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| Michaela, Reese |
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| Reese |
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| Michaela |
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| Reese, Michaela |
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Two Months Old
Our little ladies are two months old. It's hard to believe. Reese is now the smaller baby at 7lbs, 14oz and Michaela is now our big baby girl at 8lbs, 1oz. They make us smile everyday and we love them more than we ever thought possible.
Monday, December 3, 2012
These Days
The girls have officially been living at home longer than they were in the NICU! A big milestone for us. Life sure is different these days.
We photograph almost every single thing we do with the babies.
We (ok, I) dress them up in ridiculous outfits and take a hundred pictures in hopes of getting both of them to look at the camera at the same time. It never works.
We stare at our babies and remain convinced they are the cutest, smartest babies in all the land.
We go through 20-25 diapers per day: which explains the plastic folding table and trash can in the family room (sigh). The girls eat every three hours during the day and every 3-4 at night, so we get excited about any stretch of sleep longer than two hours. We do a minimum of one load of laundry per day just for the babies. I usually have at least one barf spot on my shirt. And I will stop there before I start sharing stuff the girls will sue me for posting when they reach adulthood.
These days, I am ridiculously late posting the pictures we took when the girls turned one month old.
We photograph almost every single thing we do with the babies.
We (ok, I) dress them up in ridiculous outfits and take a hundred pictures in hopes of getting both of them to look at the camera at the same time. It never works.
We stare at our babies and remain convinced they are the cutest, smartest babies in all the land.
We are also maintaining our humility.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
The Angels Among Us
It doesn't take long. A few days in the NICU and you start to the angels among us. There are the ones you can see- the nurses who work tirelessly to take care of your babies when you can't. The ones that come in to work on their day off just to make sure your sick baby is doing ok. The ones that stay past their shift and skip their breaks because they promised a terrified mother that they would stay with their baby during a scary procedure. The doctors that spend way more time than they need to making sure you understand exactly what is going on with your children.
Then there are the ones you can't see. It is hard to avoid the coincidence that our girls' original due date was on sweet Omie's birthday. Then there is the time the doctor's told me that they had to run a spinal tap on Reese to rule out meningitis. While they assured me that it wasn't as bad for babies as it is for adults, it was hard to trust that my sick little girl wouldn't be in agony. To make matters worse, the procedure had to be done under sterile conditions, so I couldn't be there to hold her. I prayed for God to send down the angel of my great grandmother to be there when we couldn't. When I was allowed back in the room I was told that she slept happily through the whole thing. I knew then too.
And then finally, the last two days in the NICU. We were on our way in and called ahead as we always do to make sure the NICU wasn't closed to admit a new baby or perform a procedure. They told us to come in and that while they had hoped to give us a few days notice, Michaela had met her weight goals and would be released to us that day. When we arrived at the hospital they told us that they knew then that Reese was ready too and would be released the following day. We would have to spend the night in the hospital because once Michaela left the NICU she would not be allowed back in, but the next day we could bring them both home. Together.
And so after a sleepless night, we packed our two tiny babies in their car seats. We received pages of instructions on how to care for them in all the ways preemies need. As four weeks of adrenaline dropped from my blood, tears flooded my eyes. Tears of relief, fear, and ultimately happiness ran down my face for hours. We were going to be a family.
We left the NICU that day on the wings of angels. And now we spend our days in the chaos that is our new normal with two little angels of our own.
Then there are the ones you can't see. It is hard to avoid the coincidence that our girls' original due date was on sweet Omie's birthday. Then there is the time the doctor's told me that they had to run a spinal tap on Reese to rule out meningitis. While they assured me that it wasn't as bad for babies as it is for adults, it was hard to trust that my sick little girl wouldn't be in agony. To make matters worse, the procedure had to be done under sterile conditions, so I couldn't be there to hold her. I prayed for God to send down the angel of my great grandmother to be there when we couldn't. When I was allowed back in the room I was told that she slept happily through the whole thing. I knew then too.
And then finally, the last two days in the NICU. We were on our way in and called ahead as we always do to make sure the NICU wasn't closed to admit a new baby or perform a procedure. They told us to come in and that while they had hoped to give us a few days notice, Michaela had met her weight goals and would be released to us that day. When we arrived at the hospital they told us that they knew then that Reese was ready too and would be released the following day. We would have to spend the night in the hospital because once Michaela left the NICU she would not be allowed back in, but the next day we could bring them both home. Together.
