Happy First Father's Day!

Our boys were 4 weeks old on Saturday, and they are continuing to grow and learn everyday. We learned how to breastfeed on Thursday and Saturday we tried out and were successful at tandem breastfeeding. They did a super job! The lactation consultants were so impressed with how well both of them did. Saturday night after having had a long day of trying new things: Ellis weighed 6lb 9oz and Truett was 5lb 15oz. Hopefully today they will bump up their feedings to 6-8 bottles or nursing a day. That will mean they are that much closer to coming home.

Yesterday was Zach's first father's day and I'd say the boys treated him to a pretty good day. When we got to the NICU yesterday morning, these cards were there waiting for daddy. Truett and Ellis are already so talented that they could make cards!


We went to church with my family and then to eat "fish" per Zach's request at Joe's crab shack. For his first fathers day, he bought his own gift of a new (to him) Eames style recliner for the bedroom. It came from our favorite little antique store up the street from our house. The boys and I also got his diploma framed and some baseball onesies for them so that daddy can show off his boys in style.


The boys are already smitten with their daddy and their daddy is doing wonderful job being a loving and supportive husband and father! After only 4 weeks of being a father, I'm so proud of Zach Shirley and I can't wait for the years to come with our boys!
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The Birth Story - May 21, 2011

So as not to keep you waiting any longer (since it's already been 3 weeks), here is the birth story of Truett and Ellis.

On Friday, May 20th, I worked a full day in my recliner doing the usual bedrest thing that I had been doing for the previous three weeks.  I called it quits on my laptop around 5 and waited for Zach to get home and then our friend Angela was bringing dinner to us.  We started watching a movie shortly before she arrived and when she came we talked for a long while about the progress of the babies as well as the progress of her baby.  She brought us a great dinner of pot roast, mashed potatoes and veggies.  She also brought us a sweet treat of graham cracker mini pies filled with strawberries and blueberries with whipped topping.  Once she left, I made my plate and decided to wait a couple of hours to eat my dessert because I didn't want to go overboard with my diabetes.  So Zach and I finished watching our movie "When in Rome" and then we watched some of the Ranger game and about 915pm I got up to get my dessert.  Before I ate my dessert, I went to the bathroom and I got a little concerned because I just felt like I didn't have control of my bladder.  I called my mom and I called Shevawn and was unsuccessful in getting in touch with them.  When I finished in the bathroom, I came out to eat my dessert and I felt like I was leaking.  I went to the bathroom again and again and I just knew that something was up and since I couldn't get a hold of my mom, I called the on-call doctor.  He obviously couldn't confirm anything over the phone and so he suggested that we go to Labor & Delivery.  So Zach hurriedly packed my hospital bag (because we had no idea how long we would be there) and I finished eating my dessert all the while I felt like I was leaking.  

We left for the hospital about 10:30pm and I was admitted by 11:30pm.  My parents met us at the hospital since I was able to get ahold of my mom after talking to the on-call doctor.  The L&D nurse wasn't able to get in touch with doctor for a long time, so all they did when I was initally admitted was check to see if I was truly leaking amniotic fluid.  They also hooked me up to the monitors for me and both babies.  It wasn't until almost 1:30am that they finally had orders from the doctor that came on at 7am to start me on fluids and a round of antibiotics in case there was an infection that had caused me my water to leak.  So Zach and I settled in for the night and were under the impression that we would be at the hospital for the long-haul based on what the nurses and doctors had said.  

The doctor saw me that morning around 7am to tell me that they were ordering no food or drink for me just in case something might happen in that day.  He also told me that they intended to keep me pumped full of fluids and sustain me and the babies for at least two more weeks (I was exactly 32 weeks on Saturday, May 21st.).  So Zach hung out with me that morning and my sister showed up that morning to hang out as well.  My parents came up around 11am to see how I was doing before heading out of town to Tyler for a cousin's graduation party.  We were all under the impression that I wasn't going anywhere for a good long while and so everyone went on about their business.  I called several friends to let them know what was going on, but I didn't post anything on Facebook because I didn't want to cause a big stir.   

