A day we'll NEVER forget.

The Day we will never forget was right in the middle of a typical week. I thought this week would be easy for me as I had no kiddos at school on Monday and we had a half day on Wednesday. As I had noted in other weeks prior, I continued to feel OK, yet continuing to slow down. Monday's day of meeting drained me and I went straight home from work and to bed. Tuesday was a good day, and then Wednesday I wasn't feeling the greatest, a slight headache, and just plain tired. The above picture is from Wednesday morning. I swear Adam loves taking pictures if he is not the one in them... but interesting enough, I look at this picture now and think "look at how low I was carrying!" The boys had done some shifting...



Around 4:30 am I woke up to thinking I had to go to the bathroom and to my surprise, I just thought that the pressure from the boys were causing me to lose control of my bladder a bit (sorry for this concerned about TMI - too much information). I called the OR and they said to keep an eye on it and didn't tell me to come in at all soooo, I got up and ready for work. I was going to do my sub plans and get everything checked out. BUT I made it to the front office of my school and walked past the secretary and said, "go open the door for my kids, I need a sub!" Not too long later I was on the phone with Adam telling him I was getting a ride to the hospital.



At this time, I felt a bit stupid going to the hospital because I wasn't feeling anything unusual. Then me feeling stupid went all out the window and I felt scared, anxiety, and panic. A test was done and indicated it was indeed my water that had broke. Then the nurses and my doctor started moving quite fast! They didn't want to check me right away as the more times you get checked there is more of a chance for infection. After a call to the cities, they wanted me checked to see if I could make the transfer to the cities. I will NEVER forget the look on the faces in the room when I was checked and what they thought I was measuring 6 cm dilated. At this point I was NOT feeling any contractions, but they were about 2-4 minutes apart. At 6 cm I was not going anywhere and they were going to fly a NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) to Menomonie to assist with the delivery and care of the boys. Once they were born I would have stayed in Menomonie and they would have taken to boys to the cities.



Then, after a second opinion and check, they determined I was really only 1 cm dilated and could make it to the cities. This made me very nervous but glad I could be with the boys. The trip was the longest, bumpiest, and most anxious trip I had ever had to the cities. I could help but just watch the two nurses and paramedics faces to see if they were nervous and how they were reacting to the situation. I'm sure I was quite annoying by asking "Where are we?" It helped me knowing how much further I needed to make it. When we arrived at the hospital I was having contraction every two to three minutes and just by being able to relax knowing we made it, the contractions were STRONG. I was not even in my room for a half hour and they had me checked. I went from 1 cm to 10 cm in about 20 minutes. This was just long enough to get the epidural and head off to the OR for delivery.

The delivery room was quite a sight. There was a team (10 or so people) for Baby A, a team for Baby B, and a team for me. I pushed for about an hour and a half with Ashton. He came out crying and all I could say was "keep crying little buddy!" By me being able to hear his cry, I knew he was breathing! Ashton got to visit with me for a couple seconds and then they took him to check him out. In a matter of a minutes they did an ultrasound and Baby B was still head down so I asked how long before we start pushing. The doctor looked at me and said, "right now!" I said something to the sort of, "OK... but I'm hungry, tired, and sore from the first one." He said push and in two pushes Aiden James followed his brother by three minutes! He was crying as well, music to our ears.

Ashton Alan

Aiden James

Here is the proud daddy with little Aiden. Believe it or not but in the short amount of time and how quick everything happened Gramma and Grandpa Wamboldt made it, as did Nana and Elly. Grandpa Jerry made it from Green Bay... did you go the speed limit the entire way?

The first couple of hours (maybe the first night) the boys were assisted with oxygen through a CPAP however, breathing all on their own!

Once I recovered enough, I couldn't wait to go to the NICU to see the boys. We got to do some Kangaroo time right away. The best feeling in the world.

Looking back, it was quite the ride of emotions. I went from thinking I had about five more weeks to go...

to thinking my water may have broke...

to thinking maybe labor could be stopped...

to trying to make it 48 hours (for the steroid shots to be effective)...

to "You're having babies before Dinner Time!

We joined the journey a little early.

We are Blessed with two beautiful boys.

Adam has already questioned if I am ready to live in a house with three boys, and I just remind him that I still have my Nizzer and we will do special days together to get out of the house. Just the girls.

Ashton Alan & Aiden James

Surprise! They're here... On January 20th, 2011, we welcomed our two sons to the world! They were bound and determined to be here even though they were exactly two months to the day early. We could not have been more surprised, blessed, and elated to have Ashton Alan and Aiden James as our two sons. We have so much to share as ALOT has happened in the past two days, and we promise to share most every detail we can remember... however, the days, hours, and minutes, are blending together at this point and it will take some time to get my thoughts organized. I will back up eventually and take you back to the eventful morning of January 20th, 2011 but not now. I wanted to get the basic information out and tease with a couple pictures while we adjust to our beautiful boys and spend as much time as we can taking care of them and ourselves.

