Nearly forgot the main reason why I didn't post on Friday...
Imagine a photo of two tired faces... Sweet lil'Tabitha thought it would be fun to wake up everyone in the house for a late night party. She started the festivities at 2am and kept everyone busy until 6am when she ate her am bottle and went back to sleep.
Everyone was exhausted when I arrived and the day's naps were exhausting because both babies were so overtired.
I'm not sure how this played out over the weekend, but I'll keep you posted.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Friday, December 7, 2007
Bad, bad nanny
I didn't post on Friday, I'm using a picture from Friday, December 7th and dating this post for Friday too. I'm a bad, bad nanny. I didn't make time to blog on Friday. I made time for laundry, formula, bottles, feedings, family interactions, baby-play, a walk, music, a few photos, getting paid, recapping for Roger and Sara then again for my wife, but I didn't make any time to blog. I apologize. I do think of it as one of my daily responsibilities and it is very rewarding to see folks actually visiting. It was especially rewarding to see my photos viewed so many times as I enjoy photography so much more than writing.
It was a good week. Auntie Laverne and Auntie Shirley really enjoyed their visit, the tomatoes and being here. And it snowed!
After our big debate about going outside that was followed up with strict rules surrounding taking the babies outside, including keeping outside time to a maximum of fifteen minutes, I haven't been out with the babies. It's just not worth it. To set up the stroller, put on their warm clothes, snowsuits, hats, dress myself, carry them down the stairs, lower the stroller with them in it down the outside unsalted stairs takes at least fifteen minutes. Add that same fifteen minutes for coming back in and you have a walk that takes longer to orchestrate than actually enjoy. And with all of that add Roger's drama about my freezing his children, which can come on unexpectedly, and I'm out of the game.
But I felt tough and went for it on Friday. Ten entire minutes outside. Wow. I'll just stop there, cause, wow.
It was a good week. Auntie Laverne and Auntie Shirley really enjoyed their visit, the tomatoes and being here. And it snowed!
After our big debate about going outside that was followed up with strict rules surrounding taking the babies outside, including keeping outside time to a maximum of fifteen minutes, I haven't been out with the babies. It's just not worth it. To set up the stroller, put on their warm clothes, snowsuits, hats, dress myself, carry them down the stairs, lower the stroller with them in it down the outside unsalted stairs takes at least fifteen minutes. Add that same fifteen minutes for coming back in and you have a walk that takes longer to orchestrate than actually enjoy. And with all of that add Roger's drama about my freezing his children, which can come on unexpectedly, and I'm out of the game.
But I felt tough and went for it on Friday. Ten entire minutes outside. Wow. I'll just stop there, cause, wow.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Laverne & Shirley
Auntie Laverne is the auntie who filled in a pair of hands while I finished my last position just after the tomatoes came home from the NICU. Tabitha came home a week earlier than Jackson. She had a great time, loves the babies very much and is willing to do anything to help out. She is very, very sweet. At home she is studying in undergrad, she has completed two semesters so far. This semester there has been a lot of frustration because administration is debating salaries, contracts and the like. It has been so bad that Aunt Laverne hasn't even begun her semester! She very much likes school and speaks so well. I think she should transfer what she's done so far and move here to finish. I found out yesterday, from her, that her brother, Roger, agrees.
Maybe she hesitates because she has a boyfriend at home. She's suggested her hesitation is related to other concerns. She loves these babies so much and is a very bright girl. There could be many benefits to her moving here. The tomatoes don't have any family here other than their parents. Everyone is a plane ride away. She could see them every day, help out and have more options. In her school system if she makes less than an A- she is unable to go into a specific program in graduate school. Undergrad, she has to get at least a 90. Right now she's earning a solid B, 83 average I think. And her home is a very, very angry place.
On the tomato front, I've taken comparison pictures. First was taken just before auntie left in August. The bottom one I just took this morning. On the top Tabitha is on the left, on the bottom she's on the right. I singled her out because she was pretty fussy this morning and not her usual smiley self. She wanted to eat and she wanted to eat right then!
They've both grown so much. Both of them really look like they could be six months old. Which is great since right around Christmas they will both be seven months old, really, really doing so well.
The GI told Roger and Sara to keep Jackson on the same medicine unless they'd like to stop the myl@nt@ because it's such a low dose it's probably not making a difference. We're trying that today. But he gained 8oz in two weeks and seems to be doing better. I've been encouraging Auntie Laverne and Auntie Shirley to feed both babies as much as possible. Roger and Sara aren't encouraging Auntie Shirley to help as much as they do Aunt Laverne, but they don't seem to mind that I do. I think it's tough for Roger because she's his youngest sister and he still sees her as very little. When Sara is here she doesn't seem to mind at all.
All in all things here are good. Chilly, but good. I'll have more pictures to post very soon, I took some great photos the first night of Chanukah and yesterday they were even more adorable than usual.
