Happy Thanksgiving!

I know this is a few days late but better than never. Thanksgiving certainly had a different meaning this year for us. I have always loved this holiday but it was a little more special this year even though we didn't quite spend it as we normally do. Because we have to be so careful with getting the babies out, we were just going to stay home. But Brad's parents, Mimi and Papa, said they would come over and let us go over to their house and eat with Chad and Allie and the kids. Poor little Will had been pretty sick over the last few weeks so we just couldn't take the babies over but they were so sweet to let us out and spend time with everyone. We really miss being an Aunt and Uncle. We love being parents but I truly miss loving on all my nieces and nephews.
Here are a few things I am thankful for this year:
~Brad~I know this is obvious but he has been so great. I can't imagine having to go thru everything with anyone else by my side. He was and always is so selfless and does such a good job taking care of us. I am going to cry tomorrow when he goes back to work since he has been home 24/7 with me since Wednesday...it is so amazing to have another set of hands and someone that makes you go take a nap even when the babies are crying! He can do it all!
~Kathryn & Garrett~ Oh sweet babies! I am so thankful they are here and healthy. I can't imagine life without them (well, maybe it would be a life of more sleep but...) Even when they cry and I am exhausted, I am thankful for just how far they have come. I look at their embryo picture multiple times everyday and marvel at the gift God has given us.
~My Life: thanks to my Doctor and Nurses~ I am so thankful that I am here to watch them grow and to be able to take care of them. I haven't exactly told the whole story on this blog, but I had a pretty bad night after they were born. Due to the weakness of my uterus, it couldn't contract and I was bleeding internally. My nurse, Christelle, noticed that something was wrong that night and knew Dr. Wells was down the hall. She immediately got him and they came in to check on me. I remember them pushing really hard on my stomach and then telling them that I wasn't feeling well and that their voices were going 50,000 miles away and it was getting really dark. Anesthesia was immediately called in and they stopped my epidural and magnesium. My blood pressure was about 70/30 something they were about to rush me to the ICU. I just remember them telling me to keep breathing and they told me I was humming the whole time.
(They asked me why and supposedly I told them "So you know I am still here!") Dr. Wells then just said he needed to check me again and when he did he realized that I was hemmoraging and the blood was clotting b/c it couldn't come out. I lost 4 pints of blood that night and ended up having 2 blood transfusions later that week. It was rough going there for a little bit but I am SO thankful for my awesome Doctor and nurses who were able to pull me out of that scary situation.
~Modern Medicine~ This is on many levels but if it weren't for m. m. we wouldn't have the babies and I wouldn't be here. Back in the day, we would have never been able to have kids - but thanks to IVF we could. With all the technology we were able to see that my cervix was shortening drastically and could have a procedure to stop it. And had it been back in the old days, according to my nurses, I would never have survived that first night! Yikes-that puts a little perspective on life huh?
~My family & Friends~ So many people have taken such good care of us thru this whole journey and we couldn't have done it without all the help-especially now! The prayers most of all have been the greatest gift but all the help and food and everything have been great!

Ok, I have to stop b/c Brad is calling me to help him with "BathTime"! Again, Happy Thanksgiving!

Special Visits

We have had lots of visitors come to see us now that we are all at home. Everyone has been so great and it is nice for me especially to have visitors and social interaction.

Chad and Miranda came last night...it was so fun to catch up with y'all. They have been such good friends for awhile now - I think I have know Miranda since she was 15! Anyways, they were constantly up at the hospital and Chad is the one who brought me the original Nintendo to play while on bedrest! (I never did save the princess on Super Mario Bros!) Miranda just has about 9 weeks until her little boy arrives and I can't wait to meet him and have a playmate for G and a boyfriend for K (in the far future)!

