1st Week At Home

First day home and Liam is in love with his brothers.  The boys spent a week in the NICU and Liam only got to see them for a brief few minutes without getting to lay hands on them.  We knew that when we came home we wanted him to be the first one to see them and hold them.  He didn't want to hold them at first but he sure was in awe of them.  All he could say was, "WOW" and "They're so cute!" Makes my heart melt to see how much he loves them.  Not exactly they type of welcoming I was expecting from him.   

One thing we have noticed this first week home is how much he wants to help us.  He has become a pro at washing dishes and taking diapers to the trash can.  He has grown up so much this week.  He even feels heavier.  Maybe it is because I have been holding 4 pound babies for the last week.  :(  But still, it makes me sad.  My baby is growing up!

He likes to help us hold the bottle and feed them.  He doesn't hold it for long but at least he is interested!

This is the co-sleeper that they sleep in at night.  They are right beside me so that I can keep a close eye on them.  Plus, we have no room at my grandparents house for a pack and play or crib.  I am so ready to move into our new house!

They love to be close.  I wake up in the middle of the night to check on them and I look over and they are snuggled up together.  It is so sweet!

They even sleep like twins!

Our first few days home were quiet.  We asked that visitors give us some time to adjust.  We spent about the first 2 days just us.  Our parents would come in and see the boys and stay for a little while but that was it.  Here are some pictures of some of the visitors that came to see them.

Aunt Ginny

Cousin Sandy Brasfield and her fiance, Barrett.

Aunt Mandy

Hollyn and Adalyn

Adalyn

Kelcey Keasling

Uncle Duane and Aunt Leslie

Here are the boys getting their first sponge bath at home.  Reid got a bath first and then Kane.  

Liam finally decided that he wanted to hold them. *(swoon)*  He held Kane first and gave him kisses.

Next it was Reid's turn.  He got some Liam kisses too!

Thank you to everyone who brought food to the house this week.  You don't realize how much time you don't have in a day when you bring home twins.  It takes 2 people to feed and then I have to pump.  That takes a hour to a hour in a half total.  Then we have to do it all over again in a hour in a half.  They eat every 3 hours whether they are awake or asleep.  That gets tiring.  It seems to have gotten easier now that we have the hang of it.  There have been times where one of us doesn't wake the other and take on the feedings by ourselves.  I still have to get up and pump. :( We are blessed to have people who love us enough to make sure we are eating during all of this chaos! HAHA!  So THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!!

Wednesday of this week we went to see Dr. Eastham for their post NICU checkup.  Here are the boys stats at 12 days old.

Reid

Weight: 5 pounds 5 ounces - 0.13% for his age (gained 6 ounces since discharge) 

Length: 18.5 inches - 0.59% for his age

Head Circumference: 32.5 cm - 0.62% for his age

Kane

Weight: 5 pounds 6 ounces - 0.17% for his age (gained 7 ounces since discharge)

Length: 18.25 inches - 0.22% for his age

Head Circumference: 33 cm - 1.79% for his age

 Dr. Eastham was very pleased with their progress and we can now cut out one feeding at night and feed them only every 4 hours.  We still have to feed them every 3 hours during the day.  They are eating anywhere from 2 ounces to 2 and a half ounces each feeding.  Reid is the spewer.  It comes out his nose and everything!  Very scary at first.  It doesn't seem to phase him.  We go back in 2 weeks for their one month check-up.  Stay tuned and watch us grow

