Merry Christmas

What an absolute blessing to have these 2 gifts in our lives. This evening as we spend Christmas Eve in our home, with our 2 precious girls tucked away in their cribs, I can't help but reflect once again on the past year. I am so thankful for the health of our girls. I am so thankful that they continue to grow with each and every passing day.

Last year, by Christmas Eve, I had been released from the hospital for the second time and was staying across the street from the Children's Hospital in the Ronald McDonald House. What an amazingly beautiful facility, and what gracious staff and volunteers. The House was decorated so elegantly for Christmas, and I remember coming and going so frequently but feeling like we were coming back home every time we walked in the door. What a blessing to be so close to our girls...and not feel like we were a lifetime away from them as they continued their stay at the NICU. I can still remember the Christmas spirit in the air of the NICU...the staff were dressed up like Elves and other Christmas decor. The girls were in the very last pod that would mean they could go home at anytime. I remember looking at our girls as they slept...the light was dim, the mood was cheery, and the girls were so cozily kept together. My spirits were finally better as I was physically healing from the 2nd admittance, and I knew my girls would be coming home soon.

Madeline and Savannah sleeping in the NICU on Christmas Eve

And here I am, one year later, with two beautiful angels sleeping peacefully in their beds AT HOME on Christmas Eve. Thank you, God, for them. Thank you for showing me how to be the best mother to them I can possibly be. And thank you, God, for reminding us of the ultimate gift you sent to us so long ago - the gift of Baby Jesus....the gift that I understand so much more clearly through the eyes of my girls.

Merry Christmas, Madeline and Savannah. God has been so good to you. Never, ever forget that, especially at this most special time of year!

Christmas Morning at the NICU

Loading our tiny girls up on Christmas Day to take them home!! I can still remember so clearly how they rushed us out of the NICU so fast they wouldn't let me change their little clothes!! But we bundled them up in so many blankets....they were warm and snug as 2 bugs in a rug. What a day!!

Christmas Day, one year later :-)

The Birthday Party!

The paparazzi.

The celebrities.

Presents.

Our sweet girls....so very, very hard to believe they have turned 1 year.

Has it really been a year? Can time please slow down? Please?

Sunday we celebrated Madeline and Savannah's first year of life with family and friends. When I was a little girl, my birthday parties (January 30) were often snowed out. Every year I'd have a big party planned, and every year it would snow and the party would get canceled. I kind of forgot about that when I planned a "Winter '1'derland" party for the girls. With family in Asheville, their cousin McKenna, Aunt Tonia, Uncle Jeff, and Uncle Jon were all snowed in and unable to make it for the party. I suppose planning a snow theme may have jinxed it for the girls - I do apologize, Madeline and Savannah. It looks like you might have the curse of the winter birthday parties like your mom had growing up! But I can promise you that your momma is going to do everything in her power to make your day the most special day of the year! :-)

So, this year, even though we sadly had some of our loved ones snowed out, we had a fantastic fun time with so many of our loved ones that were able to make it! Girls, you even had your buddies Oliver and Nadia drive with their mommy and daddy 4.5 hours one way that morning and turn around and drive 4.5 hours back home just so that they could be with you on your big birthday. Yes, 4.5 hours! They love you. And we love them. And then, your mom and dad were blessed with 3 sets of parents and your special aunt Robin who all surprised us with the camera your mom has wanted for so very long! Now we can really capture those timeless moments with a camera that can actually keep up with you!! You are blessed with so many special people in your lives....and so are we.

Here are some pics of the day. How fun it was for the girls to celebrate their very first birthday, and how much more fun it was for me and daddy to throw our very first birthday for our very first daughters!! I love being a mom and I can't wait to do this all over again next year!! And after all the work that went into this one....um....how can I put this. I think we'll be doing a snowflake winter theme for years to come. ;-)

The girls each got their own special cake to tear into, and we sang happy birthday to both of them separately! Savannah just wanted to grab the candle. Nothing scares these girls! ha ha!

Mommy and Daddy being completely surprised with their early Christmas present!!! Then Mommy had fun with HER new toy....

And finally, we got the party started:

Happy 1st Birthday Girls!

Dear Madeline and Savannah,

Happy Birthday! Those two words have a brand new meaning for me. Wow....today, one year ago, on this very day, you were born and made my and your daddy's world the happiest we could have ever imagined. You made me believe in love at first sight. In fact, you made me believe in love without any sight because I loved you girls from the minute you began growing in the womb. And now, 1 year later, I love you both even more - is that even possible?

When I think of how far you've both come I can't help but swell with pride for my two precious angels. From the moment you were both born, you came out swinging....there was no stopping you! And now, as I spent your first birthday chasing the two of you around, feeling your tiny hands crawl up my legs as you stand bearing your weight against me, hearing you "talk" and just cackle away to me, your daddy, and each other, I am amazed at how far you have come in just one year.