Mike and Jennifer have been a constant in my life since I was a Freshman in High School. They are AWESOME and I love them to death! I hope we can be just half the parents they are and our kids turn out somewhat close to Haley and Ben. They are such good kids and I can't wait for them to meet the babies...so Ben get well already! :) We are hoping to get together after the Thanksgiving holiday. While I was in the hospital, they would always bring me my McDonalds cravings - chicken nuggets and I would have so much fun when they came. Mike was I think my first visitor when I got to the hospital - he came just soon after I got out of my surgery for my cerclage and it was so reassuring to see him-although I know I gave him quite a little scare! Jen gets teary everytime she sees the babies. She was so great to drive me to the hospital that first week after I was home and constantly calls to check on me and even does my personal shopping for Christmas-more on that later!!
Ahh, and my two Amy friends!! LOVE THESE GIRLS!! Amy M on the left-my awesome Swiss friend (who sends me chocolates) was in town for the holidays. She was staying with Amy D and they brought us dinner (and chocolates) on Saturday. Brad and their husbands went to the Cowboys game on Sunday afternoon and had such a great time. We all became friends in the singles group back in the day and have remained friends ever since. We stayed with Wes and Amy in Switzerland and we can't wait til they come home and to meet their new little one who is on the way.
Amy and Brian are still here thank goodness and I make them promise to never move away or change churches...I don't know what I would do...although, it's not like I have been to church in FOREVER anyways! Oh well, one day soon I will return! Amy and I both had a summer we will never forget and we each know that the other is always thinking of the other and praying constantly for each other. Love you girls!!

We have had SOOO many other visitors but I am just now remembering to take pictures when they come over...I will try to do better. We are all doing well-Brad keeps turning Garrett's O2 off and he does just fine so hopefully we will be off of it ASAP...it will be so nice to have him mobile-even if it is just around the house. My little stinker Kathryn is great too-she is a wonderful sleeper all day and night.

Have a great Tuesday everyone!!

Look at that sweet face without that silly O2 canula!! He is so handsome without that thing! Garrett is such a big boy! We went to the Developmental Pediatrician today b/c I was worried about his head - he has a flat spot on the right side and getting one on the left b/c we are trying to keep him off the right and it is protruding in the back...ANYWAYS...he is fine and they said not to worry just continue to rotate sides and continue with our tummy-time. I was so glad I went though b/c we have an appt already set for February but I wanted to be a little bit pro-active and not wait if there was something extra I could be doing until then!
THE GREAT NEWS WAS THAT HE WEIGHS 8 WHOPPING POUNDS!!! I was so thrilled by this b/c again I worry constantly about them but when you are exclusively b-feeding you don't know how much they are getting and it is SOOOO important for him to be growing and gaining weight b/c that will help his lungs!


Little Miss Priss wanted to pose for a picture in her most adorable outfit from RaeRae and Methodist Mary! We wear it about every OTHER day (only b/c we wash it the other day) and I must say it is our FAVORITE...I wish so badly that we had it in next years size too...its so cute!!!! I love the flared leggings :)

Our favorite thing to do is SUNBATHE! The sun pours in downstairs just around 11am and as soon as they have eaten they go immediately in the sun. They absolutely LOVE it-it is so warm and toasty. The sun moves quickly though so it doesn't last long but long enough for mommy to eat or do laundry or just breathe for a second!
We really are doing well. So many have been so worried about me being cooped up in the house but honestly it is fine...it allows me to stay on schedule and be organized! It is more stressful to try to time "getting out" for myself than it is worth so I would rather stay in. I am really dedicated to b-feeding and staying home allows me to focus on that and keep them in a routine and lets me take a nap here and there! We are great and happy and loving these babies! Have a great weekend!

SIX WEEK WRAP-UP

My babies turned 6 weeks yesterday! I can't believe it. It's funny that we are just "starting" with them both home but yet they aren't just days old. We had a rough weekend trying to get everyone adjusted - but it was worth the lack of sleep and turmoil because we seem to be getting "organized" around here. (Ourselves-NOT this house)

Kathryn is eating every 3 hours like clock-work and pretty much stretching to 4 at night. She is usually the one stirring and waking up first so she gets to eat first. She is just a beautiful baby. (to me) We do think she may have a bit of reflux though-she can certainly scream bloody murder - it's that or she is just REALLY EXPRESSIVE! (Which could totally be the case)

Garrett is also doing very well. His appointment at the Pulmonologist went great yesterday. They put him on an inhaler that he does well with and I think it is already helping b/c he didn't desat with his feedings at all yesterday after he started it. He did desat in the night last night and when I checked him the nasal canula was in his mouth. It comes out all the time and he doesn't desat b/c we put it back in but it must have been out a long time in his sleep. Thank goodness for the alarm.

