The snaps made me snap!

I've worked in day cares and nannied through High School, but I swear I don't remember all those crazy snaps on onesies/sleepers! I'm guessing it's more apparent to me know because I feel like my whole day is consumed by un-snapping and snapping onesies in between the million diaper changes for the boys. What ever happened to zippers? They are so much faster, but I guess people worry about getting skin caught in them...but they are so much faster.

I think I hit my breaking point Monday. It was my first day alone with the boys and they did their best in not allowing me to get more than 30 minutes of sleep during the day. I was about to cry when Eric called and said he didn't have to go to GA and would be coming home instead!!! I was elated, and he helped me out that evening. But, something was said that really embarrassed me and the water works started flowing....and kept flowing...and flowing all night long. The boys continued their marathon in true tag team fashion. As soon as one would fall asleep, the other one would wake up. Eric awoke the next morning to me still in tears and said he would try his hardest to get off as early as possible.

Finally, after being awake for about 30 hours, I was able to catch two 30 min naps. Then Eric got home at 1400 and told me to sleep for as long as I needed. He also continued to help once I woke up and even woke up to see if I needed help this morning at 0330 since both boys were crying. I also took Desiree up on her offer to help, so I got a much needed 4 hrs last night. It truly is amazing what sleep can do for your psyche, and we're all looking forward to Eric's 4 day weekend!

Newton's Law of Motion states...

...for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. This has become very evident over the past 2 weeks.

The boys only seem to fill their diapers once they start sucking on the bottle. Also, with all the stretching my tummy went through to carry over 13 lbs of babies, it only makes sense it would shrink back down (and if it doesn't, there's always plastic surgery!). That 30 lbs I gained my last two weeks of pregnancy was sure to be the death of me, but I'm happy to report that I'm already 60 lbs lighter. But most importantly, all the pain and discomfort that I experienced with this pregnancy, and labor, it only makes sense that I would be rewarded with beautiful, healthy boys. That Newton was one smart guy!

The past two weeks have been a whirlwind, but I have been lucky that my lil sis, Sarah, was able to take a week break from school and help me out. She has been a life saver!! She sees something that needs to be done, and does it without having to be asked, and most importantly, she has been helping me out at night with feedings so I can get some sleep. Sadly, I have to drop her off at the airport tomorrow morning, and she will be missed...not just for the help, but b/c she is such an amazing person!

Carter started smiling last week, which is the cutest thing in the world...but he only smiles for me when he is falling asleep, and he smiles for Eric all the time when he is awake. I call FOUL!!! How is that fair? He is also quite the snuggle monkey and has decided that he doesn't like to sleep in the pack n play (which we think is b/c when they were in the NICU, they were always at an incline, so we have a small, vibrating papoose-like chair that he has taken a fondness to). I was so impressed with Carter's latching, but soon disappointed (as he was) that he wouldn't suck hard enough to get what he needed. So pumping takes up most of my "free" time in between feedings.

Cooper has had a rough week. He wants absolutely NOTHING to do with the boob, and even with taking breast milk in the bottle, he was crazy fussy and had horrible gas no matter how long we spent burping him. When he did sleep, he was very restless so we had a sample can of the fussy formula, and I'm definitely a believer! It has made a huge difference.

Both the neonatologist & pediatrician told me not to bring the boys in public, and they even specifically said Church, until they are at least 8 weeks old. I understand why (especially since they already had an infection at birth) but I was a little bummed...until I realized I will get to debut my boys on Mother's Day! And, the boys should be big enough by then to pimp their pin striped suits that Auntie Cathy & Sarah got for them!

It's getting that time again (feeding time), so here are some recent pix!

Carter getting ready to leave the NICU

Cooper 1 week

Carter 1 week

Eric watching the boys, while playing Battlefield Bad Company 2 (Cooper is in the sling, and Carter is in the chair)

Koa trying to get attention while I was feeding Cooper

Carter (left) & Cooper (right)

Eric & the boys

My new cut & color!

The details (WARNING: very long post)

Last Monday I was evaluated for preeclampsia at my scheduled doctor's visit, and was released to do a 24 hr urine collection for a better indicator of the condition. Tuesday afternoon we received a phone call from the doc saying that I did have preeclampsia and I needed to come to the hospital tonight to be admitted, and to deliver the following day.

Eric and I made our way to the hospital and although we were both tired, neither one of us slept that night...probably out of anticipation. The next morning (Wednesday) they started me on Pitocin, broke the presenting twin's water, and I got an epidural at about 0900. I know some people are very into the whole "natural" childbirth thing, but I had been in so much pain with this pregnancy already (and it was high risk trying a vaginal delivery anyway) that I was all about my epidural!

