Dear God,

On the next model, could you please include a snooze button? Thank you.

Yours truly,
Slow to Rise

My Pumpkins

All this adorableness for just two dollars?!!?

Okay, they're at it again. They're telling me in their own little way that they're going to be just fine. I was starting to worry about language development. Everything I read says that by 14 months (their corrected age) they should have at least 3 words that they use regularly. Well, Alex and Spencer don't have any need to say "Mama" because I'm the only one here. They know that if they cry I'll come. They've said "Mama," but they don't use it regularly. I talked to their therapists this week about having them evaluated for language, just to make sure everything is okay. I've been paying a lot of attention to their speech, and I'm starting to notice that they repeat words. Alex says "that" and has even said some form of "Can I have that?". Spencer repeated "uh oh" several times this morning and also repeated "up" once when I said it to him. Add all this to Alex saying "ball" on Monday and I'm just reminded that I have nothing to worry about.

Alex Says His First Word

Alex said his first word today (other than mama or hi). He said BALL. He was playing with a ball and my sister and I said "ball" to him and he repeated it back, clear as day! I have a witness, so I know it wasn't just my hopeful imagination hearing it. Yippee!!! God, I love being a mom.

Centerpiece

How do you like my new centerpiece? Little bugger!
Centerpiece
Originally uploaded by doublethefun.

Spencer and Alex both had doctor's appointments on Monday. Alex saw the opthomologist for his six month check-up. He has become more near-sighted since his last exam. He can see clearly without his glasses only about two inches in front of his face. I was pretty upset that his eyes have become worse. I've been so diligent about making sure he wears his glasses. The doctor, however, reminded me that with the condition he had (ROP) many children end up losing part or all of their vision. The fact that he has full vision and can wear corrective lenses to see normally is a miracle of modern medicine. She's right, and I'm so thankful that he's not blind, thanks to two rounds of laser eye surgery. She said Alex's eyes will probably continue to get worse, but at some point it will stop; he can only be so near-sighted. He'll always wear corrective lenses, unless someday he has surgery again to correct his vision. I've told him that I'll pay for it when he's older if he wants it, but maybe he'll always want to wear glasses. He's so cute in them anyway!

I took Spencer in to the pediatrician for a weight check. The last time he was there was July 10th, and he was exactly 16 pounds. On Monday, two months later, he weighed 19 lbs. 11 oz.; that's nearly a four pound weight gain! He has also been off of Prevacid for three weeks now. I forgot to give it to him one day; by the time I remembered it was the end of the day and he was doing fine. I thought, "Why not try taking him off and see how he does?" He is eating and drinking just as much as always, and not spitting up. It seems Spencer's reflux has subsided, and now he's growing like crazy. He's actually getting a double chin!

Apparently Tuesday morning Alex woke up and decided "I think I'll learn to pull myself to standing on the coffee table today. Aw, heck, why don't I just go ahead and learn to cruise!" That's my Alex, continuing to catch up by leaps and bounds. He cruised halfway around the coffee table without any assistance! Now he's all over the place, getting more confident all the time. I swear he's going to walk before Spencer (their therapists think so, too). Don't worry, Spence, it's not a competition. We just utterly amazed that Alex is catching up so quickly after everything he's been through.

Alex is Amazing

Two weeks ago Alex began to pull up to standing when I held his hands. A week later he pulled himself up to stand in his crib (I had to move the mattress down right at bedtime!). Today he began taking steps when I held his hands, high steps like he was really trying to walk, not little foot shuffles. Tonight he went up four stairs in a row on his own! He is learning so fast and getting stronger every day. He watches everything Spencer does and wants to do it all. The funny thing is, Spencer doesn't take steps like Alex was taking today.

When Alex and Spencer were in the NICU one of Alex's primary nurses (Debbie, who I adore and miss) said she thought Alex would go home before Spencer. I thought she was crazy, what with all the challenges Alex had had and Spencer having had very few. Spencer did come home first, but promptly returned to the NICU because of an apnea. Guess which baby came home for good first: Alex! He has always and continues to beat the odds, to disprove what the nurses, doctors, and therapists forecast for him. I pray that all the parents of preemies out there who are so scared by the statistics would reject negativity and BELIEVE that their child can and will be a miracle. Though Alex's prognosis was very bleak when he was born I always stayed positive, as did the many friends, family, and even strangers who were praying for him and Spencer. I truly believe that all the positive, healing energy that was sent to them is in large part why they are here today, whole and healthy.

