G decided her new favorite food is what we had for dinner last night - fresh-caught Alaska Sockeye salmon. This morning she had Cheerios and salmon...or as our nanny pointed out - baby bagels and Lox!
What a wonderful way to celebrate before Shabbat starts tonight!
Friday, August 17, 2012
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
9 Month Checkup - Part 2 of 2
Sorry it took me a few days to get this posted. I had a virus attack as I was in the middle of typing this post...so I'm back online now.
Saturday was the twins' 9 month check-up. Normally, we see the nurse-practitioner, but yesterday I specifically asked if we could see the doctor because it's been awhile. Good thing I insisted on this - lesson learned (more below).
First, the twins are doing great as far as growth.
F weighs 18 lbs. 1 oz. and is 26.5" long. He's 50th % for height and weight.
G weighs 18 lbs. 13 oz and is also 26.5" long. She is 50% for weight and 75% for height.
This surprises me a bit:
1. Carrying them in their car seats, I would have guessed they were closer to 22 lbs. They are HEAVY!
2. I would have guessed F would have been toward the top of the range for height since his legs and torso appear so long. I also would have guessed G would have been average for height. I never would have guessed they are the same height.
F has three teeth that have broken through already (two bottom and one top) and the other top, front one is very close. G has many teeth that are in the process of breaking through. Shouldn't be long before she has a whole row of pearly-whites on top!
Eating & Teeth
They are eating great, but the pediatrician said it's time to start on solids vs. purees. At every meal, we should offer diced food. Just about everything is free-game now except "sticky" foods like honey and peanut butter. Also, eggs are a no-no. He didn't mention strawberries or foods with seeds like tomatoes, but I think I am going to wait longer on those. He also didn't mention juice, but I see no reason for juice to be part of their diet - ever.
He did say we should be brushing their teeth at least once before they go to bed. So far, they seem to tolerate it some days and not so much other days. I guess a little brushing is better than none at all.
Another "suggestion" he made was to try to get them off bottles. So, this weekend our kitchen was transformed into a sippy-cup test-site. We tried a couple brands about a month ago, but it was too soon. When we tried them again Saturday, both babies screamed and cried, so we reverted to bottles for the rest of the day. I think they were teething.
On Sunday, F changed his mind and decided a Nuby sippy cup with a soft nipple was ok, but G wasn't game - so it was a trip to the "boutique" baby store for her.
We tried a "sippy spout" attachment from OrganicKidz that turns a bottle into a sippy cup:
http://www.amazon.com/organicKidz-Narrow-Necked-Sippy-Spout/dp/B002QGPNGM
Nope, she wouldn't have that either.
Ultimately, she settled on a $13 Zoli Bot and LOVES it.
http://www.amazon.com/Zo-li-Bot-Straw-Sippy-Cup/dp/B0031E1GEG
It took her about five minutes to figure out how the straw works, but once she did, she was delighted to get a full mouth of formula with minimal effort.
What can I say? She's already starting to develop expensive tastes...and to see the smile on her face when she finally found a sippy cup she likes makes it worth every penny!
Hint: If you decide to try these too, the Bbox is the SAME cup - only different colors a couple dollars less (but I didn't discover that until later that night)
http://www.amazon.com/Bbox-BOT-Sippy-Cup-Blue/dp/B008D93LYC
Also, you'll need to purchase a cleaning kit:
http://www.amazon.com/Zo-li-Replacement-Straw-Brush-Pack/dp/B004SGUGQK
So far, they are doing pretty good with food. G rolls it around on her tongue and then spits them out. She hasn't picked a favorite food yet...I am sure she will soon (especially since she hasn't had ice cream yet)!
F LOVES diced rotisserie chicken from Costco. I put some mangoes and diced chicken on his tray and he picked the chicken out. He then whined for two more "servings"!
Physician vs. Nurse
OK - back to why it's important to see a physician vs. nurse...
As I've told you, G hasn't been rolling much. Over the last 2-3 weeks, she has been flipping herself from her back to tummy, but not really from front-to-back. In looking at her, the pediatrician thought she might have hip displaysia - where the ball at the top of the femur doesn't connect to the hip properly.
Even though she had the same "symptoms" at her six months checkup and I even called the nurse (same one that saw them at their last checkup) about six weeks ago and mentioned this again. She made it sound like it's no big deal and we could wait until their nine-month checkup. The doctor was clearly much more concerned when he started to examine G.
There is no conclusion if hip displasia is genetic or caused by external factors - like a baby's position in the womb - but girls tend to have it more than boys, and first born children tend to have it more than subsequent ones.
At this point, she would have been too old for a Pavlik harness (a temporary cast that stays on for about 3 months), so the solution would have been surgery followed by a full-body-cast for 3-9 months. To say I was worried all weekend was an understatement. I felt like I failed my daughter because I assumed she was developing at her own rate and didn't push it further. Maybe I should have...