And so after a sleepless night, we packed our two tiny babies in their car seats. We received pages of instructions on how to care for them in all the ways preemies need. As four weeks of adrenaline dropped from my blood, tears flooded my eyes. Tears of relief, fear, and ultimately happiness ran down my face for hours. We were going to be a family.
We left the NICU that day on the wings of angels. And now we spend our days in the chaos that is our new normal with two little angels of our own.
Friday, November 2, 2012
The Day They Were Born
October 10, 2012 started out like the other days in the week prior. I woke up with Blair, made him breakfast, did my prenatal pilates "workout," ate breakfast, showered and started work for the day. I called in for a conference call and spent the rest of the morning working (from home) on a longterm project.
I took a break around 12:00 to eat a Kashi meal, fill out the hospital admission paperwork and the daycare application. Had I known then that would have been my last pre-babies meal, I would have done something a little more glamorous. Around 1:00 I had another conference call. My coworker on the other end is a father of twin boys. We started chatting about life with twins. He went on to tell me that we were really lucky to be delivering our girls at 37 weeks because his were born at 36 and had a lot of issues. And then my water broke. I frantically ended the conversation and called Blair. I told him to be on standby because I was pretty sure I was going into labor. I called the doctor's office and the nurse confirmed that I needed to get to the hospital.
I called Blair back and told him to come home and then I started preparing for the birth. I did all things a sane person would do when in labor: I took a shower, did my makeup and hair and put on something presentable... I didn't want to look horrible in the pictures I would inevitably put on this blog! I then quickly packed the rest of our stuff and went down to put the sheets in the dryer. While I was doing all of that Blair frantically raced into the house (leaving the door open) and ran through the house like a mad man trying to find me. He had visions that I was laying on the floor delivering babies- not doing the laundry with my hair and makeup done.
We arrived at the hospital at 2:28pm. I was checked in and prepped for surgery. The contractions were only 3 minutes apart and I was wondering why in the hell anyone would want to deliver babies without pain medication. Needless to say I was very happy to see the anesthesiologist.
4:15 pm rolled around and I was escorted into the operating room and the nurse inserted the epidural. It was no big deal at all. I asked why all those women on "A Baby Story" lose their marbles while getting the epidural. She told me that they all make fun of those drama queens all the time. I knew I liked her.
A ton of people rushed into the operating room and prepped for surgery. I was all too aware that I was naked from the waist down and spread eagle with my feet towards the door. Lovely. I then started to beg the surgical team not to start without Blair. He had been gone a really long time and I was starting to freak out. Finally, he was escorted in. I cried and the surgery started.
Minutes later, Reese Morgan Hoyt was born. She was tiny, pink and screaming. 20 seconds later Michaela Chatten Hoyt was born. She was tinier, pink and also screaming. I sobbed at the sight of those two perfect, teeny, healthy babies wailing away. The neonatology staff wrapped them up and put them both in Blair's one arm for me to see.
They were so unbelievable beautiful, small, and wonderful. I wanted to hold them and kiss them, but I couldn't. Blair went off with them and the surgery was completed.
It would be 1:00 am before I would be allowed to be back in the NICU to see them again. I was not to be allowed in until I could walk to the bathroom twice on my own. I was certain I could do it about 30 minutes after surgery, but I wasn't allowed to try. We had a ton of family there and everyone would back and forth between me and the babies. I was so jealous that everyone got to see our babies but me.
Finally we were reunited. It was wonderful to see them.
We would then start the long road at the NICU. 3 weeks later and we are still traveling this path. However, we are thankful for healthy babies and pray we can bring them both home soon.
I took a break around 12:00 to eat a Kashi meal, fill out the hospital admission paperwork and the daycare application. Had I known then that would have been my last pre-babies meal, I would have done something a little more glamorous. Around 1:00 I had another conference call. My coworker on the other end is a father of twin boys. We started chatting about life with twins. He went on to tell me that we were really lucky to be delivering our girls at 37 weeks because his were born at 36 and had a lot of issues. And then my water broke. I frantically ended the conversation and called Blair. I told him to be on standby because I was pretty sure I was going into labor. I called the doctor's office and the nurse confirmed that I needed to get to the hospital.
I called Blair back and told him to come home and then I started preparing for the birth. I did all things a sane person would do when in labor: I took a shower, did my makeup and hair and put on something presentable... I didn't want to look horrible in the pictures I would inevitably put on this blog! I then quickly packed the rest of our stuff and went down to put the sheets in the dryer. While I was doing all of that Blair frantically raced into the house (leaving the door open) and ran through the house like a mad man trying to find me. He had visions that I was laying on the floor delivering babies- not doing the laundry with my hair and makeup done.