I progressed VERY slowly throughout the day, and had to get my epidural increased at 1400 b/c the pain was getting to be a little too much. At 2030 I was still only 7cm dilated and the pain was increasing significantly, so they called for another adjustment to the epidural. When I was getting a bolus I told the doc that it felt like it wasn't in place, and I could feel fluid dripping down my back. At that point I had complete movement and feeling in my legs, so they took out the first one, and put in another. But it took an hour for this to happen, and during that time they had to turn off the pitocin b/c my contractions were only 45 seconds apart and so painful that I was crying without realizing it, and was having an impossible time catching my breath between them.

So, at 0000 (Thursday) the doc checks me and I'm still only 7cm and is worried b/c my contractions were never very consistent, and we were approaching the 18hr mark since my water had been broken. Eric and I talked about it, and we wanted to try for one more hour b/c I really didn't want a C-section. The doc agreed, but in the meantime he called in the OR team, and had me sign all the consents that would be needed.

At 0100 I had become more swollen, and still had not progressed so into the OR we went. The Nurse Anesthetist that placed the 2nd epidural said that since it was working, he wanted to stick with that instead of placing a spinal also. I was weary, and asked him if it would work as well, and he said yes.

I have battled with nausea the entire pregnancy, and this day was no different, so as they strapped me down I had to turn my head to the side and try to focus on not throwing up. The nurse anesthetist verified I was numb, and I told him that it wasn't as effective on the left, but if was still above where they would be working, so they proceeded.

I felt a lot of pulling and tugging, and was thrilled when I heard the first baby cry, and then the second. I couldn't believe I was actually a mommy! And then...I started to feel pain on the left. I told the nurse about it, and he said, "you'll feel some pressure and tugging," to which I responded, "I feel PAIN!"

My epidural was not cutting it...and I felt them sewing up my uterus, muscles, underlying tissues, and the skin. They shot me up with everything they could, but nothing was helping.

When I got into the recovery room I was in more pain than I could have imagined, so they gave me 4mg of morphine and I was pretty out of it. I remember hearing Cooper grunting, and asking Eric to hand him to me...then the nurses came in and took him back to the nursery b/c it wasn't resolving. Carter was smacking and sucking and then the doc came in and said that they did a chest xray, and Cooper had a small pneumothorax (hole in his lung that was increasing the pressure in his chest, making it hard for him to breathe), and his blood showed signs of infection.

We all thought that Cooper (the bigger of the two) was the presenting twin, but it was Carter. So they called the local neonatalogist and he wanted both babies to be transferred to their hospital's NICU. I never freaked out (not sure if it was the drugs, or that I knew they were being proactive), nor did Eric. The neonatalogist, along with a team of 3 nurses, came with EMS and I was able to see both the boys for about a minute before they were transferred.

The rest of the day was spent with people waking me up every 5 minutes, and a complete lack of communication caused me to get very frustrated with the nurses and doctors. One nurse told me I could only have ice chips, then a doctor walks in and asks why I won't drink anything....then I asked when I could get out of bed (b/c I know the sooner you get up and moving, the sooner they will discharge you) and I was told not yet...I tell them I'm hungry (b/c one of the nurses refused my lunch b/c I hadn't drank the fluids from breakfast) and another nurse comes in and says the doc says "you have to get out of bed if you want dinner!" I was about in tears b/c everyone was telling me something different to do, or not to do...and no one was communicating! So, by the time the night shift took over, the nurse actually asked me what was going on (b/c the docs were freaked out b/c I wasn't outputting any urine) and she realized I was trying to comply with everyone's commands. So, she got me out of bed and walked with me around the unit...I started outputting urine, and before midnight she took out the foley and disconnected me from all the fluids.

So Friday morning the doc says I clear to go, b/c he knew I was dying to go see the boys. I had sent Eric home that night to get a good night's sleep b/c I knew he was exhausted, and I knew I would need a lot of help b/c the swelling in my legs had made it VERY hard to move around. I took a shower at the hospital, and we headed over to see the boys.

It was almost unreal for me b/c they were both sleeping and I wasn't going to wake them up, but over the next few days at least one of them was awake and I've been able to do multiple feedings, while I let Eric change all the diapers (I figure I'll be doing enough of that at home, and he doesn't' mind).

Cooper's pneumo cleared up within 2 days, and both boys have been getting antibiotics which is why they are still in the NICU. They should be coming home Thursday after their last dose, and we are excited to bring home our beautiful boys.