So, first thing Monday morning we were at the Children's Hospital getting x-rays. Then, we had to wait most of the day for our doctor to call us with the results. Waiting for the call was like going through the first few weeks of my pregnancy all over again...I knew there was nothing I could do, but I was dying for an answer!
It was a HUGE relief to learn that she does NOT have displaysia, but the doctor did suggest I call our Early Intervention program to get her some physical therapy.
We are thankful to live in a state that supports early childhood development and will send a therapist to our home at no charge to us. Thank you to the taxpayers in our state!
So, there you have it...nine months and doing great!
Saturday was the twins' 9 month check-up. Normally, we see the nurse-practitioner, but yesterday I specifically asked if we could see the doctor because it's been awhile. Good thing I insisted on this - lesson learned (more below).
First, the twins are doing great as far as growth.
F weighs 18 lbs. 1 oz. and is 26.5" long. He's 50th % for height and weight.
G weighs 18 lbs. 13 oz and is also 26.5" long. She is 50% for weight and 75% for height.
This surprises me a bit:
1. Carrying them in their car seats, I would have guessed they were closer to 22 lbs. They are HEAVY!
2. I would have guessed F would have been toward the top of the range for height since his legs and torso appear so long. I also would have guessed G would have been average for height. I never would have guessed they are the same height.
F has three teeth that have broken through already (two bottom and one top) and the other top, front one is very close. G has many teeth that are in the process of breaking through. Shouldn't be long before she has a whole row of pearly-whites on top!
Eating & Teeth
They are eating great, but the pediatrician said it's time to start on solids vs. purees. At every meal, we should offer diced food. Just about everything is free-game now except "sticky" foods like honey and peanut butter. Also, eggs are a no-no. He didn't mention strawberries or foods with seeds like tomatoes, but I think I am going to wait longer on those. He also didn't mention juice, but I see no reason for juice to be part of their diet - ever.
He did say we should be brushing their teeth at least once before they go to bed. So far, they seem to tolerate it some days and not so much other days. I guess a little brushing is better than none at all.
Another "suggestion" he made was to try to get them off bottles. So, this weekend our kitchen was transformed into a sippy-cup test-site. We tried a couple brands about a month ago, but it was too soon. When we tried them again Saturday, both babies screamed and cried, so we reverted to bottles for the rest of the day. I think they were teething.
On Sunday, F changed his mind and decided a Nuby sippy cup with a soft nipple was ok, but G wasn't game - so it was a trip to the "boutique" baby store for her.
We tried a "sippy spout" attachment from OrganicKidz that turns a bottle into a sippy cup:
http://www.amazon.com/organicKidz-Narrow-Necked-Sippy-Spout/dp/B002QGPNGM
Nope, she wouldn't have that either.
Ultimately, she settled on a $13 Zoli Bot and LOVES it.
http://www.amazon.com/Zo-li-Bot-Straw-Sippy-Cup/dp/B0031E1GEG
It took her about five minutes to figure out how the straw works, but once she did, she was delighted to get a full mouth of formula with minimal effort.
What can I say? She's already starting to develop expensive tastes...and to see the smile on her face when she finally found a sippy cup she likes makes it worth every penny!
Hint: If you decide to try these too, the Bbox is the SAME cup - only different colors a couple dollars less (but I didn't discover that until later that night)
http://www.amazon.com/Bbox-BOT-Sippy-Cup-Blue/dp/B008D93LYC
Also, you'll need to purchase a cleaning kit:
http://www.amazon.com/Zo-li-Replacement-Straw-Brush-Pack/dp/B004SGUGQK
So far, they are doing pretty good with food. G rolls it around on her tongue and then spits them out. She hasn't picked a favorite food yet...I am sure she will soon (especially since she hasn't had ice cream yet)!
F LOVES diced rotisserie chicken from Costco. I put some mangoes and diced chicken on his tray and he picked the chicken out. He then whined for two more "servings"!
Physician vs. Nurse
OK - back to why it's important to see a physician vs. nurse...
As I've told you, G hasn't been rolling much. Over the last 2-3 weeks, she has been flipping herself from her back to tummy, but not really from front-to-back. In looking at her, the pediatrician thought she might have hip displaysia - where the ball at the top of the femur doesn't connect to the hip properly.
Even though she had the same "symptoms" at her six months checkup and I even called the nurse (same one that saw them at their last checkup) about six weeks ago and mentioned this again. She made it sound like it's no big deal and we could wait until their nine-month checkup. The doctor was clearly much more concerned when he started to examine G.
There is no conclusion if hip displasia is genetic or caused by external factors - like a baby's position in the womb - but girls tend to have it more than boys, and first born children tend to have it more than subsequent ones.
