Video: Bringing the Buckaroos Home

Words to go along with favorite pictures to come but for now, a video of bringing the buckaroos home.....

Owen & Anson at 1 month

Owen & Anson are a month old today! It is a wee bit strange to celebrate the one month mark when they have only been home for 6 days & I am still not to my official 40 week due date. Nonetheless, there is much to be celebrated!

My plan is to write separate entries for each lil' buckaroo from here on out but for now, one entry will do for this month : ) Eventually I would like to print a book for each child that has their "Growing Girl/Boy posts" & others that are special to them but since the twins will be used to sharing, I am sure they won't mind having their 1 month update together. 

Owen 

4 pounds 14 ounces

19 inches long

33cm head circumference

I am not sure what the percentiles are on his stats but I am guessing they are pretty low. At birth he was at about the 5th percentile...cute little guy! He is on the right track though he has some catching up to do if he ever wants to win at wrestling his bigger brother. 

This handsome fella is going by the nicknames of Owee, Owee-O & Pokey O due to the length of time it takes for him to down a bottle.  Eloise says "O-een" & Charlotte prefers to call him Owee-O. 

He is content nearly all the time he is awake unless you are taking too long to get him his milk via Mommy or bottle.  He is a very efficient eater & has no problem latching on to nurse even if it is in mid scream.  He eats about 8 times a day going 3 hour stretches plus a 4 hour stretch mid day. He will nurse for about 20 minutes then follow up with another 1.5 oz in a bottle before passing out on the feeders shoulder. Owee-O is a snuggler & in the evening would much prefer to be held close rather than snooze in his crib. Although as I write this tonight Owen is sound asleep in his bed while I snuggle Anson.  He likes to be swaddled with his hands up to his chin & is usually found with one arm out & up over his head when sleeping. Owen is usually the first to fall asleep once we lay them down & will sleep through his brother screaming right in his face.  He has taken well to his paci which is new for the Valentine family but can't keep it in his mouth as well as his brother......not that it is a competition or anything ; ) He is gaining some control over his noggin as he practices lifting his head to look up at mommy & daddy or at whatever part of Eloise's body is coming at his face without warning.

He can clap with the help of his sissy...

 and seems to enjoy a bit more wake time every day....

Anson

 

7 pounds 2 ounces

21 inches long

35cm head circumference

Although 7 pounds 2 ounces is an average sized baby, he looks (and feels) like a chunk compared to Owen especially if you hold him after holding the little guy : ) 

So far Anson has been called Handsome Anson & Antsy Pants.  Dr. Alexander, the physician over seeing the boys care in the NICU called him Handsome Anson every visit.  He earned himself the nickname Antsy Pants for the extreme lack of patience he has when it is time to eat. Eloise calls both babies O-een most of the time...we are working on correct identification.

He also is content most all the time...so thankful for that in this crazy transition! Anson likes to stay awake longer than his brother but only by about 10 minutes before he too is sleepy.  As you can see by his cheeks, he enjoys his fair share of milk but struggles a bit with latching on well to nurse. He chugs his bottle like nobody's business while making sounds of pure enjoyment with every gulp. Has anyone seen What About Bob? It totally reminds us of the part where Bob is the unwanted dinner guest who just can't contain himself . Anyway, Anson is also in a great routine of waking to eat about every 3 hours with a 4 hour stretch in there. He is a noisy little guy making this certain sound when sleeping. Robby says he picked it up in the NICU from this creaking glider that was in their room, haha! He doesn't mind a warm bath & rub down with lotion. Anson really likes to have his arms & hands contained within his swaddle blanket & prefers his paci while falling asleep.  He has been perfecting lifting his head in the last few days & is also a target of unwanted pokes from a certain sissy ; ) 

Safe & warm in the towel Grandpa Bob ordered for him : ) 

O & A are as precious as precious can be & we are so thankful to have brought them home to our little nest.

Here are just a few more pictures of the little guys since we arrived home....

too close for comfort ; )

kisses for Owen

holding on tight

Loving life with these little buckaroos!

