This Day Last Year - Ryad

Ryad,our first born (well, technically speaking he is a minute older to his brother, so there!) is the more serious of the two. He has an attention span I thought babies could never have. I know this because when he was 2 months he would be able to just look at his musical mobile for 30 minutes at a stretch. He has always loved observing things.

He might have been the second one to roll over, crawl, walk and talk. But when he did, he was amazingly meticulous! I guess his philosophy is to keep watching until he gets it right in his brain and then one day take you by surprise by sitting up perfectly after getting up from a nap. 

At birth he was under weight and other complications didn't help help him pick up right away. I would read that it took preemies 2-3 years to get back on track with their peers, but Ryad's growth rate was off the charts when we went to the pediatrician for his 1 year check up! The Doctor was amazed at how fast he not only caught up but surpassed over 99% percent of babies in his age group! If he were a normal baby I wouldn't have bothered about statistics so much, but for my boys it is a big achievement amongst many more to come. Ameen!

Reedu Peedu

Ryad and his musical mobile, he just loved it!

Ryad, taking a break on the glider

This day last year Ryad was 4 months and week old, these pictures are from around that time.

Babies At Home

Thirteen days after birth everybody was at home together for the first time (except for the 3 hours we bought Ryad and rushed him back to the hospital again).
Elated and overwhelmed we were trying not to desperately take pictures of their every move. Here are a few of us doting over them with our camera.

Brothers in their matching sweaters.

Note How Ryad is holding his paci all by himself. For that moment I had thought I might just have independent babies!

 

Shhh, babies at sleep

  

This has got be Ryad's first pic at home. He had lost a little weight but it was awesome to have him sleep in his own crib

 

One of my favorites. Dad (exhausted but not stirred) with Ryad (sleepy but not asleep)

Weather Report: Hazy, Blury, Cloudy for Next Two Weeks

So was the state of my mind. One baby was in the hospital, some 30 miles away and the other was at home. I wanted to breast feed both. I know, it sounds impossible to do but my family's support made it happen. So, feeding Nael was not  a problem because he was at home with me. I would pump and store milk for him so that his grandma could give him when I went to visit Ryad in the hospital. While I was there I would pump some for him so that he would have breast milk when I was at home. Of course we supplemented when needed, there was no way I could do it on my own. Now, I look back and wonder how I did it, must be the morphine. Or the great people around me that made it happen.

Here are pictures of Nael's first visit to the pediatrician while his brother was still at the hospital.

Mommy, I don't want to get up!!

Let me sleep some more, please

All set to go