Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Happy 3rd Birthday

Jack is 3.  I can't believe our first born is 3.  Where did the time go.  Here are some of his stats...

- 33 lbs and 39 inches tall
- goes to bed at 8:30 ish and sleeps till 7 or so.  This varies daily and depends on if he takes a nap or not.
- goes to bed better than he was.  Kevin can now come downstairs instead of having to be upstairs with him.  Jack is in his new room with his new bed now that the babies are here.
- very picky eater.  One day he loves something the next day he hates it.  Some of his favorites:  fruit, chicken nuggets, sausage, hotdogs, pasta, snack foods.  He still only drinks milk and water.  He likes to put lemon in his water.
- loves the outdoors.  He would rather be outside than any where else and he would spend all day outside if we would let him.
- loves the farm and all the equipment.  Jack loves to go to the farm with grandpa DeWeese.  He knows all about the equipment and what each piece is used for.  When he talks to grandpa on the phone he always has lots of questions for him about the farm.  Jack pretends our backyard is lots of different farms and he is constantly "transporting" things from one farm to the next.
- Every Saturday morning Jack and Daddy go to the donut store.  Jack has a drawer in the kitchen with his "donut money" in it.  Before they leave, he gets money out to pay for the donuts.  He also sings a song about going to the donut store every time.
- Jack is taking swimming lessons.  He loves the water.  He can jump in the pool and almost get above water without any help.  He can kick his feet and paddle his arms.
- Jack loves to go to the library and pick out books.  He gets to go once a week to get books and a movie to watch.
- He can spell his name, recognize the letters in his name, write his name and when the letters are all mixed up with other letters, he can find the letters of his name and put them in the correct order.
- He can identify a few other letters
- He can run fast, walk backwards and climb
- He is a great big brother and loves his sisters very much!

The First 3 Weeks

The girls are almost 3 weeks old...where has the time gone.  In that time, so much has happened!  The girls have been to the doctor twice for well visits.  Jack has turned 3!  All of our immediate family has been here to visit.  The girls have had their first bath, first walk, first trip  to the park and first visit to Goddard.

Their stats:

Morgan:

- 5 lbs. 10 1/2 oz
-  eats 75 cc  of breast milk every 3-4 hours
- sleeps most of the day
- typically is the faster eater, very rarely burps
- can pick her head up off of your shoulder when holding her
- seems to be a little more laid back

Addison:

- 5 lbs 1/2 oz
- eats 75 cc of breast milk every 3-4 hours
- sleeps most of the day
- typically is the slower eater
- can pick her head up off of your shoulder when holding her
- seems to be a little more feisty
laying in bed with big brother
 

first real outfit - wearing booties from aunt Margaret

Our happy family

Morgan and Addison after their first bath
It has been a great 3 weeks.  I can't believe how fast it is going.

Friday, April 12, 2013

Birth Story

After going to the doctor at 4pm on Wednesday, April 3rd, I got the go ahead to have a vaginal delivery on April 4th.  I was to arrive at the hospital at 8am for an induction.  This was it!  Baby time!

We went out to dinner for the last time as a family of 3 that night and prepared for their arrival.  I don't think Kevin or I slept more than a few hours that night because we were so excited, scared and nervous.

We dropped Jack off at school at 7am and headed to the hospital.  After arriving, we met our nurse, Kim.  I asked her if she was going to be there all day and she said till 7pm.  I told her I sure hope they come before she left.

She got me all hooked up.  I had two heart monitors on for the babies.  One monitor for observing contractions.  An IV for fluids. A blood pressure cuff and a heart monitor for me.  I could hardly move in fear of setting off an alarm.

After Kim checked me around 9am, she determined that I was already at 5cm and I could be stretched to a 7 so there was no need for medication, all the did was break baby a's water.  She thought that things would go quickly and told Kevin that if she said get dressed, he needed to put the scrubs on fast and follow her.  The resident doctor came in shortly after to break my water and then within minutes I got an epidural.  I never felt any contractions.  It was wonderful.  Aside from having to lay so still, I was never uncomfortable while in labor.

My doctor came down around 12:00 and I was at a 9.  She had me roll over onto my side and told me it wouldn't be much longer.  Shortly after 1pm, things started to go really fast.  They checked me again and I was fully dilated,  it was time to go to the OR.  (I had to deliver there incase something happened and I would need an emergency C-section.) 

