4 month check up

With our Easter Baskets...

4 months old!
With our Daddy...
What a cutie!!
Reid & Louisa with Cousin Ava
We took the babies for their 4 month check up Wednesday. Louisa is now up to 7 lbs 11 oz and is 20 1/4" long. Reid weighed 11 lbs 1 oz and is 22 1/2" The doctor was really pleased with Louisa for gaining a whole pound in the last month. Reid didn't grow quite as much so we are going to have to work on that a little for next month! Dr. Drake was "very impressed" with both Reid and Louisa developmentally...holding up their heads, "standing up," reaching for toys, etc. R&L both got 4 shots, a heel prick(to test their hemoglobin), and some medicine to take by mouth...this was not fun for any of us! Reid has been having some mild reflux, so he will be getting some Zantac to hopefully help with that. The medicine smells awful and by the look on Reid's face, it tastes awful too. He REALLY doesn't like it all...we're hoping that somehow he will take the medicine a little better.

Happy 4 Month Birthday, Babies!!

Can you believe it?? 4 months old! When I think about how much our lives have changed in the last 4 months I am amazed. I am constantly amazed at the amount of love that I have for our two precious babies. I can't imagine loving them any more than I do...I'm not sure that it would be possible! Reid and Louisa have forever changed our lives and our hearts for the better. Looking back to the 3 1/2 weeks that they spent in the NICU, we are so extremely blessed to have our children and their health. So many other babies stay in the NICU for much, much longer and come home with different challenges. Our babies are completely healthy and besides Louisa being small, you would never know that they were born 7 weeks early. Everyone that we talk to about our babies seems to have the same comment, "You are so blessed" and they are sooooo right! With each little smile, coo and even the cries, we are constantly reminded that we are so blessed! The last 4 months have been such a blessing to watch Reid and Louisa change and grow. We are so excited to see what the next few months have in store for us! We are truly blessed each and every day to have our two beautiful children!

I thought I would share some things about each of the babies...

Reid

• Likes chewing on his hands
• Likes laying on Daddy's chest and putting his hand up to touch his goatee
• Imitates us when we stick out our tongues...he thinks this is really fun
• Has the sweetest smiles...always gentle and calm
• As I'm writing this, Reid just giggled for the first time!

Louisa

• Giggled for the first time yesterday! So cute and she was absolutely thrilled with herself! Louisa's voice has gotten bigger this week. She's really trying it out to see what she can say/do.
• Also likes chewing on her hands
• Likes to watch the lights on the TV
• Might be little, but nothing she does is little! When she smiles, she does it with her whole body / face...she could make anybody smile!

Reid and Louisa have started noticing each other more. We try to sit them in front of each other often. This week they were smiling at each other :) It was so precious! Both babies have started batting at their toys and are more intrigued by them. The weekends are everybody's favorite because Mommy gets to spend 2 whole days with the babies!!

I know, all these words and no pictures. Sorry! I'll get some new pics up this week.

A couple of cuties...

The Latest with Reid & Louisa

Reid & Louisa got to go visit Dr. Drake this week for their check up. At 14 1/2 weeks, Reid weighed 10 lbs 4 oz and Louisa weighed 6 lbs 11 oz. Reid is almost on the growth curve for a normal term baby while Louisa is still a good bit away from reaching the curve. Soooo...we're still adding polycose to Louisa's bottles which gives her extra calories so hopefully she can catch up to her big brother. Louisa is finally outgrowing her preemie clothes and at 15 weeks old, she has graduated to newborn size! Reid has been in newborn for a while and is almost in 0-3 month size. I'm glad they are both in the same size at least for a little while so they can wear their matching outfits!

What else are Reid & Louisa up to?? Both of them give us smiles constantly! There is nothing like their sweet little smiles to brighten your day! I think Louisa is already learning how to use her smile to wrap Mommy & Daddy around her little finger! If we aren't looking at her, Louisa will coo to get our attention then as soon as we look at her she cuts her eyes and flashes a huge smile. She really is just too cute! Reid's smiles are just so sweet and gentle...he just melts my heart every time he smiles at me.

