Learning to juggle.

It was inevitable. There are going to be times when all three kids 'need' me. In these 2 weeks I've found that as long as I can give each of them even the smallest amount of myself at once (in Julian's case my thumb will suffice) they are happy.

Forgive the picture quality, sometimes a cell phone is all that is within reach.

The Curious Case of Belly Buttons.

Both of the girls lost their umbilical cords within a week of being born. I remember waiting forever for Julian's to fall out, so I was really surprised at how fast it happened with them. The curious part is that both were lost during diaper changes with daddy. Strange.

The girls are 2 weeks old today. As Ped says, it feels like it has been 2 months! While we are losing a lot of sleep, we feel so blessed to have these angels in our lives. 

Who's babysitting who?

Julian asks me probably 10 times a day if he can hold one of his sisters. I think it's so sweet, so I always oblige him. Tonight I put Sophia in his lap and he held her for at least a half hour before I saw this happen:

Warms my heart.

They're Here!

And they're spectacular!

My water broke at 10pm on Monday night and we had the girls in our arms by 5:10am on Tuesday.

Sophia Ellen weighed 5lbs 1oz and was 18 inches

and

Chloe Rebecca weighed 5lbs 8ozs and was also 18 inches.

The labor was fast and I only had to push twice for each girl! It was an amazing delivery. We found out just before the pushing that Chloe was in a sideways position. I was blessed to have a doctor on call that night that made the decision right then and there that we would deliver her in a breech position, rather than opt for a c-section. While that scared the dickens out of me at the time, it was actually less painful than delivering Sophia and just as quick!

Proud papa

Julian's first look at the girls

Sophia in front, Chloe in back

He really loves them (most of the time!)

Just checking the vitals

Sisterly love

Dad's already a sucker for his little girls

So is brother

We feel so blessed to have two healthy baby girls who were able to come home from the hospital when I was discharged two days after giving birth. I've spent the better part of 2008 worrying about the worst that could happen, when the best possible outcome is what we were given.

A million thanks for all the help, love, support, and visits from my family. Especially grandma! Everyone should be so lucky to have you with them when delivering a baby.

Thursday's (dis)Appointment

Well, I made it another week. Another week, another 3-4 appointments per week. Poor Julian has been such a trooper through each and every one of them.

Anyhow, I am still 3cm dilated. Allison, you jinxed me! j/k.

The doctor told me that I have a very viable cervix. She repeated that 3 or 4 times. I guess that means it's not opening for anything except maybe some Pitocin in another week? She also said that while most women carrying twins opt for a c-section, she really thinks I'll be able to deliver both vaginally without any trouble. Oh, she also congratulated me on making it full-term with twins. Thanks, I think...

I guess the moral of the story is, I just need to hang in there because these babies are in no hurry to come out. I have another appointment next Thursday at which point they will schedule a day to induce me the following week. So at most I have 2 more weeks, but I'm still crossing my fingers that some sort of miracle will happen and my water will miraculously break?

You couldn't shoot a hole through my uterus...

Is what I'm starting to think. 

I had an ultrasound on Tuesday:

Baby A was 4lbs 10ozs and Baby B was 5lbs 4ozs.

I had an appointment on Friday:

3cm dilated, 70% effaced. My water hasn't broken and I've had no strong contractions, so no labor yet. My doctor said he doesn't expect me to make it to my appointment on Thursday.

Allison was quick to remind me that she was 3cm dilated with Callie for 3 weeks. Please no! 

My doctors have told me that with twins, your uterus gets to a point where it gives out from the stress of 2 fetuses. Well, apparently I have a uterus that just won't quit.

Hopefully my next post will include pictures of 2 little girls...