The Birth of Lily Cate and Wills Phillip

Little did we know but I would be going into labor Friday October 9, 2009. I had just been to the Dr. on Monday when I was given a great report and told that I would probably go 37 to 38 weeks carrying the twins. Wednesday we started clearing out our dining room from being Emma's play room and I carried out her dollhouse. About an hour later I felt like I had either pulled a muscle or stretched my side. I muddled through it and kept the heating pad on and taking Tylenol. Thursday I had called the nurse and asked about seeing a chiropractor to try and crack my back. She advised against it and hold out until the following Monday to talk to the Dr. Friday I decided not to go to Bible study and stay home and really rest because I had become so uncomfortable. I felt like the kids were pushing down really hard and it was very uncomfortable and with my side hurting I just needed to stay on the couch. Later that night I had also noticed that when I would wipe I would get a lot of mucus. This started on Thursday so I decided to get on the internet (which I was told not to do) and researched leaking and mucus in third trimester. Most of the info said that you could be leaking urine more in your third trimester but that on occasion it could be amniotic fluid. The Dr's office could do a quick swab test to see if it was truely amniotic fluid or not. I had this gut feeling that I needed to call the nurse and check with them. At 8pm I called and the nurse said I needed to head to the hospital and they would do the swab test to rule it out. We loaded up the van and headed up to the hospital for a quick trip. All the way there I was thinking to myself, "Self, just turn around and go home. You can go back tomorrow morning. Emma needs to be at home in bed. Phillip's going to kill me if this turns out to be nothing and we could have been home in bed."

We checked in at 8:45 and they took the swab test. They said it looked like there could be some fluid but they weren't sure. The Dr. took the sample to look at it under the microscope. They thought that my water had either broken or had been leaking. The concensus was that I would stay in the hospital until... If I wasn't leaking then I would be sent home and put on strict bedrest until the babies came. I prayed and prayed to be able to go home. I did not want to stay in the hospital until... Dr. P ordered an ultrasound be done to check the fluid in each sack. This took over an hour to complete the entire ultrasound. The fluid looked good but she wanted to keep me overnight and recheck in the morning. We were wheeled into room 315 and settled in for the night. Nurse Allison came in and hooked my IV's up for antibiotics just in case I in deed had been leaking fluid. She then said that she was going to check and see if I had dialated. You should have seen Nurse A's face when she checked me. She looked up and said, "Oh my! Your 8cm dialted and fully effaced! Let me go get another nurse to recheck you." I was in fact 8cm dialated and fully effaced. She said, "We are having babies tonight!" Poor little Emma was asleep on the couch and Phillip and I looked at each other in disbelief. We called Mrs. Carol at 12:30am and asked her if she would come and get Emma and run by our house and pick up our camera. (We had no idea that we would be having babies that night. We literally left the house with the clothes on our backs and nothing else.) Nurse A ordered my epidural and I looked at Phillip and said, "I guess we need to settle up on the babies names!" We have been talking and mulling the names over and over again. I looked at Phillip and said "I would love to name our baby boy "Wills Phillip" after you. I want our boy to have your qualities and be just like you." And it was done. Lily Cate's name had pretty much already been decided.

Carol came just in time to get Emma and take her back to the house. They stayed up until 4am watching tunes and hanging out! What a great time Emma had with her! Thanks Carol for making the midnight run!!! Shortly after Emma left we took a picture of the clock on the wall at 1:40am. (We did this with Emma.) Ten minutes later I was wheeled into the C-Section room. There was lots of buzz going on around us getting ready for the arrival of two 33 week old babies. Both babies were head down so we were going to try and deliver them vaginally. Sometimes when baby A is delivered then baby B likes to turn around and then requires a C-Section to deliver it. I pushed three times and Lily Cate was born at 2:06am weighing in at 4lbs. 12 oz. Baby B moved right into position, we waited for his cord to drop, then I pushed four times and Wills Phillip was born at 2:14am.

Both babies were healthy and did not require any oxygen. They will spend the next 4 weeks in the NICU until they reach their 37 week full term due date or until they reach all their milestones that are required.

We are so blessed to have such two wonderful and healthy blessings added to our family. We definitely are looking forward to bringing two of God's miracles home to add to our very first miracle from God, Emma. Big sister can hardly wait to meet her new brother and sister. Unfortunately, the NICU will not allow any visitors other than the parents back due to the swine flu outbreaks and other illnesses.

Thank you to everyone who has loved, prayed, supported and donated to these babies and our family. We are so thankful to you and cannot have gotten through the last 8 months without you and most importantly God. We look forward to you meeting the babies soon!

This was taken ten minutes before I was wheeled back to the operating room.

Right before I was taken back.

Heading back to delivery.

Excited Daddy ready to meet the new babies!

Relaxing before the big moment!

Wills Phillip

Lily Cate

Wills Phillip

Proud Parents!

Holding both babies at the same time with Dr. Bruce (NICU Dr.) assisting me!

R: Lily Cate L: Wills Phillip

Kissing Lily Cate

Kissing Wills

Babies being wheeled down to the NICU in the same isolette.