A Baby Story, Times Two!!!!

Hello everyone! I promised to update the ultrasound results, but I can do better than that! Matt, George, and I would like to introduce the newest members of the Zimbric family!

Charlie Frank, born at 5:56 AM on 5/28/08, weighing in at 6 lbs and 19"

Louis Gerald, born at 6:35 AM on 5/28/08, weighing in at 6 lbs 4 oz and 18"

The entire Zimbric family is doing wonderful. Louis and Charlie look a lot a like, and although before they were born my doctor was certain they were fraternal, the verdict is still out there and we should find out on Friday if indeed they are fraternal or identical. There are subtle differences between the two, but without different colored hats I would have a hard time. Charlie has slightly darker hair than Louis, and Louis's face is rounder (chubbier) than Charlie's. We're not sure what day we'll be able to take the boys home, but I'm thinking I'm going to have to leave the hospital bracelets on until I can really tell the two apart.

What happened!?! We're still trying to figure that out too, it all happened so fast. Tuesday was just another normal day and it ended that way too. I woke up at 3 AM Wednesday morning like I usually do because I had to go to the bathroom (I had to take my medication at 3 AM, so I was in a habit of waking up at that time). Today though I decided that I was too stubborn to get out of bed at 3 AM and go to the bathroom, so I told myself to go back to sleep. And I did, until 4 AM. At 4 I did get up, and thought maybe my water broke, and then when I got back to bed I started having some light "cramping". Didn't feel like a contraction to me! But quickly, the cramping turned from mild to moderate to pain so intense that Matt said I was using "choice words" freely. At 4:20 AM, we called in Matt's parents because we had discovered the contractions were about 4-5 minutes apart and we needed to get moving to the hospital within the next few hours. They were going to be at our house around 6 AM or so, and I thought I could hold out until then.


Nope. Pretty soon the contractions were on top of each other and I could barely walk. We called our friends Erin and Adam to come over, and that would only be a 20 minute wait or so. Matt and I got dressed for the hospital, and then he proceeded to wash the dishes. Yes, you read this correctly. At 4:30 AM, with wife in active labor, my husband was washing the dishes. After he washed the dishes, he loaded me and our bags into the car where we waited for Erin to arrive. As soon as she got to our house about 5 AM, we drove to the hospital as fast as we could, running every stop light and stop sign on the way except for the one where we passed a police officer. We were at the hospital by 5:15.


When we arrived at the hospital, some kind man noticed I couldn't walk and came out with a wheelchair right away. Matt wheeled me to admissions, where a very nice lady proceeded to politely check me in with questions like "What's your name?" and "Do you still live at blah blah St", etc. Bless her heart, because I only responded with rude answers and she quickly figured out that I just need to get up to Labor and Delivery. Once I was up to L&D, my nurse was waiting to check me in. I promptly warned her that I will need the epidural guy right away. She said he was busy with an emergency epidural at the time, but I would be next. I wanted to tell her this was an emergency too, but didn't want to over react.


My nurse continued to check me in and explained I would be hooked up to IV, monitors, then check to see how much I am dilated and after that would get the epidural. She got to the part of checking to see how dilated I am, and said I was over 9 cm followed by "You're not getting an epidural". Matt said I shouted a choice word that rhymes with "duck" a couple times in response to this news. She did give me what's called a para-cervical block, which is supposed to be second best to an epidural. The problem with that was I didn't have a cervix left to inject it into, so it only worked on the right side of my body and not my left. They were going to reinject into my left side, but the doctor said it was time to push.


So I pushed once, and the doctor told me one more like that and Baby A would be born. I'm thinking, yeah right, because I remember how long I pushed with George. But, he was right! Charlie Frank popped right out on the second series of pushes which was 5:56 AM! I couldn't believe it. I was able to visit with him for a little bit before they whisked him off to be checked over and cleaned. I had another baby to deliver anyway...


Baby B was thinking it wasn't quite his time to come out yet. He was enjoying all the new space he had with Charlie being out of his living quarters! The doctor said that he was turning sideways a couple of times and he had to straighten him out. Eventually, after a little work, Louis Gerald was born at 6:35 AM! This is all a mere 1 hour 20 minutes after pulling into the parking lot at the hospital.


By about 7:30 AM we were all looking at each other in awe of what just happened and how it could have possibly gone so fast. I am thankful that Erin arrived at our house so quickly, and that Matt does a nice job speeding and running stop signs/lights. I'm also very thankful for all the nurses and the doctor that suffered through my choice language at times. Think about it, being a labor & delivery nurse must be one of the most difficult jobs. They probably rarely get spoken to nicely, their patients are never in a good mood, except for after they deliver babies. Its not like its their fault patients are in so much pain. I'm so ashamed of myself. Anyway...


We're most thankful for the two new beautiful boys in our lives. They are perfect and healthy, and very cute. The pictures don't do them justice, so if you have a chance to stop in our door is always open. As of today they both eat well and poop and pee well, and sleep well too. That's about all they do. When they are awake they are still very calm. I'm sure that will change eventually. Louis is on the left below, and Charlie is on the right.

Big Brother George is doing very well too. He said we can bring the babies home, but we shouldn't have any more babies after this. He does show some interest in the babies. Today he told them to wake up when he arrived for his visit. Yesterday he gave their pom-poms on their hats kisses when he left. He insists that Charlie is Louis and Louis is Charlie, so we might have some work to do teaching who is who. And so far he does not want to sit still to have his picture taken with his new brothers. Maybe when we get home we can do that.

Well, there you have it. Its a day late, but that is the baby story of the two newest Zimbrics. Be sure to stay tuned for Bringing Home Baby Zimbrics! It would be nice to go home tomorrow, but it may not be until Saturday or so.