First Christmas
Friday, 26 December 2008
Well yesterday was our first Christmas with Zoe & Abby and it was spent in Canberra. its fair to say it wasn't quite as we had planned with us all, especially Zoe, struggling to adjust to Zoe's new condition and harness. Its certainly hard at the mo. Zoe is not sleeping very well at all at night (the harness is on 24/7) and she can't sit by herself anymore. We're pretty tired, drained from listening to and seeing Zoe's difficulties and in the brief breaks we get trying to find pieces of equipment that might make Zoe more comfortable sleeping or able to sit/play. Thank good ness for support of family!
Anyway despite these difficulties we had a pleasant Xmas Day. Abby is coming along in leaps and bounds - it seems like she has changed a lot in the last week. She seems to be eating heaps and is wriggling, squirming and moving non-stop. She's not crawling but is now moving round on the spot (spinning) and sits playing for long periods of time. We spent the day at the Allison family Xmas with the traditional yummy plum-pudding ice-cream and all other goodies. Lots of pressies of course and a long pleasant arvo with the Allison family. So two links, the first one is photos from Xmas Eve and Xmas Day (sorry not too much editing - just uploaded them) and the second is a link to a website that talks about hip dysplasia and some of the gear we are trying to create.
Xmas 2008 Photo Album
http://www.hip-baby.org/
|
Harness
Wednesday, 24 December 2008
Well it was a long day indeed. It went well in many ways - little waiting, Zoe slept a lot in the car and Abby had a great day at Grandma & Grandpas. The Doctor (Dr. Little the Kids OS) our friend got us in to see was terrific and explained that it was understandable that Zoe's hip had not been picked up at birth or 6 weeks as it pops "in and out". Dr.Little concluded that as a result of it in place at times that a Pavlik Harness was the best bet, even though it was usually used on younger babies. So off to the Orthotics Dept we went (after I started leading us to Orthoptics - nothing wrong with Zoe's eyes ;)) where Zoe was fitted with her harness. She handled everything with aplomb and fell asleep on my chest after the xray that was then required and we were back in Dr. Little's waiting room. Dr. Little was pleased with the xray which showed the harness was holding Zoe's hip in place. So we go back in late January for another xray and Dr. Little inspection to see if it's starting to work. What happens after that is hard to say - if the harness is working then probably keep going with it. If not then other ideas will be looked at. Its a bit hard at the moment trying to work out how Zoe can do some of the things she has already been doing (i.e. normal sitting like in the Abby hat story below is not possible) but we'll get there. She's still got plenty of smiles and we're thinking positively, particularly knowing that this is "short-term-pain-for-long-term-gain". Anyway Dear Reader (singular) I am hoping to post a piccy and Xmas message on the blog but if I don't get a chance Merry Christmas!
|
A tooth
Monday, 22 December 2008
The first twin-tooth appeared today with Belinda spotting a tooth on Zoe's lower row. Its ridiculous how much this has made our day. :) Abby also had the precautionary x-ray for Hip Dysplasia which came back negative (i.e. normal hip growth) so no specialist-trip to Sydney for Abby. Instead a day with Grandparents awaits her. Its going to be very strange travelling round with only 1 little girl tomorrow. We've ummed and ahhed about whether to take Abby as well but concluded it will be easier to deal with the hospital-stuff if the parents-to-kid ratio is in our favour. Its not big deal I guess but Abby & Zoe haven't been apart for longer than an hour or two their whole lives - each time when one girl has been sick - so it will seem wierd. Anyway off to bed - a long day ahead tomorrow to Sydney.
|
Abby's hat
Sunday, 21 December 2008
We went down to the park yesterday. As this photo-diary shows there were a few points of note: - Abby doesn't like to wear her hat.
- Abby prefers to suck her hat.
- What Abby has, often Zoe wants and Zoe takes.
- Abby sometimes takes from Zoe (or on this occasion attempts).
- Zoe takes, even if its still on Abby's head.
- All is made up with a wet slobbery kiss.
