Baptism: Every Good and Perfect Gift is From Above

The verse that I always come back to when I think of what a miracle the boys were to us is this:

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. – James 1:17

I have never really spoken much about it to others but I do not think it was a coincidence that the boys were born on a Sunday...the Lord's day.  I can barely even think about it without tearing up.  Not one day passes when I am not beyond thankful that God blessed us with Grant and James.  They are happy, healthy babies who have been watched over by Him before they were even here.  

So, today we celebrated the little miracles and decided to have them baptized to give thanks to God for blessing us.  We will always teach them about the importance of faith, prayer, and belief in all the good things that come from above.  We know that the godparents we've chosen will also guide the boys in this way.  Grant's godparents are our good friends, Angela and Marty Spieler.  They are having their own little boy in June!  JT's godparents will be my sister and brother-in-law. 

The ceremony took place at St. Martin of Tours, where we are parishioners.  Father Terry Hamilton said the mass and baptized both boys in front of our friends and family.  Afterward, we celebrated at our house with a cookout.  Here are some pictures from the day:

3 Months Old

I was feeling very blessed this month as I celebrated my very FIRST Mother's Day!  One year ago I was so fearful that this day would never come, that I would never be able to be called "mom."  Little did I know that we would have success with IVF the very first time the following month.  I know He knew the plan and I'm just so thankful to have Grant and JT and look forward to the day they call me "mommy." 

Here are the updates for this month: Both boys love to play with the rattles, but can't quite figure out how to manipulate them.  They also have started cooing and JT makes a funny "guh" sound when he's happy.  JT rolled onto his side from his back on 5/1/12.  Grant's head control is getting better and he holds his gaze on interesting and bright new objects.  The biggest update is that both boys began sleeping through the night (from 11:00 p.m.-7:00 a.m.)!!! Therefore, we moved them into their own room and their own (separate) cribs.  We knew it was getting close to the time where they needed to be separated since they were nearly on top of each other frequently in the pack and play.  They both seemed to like their cribs and the transition was smooth.
Now this sleeping more thing is great, and really they were very predictable babies (only waking when it was time to eat) but mommy still has to get up and pump so I'm not really seeing many benefits from them sleeping through the night.  But, I'm so thankful I can provide enough milk to feed them for most feedings so I'll continue as long as I am able.

 JT practicing some tummy time

 Grant snoozing away on a warm spring day

 Belle is so protective and they are just so curious about her

 Celebrating my first Mother's Day with my mom

 First time in the Bumbo seats

 Rock on!

We're 3 months old today...never too early for our Mickey hats :)

We have a roller!

Although I think this was by accident, Grant rolled over today.  I don't know if he'll attempt it again and  I feel like I was pretty lucky to have caught it on camera!  I can't believe his big head allowed him to roll over in the first place!

2 Months Old

We are definitely getting the hang of things at this point.  We even ventured out to the zoo for the first time during the boys second month! Not an easy task with twins! It was exhausting but also nice to get out and feel normal for a few hours.  The boys won't remember it but we will.  I was still pumping for the boys and unfortunately the zoo doesn't have a baby care center, so instead I pumped in the car.  Just the first of many times for that!  This month we also celebrated your very first Easter.  We felt very blessed during this time because the boys are our miracles.
Here are the updates for this month.
Grant still loves to sleep and sleeps longer than JT.  He smiled for the first time on 4/4/10 (Easter Sunday) and both of us were there to see it.   He also found his hands this month and enjoyed putting them in his mouth.
JT smiled for the first time on 4/5/10 and again, both of us were there to see it.  He preferred to be held facing outward or upright and was very curious and nosy.
Both boys love to be read to and we developed a great nightly routine of reading some of our favorites: The Going to Bed Book, Pajama Time, Goodnight Little Pookie, Goodnight Moon, and I Love You Through and Through.  These are our regulars with others mixed in from time to time.  Both boys are also much more alert and observant.  Both seemed to recognize us more and more each day.

 Daddy and JT

 Grant

 JT

 JT at the zoo for the first time

 Grant

 Our first Easter with the boys

 Easter Sunday

JT's first smile caught on camera

1 Month Old

Peter and I are starting to get the hang of things.   Here are the milestones for the boys at 4 weeks: both eat (3 1/2-4 oz. every 3 hours), sleep, poop, cry (occasionally)...copy/paste. We took our first trip out during week 2 when we went to Diane's Restaurant with Aunt Kristen, Uncle Dan, Grammy, and Grandpa.  It's a great restaurant if you want quiet and low key.
Both boys are sleeping in our room at night and for the most part, have already become good sleepers with a good routine (if an infant can have a routine).  We are lucky not to have any day/night confusion.  

