A Day in the Life

I start the day with a middle of the night pumping session. I drink lots of water every time I pump:

Hubby gets the kids up to give them breakfast and the babies and I snooze a little bit until he goes to work:

I pump again and eat a high protein/high fiber breakfast (usually yogurt and oatmeal):

After breakfast I make an assembly line for diaper changes:

I try to find time to do school work with my big 5 year old, who loves it! Sister likes to do some too:

Then I pump again:

And feed the babies again:

My son has become obsessed with the Price is Right so we watch it a few times a week (the TV has taken up a new temporary residence on the radiator or the piano ever since the babies were born- it is going back to our bedroom soon):

I eat a lactation cookie or two every time I pump to help my supply so every few days I have to make more: 

I pump again, and drink water, and wonder what my children have been up to all day because the living room isn't that messy:

I feed the babies again:

Daddy comes home from lunch and feeds the kids and puts the older ones down for their naps. I do dishes, which are about 90% bottles:

During nap time I try to nap while I do a "power pump," 10 minutes on and 10 minutes off for an hour. With my handy dandy hands free pumping bra-type thing I am able to rest! The babies are usually sound asleep during this time, which is a HUGE blessing to me:

After the kids wake up I try to do something fun to distract us all while we anticipate Daddy's homecoming:

Then I start supper and pray that the babies won't wake up. Daddy comes home and he is instantly surrounded with children:

I pump again (this is a picture my son drew of me in my most common state- pumping):

Then I feed the babies. We all eat dinner then clean up the living room and play room because who wants to wake up to this in the morning (minus the kids, they are pretty cute):

My husband puts the kids to bed while I soothe fussy babies. We do one more load of dishes, I pump again, we feed the babies again, and then go to bed. My sweet husband wakes up in the middle of the night to feed the babies (usually just once) and I wake up to pump twice and help feed the babies then the day starts all over! 

It is busy and hectic but I LOVE IT!! 

Encouragement for Moms

As I've had some time to reflect on life with twins and two other children, I have realized some very interesting things about God's undeniable love for me. Of course I am no expert in motherhood, only having been a mom for 5 years, but I would still like to encourage those who are scared, overwhelmed, and having trouble trusting in God's perfect plan for their lives.

When I found out I was expecting twins, I was TERRIFIED! I know myself and know that I get overwhelmed very easily. I really started to question God and why He would choose me to be a mom of twins, especially when I already had two other kids, one who was barely a year old!! I did not know how I would be able to juggle being a good wife and mother, taking care of the house, and maintaining my already fragile emotions well enough to avoid falling into a pit of depression. I remember asking God in tears why he chose me to have this life when I am so weak!! At times I would allow myself to feel God's peace. He would remind me through His words from the Psalms, "Be still and know that I am God," and His words from Jeremiah, "I know the plans I have for you, plans for a hope and a future. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you." I would read these words and be comforted. But at times I still had a lot of fear of the unknown. I wanted to trust God but really struggled with letting go.

Then our twins were born. I was so happy and yet so scared! But you know what? I made it through the first week. Then I made it through the second week by myself with the twins. Then I made it through my first day with all four children by myself. I asked for God's help and encouragement, and He gave it to me. Now the babies are two months old and we are doing well! I remember thinking that having twins would be good for me because it would force me to get my act together. I can see now how correct I was! But it wasn't me getting my act together. I could not have managed without God's strength (and the help of so many amazing family members and friends). I can't tell you how many times I have heard, "I don't know how you manage!" But I am here to tell you that I don't manage! If I did not ask God daily for His help, I would be sitting in a puddle of tears on the floor, unable to function. God has enabled me to not only survive the day, but to be more organized and keep the household running as well. It is not necessarily clean or tidy, but my children are well cared for, I can get supper on the table, and I can get us in and out of the house in one piece. I have my moments of feeling overwhelmingly ill-equipped to be doing this job and I know that I will have many more. There are days that I am on the verge of tears all day. But with God's help, I am doing it, which is honestly more than I thought I could handle.

