Land of McGovernville

I was getting Jack down from the table after a snack and I turned around

to find this

and then to make things more interesting, she did this

notice, if you will, the black pillow just below the right chair…just in case I couldn’t get to her fall (if she did) quick enough.  From you know, 2 feet away. 

This sweet little girl is going to give her Mommy a run for her money.

I was pampered with such luxeries as Starbucks drinks from my friend Mandy, a foot massage from a nurse in training(not kidding) and my own personal nurses (not 1 but 2 of them!).  My doctor, Dr Wilson who I absolutely loved, broke my water and started pitocin. We laughed and joked around while waiting for labor to start.  My mom, who is imfamous for such things, suggested we take a poll to see who would guess the closest to delivery time.  She guessed sometime around 3pm and I guessed “5:04 and Ruby would come out 5 minutes later.”   To this day even though everyone remembers the conversation, I wish we had it on video.  

Thankfully it wasn’t long before my body started to go into labor on its own, so the pictocin was stopped.  I was so happy to be completely on my own…no drugs for pain, no drugs for producing labor!  I loved it!  Ok, so I lied, transition was hard, but I kept reminding myself that soon it would be time to push.  All of a sudden the pain stopped.  I knew that meant my body was gearing up for go time.  I asked that my doctor come back to check me.  Right away I apollogized, I thought maybe I wasn’t ready and I was imagining things.  Dr Wilson was pleased to announce that I was 10 cm and ready to go.  It was a mad dash to rush to the OR.  I remember being wheeled down the hallway as I tried my best to refrain from pushing despite my inner most desire to do so.  I looked up to see Mandy carting a video camera on a tripod next to my bed, my mom frantically running with her camera and I felt Brian stroking my head.  It just felt surreal.  I was about to give birth to TWO babies! 

We got into the OR in record time, then again it helped that my labor room was just feet away.  As soon as we arrived I was told to “hop up” onto another table.  I must have looked at the doctor’s like they had two heads because they immediately started to help me move.  I was finally given the go ahead to push.  I was so focused on breathing and pushing Jack out that I hadn’t even noticed the crowd forming in the room.  Jack was out quickly.  I waited and waited to hear a scream, a cry or just a peep from him.  It felt like forever, but I am sure it was just seconds before hearing his cries. 

**warning might be TMI**

I felt better for a split second then remembered that I had a second baby that had to come out.  Via breech extraction.  As another doctor watched via ultra sound, Dr Wilson grabbed Ruby’s feet (yup, she was still inside me which meant Dr Wilson was too) and helped aid her down to the exit door.  It seemed like a long time, but I know it was less then a minute, but I pushed and out came sweet little Ruby. 

After it was all said and done I finally remembered to ask what time they were born.  I was told that Jack was born at 5:04 pm and Ruby 5:09pm.  Wow, I guessed right on! 

At first Jack had a low resting heart rate and they were concerned with his blood sugar.  After some time in the NICU and forcing him to nurse (which we don’t have to do at all nowdays) he was fine.  Ruby on the other hand was released to our room right away. 

Parenting twins over the past year has changed our life in ways I could never imagine.  For starters I can’t begin to count how many times we are stopped by random people on a daily basis.  I can’t tell you how many times we are given comments, usually kind and well meaning, but not always.  The countless feedings and diaper changes (around 700 this year!!), then waking up to feed them not once, but twice!  On top of that we are supposed to have patience, love, grace and forgiveness with them and one another.  That just isn’t easy to come by for a normal person let alone someone with newborn twins.  Somehow, it happened.  Everyday was something new to learn.  Everyday was a new day to try out this whole family of 6 thing again.  Everyday we were given the chance to try our best.  Everyday we prayed. 

It is just hard to believe that we made it.  I take that back, it isn’t so hard to believe that we made it as much as it is just amazing that we made it.  These babies, Jack Owen and Ruby Adeline must have some patience.  Well, we know Ruby does, lol.  These babies have had to wait as we figure out how to do this whole twin parenting thing on top of parenting two other kids and having a strong marraige.  It isn’t a cake walk.  It was well worth it though.  I have said this for years and I will say it again, Life is Good.

Happy Birthday
Jack Owen and Ruby Adeline

Thank you for the past year.  I have enjoyed being your Mommy and I look forward to year after year with you.  I love you both!

We headed over to here to continue our coffee drinking and conversation:

We chatted away until the wee hours of the morning.  We ended our first date with a hug, which I loved.  I walked away knowing I met a wonderful man and as they say, the rest is history.  Fast forward a few years, a couple job layoffs, some apartment moves, a wedding, college, an Army enlistment and a few pregnancies and you have a family of 6 seperated by a deployment, but held together by a faith in God and a great marraige. 

It was interesting to sit at Kerbey Lane and watch all the people and think about how much that place meant to me.  On March 16th 1997 I had no idea that 3 years and 2 days later the man sitting across from me nervously blowing napkins across the table would ask me to marry him.  I had no idea that 11 years and 2 days later I would give birth (for the last time) to a set of twins, his twins.  I also had no idea that the man with a gotee and shaggy hair would become a soldier and go overseas to fight for his country time and time and time again.  I am pretty sure I would have laughed in your face if you would have told me any of this back then.  Not that I couldn’t imagine being married to Brian, but I couldn’t imagine such a life.  Such an amazing life. 

The only thing that could have made today better, would be Brian by my side enjoying it with us.