Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! This is the girls second Thanksgiving but it's the first one home. So much has happened since last year at this time. I have reflected back on last Thanksgiving and am so grateful for the progress and the milestones that Haley and Rachel have made since that time. Thomas and I are so grateful for our beautiful daughters. They have brought so much joy and happiness to us. We cherish them and love them more than anything.  We enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday with Grandma and Grandpa Benedict (my parents) in Austin. We had a nice Thanksgiving meal and enjoyed time together as a family.  The girls also enjoyed Grandma's backyard sitting in the leaves.  The weather was warm until a cold front came through mid-day.  We got some good pictures outside before it got cold.  It was a wonderful Thanksgiving all together as a family.  We are so blessed and grateful!    

Family picture

The girls with Grandpa and Grandma

Rachel and Haley.  I love their cute Thanksgiving bibs.

Playing in the leaves.  Rachel was determined to get her hands in them.

Cute little Haley

Rachel playing with a leaf.

   

Sickness and g-button problem

Poor little Rachel and Haley are sick with colds.  Their colds started a week ago and I thought they were on the way to getting better when Rachel started running a low grade temp.  So to be safe we took her to the pediatrician.  Her lungs sounded good so the doctor suspected she has a sinus infection.  She is now on an antibiotic (amoxicillan).  We love those antibiotics.  Rachel always gets diarrhea and a bad rash when she is on an antibiotic.  To top it off, Rachel's g-button has been leaking a lot.  So we had to change it out and it seems to be better now.  Poor sweet baby has been through it the past couple of days, but she is getting better.  She didn't have a fever today so that's a good sign.  Haley is getting better as well.  Her cold hasn't slowed her down.  She is still feisty and active.  She has been sitting so well.  She is sitting longer before falling over.  Well the girls will get through these colds.  We are so grateful that these colds weren't any worse.
 

Rachel is happy despite her cold

Rachel

Haley sitting so well

Haley so happy

    

Good Reports

Last week the girls saw Dr. Rivera (Neurologist) and got a good report. He seemed extremely happy and somewhat surprised with how well the girls are progressing considering what they have been through and how early they were born. Rachel and Haley both had MRI'S at the end of October, so we went into this appointment with lots of questions regarding what the MRI's showed. Dr. Rivera explained the MRI results and said that Haley's grade 4 bleed had completely resolved. He said that the brains of babies who have had brain bleeds are able to make connections in other parts of the brain to compensate for the part of the brain with the bleed. We wanted to know how this would affect her in the future. He said that right now all they have to go by is how she is doing mobility wise. We won't know if there will be any effect with behavior or learning until she gets older. So far though we don't see any abnormal behavior. She acts like a normal baby. Rachel also got a fairly good report despite her diagnosis of PVL (periventricular leukomalacia). She is mildly hypotonic which means she is a little floppy (or has low muscle tone). Physical therapy will help her to get stronger. She has made progress with her mobility. She is doing so much better at rolling, lifting her head and getting up on her knees in preparation to crawl.
Today the girls saw Dr. Robertson (pulmonologist) who said the girls lungs sound good despite them being sick with colds right now. He doesn't want to see them again until May 2011. We hope for a healthy as possible fall/winter season.
We are so grateful for the good reports that the girls have gotten. It's so nice to get good reports. As a mom, I worry about Rachel and Haley a lot. I know that seeing how early they were born they are going to struggle with some challenges, but I hope the challenges will get easier and better with time. They have gotten better since being home from the NICU. I have faith that things will get better as they get older and stronger. The Lord has truly blessed them to this point in their lives. He will continue to bless them. I know that God will do what is best for our little girls, whether that they will be completely healed from all their difficulties or they will have challenges that we do not for see right now. The Lord knows the future, he knows what is best for the girls and he will do according to their individual needs and what he sees will be most beneficial to them eternally speaking.

Rachel being silly

 Haley having fun

 

 

Haley and Rachel playing together

Ready for Flu and RSV season

Both Rachel and Haley got their first flu shot a month ago and will be getting their second flu shot next week. Yesterday the girls got their Synagis shot. Synagis helps to protect them from RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus). They will both have to get this shot once a month through out the RSV season. Typically RSV is most common in children under 1 year. Since the girls were born extremely premature their doctors thought it would be best the girls get the Synagis shots through this RSV season. We have been blessed that the girls have not gotten terribly sick to land them back in the hospital. I'm glad they will be better protected this flu and RSV season.

15 months old

The girls are 15 months old! I can't believe how time flies! My little babies are growing up fast. Rachel is working so hard at trying to crawl. She is getting closer to it everyday. Though she may not crawl perfectly yet, she is good at rolling from one side of the living room to the other side. She is moving all around. Rachel has also been so vocal lately. I really think that the ear tubes she had placed over a month ago has really helped her. Rachel is such a happy, smiley little girl. We are still struggling to get Rachel to eat baby food. Its going to take more patience, work, time and therapy to get her to eat. I hope it will happen sooner than later.

Rachel getting a break from the helmet and glasses. She is a happy girl! She has such beautiful blue eyes. I love them.




Rachel playing


Haley is doing so good at sitting with less assistance. She can sit without assistance for a short time, but she still topples over. She is getting better at it everyday. Haley is also doing so much better at lifting her head when she is on her tummy. She is starting to use her hands and arms to lift her self up while on her tummy. She wasn't doing this a couple of weeks ago. Haley is also eating so well. She loves her baby food. She is doing better at eating vegetables. I found a way to get her to eat the vegetables. I give her bites of fruit while I'm feeding her the vegetables and it works. She is so spunky and so cute. She keeps us laughing.

Haley sitting by herself


I took this picture while getting Haley ready for bed. She is sitting so well.


Helmet update: Both girls had a follow up appointment with the helmets. Rachel has been in her helmet for 3 months now and Haley for 2 months. They both are making progress at a rounder head. Rachel has 1-2 more months in her helmet and Haley has 2-3 more months. They have been troopers at wearing their helmets. They have done well with little problems. I do look forward to the day they can get them off and to the day they have round heads.