God has also blessed me with an amazing army of helpers. He placed people in my life who are kind and willing to take time out of their busy lives to help us out. I have been reminded numerous times that God did not intend for any of us to do this alone. He created families and communities to come along side one another and lift each other up. I am so thankful for these people allowing themselves to be used by God to bless our family.

God has shown me time and time again that He loves me and He has a plan for my life. I have seen His divine intervention in my life many times and I can see it now, in the way that He has provided a way for me to manage my handful of blessings.

So I encourage mothers, no matter how many children you have, to stop thinking in terms of your own strength, or what YOU can handle. Because I guarantee you, if you try to do it on your own, it will be much more difficult. Let God be your strength, for when we are weak, He is strong. Let yourself be overwhelmed with His love, not your circumstances.

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:9

She Chose JOY

It is difficult to express the emotions that I feel about the passing of one of my dearest friends. But I can say that she has left behind a beautiful legacy. Countless people have been touched by her story of pain, healing, and great joy in her Father in Heaven. This excerpt from her last blog entry (almost a year ago) pretty much sums it up:

One of my greatest heroes, someone whose wisdom I respect and glean all I can from, has taught me this very important clarification to the well-known verse 1 Thessalonians 5:18. It's great advice for life, these three instructions in verses 16 through 18: Rejoice always. Pray continually. And here's the kicker a lot of us don't like: Give thanks in all circumstances. The important clarficiation is, he doesn't write, "Give thanks FOR all circumstances." He writes, "Give thanks IN all circumstances." 

One of the simplest ways I remember this is from a story I saw once about a forest fire. The forest was just decimated. The wildfire had burnt everything green and beautiful away. The wildlife was gone. It was a beautiful sanctuary turned ugly. And then the focus turned to a little green bud, shooting up out of the ground. New life after a tragedy. Fresh, hope-filled spring coming up through the ashes of heaviness. No one would stand there and say, "God, thanks for the wildfire that ruined this landscape and killed the life that was here." That would be crazy! But obedience to 1 Thessalonians 5:18, and learning to live in that flow of noticing the praise-worthy things, and expressing gratitude for them -- that person would stand up and say, "God, this forest fire made my heart sink. But I see this flower springing up from a silent, lifeless forest floor. And it lifts my spirits, and makes my heart leap. Thank You, God, for this beauty in spite of the ashes."

We all face seasons and experiences in life that are so hard, so sad, so gut-socking and painful. But, our greatest power is our power to choose. Whether your life up to this point has been a nice coast, or it's been a tooth and nail gritty fight to survive, I challenge you to choose gratitude. "Give thanks IN all circumstances." 

I thank God for bringing this beautiful lady into my life and for using her to teach me to choose joy. Please pray for her husband and young daughter as they navigate this time of mourning.

I also encourage you to check out this awesome song, Joy, by Rend Collective and praise God IN all circumstances. Our joy comes from Him!

Welcoming Our Newest Little Blessings

I had lots of plans for welcoming the babies on this page but for some reason, which I can't quite figure out, I haven't had much time to post in the last six weeks! So here is a very long and hopefully not too boring update of our growing family!

