Introducing....

OWEN JAMES BENJAMIN

and

ELLA CATE ROSE

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born on Friday, September 4th. Owen was born at 11:16pm weighing 4lb11oz and 18in long. Ella was born at 11:18pm weghing 4lb12oz and 17in long.

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What a Friday that was. I went in to Labor and Delivery for some back pain unrelated to labor around 6pm. They monitored the babies for a while and eventually the oncall doctor came in to check me out. The pain she was guessing was due to me being so small and the babies just squishing everything in my rib cage. She decided to check my cervix just in case. She told me I was dialated to a 3 and thinned 75%. I was SHOCKED. She asked what I was the last time I went to the doc. I said I wasn't anything at all. She asked when he checked me last-I said two days ago. She decided that was enough to keep me overnight.

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Once I got admitted into a room my braxton hicks contractions started getting closer together and stronger. I also started having some real labor pains with some pressure. Once I told her this she immediately went and got the oncall doctor from my OB's practice. He came in, didn't check me, but just said we had better get these babies out before your water breaks. WOW. Things were moving so fast.

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The nurse came in, hooked me up to an iv, and gave Jamie his OR outfit. They slapped a hat on my head and whisked me away to the operating room. This is not how I saw the evening going when I first got there. I mean, I almost drove myself to the hospital because I thought I was going to be in and out. I just wanted some pain meds to help me sleep. Now things were moving in fast forward and I couldn't catch my breath.

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Before I knew it I was layed out and the babies were being pulled out of me. It was all such a surreal experience. Luckily the babies were healthy just small and premature. The hardest part was not being able to see the babies until the next day.

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They never had to be put on oxygen which was such a blessing! They were put on an IV for the first 24hrs before being introduced to milk. What is amazing about my hospital's NICU is that they use donor breast milk until your own milk comes in. You actually have to request formula! I just loved that!! They want all the premature babies to get all of the help they can get by giving them all of the antibodies and other things you can only get from breastmilk. Now they are off the IV and solely drinking my milk.

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They are almost all of the way off the heat in their incubators, and are maintaining their body temps. Woo Hoo! Both of their weight has dropped to 4lb7oz. They are so tiny!! I mean teetiny! It took me a while to get comfortable changing their diapers and holding them. They are only bottle feeding 3 times in a 24hr period and being tube fed the rest of the time. We started out bottle feeding every time, but they were just too immature, and were getting too tired. Feeding for them is like exercise...if you try to feed them every time and tire them out, then they end up burning more calories than they are taking in. So, we are tube feeding them so that they can get stronger, save their energy, and really work on learning to suck, swallow and breath on the few bottle feeds they have.

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I have been released from the hospital, and today was the first time we drove to visit them. It was so hard to leave them in the hospital, but with Ava needing us at home, it made it a little easier. I feel like my heart is being torn into two places...home with Ava and the hospital with the twins. I can't wait for them to come home!!!

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I will try and update the blog as much as possible. I am just so completely exhausted from pumping every 3 hrs, dealing with Ava, and going to visit the NICU. Please pray that they will learn how to do this whole feeding thing and will get to come home soon!

(If there are any spelling errors or something doesn't make sense I blame it on lack of sleep!)

Here are some pics from our whirlwind experience...

Getting ready to go to the OR. Scared out of my mind!!!!

Jamie in his get up! HAHAHA!

Last pregnant pic ever!

Owen. He came out SCREAMING and then was completely fine...

When Ella came out she didn't cry. It was only when they started cleaning her that she got mad. :)

Happy both babies are born and doing well.

Owen

Ella

Ella (L) Owen (R)

Getting set up in the NICU just after their birth

Checking Ella out for the first time. I had to wait until the following day until I got to see my babies! :(

Checking Owen out for the first time

with Owen...

Big Brother Hunter and Ella

Admiring her first SON.

Momma holding BOTH of her babies for the FIRST TIME!

Proud Papa and his babies.

Uncle Eric checking out Owen

Grandma and Owen

Grandma Sher Sher and Owen

Ella's dark hair. She has quite a bit!

Aunt Dee Dee and Miss Ella

Miss Tara came to visit!

The happy parents. Can you tell we are already sleep deprived. This was our last visit before we left to go home. :(

My first visit after being released. I was SOOO happy to see them! Although it is hard to leave them in the NICU, I know they are in GREAT hands and are where they need to be. We love all the nurses up there, and have had nothing but good experiences so far.

(today)

Little Man

Owen

She loves to sleep with her mouth open. Hehe.

Ella