My Birth Story

Never did I think that when I woke up on May 15th I would go into labor that night.  That day was just like any other day.  Uncomfortable with sporadic contractions, but nothing worrisome.  I decided that day that I was going to try out my belly brace again to see if my back would feel any better and give me some relief from my massive belly.  I wore it most of the afternoon and it seemed to help.  That afternoon we went to Boskey's to eat dinner for Caylee Gillams' birthday.  We got home around 845 and did our normal nighttime routine.  We got Liam in some pj's and in the bed.  We finally laid down around 9pm.  Liam was a wild man as usual when we first got into bed.  He wanted to jump up and down and bug Bella.  Ryan had turned over to go to sleep.  Of course Liam wouldn't listen to me about laying down.  I explained to him that I couldn't crawl down to the end of the bed to get him and begged him to come lay down by me.  He shook his head no and of course that made me mad.  LOL  So I raised up and started to go after him and that's when it happened.  A gush.  At first I thought I had just peed on myself but then there was a big gush.  My water had broke.  I hollered at Ryan as I raced to the bathroom.  He called his parents to come pick up Liam while we ran around making sure we had everything to head to the hospital.  Once Liam was gone we got in the car and made our way to Murfreesboro.  Ryan was in speed mode but I told him to slow down.  I wasn't having contractions at first but as we got closer to the hospital they were getting more noticeable and stronger.  They were roughly 4-6 minutes apart.  As we turned into the hospital I looked up and saw the moon.  Of course, it was full! LOL

We got there around 1050 pm and went in through the ER.  They got my arm bands on and Ryan wheeled me up to the 3rd floor where they were waiting on me.  They put us in the triage room which just so happens to be the same room that I delivered Liam in.  They checked me and I was 4cm dilated and 80% effaced.  They checked to see if the fluid was actually amniotic fluid, which it was.  They asked me some questions while we waited on the ultrasound to be done to see what position the twins were in.  The ultrasound unfortunately showed that they twins were not in position to deliver naturally.  So c-section it was.  They then came in started and IV, drew some blood and prepped me for surgery.

Once we heard that we were delivering that night Ryan's parents packed up Liam and put his big brother shirt on and made their way to Murfreesboro.  My parents were already on their way once we called them to let them know we were going to the hospital.

Here is Ryan's outfit he had to wear in the OR.  He went through 3 pairs of shoe socks before they brought him these boot looking things.  

Impatiently waiting ….

Contractions were getting worse. 

Jennifer and I worked together when I worked at MTMC on the Peds floor while I was in nursing school.  She was called in when they decided to take me back to the OR.  She was the circulator in the OR and the one who held me up so I didn't fall off the table when they put in my spinal. :)

You can see their heart rates on the screen.  The monitors kept sliding around and driving me crazy. That's why it looks like a bunch or scribbles.

Last picture of us before we are a family of 5!!!

Here is Dr. Moore.  I was so happy to hear that she was on call when I got to the room.  She missed out on delivering Liam. :(  She went over all the procedure risks and had me sign my consent form for the c-section.  It wasn't much longer before they took me back!

We made it to the OR at 1230 am.  I was shivering to death.  I don't know if it was a pain response or nerves.  I starting shivering right after my water broke at home and it just escalated as the night went on.  The anesthesiologist put in my spinal and I immediately was helped to lay down.  It was about 10 minutes and I was completely numb from my chest down.  Here are the beds that were waiting on the boys to deliver.

Words can't explain the nerves I had.  I was about to go from a mother of 1 to a mother of 3! (Well 4 if you count Ryan) ;)

The team getting in position for delivery.

At 1:09 am on May 16th, 2014, Reid Thomas Barker was born.  You can't help but cry when you hear that sweet sound.  He came out breech.

The NICU team looking over Reid to make sure he was okay.

One minute later at 1:10 am Kane Michael Barker was born and the tears of joy just kept on rolling.  He was vertex or head first.

To be honest with you Ryan took these pictures and I have no clue which baby is which in the next 3 pictures.  HAHA!  I'm sure it won't be the last time!  I think it is Reid because he is so red but I am not 100% for certain.

Back in recovery and I get to see Liam and get some sweet kisses.

One happy big brother!!!

After about a hour and a half my recovery was over and they were ready to move me to my postpartum room.  They stopped by the NICU so that I could take a look at them both.  They were so precious just laying their in there little beds all small and sweet.  After hearing their cries during delivery I was surprised that they were in the NICU.  The NICU doctor said that they had a little trouble breathing and needed some extra attention.  Read more about their NICU experience in my other post.

http://thebarkerblogs.blogspot.com/2014/05/nicu-time.html