Thursday, August 03, 2006
Just can't stop...
I had to post this picture of Ada as it is SO typical. She will play, play, play until she just can't play anymore. Here she fell asleep with her hand on the toy in the swing!
Ada trying to roll
Ada has been trying to roll over...hasn't quite gotten there yet but she's working on it!
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Morning Acrobatics
Last night we swaddled Ada and Emmet and put them in the crib in the usual way - heads in opposite corners of the crib. This is how we found them this morning. Completely turned around and sort of snuggled up together. Needless to say they are unswaddled from here on out as these loose blankets freak me out. Ada was scratching and sucking on Emmets head - the evidence was a red and slobbery head!
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Friday, July 21, 2006
4-month Appointment
We had our 4-month appointment today. Overall it went well. Ada is 14 lbs 4 oz and 24.25 inches - both measurments are in the 50th percentile. He head measurement however is in the 75th percentile...big noggin! The pediatrician was very happy with Ada's progress and body strength.
Emmet is 13 lbs 7 oz (25th percentile) and 24.5 inches tall (50th percentile). For a while now we've had some concern with Emmet's head, neck, shoulder strength. Although he's gotten much stronger he continues to be floppy and always has his head tilted to one side. I had read about a condition called "Torticollis", which as it turns out Emmet has.
CMT (Congenital Muscular Torticollis) is caused by damage to or a shortening of the Sterno-cleido-mastoid muscle in an infants neck. Sometimes, but not in all cases, there is a hematoma (lump) in the muscle where it was damaged. That lump will eventually go away as the muscle heals and is stretched. The most common causes of CMT are inutero positioning, lack of space inutero (big baby or little mom), a traumatic birth, multiples (lack of room again!), and low amniotic fluid inutero.
In our case they think it's due to how he was positioned in utero - sideways and squished! So we have to start going to physical therapy to work on his neck strength. The pedi seemed fairly confident that it will correct with the PT. In extreme cases surgery would be needed to lengthen the muscle in the neck - but Emmet is not an extreme case. She also said that we can see an ENT about his congestion issues, which seem to happen after eating and sleeping.
The shots (3 this time) almost seemed worse this time. Maybe it was because they are smiling and more social now. Emmet was smiling away at me until....OUCH!!! The crying starts, which is heartbreaking. They both did well though and stopped crying when picked up and cuddled. They were both really fussy this evening but I think that had more to do with missing their nap than the shot!
The pediatrician suggested that we wait on the solid foods, especially with Emmet due to his lack of head control. She said they really don't need it until 6 months. She did say that if they start showing readiness signs, showing interest in us while we're eating, grabbing etc that we can start slow.
On the sleeping front.....we offically moved them upstairs to their room this past Monday. Last Friday started sleeping through the night...well, for the most part. They have however stopped needing a middle of the night feeding. They do (especially Emmet) need some assistance (pacifier, re-swaddling etc) falling back to sleep after waking up sometimes. Of course now that I've written it here...they will wake up to eat tonight! Typically though they go to bed between 6:30-7:00pm and sleep until 6:00-7:00am. Not too shabby!!!!
Speaking of sleep...it's time for me to hit the sack!!!
Emmet is 13 lbs 7 oz (25th percentile) and 24.5 inches tall (50th percentile). For a while now we've had some concern with Emmet's head, neck, shoulder strength. Although he's gotten much stronger he continues to be floppy and always has his head tilted to one side. I had read about a condition called "Torticollis", which as it turns out Emmet has.
CMT (Congenital Muscular Torticollis) is caused by damage to or a shortening of the Sterno-cleido-mastoid muscle in an infants neck. Sometimes, but not in all cases, there is a hematoma (lump) in the muscle where it was damaged. That lump will eventually go away as the muscle heals and is stretched. The most common causes of CMT are inutero positioning, lack of space inutero (big baby or little mom), a traumatic birth, multiples (lack of room again!), and low amniotic fluid inutero.
In our case they think it's due to how he was positioned in utero - sideways and squished! So we have to start going to physical therapy to work on his neck strength. The pedi seemed fairly confident that it will correct with the PT. In extreme cases surgery would be needed to lengthen the muscle in the neck - but Emmet is not an extreme case. She also said that we can see an ENT about his congestion issues, which seem to happen after eating and sleeping.
