Hi All,
We visited the doctor today for the kids' two year well visit, and all in all, indeed all is "well"! The kiddos got their weigh in and height check. Then, we were off to talk to the doctor. We covered our questions regarding milk and vitamins. Regarding Bree, we discussed her finger sucking and got another potential solution to try when we are ready.
Drew and Bree are doing great with language, as they both know well over a hundred words. (I made a list and stopped when I got over a hundred.) The doctor said they are supposed to have about twenty words at two years, and the only problem with knowing more is it may induce several disagreements with our independent two year olds! :) We also talked about the fact that Bree especially is beginning to put together two and three word phrases. Her latest phrase: "No way!" and "No way, Momma (or Brother, Daddy, Papa)". She started saying it this morning and hasn't stopped!
We talked about scribbling and the fact that both kids are still using both hands to color, which the doctor said is normal. Probably in the next year, we will begin to see more favoring of a particular hand.
We also discussed potty training a bit, and the fact that Bree is not too interested. He said language is a big component of it, and many kids will not be ready until two and a half to three.
Lastly, we got a Hep A immunization, and we are now done with immunization shots until kindergarten. Woohoo!
Here are stats from our 2 Year well child visit - March 24, 2011 Appointment:
Drew Weight: 29 1/2 lbs. (Unadjusted percentile = 70%)
Bree Weight: 25 lbs. 6 oz. (Unadjusted percentile = 30%)
Drew Height: 34 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 30%)
Bree Height: 33 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 25%)
Showing posts with label pediatrician visit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pediatrician visit. Show all posts
Friday, March 25, 2011
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
15 Month Doctor Visit
Hi All,
Drew and Bree visited the doctor today for their 15 month well baby visit. The visit was quite routine, which is just fine by me. The doctor asked how many words they were saying, noting 4 - 6 was the standard. I rattled off the first six that came to mind (mama, dad, dog, cat, duck, quack). And he also asked if they could identify one body part, which they know their nose (and Bree also knows and LOVES her bellybutton!).
We don't have to go back until they are two years old, which also means no more shots for a while (barring unforeseen circumstances) - woohoo! The doctor told us that around 20 words is standard by age two, so we'll be working towards that. I asked about flashcards. He said not to worry too much about training them with flashcards or anything else to achieve this, as that is just memorization. Rather than that, he recommended simply talking to them. We can do that! We also asked about first dental visit, and the doctor said the recommendation has just changed from age five to age three. So it's a while before we have to worry about getting them to sit still in the dentist chair. In the meantime, the kids are really great about brushing. Lastly, we talked about Drew and Bree's growth and how they are dropping in the percentile curve. The doctor said this is totally normal, as this year is when their growth will slow and settle into whatever percentile they will achieve as adults. So, by age two, we can pretty well estimate how tall they will be in adulthood. If Drew and Bree stay at the 25th percentile for height, they are estimated to be 5' 8" and 5' 4" respectively. We also talked a bit about food intake. But Drew and Bree eat a good variety of foods really well, so there are no concerns here. We noted Drew loves meat and Bree loves noodles and pasta. The doctor said it was great that Drew loves meat, as many kids will reject it. Lastly, we got the standard round of vaccines. It's never pleasant, but we survived!
Here are stats from our 15 Month well baby visit - June 9, 2010 Appointment:
Drew Weight: 25 lbs. 14 oz. (Unadjusted percentile = 75%)
Bree Weight: 21 lbs. 14 oz. (Unadjusted percentile >25%)
Drew Height: 30 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 25%)
Bree Height: 29.5 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 25%)
Drew Head Circumference: 46 cm (Unadjusted percentile = 75%)
Bree Head Circumference: 46 cm (Unadjusted percentile = 50%)
Drew and Bree visited the doctor today for their 15 month well baby visit. The visit was quite routine, which is just fine by me. The doctor asked how many words they were saying, noting 4 - 6 was the standard. I rattled off the first six that came to mind (mama, dad, dog, cat, duck, quack). And he also asked if they could identify one body part, which they know their nose (and Bree also knows and LOVES her bellybutton!).