Ashton Alan

Born at 4:11 pm

4 pounds 3 ounces

18 inches long

Aiden James

Born at 4:14 pm

3 pounds 11 ounces

17 1/2 inches long

The boys are doing great (again, many details to come)! We love our "Kangaroo Care" time with them where we get to hold them skin-to-skin. They are such cuddled bugs and they are so calm while by us and listening to our voice.

Aiden has his "boxing mitts" on because he is a little stinker and likes grabbing at his air flow tube. He wasn't as awake, so we try to keep the lights down. Dim lights = not so good pictures. His time will come. We see his eyes open quite a bit and he loves listening for our voices.

After Kangaroo Time, Ashton was wide awake and looking at mommy and daddy. He loves just listening to our voices!

Ashton again. How precious! The lights we on by him which made this night (1.22.2011) his night to be photographed. He was so alert and wide eyed looking at Adam and I. He melts our heart.

There is soooo much to share! Instead of doing a Caring Bridge site, I have decided to keep up with the information to be shared on this blog. It serves as a way to keep others posted, while it has also been our journal the entire pregnancy so please log in often as you will find more frequent updates as there is information and pictures to share!

We thank everyone for their support, kind words, prayers, blessings, and all the help we have received in the past couple days really show the amazing friends and family Adam have in our lives!

We are blessed. Adam, Amy, Ashton, Aiden, and Izzie.

Bottoms Up!!!

Week 31

I start this post with a warning of two sorts. The first warning is that I only have two pictures, and the second warning is that they are of my belly. It's been awhile and I'm not sure how much longer I want to show this mountain off. So proceed with caution, belief, and/or disbelief!

The babies are growing, and we had the chance to see this past week. We always get excited to see their growth, hear their heartbeats, and possibly get some new pictures of them. However, NO pictures this past week. The ultrasound tech was ultra speedy and she noted it is harder to get pictures of the babies as they are getting quite squished in their current living quarters!

Baby A: Heartbeat 168 and weighing 3 lbs. 3 oz.

Baby B: Heartbeat 150 and weighing 3 lbs. 2 oz.

Mom: SWOLLEN and belly measuring 38 cm. ;)

Dad: Deserves Dad-of-the -Year award helping mom put shoes on, get out of bed, and WHATEVER else is needed... the list goes on and on.

The most exciting part of this past doctor appointment was to find out BOTH babies are head down and as Adam would say, "Looking at their exit!" I don't remember the exact night, but not even a week or two ago I was lying in bed trying to fall asleep and I felt a HUGE movement. It felt like an earthquake in my body and I swore it shook the bed and had Adam still been awake, he could have felt it as well. I knew it wasn't a "normal" movement but didn't think too much of it. Then at this last ultrasound, it showed Baby B was head down just like his/her Brother or Sister! That is exciting to me in knowing delivery could be easier and they are now able to look at each other instead of cuddling with each other's behinds...

This week the babies are the size of a squash and their brains and nervous system are going through some major development. They will react to light and all five senses are in working order, although they won't smell anything until after being born. In order to smell, you need air and they cannot smell through the amniotic fluid.

I am still working full weeks, yet again slowing down BIG TIME! Our next appointment is in two weeks and then I will go to every week. Our doctor and I are on the same page with wanting to get possibly 3 more weeks in and then taking it easy. Whew, I just keep telling myself that "We can do this!"

Thank You, ThAnK YoU, THANK YOU!!!

Count Down: Today we are 30 Weeks and officially have 6 weeks to go to make it to the minimum of our doctor's goal!

With all the hoopla of the Holidays last week, I forgot to talk about our last doctor appointment the we had on December 29th. It was the standard two week check with no ultrasound this time (that is this week...) I always hold my breath with the measurement of my belly because I am just waiting for the numbers to be off the charts, but actually there was no growth! This isn't anything to be concerned about seeing the month before they had a HUGE growth spurt and we are thinking this next appointment we will see another growth spurt. One question I am getting a lot as of lately is "How long are you going to work up until?" So to answer that... my doctor is keeping a close eye on the babies and medical side of things while trusting me to listen to my body and just see how things keep going. I am still working full days and weeks, but slowing down quite-a-bit, and as for now my goal is to make it about 3 more weeks?!?!?! We have an appointment this week with an ultrasound as well so we'll continue to watch things!