The shots (3 this time) almost seemed worse this time. Maybe it was because they are smiling and more social now. Emmet was smiling away at me until....OUCH!!! The crying starts, which is heartbreaking. They both did well though and stopped crying when picked up and cuddled. They were both really fussy this evening but I think that had more to do with missing their nap than the shot!
The pediatrician suggested that we wait on the solid foods, especially with Emmet due to his lack of head control. She said they really don't need it until 6 months. She did say that if they start showing readiness signs, showing interest in us while we're eating, grabbing etc that we can start slow.
On the sleeping front.....we offically moved them upstairs to their room this past Monday. Last Friday started sleeping through the night...well, for the most part. They have however stopped needing a middle of the night feeding. They do (especially Emmet) need some assistance (pacifier, re-swaddling etc) falling back to sleep after waking up sometimes. Of course now that I've written it here...they will wake up to eat tonight! Typically though they go to bed between 6:30-7:00pm and sleep until 6:00-7:00am. Not too shabby!!!!
Speaking of sleep...it's time for me to hit the sack!!!
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Ada's Noggin
We received good news from the neurologist today about Ada's head. As many of you know Ada had an enormous hematoma on her head when she was born. It has since decreased quite dramatically but her head is still a little lopsided and the peditrician felt that we should see a neurologist because some of the blood has calcified. The neurologist feels that it is not large enough to require surgery, will not interfere with brain or skull growth and may even decrease some more yet. We were very happy to hear this as the thought of our precious little girl having to have surgery on her head did not sit well with us. Oh and we also found out that she is 14 lbs and 23 inches long. Takin' after her momma with those chunky monkey thighs!!!
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Really rollin'
Emmet managed to roll all the way over yesterday morning while trying to get at his favorite yellow lion! He still had his one arm stuck underneath him but I was so proud. Now, if only I had seen it! I was talking to Gina on the phone, looked away for a second when I hung up and when I turned back around there he was on his tummy! Figures!!!
Friday, July 07, 2006
Our trip to Nebraska and more...
Our trip to Nebraska was a success! As many of you know I was a nervous, anxious wreck during the week leading up to our departure....would the babies travel okay, how many times will we need to stop, will it take us 20 hours to get there, will they sleep okay while we're there, what if we get in an accident? The list of neurotic questions and what if's goes on and on. I am happy to report, however, that all went well! It took us 9 hours with 3 stops along the way to get there. We made it home in under 8 hours with only 2 stops. Ada and Emmet slept most of the way and we stopped when they told us it was time. I brought along my trusty double nursing pillow and was able to nurse in the back of the van. Nana and Pops followed us and were a big help during stops - the extra hands to feed (when we did bottles), hold and play were invaluable! I sat in the very back of the van so I could entertain, soothe and offer pacifiers when needed. Roger drove, obviously!
Great Great Grandma was delighted beyond words to meet Ada and Emmet and hold them in her arms. I had to choke back the tears watching her with them as I hadn't expected the strong emotions that would bring out in me. It was a very special trip...how many people can say they have met their Great Great Grandma? Ada and Emmet got to meet A LOT of new people and they were quite a hit! We were anxious to get home but sad to say goodbye.
The day after we returned Great Uncle Jack, Great Aunt Kathy, 2nd cousins Mark and his girlfriend Carrie, Paul and his wife Michele and 3rd cousin Jenna came to visit from Atlanta. It was great to see them! Jenna is a cutie pie and liked looking at the babies! The babies were recovering from their trip and were kinda cranky but hey, we can't all be happy all the time right? We don't get to see this crew very often so it was so nice to spend some time together, even if it's a different kind of visit than it used to be - diapers, bottles and babies have replaced restaurants, beers and music!
The next day was 4th of July and we had another busy day. Grandma Marcin, Uncle Bill and cousin Alexis and Cantrell came for a cookout. Ada and Emmet did pretty well but were still recovering and a little fussy. They certainly enjoyed being held by Grandma Marcin and Uncle Bill! That night we had a cookout with friends and Greg and Gina. The babies joined us for a little while and after bedtime Roger and I were able to enjoy some adult time with a fire and good food in the back yard!
I was anxious to get back on schedule and have some peaceful days at home with the babies. They are slowly getting back to "normal" after all the commotion and have been much happier the last two days. Roger and I woke up to Emmet talking away in the crib this morning with a big smile on his face! So precious!
