Tender Mercies

Today was just one of those days where you think that you may not make it. Ya know when it seems like your whole day is just one big prayer, "Please bless that I don't completely loose it" kind of day. Dane is a fussy baby and I haven't ever experienced that before, Jack was a dream baby. Then when you add another baby on top of a colicky baby already it makes for quite the experience. After a few weeks of little to no sleep I had just had it. I had everyone loaded up and out the door to go do some grocery shopping. I pulled into Costco and was hoping against all hope that I wouldn't have to walk a mile through the parking lot with two car seats and a little man wanting to escape. Much to my delight I pulled in and there was a little present waiting for me, A FRONT ROW PARKING PLACE!!! I know it may not seam like a lot but it meant the world to me and I couldn't help but cry a little and say another little pray of gratitude. It was like the Lord was telling me that he remembered my pathetic little trials and that he was still there giving me just one more tender little mercy. Who knew that a parking space could mean so much?

Pictures of the Twins

Today my very beautiful and talented friend Hanna did Dane and London's 1st photo shoot. WOW, she did a great job! If you think that you must use her services then visit staynerphotography.com. I LOVE THEM!!

Now a few pics that I took, so sad in comparison to Hanna's work.

Dane with his puppy dog eyes,(doesn't his name fit him so well:)

So sweet and Delicious. London is found smiling at any given moment.

I like to have them match and I think they must just love it;)

Look how cute their little outfits are, thanks Jamie and Jesse!

If you have ever thought about buying or making one of these but don't know if it's worth it I am here to tell you it is. I LOVE mine! I didn't have a pattern so the first one was hard but the second time around was much easier. If you just hate to sew I make and sell them, just let me know if you want one.

Babies Came Home!!!

On Monday London came home!!! Jack was so excited to meet his sister. I was nervous that he might not like them so much but all he does is kiss and love them. Then on Tuesday Dane was able to come home too. When I brought out Dane Jacks reaction was priceless. He threw his head back then clapped his hands together and started to giggle. It was like it finely made sense, he knew he had two babies and now there was the second one just as he had pictured. Kisses were in order and then all he wanted to do was help mom carry them out to our car. Since then he is very helpful and still in love with, "the babies" as he calls them. They really don't have names yet in his eyes.

It was so nice to get back home and have our little family all put back together. The babies are on a schedule from the NICU still and it's great for us. They sleep for 3 hours and eat then back to sleeping for another 3 hours till their next feeding. We took them to their 1st doctors appointment and they had both grown so well. Dane is now 6lb 3oz and London is 6lb 1oz. Ya for London and Dane!

Jack just lovin his sister, so sweet!

Now that I get to see them side by side we have decided that they look nothing alike

Like Uncle Mason, already trying to pick her nose;)

I swear he is posing. Leg warmers can be cute on boys too! Thanks MaRea!

Proud daddy.

First car seat ride together. Not a peep all the way home, and that's a long way:)

Big brother so happy to have, "his babies."

I have to thank both of the grandmas. I wouldn't have been able to make it through this without either one of them. Terri watched Jack for about 2 1/2 weeks and it was so comforting to know that he was being loved by his grandparents while I couldn't be the one loving him. Such a lucky boy to have them. THANK YOU Grandma and Grandpa Smith, we love you!!! Then my mom came down the day after we brought Dane home and it has been SOOOOOO nice. I have the cleanest house that i have ever had. Meals every night, organized pantry and closet, nightly feedings, and giving Jack all the love he needed. You name it and she was all over it. Today she had to go home for a few days and I think Riley was about to cry because her being here was SO NICE!! Love you mom, i don't know what i would do without your cool, calm, and collected personality. When I get stressed about something you calm me right down, just what I need. You believe in me as a mother and a wife and that means more to me than anything! I Love You!

