Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year !

T'was the night before Christmas
and the twins were both fed
with full little tummies they were put down to bed

Mummy & Daddy both sighed with relief
with hopes of a silent night with no
crying or grief

But both Harry & Ben slept on soundly that night
with sweet dreams of presents and more
food to delight

Whether near or far we wish you good cheer
and may all your wishes come true for next year

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year !

Love Si, Carol, Harry & Ben

Harry back in Hospital overnight with croup

Hi,
Well we managed to go and see Harry Potter on Thursday night and it was very good. When we got home, Harry sounded very throaty and wasn't right. By morning he was barking like a sea lion again and we took him down to the Doctors. The Doctor took a quick look at him and told us to take him down to the local hospital.

Harry was diagnosed with croup again !

They put him on steriods and kept him in over night. Carol stayed with him and midday Saturday they returned him. We had to give him some more steriods whilst at home and we have a nebulizer for a spray to give him as well. This involves a face mask over his mouth and nose and a tube and what is basically a asthma inhaler type thing at the other end. Harry hates this and it takes two of us to pin him down and administer it.

But minutes later he is breathing so much better.

It is now Monday morning and Harry sounds and appears to be much better. So hopefully he will be over this soon.

Ben still has a cold and has a nose that rivals Niagra Falls !

I doubt I will have much time now to write until after Christmas so I will send you my best wishes in the next message. Enjoy !

Happy Birthday Mummy !

Today is Carols birthday. The boys were very clever and got Mummy a card and a present !

The Health Visitor came last Monday and checked the boys. She was very happy with their progress. Harry is 17lb 6oz and Ben is 16lb 12oz - so both are gaining weight nicely and in the right amounts. Ben is pulling himself up on things now and kneeling against the change box etc and exploring even more. He crawls like a little frog now sort of leaping forward with both legs pushing together. He is lightening quick and a handful as he wants to play everywhere he is not supposed to and with everything he is not supposed to as well.

Harry is getting around quickly as well with a combination of rolls, stretches and a little bit of crawling when he can be bothered to :-)

Cheeky Boys !



Play time:



Wake up Harry I want to play !!!

SCBU Xmas Party

Its been a trying week. The boys have been full of a cold and waking a lot during the night due to bunged up noses.

On Thursday Carols Mum & Dad came round and baby sat for a few hours so I could catch up on my sleep, which was very much appreciated.

Friday afternoon we had a visitor, Amy came round. This is my neice and she popped in on her way home from school, so we could look after her until her Mum & Dad got back home. As it turned out she helped me a great deal and got Ben cuddled off to a much needed sleep that he had been refusing all afternoon but desperately needed.



On Saturday it was the Special Care Baby Units Xmas party. Each year 'SCBU' hold an Xmas party for all the families that have been in the unit with their prem babies. This year it was organized by one of the parents, Anna & Ollie and their gorgerous little girl Amelia, who is very cute. The afternoon was a great success and the boys enjoyed it a lot. It was really nice seeing all the nurses and doctors that had cared for Harry & Ben again and they were all impressed with how well they were doing.

Anna & Ollie had organized a little swimming pool filled with soft balls for the little babies and the older children had a small bouncy castle to play in. There was also a circus performer who did juggling and balancing acts and entertained the adults as much as the children.

We all chipped in and brought different food stuffs for everyone else.



The boys were so well behaved and when they got home we let them loose for a good crawl / roll-around to let off some steam.

Harry relaxing and showing off his smart little outfit that He (and a matching Ben) wore to the party



Ben has now started to pull himself up onto his knees by grabbing onto things.
As you can see from his little look of triumph, Ben things he is really clever being able to do this :-)

Silent Night & Harry the red nosed in pain dear

Well we are still all full of a cold. Carol is ok now, I am feeling much better although slightly bunged up still.

Harry has a little red nose and doesn't like us wiping it at all, no matter how gentle we are. He just freaks out when we try and clean his nose.

Ben quite likes his nose being wiped, which is good because he is running like a tap at the moment. He doesn't use a tissue, I mean why would you when Daddys shoulder is always to hand to wipe on.

Yes my wardrobe has a whole new range of accessories now.

Joking apart this has been a very distressing week really. Ben wants to be cuddled a lot and when you are, Harry keeps looking up from the play matt with this little sad 'Where's my cuddle look' on his face. So I put Ben down cuddle Harry and then Ben screams because he wants to be held still.

Well he has stopped screaming now because he has lost his little voice ! - It is the saddest sound in the world when your baby can't cry or make little vowel sounds, all you hear is a sad little wheeze noise, it breaks your heart !

Last night Ben couldn't settle and we had him in Bed with us for a couple of hours until he was fast asleep then we gently carried him downstairs and laid him in his cot.

Harry slept well and even when Ben woke up at 5am wheezing for his milk, Harry slept on until later.

At least neither of them have a temperature and they aren't listless or pale, they are a health pink and despite being full of a cold they are still enjoying playing and rolling around, so I am glad to say that they aren't as bad as they could be.

Here is a photo Carol took just prior to Bens bathtime and bed routine, as you can see despite being ill, he is quite happy most of the time, just a bit clingy and wanting attention more.