The boys ate fish sticks for the first time this evening (organic ones made from fillets without a bunch of junk added). They LOVED them! I had to break them into pieces, but even Alex fed himself. I so glad they like fish, and that I've found a quick and easy meal that I feel good about giving them. I need to find more of those, since classes start in a few weeks and I'm going to be very busy.

Standing Together

Standing Together
Originally uploaded by doublethefun.

I love watching Alex and Spencer play together: climbing the Tumble Forms, crawling through their tunnel, racing each other across the floor to get a toy, babbling happily to each other in their mysterious baby language. It's all so amazing. The best part of having twins is watching them together, even when there is conflict between the two of them. It's like my own little personal childhood development study, right here in my living room.

Alex is pulling to standing when I hold his hands. He tucks his feet under him and pushes up. He started this yesterday; the day before he was holding his legs straight and stiff when I pulled him up. He learns so fast! I swear it's from watching Spencer do all these things. He sees Spence and thinks "I want to do that, too!"

I stood Alex up at the coffee table. He held on with one hand and banged on the table with the other. He stood there doing this for about three minutes without any assistance. He's my amazing catcher-upper boy!!!

Spencer has hit two major milestones in the last two days. Yesterday he climbed an entire flight of stairs for the first time. Today, he got his first bloody nose. The life of a toddler; it's sooooo precarious.

Spencer Rides His Steed

Spencer has learned to ride his rocking horse on his own.

Alex Climbs

Alex Climbs
Originally uploaded by doublethefun.

It's hard to see in this pic, but Alex is actually climbing. He's developing so fast!

Alex and His Steed

IMG_1041
Originally uploaded by doublethefun.

"Do you mind? I'm workin' here. I think she needs an oil change."

Alex is fascinated by this toy...and a little bit scared of it, too.

Alex is crawling everywhere now and is pulling up to kneeling on toys and the bookshelf. He's grabbing books off the shelf and toys out of the toy bins, just like Spencer. I'm truly amazed at how quickly he's progressing. I believe having this big, safe space to roam in has really helped both boys' physical development.

Rock n roll, baby, yeah!

Alex's "kissing" of his brother has gotten a little out of control. He gets Spencer in a headlock and slobbers (and I suspect bites) all over his head. Spencer does NOT like it, rightfully so. I have to pull Alex off, tell him "no," and try to explain that Spencer doesn't want him to do that and that that's why he's crying. He doesn't get it yet, but someday he will. Ah, it's the onset of having to repeat oneself indefinitely: one of the many joys of parenthood.

Spencer is pulling up to standing a lot now. He really wants to be vertical more than anything. I think I saw the beginning of cruising today, but there was a toy in his way and after I moved it he just wanted me to pick him up. He's been that way lately; he cries until I pick him up, then he's happy until I put him back down again. If I'm sitting on the floor he doesn't do it; somehow if I'm on his level he's okay. Spencer has been such a ham lately. My niece said something so funny about him last week; I wish I had written it down. It was something like "Spencer got the baby handbook and he's learning all the tricks in it." Yes, he knows he's cute.

Spencer fighting bedtime

Yesterday I took a video clip of Spencer riding the rocking horse by himself. He's learned to bounce himself up and down without assistance. I sing the Lone Ranger theme music while they ride. After Spencer gracefully a lit from his steed (fell off backward on his head) I had him on my lap and was showing him the video clip. He started bouncing himself up and down on my knee. It was adorable!

Alexander Kisses Spencer

ALEX has started giving kisses. It's so sweet that he wants to give them, but his version of a kiss is a bit rambunctious. He grabs his subject's head (by the hair if possible), pulls it toward him, opens wide, and uses everything inside his mouth to kiss: teeth, tongue, and drooooooool. Ouch! And yuck! He's SOOOOO loving!