In The Beginning

I am happy to be linking up with new group called MOMs by MOMs, which is  Mom's Of Multiples on-line type of group in which MOM's link up via the blog world and discuss a weekly topic. Since they are just starting, this first week is an introduction to becoming a MOM (Mom of Multiples) (that still gets me every time.)  You can go HERE to see the linky!

So, welcome to my blog and for those of you who do not know: here is our story!

Sid and I met in 2007, right around this time of year, we got engaged a few months later in August of 2007, and were married a few months after that in October of 2007.  We lived in an old rent house and Sid would not even let me talk about trying to have a baby as long as we lived there.  In February, 2008, we bought our house and talk began.  In April, 2008 I started charting my basal temp and in May, 2008 we had our first positive home pregnancy test.  That positive test brought us Bailey in December, 2008!

As most of you know, she was a sick little thing and spent much of her first year of life in the hospital and had to have a major surgery on her airway.  Once we got her settled, we decided we really didn't want anymore children.  She was perfectly healthy and we were happy as could be in our little family of 3. 

I always dread telling this next part because I know there are MANY people out there who struggle and MANY God-fearing couples who long to have what came so easily to us.  Trust me, we don't take it for granted, but I kid you not when I say we were done.  Both of us would tell you if you asked that there would be no more and both of us truly felt that way.  So, on January 28, 2011, when I took a home pregnancy test and it turned positive, we were shocked and if the truth be told, probably a little upset.  So, you can imagine our shock to find out on February 1, 2011, that we were indeed 5 weeks pregnant with not one, but two babies who already had detectable heartbeats! 

Since I'm being honest, I will tell you that the news was such a shock to me that I walked around in a daze for a few months. I just could not picture in my head what two more babies was going to be like on top of having Bailey.  I still probably couldn't put into words what it's like.

 We found out in April, 2011 that both Baby A and Baby B were girls and THAT was something else that was a shock.  I never in all my life would have guessed that I, of all people, would be a mom to 3 girls, two of which were twins.

I had very uneventful pregnancy.  I felt good, I had lots of help, I wanted healthy things to eat, and was never sick. This was total contrast to my pregnancy with Bailey.  Night and Day!  But this was an answered prayer because with Bailey, I was sick just about the whole time and had blood pressure problems, on top of other stuff like carpel tunnel and restless legs.  It was terrible.

On August 11, 2011, Sid and I went out to eat and to the casino to see the Chicago concert.  On Friday, August 12, 2011, we dropped Bailey off at daycare and headed for my weekly appointment at 33 weeks gestation.  It was dead-dog summer in Mississippi, my feet were starting to swell, sleep had gone away and I was struggling to breathe, but I still felt good.  Apparently, the doctor did not like what he saw, because he took one look at me and announced it was time. 

Ya'll, when I say I flipped out, I mean I started crying so hard that I could not even talk. I could not call my parents - I had to email my dad.  It was terrible.  Most people check into the hospital and are happy to be having their baby.  Not me, I remember standing at the L&D desk and the lady just looking at my like I had three heads.  I was just beside myself because I knew it was too early and I could not bear the thought of my tiny babies being the NICU like Bailey had been, and being on all those machines.  It was terrible.  The neonatologist came in and he was really reassuring, but I was so disappointed in myself for not being able to make it a few more weeks in order to just be able to bring the girls directly home from the hospital. 

 Baby A, Elissa Marie, and Baby B, Ellie Jane, were born at 33 weeks gestation.  But I'll leave the birth part for next week, as I think that's what next weeks topic is.  

 I will end this post by saying we become POMs (parents of multiples) only by the grace of God.  Only because God saw it fit that Sid and I were worthy of being called Mom and Dad by two more of his angles.  There is nothing in world like growing and birthing TWO perfectly healthy happy babies.  All babies are miracles, but how special am I that I got TWO of His miracles at one time.  Like I said, I know there are millions of couples out there who would literally die to have our luck and I don't take that for granted.  I try to remember on a daily basis how fortunate we are and how much we are loved by the King to be His keepers of these beautiful souls.  It is not lost on me what we have.  But I do feel we have a simple story on how we got to be parents to twin baby girls.  It's just so ironic because we were DONE, and I mean that with all sense of the word, but the Good Lord had other plans and clearly we were not done.  I look forward to sharing our journey with you and hearing your stories and hopefully learning how to be a better mom to my girls!

Thanks for stopping by and sorry there are no pictures. I'll do better next post, promise!!!