Hi, Everyone,
Today was Gus, Kate and Claire's big SIX month (calendar age...adjusted preemie age is four months) check-up at the doctor's office. The time is flying by!
It takes a "crew" to make doctor's office days go smoothly. Chad's parents (MeMe and Poppa to the babies) are always so sweet about helping me get the babies there. I drive, Chad's dad rides in the front seat. The babies take up the entire second row. Then, Chad's mom climbs into the very back -- the third row seat -- to ride and make sure the babies are okay. Now, if that isn't love, what is?? :o) It is so nice to have a person per baby! We all march into the doctor's office with a baby in tow. I feel bad for the office...they know they are in for a little chaos when we arrive, but they are always very, very sweet to us and are more than accommodating. Nurse Ashley, Nurse Janie, Nurse Christy and Nurse Michelle are THE BEST! One special treat for me while at the office is to be able to watch MeMe and Poppa following the nurse down the hall -- each person carrying a naked baby -- to the scale for weights while I am questioned about the babies' histories by the nurse! It is SO FUNNY to see them parade down the hall, one right after the other!
Gus weighs 17 pounds. Kate weighs 13.10 and Claire weighs 13.8.
Of course, today was the day that they received their immunizations. Gus had five injections (one injection had to be divided into two parts) and the girls received four injections each. OUCH! I'm not complaining. I feel bad for the babies that the injections hurt, but I am thankful that we are able to have them immunized.
I was told that the babies can now change to a feeding schedule of every four hours during the day (woooohoooo!!) and that Chad and I can feed them one last time at 10:30 p.m. or so and then let them sleep until they wake-up in the mornings. So, this means that we are down to five feedings per day (with larger volumes in the bottles, of course). This will be a big adjustment for the babies. I hope it won't take long to convince them that they only need to eat every four hours and that it's okay to sleep for 6 - 8 hours each night. Any schedule change for any baby takes a while to get the hang of -- wish me luck! This is just another little adventure for Chad and I! :o) Of all of the babies, Gus is the one who LOVES to eat the most, so this change in schedule will probably be the most difficult for him....poor little guy.
Chad and I and the babies' MeMe and Poppa noticed today that no one has given the babies a pacifier in quite some time. We have used the pacifier to help Claire eat (long story), but otherwise, the babies have not wanted a pacifier even if we have offered. We have not offered a paci when they are crying -- we try other things. We are using this to our benefit to just get rid of the pacifiers while the babies don't seem to notice too much. I have heard way too many horror stories about weaning from pacifiers. The thought of three babies screaming bloody murder for pacifiers freaks me out a little, so I am glad that it looks like we are going to leave Pacifier/Binky Land relatively unscathed.
We are still on "lock down" (nobody gets in or out...LOL) around here until RSV/cold/flu season is over with around April. So far, the play area that Chad and I arranged for the babies in our house is working out well. There's room for their toys, and there is room for Chad and I to stretch out on the floor with them for play time. Also, the room gets lots of sunshine at the right times of day, which makes it very cheery. Goodness knows, with so many long, winter days ahead, a sunny room helps to lift the spirits! Chad and I are not opposed to bundling-up the babies even on the really cold days and taking them for a stroll up and down the road -- that will help to reduce the feeling of cabin fever!
We are still on "lock down" (nobody gets in or out...LOL) around here until RSV/cold/flu season is over with around April. So far, the play area that Chad and I arranged for the babies in our house is working out well. There's room for their toys, and there is room for Chad and I to stretch out on the floor with them for play time. Also, the room gets lots of sunshine at the right times of day, which makes it very cheery. Goodness knows, with so many long, winter days ahead, a sunny room helps to lift the spirits! Chad and I are not opposed to bundling-up the babies even on the really cold days and taking them for a stroll up and down the road -- that will help to reduce the feeling of cabin fever!
I am going to attend a scrapbook retreat at the end of the month, so I have been working hard at organizing the photos of the babies that will go into this particular scrapbook project. All I can say is "GOOD LUCK TO ME!!!" I am in way over my head on this one. But, I better get the hang of this because these scrapbooks for the babies are just the beginning. I have many, many years of documenting and preserving their memories ahead of me. My stress comes from not wanting to mess it up for them...I want the scrapbooks to tell their stories. I want them to be able to open their scrapbooks and see how much they are loved and wanted. I have never seen a perfect scrapbook. I have seen many beautiful ones (more beautiful than I could ever hope to create), but never a perfect one. Scrapbooks are not supposed to be perfect...it is just important to know that the person who created the scrapbook did so out of love and care. This is definitely a project of great love and care, and that is all that matters.
This was long and covered a multitude of topics...sorry about that!
I hope that all is well with each of you. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we look forward to Spring.
We love and miss you,
Leslie
P.S. The picture is of Gus, Kate and Claire after we came home from the doctor's office today.
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