It was Groundhog Day and the morning started off quite warm but foggy. We had to be at the hospital very early for the c-section, which was scheduled for 8:30 (I think, the times and details of that day are a little foggy, kinda like the weather). I never did find out what the groundhog saw that day but I have a vague memory of watching Groundhog Day with Bill Murray while I was still on my high after having babies. I spent a couple hours in a tiny room getting prepped for surgery then I said goodbye to my mom and they wheeled me off. They parked my bed in the hall outside the operating room and I walked inside with great joy, knowing that was the last time I would ever have to walk with the enormous weight of that belly! My husband stayed outside while they got everything ready. I really wish they would have let him in for that part because I was TERRIFIED of getting the spinal block. I had a very bad experience from the spinal block with my first baby, which was actually one of the big motivators I had for having a home birth with my second baby. I really didn't want to have another c-section and get a spinal! I had an amazing nurse, named Jane, who let me lean on her while I did lamaze-type breathing to calm myself down. They knew about my history and the STUDENT anesthesiologist placed the spinal block with no complications at all. I felt the warmness starting to creep up my body and I was so relieved! Once they had me draped and they let my husband in, things seemed to happen pretty quickly. I felt a lot of movement and tugging and my doctor said, "Here comes Baby A!" He held her up for us to see and I felt the tears instantly starting to burn my eyes. Not even 30 seconds later they were holding Baby B up for us to see. I had worked SO HARD to bring those babies into the world and I felt an incredible mix of emotions listening to them cry. One thing that sticks out in my mind is how they didn't have those little newborn cries that you hear when you imagine your baby's first cry, but they SCREAMED like their big sister! "waAAAAAAH! waAAAAAAH!" They definitely didn't have any trouble breathing! They first brought Baby A over and said that she weighed 6lbs 4oz, which is an incredible weight for a twin. My husband held her and I was able to sort of wrap my arm around her. Then a nurse came with Baby B and said that she weighed 5lbs 12oz. She held her next to her sister and I saw them together for the first time- my little pumpkins!

After that it was time for my husband and the babies to go to the nursery and I stayed put while they sewed me up. My awesome doctor tried to keep me entertained by talking about the Super Bowl, which was the night before. I wasn't in the mood to talk about it though because my beloved Seahawks had lost, and they did it very poorly. Actually I am only an avid fan when they are doing really well and go to the Super Bowl but still, it was very disappointing! Then the doctor and his med student started talking about the half time show and I decided that was a good time for a little nap because I had no interest in the half time show. We watched I Love Lucy (Ricky's Home Movies) instead! Anyway, when it was time to go to recovery, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that I would be able to hold my babies and try to nurse them for the first time. The second most dreadful part of my first child's birth (the first being the spinal block) was having to go to recovery without knowing a single thing about my baby! I had to stay there for almost 2 hours without my husband and without my baby. They said to rest and take a nap but how can you when you know nothing about how your baby is doing?! Okay, back to the twins. So they brought B in first and I held her skin to skin and gave her a little nibble. Then A came in and we did the same. At some point my mom tried to come in, twice, and the nurse shooed her away, saying it was Mommy, Daddy, Baby time. I was so happy to have that time with our new little bundles.

The rest of the day really is a blur. In fact, the rest of the hospital stay is kind of a blur! I know that I was in a lot of pain, more than I was after my first c-section, and the pain meds just weren't cutting it even though we were staying on schedule. My doc made hearts come out of my head when he increased the doses without question even though the nurses had said that he probably wouldn't. The babies didn't nurse at all the first day and spent the night in the nursery and had to have a bottle due to low blood sugar. I was very disappointed and confused because I felt like a pro breastfeeder since I had already nursed both of my other children until they were a year old. We stayed in close contact with the nurses and a lactation consultant and I started pumping and we finger fed the babies while in the hospital. They never caught on to nursing. I kept telling myself that they would be just fine if they had to be formula babies. Many a great men and women were fed formula and turned out fantastic! But my heart hurt because I was supposed to be their source of nutrition. It was my job as their mother to feed them my liquid gold and no matter how many times I told myself and told other people that I was okay with it, I really wasn't! I have come to accept the fact that they may have to be on bottles but I am still working on it. More on that later...

Do you remember that I had to deliver the babies a little bit early because of my very mild pre-eclampsia? Well, in most cases the way to cure pre-eclampsia is to deliver the baby. But in my case, it got worse after! There were no signs of it in the hospital but over the first week my swelling increased and I felt lightheaded and had a very terrible headache, despite still being on my pain meds. One leg was significantly more swollen than the other so I had to go back to the hospital to get an ultrasound to check for a blood clot. That was negative but when we went to see my doctor after that, my blood pressure was higher than it's ever been. I don't think it was an incredibly dangerous blood pressure, but it was obvious that things weren't right. SOOOO, he put me on some blood pressure medicine, which I am still taking almost 2 months later. He still wasn't happy with my numbers at my post-partum check up last week so it looks like I'll be on it for a little while longer until I follow up with my family doctor in a couple months. He didn't really say why this is happening, I don't even know if he knows, but I am just going to blame it, like everything, on hormones and having twins!

