I wasn’t supposed to have a c section until 11:30 am on July 5. On July 1st I took C&T to the fire station and the police station–Charlie had been asking to go ever since Teddy went on a field trip to the fire station with Blue Igloo camp. Then I took them to the American City Diner for milkshakes and grilled cheese. When they were napping I started feeling pretty bad and had contractions so called my doctor and she told me to go to the hospital. I told her I had to take them to swimming lessons first. She told me that I could drink 3 glasses of water and sit still and see if the contractions stopped. And she said I couldn’t swim. So MJ picked us up to drive us to swim and while we were there I realized I should probably go to the hospital (also Mj told me I really needed to go). So Siri came to watch the boys. I went to the hospital at about 5:30 pm on crutches and when we went to to front desk to check in they made me take a wheel chair, not because of the contractions I think, but because of my broken foot. We signed in and I really thought they were going to send me home. I wasn’t in that much pain and it was pretty calm–I felt like I was just waiting for a doctors appointment. When I got upstairs into a room we watched A Few Good Men (timed on Dent Place) and hung out while they had the minters on me. I was contracting a lot but the pain was not bad at all. I would breathe a little heavier when the contractions came but that was all. I really really thought they might send me home. But then they put an IV in and my amazing doctor, Lynn Lightfoot came in in a cocktail dress (she wasn’t even working but was on her way out on a date) and told me the twins would be delivered right then (and she was skipping a date to deliver them). They wheeled me in and I got up on the operating table. The anesthesiologist was soooo nice. The epidural was scary and hurt but Dr. Lightfoot let me hold onto her. Then I laid on the table. The whole thing was so great and so amazing. We had to wait along time while another baby was born in a room down the hall so we everyone in my OR was talking about restaurant and joking around. Finally they started and a couple minutes later Dr. Lightfoot said “You will feel pressure” and I felt the first one coming out. At 8:23 pm she said “This one’s a girl.” I was so stunned and couldn’t believe it (Dr. Lightfoot said it made her cry she was so happy). Then I felt pressure again and at 8:24 she said “And another girl!” I really couldn’t believe it. I still can’t believe it. How can I be so o so lucky and fortunate? I am so blessed. I want to pinch myself everyday. I kept looking over at the girls as they sewed me up and wanted to hold them so badly. I said out loud “I love them,” which I have said immediately each time each of my babies were born. Then I said “Can I hold them? I want to hold them.” They handed them to me and it was the most incredible feeling ever. I had my arms flu of baby. I carried them in my arms to the recovery room where we stayed for a few hours while they bathed the babies, checked them and got my other room ready. The babies amazing. Scottie was Baby A, 5 lbs 8 oz, 18 inches and Nell was Baby B, 5 lbs 11 oz 18 inches long.
After a day we had their names…Louisa Winters Scott Berman and Helene Yeilding Bayly Berman. It took us forever to pick names.
The whole time I was in the hospital I just held them and looked at them and felt like I was in a dream. Everything was so amazing. They would spend most of their time with me and go back to the nursery to be weighed and checked, and fed while I slept at night. My nurses were so sweet. I love the way their skin smells, and the way they feel, and the sounds they make, and the movements. I know I will miss feeling their little bodies kicking inside me but I love feeling them on the outside now. As I type this I am crying–this is the most amazing experience and I am so honored I get to have it.