Monday, March 29, 2010

Hello from the maternity ward!

Hi all!

First of all, thank you so much for all your sweet comments! They have just delighted me to no end!!

And thank you even more for all of your prayers!

I am going to be honest here...the last few days have been the greatest and hardest of my life. I am just over the moon in love with these two babies. I am crying as I type this just even thinking about how much I love them. They are so very precious to me. I have never known a love like this before, so instant and so intense. It's an incredible thing.

I have never been more in love with my husband either. He is such an amazing daddy! He has blown me away with his patience and his way with them. He has just fallen into this role so naturally, it is really impressive. And to see him adore them just melts me in a whole new way.

We are so grateful for their health, and for their sweet spirits. They seem to be such good babies. They hardly fuss, and are easily calmed down.


I also am so surprised by how much pain I am in. My c-section for Abbey's delivery was emergent, and therefor fast and brutal. One of those 60-seconds-skin-to-baby kind of things. My incision is killing me. It feels like someone poured lime juice in it when I first try and move around...it stings so bad. I have stitches from both deliveries, and neither is comfortable. I am so swollen all over - which they tell me is normal and will go down in a few days. My jaw is sore and it's hard to eat because of my need to be intubated. My throat is very sore from this as well. I was vomiting and dry heaving after the anesthesia and unable to eat solid foods for the first 29 hours after delivery. I was so weak. I have a strange cough that feels and sounds like it needs to be productive, yet it isn't. It hurts my incision to cough hard, yet I need to get whatever it is up. My doctor thinks it is just some residual "leftover" stuff in my lungs from the tube being down my throat. She isn't too worried about it, but wants it to be completely gone before I leave, so she is keeping us all another day. We will head home Wednesday it looks like.

It's been hard not to be able to fully care for my babies. I have yet to be able to change their diapers because I haven't been able to stand that long.

But, things are getting better each day. I am now fully free of the catheter, all IV's, and any other misc wires, leads and bandages I had all over my body. I am staying on top of my pain meds, and last night was even able to get out of bed and walk the maternity floor a bit. Today I was up a few times too. It hurts so bad getting out of bed, but it's starting to feel better to be up and around a bit.

Breast feeding is going ok. My milk hasn't come in yet (which is to be expected), but hopefully will soon. Yesterday we seemed to back track a bit with the babies ability/desire to latch, and I had a complete meltdown about it. I feel like that's the ONE thing I am able to do for them right now, and I am determined to do it. Luckily today has been much better. Thank you Lord!

Thank God for such a loving and supportive husband who is able to be here and be so hands on. Thank God for loving and willing family and friends to help.
Thank God for all the people praying for our family, our sweet babies, and my recovery. The prayers are working and I really feel like things are getting easier.

So thank you.

Soon I will write a detailed post about their deliveries, both so I can document it and so I can process it all. But after I get it all out, I intend to do my best to move on from it. After all, at the end of it all, I have two healthy babies out safely, which was our prayer.

Thanks be to God.


Even though these last few days have been rough in a lot of areas, I would do it all again in an instant.

Without a doubt.

These are my first days as a mother, and they are so precious to me. Our babies are such a gift... I am so unworthy of this much favor from the Lord.

They are worth ANY amount of pain or discomfort. And they were worth every seconds wait, and every tear along the way.

More than worth it.

I mean, just look at these faces...

Our sweet son.


Our sweet daughter.


I look so tired here -and I was!- but I have never been happier than to have both my precious babies in my arms at one time.



I mean just. look. at. these. faces...!!

How do I describe how I feel about these babies? I feel like "so in love" and "complete adoration" don't even begin to touch the emotions I have for them...


I am so blessed.



I better finish up, since my little ones are going to need to eat soon, and I get to feed them =). But before I go, I wanted to ask you all to please be in prayer for my niece Cadence and my sister Amanda and brother in law Noah tomorrow.

That sweet little girl is going to be having surgery to repair her heart valve. Please be praying for God Himself to guide the surgeons hands, for a successful surgery (we are asking the Lord to please let this be the LAST one!), for peace and a calming presence for Cadence, and for peace, comfort, and assurance for Amanda and Noah.

Thank you so much for praying!

With sincere gratitude and love,

19 comments:

Unknown said...

Kendra~

I am so proud of you! I pray that the Lord will bring you peace and comfort during these upcoming weeks of transition for your NEW family. I also pray for healing and strength for you. I don't believe that any pregnancy is easy, however the rewards are so wonderful!!!

Your babies are beautiful! Get plenty of rest...and know that the Lord is watching over you, David, and those precious little ones.
He will never put on us more than we can handle!

Luv Ya Girl!

Lianna Knight said...

I am SO glad you are doing better and healing...I canNOT imagine the happiness you are experiencing right now, but I know I will one day soon.

And just remember, you are not allowed to make a post without sharing those precious blessings...so keep the pics coming :)

Guy and Julie said...

