Just a quick note, while the twins are content in the playpen...
Everyone is doing great, and though we're a little tired, it has been a great 2 weeks.
As of 8 days old, they'd both gained back the 6 oz they'd lost in the hospital. That's really good. Their umbilicals cords have fallen off, and they're eating well and sleeping well.
Grandma and Grandpa Lee (my mom and dad) just left this morning, and Nanna (Barry's mom) comes in today for a 2 week stay.
Gotta go... I hear a fussy Alyna...
More pictures later, I promise.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
The birth
All went well on Monday, September 15, and the twins were born around 8 am.
Alyna Michelle, 5 lbs 2.5 oz, 18 1/2 inches long, she's a very pretty baby
Ryan William, 4 lbs 14.6 oz, 20 inches long... long and lanky
All the doctors and nurses said they were perfect and beautiful. Even though their weights are low, they eat well, sleep well, and are very healthy.
We are all doing great, and went home on Wednesday and are doing great. But I don't know what we'd do without Grandma here to help.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Triple Birthday...
Our lives will change forever tomorrow, Monday, September 15, 2008.
As the birth of our twins, and Barry's 30th birthday coincide to create a memorable moment that will double the size of our family.
I pray that God's grace will carry us through these first few weeks of adjustment, and will protect Ryan and Alyna from harm.
Please keep us in your prayers. If all goes well, we will be home from the hospital on Wednesday, and I will try to post pictures and an update later in the week.
As the birth of our twins, and Barry's 30th birthday coincide to create a memorable moment that will double the size of our family.
I pray that God's grace will carry us through these first few weeks of adjustment, and will protect Ryan and Alyna from harm.
Please keep us in your prayers. If all goes well, we will be home from the hospital on Wednesday, and I will try to post pictures and an update later in the week.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Countdown...
I'm first on the OBGYN surgery schedule Monday morning.
I seem to be stressing over the small things, like having to remove my toenail polish, and not getting to drink anything when I wake up Monday morning. I've been making myself stay very relaxed whenever I think about everything else involved.
My mom was supposed to fly here on Saturday, but with hurricane Ike moving through Texas, she's actually on her way here today. She got the last seat on a Southwest flight headed this way today as everyone prepares for the storm to roll through. Here in southeastern New Mexico, we're expecting lots of rain, but we're far enough away to not really worry about the storm itself.
The wonderful ladies at church are having someone come clean my house today. It's been such a blessing to have such a wonderful family here, away from our immediate family.
Only a few more days until I meet my squirming little babies.
I seem to be stressing over the small things, like having to remove my toenail polish, and not getting to drink anything when I wake up Monday morning. I've been making myself stay very relaxed whenever I think about everything else involved.
My mom was supposed to fly here on Saturday, but with hurricane Ike moving through Texas, she's actually on her way here today. She got the last seat on a Southwest flight headed this way today as everyone prepares for the storm to roll through. Here in southeastern New Mexico, we're expecting lots of rain, but we're far enough away to not really worry about the storm itself.
The wonderful ladies at church are having someone come clean my house today. It's been such a blessing to have such a wonderful family here, away from our immediate family.
Only a few more days until I meet my squirming little babies.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
5 year goals... that took 6 years
They say that you are more likely to achieve something if you state it or write it as a goal. I was thinking back, and realizing that Barry and I have achieved many of our goals recently. Even if it did take a little longer than we'd thought, we are there.
6 years ago, September was a big month in our lives.
We had fallen in love over the summer, and I knew we were in a serious relationship when he bought me a diamond necklace for my birthday at the end of August. So one day, early in September, we were sitting on my couch talking and I asked him where he wanted to be in 5 years. I had just turned 23, and he was about to turn 24 that month.
He replied that he wanted to have a good job that had career opportunities (probably not in the Navy), have a house, and probably a couple of kids. I asked him if he was going to have those kids on his own, and he said he'd be married too.
My answer was that I wanted to be married with probably one child and be able to stay home with that child. I thought that two kids in that time frame probably wouldn't happen.
There were some other parts to the conversation... that led to our discussing getting married. We were officially engaged on September 11, 2002 and were married the following January.
...Fast forward 6 years...
Barry has a really good career that has lots of opportunity to move up, and is not with the Navy. We are married, have a house, have a dog, and I will officially be a stay at home mom when our twins are born next week.
Okay, so it's didn't happen in 5 years, but it just shows that it's good to share your goals for life with your spouse. It's much easier to get there when you are doing it together.
6 years ago, September was a big month in our lives.
We had fallen in love over the summer, and I knew we were in a serious relationship when he bought me a diamond necklace for my birthday at the end of August. So one day, early in September, we were sitting on my couch talking and I asked him where he wanted to be in 5 years. I had just turned 23, and he was about to turn 24 that month.
He replied that he wanted to have a good job that had career opportunities (probably not in the Navy), have a house, and probably a couple of kids. I asked him if he was going to have those kids on his own, and he said he'd be married too.
My answer was that I wanted to be married with probably one child and be able to stay home with that child. I thought that two kids in that time frame probably wouldn't happen.
There were some other parts to the conversation... that led to our discussing getting married. We were officially engaged on September 11, 2002 and were married the following January.
...Fast forward 6 years...
Barry has a really good career that has lots of opportunity to move up, and is not with the Navy. We are married, have a house, have a dog, and I will officially be a stay at home mom when our twins are born next week.
Okay, so it's didn't happen in 5 years, but it just shows that it's good to share your goals for life with your spouse. It's much easier to get there when you are doing it together.
