Know what's awesome at 4:07 a.m.?

Spit up down your cleavage. Oh yes.

Our 2-For-1 Birth Story

Well, obviously my last OB appointment didn't go quite as expected. Instead of begging and pleading with my doctor to get these babies OUT, she surprised me by suggesting it herself. As I was sitting there running through my persuasive arguments and plan of attack, she popped her head into the exam room, said she was going to make a few calls, and see if she couldn't get us into the hospital that. very. day!

What?!? Hurray! Hallelujah! Praise all that is holy!

When she came back, she told me to march myself and my bag straight over to labor & delivery. The risk of me becoming preeclamptic over the week-end was more pressing than the risk of delivering the boys a little early. Besides I was already 36 weeks and 3 days pregnant, which is more than enough for twins, and I knew they were over 6 lbs each so the danger of them being underweight was minimal.

I cannot even describe the mix of shock and excitement going through me as I called Greg to tell him it's time! Get your booty down to the hospital!

I checked into labor & delivery. They took me back to the recovery room, hooked me up to about a million monitors and wires, and there I sat, fighting the nervous urge to pee until Greg showed up to calm my nerves.

Once there, he snapped my last belly picture, probably ever.

Me, bloated and huge and a bundle of nerves

My doc had set up the delivery for 6:30 p.m., which meant Greg and I would be sitting around going stir crazy for another hour. But shortly after 5, the nurses told me that my doc had called & we were starting a little early. I was again relieved and shocked - we had no time to freak ourselves out too badly, but everything was also happening so fast!

They wheeled me into the OR. While Greg waited out in hall, they set me up for surgery. I don't know if it was freezing in there or they put something in my IV or if I was just that nervous, but I was shaking uncontrollably at this point. And I do mean uncontrollably. It was weird. I had never felt anything like it before.

In the middle of my shivers, the anesthesiologist went to work. I leaned forward onto the shoulders of a nurse, while he dug his hands into my spine searching for the gap in my vertebrae to start the spinal block. Believe it or not, this was the most painful part of my whole c-section. Because I was so swollen, he had to dig and dig his thumbs into my back. Ouch! He must have finally found the sweet spot because soon I felt the needle and the sting of the medicine as he injected it. Ouch again! As my legs started going numb, the nurses positioned me for surgery - another odd feeling to have people move your limbs around for you while you have no control. It's an odd vulnerable feeling, especially because I was being splayed out for what felt like all the world to see.

The gang of nurses all hanging out, waiting for the show

Finally the sheet for a curtain went up and Greg came in to join me.


I was lying there, listening to the docs discuss a kickball team they were creating and began to feel a few tugs. I turned to Greg and asked, have they started yet? Greg peaked over the curtain and said yep. Greg could see my insides!

So apparently Joseph, Baby A, wasn't willing to come out at first. That's when I felt them pressing on my chest to presumably move the babies lower down in my abdomen. More pressing. And more pressing. I couldn't breath and began to silently freak out a bit. But then we heard that first precious cry! Greg and I just looked at each other, wide eyed and stunned.

I'm pretty sure this is not allowed, but no one seemed to notice when Greg peaked over the curtain again and took this shot!

Baby Joseph enters the world

And soon more pressing and more breathless near-panic. And Greg snuck this shot in.

Luke's little legs making an entrance (or exit)

More precious crying as the babies were whisked over to the heaters.

Greg didn't know what to do at this point, but I told him to go with the babies while they began stitching me back up. So I lied there just listening to those sweet, little cries.

Baby Luke getting cleaned up - one of the few shots where you can't see their boy bits

Finally I got to meet my new family. We still can't believe that we made these guys! They're just so beautiful and precious!

Luke on the left, Joseph on the right, Daddy beaming

Off to the nursery with Daddy - I missed them... :)

While I was being closed up, Greg went with the boys to the nursery.

Getting footprints

Double duty Dad

Joseph bonding with Daddy's finger

I love these next two pictures because you can see just how handsome my boys are. :) You can also see a lot of differences in their looks.

Luke finds this birth thing utterly exhausting

While Joseph is just very, very confused by the whole ordeal

I was wheeled into our room and patiently waited for my new family to rejoin me.

Meeting the boys properly - me & Joseph

Greg and Luke

My mom drove in from West TX and met the boys at about 11 p.m. that night.

Mimi in heaven

Mommy in heaven

I still can't believe these sweet, little guys are ours. We just love them so much!

New

Joseph Dylan and Luke Asher made their first appearance in this world a little early, much to mommy's delight.

They were born on Thursday, June 4th at 5:56 and 5:57 p.m. Joseph was first, weighing 6 lbs 8 oz and measuring 19.75 inches long. Luke came next, weighing 6 lbs 4 oz and was 18.75 inches long. Their first names are both family names - Joseph after Greg's father and Luke after my maternal grandpa. We took this picture from our hospital bed early on Saturday morning. Joseph is on the left with thick, dark hair and mommy's nose (sorry about that, little guy). Luke is on the right with lighter and curlier hair and daddy's chin dimple. :)

Both are doing well. I'm still recovering from the c-section, of course, and will be for a while yet. Greg is a superstar at diaper changes and swaddling. My mom has been an absolute blessing in helping us figure out this whole baby thing. :)

We're, quite frankly, exhausted but loving every minute of being new parents to these beautiful baby boys.

Lots of love,
Larisa & Greg & Joseph & Luke
xxx

A Super Early Father's Day Present

Our friends Mike & Amy, the same ones who sent us a boat-load of boy clothes not too long ago, mailed us another two boxes of baby stuff! One included a father's day present for Greg -a tool belt stocked with toys, books, burp clothes, diaper rash cream, gas drops, and some other cute stuff.

Greg sporting his manly new toy

Thanks, guys! :)