Boys meet the babies

 

I had decided to have the boys wait until the next day to meet the babies, giving us all time to rest, regroup, and recover.  Such a great decision! Haha!  I would highly recommend it. 

I had just gotten out of the shower, when I heard (you bet I could hear!) my crew coming down the hall!  Luckily, my sister Carrie was there and grabbed the camera!

Isaac has delighted in these babies the most of all my boys.  He often will get teary at bedtime if he hasn’t had a chance to hold them that day, and he BEGS me to let him snuggle them in his bed! (Don’t worry, I only let him for a minute while I tuck in his brothers!)

Whenever he holds them, he will first say, “Hi honey! Hiiii!” and he refers to them as the “twin babies”, or sometimes “my twin babies!”

Samuel was very pleased to tell everyone that “Now I a big brother!!!”  He has since learned that its not all fun and games! Ha!  But he does enjoy stroking their heads, “shhhhh” ing them when they cry, and bringing me things that they need! (“Im a good helper to you, Mama!”)

Joseph loves to ask scientific questions about the baby, and also to imagine what they are thinking. (usually its involving milk, which is probably accurate! ha!)  Just this week he has discovered that he can do more things with the babies then just stare at them, and he’s been wanting to burp them, hold them looking out “like Dada, so they can see my face” etc.  He is paranoid about being spit up on (again! haha!), but other than that enjoys them!  He is happy to help me whenever I ask, especially now that he’s noticing that it frees me up to give him a little extra attention.

And lastly, my favorite picture, and the most accurate representation of my life right now:

They’re here!

 

 

I bet you thought I dropped off the face of the Earth?!  Which I did in a way as I’ve become a shut-in these past few months.  Between the ridiculously never-ending 3rd trimester (twin pregnancy is NO JOKE) the birth, a postpartum hemorrhage and subsequent 3 weeks of bedrest, and of course holding/feeding/soothing/changing TWO BABIES….ooffdah!  But, anyhow, they are here!  They are healthy and perfect!

Baby A:  Luke Robertson

5/2/16 2:20pm

7lbs. 5 oz   20”

 

 

Baby B:  Jesse Daniel

5/2/16 (obviously! haha!) 2:34pm

6lbs. 3 oz   19”

 

(last pregnancy pictures)

The doctor recommended that I be induced at around 37 weeks, standard procedure for babies who share a placenta like mine did.  So, at 37 weeks 2 days, dilated to 2cm (for weeks) I went in to the hospital.

There had been lots of debate in the weeks prior to the delivery about whether or not I should have an elective c-section as Baby B was still breech.  The presenting baby was Baby A, who was head down, so it was really up to me which path I chose.  I went back and forth about the whole thing, not wanting to risk any complications or an emergency c-section, but also not wanting to do unnecessary surgery (and the accompanying longer recovery) on my last pregnancy.  Finally, after lots of debate and conversation (sorry to ANYBODY who talked to me in those weeks, since I couldn’t talk about anything else really.  Besides also my sciatica) I decided to go for a vaginal birth, with the idea that the doctor would do a version on Baby B  (where they manually turn the baby from the outside) after the first one was out.

The worst part of the whole labor experience was when it took the anesthesiologist three tries to get the epidural in place, while I was contracting and trying to “curl my body” around my GIGANTIC twin belly to open up my spine.  I may or may not have mouthed a particularly juicy curse word at Brian during this time! Ha!  Happens once during each of my labors!

Once I was fully dilated, they wheeled me into the Operating Room (my first time in one!) where there was an entire city of doctors, nurses, and personnel waiting for me.  This is also standard policy for twin births, in case an emergency c-section is needed (which I was praying fervently against!)  I was able to transfer myself onto the narrowest bed in history, lay flat on my back, put my feet in the stirrups, and it was go time!

It didn’t take me very long at all to push out Luke, who came out screaming!

They placed him on my chest/stomach area and instantly got out the ultrasound machine to check on Jesse and begin the version. 

Right away we thought Luke looked just like one of our boys!  Poor guy was bruised from being wedged so far in my pelvis and from a quick exit.  Like my midwife said, “That is NOT a small baby!”

In just a few minutes (I started to watch, but then got creeped out) the doctor had flipped Jesse successfully and it was critical go time- TIME TO GET THAT BABY OUT before any complications arose.

This was when I started to feel the fatigue as I grabbed my legs and started pushing again.  I had to push him down from much higher this time, and it felt like it took FOREVER.  But, only 14 minutes after Luke, out he came!

 

It was all so surreal and such a rush.  The lights, the people, the crying babies, the fear that melted away, and the TWO BABIES that were placed on my chest.  Even though, obviously, I knew I was having twins, I also COULDN’T believe that I had two babies.

 

When I got back to my room I immediately took a quick nap to regroup.  Haha!

 

 

 

 

PS I am posting regularly on Instagram if you miss me between posts.  www.instagram.com/caitlinistired

PPS I am writing this while simultaneously eating and hands-free pumping with a new hands-free bra I purchased.  This is real life, people!

Boys boys boys

 

Today included me explaining why its not a good choice to hit a ball with a metal BBQ spatula using my beautiful ceramic Anthropologie bowl as a “golf tee.”

Also, why you can’t tackle your brother on the hardwood floor as hard as you can “even when they have the football.”

All three got locked outside while I drank an entire cup of coffee. (the twins split the caffeine, right?)

They still have mud in their ears.

The older two taught their little brother a “fun game” that featured them swinging while Samuel hit them with tennis rackets.

I woke up from a 20 minute nap to find that Samuel had purchased TWELVE Mickey Mouse episodes on Amazon instant video…for $3.25 each.

I got ambushed at tuck-in time by a five year old and his slingshot (thanks for that Santa!)

And about an hour later we found Samuel in OUR bed, watching Curious George on our tv, like he wasn’t supposed to be in his bed asleep at all.

Basically, it was a day filled with little-boy-glee.

And have I mentioned on the blog yet that we are having two more??  Of the little boy variety? 

I’m a blessed woman!  And I’m waaaaaaay out of my depth here.  I played with dolls exclusively!  And read books the whole walk home from the bus stop!  FIVE BOYS??!!

I have to trust that God gave them to me for a reason.  I have to remember that, with His help, I can do this. (NOT ALONE, mind you, but with His help).  I have to laugh at my little boys and their little boy shenanigans.   And I have to remember to keep writing this stuff down for my daughters-in-law.

Eight is Great

 

Somehow my oldest baby, Joseph Mark, turned EIGHT last weekend!

 

To celebrate, he wanted to have a few friends over to eat lots of junk food, play Wii, and watch a movie!  Well…at first he wanted to take his friends to a super-expensive play-land type place… but he was quickly convinced of this alternative plan.

(Littlest brother “helped” to decorate while the big boys were at school.  He was also a good boy and only snuck one cookie off the plate before party time.  Ha!)

Joseph is a voracious reader.  Yesterday he even took a book to the park and read on a bench while his brothers played!

He is still very smart, and LOVES LOVES LOVES school!

He also loves Legos, Minecraft, Calvin and Hobbes, Garfield, and wrestling with his brothers.  (And waking up early- STILL!)

My oldest is a sweet boy, a rule follower, and a lover of justice.  Also, a lover of his Mama and Dada.  (although he calls us Mom and Dad around his friends)

So thankful to have him as my oldest!

PS

The day afterwards, he got this:

courtesy of wrestling with his brother! Ha!  A little Isaac head-to-the-eye! Ouch.  He looks quite cheerful, because he couldn’t wait to show his friends, and have everybody “Think that I was in a fight or something!”