Happy Birthday Evan & Kate! The Twins Are One!

It’s hard to believe we are moms to one year old twins! So much has happened this past year – good, tough, and in between. These two have continued to shake things up since they came into the world with a bang on August 21, 2013!

We had quite a few false alarms with the twins. Kendra was in labor for two weeks before giving birth. Every time we would go to the doctor’s, or the hospital, we would be told, “Yes, the contractions are real ones… but you just need to hang on as long as you can.”

Kendra did as she was told, and kept the babies inside until 37 weeks on the dot. It was a rough few weeks at the end – she was on full bedrest, spending her days lying down. She wasn’t even supposed to sit up. Not the most comfortable way to spend the month of August. Especially when all she wanted to do was nest!

Meanwhile, as Kendra was busy staying pregnant, I (along with our unbelievable friends and family!!!) moved our entire house just three weeks before the twins made their grand entrance.

To complicate things more, our mortgage broker somehow screwed up, and we ended up closing on our old house two days before the new house, leaving us without a place to live. I packed everything into the U-Haul and parked it for two nights while our awesome and generous friends Beth and Annie welcomed us into their home.

The day we signed papers for the new house, I had to go solo since Kendra wasn’t allowed out of bed. I whizzed through the paperwork, picked up the truck, and headed to our new home. Thanks to our amazing friends, the twins’ room (and really, our entire home!) was ready to go just a few days after we moved in!

Less than three weeks after we moved in, we headed to the hospital for a planned C-section. The timing was right, as Kendra had lost her mucus plug two days earlier. At the start of the c-section, she was 2cm dilated – by the end, she was 5cm. Our twins were ready to meet us!

Me with the twins in the operating room.

The c-section went beautifully, and I got to hold both babies in the operating room! Unfortunately, our joy was short-lived. Evan stopped breathing for a short time just after he was weighed. The nurses got him going again, but both babies developed a blue tinge to their skin.

After bringing down specialists from the NICU, the doctors decided both twins needed to be admitted. Before Kendra even had a moment to hold our babies, they were whisked away. She got the chance to give them kisses just before they were wheeled to the NICU.

Kendra kissing the twins goodbye before they were whisked to the NICU.

We were on an emotional roller coaster during the next few weeks. The twins improved quickly, yet weren’t ready to come off of the feeding tubes for days. It was painful to watch them hooked up to machines, but we gritted our teeth and learned to care for our babies amid the wires, beeping, and bustle of the NICU.

Evan in the NICU.

We adjusted, and began to settle into our routine of caring for the twins in the hospital. After just five days, Evan was ready to be discharged. Then, a bombshell. Concerned about the loudness of his murmur, the neonatologist had requested an echocardiogram for Evan. It was then we learned he has two heart defects, both of which will require open heart surgery. In a matter of days, I had read everything I could about VSDs and double chambered right ventricles. Despite the defects, Evan was stable enough to come home with us.

It was bittersweet as we left the hospital with our baby boy, leaving behind our little Katelyn. She still hadn’t stopped “spelling,” (stopping breathing while sleeping, and not restarting on her own) so she spent another two weeks in the NICU. We were so happy when she was finally discharged – we finally felt like we were beginning our life as a family of five.

Just a year later, and the twins have both grown so much. It has been amazing to watch them hit their milestones. These days, Evan is on the verge of walking, cruising all over the house. Kate isn’t far behind, though she is much more cautious than Evan. Both have three teeth and refuse to eat baby food anymore. They both love munching on blueberries, graham crackers, garlic naan, pasta, yogurt, and cheese. Evan also loves pizza, while Kate really digs watermelon.

Both are babbling up a storm. Evan has mastered “mama,” and “up,” and can sign “more,” while Kate can say, “mama,” “Mommy,” “baby,” and “hi!” I am pretty sure they’ve got their own language going too – they are always talking to each other, but we can’t understand a thing they are saying.

They both love playing peek-a-boo, though Kate always covers her ears instead of her eyes. Evan’s favorite toys are cars, our piano, his walker, balls, and the television remote. Kate loves pushing the button on my iPhone, and playing with blocks and toys that make noise. They both like reading books, though Evan is more interested and patient while we are reading.

The sleepless nights, the pooplosions, the milestones, and the memories have added up to an amazing year, and we can’t even imagine life before them! Happy birthday Kate and Evan!