor kids.) One of my preemie mom buddies suggested I let Addison and Blake help me bake a cake. And I really am thankful she suggested it because I would have thought about it later and wished that I had. But at any rate. Let me preface this with, I don't bake often, aka I do not have much on hand to bake from scratch or at a moments notice. That's ok with me though, because I am sure a box cake would be better then anything I could make, I tried that once so believe me...box cake is better. This meant a trip to the store. No biggie. I figured I could go after their nap, pick up the mix and such, come home and let them help me bake and hoped that by the time I was done Jake would be home from work to join in on the celebration.

I had talked with Jake during nap time and he indicated that he thought he wouldn't be to late, so I thought I'd check in after nap time and decide either to wait for him to get home and then run out to the store or just go before he got home and get started. After nap time he said he wouldn't be much longer, that he had just gotten to his last job. So I waited. And waited. TWO HOURS LATER, he tells me it's gonna be a while longer. (Plus an hour (+) commute home).

At this point I had found a recipe for some "butter cookies" and had everything it needed (butter, flour, baking powder, eggs, honey) so I had started that BUT the dough had to sit for a few hours in the fridge. I figured, we'll have cookies instead and play it by ear, if he gets home "soon" I'll run out. Otherwise it was time to start dinner and well...yeah. No going out at this point.

Jake finally got home. He wanted to take the dogs out for a walk first, and change his clothes and blah blah, normal "just got home from work" stuff. FINE.. I'll keep waiting. He finally comes back inside, and I head out. I am not gone TEN MINUTES... DO YOU HEAR ME TEN STINKING MINUTES... I have been home ALL DAY LONG with the kiddos... ALL.DAY.LONG. And Jake calls. What could he possibly want? I bet we are out of milk or something. Ohhhhhh no. He is excited. "What Jake, what?" I ask.

I am standing in the store, deciding on cake mix... WHAT DOES HE WANT.

Jake: "OMG... SANTA JUST CAME TO THE HOUSE."

Me: "What?"

Jake: "Santa. He just came through with a parade of fire trucks and brought goody bags to the door for the babies. I heard him outside, they were beeping the horns and stuff. SANTA WAS HERE."

And it's official. I hate Jake. I leave for TEN MINUTES. And Santa comes. Jake didn't get a single picture (he claims he didn't have a chance to lol). Santa drives through in this big ol' parade of fire trucks and gives my kids candy...WITHOUT SENDING ME A MEMO FIRST and I miss the whole thing.

Did I mention I was home ALL.FREAKING.DAY????????

So what did I do when I got home?

1.) I told Jake he could not discuss it. Instead I listened to Blake "Momma, SANTA.... truuuuuuuckkkkkk"

2.) I made a HUGE deal with Addison about it and told Addison, that because I am in fact the worlds best Mommy EVER, made a call to Santa to remind him (because we all know he sees you when you are sleeping and knows when you are wake, all that stuff, but is super busy) and told him I needed a visit to my house with a special treat for Addison because it as a big day for her and she was 30 days feeding tube free.

(I imagine in her head she is visioning me whispering on the phone late at night while she is asleep... "Santa, yes this is Addison's mom. Yes the one that you brought a Barbie Corvette for when she was five. Uh-huh, I am still mad about that because I wanted a Mustang NOT a Corvette. Yes Santa you can make it right. How you ask? Well as you've seen Addison has been a really good girl, and Blake has done a good job being a good boy, and well today Addison was went 30 days without a tube feeding, and I think you need to come and visit before Christmas so she knows that you KNOW. I don't care if you are busy. I expect you to arrive before bedtime."  And I further imagine that she thinks, "Mommy really is boss. She even went and personally gave Santa directions to my house, and that's why she wasn't here when he got here. She must have got stuck in traffic! My mommy rocks!".... Yes I do sweet Addison. Yes I do.)

Tube Weaning Update....

