Unexpected Arrivals...

Look who decided to show up at 31 weeks with absolutely no warning.  Maximus Joshua and Gideon John were born on Sunday morning January 27th 2013.  Maximus weighed 3 lbs. 13 oz. and Gideon weighed 3 lbs. 10 oz.  Overall, they are doing great for being so early but are still in the NICU and will be there for another couple of weeks.  Everyone has been so great and I know people are wanting to know what happened.  Honestly, I have no idea!  But I will attempt to tell you their arrival story.  

On January 24, my doctor told me to "take it easy" from there on out.  Meaning, I was going to work half days and then work from home the rest of the day.  I spent Thursday and Friday getting everything set up at work to do that and feeling so excited and relieved that I could have some down time before the boys got here.  

Of course I decide to go to the Bentonville/Fayetteville game on Friday night and I am greeted by a huge flight of stairs.  I'm not sure where I've been but I had no idea where this new arena came from.  

When I get home, I'm watching my new obsession "24" and starting to realize that I am contacting.  My first thought is to ignore it because they don't hurt at all.  I finally decide to lay on the couch and time them while secretly chugging water so Nathan doesn't freak out.  Well he finally got suspicious and asked what I was doing.  Before I knew it, I was changing into an ER gown trying to convince a nurse that they don't hurt while thinking maybe I can finish my 24 episode before I go to bed that night.  

It was somewhat of a blur from there.  I was a 4 and 75% effaced and the contractions were 3 minutes apart.  I was on magnesium for the next 24 hours and was able to get two steroid shots to develop their lungs. 

Around 3:30 Sunday morning, my doctor said that she needed to go ahead and take them.  She checked me and not only had I progressed quite a bit, but Max kicked her.  I was wheeled in for an emergency C-Section and before I had time to even think about what was happening, I heard Maximus cry.  Exactly one minute later, I heard Gideon. 

The boys did great from the beginning.  Max had a little more difficulty breathing at first.  They both were on oxygen for about a week.  A week and half after birth, they were moved from the middle critical care part to their own room in the NICU.  They got their IV's out around that time as well.  For the past week they have been taking bottles like champs.  Maximus started taking a bottle about 2 weeks old.  Gideon took his first bottle at about 2.5 weeks old.  At almost 3 weeks old, they started wearing clothes and being weaned off of their isolates.  

They are now 3 weeks old and the next step is to be in an open crib which should happen pretty quickly.  As of today, Max weighs 4 lbs. 7 oz and Gideon is at 4 lbs. 4 oz.  

It's hard to get a clear answer in the NICU but we are estimating another 2 weeks until they get to come home.  This has been quite the unexpected journey, but if anyone knows about unexpected it is us.  I am at a point where I have become very accepting of what's to come.  Good and bad.  I have said numerous times that this world is not our home.  I am thankful that it is not Maximus and Gideon's home either.  

It is difficult to describe the fullness in my heart right now.  They are so precious to me in such a special way because they truly represent the goodness of God.  I will share more about what's on my heart but until then.....