Great Great Grandma was delighted beyond words to meet Ada and Emmet and hold them in her arms. I had to choke back the tears watching her with them as I hadn't expected the strong emotions that would bring out in me. It was a very special trip...how many people can say they have met their Great Great Grandma? Ada and Emmet got to meet A LOT of new people and they were quite a hit! We were anxious to get home but sad to say goodbye.
The day after we returned Great Uncle Jack, Great Aunt Kathy, 2nd cousins Mark and his girlfriend Carrie, Paul and his wife Michele and 3rd cousin Jenna came to visit from Atlanta. It was great to see them! Jenna is a cutie pie and liked looking at the babies! The babies were recovering from their trip and were kinda cranky but hey, we can't all be happy all the time right? We don't get to see this crew very often so it was so nice to spend some time together, even if it's a different kind of visit than it used to be - diapers, bottles and babies have replaced restaurants, beers and music!
The next day was 4th of July and we had another busy day. Grandma Marcin, Uncle Bill and cousin Alexis and Cantrell came for a cookout. Ada and Emmet did pretty well but were still recovering and a little fussy. They certainly enjoyed being held by Grandma Marcin and Uncle Bill! That night we had a cookout with friends and Greg and Gina. The babies joined us for a little while and after bedtime Roger and I were able to enjoy some adult time with a fire and good food in the back yard!
I was anxious to get back on schedule and have some peaceful days at home with the babies. They are slowly getting back to "normal" after all the commotion and have been much happier the last two days. Roger and I woke up to Emmet talking away in the crib this morning with a big smile on his face! So precious!
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Family Pictures
Five Generations
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Sleepy heads in Nebraska
Ada and Emmet enjoyed being outside in the shade in Nebraska. They were lulled asleep by Nana and Great Aunt Barbie and slept peacefully under a tree! 
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Friday, June 23, 2006
Finally...
Okay, so the babies are in bed for the night, the dishes are done and the house is picked up a little so I thought I'd finally take the time to write!
Ada and Emmet turned 3 months old on Tuesday and I cannot believe how fast time flies! The last day of school was on the 9th, so I've been home and Roger was able to return to work full time. I've enjoyed being home again, although it's been a harder transition than I had imagined. As much fun as this is, this is the hardest work I've ever done and I'm still tired pretty much all the time and I look forward to Roger coming home in the evening to help out and give me a break if I'm needing it.
We're working on getting the babies on some sort of schedule and they are adapting very well. Bedtime is AROUND 7pm. They will typically sleep until anywhere between 1:30-2:30am, when they get up to eat. And then up again between 5:30-6:30am. They take a little cat nap an hour after getting up and then go down for a "real" (in the crib) nap between 9am-10am. They typically wake up around 12pm take a little cat nap after playing and then back down for a nap around 3pm. Of course feedings are in there too. Every day is a little different but I'm getting better at reading their cues, which means less crying/fussing and happier babies.
I recently went to visit a coworker who has a 4 week old baby and it hit me just how much Ada and Emmet have changed. There were so many little things that her baby was doing that Ada and Emmet USED to do. It's a bit sad and yet exciting at the same time to see my babies grow and learn new skills so fast. They are smiling so much now and the "talking" (especially from Ada) is so entertaining. Ada loves to sit and have conversations with just about anybody. The "talking" includes coos, gurgles, squeals and oohs and aahs. Emmet doesn't talk as much as Ada but he sure moves around more than she does. His body is almost always moving. His neck isn't quite as strong as Ada's (she's holding her head up now) and he still is pretty wobbly but that doesn't stop him from trying to look around at EVERYTHING. This tends to result in a lot of "headbutts" and is quite amusing! He loves to kick his legs and move his arms and he has been trying his hardest to roll over! What's so interesting about having twins is the comparisons that go on. They seem to be showing boy and girl traits already. Although, it may just be me reading into their characteristics too much but really Emmet loves to "rough house" with Daddy and Ada prefers to have long conversations!
One of the best new developments as of late is the happy faces looking at me when I go to get them out of the crib in the morning! The screaming has turned into smiles, gurgles and wiggly bodies! The crazy evening fussiness is diminishing and Roger and I have been able to spend some time alone together in the evenings after bedtime. The next step is to move them out of our room and upstairs into their own room. We're planning for end of July for this so that we have some time to smooth out the wrinkles before I go back to work at the end of August. I am of course experiencing some anxiety about having them all the way upstairs (our bedroom is downstairs) but I'll manage!