Here is the monitor. You can see the top # is 99 - that is his "saturation" # and he usually does stay in the high 90's or 100. The lower # is his heart rate!
Here is his Oxygen tank. We "set up shop" for the day downstairs so we don't have to be moving everything around. He has a little portable tank too for when we travel to the doc or something.

So far we are hanging in there. I had my check-up last week and my bloodwork came back all normal-of which I am very thankful. We were watching my iron especially due to the severe bloodloss I had post-op. Looks like mommy is back in business-and back in her "skinny" jeans! (That was a good treat the other day...I have been back in my regular clothes after the second week but to get in my favorite jeans last week was greatness - almost better than sleep! I guess one thing has finally gone right with this crazy dramatic body of mine!)

Brad loves this bib-he thinks it's so funny! This is actually a terrible picture b/c Garrett is getting his medicine and blowing bubbles and making a goofy face but I still think he is a cutie! (Don't worry-just using a syringe-no shots around here-it looks awful) Brad has been so helpful and he cracks me up b/c he is constantly talking and trying to figure out the best about this or that...it is so funny. He is a fixer and a researcher and I am a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants person so between the two of us surely we can do this! I just laugh constantly to keep from going crazy or maybe that's just the lack of sleep!

We are all home!

Both babies are stirring and that means they are both about to start screaming so I only have a millisecond...but...GARRETT is home! He actually came home on Wednesday afternoon with oxygen that caused me to have a near mental breakdown on Tuesday, but he is doing great with it and so are we. He is quite the cantankerous baby - at least in the last 24 hours but still so sweet and wonderful that he is home! Kathryn doesn't know what to think...I think it threw her for a loop there for a little while but now she just does her thing and wonders why he is always upset and crying :)

He went to the Pedi yesterday and he weighs 7 pounds 5 ounces and got an A+ on his "report card". We go to the Pulmonologist on Monday so we will get a plan going for this O2 business.

Have a great weekend!

All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go!!! K and I played dress-up the other day! I was just wanting her to wear something pretty besides all of her pajamas :) It makes a girl feel better to get cute sometimes right? She is doing great! She went to the Pedi on Friday and weighs 6 pounds 9 oz!!! That's 2 pounds in a month-woohoooo! We had a little bit of a rough go earlier in the week when she decided she didn't want to breast-feed but now she is eating again like a champ. We had our first "Battle of the Wills" and both survived!!! Dr. G said she was doing absolutely fantastic and he would see her at 2 months. She is such a sweetie and I just love to kiss on her...I love that I can snuggle her anytime and bond with her. She is going to be spoiled and have a shock when she has to share mommy and daddy when Garrett gets home. Things she loves at one month...being swaddled in her awesome swaddle blanket (more on that later), eating - she likes taking a bottle b/c it's easier but she is doing good with me too, and sleeping on her tummy-DON'T PANIC-I don't LET her but she would if I would. She doesn't mind tummy time at all...loves Kangarooing with Daddy.

Here is Garrett's Halloween Picture...He posed a kissy face with his I love my mummy shirt! Ahhh, he is also soooo sweet! We have made MAJOR progress today...they actually turned his Oxygen OFF so pray that it stays that way! He is doing great now-they have changed a few things about his feedings and he is chowing down double the food he was eating in half the time and gaining more weight-which is the goal for him so his lungs will grow too! Finally-we have turned a corner hopefully and we are soooooooo thankful for all the prayers and for God taking such good care of him. We hope to have him home soon - off the oxygen - and back with his sister.