London and Dane Update

So the last week we have had some really great ups and really sad down. Our little ones are doing great and we are so lucky but every once and a while we would get some sad news and have to get over it. Some of the "downs" were when London had to get a feeding tube because she was too tired to eat. Both London and Dane were put on Billy Ruben Lights because they were getting Jandis, and when they were loosing weight on a continues basis. BUT now they are doing great. Both London and Dane have been pulled from their isolates and they are both retaining their temperature on their own,YA!!! The lights have been turned off and their Billy Ruben levels are down, YA!!! They are eating over their required amounts and gaining weight every day, NO FEEDING TUBES, YA!!! Lets hope they keep it up so they can come home very soon. They have hinted that they will come home soon but we don't want to get our hopes up. Here are a few pictures by request, they get cuter every day.

London in her tanning goggles.

Smooshed face, so cute:)

Dane hated his goggels but look how cute he is.

Trying to get comfy.

Trying to get London to burp, not so easy;)

Once again trying to get London to burp.

Trying to get Dane to burp.

Dane falling asleep and chillen out while we try to burp him. These kids are all about the burp. If you don't burp they won't eat. So anoying.

Angie on her visit, holding baby London

Angie and Riley and London posing for the camera.

Grandma Terri feeding baby London on her visit.

London totally in zonked out heaven. She would do this when she was really comfy, SO CUTE!

You know I can't help but pintch those cheeks, really could you help yourself?

Introducing The Smith Twins!!!!!!!

THEY HAVE ARRIVED!!! London was born at 1:13 am at 5lb 11oz and Dane (being the gentleman that he is) followed at 1:54 am at 5lb 13oz.

Proud daddy of twins!

I was having quite an uneventful day and had finely decided that I was OK with them sticking around till the end of the week. Jack came to visit and we had a great day playing. Riley left with jack around 8 and at 10:30 i went pee and didn't stop, my water broke. This is going to be very detailed so if it's too much for you stop reading but this is kind of like my journal:)

I called Riley right away and told him to come back ASAP. I tried calling my nurse but my call button wasn't working. I sat there with water going everywhere just pushing a button that didn't work, you should have seen me I was totally calm but FREAKING out. Just by chance my nurse stopped by and I told her the news so she got me ready to go down to Labor and Delivery. They rolled me down with water still just a flowin, don't worry i had a diaper on, you got to love the a women sized diaper;)

They set me up and checked me and i was still at a 5.5. I was really starting to contract so I told them it was way past time for an epidural. That is when my Riley showed up, ya! They gave me the epidural,(i got stuck two times, not so fun) and i was able to finely relax. My Doctor called and said that she would be coming in to deliver me, love my doctor! She told the nurse to prepare for a Vaginal delivery and I was thrilled! Two hours later my nurse asked me how fast my firs delivery with Jack went and i said that I pushed 5 times and he was out. At that point she said, "well we better check you, i bet you go really fast." Well she was right I was at a 9.5.

Within 10 minutes they had Riley and I ready to go to the OR. They rolled me in and there were a million people. 2 doctors, 3 nurses, 5 people from the NICU and some others that I still have no idea who they were. I felt very "looked upon, and exposed." Dr. Sloan did an ultra sound to see where the babies were for sure and she had a huge smile on her face. She looked at me and said, "Your not going to believe it Lindsey.....Dane has flipped!" We all freaked out and from that point on I was totally fearless. This little man flipped at 34 weeks, what a good little man!

I started to push at 1:00am, 5 pushed and London made her entrance. Dane was a bit more work. They had to maneuver him down into the birth canal, when i say maneuver I mean Riley couldn't believe what he was witnessing. My doctor was really getting a hold of Dane. At this point my epidural had worn off and i was feeling everything, not so fun. My Doctor said that there was a t least a gallon of amniotic fluid around Dane, that was reassuring because these babies were SOOO heavy. I pushed for 45 min. and Dane finely made his way out. Everyone couldn't believe that my babies were so BIG . They cried so loud it made me cry, I knew that they were going to be ok.

Once the placenta was out it was so funny because everyone was gathered around it looking at it saying,"It's so big, look at those umbilical cords they are huge, wow." I kind of felt like a one women freak show because they were just looking at me like i was a freak, but the good kind:)

Now my precious little ones are in the NICU and doing so well. They are drinking from a bottle not a tube, they aren't on and breathing machines and they are a CUTE as can be. Dane looks like his big brother and London is definitely a Thatcher. At this point they are having a hard time keeping their temperature up on their own so we just need them to get bigger and get more fat on their bones so they can do it on their own. Other than that they are PERFECT!!!! The NICU nurses say that sometimes the new babies just have a honeymoon period and then they start to decline so everyone pray that my little people will just get better and better.