I called my friend, Amanda, and she happened to be in Lewisville that day.  She was excited to come up and see me because I had been one of the first people to see her when both of her children were born. Amanda showed up around 12:30 and hung out with me and my sister went to grab lunch.  Zach had gone home to get showered and ready for work and then he came back about 2:30 to see me before going to work at 3pm.  I told him to be on high alert in case something did happen though I was still under the impression that nothing would.  I remember at about 3pm that my contractions didn't feel too great, but they were definitely bearable.  I decided to get up to go to the bathroom at that time thinking that it would make them feel better.  So I got back in bed after that and they didn't feel any better, they actually started getting worse.  Amanda was then glued to the monitor watching when they would reach above a 10 and would cheer for me.  I didn't really feel like cheering, but she was enthralled with watching the monitor.  I was having contraction very regularly (1-2 minutes apart) and they were getting to be pretty uncomfortable.  Yet still not what I would call intense pain.  My sister was back by this time and the nurse, Clara, came to check on me again at 4pm.  When I told her that my contractions were hurting, she called the doctor.  The doctor told her to check me (which I might add, this was the first time that they checked me because they didn't want to disturb anything since they were trying to sustain me.  I have no idea if I was effaced or dialated when I came in on Friday night.) and when she did check I was 3cm dialated.  She called the on-call doctor back and within minutes she was back in the room telling me that the doctor would be here in 30 minutes and they would be performing a c-section.  Amanda promptly asked what the timing would be for me and the nurse replied that they would prep me now, and the C-Section would happen within 30 minutes.  Oh MY!

Me on operating table. 

Lisa called Zach on my phone several times until he finally answered and told him that he needed to be there now.  He had to excuse himself from some customers because he knew that it was obviously important.  He high-tailed it out of Home Depot and made it to the hospital in no time (it helps that it's only 5 minutes from the store to the hospital.)  He called his parents on the way to the hospital to let them know that it was happening now and that they needed to get in the car and head to Dallas.  She also called my parents to tell them, and they promptly turned the car around and headed for home (since they were about to stop at my uncle's house).  Zach arrived at the hospital about 4:45pm and the anesthesiologist was discussing with me what would go on in the OR.  Next thing I knew, I was being wheeled into the OR, and they were preparing me for an epidural.  This was actually the part that I was fearing the most because I knew that it was a really big needle.  It really wasn't that big of a deal though.  The part that hurt the most was the numbing medicine before the actual epidural.  They brought Zach in as they were started the surgery and he stood at my head watching the whole thing happen.  The anesthesiologist was my best friend in the OR because he talked through the whole procedure and would let me know when I would feel lots of pressure and tugging.  It was all very surreal!  Within minutes it seems of the start of the surgery I heard a crying baby, Truett and then not long after that another crying baby, Ellis.  They were whisked away to the cribs in the room and were tended to by the NICU nurses and neonatologist.  They were intubated immediately  and they showed them to me in their little incubators before they were taken away to the NICU.  They finished up with me and then I realized that my husband was gone, apparently he goes with the babies when they are taken to the NICU.  I was done with surgery and wheeled into recovery by 6pm.  Soon followed by Zach, and then, my parents showed up by 6:20pm.  My sister had to hold down the fort in the L&D room all by herself while I was in surgery.  Talk about a whirlwind!  

Truett

Ellis

After surgery, I called lots of people to let them know the news and Jason & Jacquie came to see me while I was still in recovery.  I remember thinking that the L&D bed wasn't so bad anymore now that I was numb from the chest down.  I hung out in L&D recovery until 8pm, when they then wheeled me through the NICU to see my boys before taking me up to my post-partum room.  I don't remember too much about that first night seeing them in the NICU, but I do remember thinking that this was all just unreal.  I couldn't believe that it had happened and happened so fast, but I had two perfect little boys.  After getting to the post-partum room, I was really itchy (from all the anesthesia) and they gave me some benadryl-like medicine.  At that time, Mark and Shevawn had come to visit and it was all I could do to keep my eyes open while Shevawn and I talked.  I was so glad to see all our friends though, but sad because I didn't have my babies to show them.  Zach and I then slept (as well as possible) through the night and went to see the boys in the morning.  And thus began, my ritual of going to the NICU daily on May 21st.  

