Dad looking in on Lola the night she was born.
Dad smiling with his new son Jackson.
The morning of March 11th, 8 months ago, I was trying to force down yet another protein shake (on order of the hospital nutritionist) and watching the Golden Girls. I already had my morning visit from the nurse to check the babies' heartbeats and my vital signs. My blood pressure was high (again) and the nurse reclined my bed all the way and told me to lay down on my side and drink the rest of my delicious shake (every drop of it) through a straw. "Another lame day waiting for nothing," I thought. Yeah, right.8 months ago today around 3 pm my doctor came for a routine visit before she left town. It was Tuesday and she would be back on Friday. We discussed whether I would be discharged for home bed rest after she returned and decided that was not such a good idea. She would get back on Friday, check in with me at the hospital, and then we would wait out yet another boring weekend. That was the plan. But before she went, "Just one more liver enzyme check, in case..."
8 months ago today at 5:30 pm the very sweet but firm Nurse rings through the intercom, "Honey, when was the last time you ate anything." Thinking she was about to scold me for not finishing my delicious lunchtime protein shake, I lied "Not too long ago I had some milk and sting cheese."
8 months ago today at 6:00 pm I called Aaron and told him "Not to rush or anything, but you might want to come on over cause we're gonna go ahead and have the babies." People have a funny way of minimizing big scary things. Like when my mom used to tell people "We had a little house fire" when the entire attic burned, a large portion of the roof fell in onto the second floor, and the whole house had to be re-done. I meant it when I said to him, "Finish your emailing and just come on whenever." Of course he was in my hospital room in what seemed like seconds.
At 6:30 pm I was pumped full of some IV liquid that flushes out any food and drink before I get an epidural (a fitting punishment for exaggerating my food intake for the afternoon). My night nurse had just arrived (she was 8 months pregnant herself) and we joked about how different our situations were despite being the same gestation.
8 months ago today at 8:00 pm my hysterically funny pregnant nurse and I walked down the hall to the operating room (the first time I had walked down ANY hall in weeks) and Aaron took a final picture of the 2 of us belly to belly, laughing our way to deliver Lola and Jackson.
At 8:35 and 8:36 pm 8 months ago today we got our first glimpse of Lola Belle and Jackson Forrest before they were whisked off to the NICU. They are perfect and amazing and I could not image, at that moment, how wonderful and terrifying and joyous and trying and absolutely amazing our lives would become.
A little perspective on how far we've come:
Mom feeding Jackson in the NICU, less than a week old (fyi, the IV is in his head because he kept pulling on it; feisty little guy from the beginning!).
Jackson feeding himself at 7 months old.
Lola asleep in Mom's hand, 4 weeks old.
Lola with her head on the arm of the couch, 7 months old.
Jackson sitting in his bouncy chair at 3 weeks old.
Jackson climbing into his bouncy chair at 7 months old.
Lola all wrapped up after her very first bath, 3 weeks old.
Lola playing in the bath tub, 2 days before turning 8 months old.
Dad holding Lola and Jackson in the NICU, 1 week old.
Mom holding Lola and Jackson on the way out of the hospital, 2 weeks and 5 days old.
Mom holding Lola and Jackson at 7 1/2 months old.
8 months ago today Aaron and I met our kids for the first time and boy has it been a wild ride since!
3 comments:
The staff at JFS said...."Man, that was awesome!" and "Ahhhhhhh" and..."I can't write like that...that was just great"
So there you have it family ...
Ya'll are awesome and ahhhhh and great!
Good job mom and dad and babies
Thanks for the retrospective. I couldn't be prouder of all four of you!
That was a great story. The pictures really show how much they have grown and far all of you have come. I can't wait to come over this week-end and play. You and Aaron have done a great job, they are beautiful!
Love you all, Tracie
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