- The dad from the sextuplet show on WE, "Raising Sextuplets," was arrested during an argument that he was having with his wife. The couple has admitted that they have "brutal fights" but will not get divorced due to their religion. Yikes! I can understand not wanting to get a divorce, but having six little guys watch you get arrested seems worse. I feel sorry for them, sometimes I feel completely frazzled and crazy with my two sweethearts, I can't imagine the stress of 6 of them!
- I honestly have no idea why they still have Amber and Gary on Teen Mom. Social services should have already been called and in their business 24/7. If they show their arguing, cursing, and domestic abuse on TV can you imagine what happens when there are no cameras?
- I have a serious issue with people not allowing their children to watch President Obama's speech to children last week. One piece of it is just pettiness but I have to believe that some of it has got to be due to racism. I don't remember this being a problem before with other white people. I am not a republican, nor did I support anything that the previous President did, but there is NO way I wouldn't show his address to kids. That is disrespectful and wrong and sending a sad message to children. Basically, President Obama was telling kids to work hard and stay in school. What is the problem with that? I don't think there is anything wrong with not agreeing with someone and wanting things to change, but I do think that respect for leadership is important.
- My eyebrows are currently so bushy it's scary. I actually forget about them until I look in a mirror and I'm like "ahh, WTF?"
I really don't have much else! Anyone want to add anything? Best baby moments of the week: There are a few. Ever is starting to crawl!! It's so cute, she lifts herself up with her elbows and knees and her little booty is up in the air. Ocean slept all night TWICE! I can't believe that they get cuter and cuter. We took them both swimming and they had fun, I love that they like the water (I love swimming, especially in natural bodies of water, not a huge pool fan). Now that they are so interactive, it is too much fun thinking of all the things we are going to do together. I love it!
I love these photos, both of the babies are like "say what??"
Now that the babies are nearly 5 months old, I though I would share the true story of their birthday with you.
I did not sleep a wink the night before the c-section. I tried as much as I could. I was having contractions for one thing and I was very thirsty for the other (you cannot eat or drink for 24 hours before a scheduled c-section). I drink the mother load of water and I was miserable wanting some. FINALLY it was time to go so I showered and got ready. I really wanted to look nice, but you can't wear contacts or make-up so I thought, what the eff, and didn't bother with my hair either.
We got to the hospital. We saw "Ourlastname Twins" written on the big board. They showed us to our room where I changed and hopped in the bed. My mom and grandparents came as well as hubby's family. We just kind of hung around while waiting for my time to go to the OR. I got my IV, took a drink of something to attempt to keep me from barfing and then walked myself into the OR. Hubby was not allowed to be in for me getting a spinal and being prepped. The spinal did not hurt and the medical team got to work.
My arms started shaking uncontrollably and my teeth were chattering. I occasionally got incredibly nauseous so they pumped something more in my IV. Hubby came in with his scrubs on. He looked so cute and I wish someone had taken his picture. I wasn't really nervous, but the shaking was really bothering me. I just wanted those babies out!! We were over the three year mark of our wait for them and I wanted to see them right away.
The c-section began and music was playing (Lady Gaga and Justin Beiber). The surgeon was talking to my OB and hubby was videotaping. Hubby was so sweet and encouraging, even though I wasn't doing shit but laying there and trying not to barf. I really didn't feel a thing and again, time was ticking by so slowly.
FINALLY I heard lots of sucking and then they pulled out Ocean. He cried. They also said "where were you hiding these big babies in this small tummy?" This is where many moms shed tears of joy. I didn't. I honestly just felt confused. Holy hell, a baby just came out of my gut. They lifted him over and I was so excited he was just adorable! Lots of newborns are kind of weird looking, but my boy was just beautiful (I know this is all in the minds of the mama). I did feel a little pulling for Ever, but she would not come out! It took two minutes to pull her from me, they ended up wrapping a wet towel around her to get her out. She screamed so loud. They lifted her up, a tiny screaming peanut, and she too was just gorgeous. Hubby went over to watch them get checked out and weighed.