Truett Reid Shirley was born at 5:23pm and weighed 4lbs 1oz and was 17 inches long (they at first told us 15 inches long.)

Ellis Jay Shirley was born at 5:25pm and weighed 4lbs 12oz and was 18 inches long. 

Waiting for babies...

Now that my showers are over, I guess it's time that I post the maternity pictures that my dear friend, Amanda took of us. We did this back in March during her spring break and I'm so glad that we did because if we had waited until now then I wouldn't be able to take pictures. Here are our favorites...

Double the Pleasure, Double the Fun!

On Sunday, May 15th, I made it to another milestone in this pregnancy. I made it to my church shower!! Ever since going on bedrest, I have felt unsure as to when the babies would come and I was afraid I wasn't going to make it to this special day. But I told these lovely ladies as long as a)I haven't had the babies, and b) I am not on hospital bedrest, then I will be at the shower. My doctor gave me her blessing to go when I went to see her last Thursday, and so I'm so glad that it all worked out!

Shevawn hosted the "Perfect Pair" shower at her home with the help of Monique, Renae, Casey, Cassie, Sarah and Erin. It was so good to be showered by these ladies and to see all the other guests that made it to the shower. It has been a long three weeks of not being able to go to church.

The decorations were absolutely perfect even though I didn't really get to see them. I am seeing them all by way of the pictures that my sister and Renae took. I didn't really take a tour of the decorations before I plopped myself down on the couch to resume my bedrest position.

I invited a couple of people who were unable to attend my last shower and of course, my mom and sister were there to see all the wonderful gifts that Truett and Ellis were given.

Shevawn and I, what a great hostess she was!
Amanda and I... a great picture of us since it has been a long time since we have taken a picture together. I was so blessed to have her there with Lane. Lane wondered how we were going to "wash" the babies since they would be so small. Amanda had to explain that the babies aren't even here yet and that a shower is where you give gifts to the babies.

We were so blessed by everyone at Riverside... we were given many of the essentials such as our diaper genie, our bumper pads, a Bumbo seat, our activity mats and some travel booster seats. I was also given some very special handmade presents. I'm so excited about all of the presents though and being able to use them for the boys.

Bethany Cassity's sister makes these awesome hooded towels for little ones. She gave me green ones with a strip of cute dinosaur fabric. So cute! You can find her sister's shop at yellowdaydesigns.etsy.com.

These beautiful little sweaters were hand crochetted by Joan Harris. So special and I am so excited for the boys to be able to wear them around Christmas time!

My friend, Courtney makes cute little diaper cakes and she made two peas in a pod for me.
My friend, Amy had her friend monogram these precious burp clothes for the boys. I love them and then are so our style!

And the boys were given their first pairs of shoes. So cute!! Can't wait to put their little newborn feet into these!

Overall the shower was double the pleasure, double the fun! Just as the parting gifts said! Thank you so much Riverside ladies for making this an extra special day for me and the Shirley boys. Can't wait to introduce these little boys to all of you who have made an impact on our lives in the past two years!

30 weeks 7 days

Tomorrow marks 31 weeks for me and the boys. We are doing good this week. Enjoying the view outside today as it's beautiful with not a cloud in the sky, unlike earlier this week.

This week has been productive for me as far as working from home goes. Zach has also been productive in the babies room... the built in shelves are almost done. The final finishing touches will be done today and then the only piece of construction left will be to put up the crown molding around the room! Then it will be time to start organizing everything!! Definitely a good feeling considering I have no idea when these babies will come.

Yesterday was my visit to the specialist. It's been two weeks since my last appointment when she put me on bedrest. Thankfully, everything looked great. My cervix is at about the same place that it was two weeks ago which is great because that means that bedrest is doing its job! I actually lost 6 pounds since my last visit two weeks ago. Crazy. I don't really get it except that it's possible that I was extremely swollen at that visit and carrying a lot of water weight. Ever since being in the hospital two weeks ago, I haven't been swollen and my ankles are fully visible. It's a good feeling! Though I lost weight, the babies each gained a pound in two weeks.

Baby A is measuring 4lb 8oz (92% percentile) and Baby B (97% percentile) is measuring 4lb 12 oz. I grow big babies... they are about two and a half weeks ahead in their sizes for their gestational age.

