Lily and Madison are 1!!

One year ago, I was laying in a hospital bed. I was in pain and scared. I couldn't get comfortable and hadn't slept at all the night before. There were a million things racing through my head...Is it too early for the girls to be born? Will everything go smoothly? How will we take care of them? Will it hurt? Will I need a C-Section?  Will we be able to afford to pay for everything?

I went into the hospital the night before. The doctor decided to induce me, because I had started developing pre-eclampsia. The nurse gave me medicine that night to get my body ready for labor...which is a nice way of saying it caused horrible cramping. In the morning, they gave me medicine to start inducing my labor. The pain and discomfort was indescribable, so I won't even try. After a while, I got an epidural. I was as scared of this as I was anything else...Will they miss and hit my spine? Will I be paralyzed from this? Of course, it was fine. The relief was welcomed, but my discomfort soon came back.

My progress was slow, so at 4pm they decided to do a C-Section (after 9 hours of labor). The next few hours were really a blur...They wheeled me into the operating room and tested to make sure I was numb. Then, there was an intense pressure in my midsection. I could feel the babies being pulled out. First, Lily at 4:25pm then and then Madison at 4:26pm. We smiled and took a picture. They told me they were doing well, but needed to go to the NICU. Nate went with the babies and I went into recovery.

I was a blur of emotion...so happy that the girls were ok, but also in a lot of pain (my legs and arms were shaking uncontrollably, a reaction to the epidural and stress). I wasn't strong enough to get out of my bed to see the girls in the NICU. Luckily, Nate and the nurses brought the girls to me. I was able to hold them for the first time...it brings me to tears now, as I think about it. They are the greatest joy of my life, God's greatest gift!

It's hard to believe that it's been one year since the girls were born, it seems like it was just yesterday. On the other hand, it's hard for me to remember a time when the girls weren't here...they were meant to be in our family!!

Mommy and Daddy love you both very much! Happy Birthday, Madison and Lily!!

Family Portrait 6/10/10

Family Portrait -- 6/10/11