I am very happy that all our appointments are over. It’s extremely cold here and I would have preferred not to have to go outside!

The follow up appointment was good. They aren’t overly concerned with Leah’s low tone and they have given us some exercises to do to help strengthen her belly muscles. They were very happy with how mobile, alert and curious she is. She loved all the attention! Emma’s muscle tone has loosened considerably since our last appointment. They were very happy with her progress and they just want us to work with her transition from a sitting to crawling position. Emma cried when they tried to work with her so John had to help out. She is so shy!

The pediatrician was today. Dr. Govan is very happy with their progress. I have been a bit worried about their weight gain but he said it is to be expected that it slows down a bit when they are teething. Leah has fallen off the growth curve for her actual age (she has been hovering near the very bottom) but is still well within range for her corrected age. Leah is 14lbs 12ozs and Emma exactly one pound heavier. Both girls were all smiles for the doctor - I think it was because they didn’t get a shot this visit.

After the pediatrician appointment I took the girls over to the hospital. We haven’t been back since the babies were born and I thought today would be a good day since there were no shots. We met up with Aunt Bonnie and then headed over to the NICU to say hi to all the nurses. It was fun seeing them all again and they all were so excited to see the girls. The NICU was full and there were babies in their spots - one in the cot and one in an incubator. Am I ever glad they are strong healthy girls.

On to the update…

Teeth:
Emma got her right top tooth and the one beside it. She now has six teeth - four on the top and two on the bottom. Leah cut her front two teeth last week so she now has four. These teeth were not as smooth as their first ones and they have been a bit fussy.

Hair:
At the rate we’re going I won’t have to worry about doing hair until they’re 3 years old!

Sleep:
This month they went from 3 naps to 2. Besides a few recent teething issues they are sleeping through the night. Their bedtime is getting earlier and earlier and for most of the month they slept from 8pm until after 7am. Emma is a good sleeper and goes to bed no problem. Leah fights it a bit more but she’s getting better.

Getting around:
They both started the commando crawl. Leah gets around more than Emma but I think this has more to do with her curious nature than her ability to crawl. Emma is just as mobile when she wants to be. Leah’s current favourite is Jackson’s bowl and the door stoppers.

Food:
They are eating about 20oz of formula a day and three meals. We have separated bottles and meals in preparation for weaning them off bottles in a few months. They can both hold their bottle which makes it much easier. We are trying sippy cups but so far they both just like to chew on them. They are still eating fruits and veggies. We keep trying chunkier food but they act like they’re choking and spit it all out.

Talking:
These days they are saying Ba, Ya, Ma, Da, Ga. They are quite chatty and when they wake up in the morning they’ll lie in the crib and talk to each other. It’s pretty cute.

Personalities:
Leah continues to be a social butterfly. She loves attention and will let anyone hold her. She is always on the go and in need of constant entertainment. If she is bored she will let you know. She likes to scream when she wants attention (a habit that is going to be broken when we move to the house!).

Emma is more reserved. She is very shy and will cry when faced with people she doesn’t know. Once she warms up she is very friendly. She is content to sit and play quietly and can entertain herself. When she is upset she’ll lay on her tummy and bury her face in her hands like the whole world is falling apart.

Both of the girls are very happy. They smile and laugh all day long. This month we started bathing them at the same time and it is so much fun to watch them interact. They both love the water. Sometimes it seems like they are not aware of each other but if you separate them and then bring them back together they will squeal in delight when they see each other.

Our friends Liv and Scott had their twin boys Connor and Braden yesterday. Liv carried them to 38 weeks and they were big boys - both over 7lbs! I am in awe! I can’t wait to meet them. I’ve been really excited about sharing the twin experience with someone I know.