Cal & Sam

After several trips to the hospital, this one finally had the result we wanted: two healthy boys.


Look at them all stretched out, finally with room to move!  I'm just so happy.  Overwhelmed, but happy.

On Friday night, I went to the hospital because I was concerned about my blood pressure.  It had been 119/something at my doctor visit on Thursday and that was high for me.  I had swollen more and was having lots of contractions, so we decided to go in.  When we arrived, I was hooked up, and my blood pressure was in the mid-120s to mid-130s, so not bad, but definitely elevated, but I was in pain and that contributed to it.  After my contractions slowed, they released me early the next morning. 

Saturday, I was able to attend a fundraiser I had been working on during my bedrest for a wonderful organization that financially assists adopting couples.  I was on my feet quite a bit and it was a thrill to be there and help meet people who also believed in the same cause.

Sunday, I was even more swollen, so I went to Walgreen's to have my BP taken on the way to lunch.  In no pain, it was 133/93, so that had me concerned.  I called the doctor and he wanted me to go in to the hospital for some bloodwork and a 24-hour urine analysis.  The next evening, we turned in my brown jug of urine (quite possibly one of the grossest things I've ever done in my life).

Tuesday, I was on a business call when I got a couple beeps from a local number I didn't recognize.  It was the doctor's office calling with the results from my bloodwork and urine tests.  They called Greg, my emergency contact, and he took the message to go to the hospital for some follow-up tests.  When I got off the phone, he woke up Claire and told me we needed to go to the hospital for bloodwork.  Thinking I was just going to be stuck with a needle, I decided to call Lorie anyway and see if we could drop Claire off since it's not the most convenient to have an 18month-old in the Labor & Delivery department.  I'm so glad I did!

When we got to the hospital, I was told to get into a gown...not what I expected for bloodwork. I was there for a full preeclamptic workup.  At that point, my contractions were about 1-5 minutes apart, but I fully expected them to stop.  This was ongoing every night...they'd start, be painful, be close together, then around 11:00pm, they'd fade away.  I seriously wanted an epidural nightly for the last 2-3 weeks. 


Later that night, we learned I'd be started on Pitocin at 5:00am Wednesday since my platelets were a little low.  After that began, I immediately asked for my epidural.  Once I got it, I could still feel my legs and everything.  I kept telling the nurses I didn't think it was working.  As the pitocin was added, I could DEFINITELY tell the epidural wasn't working.  It wasn't until 8:30am that I got another epidural, and at 9:09am, Cal came.  I got to hold him for a split second and then it was time for Sam to come.  On a recent ultrasound, he was head-down, but apparently had flipped at this point and was coming breech.  Thankfully, he came quickly and was born at 9:11am.

Cal Wesley | 9:09am | 6lbs 1oz | 19" long
Sam Alexander | 9:11am | 5lbs 5oz | 18.75" long



They are both doing so well, and we're so happy to have them home and healthy.  After their follow-up doctor visit today, Sam continues to be the champion eater and Cal is gaining as well.  We just can't wait to get to know these little guys.  Claire is adjusting as well.  I don't even think she remembers life before the boys now.  She's so sweet to them, but could definitely do some unintended damage, so we're keeping a close eye on that.


Their middle names are both family names.  Wesley is my adopted grandfather and Alexander is my maiden name.  Claire's middle name, Thomas, was from Greg's grandfather, so we're trying to keep it fair :)