The Burkett Bundle

Wonderful. Impressive. Not worried about them. Great weight gain. Very, very good.

These were just some of the words that we heard today at Karyssa and Kyran's nine-month check-up! That's right, our babies are nine months old today, and catching up quickly to where they need to be.

Kyran weighed in at 14 lb, 10 oz, a 1 lb, 7 oz gain in the last six weeks! Karyssa was 13 lb, 8 oz today, a gain of 13 oz in six weeks. That is the least she has gained between any two appointments, which had Dr. Bartlett concerned, until we told her that she is now sitting up and army crawling. She said it is completely normal for babies' weight gain to level off a little when they get mobile, but that she just wasn't expecting her to be mobile yet! She was very impressed!

Kyran is now 25.5 inches long, and his head circumference is 43.5 cm, which places him in the 13th percentile for his actual age!! Karyssa is 25 inches long and her head is 42 cm, in the 9th percentile for her actual age!! It must be those big brains of theirs!

She was also very happy with the progress that Kyran has made physically recently, and how social they both are. She is pleased with the way that Karyssa's head is shaping up. I think I forgot to post earlier, since we left for the beach immediately after her last DOC band appointment, but because her head is growing more slowly than they anticipated, she will most likely have the band for another six weeks.

Karyssa still doesn't seem to mind wearing it and the paint job is holding up very well, but I miss kissing her head!

Another word I heard today that blew my mind, well two words actually - table food! We bought puffs yesterday in anticipation of this, but it is very weird to know that we can let them try just about anything we eat. The only things they can't have are honey, cow's milk, strawberries, peanut products, shellfish, eggs and hard candy, and we just need to be careful with anything round.

We let them have puffs tonight, and they didn't seem to like them very much. Kyran actually gagged on his second one and lost a good bit of his dinner, so we may hold off on those for a while.

Since his weight gain is good, and he hasn't taken Prevacid in over a month, Dr. Bartlett has given us the OK to cancel Kyran's GI appointment this Friday. She thinks that his reflux will be clearing up pretty quickly after he begins eating more table food and starts to sit up on his own.

She has recommended the flu shot for them, but said at this point, she doesn't see a need for the swine flu vaccine. She said it seems more mild than the regular flu (3 days of 103 degree fever vs. 8 days of 104 or higher) and that she thinks it is not going to be as widespread as people have predicted. Basically we are on rumor watch, and if it seems to be getting worse, we will go ahead and have them vaccinated.

As far as precautions this winter, she has put us back on strict hand washing rules for anyone who will hold them or touch them, but confirmed that we do not need to be under "house arrest" again this winter. They are also not supposed to be held or touched by other kids or babies. Once April and May roll around, we should be free to act like they were full-term babies. I'm really looking forward to some play dates next spring!!

One last note about our appointment - Dr. Bartlett had a resident sit in on our appointment, and as she was examining Kyran, she mentioned something about "this one winning an award for the hardest worker she'd ever seen in all of her years since her residency." I thought she was talking about Kyran and was so proud, but then she said she meant me. She said she'd never seen a mom who worked so hard at breastfeeding, supplementing, pumping, physical therapy, DOC bands and infection control.

Obviously, she's never met my friend Jennifer, who is raising triplet boys, my friend Michelle with her two sets of twins or so many of the other mothers that I've known in my life, but it sure did feel good to hear her say that, especially since she is the mother of preemie twin boys herself.

My answer is that first, what I am doing is no match for everything these little guys did in the first eight weeks of their lives, just to be alive and here with us today! What kind of mom would I be if I didn't do everything in my power to keep them healthy and happy? Second, I have an amazing husband who supports me and takes such good care of us. Third, my strength doesn't come from within, but from a much more powerful source than I can ever imagine.

One more update is that Kyran and Karyssa have a new friend! Ella Grace Jackson was born on Thursday, September 17! Welcome to the world, sweet Ella!

It does feel weird that one of my close friends has gotten pregnant and now given birth to a baby since mine were born. The days are just flying by, and I can't imagine being more proud of my babies!