Life in the NICU- part one

"Expecting the Unexpected" was the title that came to mind in the weeks between seeing two yolk sacs & finding out that there were in fact twins growing in my womb.  The Lord must have given that to me because there could not have been a more accurate statement about this ENTIRE experience. The title proved to encompass all: visit after visit, emotional ups & downs, an early cesarean delivery followed by a stay in the neonatal intensive care unit & countless moments of extreme joy coupled with stress that for some reason I thought could be avoided.

I blogged weekly throughout the final months of pregnancy....I am struggling to blog more than a paragraph...and the boys aren't even home yet ; ) There is so much I want to record from the past 3 weeks & honestly some I have probably already forgotten.  All that to say, I will give it a fair shot this evening. 

The story picks up in the week the boys were born.  Due to Owen's lack in growth, (ie falling WAY off the bottom of the percentile chart) it was decided that I would be delivered at 35 weeks & 0 days.  The cesarean was expected & I was actually surprised I made it all the way to my scheduled date after the many contractions I experienced! I do wonder how much longer my body would have continued before going into labor...I guess we will never know.  Following a vaginal delivery with Charlotte that resulted in some pretty significant discomfort for weeks & another delivery with Eloise that was literally a breeze, I was a little nervous to undergo a major abdominal surgery but was interested to know how it would compare to my first recovery. All said & done three weeks post delivery, this recovery has been a million times better than healing after Charlotte was born but definitely more uncomfortable than after my delivery with Eloise. I can officially say I have now experienced a good amount of scenarios as a patient & will be a better nurse because of it : )

I knew that the boys would be leaving the operating room quickly after surgery & that Owen would likely be going to the NICU. As emotionally prepared as possible, I kissed them both & sent them on their way with an incredible team & a daddy close by.  I mentioned before that the following 9-10 hours were difficult as I wanted so badly to touch them but it felt wonderful to rest & eat my clear liquids.

Nothing quite prepares you to see your babies in an incubator with all sorts of things connected to them. Even knowing they were healthy & doing well, I was surprised with how it made me feel as their mommy.

The signs outside the boys' room : ) 

Owen-

 Anson-

In fact when I looked back at these pictures I realized that I never even noticed they had a tube in their mouth!  So strange....I guess I was heavily medicated ; ) Robby saw them during the day & once my night shift nurse came on I was able to get up out of the bed for the first time.  I was chomping at the bit to get in a wheelchair & see my babies. I might have punched someone if they had told me to wait. To pass the time, I had seen a lactation consultant & got acquainted with my new best friend.  It was yellow, had two tubes attached to the side that were connected to what my girls pretend is a telephone.  Little did I know the bond we would form in the following weeks as it seemed like one of the only ways to be a mama to the boys I was separated from.

The NICU nurse had said previously that I might not get to hold the boys until the following morning but when we arrived on Friday evening, she asked if I would like to snuggle each of them!! I of course said YES YES YES! They were both on CPAP so I couldn't quite kiss their faces like I wanted to but oh my, to have them in my arms felt amazing! We spent a couple hours there before going back to my room to rest. During the night, they were both able to come off CPAP & switch to oxygen via a nasal cannula which seemed so much less intrusive : ) We returned bright & early the next morning ready for some more cuddles from the buckaroos.

I had told Rob about a million times that the moment I most looked forward to after their birth was the first time I could hold them both skin to skin at the same time...........

There are not words to describe how that moment felt but I will try....utter thankfulness to the God who created them & sustained their lives when we cried out for His mercy. Oh so precious.

Me & my boys : )

Later that day, we got to give them their first baths which neither really liked but boy were they happy when all swaddled up again! I'm sure it will be no time at all before they love their assistant bathers aka Char & Elo ...bath time will never be the same again!

Owen

Anson

The time in the hospital is a little vague in my mind but if I remember correctly it was during the nighttime the second night that I couldn't fall back asleep after pumping so I called the boys' nurses for an update.  Robby was sound asleep or so I thought as I spoke with the nurse & found out that Anson was able to move into an open air bassinet! I asked if that meant he could be held anytime & she said yes.  I called my nurse to see if someone would be able to take me down in my wheelchair but no one was free. I must have exhaled frustratingly enough for Robby to know what was going on. I heard him say in the pitch black "if I don't take you down there right now are you going to attempt to go by yourself?" I answered "yep, sounds about right!" It made us both laugh. He rolled me down & dropped me off. I stayed for about 3 hours & did lots of skin to skin. I even took a nap in the big reclining chair with both boys on my chest. Pumping every 2-2.5 hours around the clock was exhausting but still, I felt like I was on top of the world. I couldn't wait to see O & A & traveled from the 9th floor to the 3rd floor as much as possible.

