We've Come a Long Way, Baby!

The twins are 19 months corrected and 22 months actual.  I recently reviewed some pictures taken of me, my husband and the twins for Ronald McDonald House fundraising activities, while we were almost three months into our stay at the NICU.  I remember that day like it was yesterday.  It amazes me how sharp the images and memories are in my mind almost two years later.

Twenty-two months have been filled with hundreds of appointments and we've really come to appreciate the entire process.  This is not to say I have not appreciated the opportunity to have such a great team of specialists and experts following our twin boys the entire time, but lately the twins have been achieving new skills in leaps and bounds.  These are the times when I really reflect on all that they have been through and how resilient these little dudes are.  After so much time and effort we are beginning to see the fruits of our labour.  With hard work and determination and a loooooot of patience, the twins are catching on and providing us with hundreds of moments to be extremely proud of.

Our physiotherapist has worked the most with the boys and I really admire her determination and patience with working with these little guys, who at times can be quite cranky.  Some days all they want is to play with the balls found throughout the exercise room, while she wants to help them master the ability to pull up from a sitting position or stand and balance on one foot.  Some days are good, some days are not so good, but we take it all in stride.

Baby A is now able to stand on his own, without support for long periods of time.  He has taken 8-12 steps all at once, but is still not 100% confident in his abilities.  He is almost there.  There's no rush!  Baby B is still trying to figure out how to cruise along furniture and the coffee table, but he has taken some good steps and is really watching how is "little big brother" masters the steps just ahead of him.

The babies are coming out with new words or sounds with meaning every other day.  I think our excitement is amplified based on the fact we've waited longer than normal for all of the milestones.  They are able to follow instructions and are really showing they comprehend.  Communication has been slow to develop, as expected, but this too continues to develop at a quicker pace as time goes on.

Our little angelic Baby B has gone from being a passive little pushover to a little man who can take care of himself and tell Baby A he's not the boss anymore.  A few months ago, Baby A would simply snatch toys away from Baby B and Baby B wouldn't make a peep.  He'd just watch as his fun car zoomed across the room in someone else's hands.  These days he'll tear after him at a fast crawl pace and snatch it back, maybe poking his brother...or perhaps yanking on his hair until the toy is free.  It sounds terrible, but it makes me laugh as it unfolds and I see these two little guys are really beginning to interact with each other and develop their own feisty little attitudes.

People still ask me if they are doing things that the average 22 month old baby would be doing by now, which I don't mind.  Usually the answer is, "no."  However, lately they've been catching on to so many things that I can give more detailed updates as to what activities they are up to these days.  Some people will ask me if they will start Kindergarten "on time."  That too, I cannot answer right now.  They still have a lot of development to catch up on, but I have confidence they will get there, in their own time.

I do wonder how they might handle pre-school settings and if they will need an education assistant there to assist throughout their days.  I wonder if they will be as strong and able to walk and keep up with their playmates in pre-school or Kindergarten.  These questions lead me to research and talk to people around me to find out what is best, what they can suggest and what other people in my family's shoes have experienced and done.  I've learned that asking questions now and preparing for the future leaves me feeling more confident that no matter what challenge we might face, I will have a strong support network there giving me advice and support along the way.