Thursday, March 29, 2012

Graduates

I have two little men that are officially NICU graduates. Once we were discharged from the NICU almost two years ago now, the boys were scheduled to go for NICU follow up clinics about every four months. We just completed our final visit on Tuesday... and they passed! Which means that we don't need to go back... ever! Very bittersweet. I started to cry as we pulled up in the parking ramp and a flood of emotions hit me. There is so much good that came from our stay up there... like now two healthy little boys. But there were so many hard times. And so many times that I drove up there, by myself, not knowing what I was going to face once I entered the unit. But Tuesday was different. So crazy to look in the back seat as we were driving and see my little men... they are so big now!
So, as far as our visit. We started with the physical and occupational therapy assessment. They separated the boys so I stayed in the room while they were being assessed and Caleb took the other outside the main area to play. What I didn't know is that while Caleb was out with the other, speech was doing their assessment with him. So I totally missed the speech evaluation for each! But according to the quick overview from the therapist and from what Caleb said they concluded... the boys are doing just fine with speech. They are by no means advanced, but they said they are right where they should be for their age. Which was really a surprise to me! I just assumed that speech is where we were going to lag. And according to most specialists, our boys will still be proned to develop delays with time. So we need to keep up on it!

But for PT and OT... it went great! I was so proud of how well the boys took directions and it was so fun to see them respond so differently. They had Luke go first and he did really well with the super fine motor skills. Like putting the pegs in holes and dropping small objects into small openings, but he was impatient with doing the puzzles with shapes. Total opposite for Max. He loved doing the puzzles and did great when asked to color and mimic shapes and lines on the page. Joyce actually said that Max's drawing skills were the best of any child she has seen at his age! So nice to hear! She was saying that is a very good predictor for his future reading and writing skills. And Luke impressed them with his ability to master stairs... even walking up stairs without holding on to the railing. Instead he was hoarding about 20 objects he had collected while running up and down the stairs! Ha ha!

After that it was the nutritionist who said they were both doing well. She frustrated me a little because she was determined that we cut down on the amount of milk they get and increase other dairy forms for calcium and fat. Like cheese, yogurt and butter. But when I told her that Luke is lactose intolerant she just kept telling me he will grow out of it... not sure what she wants me to do until then! As far as stats... Luke is now 22 lbs 9 oz and 31.5" long and Max is 24 lbs 4 oz 32" long! They are just finally getting on those growth charts. But barely!

So overall... the results were good. Their doctor from the NICU saw them last and was pleased. He loves seeing the boys because he was twin boys of his own and he loves finding similarities between his boys and ours! He was very complimentary, though, and just was so happy to see them doing so well from where they started!

Another milestone behind us. I guess we are free to say that our boys are on the right track and growing as they should. Wow! What a whirlwind the last two years! So incredibly amazed at what God has done! In less than two months I will have two TWO year olds... crazy how time flies.

Here are some fun before and afters! The really amazing thing is that these bathtub pictures were taken TWO months after the boys were born and they are still that tiny!


Luke sitting in the same tub!


This is what happens if they try to fit in there together now!
They still take baths together... but now with much more room!

2 comments:

  1. aaahhhh ash what a crazy journey!! God is so good!! glad to hear all the good things. you are such a great mom. love you and those two little miracles so much!!

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  2. aww, just love these two so much! Praise the Lord for what he has done in their lives and what he is still doing! Love you guys so much!

    Amber

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