My mom & dad got to visit together on Saturday night.
No one held the babes but did plenty of oooing & ahhing over them : ) 

Sunday morning I called my mom to see what their plans were for the day & found out that my Dad had come down with the crazy stomach bug that the girls were overtaken with.  That was the straw that broke the camels back & sent me careening into a total sob fest. I was SO sad that this stupid stomach bug had seemingly ruined my family meeting the boys.  Charlotte had to wait a whole 4-5 days before she could come to the hospital. I cried for a good while, ate some breakfast & headed back to see the boys.

Sunday afternoon, Bob & Jeannine made it into town from Dallas. They were so excited to come meet the boys as were Uncle Steve & Aunt Jenny.

Owen was able to move into the open air bassinet as well but didn't last for more than 12 hours before his temperature dropped & he had to move back in.  Thankfully they gave him another try the following day & he was able to maintain warmth. It's hard to do when you don't have any meat on your bones ; ) It was only a couple days later that they got moved to a shared crib which made this mommy & daddy melt to see their sweet little faces all snuggled up together!

Charlotte got to come meet the boys on Tuesday morning following the boys' arrival. My mom brought her up & then swapped places with Rob so he could help her scrub her hands.  Her eyes were so wide when she walked into a room with 6 tiny babies with lots of bells & whistles as you can imagine.  I held both boys as she entered & she came straight over. One of the first things she said was "I like your dress mommy!" Haha! Such a girl ; ) She was delighted to see their toes & then overjoyed to hold Owen. Her smile in the picture below is sooooo precious!

It was a bummer that Eloise could not visit since she hasn't reached the second birthday yet but I am guessing she might have terrorized the entire room so I think it was for the best ; ) She did come visit us when we were in the hospital which made me one happy mama. We had a quick lunch date following a ride downstairs in the wheelchair with Elo in my lap.

It was not difficult for me to leave the hospital. I really thought that being discharged without them would be SO emotional but I was happy to go see the girls, get settled at home & come back to visit that evening. I have felt for so long that I wanted to just get the show on the road so going home was a part of that & was fine by me.

I know that the roller coaster began way back in August when we saw a positive result on a pregnancy test but really, the ride we were on took a detour & hopped onto a crazier track when we left the hospital without babies in our arms. The visiting began and for much of the first two weeks we did two trips a day. Since I was unable to drive following a c-section, I always had a buddy with me. I shed little tears the first week but as the separation continued it became more difficult to bear. God was so gracious in providing many great nurses in the NICU plus a few that exceeded our expectations & provided excellent care not only for their teeny tiny patients but also for the mommy & daddy.  One in particular I owe much thanks for the encouragement to continue pumping every 2 hours around the clock even though I only had a half milliliter to show for it. She excitedly drew it up in a syringe & pushed it into Owen's little mouth.  We were grateful for the genuine care & concern for our family & for the unending encouragement.

Here are some of my favorite pictures from our time in Level 3 with Big A & Little O....

Sweet...Owen was fussing when we were trying to take this picture
until his brother reached over & pacified  him with his hand : )

First time Rob got to hold both boys together in the NICU.

Anson getting a bath...hahaha!

Owen just before his bath.

Snuggles in Grammy's lap made Anson hungry ; ) 

me & the little guy

We will close with the picture where they look most alike....

We think they have the same size nose even though Owens face seems so much smaller.

Also to come at some point (hopefully) in the near future when I discover some free time hahahahaha

• Part 2 of Life in the NICU to come including many more tears : ) 
• Homecoming 
• a Valentine family update
• the boys at 1 month old
• Newborn photo shoot
• Life with 4 under 4 in the initial weeks 

Video of Life in the NICU

It has been a wild couple weeks for our little nest with half of our babies staying in a different nest for the time being...it actually was incubator's for the first few days : ) I think about how I want to take time to write it all out so I insert the pictures into a draft & then fall asleep while I'm pumping or snuggling a babe.  

