9 Month Check-up

I took the boys to the doctor today for their 9 month check-up. They also were checking up on them since they were diagnosed with RSV last week. The doctor checked both of their ears and said they looked great and then she checked their lungs and said everything sounded perfect. That was such a relief to hear because both boys have still be coughing. She said their cough could last for a month. I am just glad that we are on the mend.

Jackson: Weighs 18lbs 10oz (35%), is 27 3/4 inches long (54%), Head Circumference is 44.8 (50%).

Jacob: Weighs 15lbs 10oz (< 3%), is 27 1/4 inches long (36%), Head Circumference is 44.0 (27%).

I was a little concerned about Jacob's weight coming in under three percentile but we talked about it and she said there could be several reasons. Both boys percentiles went down and she said that if she looked at 100 different children at 9 months old we would probably see a dip in percentiles because at 9 months a baby's metabolism speeds up. She said mobility is another reason for the decrease in the percentiles. I told her that Jacob never, NEVER stops moving. She said that could be another reason for him being so much smaller. The other thing she mentioned is that both of the boys' weight could be down because of them being so sick. I didn't even think about it but she said they use a large amount of energy when they are sick. They were having so much trouble breathing and she said that is very hard and uses a lot of energy especially when they are trying to eat. She said also having a fever causes them to use more energy. She said they could have lost 5 ounces or more and that would make a big difference on the growth chart. That made me feel a little bit better. Jacob eats just as much as Jackson and sometimes actually takes more in his bottle than Jackson. She said as long as he is eating and is growing that I shouldn't be concerned. I guess he is just a little guy.

As far as development is concerned she said they were doing very well. I told her they hadn't quite mastered sitting up just yet although they were close. She said they are very strong and are trying to pull up a lot so it isn't that they don't have the strength but they just need to work on the coordination. Sometimes I can set them down and they will just sit there and not move and other times they act like they have never sat straight up ever before. When we got home I sat with them in the floor and Jackson sat in front of me and just looked at me while I played Patti-Cake. Then as soon as I was done he was ready to fall over. I sang it several times in a row and he just sat there like he was pro but when I was done singing he was done sitting up. It is quite funny. I guess they just still need some motivation. We are working on though and I think we will get there very soon.

The doctor said we can now introduce some dairy products. She said to try yogurt, cottage cheese and cheese. She also said to start offering them small pieces of food for them to pick up by themselves.

I can't believe how fast they are growing up...now I realize they are no where near grown up but from a newborn to 9 months that is growing up to me and it is going by so incredibly fast. I told Justin the other night that I still think of them as 6 months old. Its like the time between 6 months and 9 months went by so fast that it didn't even happen. As we were walking out the doctor said she would see us when they were one! AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! OOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!! If this next three months goes by as quickly as the last three I just might be a basket case at their birthday part....this is your warning!

I am just so proud of my little guys and love them so much. They are doing so great! The sleep like little angels, the are perfect eaters, they love to play, so far we have cut teeth without any problems....I am pretty sure God sent me two of His angels on loaner. I am one thankful, proud, joyful momma.

9 Months Old

Yesterday the boys turned 9 months old. I can hardly believe it. Only three more months and they will be one year old! It is just so amazing to watch them grow and develop each and every day. I just can't believe it has been nine months already. It seems like just yesterday they were still in my belly and now look at them....I know there are a few Christmas looking pictures in here and it is after Christmas but we wanted to do some pictures like this and because we were so busy and the boys were sick a lot we didn't get them taken in December. I think you will like them no matter what though. :)

Jacob

Jackson

These are their pajamas that say "My First Christmas"

Jackson

Jackson

Jacob

Jacob

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year to everyone. It is so hard to believe we are 2013 and that I am a wife and mother of two baby boys. What an amazing year 2012 was. The year that brought forth my two baby boys, Jackson and Jacob. What an absolute blessing they have been and I am so looking forward to spending this year with them. I can't wait to see them start crawling and walking...celebrating their first birthday and so many other exciting times with them this year. However, I do not want to get ahead of myself or rush things along. Time is rushing by so quickly already that I can't even believe it.

Our first week of the new year has been a challenging one. So you know what I say..."CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!" Saturday a week ago the boys developed a cough. By Sunday night they were both coughing and you could tell they were not feeling well at all. The day after Christmas Amy took Trey to the doctor and he had crackling lungs and he had a terrible cough. The boys were starting to sound like him. So New Year's Eve Justin and I took the boys to the doctor. They were both diagnosed with RSV and Jackson had a double ear infection. That was a scary thing to hear. They immediately started a breathing treatment with Jackson because the doctor said his lung sounded crackly and that he was wheezing a bit. I knew that RSV could be very dangerous for babies and especially premature babies and had heard of babies being in the hospital for it. That was all I could think of and pray against...them having to go to the hospital. Thankfully we were able to avoid that. They sent us home with an antibiotic for Jackson and a nebulizer to give both of the boys breathing treatments for a few days.

