March 26th FINALLY arrived! I didn't sleep at all last night and had to be up at 3:00am so we could leave by 4 to arrive at the hospital by 5:30...although we knew we were going to be SUPER early but that was fine with us since we didn't want to lose our 7:30 slot. I, knowing that there would be pictures, wanted to look semi decent so I actually did my hair and makeup...I know, ridiculous. And then I took the last belly shot of this pregnancy!
37 Weeks & 1 Day...t minus 5 hours until we would meet!!!
Then we took our last photo as a family of 2...
Mason had pretty much packed the car the night before so we tossed some last minute things in the trunk and we were off. I WISH I would have snapped a picture of the back of the car...it looked like we were going to be camping for a week and after going through the experience...we didn't use 1/2 of what all we brought!
The ride to the hospital was very quiet...I must have asked Mason 274858 times what he was thinking and I was very terrified nervous about the upcoming events...namely the epidural that was going to be shoved in my back. We arrived at L&D before 5 and they complimented us on being early. As we were sitting in the waiting room I looked down and realized my feet had ballooned up overnight it seemed...especially my right!!! I took it as a sign from the kids that they were ready to get this show on the road!
I mean...that right foot...sheesh!!!
They called me to register and my hospital bracelets were put on and they led us back to the OR prep room. It was surreal because on the way we passed the triage room where I had been just 2 and a half weeks prior trying to stop labor and today it was finally going to happen. Once we got in the room I put on my gown and several nurses came in and started asking me questions and getting me prepped for surgery.
Mommy! Daddy!
IV started...waiting on epidural! Handsome husband...
My sweet nurses were awesome. I asked a million questions and everytime they did something to me I wanted to know why and what the purpose was and they humored me everytime. They told me my anesthesiologist was named Dr. Morgan and that he was fabulous and they sometimes referred to him as "Captain Morgan". So,when he walks in Mason asks him "Where's your Parrot?" and he made the Captain Morgan pose...he was wonderful. They made Mason leave the room to do the epidural and Dr. Morgan talked me through every step and the nurse held onto me the whole time. Looking back, it was not that big of a deal and the catheter wasn't either. They were the two things I was most worried about and they were a piece of cake. I started to lose feeling in my legs just as Dr. Richards came in all fresh and ready to go for the day. The clock was steadily ticking closer to 7:30 and I was starting to get really nervous and it didn't help that the epidural was making me shake uncontrollably. They let my family come in one last time; Justin & Sissa, Mom and Dad, and Pam and David wished us luck and they started wheeling me down to the operating room. Only one problem...no Mason. I kept asking everyone where he was and they said he was getting a gown on and he would be there momentarily. As they wheeled me into the operating room the first thing I saw were the two warming stations where they would take the babies and I lost it...started sobbing uncontrollably. So much so that the anesthesiologist asked me if I was hurting or something...I continued asking where Mason was as I heard Dr. Richards and Dr. Thurston come in the room and start scrubbing up. They moved me from my bed to the operating table, put up the curtain so I couldn't see and put the world's biggest light on me. It was mirrored and I tried to look in it and see what was happening but all of a sudden I got ridiculously nauseous. I mumbled out loud that I was going to be sick and something was immediately put in my IV...it helped, momentarily. They handed me a bowl and I started dry heaving uncontrollably. Someone said out loud "we've started..." and again I said "where's Mason" and all of a sudden there he was behind my head.
I got nauseous again and dry heaved and something else was put in my IV. I was so nervous that my jerking from my vomiting attempts was going to make them "slip" and cut me wrong so I begged for something to make it stop. As soon as the heaving stopped everything blurred...Mason was all of a sudden gone from behind me, nurses were chattering, and then I heard it...one long, loud, cry...Owen was here! 7:42 am weighing in at 7 pounds even and 19 1/2 inches long!! The tears started for me again and I remember asking the air, "who is it?" "are they ok" and someone told me "it's your son...". My son? What? About that time Mason was back at my side with Owen and I was crying again.
Owen Michael Cornelius
7lbs
19 1/2 inches long
7:42am
My handsome boy!!!
And then Dr. Richards peered over the curtain and said "do you wanna see a baby" and then he put this squishy, red, icky looking little person over the curtain...my sweet McKenna was here one minute behind her brother!
McKenna Grace Cornelius
6lbs 7oz
19 inches long
7:43am
Time slowed, I heard more talking, Mason left my side with Owen and I was just laying there. Finally, Mason was back with Owen and someone placed McKenna on my other side and there they both were. My beautiful, HEALTHY, chunky babies I had been waiting to meet since the day the doctor said it was twins! I just remember tears running down my face and trying to touch each of them and they were so quiet just staring at me.
My First time to hold my baby girl!
My beautiful babies...my dreams come true!!!
Our First Photos as a Family of 4!!!!
I remember yelling to Mason, "get a picture with Dr. Richards" and later when I went through my phone I found this...!
This day, this process would not have been the same without Dr. Richards. We are so blessed to know him and that he was the one who brought our kiddos into the world! After they took this picture, they started cleaning me up, sewing up my insides and the babies were handed to Mason for this portion of the process.
I would say he was a pretty proud papa right at this moment!
I was finally sewed up and moved back onto a bed rather than an operating table. They put both babies on my chest and warm blankets over all of us and they were so quiet, and so tiny!! They wheeled us back to a recovery room and Mason went out to tell everyone the news and to bring them back to meet the new dynamic duo!!
First to meet the babies were their grandparents...grandmas went first, grandpas second!
Grammy with Owen & Nana with McKenna
Owen & Grammy
McKenna & Nana
McKenna with Pappoo...
Owen with Pops...
After this I am a little fuzzy on remembering! I recall some nurses came in and took them one at a time over to a little warmer and did things with them; checked their vitals etc.....I couldn't see because my wonderful family was crowded around watching and ooohing and aaaaahing! Haha! Finally, they put us in a room and I remember the nurse telling me my whole family was in the hall and was I ready for them! I said of course and for the next few hours it was nothing but passing around my sweet babies and introducing them to all the wonderful people who would be so important in their lives!
Aunt Sissa & Owen...this was the first of many pictures of these two I can tell!
Uncle Justin & McKenna
Uncle Justin & Aunt Sissa with McKenna...
Proud Aunt & Uncle!!!
Our "hospital survival kit" Sissa made us!! This came in so handy while we were at Presby..the candy and snacks were the first to go of course!!!
Nana & Pappoo with their FIRST grandbabies!!!
Grammy & Pops with the twins...
The rest of the day was full of visitors and adjusting to trying to pump, feed, and deal with the TWO NEW HUMANS I had just brought into the world. Aunt Lindsey came by after she got off school and met the babies..one of whom looks strikingly like her!
Daddy was a CHAMP since I could not get out of bed because the epidural hadn't worn off! He changed every diaper, swaddled like a pro, and made sure I had anything and everything I needed.
My sweet girl!
My handsome boys!!!
And our night was capped off by two of my best friends bringing dinner and meeting my little ones! I have visited both of them in the hospital when they have had their kiddos and they feel like my own nieces and nephews.
Aunt Brooke & Owen
Aunt Melissa & McKenna
Aunt Melissa & Brooke (and sweet Taylor who will be joining us soon!) with both babies!
It was a whirlwind day and we happily sent the babies to the nursery so we could get some sleep that night. What a surreal, perfect, exhaustingly exhilarating day! We went into the hospital as two and ended our night as 4...happy birthday my beautiful little ones...welcome to the world!!!
