The boys are 16 months and I'm finally getting around to writing the final blog of "Journey to meeting Baby A & Baby B." I believe I will always remember that day but I'm sure if I had written this post back then there would have been more details. Especially about their time in the NICU. I want to share this for everyone who shared in our journey and guess what...it's time for a new blog about our daily adventures. I'm thinking of naming that blog "Twins aren't for sissies" but I'm still working on the title. I wouldn't hold your breath on my next blog. I may not have time to begin writing till the boys move out.
The story
The ironic thing is my contractions began about an hour after my last post on August 29, 2011. However, Cochran & I didn't know they were the real deal. My wonderful friends Emily and Chrissy had surprised me with a visit that weekend. Well it was supposed to be a surprise but I did investigative work. Details. Back to the story. Their trip was a HUGE blessing. That weekend they washed ALL of the boys clothing and bedding and even helped me pack for the hospital. They actually left that Monday morning on August 29. Now we do joke that they made me go into early delivery due to excessive laughing. We did an art project with not only my belly but my sasquash foot. My right foot to put nicely was gigantuous. Chrissy made the comment that all of my toes looked like thumbs. She is so sweet :) Don't feel sorry for me. They never hurt. I wasn't even on my feet that day and we just so happened to look down and gasped and laughed. Perhaps the foot was trying to warn us.
The contractions basically felt like period cramps at the beginning. My lovable nerd husband got on the computer and pulled up a spreadsheet. Yes, this is a TRUE STORY. He would enter in the time my contraction began, ended, and the duration was calculated in Column C. Hehe! I never felt the Braxton Hicks so that's what we assumed I was experiencing. I texted Emily that I disliked Braxton Hicks which led to a conversation. After discussing that they were coming every 7-8 minutes she said her mom, who is a nurse, was encouraging us to head to the hospital to be safe. She advised that if they were Braxton Hicks they would come inconsistently. Luckily my bag was packed. Now imagine my 215+ lb pregnant self getting into a Mini Cooper to head to the hospital. Again, this is a TRUE STORY. My husband was in the car business in Tampa and those are the keys he grabbed. Can't forget the towel he put in the passenger seat. I think it's important for me to stress that we knew nothing of pregnancies or babies. Which I'm sure you are picking up on.
We arrive at St. Joseph Women's in Tampa, FL around 11:15 pm. At this point we hadn't called either of our parents because we didn't want to get them excited for this false labor. My contractions were getting a tad more intense but nothing I couldn't handle. Of course, when a nurse asks your pain level from 1-10 with 10 being your arm being cut off you say "Hmmm...3". Although 5 may have been more appropriate and now I can say I know what a "10" feels like. The nurse continued to ask questions and then said she was going to examine me. With surprise she said, "Well I wasn't expecting that! You're 3 centimeters dilated." Again, you're talking to someone who watched the birthing story here and there during 2 weeks of bed rest. Ten is where I need to be right? So that's not going to happen fast.
She came back with the news that we were going to be admitted to the hospital and that they were going to attempt to stop my contractions so the babies could "cook" longer. Now it was time to call the parents just to let them know we were staying at the hospital but no need for alarm. My mom still laughs at me because she said when I would get a contraction I would calmly say "Wait 1 minute." I would slowly inhale and exhale and pop back on the phone. I thought I had control of the situation.
We moved to our new room which I remember was at least six times the size of our previous room and the tv was bigger. There were 4 nurses taking care of me and getting us set up. They gave me medication and instructed this was to stop my contractions. After the ladies got us squared away they said that an ultrasound tech would be in to check on the boys and do their measurements, etc. The tech came in soon after everyone had departed. Cochran could tell by the machine when a contraction was coming. As the tech was trying to get pictures of the boys my contractions began to come back to back and were very intense. At this point I began asking Cochran to call the nurse. The nurse said they couldn't give me pain medicine till the tech had completed the ultrasound. This is when I started saying "This isn't fair!" over and over. Haha! It was getting to the point where I wasn't getting any breaks. I remember having 2 back to back contractions and pushing was the only thing I could do. Right after this point the tech stood up and declared that everything looked great. As she walks out one of the nurses finally rejoins us and gives me my pain medicine which I immediately started to feel. She instructed that she was going to check me. She quickly looks up and says "Did your water break?" I reply "You're down there. Did it?" In panic she re-examines me and in two seconds there were 40 people in the room.
Now this is where one of my all time favorite moments in my life occurs. I look at Cochran and say "These boys are coming tonight. We are going to meet them soon." I can't recall what he said. What is burned in my memory is he took both sides of my face gently and looked deeply in my eyes. His eyes were filled with concern, love, admiration, and strength. With all the chaos abrupting around us he talked softly and reassuring to me and it was calming. In that moment I felt so priveledged and strong. What an amazing gift God has given us women. We are able to carry and bring children, the greatest blessing, into this world.
After our "moment" they wheeled me off and told Cochran they would be back for him in 15 minutes. I'm going to spare the other details. I know why hold back now?
On August 30, 2011 BABY A Cameron Joseph Cochran was born at 4:06 a.m and BABY B Blake Alexander was born at 4:09 a.m. They both weighed 4.11 and were 17" and 17 1/2". They came so fast that my gyno didn't deliver Cameron but was there to deliver Blake. They were in the NICU for 10 days. They were healthy but they just had to learn to take their bottle consistently before we could take them home.
Today it's hard to believe they were so tiny. Even though we are still those parents who are learning as we go I know as long as they always feel loved we are doing a great job.
Thanks for staying with us everyone! Thanks for the support, prayers, and love. God is amazing and I thank him several times throughout the day for blessing us with our boys, family, and friends!
Happy New Year!
Leslie, Chris, Cameron, and Blake Cochran