We arrived at the hospital at 2:28pm. I was checked in and prepped for surgery. The contractions were only 3 minutes apart and I was wondering why in the hell anyone would want to deliver babies without pain medication. Needless to say I was very happy to see the anesthesiologist.
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| Excited and ready to be prepped for surgery. |
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| The proud Daddy! Apparently my photography skills are a little lacking while in labor. |
4:15 pm rolled around and I was escorted into the operating room and the nurse inserted the epidural. It was no big deal at all. I asked why all those women on "A Baby Story" lose their marbles while getting the epidural. She told me that they all make fun of those drama queens all the time. I knew I liked her.
A ton of people rushed into the operating room and prepped for surgery. I was all too aware that I was naked from the waist down and spread eagle with my feet towards the door. Lovely. I then started to beg the surgical team not to start without Blair. He had been gone a really long time and I was starting to freak out. Finally, he was escorted in. I cried and the surgery started.
Minutes later, Reese Morgan Hoyt was born. She was tiny, pink and screaming. 20 seconds later Michaela Chatten Hoyt was born. She was tinier, pink and also screaming. I sobbed at the sight of those two perfect, teeny, healthy babies wailing away. The neonatology staff wrapped them up and put them both in Blair's one arm for me to see.
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| Reese Morgan Hoyt: 4lbs, 0oz and 17.75" long. Michaela Chatten Hoyt: 3lbs, 7oz and 17.25" long. |
They were so unbelievable beautiful, small, and wonderful. I wanted to hold them and kiss them, but I couldn't. Blair went off with them and the surgery was completed.
It would be 1:00 am before I would be allowed to be back in the NICU to see them again. I was not to be allowed in until I could walk to the bathroom twice on my own. I was certain I could do it about 30 minutes after surgery, but I wasn't allowed to try. We had a ton of family there and everyone would back and forth between me and the babies. I was so jealous that everyone got to see our babies but me.
Finally we were reunited. It was wonderful to see them.
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| Reese |
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| Michaela |
We would then start the long road at the NICU. 3 weeks later and we are still traveling this path. However, we are thankful for healthy babies and pray we can bring them both home soon.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
The Nursery
The babies are scheduled to make their grand appearance in less than 4 weeks!! We have finally finished the girls' nursery. It took me a long time to come up with what I wanted, but it is finally done! Blair was the master handy Daddy: painting the room, hanging art, light fixtures, assembling furniture and rearranging it until my heart was content. He was also the perfect husband to a crazy pregnant lady and was kind enough to offer his opinion on at least a million nursery ideas.
We owe a lot of thanks to those who helped us with the nursery:
- My infinitely talented sister-in-law for writing a blog post about light fixtures for nurseries. I hope she doesn't mind that I stole one of her ideas!
- My parents for buying and helping to hang the light fixture
- Blair's parents for buying the cribs and accessories
- Pinterest for existing
- All of our friends and family who have purchased baby gifts that fill the room.
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| I actually made those curtains. One of the girls will be forced to hang them in the college apartment, and in her first home. The other twin better act jealous. I will have the twins' newborn pictures framed and hung behind the cribs once they are born. |
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| Art made with love by Aunt Sarah |
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| The bookcase was handmade by GPops and once lived in Blair's condo. A quick refinish transformed it for its new life. |
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| The changing table was a gift from a friend who used it with his twin girls. Blair carried it up and down the steps twice before I decided to refinish it. |
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| "Twins" sign made by cousin Jennifer. |
We owe a lot of thanks to those who helped us with the nursery:
- My infinitely talented sister-in-law for writing a blog post about light fixtures for nurseries. I hope she doesn't mind that I stole one of her ideas!
- My parents for buying and helping to hang the light fixture
- Blair's parents for buying the cribs and accessories
- Pinterest for existing
- All of our friends and family who have purchased baby gifts that fill the room.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
32 weeks
We have made it to 32 weeks! Here is a new shot of my smokin' hot body.
To all of you who have said that I am "cute," I appreciate your lies. Unless of course, you also think this guy is cute. Then I guess I would have say that I see the resemblance.
I grunt involuntarily when I turn over and getting out of bed requires a rolling dismount that would make any olympic gymnast jealous. Getting dressed each morning now involves rodeo skills. But, all things considered, I am doing well. The babies weigh about 4lbs a piece now and seem to be growing like weeds.
