Welcome to the World - June 2, 2011: 35 weeks, 3 days

Our Instant Family!

My two beautiful girls, Sophie & Stella:

You have finally made your presence known in this world! Today is the day you were born and you both could not have made mommy and daddy more proud or happy.

The day started out pretty normal, daddy got up and left for work and mommy stayed in bed with Ohlins and Desmo trying to catch up on my sleep. I was watching Regis & Kelly and had just finished reading James Patterson's "The 6th Target." All of a sudden, mommy felt something a little wet and wasn't sure what was going on. See, in the last week or so, I started feeling some pretty substantial changes in my body and to my surprise, had peed my pants a few times. So, I wasn't sure if I was peeing or if my water had broke or what. I got up to go to the bathroom and it was literally like a scene out of a movie. Water was pooling on the bathroom floor. I frantically got a towel to start wiping it up...I didn't want the dogs to get involved cause that is just gross! I got things under control and called daddy to tell him the good news...we were definitely in labor and we'd be meeting you two very soon!

I calmly called our nurse at Fletcher Allen and told her what was going on. She said to get dressed and head over immediately and go right to Labor and Delivery. I wasn't having any contractions when I spoke to her, but as soon as daddy and I loaded up into the car, the contractions started. We had 2 hours until we reached Burlington and had a ferry ride to deal with which gave us plenty of time to call everyone I knew to tell them what was going on. The contractions started at about 10:15 and were 8-9 minutes apart. By the time we got to Fletcher Allen, they were closer to 5 minutes apart. We got up to Labor and Delivery and got situated. Aunt Ashley was only about an hour or two behind us and the rest of the family about an hour behind Aunt Ashley. I labored for a while with no drugs and then they checked my cervix and said I was 5 cm dilated. We started talking about drug options. Because of the risk of the second baby flipping during labor, I would have to deliver in an operating room and would need to have an epidural put in just in case the doctor's had to do an emergency C-section for Baby 2. The decision was made that if we were to put an epidural in, this would be the time to do it. So, the epidural went in, but not before they hit 2 nerves and sent my left leg into a crazy tingle similar to hitting your funny bone. The administered the weakest epidural they give so that I could still feel all my contractions and would be able to feel myself pushing, etc. I didn't not want to feel numb through this experience!

At about 5:00 or 6:00pm, my cervix was checked again and I was fully dilated 10cm and it was now time to start "practice" pushing. Now, when the doctors told me to start pushing, I wasn't really sure what that meant. Push from where? How do I center all my energy into the proper place so I don't get too tired? I did a couple good pushes and then realized that I should pretend I need to poop. Apparently, pushing out a child is a lot like "dropping the kids off at the pool." I don't know why the doctors don't just say, "okay, pretend you have to poop now and start pushing." It would make their lives a lot easier and the mother-to-be would not struggle so much to figure out if she's doing it right!

Prepped for the OR

I started progressing very fast and was getting the hang of everything when they finally said, okay...baby is about to crown, let's get to the O.R. It was absolute chaos in the O.R. and they had warned us that it would be. I was so focused on only what our 2 doctors were telling me to do that I didn't notice there were over 15 people in the operating room just waiting for the babies to be delivered so they could do their jobs.

Stella - 5lbs 10oz, 18.5" long

After what felt like only a few minutes of pushing, I could feel Stella pushing through into this world. Stella, at 7:14 pm you finally made your entrance and the doctors showed you to me. You honestly looked like a liver pate-colored alien! That is the best way to explain it. Newborns do not look like "beautiful, cherub-looking" babies like you see in the movies. Nonetheless, I was overwhelmed with emotions when I saw you; to me you were beautiful! You started crying only a milli-second after that and they whisked you away to be cleaned and checked. Daddy went over to your side and took some pictures so that I could see them later. I still had a job to do...delivering Sophie next!

Sophie - 5lbs 3oz, 17.75" long

After all that pushing to get Stella out, Mommy was all gung-ho and ready to deliver Sophie. I looked at the doctors and said, "okay, what do we do now?" "We wait" was all they said. There is no telling how long you wait between delivering twins. A woman earlier today delivered twins 5 1/2 hours apart! I would have gone crazy. After about 10-15 minutes Sophie made it known that she was not going to wait and be outshined by Stella. It was time for her to make her entrance. 33 minutes after Stella was born, at 7:47 pm we welcomed Sophie into the world!

Both you girls are perfect. 10 fingers and 10 toes (I forgot to ask), both crying (music to my ears...for now), and a healthy weight.

I can't begin to explain how amazingly lucky I feel. This pregnancy went so incredibly smooth overall. The pre-term labor was just your way of saying, "mommy, it's time to slow down a bit!" Through the entire pregnancy, I always wanted to give birth vaginally. I was lucky to be able to do that with both of you girls, and only be in labor for 10.5 hours. You can't ask for a better scenario in my opinion. To give birth to two such beautiful, healthy girls is icing on the cake!

Mommy with babies for first time!

Daddy holding both his babies!

 I'm so glad that you're both here finally and mommy & daddy can start bonding with you, holding you, taking care of you, and teaching you everything we can about the world. Right now, I can't imagine my life without you girls and I know it's only going to get better!

Sophie on Right, Stella on Left

Welcome to the World!

Love,

Mommy