Happy “Would Be” Birthday to the little Clams!!!

Today is their “official” due date. It’s crazy to think they were born 6 weeks early and would just now be entering our lives. While I wouldn’t wish the NICU on anyone, I’m glad we’ve been able to have our babies home with us these past weeks. They are truly our little miracles and we love them to bits. Jeff is the best dad I could ever hope for, these little babies are very lucky. Mommy is very lucky as well since Jeff takes such good care of them and is such a night owl I’m able to get between 4-5 hours of uninterruped sleep every night which makes for a very happy, non stressed mom. Last night I slept for 9 hours!!! NINE HOURS. Are you kidding me right now!?!?! Thank you sugar for all of your hard work and support!

The other day we watched the video of their birth . I was so drugged up at the birth it was fun to see what took place since the memories are a bit hazy. On October 2, 2006, I went to see the Perinatologist because my blood pressure had been in the 90-100’s all weekend. Anything over 80 (diastolic) is concerning and since I had protein in my urine they were concerned about Pre-eclampsia (pregnancy induced hypertension). They hooked me up to the monitors, took my blood pressure and very matter of factly sent me to the hospital -  little did I know that this was the day the babies would be born. They hooked me up to all of the monitors, put an IV line in, and told me to call my husband because the babies were going to be born in one hour. ONE HOUR!!!! Jeffs work is an hour away, there was no way he was going to make it on time and I was FREAKING OUT. Thankfully they postponed the C-Section until Jeff could get to the hospital. I was frantically calling all of my family members to see who could go to our house and get the camera and video camera. Auntie Angela came to the rescue getting both cameras to the hospital in time. The anesthesiologist arrived and inserted the epidural block for the C-Section. It didn’t feel very good and since the first attempt didn’t work he had to do it a second time. Ugh. I was so nervous when he was putting the needle in my blood pressure shot up to 124! Yikes. Jeff finally gets to the hospital and with my mom they “suit up” in scrubs and masks.

Of all of the hazy details I remember the clearest is of being so thirsty. I had not had anything to eat or drink for like 7 hours and I was so thirsty I kept ranting and raving about wanting Starbucks, but I’d settle for water. I also was going on and on about not having Gestational Diabetes anymore and I wanted brownies, ice cream, candy bars, and cookies. Oh and of course Angies carrot cake. By the way sissy - you still owe me the cake! =)

 The nurses came and wheeled me to the operating room where they finished hooking me up to monitors, getting my belly ready for the surgery, and getting the beds ready for the babies. There were seriously like 16 nurses and doctors in the room waiting for the little clammies.

 The next thing I know the doctor is asking me if I feel anything. I assume he’s poking me or whatever they do to make sure you’re numb. Oh no - they had already cut into me and were getting ready to pull Shenzie out! Talk about easy facheesie. At 5:33 p.m little Shenzie Weather was born. 4 pounds 9 ounces of pure beauty!

One minute later at 5:34 p.m Heaten Grey arrived. 5 pounds 8 ounces the cutest boy in the world!

They cleaned them up, put them on oxygen, and rushed them to the NICU.

 The short trip to the NICU from the operating room was one of the few times they were able to be together. It was sad that almost the entire time they spent in the NICU they had to be seperated.

You’ve come a long way little babies - we love you so much!