Summer Fun

We were limited this summer with me being pregnant with the twins, but that did not stop us from having some fun.

We had several sleepovers with cousins. This time it was at our house with Gracy, Emery and Reese. I took the kids to Chick-fil-a and then bowling. Camrie and Emery were at activity days day camp.

Poor Jaren was not invited to bowl.

Then we played some arcade games.

Ski ball is always a favorite.

Just watch out for Jaren, you never know where the ball will go.

We also went swimming several times in Provo with cousins at the Decker's pool.

I asked Kyle to watch the kids... this was what he did. Great hand stand, not such a great babysitter.

Taryn wanted to jump off the rocks but was too nervous. After several attempts, she finally did it. And then she did it over and over.

You can't have summer without ice cream. Dawson and Davis.

Jaren and Davis.

The girls lounging with some ice cream.

A few early fire works at Nana and Papa's.

At church for cousin Kyon's mission farewell. These boys choose their phones over going to class. Kaden, Dayton and Camden.

Another pool party. This time the Baird's were with us.

Most, but not all the grand-kids.

Bridal shower for Abbie. It was fun to have the little girls there too.

Making wedding dresses out of toilet paper.

We got to meet our new cousin Sadie.

A little night swimming.

Grooms dinner for Finn and Abbie.

It was so hot and poor Kyle cooked all the hot dogs and burgers but they were delicious.

It was a beautiful wedding. Congrats Abbie and Finn. Sadly we had to miss the reception because Chase got sick.

Meet The Twins

It was about 3 in the morning when I woke up. Not sure what, but felt like something was wrong. I knew I was in labor but I was only 30 weeks pregnant with the twins. It was too soon for them to come. I was so scared and didn't know what to do. I woke up Kyle as calmly as I could and he jumped out of bed. He wanted to go to the hospital, but I didn't think we would make it. I did not want to have the babies in the car or anywhere else. I told him to take me to the urgent care just up the street. He said okay, and we made it to the car. I got in the back and laid down. I was fighting as hard as I could to keep the babies in. 

We left the neighborhood at 3:34. I know this because we were calling friends trying to find someone to answer their phone to go to our house to be with the other kids. We did not know how long or what was going to happen that day.

Kyle ignored my request to go to urgent care and instead raced to the hospital. He drove quite fast and probably broke some laws, but I didn't care and was so grateful because we made it to the hospital. I only hit my head on the door of the car a handful of times in his rush to get me there. 

They put me in a wheel chair and rushed me up to labor and delivery. The nurses were not as quick to respond as I would have liked and I was in such hard labor I could hardly speak. Luckily Kyle raced up there and was in such a panic that they got me to a room. The nurse was trying to get me in a gown and realized there was no time... the babies were coming. They rushed me to the OR and got me on a table. They made Kyle dress in scrubs, a mask, and gloves. Just as I got on the table my water burst and out came baby A at 4:02. He was not crying but looked good and they even showed him to me. His umbilical cord was barley attached and he was the smaller baby weighing 2 lbs 11 oz. They immediately took him to the adjoining room to the NICU staff to make sure he was getting the attention he needed. Shortly after we heard him cry and Kyle was back and forth checking on both me and the baby. 

The other baby was breach which is normally alright with twins if it is the second baby, but he was not dropping. They started prepping me for a C-section and made Kyle go in with baby A. As they were prepping me I started to have another contraction. The nurse went to check and said it is okay it is just the placenta. As she went to get it she realized that baby B was there too. Baby B was born ten min later at 4:12 weighing 3 lbs 1 oz. Baby B had lost some blood so he was quite pale and his hands and feet were purple from lack of oxygen. He was in a little bit of trouble so they had to take him immediately to care for him. There was a chance they were going to have to give him a blood transfusion that day, but they were able to hold off and slowly his numbers grew.

They took us to a room and worked with the babies to make sure they were getting all the treatments they needed. After about an hour they had them all set up in the NICU and we were able to go see them. What a way to start the 4th of July.

Later that night after much discussion we decided on their names. It took us a lot of time to agree on their names, but we agreed right away on which name went with which baby.

Meet Ryder Grant, baby A.

Meet Chase William, baby B.

Chase.

Ryder.

Ryder.

I got to hold Ryder the day after he was born. Kyle had taken the kids home to put them to bed. I couldn't sleep so I went to the NICU to check on the boys. The nurse offered for me to hold Ryder. I said no because I did not want to bother him, but she said he would like it. I felt bad holding him without Kyle there, but it was so wonderful to hold him. Kyle got to hold him the next day.

Because of the loss of blood Chase had experienced at birth they had to have a pick line in his belly button, so we could not hold him until that was out. Luckily we just had to wait a couple days and then we got to hold him too.

Ryder.

Chase.

Poor Ryder's pick line kept going bad, so they had to keep moving it. This time they put it in his forehead. They say that it is the best spot because it does not hurt them, but I hated it and was so happy when they took it out.

Our favorite thing to do was go to the hospital and each hold a baby. We would usually go at night after we put the other kids to bed. It was nice and quiet there and we would just sit and hold them. We got to know the nurses and they were a huge help to us as we learned how to take care of our babies. We would switch off every night taking turns holding the twins.

I am very jealous but so happy that Kyle got to hold both twins one night. I was out of town so he went up to see them. He had held Ryder the night before so he was going to hold Chase. The nurse asked if he wanted to hold them and he said yes. So she handed him Ryder. He took him and figured he would hold Chase the next night. But then the nurse handed him Chase too. He sent me lots of pictures that made me so jealous but so happy too. This happened on July 14th.

4th Of July

We started this years 4th with some excitement as the twins decided to join us. They were in a hurry and wasted no time in joining us. Kyle and I got to the hospital just before 4 barely making it there before they were born.

Ryder came first at 4:02 weighing 2 lbs 11 oz.

Chase was not far behind coming at 4:12 weighing 3 lbs 1 oz.

After the twins and I were taken care of Kyle went home to try and have some fun with the other kids. Luckily he found their 4th of July shirts so they were ready to celebrate.

With the craziness of the day we were grateful to those who helped the kids have fun while Kyle and I were in the hospital. Dayton went to the movies with a friend, Camrie was in Idaho with her cousin Tayla, and Taryn and Jaren were back and forth with friends to play and watch fireworks.

I spent the 4th with theses 2 baby boys. It was crazy, scary, and exciting all at the same time.  We are so happy they joined our family and what an entrance they made. We get to celebrate them every year on the 4th. Chase is in the top picture, Ryder is on the bottom.