Wow- it’s hard to believe it’s the end of 2005. What an incredible year. It’s hard to think back now to March when everything was so critical that we’d ever get to this point. Each day they continue to amaze and surprise us. I never thought Sophie girl would get big and here she’s done it- gone from 1 lb 5oz to almost 15 lbs. And our Trentman- getting through the breathing issues and requirements for a feeding tube to move onto cheerios, baby yogurt and mashed potatoes. We are so lucky.
Today we started “operation fatten up the Trentman”. He’s had a wonderful day of eating everything. He’s had baby yogurt, baby food carrots, green beans (neither he or I realized they were suppose to be heated up before eating and he happily ate them cold), mommy’s milk and cheerios. He’s still been quite fussy but as I write this I’m realizing that I don’t think he spit up on me all day. I know that sounds silly but I’m so used to changing my clothes multiple times a day that I guess I don’t notice anymore. I guess the learning from today is INCREASE the volume on the solids and see what happens. For now- we’ll still be giving him his meds but I’ll just shoot them into his mouth via a syringe.
Sophie girl continues to eat well and appears to be getting more used to baby food. We’ll also be starting her on table foods this week but given her fabulous weight gain- we’re not as concerned about getting her going.
I had thought maybe the babies would want to watch the ball drop with Dick Clark tonight but after a great day of playing they’re both sleeping.
Happy New Year to all!
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Today I took the babies for their monthly synergist shots (this shot helps to protect the babies against respitory viruses) and for their check up/weigh in. Once again Sophie girl had a harder time with the shot and just cried and cried long after she was stuck. Its so odd, Trent gets the same shot but just cries for a minute afterwards. Thank goodness they only have to get the shots every 28 days – through April. Overall the exam went well though and both babies are growing. Miss Sophie is now weighing in a robust 14lbs 13 oz. 15 lbs is right on the horizon. Trent has put on weight too but not nearly what we had hoped- and is now up to 12 lbs. 13 oz. The doctor believes his slower growth is due to his severe reflux and his inability to hold down his food. We’re now switching to a more aggressive strategy of solids and table food- and go for the calories. Tonight he had his first bit of yogurt and really liked it. We go back to the pediatrician on the 18th of this month for their 9 month check up & 2nd dose of flu shots -and will hopefully see a significant increase in his weight by then.
Next week is one full of doctor’s appointments. Thank goodness Stanford is a 24/7 operation and many of the appointments are after business hours. On Tuesday Sophie has 6 month CT scan. The test isn’t that scary- but it requires her to be asleep so we have to keep her awake for 4-5 hours prior. I’m quite sure she won’t be happy about not having her nap. She’ll also be seeing urology for her kidney later in the week for her kidney. Unfortunately Trent won’t be able to give Sophie any sympathy since he’ll be having his upper GI series next week- to rule out any anatomical issues that may be a cause to his reflux. While his test doesn’t require him to be asleep, it does require him to not eat 4 hours prior to the test. Hopefully it will be a quit 4 hours for him.
Today was a bit bumpy for both the Trentman and Sophie girl. Sophie still doesn’t feel herself and now has a major rash all over her face. The pediatrician had said yesterday that it was just that Sophie had sensitive skin and drool/food remnants can cause rashes but over the last couple of days its just gotten worse. I hate to be a nervous mother but if we don’t see any improvement tomorrow- I’ll be calling the doctor again. It’s so not like Sophie to be a fussy baby but nothing we do seems to sooth her. Once again we find ourselves looking forward to Friday’s doctors appointment to see if the doctor has some recommendations.
Although Trent doesn’t have Sophie’s cold, he must be getting some twin vibes and is sharing her fussiness. His reflux comes and goes and solid food seems to help but he still struggles to hold stuff down. We’re trying to get used to him spitting up in colors now. I’m also noticing his stiffness in his arms is much more pronounced. He always has him arm stretched out in the T formation and I just know its not normal. I don’t know much about cerebral palsy but watching his stiff arms just make my heart ache with worry.
Sophie girl continues to struggle with a cold and is just not feeling herself. I miss our constantly happy baby. Today I called the pediatrician to find out if there was something more we could do for her and they recommended we bring her in – given her prematurity and the unknowns related to her shunt. Fortunately the visit was uneventful and it appears just to be a cold with no secondary infections in her ears or chest. We had hoped to be able to give her decongestion but due to her blood pressure issues – decongestion isn’t something she can have. So for now, we’ve got nose drops and vaporizer (a new purchase for the Keene’s) to help her feel better. We’re scheduled for our RSV shots on Friday and the babies monthly weigh in – so she’ll be rechecked then to ensure it really is just a cold. I cannot wait for the day that she can tell us how she’s feeling and we no longer wonder if its a shunt issue.
Although Trent isn’t as stuffy as Sophie, he too is not feeling himself and is having a tough time in the evening. The hours between 8-12 continue to be the bewitching hours and nothing I do seems to sooth him. It’s so hard to see him so unhappy and not be able to make it go away. Thank goodness I have this week off and I don’t need to have a brain during the daytime.
Today we celebrated our first Christmas with the babies. Both had a very good time. Santa brought each baby two toys each and one jumperoo to share. B Friends, & family helped expand the toy collection as well -making us wonder if the we’ve already out grown the addition to the house we completed earlier this year. Sophie girl is particularly into the jumperoo (its a jumper suspended by coils that allows the baby to jump while sitting in a seat) and we saw her continually improve her skills with it from this morning when she first got it until this evening. At first she seemed kind of freaked out by having her feet hit the floor but then got used to it. Normally she’s a big kicker anyway but I think touching the ground was a whole new feeling. We were pretty proud watching Sophie do it given all we’ve warned about from a development prospective. Trent enjoys it too but seemed much more interested in the eore stuffed animal he got and neat giraffe animal- grabbing at both.
I think the last couple days have caught up with them and now are both fighting colds. Tonight we gave them both baby Tylenol to try and make them less fussy.
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Today we celebrated our first Christmas Eve with our new family ,both sets of grandparents, and aunt liz and family. Trent seems especially enthralled with anything red and anything he can chew on. Unfortunately though he’s still not responding to any noises around him. Sophie girl on the other hand loves the new rattle she got that makes a cringingly noise and the box that her first big bird came in. I’m sure it will just be a matter of time before she gets to know big bird and enjoys him more than the box he came in. The evenings for Trent are still the hardest time of the day. I wish he could tell me what it is that makes him cry so hard. From about 8:15 until well past 10- he just cries and cries and nothing I do sooths him. I can’t tell if its just colic that isn’t going away or pain from his reflux. I so hope 2006 brings him some relief.[[Image:the_kids/20051224-DSCN0712.JPG]][[Image:the_kids/20051224-DSCN0736.JPG]][[Image:the_kids/20051224-DSCN0738.JPG]]
Last night the babies got to participate in the annual Nevada Avenue holiday progressive dinner and gift exchange. It was such fun and both babies had to be held by everyone. It’s hard to believe we’re celebrating our first Christmas. At the suggestion of the physical therapist, we’ve gotten them toys that promote grabbing, reaching, stretching and sensory development. We’re hoping to use some of the new toys to get them more into to tummy time as well. Next week Aaron and I will start working with them on the medicine ball to improve their balance and posture. The challenging thing is to make each exercise a game so they enjoy it and don’t feel like its work.
We can’t wait for Christmas Eve. At long last we get to share existing traditions and start new ones.
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