Thanksgiving 2011

Originally we weren't going to go anywhere for Thanksgiving because traveling with 2 newborns did not sound like fun. But trying to take care of 2 newborns alone became too much for us to handle and we needed some help so we decided to make the drive to CA for Thanksgiving. It was the first time my family met the boys as well.

We had a great weekend full of help, good food and wonderful family.

 

 

 

one month - november 2011

We had help for a month straight and it was heavenly. My mom stayed for 2 weeks and then my in laws came and then my sister in law came. We couldn't have survived without these wonderful people. It was a lot of work and very very little sleep. But these boys were so precious.

 

Nathan

 

Thomas

Together

IRONMAN

Eric completed his first Ironman on November 20, 2011

(almost exactly a month after the twins were born)

This is the only picture we have from the event. I was alone with both babies all day and never had a free hand to take any pictures of Eric as he raced the course. Most of the time I was nursing a baby or running from place to place trying to catch glimpses of him as he zoomed by. He was incredible and did an amazing job. Such a huge accomplishment!

love

My wonderful and talented friend took these beautiful pictures of the boys when they were 10 days old. 

first week home

The first month after the twins were born was insane. Luckily my mom stayed with us for 2 weeks because I don't think I could have done it with out her. I didn't sleep much and I couldn't really do much because of my rash and recovering body.

 

Not a lot happened with the babies. Their umbilical cords fell off and we got some baby pictures taken. Other than that it was just typical baby stuff. Again I wish I would have written something down in those early days! I want to say they were good babies but I don't know if that's true because I can't remember.

 

The first thing Eric did when we got home from the hospital

 



 

First day home

 



 

The rest of the week

 

 

First bath

 

Night before my mom left

 

 

 

STOP now if you don't want to see a gross picture of my swollen feet and rash!

 

 

 

I had a rash on my belly about a week before I had the twins. After I gave birth it spread to the rest of my body and turned into blisters. I went to the dermatologist and the doctor was amazed because she'd never seen anything like it. She gathered all her co-workers around to check it out and discuss the diagnosis. I couldn't take anything orally because I was breastfeeding so she prescribed some topical creams and sprays. She also took several biopsies to send to the lab. It got really bad before it started to get better. And the total bummer was that whenever I put the creams/sprays on I couldn't touch the babies. I had to wear long sleeves and long pants constantly and be very careful around the babies. Turns out I have a pregnancy induced auto immune disease. So anytime I get pregnant I will get this rash. But hopefully it will never get this bad again because we'll be watching for it and catch it a lot sooner.

 

This was taken a couple days home from the hospital and before I went to the dermatologist.

the hospital stay

Much of the hospital stay is a big blur! I wish I would've written something down earlier but you know I have twins. Eric was a huge help because I couldn't do much but lay around and nurse. My parents arrived the day after the birth and they were a great comfort and a lot of help as well.

It was really hard trying to take care of two babies, learning how to nurse and recovering from both types of delivery. On top of all that I had this horrible rash all over my legs and feet and they were still extremely swollen. I also lost a lot of blood during the c-section and had to have a blood transfusion. It was a crazy time for me. Not only was I exhausted physically but emotionally as well. I really wanted to have the birth I had practiced, envisioned and prepared for and it didn't quite go as I had hoped. But the boys arrived safe and were healthy and that was the number one goal so of course I was happy. But I was still coping with the fact that I had to have a c-section, which was the number one thing I didn't want.

Another interesting thing I remember thinking was that I pushed one baby out and next thing I knew I was going under and when I woke up I had two babies. It was really weird to experience one of their births but not the other. I also felt guilty that I didn't get to see Nathan be birthed or hold him right away but I did with Thomas.

 

Something else that I felt (that I wasn't expecting) was an inability to enjoy it all like I so desperately wanted to. It was hard to enjoy it and soak up the joy of these new babies because my body was trying to recover from so many things and I was just trying to stay afloat. I wanted time to slow down a little and my recovery to speed up so I could cherish my little boys how I had always imagined I would. Really the first 6 months were so hard and I was just trying to get through the days that I had a hard time enjoying most of it. I kept wishing the newborn stage would end and therefore felt like I didn't enjoy their littleness and the excitement of having a newborn. I blame it on the twin factor. Or maybe my expectations were too high. I imagined (with one baby) this beautiful, peaceful, happy time snuggling with a little baby all day. And that was not my reality with the twins. Trying to meet both their needs usually at the exact same time was (and sometimes still is) very difficult. But I would never EVER change having twins. They are so fun and it's been such a privilege to be mom to these amazing boys.

 

The boys did great in the hospital and only lost a little weight. Thomas nursed like a champion from the start but Nathan took a day or two to get the hang of it. I was blessed when it came to nursing, I never had any problems and it never really hurt that bad. We did have some ups and downs the first couple months but from what I've heard from others experiences, I think the boys were great and I had it pretty easy.

The hospital and nurses were great but I still experienced the typical hospital things like never really being able to sleep and not having good food. One of my regrets is that I didn't (or that I didn't make someone) take more pictures with a regular camera. We have a lot from our iphones which I am grateful for but the quality is lacking.

 

We ended up spending 4 days in the hospital and all went home together.

Except I forgot shoes so I walked out of the hospital with bare feet.

 

 



In anticipation

The twins first birthday is five weeks away! Maybe it's fitting that as we lead up to it, I finally document the beginning of their lives. Hopefully by posting twice a week for the next five weeks I can re-capture all the important memories of their first 6 months.

To start it off right...

Our two perfect embryos

 

 

Our two boys at 20 weeks

A collage of my pregnancy

Rain Rain

The weather has been so nice lately and a couple of days ago it rained all day which doesn't happen very often. The boys love to be outside and they love the rain.

The next night we had this beautiful sunset