All in all we are coming out of the fog somewhat, feeling like normal human beings a little bit and gaining confidence in our abilities to make this work. I still have the daily shock of "I'm a mother" and "I have TWINS". It's a wonderful mix of emotions...there are times when I feel very overwhelmed and exhausted and then there are the times when Emmet snuggles so close to me or Ada gives me an extra big smile and I'm so overcome with love that it brings tears to my eyes and literally takes my breath away.
Ada and Emmet turned 3 months old on Tuesday and I cannot believe how fast time flies! The last day of school was on the 9th, so I've been home and Roger was able to return to work full time. I've enjoyed being home again, although it's been a harder transition than I had imagined. As much fun as this is, this is the hardest work I've ever done and I'm still tired pretty much all the time and I look forward to Roger coming home in the evening to help out and give me a break if I'm needing it.
We're working on getting the babies on some sort of schedule and they are adapting very well. Bedtime is AROUND 7pm. They will typically sleep until anywhere between 1:30-2:30am, when they get up to eat. And then up again between 5:30-6:30am. They take a little cat nap an hour after getting up and then go down for a "real" (in the crib) nap between 9am-10am. They typically wake up around 12pm take a little cat nap after playing and then back down for a nap around 3pm. Of course feedings are in there too. Every day is a little different but I'm getting better at reading their cues, which means less crying/fussing and happier babies.
I recently went to visit a coworker who has a 4 week old baby and it hit me just how much Ada and Emmet have changed. There were so many little things that her baby was doing that Ada and Emmet USED to do. It's a bit sad and yet exciting at the same time to see my babies grow and learn new skills so fast. They are smiling so much now and the "talking" (especially from Ada) is so entertaining. Ada loves to sit and have conversations with just about anybody. The "talking" includes coos, gurgles, squeals and oohs and aahs. Emmet doesn't talk as much as Ada but he sure moves around more than she does. His body is almost always moving. His neck isn't quite as strong as Ada's (she's holding her head up now) and he still is pretty wobbly but that doesn't stop him from trying to look around at EVERYTHING. This tends to result in a lot of "headbutts" and is quite amusing! He loves to kick his legs and move his arms and he has been trying his hardest to roll over! What's so interesting about having twins is the comparisons that go on. They seem to be showing boy and girl traits already. Although, it may just be me reading into their characteristics too much but really Emmet loves to "rough house" with Daddy and Ada prefers to have long conversations!
One of the best new developments as of late is the happy faces looking at me when I go to get them out of the crib in the morning! The screaming has turned into smiles, gurgles and wiggly bodies! The crazy evening fussiness is diminishing and Roger and I have been able to spend some time alone together in the evenings after bedtime. The next step is to move them out of our room and upstairs into their own room. We're planning for end of July for this so that we have some time to smooth out the wrinkles before I go back to work at the end of August. I am of course experiencing some anxiety about having them all the way upstairs (our bedroom is downstairs) but I'll manage!
All in all we are coming out of the fog somewhat, feeling like normal human beings a little bit and gaining confidence in our abilities to make this work. I still have the daily shock of "I'm a mother" and "I have TWINS". It's a wonderful mix of emotions...there are times when I feel very overwhelmed and exhausted and then there are the times when Emmet snuggles so close to me or Ada gives me an extra big smile and I'm so overcome with love that it brings tears to my eyes and literally takes my breath away.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Catching Up
Okay so I had intended to post a long update tonight but alas I'm exhausted, it's late and I spent all my time posting pictures. I promise to write soon...there is so much to say! In a nutshell the babies are doing so well! They are getting amazingly big and change every day right before our very eyes. I will try to post soon!
Doin' Laundry
Ada had a great time helping Daddy bring the laundry downstairs to be folded! She got a total kick out of 1. sitting up and 2. being in this strange basket! 
Emmet's new trick
Emmet has a new trick. He now LOVES to suck on his hands, thumbs and fingers. It's been quite entertaining watching him learn this. He tries and tries and tries (periodically going cross eyed) to bring his hand to his mouth. He hits his eye, his nose, his chin and then FINALLY, with a squeal of delight he gets his hand into his mouth!
Happy Father's Day
Happy Father's Day Daddy! We had such a nice day with Daddy, Grandpa, Nana Julie and uncle Greg. The babies were in top notch form and we forgot to take a picture until after bath time/bed time. 
Here is a happy Daddy and his sleepy babies!
Here is a happy Daddy and his sleepy babies!
Saturday, June 03, 2006
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