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Sinner saved by grace. Wife to a cute preacher. Momma to 2 precious baby boys. Blessed beyond measure. And I deserve none of it.

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Saturday, December 28, 2013

1 week old= First Christmas

The boys were very excited that their 1 week birthday fell on Christmas. Due to me being a paranoid first time mom and their dr.'s orders, Christmas was a little different this year. We didnt even get to see my family bc they were passing around a virus. As disappoiting as it was to not see my family, we had a sweet Christmas with the Jerkins' and then just us as a new family of 4. 








Next christmas will def be crazier as we chase around two 1 year olds!





Friday, December 27, 2013

Twin Update: 37 weeks- December 18, 2013

37 weeks:

Wednesday, December 18 was not only my 37 week marker, but also what I was hoping to be my last dr.'s appointment. My appointment was set for 9:30a.m. The 2 days prior I had been cleaning the whole house, doing laundry, pushing on what were suppose to be pressure points to induce labor and still... the babies were in tact. We and so many prayed them to stay put and now I thought we were for sure going to have to pray them out!

8:00a.m.- I got up with my enormous belly and prepared for my appointment.
9:00a.m.- We walked out the door with hospital bags hopeful she'd send us straight to the hospital. (Remember the week prior I was 90% effaced and 2-3cm dialated while still on my meds. Now that I was off my meds and having tons of contractions (none of which were close enough together) and working myself to death I thought, surely I have progressed a ton!

9:30ish-Ultrasound- boys looked great but would not allow our sweet tech to see them flex in certain ways. This made their bio profile score not as acceptable as they'd like to see so they hooked me up to a heart/contraction monitor. Boys hearts were great and I was having several contractions.

10:00ish- Dr. came in and checked my progress on the monitor. She asked if I had eaten breakfast... duh... Of course I had. I don't miss meals especially while growing 2 people... I am always hungry. I told her I had and she said, "well shucks, if you hadn't I could have done your c-section at noon."

WHAT?!

Probably the only time I have ever regretted eating a meal! 

She checked me and I had not progressed anymore since the last week. Are you kidding me?! So that was not working in my favor... but the lack of complete info from the bio profile had my dr. a bit concerned. She stepped out of the room and spoke with another dr. I tried not to get my hopes up. I was only 37 weeks and knew she wouldn't take them until 38 weeks.... unless there was reason for concern. Though I wanted healthy babies I was okay with her being overcautious and taking them early.

She stepped back in the room and said, "how does 4:00p.m. sound?"

I just about fell off the table.

I said, "4:00p.m. today?!"

She said, "yep. Go home get your stuff and be at the hospital at 2:00." I was in disbelief. We were going to meet our boys today!

I think we both walked out of there on a cloud. By then it was after 12:00pm. We hurried home, showered and made sure we had everything we needed. An hour and a half later we walked out of the door for the last time as a family of 2 knowing that when we walked back in those doors we'd have 2 precious boys with us. What a surreal moment.

After getting checked in and hearing the details of what was specifically fixing to happen, I still couldn't believe after all this time of bed rest and dr.'s appointments.... the boys were coming... today. 

I kissed d as they wheeled me to the surgery room. (It was nothing like I had imagined it to look.) The spinal they gave me was a piece of cake. As my lower body became more and more numb I knew it was just a matter of minutes. The drape in front of my face went up and in came d suited up and he sat next to my head. The fantastic anesthesiologist was on my other side constantly checking on me. In what seemed like no time I heard the dr. say, "Dad, here comes the first baby." He stood to video it. I heard sweet Jude cry for the first time and I lost it. It was happening. My babies were being born. The dr. asked d what his name was. As D barely choked out a response, I knew he too was feeling what I was... God's undeserving goodness and faithfulness being poured out on us in that surgery room.

In what seemed like 2.2 seconds later I heard, "Dad, here comes the other one." Then I heard a second cry that also stole my heart. Not only did I have one precious boy but now two. Jude and Luke were here and healthy... born at 37 weeks and were perfect.



Jude Ryan Jerkins
5:17p.m.
5lbs 9oz

Luke David Jerkins
5:19p.m.
5lbs 7oz

D was over taking pictures and then coming back to me to show them to me. Then as if a switch was flipped I began to feel sick. I was warned that was a side affect. I couldn't throw up but sure felt like I could. My anesthesiologist quickly gave me meds and soon they did their job. I was wheeled to recovery while the boys went to the nursery to be checked and bathed. Once D made sure I was settled and ok he then went to introduce our families to the boys.