The first week home was very overwhelming for me! I was terrified to be left alone with both babies. I didn't know how to feed them both and the thought of taking care of all four of my children at the same time was utterly terrifying! I made my husband take an extra couple of days off because I wasn't ready for him to go back to work but then something inside me snapped, and I suddenly decided that I could take care of the twins on my own. It was another week or so before I spent any significant amount of time alone with all four but because of our loving family and amazing friends, I was able to slowly work my way into being the mother of four. A few hours alone one week, then two days the next week, then three, then the time finally came when I had all four at home with me all week!! Now it feels completely normal and I hardly remember a time when I didn't have all of my little gifts from God at home with me.

When the babies were 2 weeks old they caught a cold. It wasn't too bad, but they were congested. At first it didn't affect their eating or sleeping but after about a week, Baby B was having a hard time getting all of her bottles in. When she projectile vomited all of the food she had taken in that day and I noticed that she had a very slight fever, I called our doctor, who told me to take her to the ER. I thought that they would just say she has a cold, suction her nose as often as you can, and send us home. However, the cold had caused her to get a little dehydrated and she had low muscle tone so they admitted her to the hospital. We stayed for about 30 hours, plus the 7 or 8 hours we had spent in the ER overnight. It was a very scary and exhausting time for us but we knew that things could be a lot worse. All she needed were some IV fluids and a little TLC and she was fine. They let us keep her sister in the room with us, which was a complete blessing. Again, I am so thankful for our wonderful family, who took care of everything at home for us, and for awesome, godly friends who prayed for us! They both had to be brought to the ER a week later because they were very congested and their chests were sucking in when they breathed, but that time they suctioned their little noses and told us to keep an eye on them but said they were fine and we brought them home. They are both over that dreadful cold and are doing very well!!

Big brother and sister are doing so well! There is nothing like having baby twin sisters to make a five year old grow up! He has taken on many responsibilities and I am so proud of him! He has been unloading the dishwasher, picking up his toys (and his sister's toys), running errands around the house for us, and taking care of his sister while I am tied to babies or a pump. He gets her food, water, plays with her, and comforts her when she is sad. He also helps her in and out of the van and unbuckles her from her carseat, which is a huge help because she is still rear-facing in the back seat. He has a new love of superheroes (which he really knows nothing about but enjoys making up facts) but I think that he has become something of a superhero himself in the last couple of months. Baby girl has really surprised us! Before the babies were born she was showing a lot of jealousy towards her brother spending time with mommy and daddy so she had us a little worried about what life would be like with two new babies but she has done amazingly well! She hasn't shown much jealousy towards them at all. In fact, she loves them so much! She showers them with affection, sometimes deadly affection! There have been a couple of instances when I had to pull her off of one of the babies because she fell on top of them trying to give hugs. She likes to lay her head on their heads and she LOVES to help us burp them. She enjoys being a big helper and often brings us diapers. They are usually her own diapers and she rarely brings fewer than four at a time, but she thinks she is helping and that's what counts. :-) We are starting to see a lot of little attitude issues arising and know that it is only the beginning. She is going to keep us on our toes for sure! At 19 months she now has a very vast vocabulary, consisting of words like, babies, mommy, dada, brother (bubba), no, yep, bye bye, cup (bup), right now, up, down, more, night night, I don't want to, I don't like that, water, more please, cheese (for pictures, not the food), and many more that I can't think of right now. She also says a lot of stuff that nobody can understand!

