My Birthday

My birthday definitely snuck up on me this year.  At 31, birthdays aren't quite the big deal they once were, especially this year with all of the busyness of the babies being born.  However, it was exactly the birthday I needed.  I got to spend some quality one-on-one time with Nolan (something that doesn't happen as often as I'd like these days).  I spent it surrounded by family.  I got to get out for a couple of hours to see Todd's latest sketch show.  And I got ice cream cake (with left overs too!). 



Crazy Hair

Having a three year old makes you quickly realize the things that you say without realizing it.  I'll hear Nolan say something and hear myself quite often.  Lately he's been telling me that his hair is "just getting crazy."  I realize that I tell him that when he needs a hair cut.  He realized that fixing it is an excuse to play in the water.  Even though his hair usually looks just fine he insists that he needs to go in the bathroom and fix it (and refuses to let me help).  He then emerges a few minutes later with a portion of his hair drenched in water, looking crazier than it did when he went in.  Curious as to what his was exactly doing, I snuck into the bathroom without him noticing.  So cute.  I constantly wonder when exactly he went from being a baby needing my help for everything to a nearly self sufficient little man (well, almost).  Not a day goes by where he doesn't do something that cracks me up. 

First Bath

 The girls were ready for their first baths (well, first baths outside of the hospital) by the time they got home.  Because they still had their umbilical cord stumps, we had to do a spit bath.

 Big brother Nolan was eager to help.

In case anyone was wondering who Grace looks like, check out this picture of Nolan taken after his first bath...

The verdict is still out on Ava.



We're Home!

I have to admit that my hospital discharge experience was a much more pleasant one this time around than it was when Nolan was born.  The first time I left sobbing, petrified that I was going to have to take care of this little person for the rest of his life without a nurse call button available.  This time around I was ready to leave (and sleep in my own bed).

 The cutting of the baby tag.

 Putting on real clothes for the first time.

 Hanging out in the hospital bassinet for the last time.

 Gracie gnawing on her sister's elbow.  This happens more often than you'd think.

 Gracie's not quite sure what to think of this car seat thing.

 All strapped into their stroller (aka, the bus).

 The girls' first car ride.  They weren't quite sure what to think of it.

Nolan got both of the girls toys and couldn't wait to give them to them.  He was so excited to have them home and was so sweet to them.  I'm so lucky to have such a great kid, and the girls are lucky to have him for a big brother.  

At the Hospital

Since I had to have a c-section, we had to spend 4 full days in the hospital.  I tried to execute a jail break, but the doctors shot me down.  Since we were in for so long, Nolan, Todd, Grandma, and Grandpa made a lot of back and forth trips.  Here are a few pics of our time there.

 Grandma holding her two youngest grand babies.

 The girls sharing a bed for the first time.  They'd better get used to it.

Nolan opening his other (more portable) present from his new sisters.

Me with one of my girls, after I finally got off of the awful pain medication the had me on and moved out of my bed.

 The proud papa.

 Nolan holding his sister Gracie for the first time.  All of the practice paid off.

A proud Grandpa.

This is how we spent a lot of our time the first few days.  Thank God for technology!

The twins have arrived!

Let me start by saying that I never thought the day would come when I could write this post.  I thought I was pretty tough, but I discovered that twin pregnancy is even tougher.  After 37 weeks, 52 additional pounds (40 of which was water weight), 22,623 trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night, oodles of aches and pains, and one mammoth case of PUPPS (if you aren't sure what this miserable disease is, look it up), I really could not wrap my head around the fact that the babies would actually come out some day.  While I know that staying pregnant for eternity is biologically impossible, I was soooo miserable that I had convinced myself that I would be stuck that way for the rest of my life.  This was even after I received my scheduled c-section date for August 5.  However, the day did finally arrive, and the girls are finally here. 

Here's our abbreviated birth story, for those who are interested:

My c-section was scheduled for noon on August 5th.  While I was not entirely thrilled about my girls having to make their entrance into the world via a small hole cut into my mid-section, I realized that with two breach babies there was not much I could do about it.  I decided to look on the positive side, and the planner in me embraced the fact that I had a known end date.  I scheduled my last day of work for that Tuesday to give me a couple of days to get things done that I knew would be impossible once the twins were born and spend some one-on-one time with Nolan. 

Thankfully the girls cooperated and waited to come out until they were scheduled to do so, albeit a few hours early.  My water broke around 3:30 am on Friday morning, so we had to go to the hospital a bit earlier than planned.  Thankfully the hospital is only a few minutes away because I was already dilated to 5 cm upon arrival and was in very active labor.  But the nurses reassured me that I wouldn't be forced to have a breach delivery, no matter how fast my labor was progressing (phew!). 

After completing paperwork between contractions, they prepped us for delivery.  All twin deliveries, c-section or not, have to be done in an OR, because of the amount of people and equipment required.  I have to say that delivering in a large, sterile operating room with 10 or so onlookers is a much different experience than the intimate setting in which I welcomed Nolan into the world.  However, despite my fears of a c-section, the actual procedure wasn't so bad (the aftermath is a much different story).  Odd, maybe, but bad, no.  The entire process, soup to nuts, took only about an hour.  I did miss being able to hold my babies immediately after they were delivered, but it wasn't as traumatic as I had anticipated. 

Both girls were very healthy upon arrival and needed zero NICU time, making my 37 miserable weeks entirely worth it.  Ava Claire was born at 6:39 am, and Grace Elizabeth was born at 6:40 am.  Both weighed in at 6 pounds, 1 ounce and were 19.5 inches in length, which is apparently unusual for twins.  They are both beautiful and doing exceptionally well!

Todd, just before delivery, looking dapper. 

Grace (left) and Ava (right), immediately after birth.



And for those of you who are wondering how I carried over 12 pounds of baby...here's the answer.  Note the gigantic swollen feet and ankles.

Gift from the womb

When discussing the idea of getting Nolan a gift "from the twins" one evening, my mom, who does anything and everything for both her children and grandchildren (thanks Mom!), said "They should get him a swing set."  I was thinking something that could actually be carried to the hospital without having bionic strength.  However, after Nolan himself said many times that he needed a swing set at his house I agreed to the idea.  So, we had it installed one day while I was working from home (this was a frequent occurrence towards the end of my pregnancy for several reasons, including my ridiculous wardrobe - tent-like dresses and flip flops two sizes too big to accommodate my marshmallow feet, my immobility, and my overall lack of motivation to move very far from my house in 100 degree weather).  He came home from school to discover his surprise from the twins, who were still in the womb at the time.  I was a bit concerned that he would figure out that the twins really couldn't see the outside world whilst in utero and, therefore, had nothing to do with picking out the swing set.  However, he seemed to believe us. (Later I discovered that when asked who got him the swing set he immediately responded with "grandma."  He's too smart for his own good sometimes.)  Either way, Nolan is thrilled with the new addition to the back yard.