365 days ago: GO TIME

It was on January 5, 2010 that Jared & I took a leisurely 3-block walk to New York Presbyterian/Columbia Hospital. We went in as a family of 2 and came out as a family of 4. Wait, you say, weren't the twins born on January 7th? Why yes indeed. But that's two days later! You are good at math.

It was 36 hours between the time we checked in and the babies checked out. I won't give all the details here, because, dude. But since this blog didn't exist when the babies were born, and since it was a year ago today that started a chain of events that changed the world (okay maybe just our world, but it really really really changed it), it seems like a good idea to write the story down now.

My doctor had told me from the beginning that IF I make it to 38 weeks, she would induce me. But from the way she said it, that was a pretty huge IF. With all the stories you hear about preemie twins, we were just hoping to make it to 35. Once we did make it to 35, and we saw on ultrasounds that our twins seemed to be big and healthy, we asked if I could be induced at 37 weeks-- that would mean one more week of Jared on winter break from school, one less week of hugeness for me, and (last, and least) two more tax credits! Our doctor said she was all for it. But when it came time to schedule the induction, 37 weeks turned out to be not so convenient for her and so 38 weeks it was. I would be induced on Wednesday, January 6.

That last week of pregnancy was a doozy for me. Up until then I really hadn't been too uncomfortable and had enjoyed being pregnant. I had miraculously managed to avoid the back and neck pains I've felt on and off for years. But about a week before I delivered, I somehow tweaked my lower back and could hardly move my left leg because of the shooting pain from my lower back. I'm happy to say I never was a waddler, but for that last week, I was a shuffling, limping, slow-walking lady.

At my Monday (January 4th) exam, the babies were showing absolutely no signs of interest in finding their own way out. So, we scheduled a little pre-induction session to get things moving. Okay, this word makes me cringe, but it's also kind of hilarious: they call it ripening. Haha, what? I'm just going to call it pre-induction. And that is what I went in for on Tuesday.

We got there at about 8 PM Tuesday night. It's a good thing I wasn't in active labor-- or probably because I wasn't in active labor-- we were in the waiting room for about 2 hours. We finally got to a beautiful labor and delivery room with a view and then it took another 2 hours to get settled and begin the pre-induction. Well, that took 16 hours, and then active labor began and lasted for another 16. I got an epidural probably about 8 hours into labor (it wasn't really a choice-- I needed it in case of an emergency c-section, but let's be real-- I would have chosen one anyway). It alleviated the contraction pain but did not at all block the shooting pain I was feeling in my lower back and down my leg. It also did nothing for the three insanely itchy monitor straps I had wrapped around my belly for the entire 32 hours. WHY they can't use a softer material is a question that I will be asking for the rest of my life. The discomfort of contractions was nothing compared to the back pain and those 3 [if I used swear words I'd put a good one right here] itchy straps.

It honestly felt like an eternity. They'd come and check my progress and it just was going SO slow. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat, and I couldn't get comfortable. At some point on Wednesday my doctor must have realized it was still going to be a while, because she said I could eat. And then I must have said "GET ME THAT FROSTYYYYY" in some sort of dragon witch voice because Jared was out and back so fast from the Wendy's across the street. I think I had a grilled chicken sandwich, too.

I know one person couldn't have been happier with the timing of it all... my mom got on a flight in SLC on Wednesday morning thinking her grandtwins were going to be born while she was in the air. She thought she'd hear about it on the JFK tarmac by text message. But no. She got to us in the late afternoon and stuck it out the whole night. She and Jared even awkwardly shared the sleeper couch (if you can call it that) in my hospital room. She just didn't want to miss a single (or double? haha) thing.

At about 6:40 Thursday morning, my doctor came in to check up on business and said it was time to push. I thought she was joking. It had been so long I thought those babies were just never going to come out. They wheeled me into the operating room, which is where my doc delivers all twins-- again, in case of an emergency c-section that we gratefully did not need. And because the babies came in twos, so did all the staff-- there were so many people in that big, bright, operating room. It might have been overwhelming if I wasn't already so exhausted and yet so geared up to just do this thing!

I nearly fell asleep between contractions.

Finally... on Thursday, January 7, 2010...

...at 8:11 AM we finally saw the pretty little face and precious pink body of our baby girl. An entire room of heads swiveled and gasped when they read her weight: 8 pounds, 13 ounces. Big for a twin, big for a baby.