Monday, September 8, 2008
The final ultrasound...
The ultrasound today showed two healthy, but cramped, babies.
The bad news... both babies are still breech. Alyna's bottom is down instead of her head. Both are pretty much laying sideways across my belly. Ryan's head is by my right rib, and his bottom is by my left rib. My ribs are feeling quite sore these days. And there's just not really room for them to flip around at this point.
But both are growing at a normal rate, and are looking great. They still have plenty of fluid around them, and have strong heart and lung functions.
The technician gave me the disclaimer that as the babies get bigger, the estimates of size and weight actually get less accurate from the ultrasound machine. But Ryan was estimated to weigh 5 1/2 pounds. Alyna's legs were hidden so it would not estimate her weight, but her other measurements were actually slightly larger than Ryan's. So we can assume she's about the same weight. The technician said she thought they were good sizes for twins who typically run smaller than single babies.
We're on the hospital schedule for a c-section next week. I can't wait to meet my babies.
The bad news... both babies are still breech. Alyna's bottom is down instead of her head. Both are pretty much laying sideways across my belly. Ryan's head is by my right rib, and his bottom is by my left rib. My ribs are feeling quite sore these days. And there's just not really room for them to flip around at this point.
But both are growing at a normal rate, and are looking great. They still have plenty of fluid around them, and have strong heart and lung functions.
The technician gave me the disclaimer that as the babies get bigger, the estimates of size and weight actually get less accurate from the ultrasound machine. But Ryan was estimated to weigh 5 1/2 pounds. Alyna's legs were hidden so it would not estimate her weight, but her other measurements were actually slightly larger than Ryan's. So we can assume she's about the same weight. The technician said she thought they were good sizes for twins who typically run smaller than single babies.
We're on the hospital schedule for a c-section next week. I can't wait to meet my babies.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Dr. visit update
I saw my Dr. this morning and had more monitoring. The machine my contractions were coming a lot, but I was only feeling them every 15 minutes or so. He checked, and I'm not dilated at all. So, were still fine to keep waiting.
For now, he's going to pencil in a c-section for Monday, September 15th. I'll have an ultrasound on Monday to check the position of the babies one more time, and if Alyna has turned head down, we can try an induction first. But neither I nor the Dr. think she's turned. And they're probably running out of room to do any full turns at this point.
They should be somewhere around 6 pounds each by now with the way they've been tracking so far. (We'll find out at the ultrasound on Monday.) This is good because babies over 6 pounds have fewer breathing and eating problems.
For now, he's going to pencil in a c-section for Monday, September 15th. I'll have an ultrasound on Monday to check the position of the babies one more time, and if Alyna has turned head down, we can try an induction first. But neither I nor the Dr. think she's turned. And they're probably running out of room to do any full turns at this point.
They should be somewhere around 6 pounds each by now with the way they've been tracking so far. (We'll find out at the ultrasound on Monday.) This is good because babies over 6 pounds have fewer breathing and eating problems.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
update... 35 weeks
We've past the 35 week point, which means that the babies should be healthy no matter when they are born from now on. This also means that unless there's an unexpected emergency, they should not need a NICU stay so we won't have to be shipped to the Lubbock hospital.
I'll see the doctor on Thursday morning and do more external fetal monitoring, and then have an ultrasound sometime Thursday or Friday.
We're still planning on Monday, September 15th to do the induction or c-section. It will be an induction if we find that Alyna (the bottom baby) is head down now. If she's head down we can do a natural birth and it does not matter if Ryan is breech or not. If she is breech, we will have a scheduled c-section. If we do an induction, I'll probably go to the hospital on Sunday night to start the process overnight and have the babies born sometime on Monday.
My mom will be coming in on Saturday the 13th to be here for the first 2 weeks, and then Barry's mom is coming for the next two weeks. I'm really glad to have full time help for the first month. Barry will take the first week off work, and then save the rest of his personal days for when I don't have other helpers, or for the holidays.
I've just been really tired lately. I have about two "lay downs" a day, not really naps since I don't always go to sleep, but times when I just need to lay down fully to take the pressure off my back and hips.
The other night, both babies got the hiccups at the same time... and I could feel the alternating pulses in different parts of my stomach. It was an interesting experience. Hiccups is actually good for them, because it exercises their diaphragms and lungs before they are even out of the womb.
We are just so thankful to God for both the babies health thus far.
I'll see the doctor on Thursday morning and do more external fetal monitoring, and then have an ultrasound sometime Thursday or Friday.
We're still planning on Monday, September 15th to do the induction or c-section. It will be an induction if we find that Alyna (the bottom baby) is head down now. If she's head down we can do a natural birth and it does not matter if Ryan is breech or not. If she is breech, we will have a scheduled c-section. If we do an induction, I'll probably go to the hospital on Sunday night to start the process overnight and have the babies born sometime on Monday.
My mom will be coming in on Saturday the 13th to be here for the first 2 weeks, and then Barry's mom is coming for the next two weeks. I'm really glad to have full time help for the first month. Barry will take the first week off work, and then save the rest of his personal days for when I don't have other helpers, or for the holidays.
I've just been really tired lately. I have about two "lay downs" a day, not really naps since I don't always go to sleep, but times when I just need to lay down fully to take the pressure off my back and hips.
The other night, both babies got the hiccups at the same time... and I could feel the alternating pulses in different parts of my stomach. It was an interesting experience. Hiccups is actually good for them, because it exercises their diaphragms and lungs before they are even out of the womb.
We are just so thankful to God for both the babies health thus far.
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