'09 in ReViEw

Reese & Riley's 2009 Memories

January: Reese and Riley were 4 months old and cute as can be. By that point I had the double bottle feeding down! Usually I held Riley in my lap and Reese in front of me on the boppy. Feels like forever ago that they weren't holding their own bottles! :) That was the time I started capturing their sweeeeet smiles on camera!

February: The girls were 5 months old and I just love this picture in their sassy zebra onesies! We started Occupational Therapy in Feb for their tortocolis (neck muscles) and muscle tone. Riley was never very cooperative- ha! But it much better now! They celebrated with me on my 27th birthday, their Daddy's 29th and their 1st Valentine's Day too.

March: The end of 'sick season' was coming... and I couldn't WAIT! So the girls, "Aunt" Susan and I took a road trip to Nan and Pop's for Spring Break. SO fun! It was full of 'firsts'-- eating out, shopping, everything! We were SO careful during RSV season- I can't believe we were able to stick to it for 6 months!!! The girls started rice cereal in March and I'm pretty sure I cut Riley's finger rather than her finger nail with the nail clippers that month... oops. Oh AND they started sleeping through the night-- whoo hoo!

April: We went to Nan and Pop's again and loaded up on Junk Gypsy at Antique Show-- one of our fav yearly events! The girls celebrated their first Easter, Reese started rolling and scooting, and their love for vegetables (well baby food) began. This is the month we got a little concerned about their plagiocephaly (flat heads!). The girls' love for their blankets began this month AND their 'cousin' Drew was born!

May: The girls went swimming for the first time! They went to their first birthday party (their friend Autumn). They also got their cranial bands... and wore them for 4 days... because Riley's heat rash got infected and turned into staph and she gave it to her sister. MRSA is bad! YUCK. But they recovered (and now their heads look GREAT on their own)! :)

June: at 9 months, Reese was a great 'sitter' and started crawling... backwards! Riley sat with a bit of assistance and they were both babbling up a storm! There were lots of giggles and they began playing together a bit. Riley was able to hold her neck up MUCH better. Below- we were trying on their 4th of July outfits!

July: We ventured to Horseshoe Bay for the 4th of July- it was a FUN trip full of friends, lots of swimming, sunshine, and exploring! Reese started crawling in July and was THRILLED to be on the move and pulling up to her feet! We also attended our NICU Reunion in July- SO fun to see our nurses, dr, and some friends. The girls showed off as usual. :) They started loving "table food" even though Riley still didn't have teeth! We went on one more trip- a wedding in the Texas Hill Country. The girls became wonderful travelers!

August: 11 months A sad thing happened this month... the girls decided that they didn't want to wear bows anymore! :) But... we're working on it. Riley likes them again- she actually insists that she wear them most of the time- ha! Riley got her FIRST tooth and started holding her own cups. Reese started "cruising" along the couch and got several teeth all at once. At the end of the month, we got their one year pics taken-- here's one of them:

September: Reese and Riley turned ONE! They had a very cute birthday party with family and a few close friends. I had a blast planning it. We participated in our church's Baby Dedication the same weekend- what a special time as they were prayed for by name in front of our congregation as we committed to raise them to know Jesus! :) At the end of the month, they visited their first pumpkin patch!

October: We had more pumpkin patch fun in Houston, and the girls celebrated their 2nd Halloween- they were much bigger this year! They were princess fairies- complete with outfits Mommy found in their closet (cheap-o! I know...). We had fun at a Halloween parade! They really started enjoying swinging at the park this month.

November: Reese started walking a few steps! Riley started Crawling! Lots more teeth started popping up, lots more words were spoken :) and we had a fabulous Thanksgiving with my family at Nan and Pop's house. They started interacting together so much- giggling and sharing things.

December: We had a fabulous, busy December- the girls attended their first company (family) Christmas Party, we celebrated their cousin's 2nd birthday, and made the rounds for Christmas! We're still working with OT, but MY how far they've come. Reese is now not only walking, but RUNNING-- especially when it's a diaper change time- haha! Their personalities just blossomed and their vocabulary has exploded- they are quite the talkers... who'd they get that from?!

What a BLESSED 2009 we had!!!!!!