We had our appt with GI. According to their scale she lost 2 pounds (1. this is not uncommon when weaning from a feeding tube, but 2.) I am positive that GI's scale is so wrong. She was weighed the week before at the Ped office, and I weighed her on our home scale that same day for comparison. I also weighed her on our home scale the day of her GI appt too. She def didn't loose 2 pounds.), either way... GI's response to this was "What would you like us to do about her weight loss?" My response was, "Nothing. I won't go back to tube feeding her at this point."

I was SHOCKED when GI was "ok" with that. I really thought she would fight me on it a lot more. Instead we talked about Addison's daily diet and she offered me some other options as far as liquids that might be appealing to Addison, and things I could add to her foods to boost categories. She wanted to be sure that I understood that she needed to see Addison gain weight for three consecutive months without any intake via her G-tube, in order to give consent for it to be removed. I get that, and we are in no rush to actually (pardon the pun) pull the plug. I'd like to see Addison get through this winter/cold and flu season without a tube feeding first. (It's highly common for G-tube babies to stop eating or drinking when they get a cold etc, especially at first.) If she can make it through this without needing additional support then yes I am absolutely all for getting rid of it 100%, after all that is what we have been working so very hard towards, I am just not in a hurry. I'd hate to take it out and then see her need to have it put back in later. In other words, we just aren't there yet, but we are close.

One of the toughest things about this process has been calorie tracking and watching her liquid intake vs. wet diapers. For starters, she certainly isn't taking in the volume of liquid she was through her G-tube (again this is normal) so I am not used to the difference in her output. She still has wet diapers within what is considered normal (every 6 hours or less), but certainly not as wet or as frequent as they once were. And to be honest, it makes me crazy and wonder if she is getting "enough" (she is, I've asked). She "drinks" less then what is "ideal" so to compensate we are offering her purees... (Did you know?...purees/yogurt/other "wet" food count as liquid intake (ounce for ounce) and help prevent dehydration.) I worried myself sick until GI and the Ped both reassured me on this. This also means that we are going to have to work extra hard at increasing what she drinks as she moves away from puree food.

I've noticed that we are falling into a pattern where she eats REALLY REALLY REALLY well for a day or two and then just sort of picks a little for a day or so. Also, normal toddler behavior, but golly doesn't she understand and know that it's important that she packs on the pounds right now? The truth...she doesn't understand. In fact, she is just beginning to understand and learn what hunger feels like and how to satisfy her hunger. I can say this though... she is beginning to behave more like what I'd expect a toddler to behave like as far as food goes, or should I say, she behaves more like Blake. (Ya know my kid who eats anything and everything...Yeah now he is becoming picky, which seems to be age appropriate.)

She and I are learning together. It's our new adventure. Moving away from one (the tube) into another (the world of "real" food and "real" meals.) Not going to lie. Some of these days can be frustrating, but the reward that comes with it is incredible. She is learning to communicate her needs with me, she's gained three important new words "Milk", "Affle" (waffle) and "O-grrr" (yogurt). Which in turn means she can request what she'd like to eat, and therefor she is more willing to eat what she is given, a win for both of us.

But this has been no cake walk that is for sure. I cannot tell you the lengths I go through to get her to eat sometimes. Or how many times I have had to distract her with my cell phone and then thought "Just how much food is on my phone? Should I weight it?" <--- Not kidding. I really have thought about it. For some time, I was the only one who could feed her orally. Why you ask? Because I am a control freak. Because, there is a method to our madness here. Because I am her primary caregiver, I know the tricks of the trade to make things happen. It's a comfort thing between her and I and it's about trust. I know how much is too much on the spoon and when to take her cup away. Yes I could teach someone else I suppose, but it's hard to cram all that into one session and expect a person to remember when they aren't doing it on a daily basis. And we were actually discouraged from doing that by her OT, initially. Until she really became comfortable with eating and could manage things on her own a little bit better, and because what worked today wouldn't necessarily work tomorrow.

