One year later...

Can you believe it?  Our babies are a year old.  Time has flown by, literally.  Just yesterday they were newborns and non-mobile!  And today, Oliver took 5 steps!  What!  Next week they'll be asking for money to go to the movie with friends!  They need to slow down and not get too big too fast.

I'm very proud of my babies, they both have come a long way from a year ago...when they were learning to eat in the NICU.

Vivian Marie...is weighing in at 17.5 pounds, which is in the 4th percentile.  She's just a tiny little girl!  She's 29 1/4 inches tall, which is in the 57th percentile.  And her head is 18inches, which is in the 70th percentile.  She is a very fast crawler and still knows where all the "hot spots" are.  When she's headed towards somewhere she's not supposed to be, she will look back to check if you're watching, grin, and crawl at lightening speed to get to where she's not supposed to be.  She can pull up and cruise around and pushes her push toys with a smile on her face.  She's now getting 2 bottles per day in the morning and at night that are half formula, half whole milk.  She's drinking whole milk from a sippy cup the rest of the day.  She is taking about 16 to 20 ounces.  It's hard to keep track anymore because just today I caught Oliver having a nice big drink out of her cup and she's quick to do the same to his.  As of Monday, I started cutting out the bottles and we are already down from 4 per day to 2.  She's transitioning very well.  She's still wearing a size 3 diaper at day and at night.  Vivian is wearing a variety of sizes. She still fits in most 6 month clothes but because wears mostly 9 month clothes.  Vivian eats "people" food very well.  Some of her favorites include: watermelon, cheese, goldfish crackers, green beans, blueberries, turkey lunch meat, breaded chicken fingers, pears, mandarin oranges, turkey hot dogs and cheetos, just to name a few.  Recently, Vivian has become a Daddy's girl and tends to prefer her Daddy hold her over anyone else!  Never to worry, she flips back and forth between Matt and I as to not leave me out.  It melts my heart to see the love she has for her Daddy so I'm ok with it.  A few weeks ago Vivian was discharged from her occupational therapist!  Now she's just seeing her physical therapist every 2 -3 weeks.  The PT wants to make sure she's walking before she discharges her.  From her recommendation, this week we got both babies a nice pair of walking shoes.  Vivian has a tendency to pronate her feet and ankles so we hope this helps fix the problem and she'll be off and running in no time.  Vivian is independent and tough.  When you hold her she's like a little monkey holding on for dear life and I love that!  If you threaten to put her down she clutches even tighter!  Vivian is very ticklish on her inner thighs, tummy and back and has the sweetest little laugh.

Oliver Matthew...is weighing in 23.3 pounds, which is in the 59th percentile.  He's 31 1/4 inches tall, which is in the 90th percentile.  And his head is 19 1/4 inches which puts his big noggin in the 99th percentile!  Oliver has always had a big head, he comes from a family of big heads so he gets it honestly.  However, once he reached the top of the charts that sent off a red flag.  The day after our pediatrician appointment this week he went to have a head CT.  But I'm happy to report it came back normal.  The CT only took about 5 minutes but it was a long 5 minutes of an unhappy Oliver.  He was a sweaty mess when it was all said and done but we were happy to get things check out so ease our minds.  Oliver is a very speedy crawler too and can pull up and cruise all around as well.  He loves to push his push toys back and forth.  If he runs into the wall or couch he just scoots around it and push it backwards until he reaches his next road block.  He too is taking 2 bottles per day, in the morning and at night that are half whole milk, half formula.  He too drinks from a sippy cup the rest of the day.  I think he's taking about 16 - 20 ounces as well.  I'm hoping in a few weeks time both babies will be off the bottle and formula and completely on whole milk.  (Although I'll be happy to stop washing bottles and making formula, it will be kinda sad too).  Oliver is wearing size 4 diapers during the day and a size 4 and size 5 diaper (doubled up due to leakage) at night.  He is wearing 12 month clothes and a few 18 month outfits as well.  Oliver continues to eat "people" food very well.  His favorites are pretty much the same as Vivian's.  Some of his favorites include: watermelon, cheese, goldfish crackers, green beans, blueberries, turkey lunch meat, breaded chicken fingers, pears, mandarin oranges, turkey hot dogs and cheetos to name a few.  Oliver is a snuggler and will lay his head down on your shoulder before you put him in bed for the night.  He is sensitive and can get his feelings hurt easily.  Oliver has a giggle that's contagious and can fill a room. He too is ticklish on his tummy, back and his neck.

Our babies are so lovable and sweet but have very different personalities.  As you remember from my previous post Vivian didn't want to be put down for pictures in the sand at the beach or in the grass for her one year pictures and Oliver was cool, calm and collected.  Oliver was a bucking bronco while the pediatrician examined him, listening to his heart and lungs and peaking in his ears and mouth.  Vivian was patient and sweet just sitting on my lap during her examination.  Neither baby is big on getting spoon fed anymore.  They'd rather do it themselves, which turns into a very large mess.  Vivian likes to style her hair with her food!  About the only thing they eat with a spoon is yogurt and that can get messy as they would prefer to feed themselves.  They are both showing interest in using a "spork", a spoon/fork.  I usually have to "spork" the food but then they like to feed themselves.  Both babies are sleeping from about 8PM until about 7AM and taking 2 naps per day totaling about 3 hours.

Below are some pictures from the past week.  I only have one picture from their birthday because we had my friend Shanae at the party to take photos.  That way I didn't have to try and be Mommy/photographer!  I'm sure she got some great pictures (she said she took about 600) so as soon as she gets them to me I'll post them!

Birthday morning opening their presents from Mommy and Daddy.  

Vivian trying out her push car.

Oliver practicing with his mower.

I attempted to get a one year photo on their birthday in the chair...this is the best I could do.   (Oliver's new thing is to point at everything and Vivian is not interested in leaving any sort of bow in her hair anymore!)

I mostly got pictures of the back of Matt's head as he tired to keep them in the chair and jump out of the pictures as fast as he could. 

Here's my one and only picture from their party...they enjoyed the cake.  (note Vivian's hair that is styled with icing!)

Oliver with his new walking shoes on!

Oliver after being told he couldn't get into the cabinets.  Note to self: must obtain more baby proofing devices.  

A close up of V's new shoes.  

They love to get into the cabinets.  

New shoes, new sippy cups!