We don't have to go back until they are two years old, which also means no more shots for a while (barring unforeseen circumstances) - woohoo! The doctor told us that around 20 words is standard by age two, so we'll be working towards that. I asked about flashcards. He said not to worry too much about training them with flashcards or anything else to achieve this, as that is just memorization. Rather than that, he recommended simply talking to them. We can do that! We also asked about first dental visit, and the doctor said the recommendation has just changed from age five to age three. So it's a while before we have to worry about getting them to sit still in the dentist chair. In the meantime, the kids are really great about brushing. Lastly, we talked about Drew and Bree's growth and how they are dropping in the percentile curve. The doctor said this is totally normal, as this year is when their growth will slow and settle into whatever percentile they will achieve as adults. So, by age two, we can pretty well estimate how tall they will be in adulthood. If Drew and Bree stay at the 25th percentile for height, they are estimated to be 5' 8" and 5' 4" respectively. We also talked a bit about food intake. But Drew and Bree eat a good variety of foods really well, so there are no concerns here. We noted Drew loves meat and Bree loves noodles and pasta. The doctor said it was great that Drew loves meat, as many kids will reject it. Lastly, we got the standard round of vaccines. It's never pleasant, but we survived!
Here are stats from our 15 Month well baby visit - June 9, 2010 Appointment:
Drew Weight: 25 lbs. 14 oz. (Unadjusted percentile = 75%)
Bree Weight: 21 lbs. 14 oz. (Unadjusted percentile >25%)
Drew Height: 30 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 25%)
Bree Height: 29.5 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 25%)
Drew Head Circumference: 46 cm (Unadjusted percentile = 75%)
Bree Head Circumference: 46 cm (Unadjusted percentile = 50%)
Saturday, March 6, 2010
One Year Doctor Visit
Hi All,
We visited the doctor this past Wednesday. It was all pretty routine, and Drew and Bree are doing great. Now that they are one, virtually all food restrictions have been lifted, so we will be trying a few new things. I gave them Krab for lunch yesterday along with some noodles. They gobbled it up!
We received the expected round of shots, four in total which are now delivered to the arms. It was of course unpleasant, but they recovered pretty quickly (as did Jim and I!).
Here are the stats from the doctor visit. We could not make sense of the percentiles the nurse gave us, not even sure if they are adjusted or unadjusted. She was meaning to ask the doctor about them, but we never circled back to the topic. Guess we'll try to sort it out at the 15 month appointment. The doctor also said the growth also can taper off at this age, and that by age two we would have a good sense of what size they would be as adults.
March 3, 2010 Well Visit - 1 year and 4 days old
Drew Weight: 24 lbs. 11 oz. (Percentile = 80%)
Bree Weight: 21 lbs. 4 oz. (Percentile = 50%)
Drew Height: 29 inches (Percentile >75%) Half inch gain from 9 month visit.
Bree Height: 28 1/4 inches (Percentile = 25%) 1.25 inch gain from 9 months.
Drew Head Circumference: 45.3 cm (Percentile = 25%)
Bree Head Circumference: 44.5 cm (Percentile = 50%)
We visited the doctor this past Wednesday. It was all pretty routine, and Drew and Bree are doing great. Now that they are one, virtually all food restrictions have been lifted, so we will be trying a few new things. I gave them Krab for lunch yesterday along with some noodles. They gobbled it up!
We received the expected round of shots, four in total which are now delivered to the arms. It was of course unpleasant, but they recovered pretty quickly (as did Jim and I!).
Here are the stats from the doctor visit. We could not make sense of the percentiles the nurse gave us, not even sure if they are adjusted or unadjusted. She was meaning to ask the doctor about them, but we never circled back to the topic. Guess we'll try to sort it out at the 15 month appointment. The doctor also said the growth also can taper off at this age, and that by age two we would have a good sense of what size they would be as adults.
March 3, 2010 Well Visit - 1 year and 4 days old
Drew Weight: 24 lbs. 11 oz. (Percentile = 80%)
Bree Weight: 21 lbs. 4 oz. (Percentile = 50%)
Drew Height: 29 inches (Percentile >75%) Half inch gain from 9 month visit.
Bree Height: 28 1/4 inches (Percentile = 25%) 1.25 inch gain from 9 months.