...at 8:26 AM we finally heard the sweet cries and saw the handsome little face of our baby boy. He was a great size, too: 7 pounds, 8 ounces. We felt so happy, so relieved that here they were, healthy and strong. It wasn't until I looked at Jared's face that I felt the emotional rush of having literally brought two lives into the world and into our family.

What beautiful miracles.

If that wasn't enough... click on the images below to see...

*the baby bump progression:

*a great slideshow Jared made to announce their birth (and appease an anxious and loving Grandma in California):

dear Santa: can I have some stranger anxiety, please?

With the exception of meeting Santa, maybe, it was a very Merry Christmas!

We are back from an amazing time in California, and definitely enjoying staying on Pacific time because for the first time in a year, it feels like we're sleeping in. So much catching up to do! More to come...

Happy New Year!

Christmas in the city - this year and last

This really is the most wonderful time of the year in New York City. And that's coming from a girl who loves the summer so much, my husband thinks I'm going to leave him for it. The city gets all dressed up for the holidays, and since we'll be leaving for California in a few days, I've been doing my decoration-seeing over the past couple weeks.

(I only got pictures on my phone because my real camera has been hiding for the past couple weeks. I refuse to believe it's actually lost. But if you happen to see a little Sony anywhere, let me know...)

By the tree at Rockefeller Center

It started to snow as soon as we got there! Pure magic!

Humongous snowflake at 5th/57th

Jewels growing on trees in the Tiffany's window

One of the Bergdorf Goodman windows

Chelsea Market isn't a typical stop on the NYC Christmas route, but I wanted to check out their decorations made from reclaimed materials...

Last year needs an honorable mention here. We made this trek with our friend Will just before last Christmas, when the babies were in utero instead of in strollero. I can't believe I'm actually going to say this, but doing this with babies that are already born is soooo much easier! It may well be the first thing that has been easier post-children. All that walking while 9 months pregs-with-twins just wiped. me. out. And it didn't even send me into labor like I had hoped.

It was crazy cold BUT I was so excited to wear Jared's old, super thick down coat that I coveted all through college--at least the cold winter parts of college. (I told you it was old.) I could barely zip it up over my big belly! I looked like Violet Beauregard except instead of a blueberry, I was an olive. That's okay, Jared loves olives, and I didn't have to worry about him leaving me for them. Because I was one.

By the Rockefeller tree, with the wind shooting pellets of ice/snow into our faces. Totally worth it.

okay, there was more than just climbing

<--Isaac | Bethany-->

In no particular order, at 11 months...

*Isaac started saying no. He has a knack for finding danger. (That's my way of rationalizing that no is one of his first words--he obviously hears it a lot.)

*Neither one is walking or standing unsupported yet. We thought they would take after their daddy and walk by 10 months. Everyone tells me to be okay with this. I am.

*Bethany will point to her ears when you say ears and sometimes her toes when you say toes. But usually she points to the ears whether you say ears or toes.

*Isaac will point to whatever Bethany points to. Or stick out his tongue whenever she does. That mister loves his sister.

*Bethany has different laughs, but the most commonly used one sounds kind of like a crackle. Sometimes I think it's a courtesy laugh. Even still, she's stingy with it.

*Isaac's current favorite mode of transportation is cruising. He will travel along walls, bookshelves, sofas, etc., for as far as they will take him, only crawling when absolutely necessary.

*Bethany continues to defy her pediatrician, who has told us for 3 visits in a row us that she'll shy away from people by the next visit. She still makes friends everywhere she goes. She points them out, literally, with her sweet little index finger. You, be my friend. You, giggle at me. You, smile and wave. You, saw "awwwww."

*Isaac still loves his friends but is beginning to prefer his mama. Yesterday he hung out with Katie for a couple hours while we took Bethany in for round 2 of her flu vaccine (she was too sick when Isaac got his). Katie said that toward the end, Isaac was searching the apartment, saying "mama." I think he was looking for sister, too.

*We bathed them together about a week ago, for maybe the first time ever. It was complete chaos and both Jared & I ended up getting soaked. Not doing that again for a while!

11 months and moving on up!

The twins are 11 months old today!

It's hard to tell what they are doing that's new--it feels like they are just doing more. More babbling, more cruising, more climbing.

Oh, the climbing!! It's going to be the end of me. Just when I thought their nursery was sufficiently babies-proofed, they learned to climb and cannot seem to stop. I do love these pictures though, mostly because of Bethany's deliciously chunky thighs and Isaac's faceplant-climb...

Maybe one day I'll blog about how I expertly reupholstered that chair instead of covering it up with a mattress pad. But for now this is going to be the kind of blog that shows old chairs covered in mattress pads.

