Insta-Post

I joined instagr.am a while back but I am just now actually using it. And I'm now that annoying mom who takes a million pictures of my adorable children and posts them to Instagram/Facebook daily. Sorry. If you don't wanna see their sweet faces [why would you not?], then you can unfollow/unsubscribe.  

I thought it would be fun to frequently have posts solely comprised of my Instagrams with their captions, 'Insta-Posts' if you will.

[07.30.12 - 08.06.12]

Charmer...

 Squeezable...

Today Wren feels...

Don't call us tiny...we'll be 3 months on Monday and we're wearing 3 month onesies today!

[So what if they're a little roomie]

Birth Announcement

Here is Wren & Grady's Birth Announcement that I designed on Mixbook.com. I didn't really like any of the templates designed for twins so I chose the 'start a blank project' option, uploaded my pics, and created my own announcement. The editing tools, fonts, etc. are really user friendly. And you can usually get a percentage off if you google a coupon code to use at checkout. When I ordered mine I used the coupon code 30MBLINB and got 30% off.  

Baby Shower #4

Given by: Alex Kee and Kristin Heath

Baby Shower #3

Given by: Judy Basolo, Blaire Bender, Betsy Bergin, Bootsie Cahill, Charlotte Courtney, Jan Culver, Chenee' Gary, Hanna Bellamy, Lou Moore, Marcia Pauley, Beckie Potts, Linda Rassmussen, Amanda Lewellen, Sheri Wagner

Baby Shower #2

Given by: Barbara Brown, Sherry Cadenhead, Erin Page, and Susan Page

Baby Shower #1

Given by: Vickey Banks, Julie Clifford, Julie Watson, Julie Harris, Allison Moody, Kyla Pace

Closing a Chapter

Back on Thursday, April 12, 2012 per doctor's orders at my 29 week appointment, my OB decided I needed to begin modified bed rest due to the strain that my body was in from carrying twins. My last day of work before going on modified bed rest was Friday, April 13, 2012.

Although I knew bed rest was a possibility for me, the reality of it occurred so abruptly that I welcomed the opportunity to return back to work for short period of time. After being away for 3 months (bed rest + maternity leave), I went back on July 9, 2012 for 2 weeks to wrap up some loose ends. It was so good to see my co-worker friends, to experience my old 'normal' routine, and gain closure to this chapter of my life that was about to end. Over the past 2 weeks, I learned that going back to work with two infants was extremely tough for our family.

I originally thought I would be a working mommy and I had planned for my mom and mother-in-law to watch the babies during the work week. Due to several factors, we all found out rather quickly after the babies came home from the NICU, that the original plan was not going to work. And because the babies were born premature with delicate immune systems, we did not want to put them in private or public daycare. In October 2011, when we found out we were pregnant, we put the babies on the Chesapeake Child Development Center waiting list as our back up plan. We were told a just a few weeks ago that we needed to find an alternative because there were still no spots available for us. This news didn't affect us because we knew I would be staying home, but it was further confirmation.

Not working outside the home will be a huge change for me. I've had a job since I was 15 1/2! Upon graduation from UCO 7 years ago, I began my land career in the oil & gas industry.  I started at  a company called Dominion Exploration & Production, Inc. which sold to Linn Energy, LLC in September of 2007. In April of 2008, after working for Linn for several months, I went to work for Canaan Natural Gas PE Funds. 

  

I would like to return to the industry someday, but for the next few years, I will be working full-time at home as Grady and Wren's mom, a position I am most honored to have.

For 'ol memories sake I'm including some pics of my office at Canaan. The top left is my original office and the rest of the pics are my second office that I moved into right before I left on bed rest.

 

Although I am sad to leave my career,  I am excited to be able to stay home with my babies. I know this is the best decision for our family right now.

Grady & Wren: 2 Months

Grady's Stats: 7 lbs 13 oz /  20 inches
Adjusted Growth Chart: 25th percentile for weight, 50th percentile for height
Normal Growth Chart: Not on the normal chart yet

Wren's Stats: 8 lbs 13 oz /  21 inches
Adjusted Growth Chart: 50th percentile for weight, 60th percentile for height
Normal Growth Chart: 10th percentile for weight, 10th percentile for height

Grady's Clothing & Diaper Size: Newborn clothes and diapers

Wren's Clothing & Diaper Size: Newborn clothes and diapers

Special Outings: You visited Oma and Papa's house for the first time on Saturday, June 30 to celebrate Great Grandma Helen's life and have Great Grandpa Warren's 91st Birthday's party.

We went to church for the first time as a family of 4 on Sunday, July 1!

Then you visited Grammy and Granddad's house for the first time on Monday, July 2 so Mom and Dad could eat lobster and crab that Aunt Karla and Uncle Jeff brought back from Maine.

Milestones:  You both have strong necks and can lift your head and look at your surroundings. You recognize Mommy and Daddy's voices and turn to look for us when you hear us speaking. Grady, you have the sweetest little voice and make a precious "hoooo" sound. Wren, you have a powerful voice and you make sure everyone around hears you.  Your signature sound when you are unhappy is what we like to call the pterodactyl cry.  