We got to the OR around 1:15 and everyone started to set things up.  There were about 12 people in the OR.  Everyone had their jobs and everyone was flying around.  One of the nurses noticed that baby a's heart rate was dropping so Dr. Boyles quickly had to get her out.  She barely had her scrubs on when I started pushing.  I think it was about 10 pushes and a few minutes later and at 1:26pm Morgan Faith was born.  When she came out, she was as white as a ghost and lifeless.  It was really scary.  Kevin was not able to cut her cord as they wisked her over to the warmer and the NICU nurse started looking at her.  I was not able to see her as a machine was in the way but I could tell something was wrong.  They kept telling me she was breathing but very pale and they couldn't figure out why.
Morgan Faith
Meanwhile, I needed to get baby b out.  I got to relax for about half a second before it was time to start pushing again.  She was in the birth canal and ready to come.  When I began pushing, her bag of water broke and a TON of fluid came out.  I think I instantly lost 10 pounds by just how much water there was.  I pushed a few times and then Dr. Boyles asked for the vacuum. She attached it and within 2 pushes, Addison Grace was born at 1:41pm.  She came out crying and very red.  Kevin got to cut her cord and then she was taken to the warmer.  It hasn't officially been confirmed but they think Twin to Twin Transfusion was being to take place and Addison was starting to take over.  She was taking the blood from Morgan and that is why she was so red and Morgan was so pale.
Addison Grace
The NICU nurse kept monitoring Morgan and called the NICU to bring a bed down for her but as we waited for it, they decided to put her in the same bed as Addison and she then started to pink up a little.  By the time the bed got there, she was better and they decided she could come with us!  YEAH!  Both of my babies got to leave the OR with me!  We were so excited.
Addison and Morgan

As for me,  I only needed 3 small stitches, much less than with Jack.  The problem was, I kept passing lots of clots and they couldn't get those stopped.  The doctor was pushing and pushing on my stomach trying to get them to stop.  It hurt.  It hurt really bad but she had to do it.  Finally they gave me a shot in my leg and things started to get better.
A proud mommy and daddy

When we got back to my original room, I did skin to skin with both girls in hoping to get their color regulated.  It was helping but I was still bleeding a lot so they had to again push and push on my stomach.  I got even more medicine and finally, it worked.  The bleeding was under control.

Then it was time to weigh and measure the girls.  Morgan came in at 5 lbs 12 oz.  She was 17 and 3/4 inches long.  Addison was 5 lbs 1 oz and 17 inches long.  They are little peanuts but they are healthy.  I tried to breast feed but it was almost impossible to feed both at the same time.  After a few hours of being monitored for more blood clots, I was moved to the post partum room.  The girls went to the nursery for a while to be monitored and bathed. 
Addison Grace
Morgan Faith
It seemed like forever until they finally came back to my room, but once they did, everyone was vey excited to see them!  We were now a family of 5 and couldn't  be happier.  We stayed in the hospital until noon on Saturday.  They did not pass their car seat test but we just wanted them home, so we agreed we would go straight home and not take them any where longer then a few minutes away for the next month or so.

My recovery has been so much easier this time around.  I was up and around the first night.  I was more uncomfortable sitting in bed.  I took very little pain medicine.  My stomach hurt from them pushing on it so much, but other than that, I was in very little pain.

Our first week home has been great.  We are adjusting to our 2 little additions but we are so in love.  Big brother Jack is doing great.  He loves his sisters and wants to help as much as possible.  More on the first week in the next post.

The proud big brother!

Our happy family of 5!

Monday, April 1, 2013

36 weeks

I can't believe it but I am on my last week of being pregnant.  The babies will be here by Thursday or Friday this week.  I am going to the doctor on Wednesday afternoon and if the girls are both head down still, then I will be induced on Thursday morning.  If one of them has flipped, then I will have a C-section on Friday.  I am really hoping that I can be induced on Thursday.  I am really not looking forward to a C-section, but will do whatever is best for these little girls.

Here are some stats for 36 weeks:

- gained 35 lbs.
- only one pair of pants fits me
- only a few shirts still fit.
- I am very uncomfortable and just started being very itchy.  My whole body itches!  So spots or rash, just itchy!
- As of last week baby a was 5 lbs 15oz and baby b is 5 lbs 5 oz
- They both look like they have hair

Only a few more days and they will be here!