Introducing Preston David & Parker Drew!

Once we arrived at the hospital, I was checked by my nurse. She got a strange look on her face and paged another nurse. In came nurse #2 to check me, who in turn called another nurse. Pretty soon there were about six nurses around my bed discussing just what it was that they were feeling. Was it an arm and hand? A foot? A prolapsed umbilibal cord? One thing they did agree upon...it was not a head. The doctor was paged, and after what seemed like a very long time (but really only about 10-15 minutes), he arrived and did an ultrasound. Those crazy babies had flipped around (the ultrasound four weeks ago showed them both to be head-down), and they were both now breech. In a matter of minutes, I was whisked off for a c-section (a new experience for me). It's amazing just how quickly anesthesia can be given and babies can be delivered!

Preston David made his entrance at 11:58am weighing 4 pounds, 8 ounces and measuring 17 1/2 inches long (picture #4 above). Parker Drew arrived at 11:59am weighing 4 pounds, 7 ounces and measuring 18 inches long (picture #2 above). It was a beautiful sound to hear each of them crying when they were delivered! Once they were cleaned and snugly wrapped, David followed them down to the NICU. The few hours after that are a blur to me (I was pretty groggy for most of the recovery time), but I was happy to see the friends and family who came to the hospital to welcome our babies into the world.

That evening, a video camera was placed on the boys in the NICU, and we were able to see the boys on the t.v. screen in my room. Katie and Lauren were excited about that, because they were not able to see the boys in person (the NICU is currently closed to children under the age of 16 because it is RSV season). In fact, that's one of the hardest things in this situation; the girls have been so excited for so long about having new brothers, and they haven't yet been able to hold them or see them in person.

Today is March 23rd, and Preston and Parker are still in the NICU. They are making good progress with tolerating increased tube feedings and stabilizing their heart rates. Hopefully, within the next couple of days they will be weaned off of the oxygen they receive through their noses and the IV fluids they are receiving to supplement the feedings. Parker has gained back up to his birth weight (4 pounds, 7 ounces), and Preston now weighs 4 pounds, 10 ounces. Yea! They are such sweet little boys and love it when we talk to them. We have also been able to hold them for over an hour at a time using skin-to-skin contact (called Kangaroo care), and we all enjoy that so much! Tests done after delivery have revealed that the boys are identical twins...I think we're in for some crazy, interesting years! Ha!

I will do my best to keep our blog updated with reports about the boys as well as pictures. Thanks to everyone for your prayers and well wishes! The boys are lucky to have such wonderful friends and family who care about them!