Week two...

What a wonderful second week we had! It was our first week with no family help... just the four of us! It was a little bit scary but a little bit nice! The help we received from my parents was so precious and priceless but getting into a groove, just the four of us, was great too. This week was full of emotion. Last weekend was the weekend where I literally couldn't look at or talk about the babies with out bursting into tears of joy! It is such an emotion that you just can't wrap your brain around. I feel SO overwhelmed with blessings, joy and love for these two little ones that I just can't take it! I feel like they are only going to be this small this once, and I can already see them grow. I am just trying to soak this all in, minute by minute and not let one second go by with out treasuring it. I am also in love with my husband on a whole new level. When I look at him, sometimes I cry. I just can't believe that God used us to make these babies and to know that these children are something only the two of us share is just beautiful. Not to mention Luke has been THE BIGGEST HELP! I knew he'd be great at being a daddy but I NEVER fathomed just how hands on and great he would be. Through my recovery he has changed so many diapers, swaddled the babes so many times, has been up with me at every feeding through the night and has been my second set of hands while breast feeding these two (much more on breastfeeding twins later... it is going GREAT but I am scared to death for Luke to go back to work, on this front). I wish I could slow down the time because this is just going by way too fast... but we are treasuring every moment. Here are some photos from week two... 

We had two doctors appointments... one for me and one for the babies. This was my is my obstetrician and I am in love with him! He was SO precious and wonderful... I will elaborate more on him in my birth story. I baked him cookies and then cried when I saw him!

   We had my sister in law and her mother bring the kids to see the babies :)

Attempted some "together pictures" (will have to try again lol)

Snuggle time with my little bear!

Our babies have been perfect angels!!! They are on a wonderful three hour schedule and sleep great at night! We are up with them every three hours, so of course it is exhausting but the fact that they are on the same schedule and are great nursers... we couldn't be more blessed. I will blog more on the specifics of their little schedules later, for now, here is our two week little family photo... 

Thank you Lord!

Birth Story (Part one)

This was with out a doubt the most special day of my life. As I sit down to write this, I wonder how I can begin to put into words all of the joy and emotion that Luke and I experienced on the day that our children came into this world. I don't think it is possible to do so, but I will do my best to describe it the only way I can...

Tuesday August 7th 2012- We went in for our weekly doctor's appointment. I was at this point, beginning to be miserable. I wanted to meet these babes so badly and the toll that the pregnancy was taking on my body was beginning to become extreme. My doctor stripped my membranes hoping to start things up naturally. He said we would still wait for the 38 week mark for induction, which was for the following Wednesday, August 15th, but he said there was a good chance I wouldn't didn't make it until then. After talking with him and looking at all of the fluid accumulating on my body, my increasing blood pressure (still only 128/88 at this point) and the good size of these babies, he decided to move the induction up to Saturday, August 11th. I went from waiting 8 days to waiting 4. This was seriously like winning the lottery! I didn't know how I could fathom carrying these sweet things for 8 more days, so when we shaved that in half, the excitement was UNREAL! A very small part of me did not want to be induced. I didn't really want pitocin contractions and I wanted my body say when it was time. But this was a VERY small part of me. I trust my doctor to the fullest degree and I was so ready to be relieved, physically, that I was just joyful that the time was approaching! These last four days were sweet days full of prayer, excitement and anticipation. I also literally could barley move. Getting up off the couch or out of bed was near impossible, sleep was non-existant, and the pain I experienced was getting major. Even through all of that, I felt such joy to be carrying these babies and I knew I would miss my belly and miss the experience of pregnancy. But I was certainly ready.

