1 Month old today!

I can't Patrick and Payden are 1 month old today. The time has really flown. Before we know it, it will be time for the 2 month old check.

Here are some tidbits about each one...

Patrick

• weighs 7 lbs 1 oz (as of 2/20) - he gained 14 oz in 9 days
  
• loves baths and will kick his feet and smile at you
  
• nicknamed "Mr. Peepers" because when he is awake, he's really awake and seems very aware of his surroundings
• has ALWAYS held his head up from birth
• has lots of spontaneous smiling - absolutely the cutest thing on earth!
  

Payden

• weighs 7 lbs 3 oz (as of 2/20) - he gained 8 oz in 9 days
• absolutely hates baths - acts like your trying to kill him - he doesn't like having his diaper or clothes changed either.
  
• nicknamed "Payden the Piranha" because he like to "chew" his food - I won't try to explain this any further. :)

Bath Time!!

Here is an assortment of pictures from Patrick and Payden's first baths. Last night, Christian's mom and I bathed them and then they slept for 4 1/2 hours straight! Tonight we are going to give them their baths at 9 pm to see if it helps them sleep tonight.

Finally! Surpassing their Birth Weight

Birth weight: Patrick--6lbs 2 oz
Payden--6lbs 7 oz

Coming home from the hospital: Patrick--5lbs 8 oz
Payden--5lbs 14 oz

1st Pediatrician appt : Patrick--5lbs 9.5oz
(2 days after coming home) Payden--5lbs 15.5 oz

2nd Pediatrician appt: Patrick--5lbs 9oz
(2 week check) Payden--6lbs 3 oz

After the 2 week check, we and our doctor were worried because Payden had only gained 3 oz and Patrick had lost 1/2 an ounce. She suggested that we start supplementing to help them try to gain weight. So now every time we feed them, I breastfeed each one for 10 minutes and then pump. Then we feed each breast milk/formula until they each are full. I was disappointed at first; thinking I was failing them by not producing enough milk. Then we decided to see a lactation consultant and found out that my supply is pretty good but they are just weak suckers and hopefully it will get better.

In the week since we started supplementing we noticed some great improvements... 1) wetter diapers, 2) more poppy diapers, 3) less fussiness, and 4) longer sleeping periods. We thought it must be working!

3rd Pediatrician appt: Patrick--6lbs 3oz
weight check w/ nurse) Payden--6lbs 9 oz

With the supplementings, they surpassed their birth weight! And we are now able to let them sleep during the night instead of waking them every 3 hours. Last night we had 1 five hour stretch and 1 four stretch. It was wonderful!!

Here's some more pictures!!

Patrick:


















Payden

Patrick and Payden - The Birth Story

By the end of my 37th week, I realized that I probably would make it all the way to my scheduled C section date. On Saturday, Jan 23rd, Christian and I planned out "last night out" and enjoyed ourselves at The Cheesecake Factory. Yum the food there is great!

The rest of their birth is best related by a time line:

2:30AM (Jan 24th) - I awoke and used the bathroom.

2:31AM - I laid back down only to have moments later the worst cramping feeling I had ever had. I ran to the bathroom and while sitting, my water broke. I was amazed that there was so much!

2:35AM - I awoke my sleeping husband and told him that we needed to go to the hospital. In between hard contractions, I managed to pack the rest of the hospital bag as fast as I could

2:40AM - left the house - Christian broke every speed limit by 10-15 mph. I'm so glad we didn't see any cops on the way there.

2:50-2:55AM - got to the hospital and they checked me out. My contractions were 3 minutes apart and I was dialated to 2 cm. I overheard them talking about the volume of my water that broke and got the feeling that both bags had broken instead of just the one. Then they got the on-call doctor and asked how I would like to deliver the boys. We had already discussed a C section with my doctor and decided to just go ahead and have them that way.

3:00 --4:30AM - In this time period there was a hustle and bustle of activity. They put in IV in, shaved me, and prepped me for the impending C section.

4:41 AM (Patrick) & 4:42 AM (Payden)- heard the joyous sounds of our little boys being brought into the world. Both were screaming and I could tell they sounded healthy. The moment that I will remember well is my husband crying when we heard them finally being born. I thought it was incredible sweet and wonderful!

By far the worst part of this was that I wasn't able to see my little boys as soon as I wanted to. They brought Patrick to us so we could see him but Payden was having trouble breathing so they took him to the NICU for a few minutes.

Between 5:30-6:00 AM - they brought me to my room and the boys came shortly thereafter.

Introducing the newest Benedicts!

This is Emma Valerie's SIL
Valerie had her babies this morning at about 4:30 am.
Baby A - Patrick Christian 6 lbs 2 oz 17 inches long



































Baby B - Payden Vaughn 6 lbs 7oz 19 inches long

Things I don't want to Forget (Part 1)*

1. June 2nd: the day we found out we were going to be parents but nervous also.
   
2. June 22: Our first ultrasound where we saw it was twins. We saw their little blobs with hearts just a beating. After what happened last year with my pregnancy, it brought me to tears to see their little hearts.
3. Finding out that they were 2 little boys and somehow knowing this is was where we were supposed to be at this time of our lives
4. Feeling their kicks for the first time - surreal moment of it all
   
5. Always feeling my stomach for their body parts - head, back, bottom, and legs
6. The day we went to Target and I lost my husband. I assumed that he has escaped to the Entertainment section but then I found him in the baby section with his arms full of baby stuff. (This has happened 2 more times, it is so adorable!).
   
7. The VERY first official shopping trip to Babies R us; and being so overwhelmed as we realized we needed 2 of almost everything.
   
8. Rocking in the glider in the empty babies' bedroom imagining a room full of babies and a dream come true.
   
9. Maddie always sleeping on my baby bump at night on the couch.
   
10. The Journey of Life that got us to this point - it was such a hard journey but I know that without the hard journey, I wouldn't be as grateful right now to be where we are.
    

* Part I - because I know there may be more that I'll remember.

37 Weeks!

Yes, I'm still here.. Babies are both content to stay inside.

When we initially got pregnant I really feared that I would have these babies early. Now that I've made it to 37 weeks, I can hardly believe it. Only 9 more days! We have a planned C Section for Jan 26th; although I'm hoping Baby B will turn head down before our appointment on Thursday.

How far along? 37 weeks, 1 days

Total weight gain: 30 lbs

Stretch Marks? None that I see so far

Maternity clothes? Yes, but I have outgrown a couple shirts.

Sleep: Not much in fact. When I finally do get to sleep, I wake up a couple hours later to go the bathroom. It is very hard to get comfortable; not to mention the horrible acid reflux/heartburn.

Labor Signs: dilated to 1 cm 1 1/2 weeks ago. I am getting some contractions on and off but nothing that has picked up or gotten stronger.

Belly Button in or out? It's out.

What I miss: Seeing my feet