Happy Birthday

One year ago today was the best day of my life. It started out on Monday when Dan and I attended our weekly Dr. appt with Dr. Powalski. We were so sure that he would be giving us a date to induce me. I was 37 weeks and we had heard previously that with twins. many Dr's don't go past 36 weeks. So when we met with Dr. Powalski he said that everything looked good and I could keep going if I wanted or we could schedule a c-section. I guess they avoid inducing twins because it ends up being very distressful to the second baby. So we went home and thought about it. Dan was all for a c-section he had vacation planned around this time and he was ready to meet the babies. I was content to keep on going being nervous that somehow they had to come out and it wouldn't be very comfortable either way. Plus they were so easy to take care of when they were INSIDE or me. Any way after much discussion we called the lady at the office back who schedules the sections. Since we were talking about selecting birthdays wouldn't it be cool if they could be born in the part of June where the sign is Gemini and the symbol for Gemini is twins? The last day for that would be June 20th. So Melissa (the scheduler) said that she had to secure another Dr (because there must be two Dr's for twins) and she would call us back. We didn't hear from Melissa all day on Monday and not until late Tues did I call her to find out. When I did call her she was shocked I had waited so long. And I was thinking she was trying to find another random Dr who I hadn't met. I just thought any Dr would do. But I was thrilled to find out that she was trying to schedule a Dr. from the practice that I was a patient at. I had met with all the Dr's throughout my pregnancy and was so excited to find out that Dr. Weissmann had agreed to assist on Wed morning. In less than twenty four hours Dan and I would meet our babies!!!

So we called everyone to tell them the news. My parents came to Buffalo for the night and took us out to Red Lobster. After that my dad drove back to Rochester and my mom spent the night. Dan and I had to be at the hospital at 5:30 in the morning so I packed my hospital bag that night. Being pregnant with twins at 37 weeks and I didn't have my bag already packed?? Pretty funny I know. Anyway that morning we woke up and yes I did sleep great. Many said I wouldn't be able to sleep at all. We checked into the hospital and got things started. The nurse came in and gave Dan his outfit for the operating room. She told him not to put them on for awhile because he would be hot. But he was too nervous and excited to listen so he put them on and he was ---hot.

So then the nurse came into put my catheter in. This was pain like I have never felt. I went from being excited about the big day to thinking I can't wait until this is over and when its over I will not want to see or talk to anyone because I am feeling M*I*S*E*R*A*B*L*E. The nurse did say that when my body got used to it, it wouldn't be as bad and lo and behold there was light at the end of the tunnel. Just before we went in the operating room I was thinking that is isn't so bad.

One of the best parts about my experience was my Anesthesiologist. I wish I remembered his mane. he was so funny and took the time to explain everything. I know if he wasn't there my experience would not be the same. He did a spinal and it wasn't even I big deal as I had been dreading. It just felt like a bee sting. Couldn't believe that they were telling me that I had to flip from gurney to table and back while not feeling anything. They said they would help me and I just kept thinking --do you realize how much I weigh? Even without my 70lbs of baby weight? I am going to end up numb and on the floor. But somehow we all did it. They are probably still on physical therapy. So they hooked my up to a bunch of stuff including the dreaded heart rate monitor on my finger that I wanted to rip off as it made my finger go painfully numb. When I couldn't stand it anymore I asked to switch fingers and so it went to every finger except my thumb until they were all numb. ERRR. And then -whatever meds they were giving me I was feeling severe nauseous. All I could keep thinking was that I dont want to fell this way the first time I meet my babies. I don't want them to say "Its a girl" and I turn to the side and throw up. That's not what i had been envisioning all this time. So when I told them I was feeling nauseous they would push a liter of some fluid and I would feel better and then that would wear off and we would start the cycle all over again. That must have been about twelve times at least.

Then Dan came in and we were ready to start. When Dr. Powalski said here comes "baby number one . Dad stand up and look over the curtain if you want to see" I was shocked that Dan actually stood up. There had been much debate over this topic. I told Dan that I wanted him to watch the whole thing , and I wanted the full report about what they removed and what it looked like. Dan said no way. So I really didn't think he would stand up. But as Dan stood up to watch they were pulling my stomach back and pulling out the baby that Dan describes as a football and Dr. Powalski says Its a girl!!! Dan started sobbing and I was in shock that it was a girl? I was thinking --Oh yeah I forgot this is what I was waiting for. I forgot I didn't know this. I was waiting to hear the baby cry and that the baby was healthy. Finding out that it was a girl was an added bonus. So they held her right up and she was dripping allover my face but I didn't care and then I started crying. I couldn't believe how beautiful she was. Weeks before I mentioned to Dan "what if they are not cute Dan" He said I was being crazy and maybe I was but somewhere in the back of my mind I was thinking what would happen if... and then I saw her and I was like how could I have thought that? I was crazy.Even with her swollen little newborn eyes I thought she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

And then Dr. Powalski said "...And here comes the boy!!! " And then the exact same thing happened again except when I saw "the boy" I couldn't believe how beautiful he was but how much he didn't look like his sister. I thought they would both look like meshes of Dan and me. Not one look like Dan and one look like me. And then Dan kept taking pictures and running back to give me the report. And I kept telling Dan to go take more pics. After that I went into recovery and Dan brought out the babies to the waiting room to where my mom was waiting. My mom wasn't even sure what was going on. the lady at the other side of the wall gestured her to walk to the door and when she did on the other side were Dan and the babies greeted her. She just stood there and for a little bit didn't know if they were boys or girls.

Shortly after Ann (Dan's mom) and his sister Lynn came as well as my friend Heather. We all had fun in recovery taking turns holding the babies before they had to get their baths taken. I still don't know what happened to Dan during this 2 hour time span. He said he was making phone calls. Later on that day my dad came up when he got out of work and we all just studied and loved the babies. And that is what we did until Saturday which I will blog about another time.

So one year ago my life changed forever. It has been quite the year. I cannot believe these babies are ours. How lucky and blessed we are . They are so amazing and I love them so much.

Happy Birthday Kamryn !

Happy Birthday Christian !