They put me back together and wheeled me and the babies out. The nurse said "well, you couldn't have made that look any easier." We got back to my room and they gave me the babies. Still, I was in complete shock. Like a big idiot, I forgot to wear my nursing bra and had to hike my bra up to try nursing. It didn't go well. Ocean was making all these little noises. Their blood was checked and due to my gestational diabetes, their blood sugars were low and they would have to have formula to bring it back up. I didn't have a problem with that. This was the beginning of chaos.
The noises were grunting and that meant he wasn't breathing that well. So they took him away, they said it would be a few hours. I begged hubby to go get my mom. For some reason, I can't really remember specifics for the next few hours. I know they wheeled me to a different room in the bed, but other than that it's all a blur.
I constantly asked if Ocean was going to be brought back soon, and they always said soon but didn't bring him back. I was SO thirsty. I can't describe how badly I wanted to chug water, but all I was allowed were ice chips. I chugged those. I started feeling really ill. I was holding Ever and asked hubby to take her and get me a bucket. I threw up clear water. I threw up again and it looked rusty. I threw up once more, and it was pure blood and lots of it.
We called the nurse. The nurse panicked. This scared the living shit out of all of us because medical professionals usually at least pretend everything is fine no matter what type of bad news they deliver. The nurse above her was called in and said that the surgeon needed to be contacted and labs would be in right away to check my blood counts.
Hubby looked nervous.
My mom looked nervous.
I was terrified. The nurse said she couldn't say why something like this would happen but I could not have any more ice chips. I could also not eat or take any of the oral meds (which I would learn later were WAY more effective than the morphine in my IV).
I really did think that I was going to die. I thought they messed up big time and I had internal bleeding (which is what I think they also thought). I was terrified I would have to go back into surgery. I also thought maybe I had some issue, like cancer. My mom said she had to go to the bathroom, but she took her phone, so I knew she was going to call our family.
I started to refuse pain meds. I also started getting desperate for them to bring Ocean to me. I barely remembered him from being born (I know that's bad to say but I was in such a fog) and I wanted to see my baby boy in case I really did die. I refused the meds so that I would be able to really be present when I saw him next. I really couldn't believe this was happening to me. Then I had to have a very important conversation with hubby:
"Please remember that Ever is a little girl when you are raising her. Dress her in pink, buy her hairbows, and treat her like a girl, not a little boy."
WTF? Not I love you, we've had a great life, tell the babies about me, here are the passwords to all my accounts, but buy her pink stuff? I think I have more issues than I previously thought . . . .
After what seemed like another eternal wait, the nurse came back and said my blood counts did not indicate internal bleeding, but I could not have food or water or pain meds. Feeling your gut after it has been sliced open, burned, and sewn back together is not awesome. The surgeon came back and said I really needed to have more morphine and that if I threw up blood again, they would have to intubate me. No thank you. They felt that I probably had a tear in my esophagus from being extremely dry with my first time throwing up, but couldn't be 100% sure.
Still no Ocean. I was starving my ass off(24 hours without food) and in so much pain and I wanted my boy NOW. Hubby said he would go to progressive care to see if they were bringing him back. When hubby entered the room with his head hanging and a nurse following I knew he wasn't coming back. I cried. I was not allowed up due to all the drama so I just couldn't see him. I hated it so much.
Ever went to the nursery for the first night. I was starving and in pain. Being so hungry was starting to make me feel sick again. A nurse came in and I was bleeding quite a bit, even though I had read I wouldn't bleed as much as a vaginal delivery. It was disgusting.
The next morning I had to stand up. It was horrible. My legs were shaking uncontrollably and I felt like I had no strength at all. They removed my catheter and a few hours later I had to take my first pee. I've never had such excruciating pain in my life. I cried and cried and told hubby I just couldn't do it. The catheter had been in much longer than usual due to the drama the day before. They wanted me to start drinking water but I didn't really want to because of the pain of peeing. I did it though. A lactation consult came in but I couldn't concentrate because of the intense pain. I just laid there and cried. The lactation consultant got the nurse and she said we could try the oral pain meds and a liquid lunch.
They also brought my boy back to me!! I didn't see him for 24 hours and was so happy to see him. He had a goofy personality from the start. I just can't describe what it was like to have my baby back and get to see that he was healthy.
