Last Saturday was Richey’s birthday- here we are celebrating with some friends!  (I look tired! ha!)

This pic cracks me up!

Give your sister a kiss!!

Ri

Reesey

These girls are tooooo fun these days!  They’re all smiles and laughs and have SUCH personality!  They’re working hard (well really it’s just like playing) with OT- with stretches, spending time on their tummies, and infant massage.  Reese has been looking both right and left much more lately (before she ONLY preferred right) and is even rolling over!  We’re working on her not “leading” with her head to roll over but with her legs instead so her arms don’t get trapped underneath her.  She is STRONG!  Riley is holding her head straight more often (she tends to tilt to the right– probably a positional thing from the womb).  We’re stretching/massaging her arms because her shoulder muscles are tight tight- which makes laying on her tummy and rolling over uncomfortable.  She, too, is very strong!  I can’t imagine when they’re both crawling… or walking… oh dear.  Well, that’ll help with the last of the baby weight for sure! ha!

have captured some of the sweet smiles I see all day long- on camera!!!  It’s not easy, friends– that flash is SO distracting!  And have a few “bloopers” for you too!

Mommy is SO funny

Smile, Reese!  Oh wait!  My camera’s too slow…

cracks me up- don’t know how I even caught that face! ha!

precious

silly girl

just hanging out

Reese!

MOM- please stop with the flash…

Riley!

We got a smile, but the eyes closed!  I’m telling you- the flash is awful!

Look at that grimace… love it!

And here is a video of the smiley girls.  For some reason– don’t know when or why it started, every morning I (we) sing Good Morning to You to the girls (like Happy birthday to you) and they LOVE it!  It’s the sweetest.  So… PARDON my silly voice and singing… we do anything to make these girls smile.  Click on the link below to see more smiles!!

Good Morning to You!

P.S.  Can you BELIEVE these girls were born just 5 1/2 months ago weighing 2 and 3 pounds???  Look at these sweet ROLLS!!!!!!  

Sleepy Reesy

Cute little Ri

(you can see her protruding belly button due to the hernia- it’s covered by her diaper, but you can see it in this pic– it’s WAY smaller than it was- yay! like by 50% or more! )

And I lastly… Riley’s new trick:  today she discovered, she can spit! ha ha!

Riley\’s newest trick!

My parents got to the hospital (from Houston!!) just 30 minutes after the girls were born and Richey’s parents arrived around the same time (I think).  All the grandparents must have been driving 100 mph… Babies change everything!  Waking up is such a blur, but at the same time- it allowed God to fill me with peace.  

After Richey said he saw them, that they cried, and they were going to the NICU… I just KNEW they would be okay.  As I struggled to open my heavy eyes, the nurse was rolling my bed to my room on the L&D floor to get our things then to my Post Partum room… and my sweet family followed.  I was trying to wake up and at the same time grasp what in the world just happened.  I remembered how cold and WHITE the OR was- the number of nurses in there (which made me worry…why were so many needed?), I remembered the radio blaring when I first entered in and as the unsuccessful epidural was being attempted– it was Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love a Bad Name”  which truly I LOVED.  That was the very song my cousins and I would make music videos too- under Cousin Shane’s direction per 1988.  Good memories- that’s a whole other story… funny how God allows distractions in our times of fear.  I just love seeing him in everything- don’t you?? He is there- in everything- don’t forget to look!  Especially in newborn lives: Babies Change everything…

From there that precious nurse took me directly to lay eyes on my miracle babies for the first time.  I could hardly open my eyes, but I certainly “tooth-picked” them open to see the most beautiful sights I’d ever seen.  

They were absolutely tiny- it was almost unbelievable that they were real and MINE (well, OURS… but come on, I was the one carrying them, gaining 40 pounds in 8 months with them… did I just admit that?! and just underwent needle poking, getting knocked out, and surgery for them to arrive into this world. ha ).  They had breathing tubes and IVs which was a bit scary.  Since they were just born, the nurses/dr couldn’t tell us much- no reassurance accept that they were able to breathe pretty well with the help of oxygen.  But for some reason, I was just happy- not that worried: and I’m a WORRIER times a million: Babies change everything…

I longed to hold them or at least know when I could, but everything was so uncertain.  Then Ben (the best brother in law ever!) made this website so everyone could know the girls were here and know to pray for Reese Abigail and Riley Grace.  It has become an amazing outlet for me- to share my girls with you, those who prayed so diligently for their lives.  I often hear that friends of friends, sweet teacher’s at mom’s school, family, old friends, and even people we don’t know personally read this site and are touched by Reese and Riley’s lives- the way God has worked in them.  That being said… I want to know WHO reads!  Admit it… I know this site gets lots of hits!  Please leave a comment and tell me you read- then MY family can pray for YOU and thank God for you by name.  It was your prayers and ours and God’s amazing power that healed my babies……   Babies change everything…

Just 3 days after R and R were born, we were able to hold them!  It was the BEST day ever!!!  

