Getting So Big

Sorry it has been a while since the last update. The boys are getting so big. They are both developing at such different rates and doing different things. We are getting ready for our first trip with them, on a plane to FL to visit my mom. We are excited, but there has been lots to do to get ready. We will be leaving Saturday Feb. 2 and coming back Monday Feb. 11.

Zak has really made some big progress with development. He has mastered getting anything and everything into his mouth now. He loves to play with toys and put them in his mouth. He also likes to hold and chew on his Laugh-N-Learn doggie he got for Christmas. He has discovered his feet and loves kicking them around and watching them. He has figured out how to get the toys on his jumperoo, swing and 5-in-1 gym to play music by kicking them or using his hands. Zak is also trying so hard to hold his own bottle which he succeeds at sometimes. He is not a good napper at all. He will take a few short naps, but usually not a really good one. he is sleeping from 8pm until 8am which is nice, He has gotten super clingy with me which hopefully will just be a phase.

Ryder is a little behind Zak, but is making his own progress as well. He loves chewing and sucking on his hands. He will grab onto toys if you put them near his hand and then he tries to get his mouth to them. He has rolled from his tummy to his back. He is a really good napper, seems to be sleep so much better than Zak. He also sleeps from 8pm until 8am along with 1 or 2 short naps and a nice long nap in the middle of the day. He likes to stand up on my lap and is working on sitting unassisted. He will reach and grab for rings that we hang from his carseat and take them to his mouth. Ryder also has learned how to kick at the 5-in1 gym and play with the toys on his swing and jumperoo.

They are both doing so good! We have their 6 month check-up and shots on Feb. 25 so we will get updated weights and heights then.

Christmas

The boys had a great 1st Christmas! On Christmas Eve we spent some time with my grandparents and also at Ben's house to visit with family. The boys got lots of fun toys and clothes even though they did not really realize it yet. Christmas morning they woke up at 530am and decided not to go back to sleep which is very unusual for them. Ben works from 630am until about 12:30pm. We all went to my family's house in Annapolis to visit and finally got the boys to take a nap. They got more fun toys to play with also. I will post some pictures in the next few days.

Surgery

Yesterday the urology office called and we got a date for the boys' surgeries. They will have them on Monday April 28. So a while away, but there is a date now. They need to be 6 months adjusted and 15lbs which is why they went for the end of the month to make sure they have hit the 15lb mark by then.

Rolling Over

Today Ryder rolled over from his tummy to his back about 4 times in a row. So I got the video camera, but could only get him to do it one more time. Here is a link to see that video:

http://s270.photobucket.com/albums/jj90/zak_ryder/?action=view&current=071219-001.flv

You can hear Zak in the background not very happy. He has not shown any interest in rolling over yet.

Urologist

Today Ryder has his urology appointment. There is no longer a hernia or hydrocele which is good. There are a few issues that will be corrected during his operation, but it will be an in and out surgery which should go fine. They said it would probably take about 1.5 hours or so. The office will call later to schedule the surgery for sometime in April. Zak will also be scheduled for his circumcision the same day.

4-Month Pediatrician Appointment

This morning we had the boys 4 month check-up. They are doing good. Zak weighed 11lb 6.5oz and was 22.75 inches long. Ryder weighed 9lb 14.5oz and was 22.5 inches long. They are both growing well and pretty much developmentally close to a 4 month-old. They have a few things that they are not doing yet, but developmentally they are looked at as being 10 weeks behind so they are ahead of what is expected for them.

Ryder goes to see the urologist next week and then we will schedule his surgery and Zak's circumcision probably for sometime in March. They go back to the pediatrician in February (meanwhile they will go back monthly for their RSV shots).

Here is a cute website that my mom made of the boys and Piper:
http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1232357721

In the next few days I will go through the pictures and update them with newer ones.

1st Snow

The boys had their first snow on the day they turned 4 months old, yesterday! It snowed steadily all day. We got about 2.5 inches or so by the end of the day. I will post a few pictures of them in a little bit.

2nd Synagis Shot

Today the boys got their second RSV shot. Zak has a bad cold. He is not really congested, but has a really bad dry cough and is wheezing. But has not had a fever so they were able to give him the shot today. Ryder has not started to show any signs of another cold, but they sure do pass germs back and forth so we will see. The boys got weighed today at the pediatrician's office. Zak now weighs 10lb 9oz and Ryder is 9lb 4oz. They are growing. We are now using Size 1 diapers for Zak and he is wearing some 3 month clothes.

Getting Big

The boys are getting so big! Well, maybe not that big, but to us they seem big. Not sure how much they each weigh right now, but will find out the end of this month when they get their next RSV shot. Ryder has now joined Zak in wearing newborn clothes. They have both outgrown their preemie clothes

So in the next few days I will go through the preemie stuff and pick out a few special outfits to keep and the rest we are taking back to the NICU as donations. It is good to know that other preemies will be able to use the boys' clothes now that they have outgrown them.
An update on their colds: They are getting much better! Both still have some congestion mainly when eating, but the coughs are pretty much gone now.

Quick Update

Can't believe it is already November. The boys are doing good. They had both gotten bad colds about a week ago or so. Zak was first and then Ryder quickly joined with a bad cough and congestion. They had a few days that they would not really eat at all. That was worrisome, but they have gotten past that now. They both are starting to get better, but still very congested and have the bad cough after eating. We are doing our best to keep them as healthy as possible and avoid RSV at all costs. It may mean being stuck in the apartment for the winter, but we are willing to do that if that is what it takes. They go back to the pediatrician the end of this month for the next RSV shot and then December 10 for their 4-month check-up and vaccines. Ryder goes back to the pediatric urologist December 17. They are both growing even though we are not sure of their exact weight until the next pediatrician appointment. Zak is in all newborn clothes now (some are too big, but oh well) and Ryder is now starting to outgrow the preemie one-piece outfits. He still wears them, but when he stretches out he is getting too long. So he will be wearing onsies and pants for a while because the newborns still swim on him. They are both in newborn diapers now also.