|
Hip to be Square
Sunday, 21 December 2008
It was a busy end to the week last week and, unfortunately, not all because of Christmas shenanigans. Abby & Zoe had their developmental checks on Wednesday with the maternal health nurse and one of the screenings showed an abnormality for little Zo-zo. Her legs appeared to not be the same length and the skin-creases (like where your groin and upper thigh meet) were not the same on her two legs (as opposed to her 7 legs). This indicated that she may have something called Hip Dysplasia. After several trips to the Doctor and one for an x-ray it was confirmed that Zoe's left hip is not developing as it should. Wikipedia's explanation of Hip Dysplasia is here, however, in a nutshell (based on the aforementioned trips to the GP and Dr.Google) it appears the hip joint develops by the top of the thigh bone sitting in the right spot next to the pelvis and the pelvis "grows" (this is Jason-terms/understanding) round the ball of the thigh bone through the first few years of life. Zoe's thigh bone is not quite at the right juncture with the pelvis so has met a bit of a brick wall and consequently the top of her thigh bone is not developing properly and neither is the joint forming correctly. The good thing is its much better to catch this now than after the age of about 2 (hence the screening test) and so Zoe has been referred to a pediatric orthopedic surgeon (an orthopedic surgeon who specialises in kids - not some sort of child genius who is already earning more than the GDP of a 3rd world country). Of course the nearest one of these who is any good is in Sydney so on Tuesday we are off to the big smoke for the day for what presumably will not be a fun-time for Zo-zo or her parents. The fortunate thing is that a long-time friend of ours who is an orthopedic surgeon (I'm writing OS from now on) advised us on which kids OS to see, got us in on Tuesday and also let us know that Zoe's condition is not too bad. Dr. Google seems to indicate that the most likely treatment will be 6 weeks to 3 months in some sort of girdle like splint or cast. Dr. Google goes on to say that littlies like Zoe aren't too bothered by the splint but its hard work for parents to watch said-littlies in a splint, especially as its on 24/7. Anyway, Dr. Google is getting ahead of himself/herself there so we'll wait and see. The GP thinks Zoe might be in some "discomfort" but its hard to say. She has been a bit quieter and less mobile the last week or so but we're reading way-too-much into things now so who knows. She's certainly not howling or anything (well other than when I tried to feed her custard tonight). So anyway off to Sydney we will go on Tuesday.
|
A Mori visit
Monday, 15 December 2008
I visited Morri-the-cat last night. I drove an elaborate way to Dave & Stace's via our old place in case I might see our furry friend and there he was, marching down the driveway on his rounds. I got out and he seemed to just have the attitude of "Oh there you are" coming over and rubbing my leg and a quick meow. I gave him a pat and then we wandered back up to Sue's house together (Sue is Mori's new servant). She said he was going well although having a few nights out now that summer has arrived. She would sometimes find out his "nights out" involved sleeping on our other neighbour Cheryl's bed! It was good to see him doing well although it did confirm I still miss the little bugger. He seemed to be moving well though so at least his $700 knee is working as it should! I also checked out our old place (from the outside - not too much freaky-snooping). I don't think the new owner(s) has been in the front garden too often - the weeds were higher than some of our well-cared for plants. Still good to see Mori and see him as his normal self. I even picked him up and had a little cuddle - he's a lot lighter than Abby or Zoe!
|
Twin touching
Monday, 15 December 2008
Belinda and I were struggling to know what to do with Abby & Zoe yesterday. We knew they needed to do something different but what? We were out of ideas. Ah-ha lets dump them take them to play at Grandma and Grandpas. Yeh! Fun for all. Abby & Zoe played with Grandpa, Granny-J and Aunty Jo; I went Xmas Shopping (bought nothing of course) and Belinda went for a run and did some gardening. Hooray. Grandpa took some photos of the toucher and touchees. 
|
Twin communication
Saturday, 13 December 2008
The past month or so Abby & Zoe have become much more interested in each other. They look for each other in their cots when they go to bed and can be very interested in touching each other when up-and-about. This is great for the toucher but less good for the touchee who has a hand up their nose, in their ear or just scratches on their head. In the last week or so though Zoe has quite noticeably started talking to Abby. She will look directly at Abby, a little grin will come across her face and then she will talk to Abby. The "talk" part involves opening her mouth as wide as possible like at the peak of a yawn, leaning forward towards Abby and then going "Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhhhhhh" for as long as possible (which is ages). It sounds like it would hurt to do but Zoe is undeterred. The fact that Belinda and I fall apart laughing when she does it seems to be encouraging. In fact I think it only stops because Zoe starts looking at us laughing so much.
|
The Age
Friday, 5 December 2008
 Confirmation this week that I have become a grumpy old man. I am a long-time reader of The Age, managing to maintain my habit even with the arrival of Abby & Zoe. However this week The Age changed the way they deliver their paper to Canberra (see below for how) and I was so outraged I was moved to send a 'Letter to the Editor' of The Age, a sure sign that I am now not only an adult but actually old and cranky. Below is my letter which, tragically, was not published. I have had two letters published before in The Age but in the Sport section rather than the main Letters page. One letter was after the last game at the Whitten Oval and the other was about sporting songs in which I commended the WPA song 'When the Swans Return' to readers. Anyway enough prattle - here is a copy of my unpublished prose to The Age. I suppose technically speaking it has now been published.
The Age – Canberra’s Fish n Chips wrapping
My local newsagent called me yesterday to explain why he had not delivered The Age till approximately 11am. He explained that The Age has changed its distribution to Canberra from air-freight to road-freight to cut costs. Consequently his newsagency (and all Canberra newsagents) will receive The Age some time between 7 and 9.30am each morning, thus missing the morning delivery runs and will have to make a ‘special’ delivery run of Age’s some time in the mid-morning.
