Early Arrivals!!!

Mutual friends of ours through family members have had some scary events the past few days. Friday morning Kadra Parkman, who was 29 weeks pregnant, starting having seizures. The doctors had no other choice but to deliver the baby girl. She weighed 2 pounds and 4 ounces, and I'm not for sure about her length. When Michael called me Friday morning and told me this, all of those emotions from our experience of delivering early and NICU time came rushing back to me. It is an unbelievable scary time and I, we, could not have made it through without all the prayers and support from family and friends. So this brings me to the next introduction.

A few days ago, I ran across this blog while I was surfing and exploring others' blogs. This blog is for a very special little girl (Laurie Ann Killingsworth) who was born on June 28, 2008, at 23 weeks and 6 days. She weighed 1 pound & 8 ounces. I've been keeping up with her progress through the Killingsworth's blog. It amazes me how strong little babies are and how strong the mama's and daddy's are through such frightening times. Now this brings me to the next topic, which is our story of our little early arrivals!

For those of you that don't know our story, I will try to give you the short version of the birth of our beautiful baby boys.
First, I have to start by telling you that these two little boys were miracle babies before they were even born. Why are they such miracle babies? Because they are IVF babies or what some would call "test tube babies." We were able to see them as embryos before they were transferred to me. It is astonishing what they can do now! I am so thankful that they can do these amazing things.

Now to the birth of these miracle babies . . . I had to go to Baptist South on Monday, Dec. 24. Yep, Christmas Eve. I was starting to dilate and have contractions, so Dr. Lawhon met us there and made the decision to start me on magnesium sulfate to stop the contractions and further dilation. If you have never been on this medication, you should feel very lucky because it is horrible. The medicine does what it is supposed to do, but the side effects are indescribable. It was really tough being on that medicine and having to be there on Christmas, but I was willing to do whatever it took to keep those babies from being born. I was also given the steroid shots to help with the development of their lungs. By Wednesday 12/26/07, I had not dilated anymore and my contractions had stopped. So we thought we might be out of the woods until Thursday afternoon. My blood pressure was soaring and my blood work was starting to show signs of toxemia, so Dr. Lawhon decided that it would be best on me and the babies to deliver. Therefore, at 29 weeks and 6 days Brady Robert and Whitman Glover were born on Thursday, Dec. 27, 2007, at 7:35 pm and 7:36 pm. Whitman weighed 3.9 and Brady weighed 3.5. They were both 15 inches long. When they were delivered, they both cried out and were breathing on their own. What a miracle!!! But that was only the beginning of their 45 day stay in the NICU at Baptist South. The boys had a few ups and downs but the hardest thing was for them to learn to eat on their own. We finally were able to bring them home Feb. 10, 2008.

Our experience with having preemie babies has been (and still is sometimes) very emotional. Having a baby is a big responsibility, but when you have two babies in the NICU who are so tiny is not just a big responsibility but is very, very scary. The not knowing what is going to happen next, and the changes from hour to hour, and talking to nurses and doctors, and then keeping your family and friends up to date with their progress. It is just a lot to have to handle. But we learned very early on that you just have to take it hour by hour and then day by day.

I guess the reason I'm writing this is because I want you to know how important it is to have support and prayers from family, friends, and even strangers. I remember when I use to go see the boys, I would tell them "you have so many people that love you and are praying for you that haven't even seen you yet. You, we, are so so Blessed." Michael and I will never forget these emotional moments. I still have them now. I think parents with preemies share a bond that most parents do not because we understand what each other is or was going through. I'm also going to include Footprints Ministry on my friends & family list because they are a great support group through the NICU.

I'm sorry this was so long but I just felt the need to write about our experience, along with the two other families and their babies. Please keep them in your prayers!

This picture is of Whit the day after he was born.

This is Brady the day after he was born.

This picture was taken the day we brought them home. Whit on the left and Brady on the right.

This was taken at the beach June 30. Whit on left and Brady on right

We have a lot to be thankful for!!!