I have decided to document this since I wasn't sure when Katie would get around to it...
Katie and Chris welcomed two beautiful girls into the world on January 19th 2016. I don't have all the details anymore but here is a summary of events...
They had a scheduled c-section on 1-19-16 due to Katie's raised blood pressure and possible preeclampsia.
Girls were delivered around 4ish.
Penelope Lane and Quinn Elliot
All were sent to the recovery while waiting to be assigned to a room
That's when all the real trauma started. Nurses heard Penny making a grunting type noise (which turns out to be a distress noise newborns make when having trouble breathing). Penny was whisked away to the nursery to get a closer look - once there she was sent immediately to the NICU for better observation and care. Shortly after Quinn made similar noises so she was taken to the NICU as well.
Both girls were put on Oxygen (cpap machines) to help open their lungs to get more air.
Eventually Penny required a bit more help... Resulting in her needing to be intubated and put on a different breathing machine.
Quinn in NICU
Photo once streets were plowed
We decided to make the best of it and go to the roof to see the damage.
We sure did have an adventure!
Leaving to bring Quinn home from the hospital.
Leaving the hospital
First time being dressed in acute outfit!!!
Proud daddy!
Katie and cupcake's good friends Jay and Sarah came to see Quinn! Cupcake was showing Jay (whose wife was due a week after Katie's original due date) how to change a diaper!
Auntie and Quinny bonding time! My job was to stay home with Quinn while Katie went to the hospital to see Penny.
This is what Facetiming a toddler looks like!
We were so in awe of the girls when we put them in their crib for the first time. We realized how similar they really do look!!!
Photo from Cindy in DC (where Bennett, Chris and my in laws John and Shirley) were also snowed in!
Both girls required a bit more time in the NICU to make sure they could maintain their own temperature and were able to tolerate breast milk. In the midst of all of this - Katie having both babies in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) she was a champ and decided early on that she was going to do everything she could for her girls! She quickly asked for a breast pump and that was her mission! She pumped as much as a newborn would nurse and every time they would deliver the milk the nurses praised her for her efforts!!! She went from pumping for 30 minutes to get 3 or 4 mls in a seringe to pumping for 15 minutes and getting 40 mls.
Due to the storm Katie was able to start a day longer in the hospital with her babies than was paid for by insurance but the hospital ate the cost (which was amazing that she didn't have to leave).
Funny story... During a c-section your insides are exposed to air that it would normally be... So you get the feeling of having drank a fizzy soda and my being able to burp. The air pockets can get into different places causing pain. In Katie's case she had the pain in her shoulder and back. The air has to be passed... So you get a lot of gas...
During the last few days of her stay (during break the storm) the hospital ended up having to close the floor she was originally on due to staffing so she was moved to a shared room... The woman sharing her room was on 2 days post op and going through the worst of the recovery process -
Cupcake got a text from Katie that read...
"It smells like farts in here... And it's not mine"
...
Quinn was to be discharged first so we all packed up and headed to the hospital!!!
This Momma was so happy to have one of her babies home!
Penny and Katie at the hospital
What seemed like a month later (in reality it was closer to 12 days) penny got to come home!
Penny's ride home! And Her first uber ride!
On Penny's homecoming, Chris's parents, grandpa Alan and grandma Ali came into the city to spend some quality time with their first born grandchildren. (Chris's brother Steve and his wife Amy had their son on Jan 22nd)
3 generations of twins!!!
Jay and Sarah came over to meet Penny! Chris and Jay are going to have such a great time being new dads together! Jay kept saying how cupcake was the expert now!
Sarah and Jay
Auntie and Quinn ( I think)
This momma was relieved to have all her babies home!!!
We had to do a photo shoot while I was in town! Ended up having to do it the day I was scheduled to take the train back to DC since Oenny joined the party a little later than originally expected.
I'm so glad we decided to do some of the photos with "the shirt!"
(Post with all photos coming soon!)
Right before I had to leave my little bittles (not sure why I started calling them this but it always seems to be something I call them) I had to get a photo with me and my girls!!!