We are SO enjoying the addition of Owen & Anson.  Our visits to the NICU seem to fly by but then again, so does our time at home with the girls.  We are feeling stretched thin as thin can be and are thankful beyond measure for the gift of these children.  

I do plan to write more details about what we have experienced here in the NICU but for now, a video must suffice. It is two songs worth of pictures & video though so I am sure there will be little complaints about not seeing enough ; ) 

Quick update- It is looking like we are still going to be here for another 4-5 days at minimum with Anson & more with Owen. They are doing really well, it just takes some time for preemies to get the hang of eating. Their weights last night:  Anson- 6lb 2oz, Owen-4lb 4oz, proof that we are making progress!

Enjoy!

Owen & Anson: Life in the NICU

Random thumbnail....I'm sure Aunt Jenny Girl will like it ; )

Birth Story: Owen & Anson

The story really begins a few days before March 8th.... to include the craziness that occurred just prior to their arrival.  On Tuesday morning while we were at an appointment I got a text from my mom that Eloise had started throwing up. I was immediately fearful of the entire family being wiped out by the stomach bug. My mom would not let me near Eloise & vice versa as she took care of her. Thankfully it only lasted about 12 hours & she was back to normal. We prayed & asked others to pray that the rest of us will remain well.  We were feeling pretty confident that we had all made it by Thursday evening & were excited that my Dad had arrived. I had finished up all the packing & preparation for having the boys the following morning. My mom & I had a sweet moment in the living room where she touched my belly one last time & told me how much she has enjoyed caring for us. I hopped in bed, turned out the light & had just gotten comfortable when we heard the most horrific screams coming from the girls room. We both shot out of the bed & by the time we made it there, my mom already had poor vomit covered Charlotte in the bathroom. I grabbed Eloise & brought her to our bed while my mom & Robby cleaned up.  

Long story short, my mom slept on the floor in Charlotte's room & was up frequently for a few hours with her, Eloise slept between us for the entire night which has never happened before. I cried as I was going to sleep. I felt so sad that Charlotte was sick & I couldn't take care of her & I felt sad that our plans got all switched around meaning my mom would stay home with the girls in the morning while my dad came to the hospital alone to meet the boys just after delivery. On the other hand, I felt thankful as I snuggled one last night with the baby of the family, feeling those two buckaroos wiggling around. I reached across the bed & held Robby's hand as I went to sleep smiling to myself as I thought about how different life is than it was the night before Charlotte was born. Sad & thankful is a good combination : )  I am pretty positive I slept a total of 2 hours before heading to the hospital for a 6am check in. I was so excited though, it didn't matter. 

We got checked in & were taken up to Labor & Delivery Pre-Op where they got my IV started, attempted to monitor two busy boys & placed my epidural. Things went fairly smooth & we were cleared to roll to the OR by 7:45.  It is lovely working in the place where I chose to deliver. They took fabulous care of me : )

I was grinning ear to ear when I saw the door to OR #2. Thanks to my friend Jen, it was covered in signs...

They moved me onto the OR table & made the phone calls needed to get the whole crew where they needed to be. Just for the record, the "whole crew" totaled 20 PEOPLE! Our beloved Dr. Peppy posed for a quick picture with me before scrubbing in.  I was so happy that he got to deliver the twins since he had delivered Charlotte but missed Eloise's delivery when he was out of town for 24 hours. He is special to us!

My epidural was working so well that I had no clue they had even started the surgery! I guess that's a good thing ; ) It didn't take long at all before I heard "uterine" meaning they were making the incision on the uterus. My heart started racing....I could hardly wait to hear a cry! I was holding Rob's hand when Owen came out at 8:04 & let out that first cry.  Again, as it has been with each baby, we were overcome with emotion. My eyes immediately closed as I was smiling so huge with tears running down my cheeks. 