Picture Time!!London chillin in her incubator

London staring up at her daddy from her incubator

Me feeding London for the first time, she ate 1 oz!

Dane sleeping away!

Dane hanging out in his incubator. Toasty warm!

Me feeding Dane for the first time. This picture shows how small they really are.

Thank you all for your prayers, i KNOW that i have you all to thank for having such healthy wonderful babies. Support from everyone played such a huge part in all this, THANK YOU. But I'm going to ask you to keep my little ones in your prayers so that they can some home to us soon. Thanks!

My Life In The Hospital and Twins Update

So I have been lucky enough to have some wonderful visitors. The first is my little Jack. I get to see him about once a week so it's been really hard but when he comes it's the best few hours of my weeks. Terri was so kind to bring Jack up on Friday and we had so much fun. This is a picture of him just chillin with his sister London and his brother Dane. He just laid right back up against them, it was so cute.

The other time I got to have Jack was for Easter Morning. Riley picked him up and I got to have him for a few hours. It was so fun because we had an Easter Egg Hunt in the Hospital. At this point all the nurses know me and they thought he was so cute looking through the halls, elevators, and even outside for his eggs. I got to ride around in my hog while Riley pushed (even jack pushed for a second) and Jack looked for his eggs which he called his "treats."
Also I think I am so luck to have my girlfriends. JaCee and Katy come every Monday from Logan with goodies in tote. This time I even got a back message from both of them. They call and check in on me every day to make sure that I'm OK, I love you girls and you have made my stay here so much better. I can't wait till Monday, maybe you will put me into labor again, lol.

I am off all the drugs and my little mutts have decided that they think life is good and they want to stay put. I think I am catching a glimpse of some personality traits, heaven help me. I contract all day and all night but not enough to really do anything, I think. I haven't been checked for a week. On Monday we will get a "Good" ultra sound and see how big they have gotten and then if by Thursday they still aren't here they will just start me. I have decided that I am done with being in labor and I am done with being pregnant, these little mutts can come any time now. I know I'm selfish but I just don't care anymore. This bed has a permanent outline of my butt in it, that has to mean something.

35 WEEKS PREGO

35 weeks prego, ya we made it! This belly is so heavy, but we are so happy that they are big and heavy. We have been hanging around the hospital waiting for these babies to make their big entrance. They have given us a few scares. Two nights ago I went in to labor again and dilated to a 5.5. I was in labor from midnight till seven in the morning with out drugs because our dr. was out of town and we had no idea if we were going to have a c-section or a vaginal delivery. There was just little communication between the dr. and us. To make matters worse I had a nurse that was brand new, she was so nice but you can tell the difference between a new nurse and an experienced nurse, women you know exactly what I am talking about, lol. Anyway I stop dilating around 5 so they gave me this pain drug and it knocked be out but it made me way sick too. I woke up and threw up a lot. Then they sent us back up to our room on the second floor. I think these babies think they are funny. All said and done we are happy that they changed their mind. Every day they stay cookin the less amount of time they will spend in the NICU.


Good news is that Dr. Sloan came home today and she came and gave me a PLAN!!!!! I have felt like I have had nothing to go by, nothing to hold on to but now I do! So the plan is to take me off the Niphetipean (have no idea how to spell it,) tomorrow. I guess that after two weeks of the drug there can start to be some side effects. From there we will see if I go into labor without the Niphetipean and when I do they will just take the babies. If I don’t go into labor then at 36 weeks, (next Thursday) they will start me or schedule a c-section. If I haven’t had the babies by Monday then they will do an ultrasound and see if London is bigger than Dane and if she is then I can for sure have a vaginal delivery but if I have them before that then the only way I will have them vaginally is if Dane flips. So we will have babies for sure by next Thursday and Dr. Sloan is confident that by then the babies will be really healthy. I told the babies that they can come whenever they want they just have to be healthy enough to not have to spend much time in the NICU, I hope they listen! So wish us luck and pray that these babies are healthy, no matter when they are born:)