That part is getting better, to the point where I can give Jake a chance to feed her and allow myself a small break. And it's actually becoming beneficial to both Addison and Jake. They have now built that trust. (For the record, he has always been able to/and would tube feed her.) He has done an amazing job learning "how to feed Addison". I am very proud of him for that. Now I can go out to the store and leave them home with Jake and know that he can safely feed her.

We are still struggling with somethings, like her eating in a public place or with a large crowd (too many distractions). But our families are also learning, when we gather around the table for dinner, how to react and to keep things as calm as can be. Eventually we'll get to a point where she'll be able to manage her distractions, for now we just limit them. No this doesn't mean we don't ever go out eat. It just means we only do it on occasion and choose places that aren't as crowded, etc. and work up to it.

I am still struggling with giving her some space to have the control she needs while meeting her calorie needs. Our goal is to keep feeding as pleasant as possible for her and let her guide us, while still thriving. It's tough, but we are doing it. I haven't yet found the "perfect" solution. She eats a lot of meals in front of the tv, and sips on her cup throughout the day vs. drinking a full cup at once. Her Nissin Fundo impacts her volume and what she can tolerate which makes it tougher too. It's for certain a work in progress, but for today... My child is eating and thriving. I am choosing to focus on that while we move forward.

Everyday that she doesn't have a tube feeding is one step closer to our goal. I look forward to not having to try and count each calorie she takes in (and try and figure out just how many calories are in each meal I cook, or having to buy prepackaged meals so I know exactly what she is getting).

Please continue to pray for our sanity, and growth at this time. And if you notice that I myself have gained weight, blame Addison. It is for her benefit that I now have to cook fattier foods and I am way to lazy to make low calorie versions for Jake and myself nor do I have the patience.

A Special Note from Addison...

Hello to all our blog followers!

This is Addison and I wanted to share an extra special message with you all. See Mommy and I have been working extra hard on my eating. Mommy says we are doing something called "Tube Weening" where I learn to eat and not rely on my "tubie" anymore. I admit I am just a little sad about this because Tubie is my best friend and really means a lot to me. But I really wanted to be a big girl. My Pediatrician said that he really felt like it was a good time to let me try and give me a little room to grow, so Mommy promised we'd work really hard at it and told me that it was my choice. She would let me decide if I was ready to be a big girl and become an oral eater. Mommy said I shouldn't be scared and she would help me along, we would get through this together.

So we came home and she talked with Daddy and told him the news. And Daddy said he'd even help too. (I also think I remember something about a pony too). A month ago my journey to saying good-bye to Tubie began. I can best describe it as a marathon and sometimes a battle of wills. (I let Mommy think she wins them all.) But my Mommy and Daddy didn't give up. They kept trying with me. I am so excited to say as of today I have been eating and drinking enough food that I haven't needed Tubie..... FOR THE LAST 14 DAYS!!!! Yup I have went TWO WHOLE WEEKS without a tube feeding!

I saw my Pediatrician again today and he was so excited to hear the news. He checked my weight and said that I gained appropriately and was still following my curve. He gave me some new goals for me and Mommy to work on and said that as long as I stay on my growth curve and do not fall below the 10th percentile, I don't have to use Tubie. Mommy will take me back to visit again right before Christmas so I can tell him all about the progress we are making and let him know that I have achieved the goals he set forth for me. Mommy says we are officially on the path to saying "Bye Bye Tubie", just 165 days to go (maybe a little more, or less). That's right if I keep being a good girl and eat and drink by mouth (even when I am sick, which also means taking medicine by mouth) that in a little less then 6 months time Mommy and Daddy will likely get permission from my doctors to let me take Tubie out FOR GOOD!

He even told Mommy that she can call and cancel my appointment that she's been waiting a year for at the feeding clinic! The best part was Daddy got to be there today to hear the good news too. He was so proud of me that he took me out to dinner to celebrate! We meet with my GI doctor again next week for a follow up and I really hope she will be excited and proud of me too...