Grant is our eater.  He is ALWAYS hungry and he guzzles it down, which sometimes results in spit up. During the first month he really enjoyed watching the mobile on the little lamb swing.  Both boys love the swing and we often put both of them in to snuggle together.  At three weeks we had to take Grant to Children's Hospital to have his hip click evaluated.  The nurse who came to our house the day after we went home checked both boys and found that Grant's right hip had a "click." She said it was slight but we should still discuss it with our pediatrician.  Dr. Zwergel did not hear or feel the "click" but referred us to Children's for an ultrasound just in case.  The ultrasound revealed that everything was normal (thank God) and Grant enjoyed the extra attention from the nurses.  He even helped Children's test a new form of technology, which had never been used on infants before!

JT is the wiggle worm.  He is more "active" and "alert" than Grant, who just prefers to eat and sleep.  He makes all the funny faces and already has a little personality! JT loves to watch our ceiling fans, even if they aren't on. 

Aunt Kristen with JT and Uncle Dan with Grant (JT's Godparents)

Marty and Angela Spieler (Grant's Godparents)

February 21, 2010-The Twins Have Arrived

Flashback to the day the twins entered this world:

It was 5:51 a.m.  I awoke with an urgent need to run to the bathroom and pee. I actually remember thinking that I had better get there quick or I would pee my pants.  What a prediction that was. Gush, just as I expected it to be.  My water broke.  All of a sudden I became very nervous.  Questions flew through my mind.  Would we be good parents? Would the twins be born healthy? What if they needed the NICU?  What if I could only bring one home? I was in a brief state of panic and wanted the twins to stay right where they were despite the fact that I was very uncomfortable and was wishing them out just 24 hours ago.  I called for Peter..."Peter, wake up."  Nothing.  "PETER!"  Nothing.  "Peter, my water broke!" This is the quickest I have EVER seen him get out of bed.  He jumped up with an enthusiastic "Okay, let's go!"  Uh, yea right.  I was definitely not going to the hospital looking like I did and covered in yucky nastiness with an odd smell of the ocean.  I did what any normal woman who was 37 weeks and 6 days pregnant with twins would do...I got a little shower.  I was contracting, but not regularly and I didn't have to dry my hair, so I had plenty of time to get to the hospital.  

Following my shower I decided to do a little last minute nesting.  Let me tell you, the nesting thing hit me right then and there.  I had previously not had any desire to do anything related to nesting but now I was like that crazy cracked out grandma from "There's Something About Mary."  I was snapped out of it by Peter, who was growing ever impatient about making it to the hospital.  I mean, I was the one who was carrying these babies while having contractions, what the hell was he so stressed out about. So he made me get in the car, which was unpleasant and awful.  At that moment, on the way to the hospital, my contractions became worse.

We arrived at Good Sam Hospital in triage at around 7:25 a.m.  I don't know why they questioned what the hell was going on, I was leaking like a faucet and as big as a house, yet they seemed hesitant, like they weren't quite sure that I was in labor.  Meanwhile I was escorted back to a room, ALONE, which was even more awful.  I continued to leak fluids and then it turned green, which freaked me out.  I thought I had an infection and the damn nurses wouldn't answer my questions.  Finally I had one tell me it was merconium and that one of the boys had pooped. I thought 'Great, I carried these boys nearly to term without bedrest and now you're telling me one might need the NICU because they ate their poop...super'  She told me if they came out screaming and vocal everything would be fine and NICU wouldn't be needed...so I prayed.  

Finally my mom and Peter came back to be with me because I demanded it. Those nurses were going to leave me alone if I didn't speak up, I just knew it.  Isn't it funny how much you want your own mom when you're about to be one yourself?  But seeing her made me feel tremendously better and the pain from the contractions didn't seem as bad.  Oh, speaking of, I was having contractions every 3 minutes and I was 7 cm dilated and fully effaced.  In fact, the triage nurse (who had twins herself) told me I might be able to deliver if I wanted to.  I said HELL NO!  If you know me well, you know I'm a planner and to change that plan at the last minute would have sent me in a down spiral.  So they prepped me for the C-section and my doctor waited.  

I was less than thrilled when the contractions started going into my back and so nicely asked for an epidural. They said I had to wait until the IV was in my system....I told Peter to start rolling the bag, which he ignored.  Yea, because he was in a ton of pain.  In the meantime, I met my anesthesiologist, Doobey.  Yea, you can't go wrong with that job with that last name! He was AMAZING.  He talked me through the whole process and was so deliberate while completing the process.  I actually wanted him to go much faster since I was feeling pretty strong contractions.  But once I got the epidural, I felt so much better (duh)!!!