41 hours after my last meal, I finally got lunch! It was beef broth and jello, but it was honestly amazing. I also got my first dose of oral pain meds. I started feeling much better. They told me to try to go for a walk, and I told them to eff off, there was no way I was walking anywhere. If you look up "hot mess" in the dictionary, you would see a picture of me. I was scared to death of the shower but was so glad when I finally took one. I had been sweating through everything so I also got fresh sheets and a clean gown. I felt way better.
The next day we spent together and it was much better. I could eat more and enjoy my babies. I could also enjoy visitors and hubby was excited have some friends come by. After 3 nights I was told I could go home. Ocean got his wee wee circumsized and Ever had to do the carseat test due to her low weight. Everyone was healthy! The nurse took my staples out. Another nurse told me I was welcome to stay another night. No thank you. As soon as the babies and I were cleared, it took me 15 minutes to get babies and myself dressed. Getting the babies home to my house was the best thing.
So there you go. It was nothing like what I expected at all. I know due to Ever's position anything but a c-section was unlikely to happen, but if I ever have any more kids, I will absolutely try to avoid a c-section if I can. I'm not very touchy feely about the birthing process, but it is a little sad to me that I can't remember some things, and obviously, the intense fear that my life was going to end. I can't describe that very well so I won't try. The whole experience was just a shock to me and it's weird to think about now.
Of course, it was well worth it and I would do it again. :)
WARNING - -WARNING - - WARNING -- WARNING
Blood, guts, body fluids, on the screen. This is the main event portion of my c-section so DO NOT WATCH if that stuff freaks you out. In fact, don't even scroll down any further.
Sorry, it's been a busy week and a Ocean has decided he will not be put to sleep without a fight so Wednesday turned to Thursday which turned to Friday . . . .
- This was already discussed, but I'm bored of high order multiple television and I'm ready for it to stop. I CANNOT wait for "Sister Wives" on TLC. I'm hoping it will be as awesome as I am thinking it's going to be in my mind.
- Speaking of, Octomom is now on welfare. People are disgusted and outraged by this. I am outraged that people are outraged because this is for the children!! They should not be penalized for mama's poor choices. This is no different than someone with one child on welfare, if you can't afford one or you can't afford 14 I don't see the difference. Hopefully those babies will get all their needs met.
- The Real Housewives of D.C. has had to be my replacement for the New Jersey ladies. The drama isn't quite as dramalicious, but I really love Kat. People don't like her. She's blunt and I know people don't like that, but she hasn't said anything to anyone that I didn't agree with. I like her! Kat is not a Republican (neither am I) and she is invited to a Republican party of some sort to which she says "let's make it more fun by dressing really inappropriately." She also says "I'm just not going to make myself ill by being polite." Obviously it would be hard to be this rude in real life and really you shouldn't, but haven't we all been in a situation where we wish we could be this blunt? I take it back, I don't like her, I love her!
- Lady Gaga wore meat at the VMA's. WTF? Gross! That can't be sanitary right? Having a raw slab of meat on your head? It was super disgusting. The things that she was saying were rather odd too. I'm not sure about her, but lots of other people seem to love her! I think some of the things she supports are great causes, but who can really take someone seriously who walks around in meat shoes? I know I can't!
- I have a kiddo at work who has a teddy bear named "Sexy." I'm not sure if this is cute or if I should alert the authorities . . .
Best baby moments of the week: These are getting hard to narrow down! They are interacting with each other and occasionally hold hands which I think is SUPER adorable!
WTF Baby:
Do not mess with this girl, she ain't playin'!
Ocean is thinking "why in the hell does my mommy and daddy think getting shoved into a babywearing device is fun for me?" The answer is: I don't really know, maybe because everyone else is doing it?
Last night I watched the episode of a new show called "Quints by Surprise." Although the quints were not a surprise, they came from IUI's. They seem like a very nice couple, but the husband complained and complained about money. It really bothered me.
TLC is also adding another show about a set of sextuplets. We all know about Kate and her eight. The WE channel also has a set of sextuplets. We also all know the disaster that is OctoMom.
Sigh . . . .
