Friday, February 18, 2011

THEY ARE HERE!!!!!!!

Jackson and Griffin cuddled up together in their new crib in the NICU.
Griffin in his new crib out of the incubator in the NICU.
Jackson in his new crib out of the incubator in the NICU.

What a Valentine's Day Celebration!!! At 4:30 am, without notice, my water broke. I had no contractions or pains leading up to that time. I got Mike up and we started to get things moving. I called the hospital, Mike called his parents to come over to take care of Bryggen, we loaded the car and headed to Montgomery. On the way there my contractions started. First they were ten minutes apart and jumped to four minutes apart. By the time we got there I was in severe pain. It only took Mike 25 minutes to get us there. And let me add that he was super calm and in great control the entire time. He handled things so much better than I did and I thought I was calm. As I am getting admitted to the hospital the pains increase dramatically. They finally wheel me into a room and I am past being calm. I change and they start prepping me in my room. Up to this point, no one was rushing or felt any reason to be alarmed. Then they checked me to see how far I had progressed. At this point it is 6:00am. The panic sets in with the nurses when they realize that I am 7cm dilated and that Griffin was about to come. The rush into the operating room began. I was being wheeled into the OR because the plan originally was to have a c-section because Jackson (baby b) was breech. But Griffin (baby a) did not give us time for that. He didn't give the epidural time to kick in before he was born. The worst pain I have every felt and yet he was not stopping. So at 6:54am Griffin was born weighing 5 pounds 7 ounces at 18 1/4 inches long. He was crying and kicking and super happy. But the panic then moved to turning Jackson so he could be delivered without a c-section. And the doctors were able to do so and Jackson was born at 7:11am weighing 5 pounds 10 ounces at 18 inches long. He was crying and kicking and super happy as well. Fortunately, the epidural kicked in before Jackson came so I had some relief. It was amazing. I am so blessed to have these boys here. Now they came at 34 weeks gestation. By hospital protocol all babies have to stay in the NICU til they reach 35 weeks gestation. They have so many milestones to reach before leaving. They have hit every milestone thus far and I have no reason to see why they won't be home by Monday or Tuesday. I can not wait. And at this point, Bryggen still has not met them. She's not allowed back in the NICU and they will stay there til they come home. During this time, Bryggen has been a great trooper. She's been all over the place and hasn't had a bad day yet. She deserves so much credit for being a perfect 2 year old. And I have had so much support from family and friends. My in laws for taking care of getting Bryggen to Montgomery and the hospital. They also took care of my house by cleaning and doing my laundry while we were gone. They've been back and forth for us and just awesome parents. My dad and stepmom for helping out in the hospital, for playing and taking care of Bryggen and for being super supportive. My mom for keeping Bryggen the first night in the hospital and for every other day driving us around, keeping Bryggen while I went to the hospital several times a day to feed and care for the boys, for doing every and anything to take care of us. For my friends and family for their prayers and support during this time. And especially my husband for being a great husband and dad during the entire time we've been busy running around caring for our three precious children. The Lord has blessed us so greatly and I am so excited (and nervous) for the next phase of bring them home and introducing them to Bryggen and everyone else.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Baby Everett


The newest arrival: Benjamin "Everett" Lochte was born Feb. 1st @ 2:08pm weighing 7.09 and 20 3/4 in long. Vesla did great pushing her usual 3 times and he was out. Everett joins big brothers Logan and Wyatt. Can't wait for Griffin and Jackson to join him. They will be so close growing up.