The doctor was so pleased with their growth that at my next appointment she will just check my cervical length and not do the growth check on the babies. So here's to making it two more weeks until that appointment! I do have an appointment with my OB this coming Tuesday. So I go to the doctor every week now, it's just one or the other.

I have had several visitors this week and my dad has been taking care of me on the days that Zach had to work. My dad came over to make breakfast on Tuesday and Wednesday, since my mom was needed to work at Technology this week. My dad also graciously took Derby dog to the vet on Wednesday in the pouring rain because he needed his bi-annual checkup and he was itching like crazy. Derby didn't sleep a wink on Tuesday night because he was itching and scratching so bad. He had welts all over his under side. The vet gave us a steroid and an antibiotic for the pup because he had had an allergic reaction to something... most likely a bug bite or sting. We have no idea what, but he's much more like himself now.

This weekend, I'm looking forward to my church shower on Sunday afternoon! After that, I'm just taking it day by day!

First Mother's Day

First of all, I want to say that Zach treated me to a great first Mother's Day considering I couldn't really do anything but sit in the recliner. I wanted to post a better picture of me here at 30 weeks. I at least put makeup on and fixed my hair on Mother's Day. Tried to make the best of the fact that I'm on bedrest.

I thought it was only appropriate that Zach and I get a picture on my first mother's day. The boys sandwiched in between us... it's probably how it will be for years to come as well. (BTW, this was one of the few times that I was up during the day, probably again on one of my many trips to the potty.)

Reading my first Mother's Day card, Zach had to modify it to work for twins. I have a feeling that will be the case with all cards relating to this holiday. It makes it more special when you have to think about the card and how it will work for you.

I really had no clue what Zach was going to get me for Mother's Day, since I hadn't really asked for anything. He was thinking ahead of things that would keep me occupied during this bedrest time, so he got me a Kindle. No more reading real paper books.... now I can buy them wirelessly and save a lot of space. It's going to be really cool once I finish all the books that I have in paper. I did buy my first book on Mother's Day, Lineage of Grace by Francine Rivers. It's a story of the women in Jesus' geneology. I had read a couple of the individual books several years ago, but they now how this compilation book so I'm excited to read it.

Here are some belly pics that I forgot/didn't have the chance to post early. Kind of gives a chronology of my belly growth... Here I am at 25 weeks. This is in the boys' room. The room has made a lot more progress since this time, but I won't post final pics until it's finished. At the rate we're going, it might not be finished until after the babies are born.

And here I am at 28 weeks... this was taken just a couple days before I found out that I had to go on bedrest.

First two days this week have been productive as far as working from home. It's definitely slower than I would be at my desk at work because the systems just don't move as fast when you are accessing them remotely. But it's good to be useful!

Last night, the care calendar brought us dinner from Steve & Renae Cates, as well as Alaina. We had plum glazed pork chops with stuffing and salad. It was very yummy! Looking forward to some events this week, Holly brings lunch tomorrow, Bethany Sanders will bring dinner tomorrow night, Shevawn brings lunch on Thursday and Thursday afternoon is my appointment with the specialist. I'm counting down until this time! I'm very anxious to see how big the babies are now and to see what bedrest has done for me in the past two weeks. (BTW, when I went to my OB last week, I measured 40 weeks if I were having one baby. At the time, I was only 28 weeks. Yikes!) Pray for good results!

One week down...

An update from the recliner. Today marks 30 weeks with my babies and I'm so glad that they are staying put. Apparently the bedrest is doing what it is supposed, though it's not much fun.

Here I am on one of the many trips to the bathroom that I make. That's all that I am supposed to do on bedrest go to the bathroom and take a shower. Otherwise, I have to have other people to help me. Those other people have mostly been my mom and Zach. More so my mom since Zach has been working during the day. I could not have made it through the past week without my mom!!