From an infertility advocacy standpoint, these shows are BAD news for us. I know many of us dream of having insurance coverage to pay for our treatments so we don't have to take out loans, work three jobs, put second mortgages on our homes and all the other things people have to do to attempt to have a baby. People already don't want to pay for that but when they see shows like this we are totally screwed. One IVF treatment is a teeny tiny drop in the bucket in comparison to the cost putting five or six (or really even three or four) babies through a NICU stay. Granted, most high order multiples come from IUI's, which is much cheaper than an IVF treatment. After all this publicity, WHY haven't there been some better medical guidelines put into place for IUI's? Why are these people still putting this out there when it makes infertile people look desperate and greedy? It's a huge peeve of mine. I'm not saying the people are desperate and greedy, it just appears that way when they willingly do the procedure and then go on television and complain about their money issues.
Having twins truly terrified me. I was scared that the babies would be in the NICU because they were multiples. The reason it was so hard for me to think of is because it would have been my fault completely (in my mind). Ocean and Ever were born at term and did not require a NICU stay, but it was just sheer luck that it happened like that. The guilt would have completely overwhelmed me. I felt the desperation myself. My RE said that these were excellent embryos and I really needed to think about it. My other RE said I also had a 75% chance of success with my three IUI's but he was wrong. I just didn't believe it, so I completely understand that none of these couples truly thought this would happen to them although they were willing participants. Unfortunately, the public just doesn't see it that way and the general public is a big reason why we don't have that coverage. Obviously another reason is because the insurance companies have no problem bringing this up and how costly it is or could be to other insured individuals.
I would love for us to have infertility coverage. Now that I know how beautiful parenthood is, I wish everyone that wants it can have it. I hate reading on my infertility message boards that people have been tapped out and can no longer try to be parents or afford to adopt (which is super expensive as well). It breaks my heart for them and it wouldn't be so hard if we had coverage for this. It also wouldn't be as big of a decision to not go through with dangerous treatments like unmonitored cycles, IUI's when many follicles are present, or even deciding to transfer just one instead of two embryos. Shows like the TLC shows are what many fertile or child-free people think about when they think of fertility treatments and it is definitely prohibitive when it comes to creating an understanding of what infertile people go through and why they do it.
If you are a long time reader, you know that I LOVE reality TV and it provides me with tons of entertainment. When I think about the message these shows are sending, it makes me kind of sad and they are far less entertaining.
My little peanut was very calm in the tummy. I watched in horror as she just floated around as her brother kicked her repeatedly in the sac.
She is a small peanut, but perfectly healthy! She eats like a champion. She prefers fast flow nipples to the slower ones and will eat any kind of formula you give her. She will eat the veggies, but prefers the cereal. She is a carb-aholic like mommy.
She is laid back and observant. She has been carefully watching our dog Rocky and smiling at him when he gets close to her. She also likes to be outside and watches the cars pass by (yes, I mean really watching). When I was alone with the monkeys and Ocean would cry to held all the time, she would lay against my pillow in my bed and just watch. I love how her features are tiny like her, especially her precious mouth. She has very long fingers, many people have said she will be a piano player someday.
She can roll over and over and prefers sleeping on her tummy.She is an awesome sleeper and has been sleeping all night. She is also a very peaceful sleeper. Since she is a big time Daddy's girl, she rolls over close to him if I put her in our bed, although she prefers her space in her own crib. Once she rolls over to Daddy, if he isn't awake, she hits him repeatedly with her little hand.
I think she might be a little ornery and has recently boycotted the carseat. She has crazy arms and flails them all over the place. She will gladly whack you on the arm or the face if you try to change her diaper in the night. Both babies were laying on the floor and Ocean had a toy she just had. She took it right out of his hands and put it in her mouth. She likes to play with toys. When you have a little animal, especially her puppy, she opens up her mouth wide for a kiss when you put them to her face.
She has the cutest little crooked smile. I love when you talk to her and she says "ooo ooo" in response. She sometimes gets called "sober judge" or "Mrs Serious Pants" because she has the most serious looks on her face that crack me up. Sometimes she looks at Ocean when he is making noise with the funniest little expression.