Drew Head Circumference: 45.3 cm (Percentile = 25%)
Bree Head Circumference: 44.5 cm (Percentile = 50%)
Saturday, November 28, 2009
9 Month Doctor Visit
Hi All,
Drew and Bree had their 9 Month "well baby" visit to the doctor this Wednesday. All in all, it was a very good appointment.
Drew's head is still a little on the flat side (as you'll see in his head measurement below). But the doctor is not concerned with it and feels it will round itself out as he is off his back and more active now.
Drew and Bree were a little miffed with me, because I told them there would be no shots this time. But, I had forgotten about the flu shots. So two shots were delivered (seasonal and H1N1), and the twins weathered them quite well.
In other news, the doctor said it was time to add meat and dairy items to their diet. We actually could have added meat at 6 months, but we had a different doctor at that visit that failed to inform us of that. Oopsie! Well, I guess a vegetarian diet for a few months isn't the worst thing in the world. But the twins need to learn to eat meat, because we serve lots of it around here! They are to eat three meals a day (other than their bottle of formula), which we have been doing for a while now anyway.
Here are stats from our 9 Month well baby visit.
November 25, 2009 Appointment - one day from 9 months old
Drew Weight: 23 lbs. 9 oz. (Unadjusted percentile = 90%, Adjusted percentile = 95%)
Bree Weight: 19 lbs. 7 oz. (Unadjusted percentile = 70%, Adjusted percentile = 80%)
Drew Height: 28 1/2 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 60%, Adjusted percentile = 75%)
Bree Height: 27 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 30%, Adjusted percentile = 50%)
Drew Head Circumference: 44 cm (Unadjusted percentile = 20%, Adjusted percentile = 25%)
Bree Head Circumference: 44.5 cm (Unadjusted percentile = 70%, Adjusted percentile = 75%)
Still growing away!
Drew and Bree had their 9 Month "well baby" visit to the doctor this Wednesday. All in all, it was a very good appointment.
Drew's head is still a little on the flat side (as you'll see in his head measurement below). But the doctor is not concerned with it and feels it will round itself out as he is off his back and more active now.
Drew and Bree were a little miffed with me, because I told them there would be no shots this time. But, I had forgotten about the flu shots. So two shots were delivered (seasonal and H1N1), and the twins weathered them quite well.
In other news, the doctor said it was time to add meat and dairy items to their diet. We actually could have added meat at 6 months, but we had a different doctor at that visit that failed to inform us of that. Oopsie! Well, I guess a vegetarian diet for a few months isn't the worst thing in the world. But the twins need to learn to eat meat, because we serve lots of it around here! They are to eat three meals a day (other than their bottle of formula), which we have been doing for a while now anyway.
Here are stats from our 9 Month well baby visit.
November 25, 2009 Appointment - one day from 9 months old
Drew Weight: 23 lbs. 9 oz. (Unadjusted percentile = 90%, Adjusted percentile = 95%)
Bree Weight: 19 lbs. 7 oz. (Unadjusted percentile = 70%, Adjusted percentile = 80%)
Drew Height: 28 1/2 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 60%, Adjusted percentile = 75%)
Bree Height: 27 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 30%, Adjusted percentile = 50%)
Drew Head Circumference: 44 cm (Unadjusted percentile = 20%, Adjusted percentile = 25%)
Bree Head Circumference: 44.5 cm (Unadjusted percentile = 70%, Adjusted percentile = 75%)
Still growing away!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Weddings, Doctors, and Pools, Oh My!
Hi All,
Oh my, people! Here we are, once again. We continued down the path of middle of the night sleep interruptions (as previously mentioned) for the remainder of last week, primarily Bree induced. We are hoping that's behind us for the time being. Here are a few highlights from last week....
Brian and Hillary Get Hitched! - Bree and Drew attended their first wedding, as our cousin Brian and Hillary got married on Saturday. The wedding was beautiful, as were the bride and groom. We enjoyed the day with extended family that we do not get to see often enough. Congrats to the happy couple!
And, here's a fun family shot of us at the wedding photo booth....
