Last Tuesday, the girls had their four-month check up and.... they are on the charts!! As preemies, they are considered 'failure to thrive' on the charts, because their little bodies are based off of their birth date(9 weeks early) not their due date. So, when they bring up their growth chart they are much smaller than the other babies born February 12th. SO... as of June 16th, at 17 weeks:
Danika
11 lbs 4 oz (6%)
22 inches (.97%)
Johnalyn
10 lbs 15 oz (4%)
22 inches tall (2%)
This is amazing as 9 week old preemies aren't expected to hit the charts until a year, or so, after birth. It typically takes that long to catch up with their peers. They both had rounds of shots and they are champs.
During the exam, they were both diagnosed with torticollis. Torticollis is "a condition in which the head becomes persistently turned to one side, often associated with painful muscle spasms" (thanks Wiki). Because of this, this is causing the right side of their head to be flat, because that's the side they favor. We have been working on neck exercises and rolling a blanket under the right side of their back to force them to sleep on their left cheek, LOTS of tummy time, and now we have started going to a chiropractor. We are doing everything possible to try to avoid a helmet. If they do need helmets, that's how it'll have to be, but who wants their kid to sport one of those sweaty things?? Johnalyn's torticollis is more severe than Danika's. The chiropractor rated Johnalyn at 4.5/5 (5 being the worst) at presentation, and Danika at 3. After three adjustments, he is now rating Johnalyn at a 3 and Danika 2. He said that when he felt Johnalyn's right neck, when he pushed on it, it was so tight it was pulsating. Poor baby girl!! So, we are hoping with everyone's efforts we can avoid the helmet.
We are also still dealing with their lack of stooling. I still give them a suppository once every five days (girls, if you're reading this in 18 years, I'm sorry!)... and they refuse to stool on their own. We have now started 1 tsp of Karo syrup in their nighttime bottles... so we're hoping for results... the doctor doesn't seem to concerned about it at this point. Because of them being premature, all of their insides weren't fully matured, including their anal sphincter (again... sorry girls), so their sphincter isn't developed enough to coordinate what needs to be coordinated to make a stool. Ok... done with poop now.
They are STILL sleeping through the night! We put them to bed around 9:30, and one of them is always up by 5:15. It's awesome! They are such happy babies... I can't wrap my head around how incredibly blessed we are!!
We went through some more life changing moments this week... I am now starting to work more and the girls had their first day of daycare yesterday. I know how moms say they cry all morning the first day of daycare, but I thought because I've been to work and the grandmas have been taking care of the girls, and the fact that we are easing into this with daycare only Wednesdays and Fridays, I honestly didn't think it would be that 'heartbreaking'. Ha... who was I fooling. I got there and the gal in the infant room was a gal I hadn't met, very sweet, but I didn't know her.. and I handed my children to her.... and I started tearing up. I gained composure quickly because I don't want to look like 'one of those moms'... Let's face it... I am 'one of those moms'... but I try to hide it. When I got back to the van, I cried all the way to work. but coffee makes everything better, so I ordered a large. They did very well, but I was glad the day was over. We will do two days of daycare until they can start full time in August.
They are both complete jabber boxes. They will jabber to us, to eachother, to their boppies... they'll 'talk' to anything and anyone. Danika started belly laughing on Tuesday. I was changing her diaper, and she thought it was hilarious! They are exceeding in communication, that's for sure!
Here are a couple videos.. and of course... pictures!
Daddy and Dani
Saturday Morning Talks
Here are a couple videos.. and of course... pictures!
Daddy and Dani
Saturday Morning Talks
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