The boys were so terribly miserable. I felt so bad for them. I just held them and sang "Jesus Loves Me" to them in the doctor's office. We got home and set into a routine for breathing treatments three times a day and antibiotic twice a day. We did breathing treatments from Monday until Friday. They thankfully were able to rest a lot. They kept sleeping through the night and a lot more during the day. Jackson ran a fever for a couple days but it was always below 100. Jacob ran a fever a little longer and New Year Day it spiked up to 102.5. That was a little scary but he did so well. I have the best babies in all of the world. They were so good all week even though they didn't feel good. They still ate really well too. They took a little less of their bottles but I think it was because they had trouble breathing while drinking. Their noses were so cruddy and their cough was just absolutely terrible.

They would get a little better each and every day but still could tell they didn't feel too good. By this weekend they are still coughing and have runny noses but they are acting more and more like themselves each day. I am sure it will take a while for them to get completely over it. We made it through though. :) I will be keeping them in for another week at least. I don't want anyone else catching it from them or them catching something else and getting sick again. The poor babies have been sick since Christmas.

This was our New Year's Eve meal. Bacon wrapped baked chicken, garlic mashed potatoes and green beans.

Jacob getting his first breathing treatment

Jackson getting his first breathing treatment at home

Jackson getting a breathing treatment

Jacob feeling a little better so he can play some

Jackson feeling a little better too

You can tell here in his eyes that he doesn't feel good. My poor sweet Jackson

Jackson

Jacob

Jacob

Christmas Day

It was so special to wake up Christmas morning with our two baby boys. We woke up and read the story about Jesus' birth in Luke with our boys first thing Christmas morning. We wanted to start that tradition with our boys to always make sure they know what Christmas is truly about. Yes we do Santa and gifts but I want them to know that Christmas is all about Jesus. Some of my fondest memories as a kid are centered around Christmas and I want it to be special for my boys as well. We had an awesome Christmas. We got to spend it with Mom, Dad, Mama, Papa, Amy, Travis, Trey, Taryn and Kathy.

As soon as the boys had their breakfast we started opening gifts. There were way too many gifts. How blessed we are that we didn't have enough room under the tree for all the gifts. I got way too much and a lot more than I deserve.

After opening gifts we enjoyed our traditional Sausage Angel Biscuit that Amy made that was soooo wonderful. Then we hung out and played with all our new toys and gadgets, cleaned everything up and I made my traditional homemade noodles. Then we enjoyed a wonderful lunch. The last few years Dad has been frying and turkey and oh my that things is SOOOOO Yummy!!! We had ham, turkey, homemade noodles, sweet potatoes, dressing, gravy, rolls, cranberry sauce, peach pie and pumpkin pie. Oh my goodness it makes me hurt just thinking about all of that food again.

Then after lunch we came back to our house and spent the afternoon and evening with Justin's mom. Christmas day is also her birthday so we always spend the afternoon and evening with her. Her and Justin are very strict on not opening gifts until Christmas day so we always do our gifts with her that evening. Our traditional Christmas evening meal is summer sausage, cheese and crackers. Yum!

What a wonderful day we had enjoying being with family. I know the boys didn't understand it but it sure was fun being with them. Next year will be a lot of fun. They will be almost 2 next year so they will get into it a little more.

The boys getting their "Santa" gifts. 

The boys in their "My First Christmas" bibs ready for their breakfast.

My sweet wonderful husband got me an iPad for Christmas. I was so shocked. I couldn't believe he had done that.

This is what he asked for. :) He loves his tennis shoes.

This was one of Justin's stuffed animals when he was a kid and he wrapped them up and gave them to the boys.

Here is another one.

We put Papa a car detailing basket together for Christmas. Him and Justin love detailing their cars.

Taryn getting her Precious Moments gift. I decided for her first birthday that I wanted to get something special for her at all special occasions that she could keep forever. So I decided on Precious Moments. This one says "Jesus Loves Me"

We got this for Dad. I thought it would be neat for his pool room.

Jackson opening his stocking

Jacob opening his stocking

Jackson and Papa Great

Jackson on his push and ride doggy that Justin and I got him.

Jacob on his push and ride doggy that Justin and I got him