Too Cool For The Pool - Our last swimming lesson was on Monday evening. We ended up keeping Bree home, due to her ailments. I took Drew so that he could get a bit more swim practice in. This week was pretty much a repeat of past weeks. The class was enjoyable, with the exception of the required underwater excursion. I thought perhaps this would be the week that Drew got over his angst with the underwater plunge, but alas, no. In no uncertain terms, this was not the week. We are not giving up though!
Oh my, people! Here we are, once again. We continued down the path of middle of the night sleep interruptions (as previously mentioned) for the remainder of last week, primarily Bree induced. We are hoping that's behind us for the time being. Here are a few highlights from last week....
Brian and Hillary Get Hitched! - Bree and Drew attended their first wedding, as our cousin Brian and Hillary got married on Saturday. The wedding was beautiful, as were the bride and groom. We enjoyed the day with extended family that we do not get to see often enough. Congrats to the happy couple!
And, here's a fun family shot of us at the wedding photo booth....
Doctor, Doctor Can You Tell? - On top of some general fussiness and sleep interrupted nights, Bree added a cough to the mix on Monday. After consulting with the nurse, I took Bree in for a check on Tuesday. Turns out, her lungs, ears and throat all checked out just fine. The doctor suspected she just picked up a cold bug and suggested over the counter nasal drops before bed if she seemed stuffy. She seems better now. Also, the doctor was not sure if teething was an additional factor, as he could not see or feel any gums swelling. Maybe just another teething false alarm?
Too Cool For The Pool - Our last swimming lesson was on Monday evening. We ended up keeping Bree home, due to her ailments. I took Drew so that he could get a bit more swim practice in. This week was pretty much a repeat of past weeks. The class was enjoyable, with the exception of the required underwater excursion. I thought perhaps this would be the week that Drew got over his angst with the underwater plunge, but alas, no. In no uncertain terms, this was not the week. We are not giving up though!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
6 Month Doctor Visit
The sleepyheads resting off 6 month shots Hi All,
Still in catch up mode here! We had our 6 month "well baby check up" on September 8.
It was a relatively quick check up, with the usual dose of shots administered at the end. We added a flu vaccine for good measure.
All in all, the kiddos checked out fine, with no issues to speak of.
The doctor asked about how Drew and Bree are sleeping. They sleep 10 - 11 hours typically at night, which I thought was pretty respectable. The doctor recommended we get them to bed earlier and attempt to get 12 solid hours of sleep in every night, as they really need the rest to aid in future development. She suggested working towards a 7 pm to 7 am sleep schedule. We are working on it, but it's been a bit of a struggle to consistently get them down around 7 pm. They are used to staying up much later than that.
Here are stats from our 6 Month well baby visit.
September 8, 2009 Appointment - just over 6 months old
Drew Weight: 20 lbs. 13 oz. (Unadjusted percentile = 90%, Adjusted percentile = 97%)
Bree Weight: 17 lbs. 4 oz. (Unadjusted percentile = 70%, Adjusted percentile = 85%)
Drew Height: 26 1/2 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 45%, Adjusted percentile = 65%)
Bree Height: 25 1/2 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 30%, Adjusted percentile = 50%)
Drew Head Circumference: 42.5 cm (Unadjusted percentile = 15%, Adjusted percentile = 25%)
Bree Head Circumference: 42 cm (Unadjusted percentile = 30%, Adjusted percentile = 50%)
Monday, June 29, 2009
4 Month Doctor Visit
We visited the pediatrician on June 24th for our 4 month well baby check up. Drew and Bree did really well at the visit, up until the shots arrived. Can't blame them for that!
The doctor was very pleased with their growth and development thus far. Drew got a few homework assignments - more tummy time to strengthen his upper body and less time on his back. It appears he is developing a flat spot on the back of his head from laying on it so often. Poor Drew - this is what he gets for being my patient child that does not require lots of holding! I have heard that this commonly happens to twins, simply because of the twin factor and inability for a mom to hold both babies at once. We're hoping it corrects itself.
Bree showed off her newly acquired rolling abilities, and the doctor was quite impressed! He said she is very ahead of schedule here, as typically babies will not roll until around Month 5. Given they were born 3.5 weeks early, she is way ahead of the curve. The doctor also thinks Drew is not far off on the rolling front.