Okay, now back to feedings...
This has been the biggest struggle for us. We have been bottle feeding the girls since they were a week old when we realized that finger feeding was only meant as a very short-lived temporary solution and they were not catching on to nursing. We have tried a few different kinds of bottles, attempting to find a better fit for transitioning to nursing, all of which haven't helped. They tend to lift their tongues to the roof of their mouths, which makes nursing very difficult. Things got even more complicated when the girls were congested and at times we have gone through bad dry spells where we didn't even attempt to nurse for days due to scheduling conflicts and supply issues. However, I spent this last weekend doing a "nurse-in" of sorts. The kids went to their grandma and granddaddy's house and my husband and I hung out in our pjs all day with the babies constantly attached to me. When they weren't nursing, they were skin to skin with me so that they could learn to desire to be close to me. My amazing husband took care of diapers and kept me fed and hydrated the whole weekend. We made huge improvements! We are still a long way from exclusively breastfeeding and not needing to pump at all, but my supply almost doubled so they are at least only drinking breast milk and nursing MOST of the time. I know that the day might come when they will just figure it out and all of this pumping/bottle feeding/nursing routine will be a distant memory, but I also know that they may never catch on and I'm okay with that! I know that if they don't end up nursing I gave it my best shot and I didn't give up just because it was hard. I still have a few emotional issues to work out about this, but I know that we'll all by okay. Please pray for us as we continue on this exhausting nursing adventure!

So now that things are calming down a bit and life is beginning to get back to normal, well a new normal anyway, I am hoping to post on here more frequently. I still have a post waiting to be published about making home made ice cream at Christmas time! Life is never boring with four children so I should have some things to say. As the title of my blog says, I might have my hands full but they are full of blessings and I am so excited to see where God is leading our family!

Twin Facts

Being on bed rest gives me lots of time to think. And sit around. And read. And watch Netflix. So I need things to fill my time! Here is my list of Twin Facts that you may or may not know:

• There are two types of twins, monozygotic, or identical, and dizygotic, fraternal
• Identical twins occur when one egg is released and is fertilized by one sperm. Within the next couple of days the egg splits and becomes two separate individuals who share identical genetic information. 
• Fraternal twins occur when two eggs are released and both are fertilized by different sperm. These twins are genetically the same as any other sibling. 
• Within the group of monozygotic twins are two types, monochorionic-diamniotic (mo-di), which share a placenta but have their own amniotic sacs. A great majority of identical twins are mo-di (mine included). Monoamniotic-monochorionic (mo-mo) twins share a placenta and an amniotic sac and make up about 1% of all identicals. There are a lot of risks associated with mo-mo twins, including umbilical cord entanglement, causing life threatening issues for both babies. Mo-mo twins must be very closely monitored throughout the pregnancy.
• Fraternal twins are the most common type and make up about 2/3 of all twin pregnancies. 
• Fraternal twins can run in families, passed on through the mother's side. It is a myth that twins skip a generation and can be passed through the father's side (supposedly). 
• Identical twins are not genetic (again, supposedly) and occur spontaneously. However, it can't be a coincidence that our girls are the third set of identical girls in three generations in a row in my husband's family. There are also two other sets of twins in his family's history, one possibly identical and the other is unknown since the twin died at birth.
• The least common type of twins are identical boys while the most common is boy/girl fraternal twins
• Some people think it is impossible to nurse twins, but it is more than possible! Nursing is all about supply and demand- the more demand for milk, the more the mother's body will produce. 
• The easiest way to tell the difference between identical twins may be the belly button because it is simply a scar that developed from the detachment of the umbilical cord.
• Identical twins can be mirror twins, developing the same characteristics on opposite sides of their bodies. One may be right handed, the other left handed and they may have moles or birthmarks on opposite sides. It is estimated that 25% of identical twins are mirror images of one another. 
• If identical sisters married identical brothers, their children would be cousins but would genetically be equal to full siblings!
• Women in their 30s and 40s are more likely to conceive twins due to changes in hormones and irregular cycles. This can increase the odds of releasing more than one egg at a time. 
• Tall women and women who are significantly overweight also have greater odds of conceiving twins. It has something to do with hormones, which can be blamed on any number of occurrences within a woman's body. 
• Up to 40% of twins develop their own language when communicating with one another. Check out this super cute video!
• Contrary to popular belief, mothers don't typically feel twins move any earlier than singleton babies. It is most common to feel them move for the first time around 18-20 weeks, especially for first time mothers. Just like with any other pregnancy, mothers who have had previous babies may feel them move sooner because they can recognize the difference between typical gas bubbles and baby movements.
• With the number of risks associated with twins, many are born prematurely
• 37-38 weeks is considered full-term for twins with over 50% of twins being born BEFORE 37 weeks. I am currently 37 weeks and have beat the odds! :-)
• Identical twins do not have identical fingerprints. Fingerprints are formed from experiences in the womb.
• It is more common for twins to be left handed than a singleton. 
• Just after Christmas, Ashley Gardner delivered a beautiful set of quadruplets at 29 weeks gestation. Yes, they were conceived by IVF, but the unique aspect of their story is that they only inserted two eggs. They both split spontaneously, creating two sets of identical twins!! I don't know for sure what the odds of that happening are, but I'm going to say that it is incredibly rare!