They lifted him up to the top of the drape so we could see his precious face. I love the picture below with his skinny little arm outstretched. As we have gotten to know him this week we have seen him do that countless times : ) 

Less than a minute later, Anson was born at 8:05. To hear both of those cries was music to our ears following months of wondering what the outcome of this pregnancy might be. 

I love the angle in the picture below as we got our first peek at Anson....

Anson Ellis weighed in at 5 pounds 13 ounces & was 19 inches long.

and was sweet as can be from his head to his toes...

Owen Marshall weighed in at 3 pounds 12 ounces & was 17 inches long.

 

His little tootsies were pretty darn adorable too : ) It was noted at delivery that Owen had a two vessel umbilical cord which could have contributed to his growth restriction. I am so glad he is out now & has full access to receive all the nutrients he needs to pack on some weight.

One of the nurses on the team from the NICU that came to delivery was an RN I know that has identical twin boys that are about my age. I was so excited to see her there! She does a great job at writing on the Dad's gowns & adding footprints. Here is Rob & Anson...

Anson needed less attention than his brother at delivery so we got to hold him first.  Love at first sight....although really I had loved him long before this moment.

I glanced over to see my husband who has walked through this pregnancy with me, supporting me every step of the way. The happy moments & the moments of uncertainty had come to this.....one proud father with a son in each arm. 

This was the first moment I got to touch Owen & was quickly handed Anson as well since they were needing to get the boys to the NICU quickly. My hands & my heart were full...welcome to being a mom of twins! 

Rob left with two blue bands on his wrist with the NICU team headed to the third floor. They made a quick stop in the hallway to introduce them to my Dad & the Lent's including baby Audrey.  I was sad my mom was not able to be there but was beyond thankful for her willingness to care for a sick one. I called her the first second I could. We were pretty much both squealing on the phone ; ) 

It was no time at all before they finished stitching me up & took the drape down. I got some warm blankets & rolled back into PACU.  They let me Dad come in to give me a kiss really quick. I wanted him to stay for so much longer but we were following the rules of one visitor : ) He left to go home & Robby returned with an update on Owen & Anson.  They were doing well upon their arrival there. Both boys were in need of something called CPAP which stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. They were both able to breathe on their own, this just offered a bit more support in expanding the lungs.  I could hardly wait to get out of recovery to my room & go see my babies. Little did I know I would have to wait about 9 hours more per my recovery orders. It was about the LONGEST 9 hours in my life as I stared at the picture below & dreamed about what they would feel like, how they would smell & how my heart might burst the first time I could hold them both skin to skin.

These precious baby boys were finally out of my belly & healthy, just a tad early! Random fact, 5 years ago on March 8th, Rob & I stood up at Jenny & Steve's Wedding as their Best Man & Matron of Honor. We were just 2 months away from moving to Florida with no idea what was ahead. Fast forward 5 years to the day & we are parents of FOUR CHILDREN including a set of identical twins.....what?? Only God knew exactly how he would prepare & refine us along the way. Only He knew the names of these precious gifts from God & when he would give them to us. Only He knew the amount of joy we would experience in receiving from Him.

Thanks to Liz Carraway for her beautiful photgraphy.

Meeting Owen & Anson

What a busy 5 days it has been since we added four little feet to our family! The short answer to "How are the boys?" They are great! We are expecting to be in the NICU for at least another week before even discussing the possibility of discharge but they are gaining weight, learning how to eat & bringing smiles to their mommy & daddy every chance they get. More details later...

One of these days I plan to catch up on some blogging but for now, I would like to share something with you.  Liz is a friend of mine that works in our Women's Intensive Care Unit. She happens to be a talented photographer & blessed us with documenting the birth of our sweet boys in photos.

This is a link to view a slideshow of photos set to music that she put together for us.  It has brought tears to my eyes nearly every time I have watched it! Enjoy!

Meeting Owen & Anson

Meet Owen & Anson

Introducing the new little buckaroos at the Valentine Nest.....

Owen Marshall Valentine

March 8, 2013 at 8:04 am

3 pounds 12 ounces

17 inches long

Anson Ellis Valentine

March 8, 2013 at 8:05 am

5 pounds 13 ounces

19 inches long

Mommy & babies are doing great! Birth story & LOTS more pictures to come!