Since all is well developmentally with the twins, the doctor advised us to start them on solid foods. We are able to feed them fruits (excluding citrus), veggies, and rice and oat cereal. We'll post pictures as we begin this adventure.
As the doctor finished the exam, he told us with a grin that were going to have two very active babies.
Here are stats from our 4 Month well baby visit. We got Drew's adjusted percentile's only by accident (they first gave us those instead of the unadjusted numbers). Since the kiddos are now caught up to babies born full term, we no longer need to track adjusted percentiles. Woohoo!
June 24, 2009 Appointment - almost 4 months old
Drew Weight: 16 lbs. 5 oz. (Unadjusted percentile = 80%, Adjusted percentile = 95%)
Bree Weight: 13 lbs. 7 oz. (Unadjusted percentile = 50%)
Drew Height: 24 1/2 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 50%, Adjusted percentile = 75%)
Bree Height: 23 7/8 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 50%)
Drew Head Circumference: 16 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 25%, Adjusted percentile = 50%)
Bree Head Circumference: 15 5/8 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 20%)
See you all again soon!
The doctor was very pleased with their growth and development thus far. Drew got a few homework assignments - more tummy time to strengthen his upper body and less time on his back. It appears he is developing a flat spot on the back of his head from laying on it so often. Poor Drew - this is what he gets for being my patient child that does not require lots of holding! I have heard that this commonly happens to twins, simply because of the twin factor and inability for a mom to hold both babies at once. We're hoping it corrects itself.
Bree showed off her newly acquired rolling abilities, and the doctor was quite impressed! He said she is very ahead of schedule here, as typically babies will not roll until around Month 5. Given they were born 3.5 weeks early, she is way ahead of the curve. The doctor also thinks Drew is not far off on the rolling front.
Since all is well developmentally with the twins, the doctor advised us to start them on solid foods. We are able to feed them fruits (excluding citrus), veggies, and rice and oat cereal. We'll post pictures as we begin this adventure.
As the doctor finished the exam, he told us with a grin that were going to have two very active babies.
Here are stats from our 4 Month well baby visit. We got Drew's adjusted percentile's only by accident (they first gave us those instead of the unadjusted numbers). Since the kiddos are now caught up to babies born full term, we no longer need to track adjusted percentiles. Woohoo!
June 24, 2009 Appointment - almost 4 months old
Drew Weight: 16 lbs. 5 oz. (Unadjusted percentile = 80%, Adjusted percentile = 95%)
Bree Weight: 13 lbs. 7 oz. (Unadjusted percentile = 50%)
Drew Height: 24 1/2 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 50%, Adjusted percentile = 75%)
Bree Height: 23 7/8 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 50%)
Drew Head Circumference: 16 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 25%, Adjusted percentile = 50%)
Bree Head Circumference: 15 5/8 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 20%)
See you all again soon!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
To the Doctor
Hi All,
Bree had another visit to the doctor yesterday. We had a couple recent concerns. For one, she is having a bowel movement during or immediately after every feed, which has been happening for 4 days. Two, she has been noticeably uncomfortable 5 - 10 minutes into eating - arching her back, whining, and fidgeting. My friend, Renee, was over during the weekend and mentioned she knew a baby with those symptoms that had silent reflux. Silent reflux is acid reflux, except when food travels up the esophagus, it is not vomited out, but instead it is swallowed again. When I researched it a bit on the internet, Bree exhibited several of the symptoms. They included those noted above, plus frequent hiccups and a few others.
The doctor checked her over and found nothing of concern. She was also weighed again - 13 pounds with all clothes on. The doctor was very pleased with her weight gain, and even commented she may be eating too much. Since her body doesn't need all the extra food, it is immediately exiting the body. She jooked that her fat rolls just couldn't handle another ounce. If only she could see Bree's brother! As far as potential reflux, we're not sure. The doctor gave us a prescription for Zantac to try. She said we'll know in a couple of days whether it helps her agitation. If it doesn't, the doctor said it may just be Bree being quirky. She noted if she does not nap regularly (which she doesn't), she could be tired and agitated during her feeding time, which could also cause distress. So we'll see! But, thankfully, it appears we do not have any major issues going on.
