The Story Of Them...

This past Saturday, I sat back and took a short but memorable stroll down memory lane... I recalled how I woke so early in the morning two years ago on the 19th, thinking I needed to use the bathroom... Upon standing up I immediately felt that telltale gush that I knew so well from the descriptions in books, magazines, and even my own words to patients. I remember so calmly walking into the bathroom somehow fumbling to grab a towel, and patiently waiting for the gushing waters to subside... After cleaning myself up, I calmly walked in, and nudged Jon letting him know that my water had broken and it was time. He woke with a frenzied look in his eyes, worried that something was wrong, that it was too early, that I wasn't ok... Turns out I was more than ok... I was elated. As sad as I was that my body hadn't made it further in the pregnancy, this time around I was going into labor... I could feel the contractions slowly coming on now that my water had broken. This, more than anything, was what I wanted. My body knew what to do...
I took the time to get showered, to post a quick blog letting everyone know what was going on, and to get the boys breakfast... I knew that today would be the girls birthday... I was in no hurry to make it happen.
Once Jon and I were in the car, the realization that I was only at 34.4 weeks set in, and I did have a mild freak out. I told Jon that I was going to ask Dr. McCoy if she could try to hold me off for another 3 days just to get me 35 weeks... It seemed so silly, but at the same time, the girls could get some steroids for their lungs... It might make all the difference right? Jon argued that it probably wouldn't make an ounce of difference and she was probably not going to let me wait... But to feel free to ask. The first words out of mouth as I walked into L&D was that I wanted Dr. McCoy paged and that I needed to talk to her about the possibility of this just being a high leak, and maybe it would reseal itself. After getting settled and being on the monitor for about an hour, my doctor called and I spoke with her. She let me know that regardless of the possibility of it being a high leak, I was in a good pattern now for delivery, and even though I wasn't dilated we needed to deliver the girls because of my huge risk of uterine rupture. Since I had just had a c-section for the boys a mere 13 months earlier, the strain on my uterine muscle was considered to be huge. They worried that the girls pushing against that old incision line would possibly cause my uterus to tear, risking my unborn babies lives, as well as my own. After hearing that, I succumbed to the inevitable and then told Dr. McCoy I had one last question..Since baby A was head down, could I try for a vaginal delivery? She laughed really hard at me, and told me she'd see me in the operating room, I took that as a no.
After hanging up the phone, and telling Jon that today was most certainly going to be the girls birthday, my contractions really started picking up. Our nurses were pretty consistently asking me if they were a normal contraction, or if I was having any abnormal pain with them... Since I had never really had these types of contractions, I could only tell them that they hurt. We were waiting very patiently for my OB to finish up her morning patients, so that she could come over on her lunch break and deliver the girls. It meant a lot to me for her to do this... Seeing her bustle through the door, red hair everywhere, I felt instantly at ease.
Before I knew it I was prepped, my spinal was placed, and I was laying half naked on the OR table that I seemed so familiar with. It seemed like I had just done this, like I had just been here... But unlike with the boys, the fear, trepidation, and anxiety that surrounded me wasn't present. I remember getting a little nauseous from my anesthesia and thinking this is ruining my moment! Make it go away! As Dr. McCoy began the girls birth, she told Jon that he was in completely the wrong place for taking good pictures and that he needed to be down closer to my feet... She was a riot, she was a good Doctor, and a wonderful friend... At one point she told me that unless I wanted a crooked incision I would need to stop laughing. That's just how much fun we were having... As the girls were pulled out, one by one, I felt relief...It was over, I had done it... They were here. I heard Dr. McCoy pointing out to Jon the "window" in my uterus where they could see Lilley's face and hand directly through my uterine wall... The contractions and stress on my uterus had thinned me out that much. The decision to deliver me when we did, was perfect. It was possible that if she had listened to me, and let me labor, or let me try to deliver the girls naturally, my uterus would have ruptured... Costing me my girls, my uterus, possibly my life...
Looking back on all of that though, it still absolutely makes me want to do it all over again. The memories are so vivid and clear... I am in absolute denial over the fact that my babies are toddlers... Everyday they are growing up so fast, and yet I'm still clinging to the hope that they will stay my babies. I praise God everyday for giving me the ideal birth experience with them... It may not have been the ideal that I thought that I wanted, but it was ideal after the fact... It could not have been more perfect. My two daughters were brought into a room filled with warmth, love, friendship, and laughter... I hope that the rest of their life emanates the feelings that were felt in that day...

That Baby Girls... Is what I wish for you... Warmth, Love, Friendship, Laughter, and most importantly Love...

Happy Birthday Babies...You will forever be my Baby Girls...

Comments

[rachel]

what a great story! they are just the sweetest little things...you have been blessed indeed.

[Jen Mullinax]

I don't know how I missed this post. Happy Birthday to your sweet girls...hard to belive it's been two years...what blessings they have been to your family. I can't wait to read about what the future holds for these two!!:) Love to you all, J

[Kelly A]

Do you think Lilley looks like you??!!!

Your girls are precious Jessica! I hope they had a Wonderful Birthday!! :)

[The FarmHouse Kids]

Happy Happy Birthday little girlies! I hope it was wonderful and you had lots of fun.

Tanya

[Keira]

Happy birthday girls...it is so evident that you are completely adored and intensely loved by your parents...just look at those happy faces we see all over the blog!

[katie]

No matter how old, they will always be your Baby Girls and they know it!
Very sweet.

[pam]

aww, happy birthday girlies! what a great story. :D

[Lori]

Happy birthday girls! My water broke the night before yours did. Since I was 36.1 weeks with my triplets my c-section experience was pretty relaxed and good too. It was time and I was happy to meet my babies. How in the world can they be 2 already?

[Kelly]

Happy Birthday beautiful girls!!

[canape]

Happy birthday sweet girls!

I loved hearing the story.

[Brandy]

Happy Birthday Girls! Your girls are two days younger than my boys, who were born at 30 weeks.

[Peapodsquadmom]

Awww...misty moments.

Happy birthday, beautiful girls!

[rachael]

oh. my. gosh. that was so sweet, jessica! you gave me goosebumps and tears filled my eyes! happy birthday!

[Erika]

Happy Birthday to your precious baby girls!

[Midwest Mommy]

HI, I have you in my blogroll and love stopping by to see how the kiddos are.
Can I ask were the twins a surprise pregnancy? I just had my son 5 months ago and I had always heard how fertile you could be after birth.
They are adorable!

Oh and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!