As the meds, began wearing off, I was then wheeled up to our room. This was when the reality of surgery smacked me across the face or rather across the abdomen. I was somehow suppose to move my still numb self from one bed to another. As I proceeded to attempt to move, excruciating pain sored through my gut. It was seriously as if someone was stabbing me with a knife. My not so compassionate nurse assured me I had to move and that I should do so quickly. I could have slapped her. I was sobbing from the pain but finally made it onto my bed. Poor d was helpless to do anything but comfort me once I finally got settled. Oxycodone and Diladin were not touching my pain. Finally I got a Percocet and it changed my life. Finally at 12:30a.m. I was up to seeing my boys.

As they were wheeled in I couldn't believe it. They were mine. I was soon looking into the 2 faces that had grown, kicked, and flipped inside of me. I was in love. No one adequately prepares you for the love that you feel for a person(s) that you've known for so little time. 




The next few days were some of the sweetest of my life. Watching the man I love hold and take care of my 2 newest loves... indescribable. 





Welcome to our world, Jude and Luke!

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Twin Update: 36 weeks

36 weeks:

Cravings: sandwiches, nutrigrain bars, oreos/milk, choc milk... and it paid off because the scale read 200.2lbs. 

After a much disappointing dr.'s visit last week... where I was told to stay on bed rest yet another week, I was trying to not get my hopes up for this week. It was not in the least bit disappointing though!!!

The most exciting things:
-I can now ease off bed rest
-I can take my last pill Sunday night
-My c-section is scheduled

Now let me explain... 

1. Easing off bed rest means "easing." I will hang low all weekend doing some minor things and then really start doing things next week. This was per dr.'s request because she's going out of town this weekend and wants me to wait until she gets back. So starting Monday it's Operation Get These Boys Out! First on the list... go get my nails done! My precious nail lady has been coming to my house once a month and doing my finger nails and painting my toes, but I am so looking forward to sitting in that pedicure chair!!!

2. I have been on a pill called Procardia since September that I take 3 times a day to keep my contractions at bay. It ultimately is suppose to relax my uterus. She said I can take my last one Sunday night.... so contractions will probably really start on Monday. I told D it's kind of scary because that pill has been such an essential part of my life and the health of our babies! I guess its more confirmation of God's protection and grace that the medicine worked and now our babies are healthy enough to be born.

3. We spent most of the time talking about scheduling my c-section. She said she never expected us to make it this far so she never thought to schedule it. Now those days after Christmas are crazy booked. If the boys don't come on their own by Christmas Day... which is exactly 38 weeks for me... then we're looking at doing the c-section Saturday morning, December 28. She said they'd call us to confirm the day and time for sure after they worked through the kinks with the hospital. However she doesn't think we'll need that day b/c....

I'm 3cm dialated, 90% effaced, easing off bed rest and stopping my medicine. That combination most likely means we could have the boys next week! Now watch.... these boys scared us thinking they were coming at 25 weeks and now they may be stubborn and we have to go dig the little chunks out after Christmas! Hopefully not... we would love to have them and be home for Christmas.

Please pray for us as we eagerly await these precious boys and transition into a family of 4!

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Riley Paige turns 1

Yesterday this sweet baby girl turned one. 

She has brought so much joy and laughter to our lives. She is quite the little ham. She has more personality than most grown ups. I've never seen a child with so many facial expressions. She is such a happy baby. Her sweet, wrinkled nose smile can make even the biggest scrooge smile back.










Riley Paige I can't believe you've been in our lives for a whole year already. I love you more than you'll ever know... Even though you clearly can say Daniel's name and not mine. I love how you when asked where the the boys are immediately pat my big belly. I can't wait to watch you boss them around.

Happy 1st birthday sweet girl!

Friday, December 6, 2013

Twin Update: 35 weeks

35 weeks:

Cravings: bologna and cheese sandwiches, pancake on a stick, choc milk, little debbie christmas tree brownies... and believe it or not I gained no weight this week. I am shocked. 

Oh by the way I weigh 195 currently. This is so funny to me. I'm secretly hoping to cross over 200lbs just so I can say at one time I weighed that much. Is that sick and twisted? I blame the boys for taking over my brain cells.

Yesterday we went for our 35 week dr.'s appointment. I must say it was quite disappointing. Boys are doing great. However the exciting news we got last week about easing off of medicine and bed rest this week, came to a screeching hault due to me having more intense contractions here recently. So what that means now is I will continue my meds until 37 weeks and ease off of bed rest next week. Though my doctor doesn't think we'll make it that long because...I'm already 1.5-2cm dialated and 80-90% effaced... another reason for bed rest another week. 

Jude is weighing 4.8lbs
Luke is weighing 5.8lbs

So our goal is to fatten these boys up and make it another week... preferrably. Selfishly I want to see their sweet faces sooner than later, but then again I don't want to brave winterstorm 2013!