From there, you know the story- from all the past posts.  The NICU at Medical Center if Lewisville became our home away from home for 55 days.  The amazing nurses, nurse practitioners, and neonatologists not only took GREAT care of Reese and Riley, but also Richey and me.  The girls are doing so well and are the absolute light of our lives.  They are going to be mighty warriors for Christ for all they’ve been through and all they’ve touched– right, Bobbie?  Thank you, thank you for loving my girls and my family.  We are forever grateful.  I’ll  posting some new pics soon… and videos too.  Babies change everything…

 It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to them.

 Acts 3:16

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I am so FILLEd with JoY to see how God has worked in the lives of and has healed and continues to heal Baby Witt and Baby Harper– two babies I have asked you to pray for in the past and also Reese and Riley.  He is so good- it’s so overwhelming.  On Baby Harper’s Mommy’s blog, she blogged about ‘how a baby changes everything’ -Faith Hill’s song… it really struck me.  Of course that’s true, but I could relate so much to her post- it doesn’t just alter your life a bit, but it has even changed me forever….

After much prayer, heart ache, and lots of waiting, God blessed us with not one, but TWO miracle babies.

Our little embryos the day of the transfer. (They are the size of the period at the end of a sentence!)

9 week sono.

 My pregnancy was picture perfect health wise- even when I was HUGE, swollen, and could never get comfortable… I was still thrilled to be pregnant: with TWINS!  I never dreamed of that!  Babies change everything…

27 weeks pregnant… the good ‘ol picture in the mirror!  ha ha!

On Thursday, September 4, I went to my routine OB appointment to do a quick sono to check on the girls and make sure I wasn’t dilated yet.  I had a feeling bed rest was coming soon because I was getting really uncomfortable… I’m 5 feet 2 inches (and used to be 110 pounds!  ha!).  This twin thing was a little hard on me.  The sono showed the girls moving and their hearts a beating- that’s all she was looking for since I was going to the speicialist- the perinatologist right after that appointment.  She checked me and I was 1 cm dilated, so she told me i was officially on bed rest.  Pretty sure my response was, “Crap!”  She was slightly concerned about how swollen I was, so I was to come back the next week.  So- I was off to the peri. before bed rest began.  It was there that my life was turned upside down and I clung to the Lord like never before: babies change everything…

almost 30 weeks…4 days before I delivered.  Nice and swollen! 

While there, the sono tech (the sonos there were SO COOL– they’re 2D/3D/4D– I got to go every month- see the chambers of their heart, brain, every tiny feature- amazing!)  She carefully measured the blood flow through the umbilical cord, the depth of the placenta, listened to the heartbeats etc.  Something just didn’t seem right.  Baby B (aka Riley) was suddenly quite a bit smaller than Reese than ever before, her heart rate was lower, and the colors that appear to show blood flow through the umbilical cord seemed different than Reese’s.  The tech of course was not allowed to answer any of my questions- she said the dr. would be in to explain things.  my heart was pounding and I was praying over and over that everything was okay.  The doctor came in and explained that Riley’s heart rate was dropping now and then and that her blood flow through her umbilical cord was insufficient.   What did that mean??!!!  I felt like I was floating- like it wasn’t real or something… they put me in a different room and put heart monitors on my tummy to monitor the babies’ heartbeats.  I was sitting there all alone, praying, staring at the printed heart rates- watching Riley’s dip down really low for about an hour.  I never dreamed that this meant I had to deliver so soon.  But when my OB walked in to see me… her office was 10 minutes down the street from this one.  I had a bad feeling and reality hit.  Babies change everything…

Reese- 3D sono video from August

Riley- 3D sono video from August

I was going to be sent to Lewisville Medical Center to another doctor- not mine- because MCL had a Level 3 NICU and my hospital did not.  I was crying now and sweet Dr. H was about to too- she was so sweet, reassuring- saying that Dr. Owens who she was sending me to is wonderful, and promised to call and come by to check on me.  I called Richey to come get me- that we had to go to the hospital.  They were going to try to give me 3 rounds of steroid shots to help the babies’ lungs develop then deliver probably 3 days later.  I don’t think Richey really understood from the phone call… he made it in record time and off we went to Labor and Delivery at MCL– after asking where in the world this hospital was.  I called my parents-and told them that we will have the babies sometime between that day (Thurs) and Saturday.  I called Leah to bring my bags (I had made a detailed checklist of what to bring to the hospital, and planned on packing it that day… weird)  We prayed and cried in the parking lot, then took a deep breath and walked in.  This is not how I envisioned having these girls at all… Babies change everything…

The nurses acted urget- which scared me even more.  I was in my room, in my hospital gown and hooked to heart monitors for the babies before I was even fully entered into the hospital computer system.  WOAH.  With every contraction I had (braxton hicks, I guess… but they were getting lower), Riley’s heart rate would drop VERY low.  They rushed in at one point and turned me to my left side.  I got my first steroid shot for their lungs and shortly after got a shot to try to stop my contractions– since they were making little Riley SO MAD.  Richey and i were terrified.  Babies change everything…

