Happy 5th Birthday to my sweethearts!

Five years ago today my world was changed forever. I had an outrageously high blood pressure, so my OB/GYN insisted on delivering my babies as soon as they were healthy enough to thrive. I was not ready yet-- as much pain and discomfort I had, I loved being pregnant and I did not want it to end. However, my body had grown weary, and it was too dangerous to let it continue. Alexa and Emilie were born on November 18, 2001 at 9:29 and 9:31 AM. Alexa was 6lb 15 oz, Emilie was 5lb 10 oz. There was a weight difference due to a slight case of Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome. I was very lucky that they were as big and healthy as they were. They were born at 35 weeks, 6 days.


I actually asked my OB for a c-section. Baby A was head down and ready to be born, but baby B was breech. I wasn't dialated or effaced at all, and I was told that they could try to induce labor, but chances are it wouldn't happen and I may end up needing a c-section anyway, since baby B was still breech. No way in hell did I want a vaginal birth and a c-section, so I opted for the safe bet.

The epidural didn't take on me, so I had to have a spinal block. When I was in the operating room, my husband was sitting next to me and breathing very heavy... he's somewhat of a medical wimp. I was feeling great on the spinal block, and didn't feel like I needed him there, so I told him to leave, I was fine. I didn't want to worry about my body being cut open and him passing out. He stood at the door and watched while my anesthesiologist stood over me and gave me the play by play details of my daughters being born. "I see the first head... she has curly blonde hair! I see the second head... and she has curly blonde hair too!" Here they are, a few hours after birth (sorry the picture is small... all of my pictures are in storage right now and this is the best I could come up with):




After they were born, we became a freak show, and I can slightly understand what it's like to be a celebrity. We had people visiting us in the hospital, nonstop. We finally had to ask the nurses to not allow any more visitors, because my blood pressure wasn't going down and I wasn't getting any rest. People that I hardly knew wanted to come see the identical babies. Going to the store, restaurant, on a walk... it didn't matter. Complete strangers would see identical babies and come up to me asking me the most personal questions about my family history and fertility. I got used to it for the most part. I still have people who stare at us when I take them places, but we don't mind. The attention is harmless and comments are usually very kind.

Here they are one year ago... I'll post new pics after they're taken:



I'm so lucky to have them. My daughters are the brightest, most intelligent, and downright funny little girls I've ever had the pleasure to know, let alone raise. They are each others best friend, which is exactly what I hoped for when I found out I was pregnant with twin girls.



Here's the cake I made them for their birthday:



As a sidenote, today is also the anniversary of my first date with my husband, we've been together for 11 years. I suppose I should go make out with him or something.