Sadly this means the paper will not arrive till after my breakfast-time read, after my public transport commute to work and after my lunch break at work. Given Canberra’s high number of ex-Victorian residents and that this issue was a talkback topic on ABC Local Radio Canberra this morning I suspect I am not the only one who’s routines and daily enjoyment of The Age will be thrown out in the name of ‘cost cutting’. Unless this decision is reversed I will disappointingly soon cease my 12-year daily delivery of The Age in Canberra, despite my enjoyment of the newspaper, as by the time it arrives in Canberra it will already be fish and chip wrapping.
Regards
|
Sickness update
Wednesday, 3 December 2008
Things have improved in the house of JBAZ but not out of sight. Abby seems back to her normal self other than having some snot running from her nose. Zoe, however, while not being sick or having a temperature has more snot coming out of her little nose than I thought humanly possible. As a consequence she is a bit miserable, especially at night. Oh and I think I might be getting it. *sigh*.
|
Sick
Saturday, 29 November 2008
I guess it had to come - the first real sickness for Abby & Zoe. Abby was awake with a mild temperature on Wednesday night and by Friday Zoe had a snotty nose. They are both exhibiting same symptoms but the score count so far is: Snotty Noses - Zoe ahead on this front. Runny and green. Vomits - Abby leads 2-1 although Zoe did manage to hit the sliding screen door from my arms which was impressive. Temperatures - Hard to split the two, I'd give it a draw. Grumpiness and grizzling - Again hard to split. Zoe really knows how to maintain a grizzle but when Abby loses it, man she loses it!
|
Time Capsule
Friday, 28 November 2008
OK so I had cause to look back through my blog archive the other day and realised just what a good record the blog is. So I thought I'd better add a few facts about A&Z world now as a record: - We stopped the dream feed a week ago, age 7 and a half months. A&Z didn't seem too bothered about ditching it, except the first night when I went in to them at about dream-feed time to tuck them in. I thought it was a good 'Dad-thing' to do but they thought I was getting them up for bottles (as had been done for the last 7.5 months) so were a little peeved when I didn't.
- Current daily routine is approx. 7am Up, followed by bottles, play, food then..... 9am nap till ~11am. bottles, main activity of the day (swimming, mothers group), food then Nap time from 1ish till 3ish. Up, bottles, play, walk in pram at 4.30-5.30pm then food, bath, bottles, story and bed at about 7pm.
- Zoe is starting to show VERY early signs of crawling. She wriggles on her tummy and reaches out for stuff. Abby prefers to cry when she wishes to be moved. In her defence it is much more efficient way to get rolled over or moved from A to B.
|
Social Weekend
Sunday, 23 November 2008
We've had a very social weekend and are just about ready for bed (time check 8.15pm, Sunday night). It began for me only with the work Xmas party on Friday night. I managed to keep myself tidy (but not too tidy) while Belinda relaxed at home with a few DVDs. Last night (Saturday) was the big one with a night out to see a band! Pretty sure the last time we went to a gig was Billy Bragg on Australia Day weekend when our main worry was how the sound of Billy's steel guitar was affecting the babies-previously-known-as-Brad-and-Rohan. Well this time was a lot easier (except I was ready for a Nanna-nap at about 10pm). We saw an old favourite band of ours The Lucksmiths at Tilleys with Auntie Jo and friends in attendance. It wasn't as packed as past Lucksmith gigs but that didn't bother us as the band rocked out plenty of songs from their new album as well as the old faves. Then to top it all off this afternoon the whole family went to the Orienteering ACT 'End-of-year Celebration' (I assume that is politically correct speak for Christmas Party). A&Z did well coping with all the poking, prodding and jiggling and we got to see the o mates once more. We were on a table with friends who all either had, or successfully feigned interest, in babies while next to us was the 'cool teenager' table which, not so long ago, we were on. Ahhhh if only they knew......
|
Twin Tip #2
Thursday, 20 November 2008
|
Dad-da
Wednesday, 19 November 2008
Abby & Zoe have been testing their voices and noises for a while now. They both seem to latch on to different noises / sounds and repeat them lots and lots over a few days until moving to a new sound. This week Zoe has moved from making a kind of "coo" noise to blowing raspberries. She's clearly very advanced. The highlight (as far as I'm concerned) has been since we've got back from Melbourne Abby has been doing a very distinguishable "Dad-da, Dad-da, Dad-da" at a level about an octave above her normal sounds. I don't think she realises the implications of this noise (implication No. 1 = Belinda is spewing) but none-the-less I'm pretty pleased. :) Hopefully this lasts longer than a few days like her previous sounds - she's certainly receiving no shortage of encouragement from me!
|