Heartbeats as of the last appointment:

Baby A =138

Baby B = 150

Some other developments are in the area of the nursery. The offer that was to come through on our house fell through on the buyers end, so as of now we are making room to bring home the babies to our current home. I am excited to FINALLY be able to paint, order carpet, and put in the closet organizer to start nesting. For now building plans are on hold as the market is slow... and we are excited to be bringing the babies home to a place that truly feels like home to us! Building the house will come at a bit later time and we are looking forward to getting ready for babies and truly being able to enjoy the first months/year with just them on our plate!

The organization has just began, but this is a start. It's amazing how much "stuff" there is and how much a closet organizer can help!!! Adam painted this week and we have the carpet on order, and the furniture should be here in no more than 2 weeks so stay tuned for more updates on the nursery!

This last weekend was a weekend we have been looking forward to for quite awhile. The babies were showered with many special things by many special people! We packed up on Friday morning to head South to Kenosha and Racine for a shower on Adam's side of the family. If you have been following the blog, you know weather always plays a role when it comes to doing things for the babies... so of course, we ran into a tad-bit of sloppy weather!

Adam's cousins Jeff and Janel hosted the shower for the babies as well as their daughters Taylor and Brooke. They have such a beautiful home and are great at entertaining.

This cake was way too pretty to cut into, and PERFECT for the winter themed shower but in the end, it was cut and it tasted AMAZING!

As the girls "Showered" upstairs, the boys were invited to "Shower downstairs" at Jeff and Janel's very own bar. This was right up Adam's ally.

For one of the games, the ladies had to hold a paper plate on their heads and draw a picture of a baby. I was the judge and got to pick the winner...

CONGRATS to Chloe (top, who is 5 years old!) and to Kathy Blake (bottom) who won! Look at their art skills...

The next game involved some dirty diapers... EWWWW.

The guests had to smell the "dirty" diapers and guess which candy bar was melted in the diaper. Really funny watching grown women stick their faces in what looks like a soiled diaper! I guess the men tried the game downstairs afterwards as well, but I missed the picture opportunity! They were even bold enough to want to taste the melted candy bar, imagine not knowing what was going on and seeing that!

What does it smell like Mikayla?

I had the best helpers when it came time to open presents! Two years ago these same adorable girls helped me open presents at my bridal shower, and they helped me walk down the isle on our wedding day! Thanks for the help Taylor, Brooke, and Chloe!

Adam was pretty excited to get his very own Daddy-Diaper-Bag. It was pre-packed and ready to go with instructions of what to pack and why to pack it. This is his happy face and pretending to carry TWO car seats (not trying to show off his muscles)!

I can't wait for the day he takes the kids on an outing... Is it bad I am already looking forward to that? Thanks Gramma and Grandpa Wamboldt!

At the end of the day, we found our comfy spots in the basement. Next to the bar, there is a theater room. Putting our feet up and enjoying some football was just where I wanted to be after a long day of food, fun, and the babies being very SPOILED! I think the boys were still "showering" at the bar...

The pink and Blue baby items are starting to roll in as the due date approaches and returns can be made in the window of return policies. What outfits will the babies be wearing?

PINK?

BLUE?

OR BOTH?

We cannot begin to thank everyone enough for all the essentials and goodies the babies have received from family and friends! All the support, kind words, and warm wishes are amazing and hard to put into words... and we say thank you, ThAnK YoU, THANK YOU to everyone!!!
~ Adam, Amy, Izzie, and "the Babies"

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

These last two weeks have flown by with being off work and celebrating the Holidays with friends and family. This week marks our 29th week of pregnancy and in just 7-8 short weeks our two bundles of joy will be joining us!

Adam and I heard from several people who received our Christmas card that we left out a very important part of the family... Izzie. Fear not, she has not been forgotten about and was spoiled at Christmas! She LOVES opening presents and once she gets a couple, she thinks every present is for her. If the bag is large enough, she will crawl inside!

She was spoiled with many bones, treats, and toys!

As I said in the last post, Adam and I have already received our best presents, so this year was not about us. Before heading to my brother's house for Christmas Eve, we exchanged our presents to each other. There was a definite baby theme. Adam got me some books, a "Twin" ornament, and a "stick-figure family" sticker for the back of my car. I got him a comfy outfit for hanging at the hospital and a casual watch for helping to time the contractions, and help keep track of time for the baby feedings.

Christmas Eve we were off to Downsville to my brother and Katie's house. It works out well for them to host as they can then have Katie's family and our family over for all the fun.

Even though the babies were not here to enjoy all the goodies, they were definitely spoiled this Christmas! My mom had these onsies made and I can't wait to put the kiddos in them to go to Mikayla's volleyball games in the fall!

After a full night of food, gifts, and fun... we were off to bed to get up early and travel to Green Bay on Christmas day to be with Adam's family. In keeping with tradition, the present opening marathon lasted well into the 3-4 hour mark, with some food breaks in between. It was sooo fun shopping for Elle this year, and the twins continued to get spoiled! Notice all the presents above. A picture cannot do justice to how much there actually were because they were ALL over.