Reid and Louisa are both enjoying "playing" more. They have a play mat with lights and toys that hang over it...Reid is starting to find his "play" voice (lots of inflection and squeals) so he lets us know when he is having fun on the mat. Louisa doesn't always enjoy the play mat, but she does seem to enjoy their "Bobbin' Kickin' Bear." They lay under the toy and when they kick the ball, it makes the bear's face move/light up and music plays. Both Reid and Louisa are starting to bat at toys hanging above them and even grabbing at them.

Louisa loves to stand up tall on our legs...she looks around with her eyes open wide and starts to pant when she gets excited. Reid also likes to stand up on our legs. When Reid stands up, he likes to tap one foot...Daddy says he is keeping the beat and maybe he'll be a drummer one day!

Here are some pics...hope they brighten your day!

What's In a Name??

So much thought goes into naming babies. One of the books that we looked at when thinking of names for our babies had 100,000 names in it. Seriously, do you think all 100,000 of those names are actually a real person’s name? Anyway, I thought I would explain the background behind Reid and Louisa’s names and tell you a few of the nicknames they have acquired.

Kenneth “Reid” Harrison – Kenneth is Craig’s grandfather’s name, so Craig has always wanted to name his little boy after Papa. Reid just happened to be a name that we came across in the huge name book that we liked.

Louisa Claire Harrison – My grandmother’s name and my Mom’s middle name is Louise. I was extremely close to my grandmother (we shared the same birthday), so I have always wanted to name my little girl after her. I had a friend named Claire growing up and I have always loved the name.

Reid and Louisa have acquired many, many nicknames in their 3 short months of life. I thought I would list a few…

Reid
"Reid-Muffin" or "Reider Muffin" or sometimes just "Muffin"– He’s just so darn cute and huggable…you just want to eat him!
"Cuddly Bear" – Again, he’s so huggable and cuddly!
"Stinky" – Wow, is he a boy!
"Billy Goat" – Reid does a great billy goat impression with some of the noises he makes
"Brother" / "Bubby"

Louisa
"Little Bo Peep" – She likes to “peep” at you with her eyes just barely open, it seems that at night she sometimes loses her sheep and has nothing to count!
"Angel" – Because when she’s sleeping she looks like an absolute angel in complete peace
"Weesie"
"Sister" / "Sissy"
"Precious"
"Doodle" or "Doodlebug" - Because Jane calls me "Doodle" and we think it also fits Louisa!

I'm sure there will be many more nicknames to come over the years!

Now, because I think posts are always better with pictures...

Our Littlest Valentine!

One of Louisa's new silly faces...I think she was trying out a closed mouth smile
Reid deep in thought
Reid always has "Lots of Love" to share with us!

Happy 3 Month Birthday, Babies!

3 months old!! The time seems to have gone so quickly, yet I can hardly remember what life was like before we had Reid and Louisa. The last 3 months have been filled with so many different experiences and emotions. I think I can speak for Craig too when I say that our hearts and our lives are truly full. For me, being Reid and Louisa's Mom is such a privilege and honor. Our days are busy and there is always a lot to do, but I absolutely love being Mommy!

More Pics

Sleeping Angel...

Serious Reid
Smiling Reid
Sleepy Reid

Smiles Captured

New pictures of Louisa smiling...they were all so cute that I had a hard time deciding which ones to post...

Daddy and Reid enjoying the new recliner :)

Mommy and her precious babies
Cutie Reid

Rough day at the doctor

It was a rough day at the doctor's office today! Reid and Louisa each got 5 shots today. Watching Reid get shots was hard enough, then we had to do it all over again with Louisa. It was not pretty, but we made it through.

Now for the weigh-in information...Reid weighed 9 lbs 3 oz and is 20 1/2" Louisa weighed 5 lbs 15 oz and is 18 3/4" The doctor thought they looked great and are doing really well. Only about another month in quarantine until RSV season is over and we can get out a little bit with them!

Both Reid and Louisa are consistently giving us smiles and making cooing noises at us...it is too sweet and makes my day all over again every single time they do it! I managed to capture Reid's smile in the picture I'm posting today. I'll have to try again to capture Louisa's pretty smile...stay tuned!

Our Sweet, Growing Babies!

I think these pictures of Reid and Louisa would melt any mother's heart! When I look at these I pray that they will always remain this close to each other sharing their special twin bond.

Reid & Louisa enjoying their swing

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Louisa Claire

Snug as a bug in a rug! Both of our babies love to be swadled

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Reid

Sweet Boy

I think Reid was tired of the photo shoot at this point!