10 Months!

The boys are 10 months as of Friday!  They will be 7 months adjusted next Saturday.  Aside from their normal 9 month check-up at the beginning of the month, they have had NO doctor's appointments this month!  April has been Anna's month - she turned 4, and has had her own set of doctor's appointments.  She is now 42" and 38lbs - 90th percentile for height and 75th for weight.

William and Aaron are rolling all over now, and are able to sit (when placed in that position) for as long as they desire.  William does a great job getting up on all fours and rocking back and forth ...then he rolls over. Crawling is definitely forthcoming, whenever he figures it out.  Aaron scoots and rolls at will to objects all over the floor, and covers a good distance.  It's now a race as to who will crawl first!  They are both babbling and making good sounds.  We've always been able to tell their cries apart from each other, and can do the same with their babbling.  Aaron's is a little higher pitched with more "oohs," "aahs," and "gggs."  He's just starting to do more of the "bas" that William has been practicing.  William also has some "das" in there.  They're both very vocal with us, which is a good thing :)

William has an appointment with the Children's Hospital in a few weeks, and then we have the neurologist in June.  I'm enjoying the lessened appointments, and the increase in freedom.  We took the boys out of "quarantine" this month, and have been able to take them to a few small functions and out to dinner.  We are still going to be cautious - no events with smoking, for example (for those that know me, if you thought I hated smoke before...I have even more reason to stay away from it now) but overall we are looking forward to having a social life again!

Friday was also the first birthday of our NICU friend, Harper.  She was born at 24 weeks and has overcome many of the same obstacles as the boys, plus some.  She's been our preemie inspiration since the beginning, and we are so happy to see her growing so beautifully!

William and Aaron

Birthday Girl

9 Months!

Okay, I'm a few days late on this!

Weight Check
William - 19lb 6 oz
Aaron - 18lb 14oz

As you can see, there are no issues in the weight department!  The boys are now 9 months old, and almost 6 months adjusted.  They are still short for their adjusted age, but 75th-90th percent for weight.

We do have some news this month... we'll call it super cute news.  Aaron will be getting glasses some time in the fall.  This is appropriate because he's always been our little professor :)  He is nearsighted, at -3.75 in one eye and -4 in the other.  As with full term kids, nearsightedness tends to get worse as the child grows - but should still be correctable with glasses, then contacts if he chooses, and maybe eventually Lasik when he's an adult.  The nearsightedness is not due to the ROP - the retinopathy of prematurity is completely gone for both boys (another thank you to Avastin!).  Prematurity itself can cause nearsightedness, but genes probably also play a big part because my eyesight was worse than Aaron's prior to my Lasik last month (yay!).  The eye doctor examined William last, and his first remark was "Unbelievable!"...I had to sit there for several seconds with quick, fleeting, negative possibilities running through my mind before he interpreted the remark.  Surprisingly, William is slightly farsighted at +1, which is completely normal for kids. We will keep an eye on him as well though.  I'm a touch concerned about strabismus with him, as he sometimes will go cross eyed, but that is also normal for young babies and is constantly getting better.

Developmentally, they are still socially ahead.  They love to be held and cuddled, and love interaction with family.  They have the best little belly laughs and are easily entertained.  Aaron is the fussier of the two, but he's still a good baby.  Aaron is also more responsive to strangers - he is a complete flirt, with men and women, and has the sweetest grin when people look at him.  William is the wild man.  He attacks anything and everything he can get his hands on...and puts it straight in his mouth.  Sometimes we'll catch them sucking on each other's hands, which is super cute.

Physically, they are also doing great.  Aaron has the advantage here, as he rolls over better and can sit propped better.  William has the better extension in his back when sitting, but I think that because he's a little more rigid, he falls over more easily.  Aaron's posture is slightly slumped, but he can balance pretty well in the sitting position.  We are still working on William's tightness, Aaron's extension, and also tightness in Aaron's neck - his head leans to the left a lot, so we're trying to get him straight :)

We've also started giving them baby food, which is fun.  They're still young, so this is more for the practice than the nutrition.  William, the monster that he is, will attack the spoon and shove the whole thing in his mouth, so we have to restrain him a bit, and he LOVES it.  Aaron doesn't welcome it, but is starting to open his mouth for it more and makes the cutest looks of slight disgust as he chews it.  He actually does a better job keeping it in his mouth and swallowing, even though he doesn't like it as much.  No teeth have yet made an appearance in either of them, but teething is still in full force.

On a side note, I did accept a new position with a different company a few weeks ago.  I miss my coworkers, but the new position will be better for the family as far as benefits/time/stress are concerned.  I was hoping to win the Mega Millions last night in order to resign from the working world and enter into full-time mommyhood and volunteering, but that plan didn't quite work out :)  Maybe next time!

Aaron & William

William & Aaron

William

Aaron

8 Months!

Weight Check
William - 17lb 13oz
Aaron - 17lb 2oz

They're monsters!  The boys are 8 months old today (Edit:  It was "Today" when I started the post but not when I finished it!) :)  We continue to have a ton of appointments, but nothing of major significance.  They have seen the neurologist again, and the Developmental Clinic.  Both are on track for their adjusted age!  Both still have tightness in their legs - William more so - but are still on track.   Aaron tends to look down when he's in a supported sitting position, so we're also working on that issue.  He does still have some torticollis, but it could just be that his head is so heavy he can't hold it up as well.  He does great in tummy time and he swivels his head in a 360 to find the TV, so we know that he CAN do it, so I think it's more of the heaviness factor right now.  (Don't worry, we don't let him watch TV).

After the visit with the neurologist, both now have weekly PT.  I am happy with this, as previously mentioned, because I want to be as proactive as possible.  They can both roll from their tummy to their backs, and their backs to their sides - I think they'll be rolling around like tornadoes in no time :)  Aaron is already wiggling where ever he needs to go. We're so happy with where they are right now.

They've managed to remain mostly healthy this mild winter.  The nebulizer is now a mainstay, with daily doses of pulmicort, but other than the mild congestion there have been no issues.

I'm not sure if anyone remembers (or if anyone still reads this!) but at one point I posted the song that helped me get through the tough times during the NICU stay - Strong Enough by Matthew West.  As it turns out, one of the new friends that I have made during this journey is his cousin by marriage, and I was blessed to be able to actually meet him and Casting Crowns (!!!) during their concert this month.  Starstruck, I am :)  One of the opening acts was a young band called Royal Tailor - I already knew and loved one of their songs, but am now completely impressed by their clarity, vision, articulation, and message (and dancing :) ).  It's easy to say that it's a small world, or what a coincidence, but the way that the song came around full circle for me makes it clear that it was something I was supposed to hear and feel and believe.

I don't have much else to report at the moment, or at least that I can think of at midnight :)  We are planning on putting our house on the market sometime in the next few months (I hope).  This was a plan that was postponed last year when we found out we were having more than one, as we wanted to wait and see what we would need with three kids.  I'd really like to be in Hanover before Anna starts school in the fall of 2013. I know King William would be fine for her for elementary school at least, but I'd like to get her settled in one place and Hanover will have better resources for the boys if they need them.  We'll see what happens, as we know the selling market is not great. (Anyone want to buy our lovely home, on an acre, with a great garage? ;) )

Pictures!

Aaron & William

Aaron & William

Big boys!  William & Aaron

What is my sister doing to me??