Here are a few pictures of Bree with one of her favorite toys right now - it's a stuffed animal called a fazoodle that we received from the Grand Rapids P&M office. She loves playing with it!
Playing with fadoozle
Fadoozle hugs...
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Month 2 Recap
As written by Drew
Hi All! Well, it's my turn to bring you a monthly recap, and month 2 is all mine! For starters, we cheered on our favorite basketball team - the Michigan State Spartans. They made it all the way to the finals of the NCAA tournament. Even though they lost in the final, it was a great run and a lot of fun to watch. Go Green!!!
This was the month that we really got into our bath time. Our umbilical cords were gone, so we graduated to the full bath (no more sponge bath). It was a little strange at first, but now Bree and I are both pretty happy with bath time.
We got a little more mobile this month. We made visits to Dad's office, Grandma and Grandpa's place, Dr. Talcott's office (Mom's doctor who delivered us), and Brian and Hillary's house for Brian's surprise party. We also got outdoors for some rides in our double stroller. It was really cool!
We had a couple of challenges too. Around Week 6, Bree was having some lengthy unhappy episodes. Mom took her to see our pediatrician. The good news was there was nothing seriously wrong with her. The bad news was she likely was going through a bout with colic. We were glad to see it pass around the end of month 2. I also had a short bout with constipation, which I don't really like to talk about, but will, in case there are any other little guys out there with this issue. We found it got better when I supplemented with breast milk only, instead of my formula. We ultimately cured it by switching off my added rice formula back to standard Similac (without rice), with the doctor's permission of course.
Around Week 5, we started cooing and laughing. This is really great fun, and we get a lot of attention when we do this!
We saw Grandma and Grandpa a lot this month - yippee!
And Oma and Opa too - hooray!
We also got to meet our Great Grandmas this month. Great Grandma Casari came and stayed with us for two weeks, so we got to see a lot of her. We went to visit Great Grandma Thelen, and we each got to pick out a quilt that she made.
We slept a lot, and even at the same time every once in a while. :)
The Easter bunny paid us a visit.....
We ended the month with our Month 2 well baby visit. We were not particularly fond of this visit, as it ended with a round of shots - ouch! The nurses were really quick though. They actually gave us three shots in one fell swoop, since two of them teamed up.
Here are stats from our 2 Month well baby visit:
April 23, 2009 Appointment - almost 2 months old
Drew Weight: 10 lbs. 6 oz. (Unadjusted percentile = 25%, Adjusted percentile = 65%)
Bree Weight: 9 lbs. 6 oz. (Unadjusted percentile = 20%, Adjusted percentile = 55%)
Drew Height: 21 3/4 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 15%, Adjusted percentile = 60%)
Bree Height: 21 1/4 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 15%, Adjusted percentile = 55%)
Drew Head Circumference: 14 3/8 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 3%, Adjusted percentile = 20%)
Bree Head Circumference: 14 1/8 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 3%, Adjusted percentile = 25%)
For anyone not familiar, the percentiles compare us against all the other kiddos out there. So, for example, if my weight percentile is 25%, then 25% of kids my age weigh less than me. Since we were born 3 1/2 weeks early, the doctor also likes to track what they call "adjusted percentile". This takes into account our due date and considers this our real "birth date" for comparison to other kids. So, the adjusted percentile is higher. For example, here we are being compared to kids that are about 5 weeks old vs. two months. It gives us a little credit for coming so early. Make sense?
Last but not least, Mom and Dad were able to celebrate making it to the 2 month mark a bit. Dad got invited to a gala charity function through work. It was a black tie event, so they got all dressed up. No wonder we turned out so good looking!!!
And a few more fun pics from Month 2......
Hi All! Well, it's my turn to bring you a monthly recap, and month 2 is all mine! For starters, we cheered on our favorite basketball team - the Michigan State Spartans. They made it all the way to the finals of the NCAA tournament. Even though they lost in the final, it was a great run and a lot of fun to watch. Go Green!!!
This was the month that we really got into our bath time. Our umbilical cords were gone, so we graduated to the full bath (no more sponge bath). It was a little strange at first, but now Bree and I are both pretty happy with bath time.
