Stacy Update and Rory Stories

Today, I spent most of it in Ogden with Anastasia. It was exhausting. We drove down, had a physical therapy appointment, where she isn't making much progress despite all the work we've been doing. She gets measured for a plagiocephaly helmet on Tuesday. 

Then we had a dietitian appointment to see how she's doing weight-wise. She's now 11 pounds 15 ounces and 24.5 inches tall. She's come a long way from that tiny 2 pounds 5 ounce, 13.3 inch long preemie. However, she's still small even by preemie standards, as in the 7th percentile for both length and weight. So we're going to increase her calories even more. Then wait and see if that helps. 

I wanted to talk about little Rowan. He's growing up so much so quickly. When I found out I was having a boy I thought "I can't be a mom to a boy, I won't be good at it! I'm better with girls." Well, I think I'm getting the hang of it, and it was just recently I realized that. 

Sometime between getting Heidi Anne out the door for school and Anastasia's physical therapy and naps I have time with just Rory. He's started to play with cars, for the longest time he'd only play with them if I played too and made the "Vroomm" "Vroomm" sounds. Tonight (after this long day) he handed me a car and grabbed one and started going "Vmm, Vmm" then smiled up at me like "See Mom, I'm paying attention. You're not just talking to yourself when we play."

He's also a ham, He has some toys that play music and he'll dance like an old man. One step then another exaggerated step with arms swinging at the elbows. (Char says it looks more like a Maori Hakka dance). I sing "Dance, dance, dance!" to the tune of whatever song plays if I space out on the real words (or let's be honest if I don't want Bingo stuck in my head all day, again).  Rory has started to yell "Dee, Dee! Dee!" which I think is his way of saying "dance" right now. 

Rory is an adoring little brother. He'll follow Heidi Anne though out the house. When she leaves for school he goes all around asking "Heidi? Heidi?". Which is so sweet and sad at how much he misses her already. He worships her and I don't think she knows what a big fan he is of hers. 

He is also getting used to being a big brother. Sometimes he'll steal Anastasia's toys but I do make that toy look super fun trying to engage with Stacy. He likes to get in the bumbo after she's been in it, too. Other times, he gives her his toys, babbles, waits for her to take it, looks intently at her, plays with the toy a little, then give it to her. The whole process is like him saying "Here, play with this. Oh, you don't know how? Let me show you. Now you try."  I also love it when he treats the baby doll nicely. He'll cradle it in his arms, pat its back. while walking around. Guess he sees Mommy do that a lot with baby sister. 

Just last week he followed Daddy into the bathroom before daddy could close the door. Rory lighted up and said "A Bath!!" Ran to the bathtub waiting for his bath. Daddy was like "Sorry, not bath time right now."

One more cute thing he's been doing. (Come on, he's the middle child, let him enjoy the limelight.) He'll pretend Daddy is leaving by going to the front door and saying "Bye Bye Daddy!" Then giggles at me, a few minutes later he did it again and again. Every time followed by a giggle as if to say "I'm so funny, he's not leaving yet!" 

Oh, how I love his smiles. He has so many smiles! While he lacks the words / won't always say them on que, he's still so expressive that you can guess at what he wants (or hates).