The twins are three weeks already!

Three weeks has flown. I cannot believe how big they are getting! Caleb is a whopping 7lbs and 11 oz which is up one pound from two weeks ago. Owen is 6lbs 5oz and thats up a pound as well. They both have little double chins and their cheeks are full. Caleb has little rolls around his neck. Its too cute. Caleb loves to stretch like crazy, always trying to sleep with his hands over his head. Caleb is so much like Gavin as a baby, it amazes me. I feel like I am doing Gavin all over again with a little more patience and a lot more knowledge. Owen is working on trying to keep his pacifier in his mouth by holding his little fist to it and sometimes he hooks his thumb in and pulls it out. We have worked on stretching Owen all week and already see differences (which the therapist have noticed as well). His hands are much more loose, his arms can be raised over his head and brought down to his waist and he moves more. In addition, we nicknamed Owen "bean" when he was about a week old because he was shaped like a kidney bean. We called Caleb string bean because he is long and lean. But now Owen is a lot less like a kidney bean, and a lot more string bean like, which is great. He really is loosening up.

We had appointments all week. Tuesday was casting and therapy. I finally got to touch Owens legs and feet. Usually, once the casts are off, we wrap Owen up so he is not cold and the docs all touch his legs and feet, but Nick and I haven't really. So this week we made a point to touch him and rub his little legs and feet. He can move his legs and while his ankles and knees seem to be his tightest joints, we are hopeful that after the casting is done, we will be able to acheive more range of motion. The doctor wants to cast a few more times and then give Owen a "casting vacation" so we can do therapy and see if we can do just that. I am glad he will get a little break and I can't wait to give him a real bath.

After casting, we had an introduction to occupational therapy. Owen had these little molds made to open his hands. They are made of a rubber substance that is similar to silly putty but hardens. It seems remarkable, but already his hands are more open.

Last week, after Owens first PT appointment, Nick and I met a young lady with Arthrogryposis. I forgot to write or maybe I wasn't ready to write about it at the time because it was hard for us. It was also good for us. What hit us first and it was a sucker punch, was the wheelchair. She can walk but its for exercise. She can walk a hallway. Otherwise, she is in her wheelchair. She can use her hands to use the controls on the wheelchair and she can use her hands for things like doing her hair. She told me she cannot open her hands all the way on her own. She has scoliosis and is about to have her first back surgery to correct it. She had clubbed feet and went through the casting/surgery/brace process. She told me that she does not get scared anymore about surgery because she is used to it. In addition, and maybe more importantly, she is smart, she is looking at colleges, she goes to therapy on her own, she wanted to come meet us and Owen. All of those positive thoughts were thoughts we were able to have once we processed all of her limitations in our minds. We know that Owen may be in a wheelchair. We know there is a good chance. I don't want to discount that he also may be able to walk, but the wheelchair is the thing we will need to get used to. Anyway, we saw her again this week and she came to say hi and it was good. It was a normal conversation for us and I felt no emotions about what can, will or could be.

Wednesday brought on more appointments. Weight checks at the pediatrician followed by a very long, in depth appointment with the Physiatrist. She is a medical doctor that specializes in rehabilitation and she has worked with many children who have Arthrogryposis. She took a very detailed history and then made many suggestions for us. She will basically oversee his rehabilitative care. She made suggestions, we are to follow up with all of them and she will see us in 3-4 months to assess his needs. She currently feels the PT/OT schedule coupled with early interventions PT/OT is enough for now coupled with the casting and splinting of his hands. However, in a few months, we may need speech therapy, feeding therapy, more PT, and more OT. Now, Owen is not doing much, so the stretching and exercise is fine. But when Owen starts to make noise or needs tummy time, thats when he will require different and more creative therapy. We also have to see the eye doctor, ear nose and throat doctor and eventually, when he has his first foot surgery, will have to see if they can take a piece of muscle for testing. At the end of the appointment, we were tired and feeling overwhelmed, both by the new appointments we have to make and by the potential issues that each of these new doctors could present us with. We are just keeping our fingers crossed that there is nothing more to add to the laundry list of things wrong.

Friday was another casting appointment which was not scheduled but the pedi ortho called us at 9am and asked if we could come for another cast at 11:00am. I said yes. I was confused about why we were going for a second cast in a week but when we got there the doc said she spoke with her colleagues and they felt that Owen could benefit from casting as much as two times daily. I am sure when she said that, my face was priceless, because she was quick to say "don't worry, we won't do it twice a day...however, we will do it Friday, Monday, Tuesday and we will see if we need it Wednesday and Thursday." What can I say? As much as I don't want to have daily appointments in Manhattan, I want to do everything we possibly can for Owen, so if he needs casts everyday, we will do it.

Next week appointments consist of the above casting schedule, the hernia appointment with the surgeon, their one month pediatrician appointment, OT/PT and our early intervention evaluation with the physiatrist for early intervention at Blithedale Hospital. A busy week!

In other news, today is soccer for Gavin and last week he won his game and made a goal! He also helped a little girl up off the field during the game like the little gentleman he is. Grandma Mary Anne is here and has been since Tuesday being a great help and coming to appointments and hanging with these boys. Grandpa Joe came last night and has met and held his new grandsons today. Its been great to have them around. Nick and I are going to dinner tonight for the first time in a long time, alone and I can eat garlic again! I imagine Nick is going to order sauteed garlic with a side of steamed garlic and candied garlic for dessert. Tomorrow Gavin and I are having a date. I am taking him to a Lego exhibition and I think he will love it. I am looking forward to just spending time with him like we used to.

Last thing I want to say is that with this schedule and the twins being a handful to say the least, many people have text messaged us, emailed, wrote on facebook or called. In my head, I see or hear these things and say I will respond in an hour or when I get a minute and then by the time I get a chance to do something, I take a shower or vacuum. So if you have wrote or called and we have not gotten back to you, I am so sorry. We love you and appreciate the messages. We know you are thinking of us and don't think we are not thinking of you. Its just crazy right now. Thank you for all of the support. We need it, we want it and we appreciate it.