At the doctor on Tuesday

Friday August 10th- I woke up that morning knowing that tomorrow was the day! I hadn't been experiencing ANY contractions so I was pretty sure I would make it until 6am Saturday. Being the planner that I am, it was nice to be able to make sure everything was packed and loaded in the car, that my legs were shaved and that nothing would be forgotten in a frantic rush. My parents came in that night and we had pizza with them and my in-laws in our condo as we knew with excitement that this would be the last days of two Davidsons. 
As I got into bed that night, I became very emotional. Luke and I laid in bed discussing how awesome the last 8 years of dating/engament/marriage have been. We started dating at age 16, so we felt the Lord had blessed us with so much time establishing us as a couple that this was just clearly the next step that we were so ready for. At the same time it was the end of an era. Tears fell from my eyes as I vocalized how much I loved him and how different things were going to be. A very good different, but different none the less. The precious time of just the two of us was SO special and the Lord allowed us to travel to Israel, Ireland, Africa, the Dominican Republic, go on many beach vacations, weekend getaways and move three times all by the young age of 25. How awesome. I let go of those feelings and then began to cry as I felt my belly. We both put out hands on it, feeling the precious kicks for the last time. I would miss these sweet movements. As much as I loved being pregnant, I knew that I was ready. 
After countless trips to the bathroom that night, Luke laid on the floor in the nursery to attempt to get some sleep since climbing in and out of our tall bed over and over while 80 extra pregnant pounds apparently doesn't allow for a good sleeping environment for the other person :) 

Saturday August 11th-
4 am- I was up! I ate some oatmeal and watched some Olympics in bed. I then took a shower and got all ready for the big day! I weighed myself this morning and woah... Pre-pregnancy I was 124 lbs, the morning of delivery I weighed in at 203! That is a total of 79 lbs... again probably a contributing factor to my physical discomfort. I knew so much of it was fluid and that every pound was worth healthy babies. 
As far as fears, I had NO FEAR of delivery. I was ready to get this show on the road. I had seen several births in nursing school and got the privilege to watch my last nephew and niece be born, and to be honest, It made me more confident to have a baby. I was planning on an epidural and just wanted to enjoy my day with family and friends. I thought of it as a party, and was ready to get things started. Of course there was the fear of the safe entrance into the world for our babies, but I knew that was in the Lord's hands, and I trusted his plan. 

5:30 am 8/11/12 Getting ready to leave for the hospital.

The rest of the story is straight from my husbands journal. He is a big writer. One who always keeps a journal, journaling life events, feelings and prayer. I asked him to keep a time specific journal of our day and he did a great job of doing so. That and more will come in part two. 

Week one...

We had a wonderful first week!

Plenty of kisses...

Introduced them to the not-so-liked tummy time...

Had my parents in all week to help! Thank you Momma Sue and Poppy! 

Had our first sponge bath... 

Spent a little time outdoors... 

Went on their first outing... to the doctor! (They are now back up to their birth weight)

And just adjusting to this new life that the Lord has blessed us with. 

Home coming :)

We LOVED our stay at the hospital. 

 We got to know and love our amazing nurses. 

Our room where we stayed our three nights :)

 My sweet Hadley girl and I waiting to be discharged. 

First family photo :) I dont think the babies wanted to go home.

 Moo checking out the new additions... 

My precious Aunt Karen made a chalkboard of her own :)

Lots of snuggles

and just getting to know our precious little ones

We are so thankful the babies are home with us, no NICU time and got to leave the hospital the same day as I did... this is something I don't take for granted. Adjusting as a family of four has just been beautiful. 

Precious days in the hospital...

I am working up the time, energy and emotion to write their birth story, but here are some shots of our precious days in the hospital as a family... 

These are some of the most special days of our lives. I just kept staring at those babies wondering why God would be SO GOOD to us to bless us with these PRECIOUS gifts? We never once turned the TV on and just spent beautiful hours just the four us with wonderful visitors coming and going. Thank you Lord for my babies whom I love so much I think my heart will explode. So much more to say, so many more posts coming soon! I physically feel so much better, my incision is healing nicely and I have lost 60 lbs in seven days! WHAT?! The fluid has left and I feel SO much better. God is just so good and I keep praising Him for these precious ones!