Okay, if I forgot something or the details seem a little garbled, sorry. It was a whirlwind of events over the past few days. I'm healing, slowly, and in quite a bit of pain...but today was a day of rejoicing b/c some of the swelling is starting to go down in my legs, and I hope sometime soon I can start wearing shoes again!

I want to thank everyone for their support and prayers, we are so blessed to have our boys here without any life-threatening complications.

And here are some recent photos of the boys.

Cooper

Carter

Twin Boys Born on 11 March 2010

Carter "Lil' Man" Amos Salmond

18.5 in. / 5 lbs. 14 oz.

Cooper "Hoss" Aedan Salmond

19.5 in. / 7 lbs. 7 oz.

I know you will ask, Carter is 2 minutes older than his bigger brother.

The first one in the video is Carter and the second is Cooper.

I am sorry there is not more info, we are very tired still. Mary will post when she is fealing better and has time, as driving 30 min. each way to the hospitol to visit the boys is time consuming.

On your mark...

Dr. just called and said my 24 hr urine collection is positive for preeclampsia, so we are headed to the hospital for an overnight observation, and the boys should be here by tomorrow. Think good thoughts!!

Laying low

I went in for my appointment today, and when they took my vitals and my systolic BP was over 140 and I had gained 30lbs in the past 2 & 1/2 weeks (I swear my eating habits haven't changed!!!). So, I went in to see the Dr. and he took one look at my massive cankles and sent me to the lab on my way up to L&D for an evaluation.

My labs weren't terribly out of the ordinary, but I have pitting edema (the kind of swelling that stays indented) up to my knees, my hands and stomach are also retaining fluid, and one of the spot checks in my UA was slightly positive, so I was sent home to collect a 24 hr urine sample and to be on STRICT bed rest. My BP did lower slightly into the 120s-130s while up in L&D, so I'm allowed out of bed to collect my urine and shower while at home.

The good thing is that I will be going in Sunday afternoon for them to check me out and see if I'm ready to be induced. With all the extra fluid I'm retaining, my Dr. doesn't want to wait too much longer. So, hopefully the boys will make their debut sometime Sunday or Monday. Until then I'll be chillin in my room with Koa at my side.

The belly that launched 1,000 stares

The past 10 days have been pretty rough. My legs and feet have become VERY swollen, making it difficult to not only walk, but I can't spend much time at the computer either. Also, by the end of last week I declared that I am no longer driving. It's very uncomfortable and I think I've done a pretty good job driving myself the 30 miles to the military hospital at least twice a week up to the 36 week mark!

So, my buddy Vanessa agreed to take me to my NST on Monday. When I walked out to her van she said, "you still look great!" and then I turned to the side, and her mouth dropped and I think "holy cow" followed. While at the hospital I had at least 3 random people stop to talk to me about how huge I was, which is always something you like to hear! At the end of my NST I had a pretty big contraction that I didn't recognize as one b/c I thought that feeling was just the boys pushing up against my ribs (I thought that feeling of not being able to breath was normal). This got Vanessa VERY excited and she decided that I needed to go into labor that day b/c she didn't have soccer/dance/or any other obligations with her kids...and she was with me (it was so cute how excited she was).

We had to go back down stairs to wait for some medications in the Pharmacy, and I continued to have a few painful contractions down there in the waiting room. After an hour, Vanessa went to see what was taking so long, and they said it should be out very soon. About 20 minutes later the pharm tech was trying to get Vanessa's attention, and I was currently having another contraction, and when she went up to get it he said, "just sign for her, and get her out of here!" I guess my facial expressions said it all.

So, we went to BooksaMillion and then the mall to see if walking around would increase the contractions...instead it was more stares and people asking me when I was due. At one point we split up and I headed to the bathroom and V went into Journey's to pick up some shoes for her son, and a couple came in Journey's talking about the HUGE pregnant woman they just saw!

NOW I REALLY DON'T WANT TO LEAVE MY HOUSE! I know I'm big...but what woman likes it called to her attention every 5 minutes!

I'm not going to post a picture b/c now I'm crazy self-conscious, but two weeks ago (@34weeks) I was measuring the size of a woman carrying 1 baby that was 3 weeks overdue...hope that visual is good enough :o)

**I did forget to mention that Hoss finally flipped back to being head down (he has changed positions 3 times in the past 4 weeks), and he is currently the presenting twin**
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On a much brighter note, one of my bloggy friends, Kristina, is accepting donations for her "Snuggies for Seniors" drive that will last the entire month of March. Please check it out, as you will be amazed by her compassion and unparalleled wit!