The Twins' Arrival

In 2012, I had a scheduled c-section with Kaden because of vasa previa, but since I didn't have any complications this time with the twins I was cleared for VBAC (vaginal birth after c-section.) I was thrilled that I was a candidate because a c-section wasn't a good experience for me. I checked into the hospital at 7 am on Tues. June 16 and I was induced at 38 weeks and 2 days. 

My last picture with this large belly containing two humans inside.

At 10 am they started me on a cervical foley, a little balloon-like thing attached to a catheter that gradually helps dilate your cervix until you're at a 4-5 (or twelve hours, whichever comes first) and then they pull it out. Dr. Loewen was worried about rupturing my uterus because of my previous c-section scar and so to induce me they had to go very, very slowly and the cervical foley was really the only option for awhile.  Here I am, hanging out and waiting. And waiting. And waiting...

The nurse came and checked me every hour for twelve hours and yet I didn't progress much. At 10 pm they finally pulled it out and I was only at a three. Needless to say after 12 hours of discomfort from that stupid thing, I was more than a little discouraged that I hadn't dilated more.  They started me on the smallest dose of Pitocin possible and kept waiting. I was starting to have some pretty intense contractions and finally at 2 am I asked for an epidural so I could sleep a little. Curtis was staying with me in my hospital room on the foldout bed next to my bed.  He slept right through the anesthesiologist coming in and flipping on all of the bright, florescent lights, talking super loudly, etc... He is a grizzly bear when it comes to his sleep. Nothing wakes him. Ha ha.

I was much more comfortable after getting my epidural and was finally able to get a good night's sleep for the first time in months. I felt like a new woman when I woke up in the morning! When my nurse came and checked me in the morning I was at a 7! Hooray! Progress!  By later that morning I was finally at a 10 and at 2 pm I started pushing. I pushed for a few hours and then they wheeled me into the OR.  Twins are always delivered in the OR just as a pre-caution because there's so many risks involved in getting them both out safely and timely and my risks of a repeat c-section were even higher than normal because Cole (Baby B) was bigger than Carson and with twins usually the biggest one is closest to the birth canal. They warned me that it was possible to have a successful vaginal delivery with Carson (Baby A) and then still end up having a c-section with Cole. Even despite knowing all these risks, I had to try for a vaginal birth because I really didn't want a c-section unless it was the only way to get them here safely.

My delivery with the twins was a completely different experience than with Kaden. When Kaden was born I was totally numb from about the shoulders down, I couldn't see anything because I was behind the curtain that they put up in the OR with a c-section, the doctor's didn't walk me through anything so I had no idea what was happening on the other side the whole time except for the small amounts of pressure or tugging I could feel occasionally. Once I heard crying, they didn't actually let me see Kaden for over an hour after delivery until they were done stitching me up. I felt so detached from the whole experience.  Even once I saw him, I never got to hold him until almost an hour and a half afterwards because they had strapped my arms down to the OR table. It was honestly just a little depressing.

With the twins it was so neat to be able to hold them both as soon as they were out. I felt like I had actually played a part into bringing them into the world, as opposed to with Kaden I felt very removed from the whole thing. It was such an amazing feeling to have the opposite experience with my twins, to see them being born and hold them right away and just feel like, "Hey, I just did that."

Carson Thomas Fairbourn was born at 5:02 pm on June 17.  

As soon as he was out, with twins there's no rest for the weary, and I immediately began pushing again.  Usually twins are born just minutes apart, but Cole was in no hurry to go anywhere now that he had more room to stretch out.   His heart rate started to drop and both Curtis and I were starting to panic and silently pray that I wouldn't have to have a c-section after all those hours of labor and pushing. Cole was still head down and in good position to come out, he was just perfectly content to stay where he was. 25 minutes later, at 5:27 pm Cole Wilson Fairbourn was born vaginally. Aaahhh! Relief! I was so thrilled it had all gone smoothly and with no complications or changes to my plan.  What a miracle in and of itself.

I've loved the name Carson since before we had kids. I first heard it when I taught school. One of my students that I adored, Isaac Tuft, had a younger brother named Carson that was the sweetest, cutest little boy I'd ever seen. I've just loved it ever since then and any little boy I've ever met since then named Carson has been a sweet little boy, so I really wanted to use it. Cole is named after Curtis' sister, Nicole (Nicki).  We tried to think of a name after my sister but there's no good boy's names that are similar to Melissa- Melvin, Mel, Lissa,  no thank you... so Carson it was.

The boy's middle names are after our mom's maiden names- Richelle Thomas and Dana Wilson.  Thomas also has dual meaning, because to me it also represents our beloved prophet, Thomas S. Monson, whom I adore. We're really happy with the names we chose. It never even occurred to me until after we'd decided on names we liked that all the boys in our family start with the "k" sound- Curtis, Kaden, Carson, Cole. A little bit cheesy I guess, but we honestly picked the names independently of one another, so it is what it is. We've since been asked if any subsequent children will also start with "k" and I highly doubt it.

Ignore the fact that these have the Bella Baby watermark on them. I utterly refused to pay $150 for the digital rights to them when I really only liked 1-2 enough to want to print them. At least you get the idea. Ha ha.

Kaden's first time meeting his "two twin brothers" as he calls them.  The babies gave Kaden a present- some books about being a big brother and a new game (Spot It) and then he gave the babies a present that he had picked out for them- little caterpillar rattles. He seemed to like them both, but quickly lost interest after holding each one for a few seconds. Typical 2 year old I guess. :)

 Carson 

 Cole

They're the sweetest! We sure love them both so much!!!