Needless to say, we moved that chair away from the window, and out of the room. Sad/painful climbing experience has also led us to make other changes: we moved their swing out of their room, we began a daily ritual of flipping over their ottoman so just the legs poke up (yes, it's less dangerous that way), and now I usually put them in a crib when I have to leave the room even for a minute. They're fast little monkeys! Wow, if at 11 months all I can say is how much they climb, then clearly the exhaustion of chasing them down has really set in.

But oh my, these babies are the best! Before heading out into the cold yesterday, Isaac thought that Bethany was hilarious in her hoodie. He was probably laughing at all her mismatched stripes. I caught it on video with my phone: (wait for the cuddle at 35 seconds! you will die! tell me if you don't die!)

Happy 11th month, babies!

CT thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is Jared's favorite holiday. And while Fourth of July and Christmas still top my list, I do really love that this day is all about family, friends, food, and gratitude. This year we had a short, but great Thanksgiving weekend in Connecticut with some of our favorite friends from UCLA--the Shamos, Martins and Thomases.

Getting there was absolutely insane, I can't not write about it. Jared had to work a full day in the clinic on Wednesday, and there are 2 little ones that would have made a late night trip (how do I put this nicely?)... difficult. So we planned to take the 7:07 AM train to New Haven on Thanksgiving morning. Once you're on it, it's a really pleasant under 2-hour>

I bet right now you are thinking we must have slept in and had a domino effect of drama as a result. If so, I am sorry to say you are wrong but that you must know me very well, so points for that. Here's what really happened (if this feels like the end of Clue, well then that's awesome)...

Somehow we woke up early enough that we realized, if we hurry, we could get on the subway (A train) leaving at 4:18 a.m., transfer to the 7 train at 42nd Street, make the 5:35 train at Grand Central, and get to CT almost 2 hours earlier than planned. If we missed, we would have to wait an hour and a half for the next train at Grand Central. So it was kind of a gamble, but we went for it. We threw those last items in our bags, yanked the kids out of their cribs, made an unexpected diaper and PJ change for a very wet little boy, tossed those babies lovingly into the stroller, and glanced at the clock on our way out the door. It was 4:09. That meant we had only 9 minutes to take our elevator down 19 floors, RUN (literally) a third of a mile (probably), and take 2 more elevators down to the subway platform. Our train pulled up as we went down in that last elevator, and Jared and I panted and laughed and stared at each other in disbelief and then fist bumped as it took us away. It reminded us that we used to do that kind of crazy, by-the-seat-of-our-jeans stuff all the time when we were young and fun, at least 11 months ago.

Sleeping babies, sleepy mama

Finally at New Haven Union Station. They were just putting up their tree.

Our Thanksgiving meal was perfect. Jared made the turkey and gravy; Jen did mashed potatoes, fruit dip and pumpkin cake; I made my Aunt Carol's famous rolls and apple pie; Jaime made two more delicious pies; and Janae made sweet potatoes, green salad, cranberry salad, green bean casserole, several pies, and was an amazing hostess, and made it all look easy and beautiful, aaaand was heard saying "I feel like there's more I should be doing." Rick & Jared M did all the cleaning up. It all went smoothly and deliciously.

Happy first Thanksgiving, babies!

The rest of the weekend was spent relaxing in front of the fireplace, playing with babies, watching Elf and eating leftovers. We also made it out for some early-morning Black Friday shopping (girls only), to Avery's and got a bajillion sodas, to the playground (it was freeeezing but Jared still pushed those kids on the swing like a dedicated dad), and the two Jareds fit in 9 holes of golf. Once again, I didn't get enough pictures of everyone, but at least the babies were well-covered!

Jared waited a long time for the day he could throw his kids around.

By their giggles it seems like they'd been waiting a while too...

Owen, Rick & Isaac

Bethany & the boys drive some race cars

Double-teaming Caleb

Bundled up for a walk

3 sleeping babies

Janae & Isaac

Boys vs girls in Emma's room

Maybe this is where I should include a thankful list. And maybe it sounds cliche but for the last few months I've felt like my heart could burst with gratitude at any moment. For now, let me just say that this Thanksgiving I felt especially grateful for the good people in our lives--the ones we've known forever, the ones we've known for 6 years like our dental school friends (including the ones we missed this weekend!), and especially the little ones we've known for not even 11 months.

tongues of fun

What?! We have tongues??

The twins have made this discovery lately, and Jared caught it on video the other night. Tongue time was cut short by me asking "who's first?" for bath time. But even their reaction to that is pretty adorable.