After I left, Katie was alone with both babies for one day before my mom came to help. (My mom ended up coming out for their birth- stayed a few days after I got to town- then flew back once I had to leave). A few days after my mom got back to NY my dad flew out to meet his granddaughters! We of course had to FaceTime!
Bennett pointing to his cousins! (Also Bennett loves Facetiming his Grandpa Dale!)
Before the girls were born I was trying to get Katie to come to Virginia to stay with us so I could help out. In reality - my mom ended up convincing her and over Presidents Day weekend they (Katie, Mimi, and Cupcake) packed up a rental car and drove down to Virginia!
Bennett was not sure how he felt about all his baby stuff being pulled out... But one thing was sure - he know he wanted to play/use them!
(Him insisting he sleep in the pack n play - which he refused to sleep in his entire life until now... And Georgia's head checking everything out too)
Uncle Bobo and Auntie Leesee holding the girls while their parents unpacked the car
Cindy and Peny
Frank and Quinn (baby whisperer?!)
Cindy (Penny) and Mimi (Penny)
Feeding time!
The girls kept spitting up so while she was in VA Katie tried pumping and bottle feeding to get a better idea of how much the girls were actually eating. Not sure if it helped the spit up - but it helped her realize how good her supply had gotten - and how much it is slowed when she doesn't drink enough water!
Walk to the playground! ( Katie with all three kids!)
Bennett hitching a ride! He loved this!!! To
The morning Katie and chris were to drive back Maddie and John brought breakfast goodies over!
I was holding Penny and Bennett came over and literally tried to take her out of my arms so he could hold her.
(Backstory: he has a baby doll and for the past month or so he would take his baby to different places and feed his baby a bottle. He would hand me the baby and feed it. He would put it in different places and be very loving.)
I think he thought that Penny was his new baby doll! He even kept showing Penny his Dino stuffed animal. It was such a sweet moment and made my heart want to explode with happiness!
Every time I tried to take Penny back he would say no and hold her closer ( with both hands - really holding her!)
The whole week made me realize what a good big brother Bennett will be someday (hopefully). Little moments when I would be holding one of the girls and he would come and sit next to me, or hug me... I just loved! - again heart exploding moment!
Mimi kept saying how there weren't any photos of her with the girls! We made a point to take her photo later on before she left... But after that I tried to make a better effort. I think a lot of the photos weren't taken because we spent most of the days in PJs and it never really seemed photo worthy...
Auntie with both girls!
Maddie came over for dinner after work one night which was great! She kept asking "am I doing this right?!" Too funny!
Don't you hate when you are sleeping on your hand.. And it leaves a handprint?!
Katie fell in love with my glider... And my mom will probably kill me for posting this... But this is how either Katie or Mimi spent the night with Quinn... By don't they both look so peacefully asleep in this photo!!! :)
Uncle Bobo helped watch the girls while I went to the grocery store so I had to capture the moment of his holding both babies!
Bennett was always so concerned with the babies!
So stinking cute! Momma Katie and Penny
Quinn was a little yellow... So we spent some time one morning in the kitchen by the window- sunbathing
Bennett loves his Mimi!
Don't worry Mimi - I'll bring my kindle closer to you so you can help... I see your hands are full! (Don't judge the mismatched jammies)
Quinn was having a rough time so I tried putting her in my babyergo (Chris calls it the baby backpack) which she loved! And we were both able to take a little snooze on the couch
One of the photos from the Mimi, Penny and Quinn photo shoot
Little nugget! (Penny)
Bennett loves his kitty...
Katie kept saying how Higgins is the most patient cat ever... At this moment I would have to agree!
Babies!
Bennett swinging like a big boy... 2 seconds late he waved and fell off!
John sure did have a sturdy hold on Penny! She wasn't going anywhere!
Maddie and Cupcake! (And Quinn!)
Penny and Auntie
Katie was sad because she felt like she didn't get enough Bennett cuddles... And attention in general. So she made me document a rare moment when he thought she was cool again ;)
Boo Boo
Bennett playing with Uncle! He sure does love his Uncle!
Bennett wa watching a movie and Katie snapped this shot of him looking like he had a glamor shot!
We also did a photoshoot again in the kitchen like we did for Katie's maternity photoshoot (again more to come!)
Twins sisters holding twin sisters!
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