Not just under the tree, but behind every piece of furniture
as well!

The Wamboldt's have a "Memory Tree" as well and a special touch that was added this year is a train that circled the tree with real smoke! The kiddos will love it next year as much as Elle did this year!

As I mentioned earlier, shopping for little ones is the greatest part of Christmas. This was the first present bought for the season, and the one most fun to watch Elle play with. OK - bias... we got it for her.

When all presents were thought to be opened, I had all eyes on me to open one last present. I had no idea what it was, but was amazed to find my very-own-hand-made Santa from Laura. Adam's mom has a Santa at their house that she hand-made and it is so intricate and neat. Last year she made one for Missy and this year it was my turn to get one. We will forever find a special place to get him out every year! I don't want to pack him away...

Spending time with family is the best part of the holidays. The whole time we were with Elle, all Adam and I could think about was very soon everything will be as busy as she was, times 2! Watching her play, nap, eat, and take a bath was intriguing to these soon-to-be parents. A present we gave to Missy and Dave involved them needing a sitter for the day so... I got to practice taking care of Elle all by myself. This meant no handing her off when she was sick of playing, hungry, or tired!

We spent the day together and had a blast. It helped that she showed up in the outfit I bought her for Christmas... "My Auntie is AWESOME". Mikayla wanted to come over and visit the same day that I had Elle so I was thankful for the help and being able to spend the day with the two best nieces!

When Adam got home from work, he and Elle had some time together. It looks like they are sharing some serious business deals or something... or just some serious snuggles.

We will leave the year 2010 looking back on all the memories and great times throughout the year. however, we look forward to what 2011 is going to bring. We celebrated the new year with a nice dinner and a comedy show with some friends (Brooke and Nate) who are also expecting their first child in early 2011. We enjoyed the time as it was our last New Year's with no children and we are excited for what this next year will bring!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Our Two Gifts

Countdown: 9 more weeks until I make the goal of at least 36 weeks

That means only 63 more days!!!

I am 27 weeks today.

As most people hate going to the doctor, we look forward to the bi-weekly visits now so we can hear the heartbeats and be reassured that everything is going great! We have also began our regular ultrasounds scheduled for every 4 weeks to measure growth and keep a close eye on the babies.

Twin A

Twin A has grown from 1 lb. 4 oz. to 2 lbs. 3 oz. in the past 4 weeks. The heartbeat remains a strong 150 as it has the last couple appointments. Twin A is still head down and it feels as though he/she is the more active of the two. The ultrasound tech. commented how he/she is hogging more of the space but he/she also has Baby B's butt is it's face. ;)

Twin B

Twin B has grown from 1 lb. 3 oz. to 2 lbs. 8 oz. in the past four weeks. The heartbeat has changed a bit since last time. It is now closer to that of Baby A at 147 (it was 141 at the last appointment). The position that Baby B is in, makes it hard for a good profile picture, but I thought this one is cute with him/her looking right at you. This baby has it's head near my right rib and causes me much pain and discomfort the majority of the day if I am sitting. Sitting in a reclining position most all the time and the heating pad have become my new best friends. Standing also helps relieve some of the discomfort, but as I told Adam... as of this week, I no longer have ankle bones so I try to keep off my feet as much as I can!!!

The babies are a thinner, smaller, redder version of what they will look like at birth. They continue to put on fat and their lungs, liver and immune systems continue to fully develop. They can probably recognize our voices and their eyes are beginning to open, if they are not open yet. In the past the measurement for length was the crown-to rump, but this weeks marks where they begin measuring total length and they should be about 15 1/4 inches. They are about the size of an eggplant.

This week marks the end of our second trimester and we are sailing into the third. As people ask me how I am feeling I will respond with "I am good, but slowing down quite a bit!" I find myself teaching from my chair more often throughout the day, asking the students to carry my bins to and from where they need to be in the classroom, and having the students pick stuff up off the floor for me where in the past I would not have thought twice about picking up a dropped pencil. The end of the weeks are harder than the beginning, and trying to do something after work that requires me walking (as in Christmas Shopping) is really hard. I also need to give Adam tons of credit for the helper he has been at home. He now has the responsibilities of helping me up, helping with my socks, and making sure my very tight shoes get tied!

So the next question from most is if I will be back to work after this holiday break? I am hoping so!!! My doctor will work with me and listen to how I am feeling, but as long as my body holds up and the babies remain healthy, I really hope to make it to the end of January or early February.

Adam and I look forward to spending this holiday season with many great friends and our amazing families. We already have our favorite gift of all, the two bundles of joy that we will have soon! Next weeks post may be a little delayed due to some traveling, so check in on Monday! We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Warm Winter Wishes!