We got a little more mobile this month. We made visits to Dad's office, Grandma and Grandpa's place, Dr. Talcott's office (Mom's doctor who delivered us), and Brian and Hillary's house for Brian's surprise party. We also got outdoors for some rides in our double stroller. It was really cool!
We had a couple of challenges too. Around Week 6, Bree was having some lengthy unhappy episodes. Mom took her to see our pediatrician. The good news was there was nothing seriously wrong with her. The bad news was she likely was going through a bout with colic. We were glad to see it pass around the end of month 2. I also had a short bout with constipation, which I don't really like to talk about, but will, in case there are any other little guys out there with this issue. We found it got better when I supplemented with breast milk only, instead of my formula. We ultimately cured it by switching off my added rice formula back to standard Similac (without rice), with the doctor's permission of course.
Around Week 5, we started cooing and laughing. This is really great fun, and we get a lot of attention when we do this!
We saw Grandma and Grandpa a lot this month - yippee!
And Oma and Opa too - hooray!
We also got to meet our Great Grandmas this month. Great Grandma Casari came and stayed with us for two weeks, so we got to see a lot of her. We went to visit Great Grandma Thelen, and we each got to pick out a quilt that she made.
We slept a lot, and even at the same time every once in a while. :)
The Easter bunny paid us a visit.....
We ended the month with our Month 2 well baby visit. We were not particularly fond of this visit, as it ended with a round of shots - ouch! The nurses were really quick though. They actually gave us three shots in one fell swoop, since two of them teamed up.
Here are stats from our 2 Month well baby visit:
April 23, 2009 Appointment - almost 2 months old
Drew Weight: 10 lbs. 6 oz. (Unadjusted percentile = 25%, Adjusted percentile = 65%)
Bree Weight: 9 lbs. 6 oz. (Unadjusted percentile = 20%, Adjusted percentile = 55%)
Drew Height: 21 3/4 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 15%, Adjusted percentile = 60%)
Bree Height: 21 1/4 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 15%, Adjusted percentile = 55%)
Drew Head Circumference: 14 3/8 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 3%, Adjusted percentile = 20%)
Bree Head Circumference: 14 1/8 inches (Unadjusted percentile = 3%, Adjusted percentile = 25%)
For anyone not familiar, the percentiles compare us against all the other kiddos out there. So, for example, if my weight percentile is 25%, then 25% of kids my age weigh less than me. Since we were born 3 1/2 weeks early, the doctor also likes to track what they call "adjusted percentile". This takes into account our due date and considers this our real "birth date" for comparison to other kids. So, the adjusted percentile is higher. For example, here we are being compared to kids that are about 5 weeks old vs. two months. It gives us a little credit for coming so early. Make sense?
Last but not least, Mom and Dad were able to celebrate making it to the 2 month mark a bit. Dad got invited to a gala charity function through work. It was a black tie event, so they got all dressed up. No wonder we turned out so good looking!!!
And a few more fun pics from Month 2......
Chillin on our foof chair
Posing Pretty
Our family at 7 weeks old
Aren't I handsome?
Bree is pretty cute too!
Posing Pretty
Our family at 7 weeks old
Aren't I handsome?
Bree is pretty cute too!
Bye until next time!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Month 1 Recap
As written by Bree
Hi All,
Mom has been pretty busy this week. Since I'm growing up so quickly, I offered to do our Month 1 recap that we've been promising. So here goes!
Drew and I arrived on a Friday afternoon. That was really nice, because even though it was tax season, Dad got to spend the entire time with Mom and us in the hospital. Dad was really helpful. Mom was recuperating from surgery, so Dad changed A LOT of diapers! Don't worry, Mom caught up as soon as we got home. We had a pretty typical hospital stay. The nurses were really nice to us. We also got to meet with the lactation consultant a few times to make sure we were on the right track with breastfeeding. She said I was the best latcher in the whole hospital that day! Drew and I were checked regularly for jaundice, which is common for babies that come early. I ended up needing a bilirubin light or "bili blanket" to help with my minor case of jaundice. I had a light stick wrapped up in my blanket. Mom and Dad called me their little glow worm. We took a rented bili blanket home with us, per hospital orders.
On Monday, we celebrated Daddy's birthday at the hospital. Oma and Opa brought ice cream dessert and a big balloon that sings Happy Birthday. Dad said we were the best gift ever.