Letting Go of Expectations

I didn't know much about childbirth before I got pregnant the first time, but I did know that some day I would like to try a home birth. It sounded like a peaceful and exciting way to welcome a child into the world, but I wanted to experience childbirth in a hospital setting before trying a home birth. So when I ended up going to the hospital when I was 10 days overdue to be induced at midnight (for insurance purposes they said) with my first baby then 12 hours later having a c-section, I was very disappointed! That was not the birth I had envisioned for my son. Yes, I had a beautiful and healthy baby boy and I was so blessed to have him, but I felt like they hadn't taken my preferences into account and it felt like I didn't GIVE birth, but that it was TAKEN from me. They declared him too big to fit through my pelvis and they had their minds made up that he would be cut out rather than wait the 30+ hours for his big head to maneuver its way out, the natural way. Little did they know that three years later I would deliver an even bigger baby naturally with no complications. 

I started researching childbirth and reading books about home birth and my husband and I talked and prayed about what to do with our next baby. We weighed the risks and benefits and decided that a home birth would be the best option for a natural vaginal birth experience. I'll explain more in a future post about our decision to choose to have our babies at home. I want to be clear when I say that home birth was a choice we made for ourselves and I would not push or insist on others having a home birth. It definitely is not for everyone and I fully respect any woman's decision when it comes to something as personal as having a baby. We assumed the risk (which we felt was lower than the risks associated with a repeat c-section) and were rewarded with an incredible birthing experience. 

The birth of our daughter was by far the most defining moment in my life. My husband and I were alone through most of it, walking, writing thank you notes, watching Monk, laughing, then when things got more intense he was reading scripture, praying, and helping me to rely on God's strength, not my own. I felt a much stronger connection to God, my husband, my baby, and my own body. It was beautiful.

So of course when I found out I was expecting another baby, we started planning for a home birth. We settled on a midwife and paid her up front for a discounted rate. But then I found out we were having twins. I was so shocked! There was a time when I thought we may get twins because there were a couple sets in my husband's family but after learning that the gene for twins doesn't pass onto the father, I was relieved. There were no twins in my family so finding out that there were two babies in my tummy was by far the biggest surprise of my life!

After some of the initial shock wore off, I had a conversation with my midwife and we decided that with my history, I should have the twins in the hospital. It would be possible to deliver them naturally at home (and I know of many women who have delivered twins successfully at home), but it would be more complicated and much more risky with my previous c-section. I wasn't 100% comfortable with the idea of having a home birth and if there is one thing you need to be completely comfortable with before attempting, it's home birth! So I asked around for an OB who was knowledgeable in twin birth but would let me have a shot at delivering naturally.

