a birth story

The girls were born over a month ago and I'm just now writing about their birth. {Clue as to how CRAZY my life can be. Crazy but wonderful.} Anyways, late or not...here's how it all went down...

My c-section was scheduled for November 3rd and, by golly, I was going to make it until that date. AND I was convinced I would work until November 2nd. Nevermind that I was so huge and uncomfortable looking that I received comments from perfect strangers like 'Good grief!' and 'There better be two babies in there!' and (said with  clear discomfort on their face) 'Are you going to have it right now?!' To which I wanted to say, 'Yes, I am. Please go boil some water so I can deliver my sweet babies on the floor of Aisle 6/Starbucks/your precious pizza joint.' {And while I'm ranting and raving... What if there weren't two babies in there?! How bad would you have made me feel?!!!}

 My colleagues were also urging me to slow down...maybe stop working a week early? {Ha! Do they even KNOW me?!} At this point I'm not sure what my sweet co-teacher feared more...my water breaking all over our trailer or the possibility that small objects and/or children might start orbiting me. 

Regardless, Baby A was still breech and clearly had little intention to turn before our 38 week deadline. And I was stubborn. My doctor scheduled the section for the day she would be on call and I left that appointment with a plan for the next two weeks. But that Monday at school I felt AWFUL. My legs were killing me and I felt so much pressure... ahem...down there that I couldn't even walk my kids out to the bus. I was convinced I just needed a good night's rest and I would be fine to teach the next day. But, after my 'good' night's rest, I felt worse and could barely move my legs. I texted my co-teacher that I wouldn't be in but ended by saying 'I'll be there tomorrow!' Oh, but these babes had a different idea.

1:30 ish My long-suffering sister came to keep me company. I sat on the nursery floor while she finished packing the babies' hospital bag. I told her not to worry about it because that was on my list of things to do that weekend. Again, she is so wise.

5:00 ish I laid on the couch watching FRIENDS while trying to elevate my feet enough that they didn't look like they belonged to a 400lb woman. Let me tell you, there were not enough pillows for that job.

Exhibit A....this was a few weeks before and my feet got way worse than that. Paul called them thankles because my knees, calves,  and ankles were all about the same size as my thighs... like my thighs just met right up with my feet. Gross. I also really like how I'm wearing leggings under a dress here. Stylin'.

7:00 ish I gave myself a pep talk and headed to P-dubs football game where everyone was already aware that I had pressure...ummm...there. Even my brother-in-law...and that's not embarrassing AT ALL. I think they won. Or maybe they lost. Hmmmm.

10:00 ish I settled into bed {alone} to try to sleep that weird feeling off. I told Paul to sleep in the guest room so he could actually SLEEP...because, let's be real, with all my pillows and my huge belly, there really wasn't enough room for him. And I was getting up almost every hour. 'Sleep while you can! Ha!' I said. And good thing he did.

2:30 ish I got up to use the bathroom for the zillionth time. Just after I was settled back in bed, I felt a small pop and the flood gates opened. I kid you not I probably lost 20 pounds of fluid in that second. Now, I've never been with someone when their water broke but in the movies (a truly reliable source, I know) it's always made to sound like water breaking=small trickle. Well, mine was more like Niagara Falls. Afraid to move or even talk too loud (what?), I calmly called out for Paul. Then I yelled for him. Twice. Then I called his phone. Twice. Then I got my pregnant, soaking wet self out of bed and waddled/trickled down the hall. (TMI?) I flipped on the light and said, 'Hey Paul? My water broke.' He sat straight up--without a doubt the fastest I have ever seen that boy wake up--and said 'Are you serious?' Umm. Very. I called the doctor while he called my sister. And PRAISE THE LORD my doctor happened to be the one on call. She wanted us to hurry in so she could do the section before her shift was over. We grabbed our things and headed out the door. P-dubs really enjoyed that feeling of rushing to the hospital in the middle of the night--especially since he had been preparing for a scheduled, un-rushed trip. {Really we didn't have to hurry since we knew they had scheduled the operating room for us at 5:00. But adrenaline and the lure of almost completely clear roads took over.} 

3:45 ish We checked into the hospital and the nurse checked to be sure I had in fact 'ruptured.' Ew. She gave me my hospital gown and Paul some scrubs. {Now I know what my husband would look like if he were a doctor. And I'm not gonna lie, I like it.}

Last belly pic...middle of the night...rough...

Cutie pie doctor with a little bed-head going on...

4:45 I walked into the operating room which was entirely more overwhelming than I had anticipated. I knew I was going to have surgery but until that moment I didn't realize how serious that really was. I walked into bright lights and a chilly room with about 15 people staring back at me. And there were two baby warmers. Two. I got my spinal which was honestly more terrifying than the thought of being sliced open. {I was convinced I would be that one in how-ever-many people who would end up paralyzed from it. }Shaking from the drugs in my IV and the cold room, Paul was finally let in to hold my hand. My doctor asked if we were ready to meet our babies. Umm. Very. At 5:09 Charleigh Grace entered the world and she looked SO BIG. At 5:10, her sister followed and I thought 'Oh my gosh she's SO SMALL!' 

And suddenly we were four and my heart could barely handle it. 

CG

Lo

The paparazzi. I promise there were babies over there somewhere.

Oh, there they are...

Paul was a rockstar at the hospital. The nurses LOVED him.  By the end of the first day he was using all sorts of technical  nurse jargon that was completely over my head. Maybe he missed his calling?

Logan

Charleigh

Charleigh looks so big but she was only 6 lbs! And Logan was actually longer...

Sisters snuggling in the warmer.

Nice baby. NICE SLIPPERS. 

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