Can you believe it? First I got to share all the turkey and fixings on Thanksgiving with Mommy, Daddy and Blake and now I am on my way to big big things! Before you know it I'll be graduating college, walking down the aisle and starting a family of my own. Ok so Mommy says she just can't think about that part right now because she's not ready for me to be THAT grown up yet, and Daddy says no boy talk so shhh...

So long for now, I look forward to updating my loyal fans again later.

Love,
Princess Addison

Moving On Up....

(North that is).... That's right. We relocated, AGAIN. But this time hopefully for awhile longer. We found a cute house that has room for us to grow (and accommodate all those wonderful TODDLER must haves) just between Gettysburg and Lancaster, its absolutely perfect. We can spend our mornings eating breakfast while watching deer frolic just past our back yard and come night a calm passes over the town. Country living at its  finest.

With this move has come a cost though... currently we have very limited internet access, hence the lack of blog posts. Promise you wont forget about us. Just as soon as we can find a good solution I promise we'll be back to the regular posting.

So since my last post Addison is officially off and walking aka running and she has finally started to stand up and walk from the middle of the floor. Blake is learning all sorts of new words and recently told me "Not the boss." Yes my almost two year old (HOLY COW) told me I am not the boss. I am going to have my hands full. He is also learning lots of animal sounds and can "read" picture books to me by naming animals and things. Addison is taking cues from him and using words and signs to communicate with us more and more. She recently has learned "drink" and will use it when we are working on eating and she needs a drink to help clear her mouth.

As far as eating goes...I don't want to spoil things or jinx them so lets just say we are off and running again and making some HUGE progress. We'll leave it at that for now. But after a very in depth conversation with her Ped we made some decisions and changed the game plan. We'll see how it goes and see what GI has to say in December.

At her last Ped appt he also mentioned concern about Addison's left eye drifting inward. I called her eye doctor and was told she couldn't be seen until Feb so I made a few more calls and found another doctor here in near our new place who can see her next week. Ironically enough the "new" eye doctor did her residency etc at both Mercy and UMMC where we are allllllll too familiar. It's like it was meant to be. Her office staff was amazing on the phone so we'll see how our first visit goes. Hopefully it won't be anything too serious and we can just keep an eye on it for now.

I think that's all I've got for now. Looking forward to getting some pictures uploaded at some point so you can all see those adorable faces again.

19 months...and a cold.

It was bound to happen, but I really thought it wouldn't happen until later in the season. Either way we've got a cold. I am hoping it will be short lived. I noticed Addison was stuffy Saturday morning so I immediately started her on the nebulizer treatments 3-4 times a day. By Sunday she had shared her germs with Blake and what do ya know thanks to all the snot rubbing, Jake and I got it too. I am feeling better already I hope, and hope the rest of them aren't far behind me.

Let me tell you just how fun it is to convince two toddlers to stay still and not pull off the face mask for 15 minutes. Really fun. I don't recommend trying it at home lol. But its working and they seem to be on the mend too. I have been forcing two naps a day (or trying to) so they get enough rest too.

Anyway. All that being said, sometime overnight they turned 19 months old. Where has the time gone?

They are moving all over the place and CLIMBING on anything and everything. Still just a few steps here or there for Miss Addison, but Blake, man...whew. He is running everywhere. We have been trying to get to the park a few times a week and he enjoys chasing after the other kids and being "a big kid" or so he thinks. He is going so much that he literally wore holes in his "pre-walker" shoes. It was time anyway. Their feet are growing so fast. So we had to buy new shoes for both of them... SIZE 4...what in the world.

Recently Blake has mastered climbing on the couch and yelling.. "I jump" and trying to scare me buy pretending to dive. Today he did. And he cried, but he was ok. They both have figured out how to move their activity table and climb on to that to get a better look out the window.

And the sibling rivalry is in full swing. Heaven help me. Someone throws a tantrum 243542365426 times a day because the other has stolen a toy, cup, or Mommy.

