2 weeks old

We've been home for about a week and half now and are starting to get the hang of things. Madeline and Emily are changing every day and are both becoming more alert and aware of their surroundings. The adults haven't been getting too much sleep between the feedings every 2-3 hours, but we are making it work with taking shifts overnight.

We had been concerned about the girls' weights, especially Madeline who dropped to under 4lbs.  before leaving the hospital. She had a lot of difficulty getting the full amount of food she needed and staying awake through a feeding, but she is eating much better now. Both girls had gained a healthy amount of weight at their two-week pediatrician appointment and are now above their birth weights. They also each grew 3/4 of an inch.

Here are some pictures from when the girls were first born and their first couple of weeks.

Happy Grandma

Uncle Mike and Aunt Laurie

Proud Grandfather and Aunt

Madeline and Emily

Amy and Emily, Anna and Madeline

Daddy's girls

First family picture

and then there were four

Amy in the early stages of labor.

Dressed from head to toe in scrubs, I stood alone in a room at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore on a Saturday night.  Down the hall, behind two sets of secured double doors, Amy lay on an operating table, fully dilated and experiencing strong contractions.  She had been wheeled into the operating room moments earlier when, after a 23-hour induction, the decision was made to proceed with a vaginal delivery.  I was instructed to change into scrubs and wait.

After a few minutes, I spotted a familiar looking nurse walking by.  “They are still preparing the room. We’ll come and get you soon,” she explained before disappearing behind steel double doors.  Time seemed frozen as I waited, pacing under fluorescent lights, realizing that our lives were about to forever change.

Finally the signal came.  I followed a nurse into the operating room where Amy lay on a table, surrounded by eight or nine doctors and nurses.  She was already pushing.

I took Amy’s left hand and began counting aloud in unison with two doctors positioned near her feet. “One – Two –Three – Four – Five – Six – SEV-en – EIGHT – NINE – TEN.”   And a big push.  Then another 10-count on top of the push.  We watched the monitor, waiting for the next contraction to begin.  This process repeated with increasing intensity until the top of a baby’s head could be seen.  We were getting very close.  I leaned over the table, looked at Amy and said, “I’m not going to hold your hand through the next one because you’re going to do it this time.”  With that, I scooted to the opposite end of the table and watched as our first baby was born at 11:27 pm.  I will never forget the amazing sound of her rapid gasps and cries upon first breath.

Within minutes, “Baby A” was lying in my arms, pressed close to my chest. “Does she have a name?” a nurse asked.

“This is Emily,” I replied, locking eyes with our daughter.  It was the best feeling in the world, like looking deep into another universe. I turned to Amy, who was quickly back at work, and introduced Emily.  Amy’s face lit up.  But there was more to come, and Amy was getting distracted.  The doctors told her to focus.

I held Emily as I watched her sister Madeline arrive at 11:35 pm.  And just like that, in a span of eight minutes, our family of two became a family of four.

Thank you, Amy.  I love you.

Emily Claire Redgate

Born on December 10, 2011 at 11:27 pm

Weight: 5 lbs, 8 oz

Length: 18 1/4 inches

Madeline Ida Redgate

Born on December 10, 2011 at 11:35 pm

Weight: 4 lbs, 3 oz

Length: 16 3/4 inches

In the recovery room, one hour after the birth.  Emily on the left, Madeline on the right.

38 weeks - the end of the line

Amazingly, we have made it full-term!  So now, the twins are getting evicted. I am scheduled to be induced starting Friday night (December 9th). We will go into the hospital around 7pm and they will start the induction process. This may take 2-3 days depending on how fast things progress with labor and how things go.  We are hoping we can avoid a C-section if possible, but it could still happen if labor doesn't go as fast as it needs to, or if a baby is in distress, etc. I should get some kind of award for this, I think!

It's very exciting but we are also nervous!   We are as ready as we can be though.

Here are some pictures of the nursery for those who have been asking. We still need some finishing touches, but it is coming together.