I got many recommendations for a high risk OB who was VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) friendly and went in for a visit. He had 11 kids of his own and was very friendly and easy to talk to. Throughout the pregnancy, he has given me hope that there was a chance for a natural birth, which is more than I can say for any other OBs in this area. Most twins are born by cesarean due to their positions and the complications that can occur in a twin birth. To my doctor, however, the previous c-section didn't have a lot to do with his decision, but more so that the babies are BOTH head down and we are all tolerating labor well. He does not induce VBACs, due to the increased chances of uterine rupture so my only chance at having a natural delivery would be if I went into labor on my own, which at this point is looking to be unlikely. I also seem to have one twin who enjoys doing acrobatics and has flipped into a head up position at 36 weeks after being head down through most of the pregnancy. She is one impressive girl! 

Changing my expectations has been one of the most difficult parts of the pregnancy emotionally. To go from a calm and peaceful home birth with only myself, my supportive husband, and two midwives present in a dark candlelit room, to a bright hospital room full of medical personnel excited  to witness a twin birth could be slightly traumatizing! However, I felt that it was important to let go of certain expectations long ago in this pregnancy. I still held out hope that there was a chance that I could deliver naturally while I prepared my heart for a c-section. As the pregnancy has progressed I have gotten more and more used to the idea that I just need to let go of ALL expectations and simply be thankful for a medical team who can deliver these babies as safely as possible. 

Please keep in mind that while it's important to research and know what to expect in childbirth, it is equally important to remember that when it comes down to it, the safety of you and baby (or babies) is the ideal outcome! Be an advocate for your right to deliver how you want, but prepare your heart for any situation that may arise. I may have been far less disappointed with the birth of my first son if I had let go of some expectations. While I hope that I can have future babies at home, I am no longer disappointed that I don't get to have my twins in the sweet comfort of my own home, and I really am looking forward to giving birth, no matter how it is done!

An Unexpected Hospital Trip

On our way to Will's parents' house to celebrate his thirtieth birthday with family yesterday, I received a phone call from my doctor. He asked how I was doing then said that he was about to ruin my day. He told me that my lab results indicated that I had pre-eclampsia, which has always been a fear with this pregnancy, especially for the past few weeks, but I honestly never thought it would happen to me. So he told me to come to the hospital and check in for monitoring. He said that there was a chance that if the babies and I were stable, I could go home, but there was also a chance that I would be transferred to the other hospital in town that has a NICU where I would stay put until the babies were born. So we continued on to Will's parents' house and after alerting the troops, he opened his birthday presents very quickly, ate a quick helping of his birthday lunch (stroganoff, his favorite) then they sent us off with some birthday cake, keeping the kids for us. We got to the hospital and they hooked me up to monitors with five straps around my belly and a blood pressure cuff that took my pressure every 15 minutes. Baby B did NOT like the tight straps and kept rolling around so the nurse would have to come back in and readjust the monitor. They got me positioned on my left side with a pillow behind me and told me not to move...for three hours! Have you ever tried sitting perfectly still in an uncomfortable hospital bed for three hours when severely pregnant? Not fun! I had to use the restroom and my back and left hip got so sore! After a while, my doctor came back in and said that my blood pressure was excellent and that I could go home. He said that I need to take it easy and be very careful. He ordered me to be on "very limited activity," which is not bed rest but almost! No running errands, no chasing kids around, staying off my feet as much as possible. I go back to see the doctor on Tuesday and we will reevaluate based on my blood pressure. So that is where I am right now.

The night before, we had dropped the kids off with their grandparents and went on a date to celebrate our 6th anniversary. They kept the kids overnight and we are so thankful to have had that time to relax and enjoy one another's company before things really started to get stressful and crazy! God's timing was perfect. :-) We are in the home stretch now, with just three weeks max left to go before we meet our little girls!  Please pray for us as we try to navigate these last few weeks with as little stress as possible so that my pressure will stay low and we can keep these babies in as long as possible!!