Today is the eve of the twins birthday.  At this time last year I was hauling my ever so large self to the hospital.  Having been contracting for weeks, I was soo ready to be done.

Eric and I check into the hospital, confirmed that I was indeed leaking amniotic and would not be going home until the babies were born.

At 35 weeks, 6 days (almost term for twins) we were pretty confident that the babies would be fine being born, so together with my beloved labor nurse (who I believe was named Sarah, and to whom I still have a girl crush on because she was sooo awesome), we made the decision to kick things into gear with a little Pitocin.

Once the IV was in, things started to progress.  Contracting stronger now, Eric and I got cocky and had the nurse up the Pitocin thinking this isn’t so bad.

                                           

Up went the Pitocin, the contractions increased again, but still manageable.  Eric and I settled into watching John and Kate Plus 8, to gain inspiration into our upcoming reality.

We sat and joked in our normal style, me telling him that we were going to be roommates from that point on, him telling me that he could give birth better than me, you know, the usual. 

                                            

All of the sudden my belly lurched and there was a loud POP, suddenly I was covered in water.  I calmly noted this change by screeching, What the F*$! was that?!  Get a nurse!

In the nurse came to tell me my water had broken (a phenomenon that had occurred post epidural with the other two). 

Traumatized by the sheer grossness of it, I was dismayed to realize that the contractions were ramping themselves up and, to put it lightly, kicking my arse.

Things are somewhat blurry during the next hour or so.  I believe that there was a gentle assertion on my part to Get me that freaking epidural, NOW!! along with some gentle shushing of everyone around me while I went into my happy place.

Not long after the blissful numb of the epidural, I told Eric to change into his scrubs, because I felt that it was time to pop those bad boys out.

 
                                             

I was wheeled down to the operating room where no less than 10-15 people watched me pop out 5lb 12 oz Alexander George at 12pm midnight and 6lb Aiden Christopher at 12:03 am.

 Both were then whisked away from me to be checked over, due to their semi-early arrival.  I ordered Daddy to go with them, to make sure no funny baby switching/losing stuff happened (I have admittedly watched one too many Lifetime movies in my day…).

I was shipped off to my room where I was left to wait for Eric and the babies to return to me (all perfectly healthy), and thus began our journey.

The birth was a crazy adventure, much unlike my other two, and this year has been quite a learning experience.  There were times when I didn’t think I could make it through the first year.  There are times now when getting them to 2 seems unlikely, but, I have to admit, for all the intense fear that I felt when I was told they were twins, things have been much, much better than expected.

It’s a good thing those little buggers are cute.