Your babies are just precious. I'm so happy for you. I had a c-sectIon, and your description of the pain sounds all too fresh and famliar. It's rough and it HURTS, but pure right to walk and take those pain meds!!!! I admire your attitude after all you went through-I feel for you, girl!! I had a problem with a cough and needing to clear too and just couldn't because of the incision pain. I totally lost my voice for a week or so but it did get better. I pray the nursing gets better fast. Just keep sticking with it-it will be worth it. Is there a good LC who is helping you? We had the sign and WORST time with nursing... We got it after about 10
weeks. Praying for you through these days-they are hard bur so precious!

Kaycee said...

Oh those babies are SO precious. The picture of you with them is so sweet. The picture of the two of them together is beyond precious. Congratulations (again and again!).

I hope your healing continues and go well. I did not have a C-section but I can say that my delivery did not go as I thought (thought I LOVE your attitude and I was the same - a healthy baby was all I cared about) it would and had complications and that it's no fun. I don't know about you but I didn't think too much about my healing after, it sort of caught me by surprise. But it does get better. Day by day. And I am glad to hear that has already started for you.

Prayers for you and your precious family. And for Cadence and hers (I used to read your sister's blog too before it went private). I hope there is much healing in your families these next few days.

Faith said...

Praying for you all! Love reading your updates and can't wait to see more pics!

Stephanie said...

Kendra, I just tried to write you an encouraging email and I ended up just writing about how hard c-section recovery is. Not very encouraging! So I will just say that I will continue to pray for you, and to be patient with yourself. Also, when women start saying, "My c-section wasn't that bad," don't let that discourage you. Yours WAS.

But so, so worth it.

Alexis said...

Kendra, I am so thrilled for you and Dave. If I lived closer, I would jump in my car right now and come visit, but since I can't (well, I could, but it'd be like a week before I got there!!) would you mind giving them a kiss for me? And telling them...again...that they are an answer to prayer? That they are a miracle from Heaven?

And hug yourself for me, too. I'm just so happy for you.

Love to you, girl!!
Lexie

Annsterw said...

Praying like crazy for you and your family!!!! Soooo exicted to see those babies - they are adorable and you guys are going to be amazing parents!

Toni :O) said...

So glad to see you post and feeling a bit better. I had two c-sections and I will say with each passing day, you'll start to feel better and better...it does get easier, trust me. You are amazing for what you've been through and your babies are beautiful. Savor this special time with them...cause they grow FAST! Here's to a continued speedy recovery for you.

Acker Family said...

Oh how I know of some of the pain you're feeling from your c-section! Just know that it won't last forever. Your babies are BEAUTIFUL! I love how they tied a bow in Abbey's hat-so sweet! And hang in there with the breast feeding! Don't be so hard on yourself either-you are new to this too! Just hang in there! Praying for continued healing for your body! Congrats!

Heather said...

I had more "breastfeeding meltdowns" those first couple of weeks than I care to count!!! You CAN do it!!! You are doing an incredible job!!! I am so happy for you and praying for your pain, healing, and recovery!!! LOOK AT THOSE SWEET FACES!!!! :)

Unknown said...

Hey there my beautiful tired sore cousin. Babies are gorgeous. Glad they are both here safe and sound. Will pray that your recovery is speedy and in the midst of newborn twins and recovery and nursing...somehow there will be peace in abundance.

Lori said...

I am so happy to hear from you!! I cannot imagine what you went through to bring these precious angels into this world. You have been on my heart so much these past few days. You little ones are so beautiful. I am so glad that they are good babies. I will be praying for your recovery and for your breastfeeding to go great.

The Coach's Wife said...

So proud for you and so proud of you! I can't wait to continue to follow along this wonderful journey with you! Praying for you sister!

Vanessa's Dad said...

Amen. Sweet photo's and blog.

Get some rest.

LOVE,
GRAND DAD

Chelsie said...

Kendra, I got so choked up reading this post from you. I remember so well that first incredible and indescribable feeling of the most intense love you can imagine. People can tell you how amazing it is, but until you experience it for yourself, you cannot truly understand it's depth. The second those babies enter this world, you would give your own life for them...it is truly an amazing gift from God. I am so happy for you and so so proud of you and David. Those babies chose you to be their parents, and God entrusted them to you, and he doesn't make mistakes, he knows what he's doing. The pain will subside, but stay on top of it and listen to your body. I remember being so swollen I looked like a walrus and one of my preschoolers asked me why my ankles didn't have the "little bump" like hers did. haha when the swelling went down, so did 30 lbs, no joke! I am so so so so happy for you again, cherish every moment but get lots of rest. if you need anything, esp. on the nursing front, please ask! Love you sweetie!!!
Chelsie

Lauren said...

This is the first I have been able to comment. Sweet friend, I am beyond excited for you and those sweet little blessings!!! Just precious! Thinking of ya'll and love you!!! :)

WaitingandHoping said...

Your babies are beautiful! Congratulations!

Emily said...

I've been meaning to comment on this for days. C-section recovery is not fun. But like some others above said, try your best to listen to your body and rest when you need to. I think my recovery after Elise went much better than it would have (though it was still difficult) simply because I did my best to rest and not over-do it.

I'm so very excited for you and praying for your healing and for nursing to gradually become easier and easier. I've heard from many moms who say it took about 8 weeks (even with subsequent births after having nursed their first) to get comfortable with it.