Only 5 more weeks to go! Things are about to get real!
To all of you who have said that I am "cute," I appreciate your lies. Unless of course, you also think this guy is cute. Then I guess I would have say that I see the resemblance.
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| blog.moviefone.com |
I grunt involuntarily when I turn over and getting out of bed requires a rolling dismount that would make any olympic gymnast jealous. Getting dressed each morning now involves rodeo skills. But, all things considered, I am doing well. The babies weigh about 4lbs a piece now and seem to be growing like weeds.
Only 5 more weeks to go! Things are about to get real!
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Blessed
This pregnancy has been 31 weeks of reminders of just how blessed we are. First came the revelation that we were pregnant, then came the news that we were having not one, but two little monkeys. As the months passed, we have constantly been reminded just how blessed we are for the people in our lives.
It would be enough to say that at 30 years old, that I still have both of my grandmothers. But knowing they are both healthy and vivacious enough to join hands to throw a perfect baby shower leaves me feeling overwhelmed with gratitude. Then to have the shower attended by so many family and friends, including my college roommates, high school buddies I haven't seen in years, and a surprise visit from two of my dear "squatches"....well, that is more than I could express in 1,000 blog posts.
We have been blown away by the generosity of family, friends and neighbors as they help us with the 10,000 things we need to buy and do to prepare for the babies. Just yesterday our neighbors came by with 15 meals all divided and ready to freeze. I had planned on spending the next month cooking double of everything to have some meals on hands and now I can just relax. A wonderful gift for sure!
It would be enough to say that at 30 years old, that I still have both of my grandmothers. But knowing they are both healthy and vivacious enough to join hands to throw a perfect baby shower leaves me feeling overwhelmed with gratitude. Then to have the shower attended by so many family and friends, including my college roommates, high school buddies I haven't seen in years, and a surprise visit from two of my dear "squatches"....well, that is more than I could express in 1,000 blog posts.
We have been blown away by the generosity of family, friends and neighbors as they help us with the 10,000 things we need to buy and do to prepare for the babies. Just yesterday our neighbors came by with 15 meals all divided and ready to freeze. I had planned on spending the next month cooking double of everything to have some meals on hands and now I can just relax. A wonderful gift for sure!
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| Marshmallow flowers created by my mom...and she doesn't even use Pinterest! |
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
One Last Hurrah
We spent Labor Day weekend in Blacksburg as a "last hurrah" before we settle in and wait for the babies. We caught up with our sweet friends, the Crowder family. We had dinner at El Rodeo and breakfast at Gillies and gained new insight as to how that "Freshmen 15" happens. We spent way too much money at the bookstore. We took a tour of the campus and Blair wowed the crowed with his VT trivia knowledge. We had a fun tailgate, and cheered on our Hokies to a nail biter victory. We stayed up way, way too late.
It was wonderful. It was exactly what I wanted out of our last weekend together in Blacksburg for a long time. It was completely exhausting but totally worth it.
It was wonderful. It was exactly what I wanted out of our last weekend together in Blacksburg for a long time. It was completely exhausting but totally worth it.
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| How fancy is the new dinning hall? |
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| The Hoyt men leading their ladies safely back to the tailgate |
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Waddle This Way
I will be 28 weeks tomorrow which means I will officially be in the in 3rd trimester. We have entered the final countdown with less than 10 weeks until our scheduled C-section. My doctor predicted, based on my frame, that I would need to go on modified bed rest at 28 weeks. I remember thinking he was crazy. I just knew I was tougher than that and that I would still be strutting my stuff all over town...
Turns out, I have traded my strut for a waddle and I grunt involuntarily every time I roll over. I'm sexy and I know it!
The babies are 2 lbs, 4 oz and 2 lbs, 3 oz and should be close to 15" a piece. For all of you math wizards out there, I am now carrying 4 lbs, 7 oz and 30 inches of combined baby. Baby A is still taking a horrible beating from her sister. I can't imagine how gigantic I will surely become.
Overall, we are still doing well. The babies are healthy and growing. I have slowed down BIG time, but I have not yet stopped. Hopefully a few more weeks of waddling around before I park it on the couch until October.
Turns out, I have traded my strut for a waddle and I grunt involuntarily every time I roll over. I'm sexy and I know it!