I am really enjoying this age though. They are learning to communicate a little better everyday which helps A LOT. Blake also requested several times a day that I call Pop-Pop and he is actually starting to talk to him on the phone rather then just giggling and being silent. Addison, she is my Mom-Mom's girl and says "call mom momma" until I do and then she repeats "Hi momma, Hi Momma." Over and over. Tonight my grandmother said "Who is it?" And she answered "Adson" Melts my heart. I am blessed indeed.

Addison's EI Annual Review...

First a short explanation of EI (Early Intervention) - EI is an array of services for children from birth to age two or three (depending on your local program). In our case this is a community program designed to maximize the developmental potential of children while providing support to the family.

Addison and Blake both automatically qualify based on their history of Chronic Lung Disease (preemie lungs), Low Birth Weight and IVH (Intraventricular Hemorrhage) and will stay enrolled in the program until age three based on these things (in the state of Maryland). They were enrolled in the program upon their discharge from the NICU and an evaluation was done to determine their developmental level and what services they would receive, they are then re-evaluated at marked intervals to see if how they are improving and if any changes should be made to the services they are receiving.

Addison currently gets PT (Physcial Therapy) - twice a month, OT (Occupational Therapy/Feeding) 1-2 times a week and Special Instruction (think pre-school skills)- once a month, and recently had her annual review. It did not go as well as I anticipated.

She is currently 18 months old (actual age) with an adjusted age of 15 months. She is measuring mostly measuring in the 11-12 month range developmentally. In one area she did have some scattered scores in the 18 month range (Cognitive Skills), language she has emerging skills in the 14-16 month range and her Social Emotional Skills measure on target for her adjusted age of 15 months.

For some reason (denial) as her mom I felt like she was doing better then this. I mean the truth is, she is doing GREAT. She has made HUGE progress and CONTINUES to move forward. The hard part is that she isn't really closing the gap between her "actual" and "adjusted" age, and is lagging even further behind. It was also painful to hear that she most likely will face a learning disability and likely will not be able to keep up with her peers as well. All that being said, with appropriate resources and hard work, she will eventually "get" it... she is just going to have to work at it more. (What else is new, right? It's been this way since day one.)

I guess the thing is though, I just don't want to hear that my child is going to struggle. Nor do I want to SEE my child struggle. She is so bound and determined to do things and she doesn't give up when she doesn't get it. She just keeps going and gives it another shot. But to think of the things she may come up against in the future and know the pain she is likely to feel when she struggles to keep up, hurts. Every parent only wants what is best and wants to see their child succeed. I know she will succeed and I know she will work hard at it.

Fact of the matter though is that Addison has already defied the odds. She is my baby that wasn't supposed to live. The baby that should be showing signs of Cerebral Palsy and isn't. She is the baby who we weren't sure would learn to eat, she's eating. The baby who who we thought would never learn to suck from a bottle or straw, and she now proudly carries her own straw sippy cup. The baby who struggled to make sounds and words, and she has now has an emerging vocabulary. The baby who we wondered if she would ever walk, she is > - < this close! She is doing it "on her own time" not our time, and ya know what... I am ok with that.

Does that mean that I don't/haven't/or won't grieve for the delays or the heartache of hearing what "could be"? Nope. In fact I needed time to grieve for this as silly as that may sound. It's hard to describe. It's almost like this loss of innocence maybe? Like knowing she will struggle with certain things. And I have to admit, sometimes I feel like I have failed her, like part of this is my fault. I know in my heart that I have done it all, and done more then some EVER would. And I have done it will pride, and will continue to do it with pride. I am proud of every single, teeny tiny/huge, accomplishment she makes. Every.single.day. that I get with her makes me even more proud of her fight.