Maybe she hesitates because she has a boyfriend at home. She's suggested her hesitation is related to other concerns. She loves these babies so much and is a very bright girl. There could be many benefits to her moving here. The tomatoes don't have any family here other than their parents. Everyone is a plane ride away. She could see them every day, help out and have more options. In her school system if she makes less than an A- she is unable to go into a specific program in graduate school. Undergrad, she has to get at least a 90. Right now she's earning a solid B, 83 average I think. And her home is a very, very angry place.
On the tomato front, I've taken comparison pictures. First was taken just before auntie left in August. The bottom one I just took this morning. On the top Tabitha is on the left, on the bottom she's on the right. I singled her out because she was pretty fussy this morning and not her usual smiley self. She wanted to eat and she wanted to eat right then!
They've both grown so much. Both of them really look like they could be six months old. Which is great since right around Christmas they will both be seven months old, really, really doing so well.
The GI told Roger and Sara to keep Jackson on the same medicine unless they'd like to stop the myl@nt@ because it's such a low dose it's probably not making a difference. We're trying that today. But he gained 8oz in two weeks and seems to be doing better. I've been encouraging Auntie Laverne and Auntie Shirley to feed both babies as much as possible. Roger and Sara aren't encouraging Auntie Shirley to help as much as they do Aunt Laverne, but they don't seem to mind that I do. I think it's tough for Roger because she's his youngest sister and he still sees her as very little. When Sara is here she doesn't seem to mind at all.
All in all things here are good. Chilly, but good. I'll have more pictures to post very soon, I took some great photos the first night of Chanukah and yesterday they were even more adorable than usual.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Recap & Appreciation
I've really appreciated this bit of excitement on my blog.
My daily viewers have more than quadrupled (to about 400% the activity!), something I couldn't figure out how to do, opened different avenues and given me opportunities I wouldn't have had otherwise.
More than anything it has increased my dedication to this endeavor.
Oddly enough it has also brought in more than a few job offers from other preemie parents.
Thank you Aimee and Bree, you've really started something great here for me!
My daily viewers have more than quadrupled (to about 400% the activity!), something I couldn't figure out how to do, opened different avenues and given me opportunities I wouldn't have had otherwise.
More than anything it has increased my dedication to this endeavor.
Oddly enough it has also brought in more than a few job offers from other preemie parents.
Thank you Aimee and Bree, you've really started something great here for me!
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Chanukah #1
Tonight is the very first night of my little tomatoes very first Chanukah! They are so adorable!
Yesterday was very exhausting. On Friday their two aunties arrived. Jackson and Tabitha had four adults jumping, fawning and responding to their every breath for two full days before I arrived to spend a very long Monday with them. Exhausting doesn't begin to cover it. But I made it and went to bed last night as soon as I possibly could. Today I'm back, rested and looking forward to his Menorah lighting tonight. Norah is going to join us and we'll all, eight of us, light the first candle together.
The tomatoes are doing well. Tabitha is all about the smiles, her cheeks seem to have grown even more over the weekend. And I think her nose is changing. I'm very excited, I love a nise with character (probably because I've never had one, just these teeny button nose). Jackson eats when he wants to and not otherwise. Roger and Sara have freaked the aunties out about feeding him just like they did with grandmommie when she was here. I think that is silly. No one person gets him to eat every single time, he eats when he wants to eat. This morning I convinced one auntie to give it a go and he did fine. Of course she did fine, it's just giving a baby a bottle. He goes to see the GI for a follow up tomorrow.
Tummy time yesterday was terrible. They both screamed as if they were being tortured. It was painful.
Getting through Tuesday the best I can. It's pretty rough too.
Hope everyone else is doing better than I am!
Yesterday was very exhausting. On Friday their two aunties arrived. Jackson and Tabitha had four adults jumping, fawning and responding to their every breath for two full days before I arrived to spend a very long Monday with them. Exhausting doesn't begin to cover it. But I made it and went to bed last night as soon as I possibly could. Today I'm back, rested and looking forward to his Menorah lighting tonight. Norah is going to join us and we'll all, eight of us, light the first candle together.
The tomatoes are doing well. Tabitha is all about the smiles, her cheeks seem to have grown even more over the weekend. And I think her nose is changing. I'm very excited, I love a nise with character (probably because I've never had one, just these teeny button nose). Jackson eats when he wants to and not otherwise. Roger and Sara have freaked the aunties out about feeding him just like they did with grandmommie when she was here. I think that is silly. No one person gets him to eat every single time, he eats when he wants to eat. This morning I convinced one auntie to give it a go and he did fine. Of course she did fine, it's just giving a baby a bottle. He goes to see the GI for a follow up tomorrow.
Tummy time yesterday was terrible. They both screamed as if they were being tortured. It was painful.
Getting through Tuesday the best I can. It's pretty rough too.
Hope everyone else is doing better than I am!
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