You both are fighters. You both are strong. You both are truly gifts from God, and to know that you have officially been a part of our family for 1 year now, I am thankful to God for this gift that has truly kept on giving. Every day that we wake up to the sounds of your laughter over the monitor, I am thankful. Every day that you gasp with pure delight when we walk into your room after a long nap, I am thankful. Every day that you cry and just by simply picking you up you are put at ease and I know we make you feel secure, I am thankful. Every day that I put you down at night and watch you curl up and drift off to sleep, I am thankful. Because I am so thankful each and every day, I know that you are the gift from God that keeps on giving. I am so proud of you both.

What a fun birthday we had! We started by letting you open two gifts from us....you each got piggy banks with your names on them, and I'm pretty sure the piggy banks are as big as you! Then we got a special present in the mail to each of you from a very dear friend who also has twin girls, so we went ahead and let you open them even though your party isn't until Sunday....after all, TODAY is your birthday! (Thank you Lacey for that sweet surprise!! And thank you girls for being the reason that your mommy has made such a good, new friend!!)

Checking out their new piggy banks from Mommy and Daddy

"This is where you put the money"

After we opened presents, you got to eat your very first cookie! Since your party is Sunday I wanted you to have a special treat today on your birthday, so you each got 2 cookies. Madeline got a cookie shaped like an "M" and a "1". Savannah got a cookie shaped like an "S" and a "1". Neither of you were quite sure what to think about them...so Sunday should be fun. :-)

To end the day, your Nana and Papa made it into town after a long drive from the coast! They let you open a couple of birthday presents and then played and played with you before bedtime! They were so happy to see you. You girls were so blessed to also get so many happy birthday wishes today from all of your grandparents and aunts and uncles, and many, many friends! You are so very, very loved. God has blessed us with you girls....Happy Birthday, my angels. I can't wait to see what this next year of life holds in store for you!

Love,

Mommy

Nostalgia

Christmas has always been a nostalgic time of year. I had no idea how much more nostalgic I had the potential to become until I become a mom.

Last year, on Wednesday of this week, I spent the entire day at Erlanger Hospital getting pumped with a pitocin IV drip in an attempt to induce labor of my twin baby girls: Baby A and Baby B. Of course it was December 17, which would be tomorrow, but there's something about remembering the actual day of the week that erases that exact date of the events.

On the eve of December 16, which is actually today, here is the last pic taken of me standing up with my baby girls eager to arrive:

It's funny how at the time, I would have never thought to post this pic! In fact, when I look back at the blog a year ago, I didn't write about a lot of the details of this birth at all. But here I am, a year later, and I am so proud of knowing I carried two - not one, but two - babies in my womb! People wonder how I can feed them with one spoon at meal time, or how I don't mind when they swap paci's or share sippy cups. They shared the womb, for goodness sakes! They can share a spoon.

The girls due date was January 15. Other than the MAJOR morning sickness that lasted through the 2nd trimester, lethargy like never before, a little bit of heartburn, and oh yeah, the sciatic nerve that literally crippled me for a week or so until I was finally able to reposition the babies, the pregnancy went great! I showed no signs of pre-term labor the entire time. Everything was going great in that regard....until this week last year.

On Monday, I headed to the doc for my regular check-up. After having a BP that consistently ran around 110/60, it was suddenly 138/90 or something like that. And, even though I had no appetite at all (never really did throughout the entire pregnancy) I had gained 10 pounds in 4 days, or something like that. (This is what I get for not writing this down last year). You get the gist. Yep, I was beginning to get pre-eclampsia. I was swelling up like a water balloon. To add to that, Baby A's growth was slowing in the uterus. The girls were literally running out of space. Those two issues put me on the roster for induction on December 17, 2008. I had the option of scheduling a C-Section, or going ahead and trying to induce labor, knowing that it may be too hard for my tiny girls to take. Knowing they would be monitoring the babies the entire time, we decided to at least try for the labor option and see how the babies did. That way I would know I gave labor a try.

Chris and I leaving my mom's house, heading for the hospital at 5:45 AM.

The babies were champs. They were so strong! After a full day of pitocin to induce labor and my slow progression, they showed no signs of stress! We knew at that point I could continue on the pitocin and by-pass the C-Section! Yay!

A sleepy Chris, napping after we finally got settled in. Notice the sun still had not come up!

Ready to wait and see....

Waiting with Chris faithfully by my side!

Killing time that day by playing Scrabble with Chris, my mom and my dad. I am a sucker for Scrabble. Pretty sure I still beat them, even though I was slightly drugged up!!

Aunt Robin and Nana arrive, just waiting to catch the babies!

Papaw and Papa eagerly waiting on the couch!

Grammy and Papa Bob excited to meet the girls!

But today wasn't the day the girls wanted to make their appearance....they made us wait. Much more to come.......