We all left the hospital together on Tuesday. Mom was so glad that Drew and I were healthy enough to come home with her!
We saw our pediatrician for our first check up and also for a few weigh ins during our first month. Our doctor looked us over and told Mom and Dad that we were just perfect! Oh, and it didn't take the doctor long to say we no longer needed the bili blanket.
On the homefront, we got lots of help from Grandma and Grandpa and Oma and Opa. Drew and I like this, because we get held A LOT when they are around!
Mom has been pretty busy this week. Since I'm growing up so quickly, I offered to do our Month 1 recap that we've been promising. So here goes!
Drew and I arrived on a Friday afternoon. That was really nice, because even though it was tax season, Dad got to spend the entire time with Mom and us in the hospital. Dad was really helpful. Mom was recuperating from surgery, so Dad changed A LOT of diapers! Don't worry, Mom caught up as soon as we got home. We had a pretty typical hospital stay. The nurses were really nice to us. We also got to meet with the lactation consultant a few times to make sure we were on the right track with breastfeeding. She said I was the best latcher in the whole hospital that day! Drew and I were checked regularly for jaundice, which is common for babies that come early. I ended up needing a bilirubin light or "bili blanket" to help with my minor case of jaundice. I had a light stick wrapped up in my blanket. Mom and Dad called me their little glow worm. We took a rented bili blanket home with us, per hospital orders.
On Monday, we celebrated Daddy's birthday at the hospital. Oma and Opa brought ice cream dessert and a big balloon that sings Happy Birthday. Dad said we were the best gift ever.
We all left the hospital together on Tuesday. Mom was so glad that Drew and I were healthy enough to come home with her!
We saw our pediatrician for our first check up and also for a few weigh ins during our first month. Our doctor looked us over and told Mom and Dad that we were just perfect! Oh, and it didn't take the doctor long to say we no longer needed the bili blanket.
On the homefront, we got lots of help from Grandma and Grandpa and Oma and Opa. Drew and I like this, because we get held A LOT when they are around!
Basically, Month 1 was filled with a lot of sleeping and also frequent feedings. Mom and Dad made sure we ate every 3 hours around the clock so that we could grow. Drew and I both breastfed, and we often did it at the same time, using a special pillow where each of us got a side. Then, we'd both take a bottle with formula to supplement. The nurses recommended it, so we could be extra sure to get enough to eat. After our 2 1/2 weeks weigh in, the doctor said we could go up to 5 hours between feedings at night (if Drew and I felt like sleeping that long) since we did so good on our weight gain and that we were to eat on demand (we like this!).
Oh, and Drew and I both started cracking some grins during Week 3. Mom and Dad seem very excited when we do this, so we try to do it often!
All in all, it was an exciting month! Below are pictures of our Month 1 activities and stats from our doctor visits. Talk to you all again soon!
Me as a little glow worm (with bili light)
Drew and I together in crib - this worked for a little while!
Mom and Me 
Storytime with Dad 
Drew in the bouncy 
Napping with Dad 1 
Napping with Dad 2 
One of Mom's favorite pics of Drew
Here are stats from our Month 1 doctor visits.
March 5, 2009 Appointment - 5 days old
March 5, 2009 Appointment - 5 days old
Drew Weight: 5 lbs. 8 oz.
Bree Weight: 5 lbs. 9 oz.
Bree Weight: 5 lbs. 9 oz.
Drew Height: 18 inches
Bree Height: 18 5/8 inches
Drew's height measured shorter than birth height. The doctor reassured us he did not shrink. They typically rush the hospital measurement a bit and can be off for this reason.
Bree Height: 18 5/8 inches
Drew's height measured shorter than birth height. The doctor reassured us he did not shrink. They typically rush the hospital measurement a bit and can be off for this reason.
March 9, 2009 Weigh In - 9 days old
Drew Weight: 5 lbs. 13 oz.
Bree Weight: 5 lbs. 10 oz.
March 16, 2009 Weigh In - 16 days old
March 16, 2009 Weigh In - 16 days old
Drew Weight: 6 lbs. 6 oz.
Bree Weight: 6 lbs. 3 oz.
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