Addison, please know that your father and I will give our all to give you every thing you need to succeed. We will work together as a team to help you reach your goals and Blake will be there to help too. We've all got your back. Continue to be fearless and know that you will get there. Where ever there may be. And when you are ready to do it on your own and spread your wings, we'll be there too and will let you fly. But know we will always be a phone call, email, text, or Skype message away to do whatever we can. I have no doubt that you will one day be a highly successful lady. No doubt in my mind. I pray I am half as awesome as you baby girl. <3

I leave you with this... It says it all. Her - the first time she finished a whole container of baby food.
And Proverbs could not be more true. 

Happy 18 Months Our Precious Little Ones...

Where has the time gone? Seems like yesterday I was looking on from outside your incubators, like yesterday that we got to carry your carseats out and drive you home. Like yesterday that we were up every three hours for months on end, from doctor's appointments to therapy and everything in between.

But ya know what I wouldn't change a thing.

How amazing you both are and how you both amaze me. They have their 18 month appointments tomorrow so I will be sure to update with offical stats later but I can tell you they have grown.

I know longer see tiny babies. I see toddlers, big smiles, giggles, tears (when they don't get their way) and milestone after milestone.

Where are they now?

Blake: Eats anything and everything. Favorites include yogurt and waffles. Runs Walks everywhere, mostly. Has lots of words and phrases including "Wat Dat" or "Who Dat". Drinks from a straw cup (or any cup). Understands "Come to Mommy/Daddy" and loves to tell you "No, no, no" finger pointing included. Says and signs "all done" & "more" recent words spoken include "Cup" or "Puc" and "Milk". He has started "giving kisses" which consist of open mouth full slobber kisses OR turning his cheek for me to kiss lol. Master stair climber, loves bath time as long as the water isnt running, and will quickly try to jump back in when bath time is over. He also likes to tell me "I poop" and has been known to bring me a clean diaper.


Addison: Still mostly feeding tube fed but making great strides. HAS FIGURED OUT HOW TO DRINK FROM A STRAW (our baby who never knew how to suck.... SHE SUCKED MILK FROM A STRAW). Is eating an ounce to two ounces of food depending on the day. Crusing and finger walking. Has 9 words/phrases..."Up" "Ball" "Baby" "Mama" "Dada" "All done" "Good girl" "Hey" "Hi", all of which have been within the last month. She was evaluated by Speech today through Infants & Toddlers and the request of the Cleft Palate Team, becase during their appt two months ago, she didn't really have words and was doing minimal imitating. Do you want to know what the Speech Therapist told me today? "I am amazed at her beautiful language skills, just three months post Cleft Repair. She has adequet words for her age, and immitates well. I am beyond please and think she is well within NORMAL range for her age of 18 months." Get out of here! Talk about a heart swelling with pride. I was also told once again that had it not been for the medical documentation it would be hard to believe she had a bilateral 3/4 brain bleed. She climbs stairs well but does better when little brother isn't racing her to the top.

Dear Babies,

May you always know the joy you have brought to us and continue to give us. I love watching the world through your eyes. The discovery as you learn something new. The pride you show when you master a new task. The imagination when you play a game a peek-a-boo together or turn toys upside down in attempt of finding new ways to play. The love that you give unconditionally. I am forever amazed by your strengths and how you both over come any obstacle placed in your way. My heart swells with pride every time I lay eyes on you both. Daddy and I are very blessed to have you both. I cannot imagine things any other way.

With all my heart and love,
Mommy

Tonight's Dinner Conversation...

Brought to you by: Momma's Good Cooking (Chicken salad, bacon, lettuce wraps) & a Daddy who was home from work in time for dinner and before bedtime.

Addison : Uh-Oh

Daddy: Addison it is not 'Uh-oh' when you purposely drop something on the floor.

Addison : Uh-oh ::giggles hysterically::

Daddy: Not uh-oh Addison, "on purpose".

Addison: Still giggling

Blake: Da-da

Daddy: Blake, want some chicken?

Blake: Sit-in (chicken)

Daddy: He just said chicken.

Mommy: Try another word that you think he doesn't know.

Daddy: Ketchup

Blake: Cats up

Mommy: ::dying from laughter, which then causes Blake to erupt in laughter:: Try again oh wise one.

