Five years ago today July 14th, I was sitting on the love seat in our living room watching my 5 year old son and his speech therapist quietly working while I rubbed my enormous pregnant belly. I was 34 weeks pregnant with twins and had no clue that I was in labor. After a fitful sleep the night before I was spent, which of course was nothing new of late, as good sleep in your third trimester is rare (especially with two precious babies taking up real estate)
Our third pregnancy was planned, I'm a planner of course, and we were anticipating a smooth pregnancy. We were experienced after all, well seasoned baby makers. Our first child, was a beautiful little girl born 2weeks overdue when we were 19 (and yet only 6lbs 3oz) was absolutely adorable and aside from the typical long labor associated with a first timer went as planned.
Our son and second born was right on schedule a healthy 7lbs 14 oz almost exactly born on his due date, and the cutest little round cheeks. The kicker was that after a long long labor in the hospital the first time I spent the entire labor with our second in the hot wonderful shower to the point of being nagged out by my loving husband to the hospital just in time because I arrived at 9 centimeters dilated and our son was born an hour later.
Come to think of it perhaps I should have realized then that my tolerance for pain was unduly high.
Third time around, we were excited to see if we were getting another little princess or little prince, instead we were given the astounding news that we would be having two. TWINS!! We didn't believe it! Not possible... right?? My sexy latino husband's skin turned five shades lighter and he almost ended up on the floor instead of his chair. Our younger two children started jumping up and down with pure joy!! They had prayed for this, daughter wanted a sister, son of course wanted a brother and they prayed and wished on stars that they could both get what they wanted most! I started laughing telling our very funny doctor that he was too silly and to stop joking around. We both sat jaws to the floor as he very seriously drew a little circle with the end of his pen around the two little bumps on the ultrasound screen not one baby .... But a second baby. We were having twins! They got their wish!
We floated on a cloud of disbelief for months until ultimately it was clear as my belly expanded beyond the point of reason and I might add beyond the point of maternity wear too, that we were indeed pregnant with twins, a boy and a girl. How lucky was that ?? Our daughter and son were elated. I was ever more uncomfortable but they were doing great, growing, and healthy. About the seventh month our ultrasound showed what i already knew and felt was true our littlest boy had turned in my belly from head down like his twin sister to across the pelvic floor hip to hip. I was in such pain all day and night. His little body was nuzzled across, his head pressed into one pelvic bone and feet pushing against the other. It was very painful. Every time the twins stretched I felt as though I would rip in two. The pressure was tremendous so by the time The babies were 34 weeks I had tuned as much of the pain as possible zoning outside of my body when it hurt most like an ethereal experience. The day I went into labor I was in the zone... So much was my concentration on managing the pain that I barely noticed my breathing was getting more and more labored in a rhythmic way. I sat watching my son labor to pronounce his practice words my husband set the coffee pot and began getting ready for work he leaned over the couch and kissed my cheek... "You look flushed honey are you ok" worried he continued getting ready quietly noting the time on the microwave. Minutes later he was jotting down the time... "That was three minutes ago honey" I was confused. I had not realized until he told me that I was possibly having contractions. My meditation zone slowly became less hazy and I could feel it ... Tightening ... Releasing a little tightening harder... my breathing harder... The pressure like a vise around my body squeezing so hard faster and faster... Oh my god .. I was in labor! Within minutes the speech therapist packed up, our two oldest were gathered with their overnight bags and off to Auntie's house, and we were off to the hospital without making phone calls, completely anticipating and only slightly worried, thinking that we would possibly end up getting medicine to stop it and would be back home again sooner than later. We arrived and within seconds of announcing we were pregnant with twins having contractions we were in a room ultrasound machine going and hurried nurses and doctors reviewing and saying little to us, until someone finally said we would definitely need a c-section immediately.
We were floored! My husband and I thought we would get sent home false labor or medicine and bed rest... They let us know it would be 45 minutes before the Operating room would be ready.
We frantically called to let the kids know their babies would be born today they screamed with joy we could hear them jumping up and down, we hurriedly called family and friends and then it was time ..... I won't get into the labor delivery and lengthy hospital stay this post but they arrived! beautiful and fragile. So absolutely precious, as all babies are, a gift, a double blessing and they were perfect tiny angels. Twenty fingers and twenty toes between them, all rosy pink and delicate only slightly longer than our hands just perfect. Our littlest team mates.
Here we are, healthy and happy. Our twin littles have grown and today they are FIVE! School ready, beautiful and bouncy sweet and smart talkative and totally ready to take on the big kid world hand in hand. Our twins... Are growing up. Happy Birthday Twin Littles!!
