Life in a Fish Bowl

Ever feel like you are a fish in bowl trying to get to the ocean and you just keep swimming around in circles? Well somedays, i feel like i am in a fish bowl just waiting to get to the next step but it never happens. Oh well...

Things have been busy around here. Trying to keep well, Trying to get Carter to eat, Trying to keep Riley from falling flat on his face etc. etc.

As of this week Riley is 18 lb 4oz and Carter is 19 lb and 5 oz. We are making progress everyday and always wanting more. Riley is eating new foods everyday and somedays they are great and somedays not so great. We still have to keep his food pretty mushy since he still has not figured out the whole I have to chew it up to swallow it or I'll choke thing but it gets better daily. He does love to eat cheerios and gold fish but we do have to break them up or he will choke on them. He is getting 2 more teeth and not really enjoying the getting part. I guess i should be relieved that 2 of them are coming in at the same time but he is miserable, his mouth hurts and he lets everyone know about it - daily. His other favorites are yo-baby yogurt, mashed potatoes and mac and cheese. Riley is pulling up to everything and holding on t0 things with one or two hands depending upon which toys are around and what he wants to hold. After a week of falling over and over he learned how to get from the standing to sitting position without falling. It won't be long before we see him walk across the floor and into everything - like he isn't already.

Carter is doing very well. I thought we would never see the day when he would want to roll everywhere to get to a toy but over the last two weeks or so, he has been rolling around on the floor and actually propping himself up on his arms. WooHoo! This is a major milestone for Carter since he really has no upper body strength since tummy time was not a favorite for him and getting him upset while trying to do it was not ideal since he did have an NG tube at the time. He also holds himself up at a standing position but has not fully grasped the if i let I will fall issue so I still have to catch him when he lets go. We did go to a feeding clinic in October to help us will issues to teach Carter how to eat. Some of the ideas we came away with actually helped us with Riley more than Carter but we do have a plan of attack. On October 26, I did get Carter to eat about an ounce of yogurt and drink from his honey bear bottle. He did not actually drink himself but the bottle allows me to squirt small amounts of liquid in his mouth to swallow. The other day I i saw him actually put his lips around the straw. Now the issue, drink from the straw. Carter still does not eat a whole lot just bits and pieces here and there but we are making progress and he is not gagging everytime we put something in his mouth. We did increase his bolus feeds a little and he is tolerating it well. Maybe another increase is in order but we will hold the same pattern for now. Here is a pic of Carter laughing. He doesn't laugh as much as Riley does so when he does do it, it is so adorable.

On October 20th, the boys got their first haircut. My hairdresser was so nice to come out to our home and cut their hair. What a lifesaver! Thank you ever so much for taking the time to fix their do! here are a few pics.

Riley

Carter

together