8 weeks

We have survived 2 months!!! We have had countless sleepless nights. Life is beginning to become more clear to us. The boys are growing so fast! They are eating well and perhaps are settling down more into a schedule (well, almost). We are still waiting for even 4-5 hours straight of sleep at night...hopefully it comes soon!

In the past week or so, both of them have smiled! Any challenge gets a little easier when they smile back at you. We love them to pieces and are glad they have joined our family. (Sorry no smile pictures yet...those are coming).

Note: Jude has the more solid blue shirt with a single dog on it and Asher has the lighter blue shirt with the multiple dogs on it. It seems easy for us to tell them apart...does it seem easy to you?

Coming Home...

Big Sister Visit

Haysannah and Shalyce came in to see Asher on Saturday (Sept. 27th) . They were so excited to see Asher. Shalyce asked why there weren't two babies. We explained that one of the boys needed extra care in a different hospital. He would join us at home in a few days. They soon found a seat and stretched out their hands to hold him. They each wanted to take some time sitting next to me in my bed.

Jude's Progress

Jude was making wonderful progress at the NICU. Each day he improved and he was feeding well. I sent some colostrum in a few times and milk on his last day there. The doctors gave the okay for him to come home on Monday (Sept. 29th).

Coming Home

Asher and I were going to come home on that Sunday, but we thought he might be a little jaundice so we stayed another day. We would also come home on Monday.

It was so exciting to all come home on the same day. The girls were excited to meet Jude (me too!). This would be the first time that both boys were together since they were born. This would be the first time I would be able to hold Jude and get to know him. It had been three days since I last saw him. This would be my first dose of the "twin reality."

Here are Asher and Jude together again!

"Labor Day"

Pregnancy Woes

As in most deliveries, there's something unexpected that happens. Many of you know that I have enjoyed two wonderful natural deliveries and loved it! Once I found out I was having twins, my thoughts were led to uncertainty concerning their delivery. With twins, there is a 50% chance you could deliver naturally. Often what happens is the first one is delivered naturally and the second is delivered with an emergency c-section. I wanted to avoid a c-section if at all possible. My odds were against me with one twin being heads down (sometimes) and the other in a transverse position.

A few days before delivering, I felt a large movement in the womb. I told my OB and we made a plan to have another ultrasound before I went into labor to determine how they would be delivered. That Thursday I began having contractions which continued through the night. By morning, I knew this would be the day. The contractions got a little stronger. Austin was to work that day but I told him he should stay home because the twins would be born sometime today. We called the OB and we were told to come to the hospital.

Note: This is me the morning of my delivery.

Going to the Hospital

We soon found out with the ultrasound that the twins were both heads down. Yeah!!!! Things were looking my way for that natural delivery. My contractions had slowed so we decided to walk the halls to get things going again. Lap after lap gradually increased the contractions and their intensity. I came back and realized that I had to get an epidural. (Many of you have had these but I hadn't. I was nervous and hesitant to have one). I knew I needed it just in case the delivery of the second twin had to be delivered by c-section. I got it and it wasn't as bad as I imagined in my mind. It was strange to not feel my legs and to see contractions coming and I didn't feel them. I hardly felt as though I was in labor at that point. (I understand why many prefer the epidural now.)

Shortly after receiving my epidural, it was determined that the twins had moved again. Quickly they brought in the ultrasound machine and learned that the second boy had gone back to a transverse position. This changed all my plans of a natural delivery. I needed to have a c-section to be "safe." They prepared the OR and brought me in for delivery (they upped the epidural to make it stronger). I was excited that soon the boys would be here.

Delivery Room

It was strange to have a room full of people for our delivery. There were two OB's (one for each boy), pediatrician, 3 nurses, anesthesiologist, and a few others I didn't see but Austin said were present. I felt a little removed from the delivery since I had no active role. Once they began, I laid there awaiting their arrival. I was so excited to meet these boys and hear their cries.

Just as they were taking out Asher, I felt a relief of pressure and shortly heard a loud cry. Oh, what a heavenly sound! Then they were to bring Jude out. I felt the relief and listened carefully for his cry. Nothing. I listened again. Nothing. I asked, " Is he okay?" Nothing. In the faint distance I heard his cry.

Asher was cleaned up and brought to my side. They brought Asher upstairs and I waited for Jude while they stapled me up. Nothing. Everyone in the room seemed to disappear into the other corner where I couldn't see what was going on. In my mind, I thought he'll start crying any minute now and they will clean him up and bring him to me. Nothing.

I was brought to the recovery room and an hour later brought upstairs to our room. The nurse told me we could see the boys as we passed by the nursery. I anticipated seeing Jude with great excitement. As we stopped in front of the nursery, I looked at Austin and waited for a thumbs up sign and only received a stare back. Upon returning to my room, Asher was there for me to see and hold. An update came an hour or so later that Jude was to be taken to the NICU in Boise. They strapped him in a contained incubator (or sorts) and he had an oxygen helmet around his head. It was then that I touched his arm for the first time and said my goodbyes until I could see him again.

Austin made preparations to follow Jude to the hospital. Just prior to Jude leaving for the NICU our bishop from church showed up with his wife to check on us. I asked if he and Austin would give Jude a blessing before he left. They agreed. The blessing gave comfort that he would be alright and return to good health.

Recovery for Jude

Jude made improvements quickly upon his arrival to the NICU. His oxygen levels improved and his lungs showed improvements as well. He had a small tear in his lungs which allowed air to surround it for a time. He continued to show progress and was allowed to come home the following Monday. It was a blessing that Austin was able to go each day for a few hours to hold him and feed him and be there for Jude. My worst fear was that nobody would be there for Jude if something were to happen to him.

To be continued...

Sorry to keep you in suspense, but I'll have to tell you more about Jude's recovery and coming home in the next post. I am also working on adding one of those slide shows where you can see lots of pictures at once. Anyone out there have a user-friendly site for this?

Coming Soon!

Here's the scoop about what's going on with the twins. I was super busy today with a non-stress test, OB appointment and an ultrasound. The boys are doing so well and growing very quickly. Right now, Baby A (the one closest to the cervix) is heads down and Baby B is still transverse (lying horizontal). Hooray for Baby A! I've been waiting for him to "flip" for a few months. This will give me more options for delivery. Nothing has been decided as far as when they will arrive or how they will arrive. At this point, I just want a safe delivery for all parties involved.

The ultrasound estimated the boys to be approximately 6.9 lbs. and 6.10 lbs (give or take a pound on each). They are growing boys! The pictures above show their faces. Most of the details are blurry due to their age and their hands hiding some of their features. I will be 36 weeks tomorrow(Friday). This puts me in the safe zone for delivery. Most twins are born between 34-37 weeks. I still don't have any signs of delivery right now. That's okay with me. In my mind, the bigger they are the healthier they will be, the better they will eat, and the better they will sleep. Anything that will make my life easier at this point sounds great to me.

As for the ever-lingering question, "Are they identical or fraternal?" There's still no answer to this.

Stay tuned for more details and pictures.