2 Weeks Old!

Mommy loving on her girls!
(Genevieve on left, Hope on right)

They are so adorable, even when they sleep.
(Hope in yellow, Genevieve in pink)

I love this, they have their arms linked....so very sweet.

I can't believe they are 2 weeks old. They are doing so good, growing and thriving. We went to the doctor for the 2 week weight check and they each gained one pound...in 7 days! They are getting big and heavy...not my tiny babies anymore. Each day I am overwhelmed with emotion...not sadness, but incredible joy. I feel so blessed to have my babies home and my love for them is so overwhelming that most days it brings me to tears. We went to church with the girls this past Sunday and all I wanted to do during worship time was cry tears of joy. I was sitting there with the babies that so many people in that room had prayed for, it was an amazing morning. It was communion Sunday and such a blessing to share that time with the girls...our family!

Biggest Challenge = Nursing Twins
Biggest Reward = Nursing Twins

I have been telling everyone that the most challenging part of being a mom of twins is nursing. I haven't quite mastered nursing them at the same time...but I know we will get there. I know that so many moms struggle with nursing challenges and I now understand what that is like. It's also so rewarding and a blessing to be able to nurse them. Baby Genevieve nurses so well and has since she was born, Baby Hope has had more trouble. But mommy is learning to be more and more patient and Hope continues to do better. The Lord encourages me each day. I am using His strength and praying each time I nurse. I lift up my babies to the Lord, knowing He is in control. I rest knowing that my girls are eating enough and gaining weight. Praise God!

2nd Biggest Challenge = Sleep
The girls have their days and nights a little mixed up. They sleep a ton during the day...although it still feels like I feed all day too. Nighttime is a little more active. The hardest part of the night is from 8pm - 12am. They seem to be very fussy during this time and that midnight feed is the hardest for both myself and Erik. Once we get past the 3am feed they sleep quite well and a few nights they have gone 4 hours between feeds....ahhhhhhhh sleep. They are on a good schedule, 3 hours between feeds, and they wake around the same time. 3 hours sounds good, but it goes by so fast. Erik and I have a really good system for feeding time and I'm so very thankful to have such a hands-on husband. He is an amazing daddy! I am confident that by the time he goes back to work I will be able to get through the night feedings on my own. I'm hoping to have them both nursing at the same time by then.

Thank you so much to all of you who have and continue to pray for our family. My two miracles are proof that God answers prayers! Amidst the challenges listed above, this is where we've always wanted to be. This is going to be an amazing season of life for our family! I can't wait to see what else God has planned.

Love you all!
Jamie

Two Miracles Have Arrived!

Genevieve Hannah and Hope Allison

Hope (pink hat) and Genevieve (purple hat) with proud daddy!

My girls and me!

I will praise you; O Lord, with all my heart:
I will tell of all your wonders.
I will be glad and rejoice in you;
I will sing praise to your name. O Most High.
Psalm 9:1-2

The girls are here! Praise the Lord! Hope and Genevieve Bayer arrived on Tuesday, August 9th. Hope entered the world at 9:55am and Genevieve at 10:00am. What a joyous day! A day full of emotion and overwhelming thankfulness.

They are twins, but so very different. It only took me only a little bit to know who was who. Hope looks like her daddy with his beautiful eyes, but she has my lips. Genevieve looks like her mommy, only with a cute little head (unlike her mommy's big head-haha!). It's so fun to just sit and stare at them...we've been waiting so long to look at these precious faces.