So then, all of a sudden, it was time to meet our babies!  The picture that is posted below of Peter is just before we went into surgery.  Look at that face...the most nervous I've EVER seen him.  While laying there waiting for the doctor, I watched a huge team of nurses, NICU people, etc. walk into surgery.  I freaked out, immediately thinking something was wrong.  Doobey explained that it was standard for a C-section and that the extras were because I had extra babies. There were no less than 10 nurses in that room!  I then took the opportunity to ask Dr. Venard if the twins were here yet.  Her response: "I'm good, but I'm not that good!"  A few tugs and pulls later, I heard the beautiful cries of Grant Edward, born at 9:02 a.m. weighing 6lbs 8 oz. and 20 and 1/4 inches long.  It was the sweetest thing I have ever heard and I was so relieved.  But then I knew I needed the same thing from the other one.  And really, there was no doubt in my mind that he would come out fighting because he was a little boxer inside me.  Always moving always punching, very busy!  And at 9:03 a.m. James Thomas came out just as I suspected...screaming at the top of his lungs and weighing 6lbs. 1 oz and 18 1/2 inches long.  My little peanut!  

I cannot even begin to explain how relieved we were to know they were healthy and would not need the NICU.  That was such a concern of ours, and a reality knowing we were pregnant with twins.  They were assessed by the team of nurses and then Peter got to be the very first one to hold them.  What a special moment for him and I'm glad it was him.  With a typical birth, the mother is the first to hold the baby and I think it was better this way.  I got to have them to myself for nearly 9 months and I'm glad he finally got to experience this moment with each of his sons.  Looking back at the photos, I just see how we realized just how blessed we were.  It shows in every photo!

When I finally was able to hold them I felt a whirlwind of emotions, probably the result of the hormones, the good drugs, etc.  I actually freaked out when they told me I had to hold both of them out of surgery and into recovery and then again up to our hospital room.  I thought I would drop them and I was slightly medicated so it added to my anxiety.  While in recovery, our parents and family still didn't know the names we had chosen and Peter was being a stinker and didn't go out to tell them. He was going to make them wait until we got settled upstairs in our room.  Meanwhile, I attempted my first feeding with each, which was interesting to say the least.  I later decided to pump exclusively for them because they wouldn't latch properly in those first few days.  And let's just be honest, anyone who can nurse twins successfully should be given a gold star or two!

Anyway, we finally made it to our room where we revealed the names of our sons. We spent three days there, by the third of which I was ready to break out.  The twins were actually released before I was!  I had very low platelettes from blood loss during the C-section so I was god awful pale and they had to monitor that for an extra few hours.  I had a wonderful experience at the hospital and was actually sad to leave all the great nurses and doctors.  Probably more because I knew now that we would have to do it on our own.  Yikes!  But, we managed it and made it through together.  Those first few days I felt like a zombie but once we figured it all out, we were golden.  The boys made it easy on us because they were so agreeable to just about everything....they get that from their daddy!!

37 weeks: Stick a fork in me...I'm done!

Well if you can believe it, the peas are still in the pod! My appointment on Monday was canceled due to the third snow storm to roll through Cincinnati this month. I was really disappointed because I wanted to know if I had made any progress and I'm not very patient right now (or ever, depending on who you talk to). It was rescheduled for Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. We were prepared to bring our bags but at the last minute I reminded Peter to be realistic, I'm going to term with these two! I guess I thought a little reverse psychology might work, but not so much. I had made no progress from the week prior, shocker! But really it's a blessing because these babies have an extra week to develop and stay warm!
Thankfully we were off school Monday due to President's Day and then again on Tuesday because of the snow. So I decided to put myself on "bed rest" because I just couldn't bear going back to school and being on my feet all day. The doctor gladly signed off on that and couldn't believe I waited so long. My feet were thankful, too. So no more appointments. We just have to report to the hospital on Tuesday morning at 7:30 a.m. Dr. Egner (hilarious woman, so glad she's delivering my boys) will be there at 9:30 a.m. My guess is she'll be late because she was late getting into the office on Tuesday. My guess is she will also say something totally funny like "let's deliver some babies!" or something like that.
I'm just hoping that I can make it to Tuesday because my mucus plug has been coming out over the past 24 hours. Really all I can say is NASTY GROSS. It's exactly what you're thinking. The thing about the plug is that it CAN or CANNOT indicate that labor is impending. How confusing is that? It could be days or weeks, but really it's just days for me because I'll either go into labor or make it to the scheduled C-section. Just one thing...I wish all of my pregnant friends and family would have warned me about how anxious I'd be these last few weeks. Guess it's just the start of all the worrying I'll do throughout these boys' lives!