My Thoughts: I absolutely cannot believe that you 2 are 2 months old already.  Your dad and I are pretty sleepy most of the time because we get up throughout the night to check on you and feed you.   You have been home for a month now and I love being able to hold you and cuddle you whenever I want.

Routine: We are still on the NICU schedule for your feedings, which are every 3 hours at 12am, 3am, 6am, 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm, and 9pm. You mostly sleep between each feeding, but you now have awake times where you are wide-eyed and take everything in.

Favorites:  Both of you love your hands and want them out of your swaddle and up by your face at all times.  Grady, you love your soothie pacifier. Wren, you like it too but not near as much as your brother.  Your snug-a-bunny bouncy seats have been a life saver for us when you are fussy and won't sleep in your cribs.

Pregnancy Collage

Starting with the 12th week of my pregnancy, continuing every 2 weeks, I had Tom take pics of my growing tummy. I planned to create a collage at the end of my pregnancy to give a quick visual comparison of where I started and where I ended.  I did not, however, think that my collage of pics would end with the 32nd week pic.  I also did not think it would take me this long to post the collage. Even so, for my reference and personal memories, below is the collage of my growing tummy.

Homecoming

Below are pictures our friend Blaire took for us on June 6, 2012, the day Grady was released from the NICU.  What a happy homecoming day, the day our family of four was finally able to begin our new life together. 

Grady & Wren: 1 Month

The babies turned 1 month on June 6, 2012 [the day Grady came home from the hospital]. I don't really have a traditional update for their 1 month because they were in the NICU for the first month of their lives.  I will post regular monthly updates beginning when they turn 2 months, which will be very soon!

Grady's Stats: 5 lbs 4 oz / 18 inches

Wren's Stats: 5 lbs 12 oz / 19 inches

Grady's Clothing & Diaper Size: Preemie clothes and diapers

Wren's Clothing & Diaper Size: Preemie clothes and diapers

Grady & Wren's Birth Story: Part III

After the babies were born they were immediately worked on by the NICU team that was sent down to the OR for my delivery. Sadly, I was not able to see Grady in the OR. But, a nurse wrapped Wren up and let Tom hold her and he brought her to me so I could see her.  I got to kiss Wren on the cheek and then the NICU nurses took the babies up to the 7th floor to the NICU to continue being worked on.

Dr. Nightingale finished my operation and I was wheeled back to my labor and delivery room to recover for a bit before being taken to my "mom and baby" room on the 5th floor. Tom was allowed to go up to the NICU to see the babies around 10pm. I, however, did not get to see them until the next morning around 10am when Tom wheeled me up to their room on the 7th floor.  The first thing I asked when I saw them was, "When can I hold them?" Grady's nurse said I could go ahead and hold him.  I was not expecting that response because they were so small and hooked up to so many wires, IVs, and a CPAP machine to help them breath. The nurse got Grady out of his little bed and carefully handed him to me. I began crying and was overcome with so many emotions.

Despite the incredible joy of having babies, I had to work through and essentially grieve the loss of the rest of my pregnancy, a "normal" delivery experience, and grieve over not being able to immediately bond with my babies after they were born. For many days I didn't even feel like the babies' mom because they had to stay isolated in incubators and I could only hold them for short amounts of time. I know, it sounds quite odd to grieve at a typically joyous time but it's honestly how I felt.

Wren ended up staying in the NICU for 28 days [May 6, 2012 - June 3, 2012] and Grady stayed for 30 days [May 6, 2012 - June 6, 2012]. Having two premature children in the hospital, recovering from a C-Section that got infected, pumping 9 times a day, dealing with a myriad of post-partum emotions, and dealing with a few other trials that cropped up along the way was incredibly difficult to say the least.  There were definitely dark days with many tearful breakdowns. The worst breakdown occurred the Tuesday night before we were able to bring Grady home. My heart was physically hurting because I missed Grady so much. After Wren was released, we decided to divide and conquer in that Tom would be the parent to go be with Grady while I stayed home to take care of Wren. It was extremely bittersweet. I was so happy to have Wren home but I missed Grady so much. I had never before experienced the feeling of having my heart in two places at one time.

I am so incredibly grateful that despite their difficult beginning, I have 2 striving and healthy miracle babies who I could not be more in love with.

We will forever be indebted to our supportive family and friends who prayed for us, went grocery shopping for us, arranged for our house to be cleaned, dropped off home-cooked meals and snacks, gave us restaurant and gas station gift-cards, and provided encouraging texts, phone calls, and emails.

I want to individually thank my mom. She has been my angel through all of this.  She anticipated and met so many of my/our needs. She drove me to the NICU nearly everyday that Tom couldn't, did our laundry, ran numerous errands, and was my right hand. I don't know what I would have done without her constant support.  I love you Mom!