Here I am at 36 weeks at the end of December. I was feeling pretty good! A bit more round and the waddle had definitely set in. But all in all - I knew I'd make it to my projected date. The monitoring continued to go well and the babes were doing excellent.
I had an appointment with my OB and everything checked out fine. No swelling. No major contractions. The babies looked good. So we scheduled my C-Section for January 10th. Husband and I continued to procrastinate as we thought we had plenty of time!
I made it through Christmas! I made it through the New Year! Husband and I were high fiving each other on a job well done. January 10th was in sight!
Flash to Sunday, January 6th. The day before I had gone to get my eyebrows waxed, waddled around the mall, and hung out at my parents. Sunday - my back was killing me; which was no different from any other day as my back had been hurting for a good solid month. I mean, I had over 10 pounds of babies in my front! The back was bound to hurt! So I decided to be lazy on Sunday and keep myself on the couch. My dad came over to help Husband put a garage door opener on our 3rd car garage and I thought that would be a fabulous time to take a nap.
I awoke at 4:30 that afternoon and forced myself to get up. I waddled to the bathroom and turned on the shower hoping that would make me feel better. I hadn't taken a shower in about two days (ew. I know). I stop to go potty first and ... uh, wait. Was that my water breaking?! It sure wasn't like you see in the movies ala Sex in the City when Miranda's water breaks over Carrie's shoes. It just felt different...
I think that I'm losing my mind so I start to Google "water breaking" or "feels like when water breaks" and read up. Nothing seemed similar to what I just experienced so I figured I was overanalyzing. And I just wanted to take a shower! But ... I went to the bathroom one more time and it happened again. I decided to call the doctor to just make sure.
I explain what happened and she tells me that it sure sounds like my water is leaking and that I should head to the hospital. Wait ... what?! I'm scheduled to deliver in four days! I haven't taken a shower in three days! I'm not ready to give birth! I stupidly ask her if I could take a quick shower and she assures me that I should get myself to the hospital.
Oh boy.
Thankfully, I did have a hospital bag packed ... sort of. With shaking hands, I quickly grab what is needed and waddle down the stairs to Husband.
Husband is just stepping down off the ladder in the garage when I open the door.
Me: Um...You need to take me to the hospital.
Husband: What?! Why?!
Me: Well, my water broke and the doctor said to come to the hospital.
Husband: Okay. [Not moving - just staring at me]
Me: Um ... we need to go now.
Thankfully, Husband got his rear in gear. I sat in the kitchen crying in fear and excitement. My dad was wonderful and sat with me telling me everything would be okay. And then we were in the car on our way to the hospital.
We drove in silence holding hands. We just thought we had more time to prepare ourselves!
It being Sunday - the hospital was pretty deserted. No wheelchair to take me to the maternity floor. I had to waddle my way there - with my water leaking the entire time. Lovely. We get to the right floor (after taking a detour) and I'm standing for what seemed like ten hours at the Labor and Delivery Desk while they ask me all sorts of questions. And the water is still leaking.
FINALLY we get to a room and I put on a gown so they can start monitoring my belly. Husband had placed calls to the grandparents and they were on their way. We still didn't know if we were going to be delivering the babies that night or if I was going to be sent home. Finally we ask one of the many nurses in the room what is going on and she informs us that we are delivering the boys that night. In fact, here's the guy to put your epidural in! You're headed to the operating room in 15 minutes!
WHAT?!?!
Husband frantically calls our parents again to tell then to hurry. I quickly take this picture so I can text my brothers:
Notice the greasy hair and the look of excited panic.
The epidural wasn't that bad - I think I had a pro inserting it. Then they start to prepare Husband with scrubs and test me to how numb I'm getting. It's such a weird feeling! I'm yawning and shaking uncontrollably, thanks to the drug. And I started to REALLY get freaked out. Thankfully, my parents arrive just as they are about to wheel me into the operating room. So I was able to get a hug and some reassurance from my momma. It helped to calm me.
Once we get in the room - it's all business. I'm transferred to the operating table. Taylor Swift is playing in the background and all I can think about is that I don't want my boys to be born during her annoying "We are never getting back together" song. I'm still shaking and yawning but aware. The doctor doesn't waste any time and we're off and running. Husband stands by my side to watch while I just pray and stare at the ceiling.
I hear Husband gasp: "Oh, cool!" and then I hear our first little boy crying for dear life. Cooper Paul Proost weighing 4 lbs 14 oz and 18 inches long came out first. In the same minute (!) Logan Kenneth Proost followed shortly after weighing 5 lbs 14 oz and 18.5 inches long. Both babies crying and looking absolutely perfect.
I'm crying. Husband is crying and trying to take pictures and videos and make sure I'm okay. He was wonderful. From the time I called the doctor, got to the hospital, and delivered my boys - only 45 minutes had passed!
It was a slow Sunday, so no one was in the recovery room. Both grandparents could join us and we all hung out while the boys had their first baths and I came down from the heavy drugs. It was simply amazing to stare at these little guys and realize that they came out of my belly!
Cooper Paul Proost
Logan Kenneth Proost
We finally made it to our room at 11 p.m. that night. The boys were taken to the nursery so that I could recover (so recommend doing that your first night!). Husband passed out on the couch - but I couldn't sleep. I was just so wired and jazzed. I gave birth! I have sons! All the trials and heartache of the past three years seemed so far away. I'm a mom. I cried a bit and thanked God for the men in my life: Husband, Cooper, and Logan. I thanked God for their health. Both boys did not have to go to NICU - their coloring was perfect and they were able to breath on their own. I made it to 37 and a half weeks - so they think that definitely helped them! I was just so overwhelmed on how blessed I felt (and still feel!).
Our hospital stay was fantastic. The nurses were so helpful! I did struggle a bit with the drugs. While I so appreciate the epidural - it did a number on me. Headaches, nausea ... you name it. It was a bit miserable. Plus just having major abdominal surgery - you can't move as well...
LONG story short (or shortened) - I would do it all agin in a heartbeat. To hold my boys and hear their baby noises or to hear them snoring - it just warms my heart to pieces. Little bitty pieces!
Here they are the day we headed home in Husband's lap. The trip out of hospital is a whole other story ... it will be quite the interesting day when I take the boys out in the real world for the first time! (It's still flu season, people! We're staying inside!!)
I'm so thankful for all the well wishes and prayers people have said for us. Everything went so smooth and we couldn't have asked for any more blessings!