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| Pay no mind to the Roomba. |
The babies are 2 lbs, 4 oz and 2 lbs, 3 oz and should be close to 15" a piece. For all of you math wizards out there, I am now carrying 4 lbs, 7 oz and 30 inches of combined baby. Baby A is still taking a horrible beating from her sister. I can't imagine how gigantic I will surely become.
Overall, we are still doing well. The babies are healthy and growing. I have slowed down BIG time, but I have not yet stopped. Hopefully a few more weeks of waddling around before I park it on the couch until October.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
26 Week- The Wheels Fell Off
I spent the majority of the past few days with this beautiful view:
Fortunately, I started to come out of the crypts by late Friday, and Blair and I were able to attend the beautiful wedding of two good friends on Saturday.
We were also able to make it out to a belated birthday dinner at The Ashby Inn. It was perfect!
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
30 Lessons for 30 Years
30 Lessons for 30 Years
Thirty is just a few short days away. How in the hell did that happen?? Here are a few lessons I learned along the way. I thought it might be useful to write them down so I can look back from time to time now that I am all wise and mature and stuff. Like for real.
1. Time is a funny thing: four years of school flies by; while four days waiting for big news can seem like an eternity.
2. Time spent with a broken heart is time well invested, provided you are consciously willing to move on.
3. When a trusted friend wants to set you up on a date, go.
4. While Safeway brand salsa and Tostidos queso dip are not the healthiest choices, neither were the 10 drinks that lead you to this decision. Eat, drink and be merry and know that opportunities for late night pajama chats with your friend don’t last forever. Neither does your metabolism.
5. If you get the opportunity to travel with your mom, take it.
6. If you go out to dinner make sure you are able and willing to pay for your own meal. No steak dinner is worth an obligation.
7. Make at least one stupid financial decision in favor of something you love. Ahh that two-seater sports car was fun.
8. Jump out of a perfectly good airplane. Just make sure there is a perfectly good parachute attached to your back.
9. There is a way to get your point across while being graceful, respectful and direct.
10. Never get a tattoo in a language you don’t speak or you may end up with a tattoo that reads “this idiot thinks this tattoo says ‘knowledge’ ” in Chinese. No, I don’t have a tattoo in any language.
11. When the warning label on your medication says “may cause sensitivity to sunlight,” read that as “you will get burnt to a crisp if you take this and lay unprotected on a beach while insisting that you don’t burn.” That sucked.
12. If a drink is served out of a trash can, don’t drink it. Even if the fraternity brother insists that the trash can is new.
13. Don’t get drunk on cheap gin. The hangover will be awful. Get drunk on the good stuff.
14. Know what time the metro closes, and know that you will probably not succeed at talking the engineering into making one last run.
15. Have money for a cab.
16. It is far better to say or do the wrong thing than to spend the rest of your life wondering what would happen.
17. Only buy shoes you can actually walk in…unless they are beautiful and you love them.
18. Keep your resume updated and a well-fitting suit clean and pressed.
19. Buy a good power drill.
20. There is nothing wrong with having no desire to go camping or run a marathon.
21. Take the time to go on a really great vacation.
22. Go after your dreams fiercely even if that means you have to work way more hours than your friends.
23. Be willing to accept that your dreams may change. That power career (noted in 23) didn’t seem all that appealing when it meant sacrificing everything else.
24. Learn how to drive a car with a manual transmission.
25. Cut yourself a little slack.
26. Only run to something, not from something.
27. When two people want a relationship, they will find a way to spend time together, even if it isn’t convenient. (A direct quote from Blair to a friend of mine. Swoon)
28. Reconsider your Facebook posts.
29. You may one day get (or get someone) pregnant. With twins. Start a savings account.
30. If you chose to marry, marry well.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Showered Rotten
The past week has been a whirlwind of family and fun that was kicked off by the most wonderful baby shower I could have ever imagined. Hosted by sweet Cristina, housed by Blair's parents, artistically enhanced by Marisa and attended by some of my closest family and friends- it was more than I could have ever imagined. In a word, it was perfect!
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| My mom's creation- a fruit baby buggy :) |
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| The dessert table complete with mini cupcakes and a sundae bar with homemade ice-cream, chocolate sauce and raspberry sauce. Pregnant lady heaven. |
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| Mom and I |
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| Sarah and Krista |
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| Cristina, Me, Marisa, and Sweet Baby Evie |
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| Sissy and her closet full of baby clothes! I think we know where Mom gets her creativity. Too bad I didn't inherit this trait. |
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| 23 week belly bump. |
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