Blake is getting too smart for his own good. This morning I told him I needed to put him down for a second and go potty. It's not bad enough that half the time I can't go alone and when I do manage to sneak away I hear screams. This time Blake replies, "Tum white bock" (Come right back). Where does he get this and who does he think he is? LOL. Oh that's right, he thinks he is my boss. I guess in some ways he is.

And now...now they are using their Daddy as a human jungle gym and continuing to terrorize the living room while "we" all watch Tinkerbell: Great Fairy Rescue on Disney Channel. One thing is for sure... after this summer's busy schedule for their Daddy, I sure am glad for a little bit of family time.

What will we get into next?

Remembering where we came from...

Today I decided it was time for a long over due visit to the NICU. Recently the hospital where I delivered the twins underwent some major renovations and the NICU was moved in to the "new" building and completely remodeled. When the twins were in the NICU it was "pod" style, one open room with beds along the walls all the way around. Now they have private rooms, including two "twin rooms". They just recently transitioned and we had been just waiting until things were settled to stop by and visit (and check out the new digs).

The new unit is absolutely gorgeous. There is a nice pleasant waiting room before you enter, and a view of The Mother's Garden. It was nice to see all the great nurses and NP's again and they were very excited to see the twins. They also got a good laugh and got to "aw" over Blake... The phone rang in the unit and Blake turned around and said "Helwoah", they melted. ;)  Once our visit was over we walked out to The Mother's Garden to take a pic and we also tossed in two pennies and made a wish for healthy NICU babies. I am glad we took the time to do that, because as soon as we came back in we bumped in to Dr. D. the NEO who was in the OR with me and on Addison's team. She also cared for them both for a good portion of their NICU stay. She saw the ugly and the good during their stay.

I will forever be grateful for the amazing miracles the medical team there did for us and they will always hold a place in our hearts.

It's hard to believe how little they were a year ago... I found this picture when I was flipping through the memory card on my camera... Too cute right?

And here's one from tonight, they really love their chairs.

Ignore the silly faces, they hate the flash.


Lately we've been spending some time coloring. It's a good fine motor exercise and they seem to enjoy it, so I was excited to buy them their first coloring books. (Note: we are still working on coloring in the lines. LOL)

And here they are showing off their work...

Blake got a little carried away and attempted to eat crayons drew on his mouth. He's thinking ("Great mom, blog this picture, it's gonna come back to haunt me one day...sigh").

I am sure I'll have lots more for you after this weekend... We've got Daddy all weekend for the first time all summer...TWO WHOLE DAYS...whatever will we do?!?!

Milestone Monday...

What's New:

Blake now knows "Thank You" and he is putting words together like "More Cookies" or "More Milk" , he is also walking ALOT more. He can do the distance from the door to car without my help.

Addison is starting to say more words, consistantly. Eating has been pretty hit or miss. Today she also had part of her Early Intervention Eval....it did not go nearly as well as I hoped. I admit, I let it get me down. She is currently 17 1/2 months (actual)  / 14 1/2 (adjusted) she is measuring at 11-12 months in fine motor skills. (Fine motor skill is the coordination of small muscle movements which occur in body parts such as the fingers, usually in coordination with the eyes. In relation to motor skills of hands and fingers, the term dexterity is commonly used. / Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fine_motor_skill).

Looking at her adjusted age, it's not that far off, it's not even "that bad" for her actual age. But looking at her actual age, it's a tough pill to swallow. It's hard not to compare her to Blake and looking at her side by side with him, I don't see where she is that far behind him. At the end of the day, it's one person's view on her development and, heck it's a lot better then what we thought we were looking at. AND let's not forget, she has continued to grow and develop which is HUGE. I mean hello, let me remember this is my baby who wasn't supposed to make it! And she did... and she is THRIVING, and closing the gap between where she should be and where she actually is. I have no doubt that she will get there in time. That doesn't always make it easier though.

I can't wait to see what they both learn to do or say next....