So last Friday, the first day of bedrest I waited and waited for the doctor to call me so that I could get my steriod injections to help develop these babies little lungs. I ended up going to the hospital Friday evening to get my first injection and then they put me on a magnesium sulfate iv drip in order to stop contractions and also to prevent bleeding on the brain should there be premature birth. Once I sat down in the hospital bed on Friday night, I was not allowed to get up. It was a somewhat miserable first two days of bedrest. I stayed overnight in the hospital with 10 wires hooked up to me and getting lots of medication to take care of the babies. My mom again stayed with me so that Zach could get a good night's sleep before having to go to work on Saturday morning. It was a very restless night of sleep that we both got in the labor and delivery room. Nurses were in and out all night long trying to adjust the monitors on the babies and also taking my blood. I was released from the hospital on Saturday night after I had my second steriod injection. Came home, took a shower to wash the hospital off me and crashed. I was never more thankful for my own bed than after having slept the night in the hospital bed.

Sunday morning, day 3 of bedrest, our sweet friends The McSpadden's brought us breakfast, children's worship and communion. It was a bummer to not be able to go to church, but I have a feeling it's not the first sunday that I won't be there. It was nice to have company and good food!! Part of children's worship, consisted of Claire going in and out of Derby's crate a million times. She had a blast.

When I found out that I was going to be on bedrest, Shevawn immediately setup a care calendar for me. So our first meal come on Monday night again by way of the The McSpadden's. I spent the day sleeping and reading and watching tv. My mom did some laundry and started putting stuff in the babies room that had accumulated all over the house. Monday night, Zach and I were treated to a lovely meal of tri tip roast, green beans and sister schbert's (sp?) rolls. It was very yummy.... though on Monday night I didn't feel so hot. Lots of back pain and pelvic pressure. More than what I had been experiencing beforehand, so finally at 930pm, I called the on-call doctor to see what I should do. It happened to be my doctor on call and she told me to take a warm bath and to come in to see her first thing in the morning. They would work me into the schedule.

So I took my bath, which felt most excellent and made it through the night. I was at the doctor's office (my only trip out of the house this week) by 8:15am on Tuesday morning. They examined me, measured my cervix, and looked at the babies and I found out that I had a bladder infection. Yea me! I most likely got the bladder infection while in the hospital, but I was very relieved to hear that my cervix hadn't changed in length since my appointment with the specialist the previous Thursday. So I got home from the doctor and planted myself again in the recliner. I started on my antibiotic to get rid of this infection and then I waited hoping that I would get a call from my work saying that they had a laptop ready for me to work from home.

Tuesday night. the family came over to eat meatloaf that mom had made. It was a feast.

Wednesday, again it was a waiting day. Watched some tv, read my book, took a nap and waited for a call saying that my laptop was ready. I was able to help my coworkers at least by phone calls get through some of the things that I had left behind. That afternoon, my boss let me know that the laptop was finally ready. She made plans to bring it to me for lunch on Thursday!! YEA! No more burning my vacation days just because I didn't have a laptop to work on. Wednesday night's care calendar brought us dinner courtesey of Allen and Casey Watson and sweet little Michael. They brought a great meal of glazed pork chops, broccoli, salad and my personal favorite pumpkin angel food cake. YUM-O!

Thursday was a big day for me and bedrest. It was the 7 day, so the first official week of bedrest was done. My boss, Suzanne and my coworker Erum came to have lunch with me and bring me the ever-promised laptop. The house was cleaned and straightened thanks to my momma! And when we got the mail that day... this arrived!!!

Zach graduated in December... ya know 6 months ago! This is the second diploma that we have received because the first one was wrong. He was orignally classified with all the liberal arts candidates, but his degree was in fine arts with a major in art. So it is now correct and all it needs a frame! I'm so proud of this little piece of paper. It took a lot of hardwork from my hubby and he endured and is now so happy to be done with it!!

Friday, I was actually able to work the full day since I had my work laptop all set up. It's so nice to be useful to my coworkers and to be plugged in with them on a daily basis. Friday night, Jason and Jacquie were to bring us supper. Jason called early in the afternoon to say that their plans for actually making a meal changed since Jacquie was sick all day. So, Zach and I put in our order for Chili's. A very yummy meal for Friday night!

And that was the end of the first week of bedrest... pretty exciting stuff huh? All from the view of the recliner/couch.

This picture of Derby basically sums up how I feel at the end of everyday! It's hard to imagine that life in a recliner is exhausting. I think it's more so, life growing two babies is exhausting. Here's to at least 4 more weeks of bedrest.