The Story

(*this is a long one... if you want to skip the birth story and go straight to the picture of twin cuteness, just scroll down!*)

We went to bed Sunday night, expecting the delivery to be one week away.  Around 12:30am, in the confused state of dreamland, I woke up to find myself wet.  I thought I was peeing my pants and started doing Kegels like there was no tomorrow, trying to stop wetting the bed.  Quickly I realized that it wasn't pee, my water had broken and was gushing out of me.  It was everywhere ~ all over the bed, Shawn, me, the floor.  What a mess!  What a way to be woken up!  

It was too soon!  I didn't have a bag packed.  The Makua were on an airplane flying to Denver.  I couldn't reach them... but left a relatively hysterical voicemail for them.  My mom wasn't here... what were we going to do with the boys?  There was a mess everywhere!  I wasn't contracting yet but knew I would be soon.  Shawn and I'd had two hours of sleep and were so disoriented.

I called my friend and neighbor, Jess, at 1 o'clock in the morning.  She totally saved the day for us ~ she came to sleep on the couch so my boys wouldn't be alone and Shawn could accompany me to the hospital.  She also got them up and dressed, made breakfast and packed their lunch and them got them on the school bus.  After which she went to the airport to pick up my mom, who had changed her flight from Saturday to Monday to come help us out.  I am so lucky to have such a wonderful friend ~ I really don't know what we'd have done without her.

I called the doctor and we headed to the hospital.  By the time we arrived the contractions had started... I was put in an observation room and attached to monitors.  Babies looked good... but the resident on staff wasn't convinced my water was broken.  She had to use the speculum twice and do two swabs before she believed me.  Argh.  I should have suggested she go clean up the mess in my bed so she'd know for sure what had happened.  Finally, the test was positive and I was prepped for surgery.

Shawn was able to be in the operating room with me as the Makua were on a plane somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, completely oblivious to the fact that their boys were about to be brought into the world.  I wanted to wait for them but we couldn't... Because of the prior C~section, I could not go into labor without risking uterine rupture.  Shawn held me as the epidural was started.  It was cold and sterile in the OR.  I shivered and shook as he asked for warm blankets for me and rubbed my head, brushing the hair out of my face.

Baby A was transverse and Baby B was breech when the operation started.  It took about ten minutes to get Baby A, later to be named V, out.  Shawn and I cried when we heard that first cry, as we did for our own boys.  I was happy he was out and safe, but sad that his parents were not here to hear it.  Baby B, later named J, was a little more complicated.  He was still firmly lodged in my ribcage and hadn't come down in the process of water breaking and V being born.  The original incision was not enough and another incision was made.  Much tugging and pushing and muttering under breath by the two doctors trying to get him out was made... and three minutes later, he was here too.  

A chorus of baby cries .... they sounded almost like cats howling.  They were angry to be out and we all were going to hear about it.  They both peed on the nurses that were dressing them.  

Meanwhile, I was stitched up and Shawn went with the babies to watch over them until their parents could be here.  He fed and burped and comforted them while I was in recovery.  They were almost the exact same size ~ V was 6 lbs 5 oz and J was 6 lbs 4 oz.  and both around 18 inches long.   Not as big as we'd thought but 13 pounds of baby altogether!!  They were pink and healthy with a shock of black hair.  They looked nothing alike... barely even resembling brothers.  They snuggled up to each other and Shawn grabbed this photo with his cell phone:

The nurses taking care of me quickly became alarmed at the amount of blood I was losing.  Doctors were called back in.  My uterus had become "lazy" after weeks of Braxton Hicks contractions and being stretched as far as it'd ever been stretched.  It couldn't stop the bleeding... at least not in the time it was supposed to.  Other options were discussed until finally, just before a decision had to be made, it stopped.  Finally, we were taken to a room.

I had to decide whether to keep the boys with me until their parents had arrived from Hawai'i, or to send them to the nursery.  We were exhausted after no sleep and such an ordeal, but I didn't want to leave them with strangers.  So we kept them in our room with us to watch over them just a bit longer.  As soon as the Makua's airplane landed and they got my voicemail, they called.  They were on their way, stunned and excited to meet their boys.  

I hated that they hadn't been able to be there to hear and witness what Shawn and I heard and witnessed, but I was happy to have my love there with me through it all.  He was my rock and did what he could to keep me calm ... I am so grateful to have him as my partner.  He is sweet and caring and he took care of me through it all.

Seven hours after J and V came into the world, they met their parents for the first time.  Watching them become one family was everything I'd hoped and expected.  They are an absolutely beautiful family... We were all a mess of emotions and tears, all brought together by these perfect little baby boys.  

The boys are really beautiful ~ all babies are but these lil guys are so, so cute.  They already have little personalities and have already found a place in their parents' hearts.  

The first night, there were no extra hospital rooms, so we all bunked together.  The Makua were a perfect team and seemed to instinctively know how to calm and soothe their babies.  It was so beautiful to watch them interact with their lil guys ~ something I really didn't get to witness the first time around.  I feel so proud to have been a part of it all.

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Today I was discharged and came home.  I'm pumping breastmilk for the babies for while they are in town ~ inspired by Ria who has been pumping for her surrobaby for months.  Selfishly, I think I'll enjoy being able to see them just a bit longer before they all go home to Hawai'i.  

I'm sore and tired but doing Ok.  The incision that was made for J to come out will cause a somewhat more painful recovery time.  My doctor told me I should not ever get pregnant again because of the damage to my uterus.  I didn't plan on any more pregnancies but that finality takes some adjusting to... 

I'm happy to be home, comfortable and safe with my family.  I'm happy to not be pregnant anymore and to begin this healing process.  I'm happy that I was a part of such a beautiful experience ~ it is one I will cherish for all of my days...  I'm finding myself overwhelmed and feeling so loved with all the support and sweet thoughts and words from friends and family and you... my faithful readers. :)  So thank you for being a part of this journey with me and for your positive thoughts and sticky vibes from the very beginning all the way through.  

And now... it's time to rest.