Dr. Owens came to meet us- he actually lives down the street from us AND his wife went to the same fertility doctor I did.  God gave us peace after meeting him.  He was just so sweet and reassuring.  He felt that since my contractions wouldn’t stop and Riley’s heart continued to drop, that it’d be safer for the girls to be out… at 30 weeks and 1 day… Shortly after, the anesthesiologist came in to chat with me.  I have titanium rods fused to my spine (from surgery for scoliosis), so we knew that an epidural would be tricky.  If it wouldn’t work, than she’d have to put me to sleep… I could hardly breath, hardly speak, just pray.  Babies change everything…  

Once in the OR, everything seemed like it was happening in slow motion.  The anestesiologist numbed one spot- tried to do the epidural above and below, no luck… then tried another spot- above and below… no luck… then tried another spot- above and below… no luck.  It seemed like FOREVER.  The whole time I was singing in my head a church camp song: “My God is so big, so strong and so mighty.  There’s nothing my God cannot do.”  It’s a silly song, but powerful words.  I know the Holy Spirit put that on my heart- those words were (ARE) so true.  I knew that the girls would be okay.   I appreciated the anest. trying because if I had an epidural, it meant Richey could be there with me, but if not, then he had to wait outside.  I ended up having to be ‘knocked out.’  My biggest fear was that when I woke up, I would be so disoriented that I would forget to ask how the girls were.  Leah made it there to wait with Richey (what a God send- he was all by himself).  They said the first thing I asked when I was waking up was, “Are they okay?”  They were rushed to the NICU right after Richey (and Leah) saw them.  Babies change everything…

Riley Grace Born at 5:30 PM, 2 lbs 3 oz

Reese Abigail Born at 5:30 PM, 3 lbs

PArt 2 coming soon… (thank God for a happy ending!)

We had a great weekend of fun… Nan and Pop came in town for a visit!!  Friday night, Richey was at our church’s Men’s Retreat, so I had a couple girlfriends over and my sister in law for sushi take out and baby time!  We had lots of fun.  The girls have been sleeping through the night and sleeping really well, so I sent my friends home even though they offered to stay and help.  Well… of course Reese was up til 11 (unlike her) and then Riley woke up at 3 hungry.  Oh well- we survived.   

I LOVE this picture- it looks like Reesey is glaring at Riley. ha ha!  That or she wants to eat Riley’s bow…

Aunt Becky with her nieces

Saturday morning, Mom and Dad got here by 10– they left Houston bright and early!!  they hadn’t seen the girls since Christmas, so Reese and Riley were thrilled to see them and show off their smiles, laughs, and talk up a storm.  Here are some pics.  Oh– and Reese has officially noticed Riley.  It’s hilarious.  She just stares and stares.  Riley could… care less.  Soon she’ll notice her sister too.  

Reese noticing Riley, Riley focused on me… or the flash…

Cousin Casen has officially noticed the girls.  here he is trying to point to Reese’s nose. 

Pop, Casen (aka the blur because he’d rather be crawling than pose for a picture), Reese, Nan, Riley)

A little bit better… we couldn’t stop laughing at Casen!

the coolest girls I know

Casen patting Riley- sweet boy

we seem to capture Riley yawning in pictures a lot- it’s hilarious!

mommy and her babies

the fam

we were adjusting reese who was falling- what a sweet picture to capture.  i love it!

We had a blast just hanging out and we always eat well when mom and dad visit!  Mom and I got to go run errands on Saturday which was a treat since I don’t get out much these days.  Thank you so much for coming- we miss you already!!!  Oh– and in March… get ready for the Adventure of a Lifetime post as “Aunt”  Susan and I travel to Houston with REese and Riley to visit Nan and Pop’s house.  I can feel good stories already!  

Other updates—

The latest weights as of 2/5/09:

Reese 13 lbs 5 oz  and  Riley 11 lbs 5 oz

We’ve started meeting with our OT thru ECI (early childhood intervention) for the girl’s tortocolis (tight neck muscles) and plagiocephaly (flat head).  After this week, we’ll be done with the paperwork and evaluation part of things and will get busy with their occupational therapy.  Everything has shown that they are developmentally where they should be (3 month– and even some 4 and 5 month things) which is awesome!  They’re doing soooo well.  A muscle issue is SO fixable.  I keep thanking God for their health- that we’re not seeing a heart doctor or anything like that.  What miracle babies!  

Below are some videos of the girls “talking.”  Well… Reese is screaming actually.  She has discovered her voice and she LOVES it!  Riley’s more reserved.  In the video, Richey is telling her all about his business trip 2 weeks ago (really just talking so she’ll talk back)… then she toots really loud and we crack up… sooo mature, I know.  You will laugh too- guarantee it. ha!  Click below to view the little cuties:

Riley chatting with Dad

Reese REALLY excited to talk to Mom

Before we knew that our twins were girls, Aunt Leah decided that “Twin A” and “Twin B” as the doctor referred to them as, was boring!  She preferred Thing 1 and Thing 2.  These are onsies she bought them… now they fit and they’re CUTE!

They’re getting better with tummy time… look at those cutie patooties!

Going on a Sunday walk!

Aren’t we CUTE?

We’re growing up so fast.  We are ALL smiles and giggles… until the flash of the camera…

I’ll give a better update soon with OT updates etc…