At this point, she would have been too old for a Pavlik harness (a temporary cast that stays on for about 3 months), so the solution would have been surgery followed by a full-body-cast for 3-9 months. To say I was worried all weekend was an understatement. I felt like I failed my daughter because I assumed she was developing at her own rate and didn't push it further. Maybe I should have...
So, first thing Monday morning we were at the Children's Hospital getting x-rays. Then, we had to wait most of the day for our doctor to call us with the results. Waiting for the call was like going through the first few weeks of my pregnancy all over again...I knew there was nothing I could do, but I was dying for an answer!
It was a HUGE relief to learn that she does NOT have displaysia, but the doctor did suggest I call our Early Intervention program to get her some physical therapy.
We are thankful to live in a state that supports early childhood development and will send a therapist to our home at no charge to us. Thank you to the taxpayers in our state!
So, there you have it...nine months and doing great!
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Happy 0.75 Birthday to Us - Girls Rule! (Part 1 of 2)
Happy 11th of the month and 3/4 birthday to us Twinks!
This month, I am going to assert myself (trust me, I have no problem doing that at home) and post this month's update all by myself (C'mon girls, you didn't REALLY think my brother was the "engine and brains" behind this operation, did you?).
The other day, Mom was searching for a picture and stumbled upon some almost-newborn pictures that she forgot she took:
.JPG) |
| Going Incognito |
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| ...And Now |
 |
| ...Then |
Even though I can change my hair color on a whim by sitting in a different light, for the time being I prefer to be a strawberry blond vs. brunette.
The highlight of the month, by far, was when Mom took us to New York to meet our cousins and other family members.
The highlight of the month, by far, was when Mom took us to New York to meet our cousins and other family members.
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| Our cousin in the stripes was born about two months before us, and our other cousin is 2 1/2. |
Even though we got delayed in the airport the WHOLE DAY due to bad thunderstorms at La Guardia, we thought it was pretty cool to find an out-of-the way spot on the floor and roll around and play all day with our Mommy.
We didn't get to "The City," but we did get to experience some of the quintessential things every New Yorker should do, like:
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| Learn to Drive a Taxi! |
...and PTHHHHHH at the other crappy drivers!
We also went to the Jersey Shore and saw the ocean for the first time:
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| On the Boardwalk I'm looking at the ocean and my brother is looking at girls in teeny-weenie bikinis |
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| Jersey Boys |
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| On the Beach With Mom |
On Sunday, our Grandpa threw a brunch in our honor where we got to meet lots of our relatives:
F and Aunt M
Me and Grandma Mia
F, Cousin L and PapPap
Us with Mia and PapPap
Me and Aunt J
As for getting to where we need to be, my brother army-crawls or gets up on his knees and rocks back-and-forth. I am rolling over from my back to stomach more (but still only when I want). So, when Mommy and Daddy put me to bed on my back, they'll often find me on my tummy in the morning. I have also decided that crawling forward is too simple, so I've developed my own method of getting around. I lay on my tummy, plant one foot into the ground and rotate with my hands until I'm in a full split,
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| I bet Jagger can't move like this! |
'll then move my stretched leg and do it again. It gets me where I need and is much more graceful for a girlie-girl like me. I can also do a "backwards frog" when I need to go in reverse.
Today was a big day for me. From the split you see me doing above, I pushed and pushed and pushed toward my torso and sat myself up for the very first time with no help!
Today, my brother did the same thing, only he needs to do it "side-saddle" (by rolling on his tummy, swinging his legs toward his shoulders and pushing up on his elbows.
Now that we're semi-mobile, Mom set up our play yard and I have decided that green is my favorite color. I gravitate toward all the green toys. My favorite game is to pull the edges off my puzzle playmat, hold the end between my fingers, and swing them through the air to fight off imaginary dragons.
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| At last count, I slayed six, left one half-obliterated and rescued a knight in rusting armor |
A few nights these past couple weeks, Mommy has let us stay up late and watch the London Olympics. It's ok, but jumping in our Jumperoos and eating the toys is much more entertaining.
My brother also likes to sit in his ez-recliner and read:
Even though my brother thinks he can "steal the show" around here sometimes, I still love him...
.JPG) |
| Giving my "little" brother kisses |
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| Me and My Forever Bro' |
Now you know what's up with me! Happy August!
Friday, August 3, 2012
Happy Friday!
I've been very busy this week (pulling several late nights at the office). So, in lieu of a post, thought I'd brighten your weekend with a picture instead.
We had a Groupon to one of my favorite restaurants that would have expired, so on Tuesday night we decided to break from the norm and celebrate nothing more than the pure and simple fact that we were all together. Also, I wanted to break out these outfits before they became too small...
Enjoy!
We had a Groupon to one of my favorite restaurants that would have expired, so on Tuesday night we decided to break from the norm and celebrate nothing more than the pure and simple fact that we were all together. Also, I wanted to break out these outfits before they became too small...