Lots to Catch Up On

Hello everybody!

The goofball twins are back!


I've got your funny bone Lily!

Giggles, giggles, giggles

Our new highchairs

Don't we look big?

Lola with her new tooth!

Lily, happy as usual

Gracie feeding her TWO babies

Gracie looking pretty with Mama

Gracie's first snow!

Lily Bean

Nine months old!!!

We just can't both hold still at the SAME time!

Or keep both sets of eyes open!!!

But we sure are cutie pies!!!

Pilates open leg rocker anyone?

Sweetie

Lola the happy girl!

Hi world!

It has been awhile since I have been able to update the blog, so there is a lot to catch up on!

The babies turned 9 months old this week, very hard to believe. They had their 9 month check up and all looked great. They don't developmentally do all the things full term 9 month olds do, but they aren't supposed to since they are only 7 months old gestation. You continue to correct for prematurity for quite some time, so we are doing just fine.

Lily does great sitting and reaching and passing toys between each hand. She is in the 95% for weight and 90% for height. I knew she was getting big, but it is pretty tough to convince folks she weighed 3 # 8 oz. at birth now. She is thinking about crawling, but not convinced yet about what to do with her legs. She likes applesauce and pears and squash. She continues with an easy going attitude generally and LOVES, LOVES, LOVES to get "beseos" or kisses from Gracie.

Lola is constantly moving and much prefers her tummy to sitting, although can do it. On her belly, she has just about figured out how to use her legs to crawl, but at present drags her lower half along and uses her arms to move. She now says "Mama" (Gracie and Don agree). She also has her first tooth coming in. I have been waiting on these teeth FOREVER and one of these babies finally has one poking thru. Hoorah! She eats the same as Lily, and also loves applesauce, pears and squash. However, she is 45% for weight and 65% for height. She just never stops moving and still has some reflux issues.

Gracie seems to really be settling in much better over the past week. She does continue to have some melt-downs, but they are much shorter in duration and seem to be less frequent "knock on wood". She has had some episodes of real sadness and missing her caregivers and friends in Guatemala. But, once we went over some pictures and acknowledged these significant people in her life, I think it helped. I don't know, this is all new to me, but we have read SO much over the past 3 years and are just trying to be thoughtful as these situations arise.

I am continuing to sleep with her, in two twin beds pushed together. She really needs me when she goes to bed for the night, although eventually I hope not to be going to sleep at 8 pm. I am rested, but I have almost zero adult time at present.

On Friday nights, we have been having pizza and movie night. Gracie, Don and I all sleep in our room (meaning Don and Mel's) and watch a movie. She has really enjoyed that.

She is doing pretty well with eating most things. Still will not eat black beans, tamales, rice, tacos, or burritos or enchiladas. Not sure if that is a homesick thing, as in Mama doesn't make it the way I like it OR I would rather have something new, like nutritious "Easy Mac". Time will tell.

I did FINALLY get her to eat a carrot, apples, wheat bread and bananas. So, we may be moving in the right direction. She still says "afuera" or outside when she sees me eat a salad, as in thinking it is grass. Heehee...

Gracie can now say "funny", "no more" (if I say "no mas", she says "NO, no morrre!!!"), apple, sausage, money, eyes, nose, mouth, ears, choo choo train, please, and GRACIE!. She is doing better and better at repeating, but often times guesses. She will get the number of syllables, but make up her own version of the word. Seems to be deleting the final sound less though, but still will with new words. We have had her hearing checked, so I truly do think it is just a time thing and that she has very few "sounds" built up in her memory bank yet. She really loves to sing, so sometimes that has helped with practice.

She can now do an easy puzzle which was impossible when she first came home. Will play with playdough and color for a bit, which was also not an interest at first. Loves to play outside, as long as it isn't too cold.

Gracie had her first outing with little cousins (ages 4 and up) at a bridal shower and I thought she did great. She was very shy at first (not her personality at all), but then really tried to engage and interact with her cousins when of course, it was almost time to leave. I think each time will get easier and easier.

One funny story was the second time we went to Target for grocery shopping. She must have finally felt comfortable to talk more, because every time she recognized some food she said very loudly "MOMMY MAMA" and pointed at bread, pudding, Doritos (actually said "papa" at that one as Don likes Doritos) etc. I was "Mommy Mama" thru the whole store and it was nice to see how many people smiled at her during this process because at times, it was very loud and very repetitive.

All and all, I think it is better, but it was very very hard that first month. She has stopped biting her nails and some other nervous behaviors. Gracie loves the babies and that really helps because they require my attention too.

Please accept our apologies for not returning phone calls very timely right now. It is really hard to do when I am by myself during the week and we are still trying to find "ourselves".

Have a great week and thanks for all the support! Mel