Delivery Day!
I was so glad that my body went into labor all on it's own...God's timing of course. My water broke at 12:30am on Tuesday morning. Erik began rushing around preparing us to leave...our car had been packed for 2 weeks. We arrived at the hospital after 1am. Our families also arrived shortly after us. My labor was really intense in the beginning and not much fun. I progressed fairly fast and finally the pain medication took effect just in time to get some rest before I was ready to push! The doctor said it was time and wheeled me off to the delivery room. I was crying as we entered the delivery room. The nurses and doctor asking if I was scared. I had no fear at that point, just pure joy that I was about to deliver my baby girls. The emotions didn't stop. Hope arrived and was immediately put onto my chest, she was crying out the whole time. Hearing her cry was music to my ears...still is. I kissed her and off she went to get clean while I pushed out her sister 5 minutes later. Again, hearing her cry was beautiful. The delivery room was emotional once they both arrived safe and sound. The nurses were crying and even our doctor had a teary eyed moment with us. Our doctor had been with us when we lost Ivy almost 3 years ago as well as one of our nurses. God gave us the same team that day that we had that fateful day in the past. It was amazing to share our new joy with both of them. A truly happy ending! It went so fast that before I knew it we were back in the room surrounded by emotional family members. What a morning it was!

The day just continued to get better and better. The girls were measured and weighed. Hope was 6lbs. 13oz. and 19" long. Genevieve was 6lbs. 3oz. and 18 1/2" long. They are perfect and healthy! All we wanted to do was enjoy them and stare at the beautiful faces God created just for us.

We only stayed in the hospital for 2 days and we are now home. This is now the beginning of our new life with our new family. Erik and I are of course exhausted and sleep comes and goes, but we feel truly blessed to be here in our home with our baby girls....this day felt like it would never come. So I sit here typing and watching my babies sleep silently, oh how beautiful they are. Thank you to all of you for praying for these two miracles. It is going to be an amazing journey.

Love to you all.
I will keep you posted on week 1 with the twins!

Jamie

The wait is almost over....

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Colossians 4:2

Hold my hand and walk joyously with Me through this day. Together we will savor the pleasures and endure the difficulties it brings. I am your Guide, as well as your constant Companion. I know every step of the journey ahead of you, all the way to heaven. Don't worry about what is around the next bend. Just concentrate on enjoying My Presence and staying in step with Me.
(Devotional: Jesus Calling)

I know it's been forever since I updated the blog, but I really wanted my next post to be announcing the arrival of the babies. So much for that. Erik and I are both doing a lot better with our fears and anxiety. Thank you for your prayers during this time. My doctor has given us an end date...Thank the Lord! If I do not go into labor on my own this week, my doctor will induce me on August 15th. It's officially a countdown....9 days or less! I perked up so much when the doctor gave us a date. I've never really been pro induction, but the doctor feels that the girls need to come before 39 weeks. So that is what the date is based upon. My doctor has let me go longer than I thought he would because the girls and I are all doing so well. My blood pressure has been great, I've had minimal swelling, and the girls continue to do great on the non-stress tests. I feel confident in the doctors decision and I feel peace from the Lord that He is in control.

I must tell you how the Lord reached out to me today. My sister and I were shopping at the grocery store (I can walk around more now that I am so close to delivering) and it seemed like I was a public spectacle. People around the store would ask; "You look like your ready to pop, when are you due?" , "When are you due, are you having a boy or girl?". So my answer always has "twins" in it, and this really intrigues people. So after I say twins I get a ton more questions. Two ladies came up and asked those questions and the one woman congratulated me and even hugged me, then she asked if she could pray for me...right there the middle of the store, my sister and I are staring to cry and this woman is holding my belly and praying for me and my babies. It was beautiful! Not accidental by any means...the Lord planned that encounter and it was so amazing. I wish I could be like that woman and just pray for people in the middle of the grocery store. God is so good!

Well my dear friends I must say Thank You for reading my blog, for praying for my family, for loving us and supporting us during this pregnancy. This pregnancy has had it's highs and lows. It was so amazing to find out 9 months ago that I was pregnant with triplets, devastating 4 months in to find out we lost our son Ephraim, and now joyous to know our girls will join the world very soon. The Lord has certainly entrusted us with a lot of pain, but the joy is coming and I know it will be truly amazing! I will be so excited to post a picture of my two beautiful baby girls...very soon!!! Then stay tuned to the blog as this journey with twins truly begins!

Love to you all.
Jamie