A Team Scott Christmas

Our first Christmas as a family of four in pictures:

Christmas Stockings

A Fabulich family tradition passed down from my Grandma Grethe. She made stocking like this for her family, then helped my mom make them when she married my dad and had babies, and now my mom helped me make them for Matt and our family. 

Christmas Jammies
I had grand dreams of dressing our babies in cute Christmas jammies for Christmas Day but it turns out that having preemie babies made it look more like a reindeer ate my babies...

Lucas

Andrew

Good thing I had these back ups...or not since they did not love them and consistently peed all over them each time I tried to put them on.  :)

Lucas & Andrew

Family Photos

Two weeks old. Merry Christmas!

The only "presents" we cared about this year. :) Matt and I didn't really exchange gifts but instead focused on having a family day at home together with just the four of us. 

Our First Week

You know you want to see some of our favorite pictures from our first week together! :) 

Hi Guys!!! Andrew (left) is so much smaller than Lucas (right). Even his head is way tinier!

Lucas just relaxing with his little chicken legs and Andrew being squirmy

"Ummm guys, are you sure this is my size?" Andrew getting his oxygen test in the NICU to be sure we could bring him home in his car seat

Seriously, he is SO tiny!!!

Lucas in his car seat (in the NICU for oxygen test) and also super tiny!

Melt my heart! My hubby and one of his sons (Andrew) snuggling on the couch. He is the best dad!

Roommates! Snuggling together in the downstairs pack 'n play. Tiny enough to share one bassinet!

Choosing Names & First Baths

Lucas Alan Scott (Baby A)

Born: 5 lbs 8 oz and 19 inches (discharged from hospital at 5 lbs 1 oz)

1 week old: 5 lbs 2 oz and 19.5 inches 

Waking up for bath time

My first bath at home

Clean and fuzzy hair

I had always loved the name Luke but we thought the last name of Scott needed a first name with more than one syllable so we started thinking about Lucas and decided we really liked it. Alan is a family name- my dad's middle name is Alan, Matt's dad's middle name is Alanson, and Matt's grandpa is named Allan. We settled on this name pretty easily and then were totally stumped to find a second name we liked as much and with as much meaning. About two weeks before the boys were born we had finally reached a decision on a second name option (thankfully!). 

We decided to not share name ideas in case we wanted to change our minds after meeting them and we also had no idea how to choose who would be who. In the end, we went with our gut feeling - or more like Matt's gut feeling since I was being told I might not get to meet Baby B until two days after he was born due to me being sick and him being in NICU- but my gut agreed with Matt's and that's how we chose! :) 

Andrew Jaydon Scott (Baby B)

Born: 5 lbs and 18.5 inches (discharged from hospital at 4 lbs 9 oz)

1 week old: 4 lbs 12 oz and 19 inches

My first bath at home

Fresh and clean

Clean and fuzzy hair

In college I added the name Andrew to my "Possible Future Child Name List" (you know, the one every girl has since she's about 5-years-old and the one every boy never even thinks about until his children are born), and I thought the nickname Drew was so masculine and handsome! When Matt and I created our potential name list together we added it but Matt wasn't in love with it. I was pretty bummed since it was the only other boy name I liked but I didn't say anything and let it go. Much to my surprise and pleasure, one day Matt told me he had been thinking about it and he really liked the name. He also told me he liked the name Jaydon and thought it would make a good middle name. I loved that Jaydon means "God has heard" and I felt that was a perfect fit given how we were blessed with him. There are many ways to spell Jaydon- there's also Jayden and Jadon for example- but we chose this spelling because it felt right for us. So there you go, that's how we chose their names!

Meeting Family

Our parents came up from southern California to meet the babies, along with my sister. Unfortunately, Matt's sister was super sick and couldn't meet them until a few days after they were born. When she did finally get to meet them she didn't have to share them with anyone so hopefully waiting wasn't too bad. :)

Lucas & Andrew

Grandma Liz

Granddaddy

Auntie Ashley & Andrew

Auntie Ashley & Lucas

Grandma Donna

Papa Dave

Auntie Melissa

Fabulich Family (Lucas in red hat, Andrew with blue hat) 

Scott Family (Lucas in red hat, Andrew with no hat)

We'll have to get a Scott family photo next time since Ashley couldn't be there this time! 

Welcome Home Scott Family!

Even though I was still sick with post preeclampsia (my doctor actually wanted to keep me another night), we were discharged from the hospital around 8:30pm on Sunday (because of insurance policies...long story...we had great doctors and care while there!). It was a very stressful drive home due to the fact that the babies are preemie and a little too tiny for their car seats. They had both passed an oxygen test to be allowed to go home in their car seats but Lucas had barely passed his and needed several attempts at it. Due to their size, their little heads and necks droop and it cuts off their oxygen flow. Driving home and not being sure if your baby's head had tipped and he possibly wasn't breathing well made for one anxious 10-minute trip!

My mom had decorated our front porch for when we arrived home and of course I burst out in tears! It was so sweet and such a special moment!

Here are some pictures my mom took earlier in the afternoon. We didn't know until late in the day if I would be released or not so she decorated just in case. I added a few other pictures from our arrival home that night. Please be gracious and remember I was extremely, extremely sick and also exhausted. :)

Welcome home Scott family!

First family photo at home, with a very excited Hunter who wanted to check out the babies

First night at home. Brothers having a slumber party :)

A Surprise Birthday Party

My last weekly photo

Last Wednesday I went in for my weekly doctor's appointment and she told me that nothing was happening yet and we were still on for our scheduled c-section date of December 19th. I drove away feeling pretty upset that my body didn't seem to know what to do to get pregnant or to finally have the babies I was carrying. Not to mention how uncomfortable and sick I was feeling. In fact, I was telling myself on the way home that I wouldn't be driving anymore because it was just too hard and becoming unsafe. When I got home from my appointment and grabbed my phone to update Matt, I saw I had a voicemail from my doctor. She told me to head to the hospital to have my blood pressure monitored because it was much higher than she liked and along with my swelling, headaches, nausea, and such, and she was worried about preeclampsia. So I put some dinner in Hunter's bowl, grabbed the mail, a book to read while I waited for the tests to be done, and called Matt (who was of course concerned and insisted on coming home to meet me at the hospital even though I told him it was nothing).

While at the hospital they hooked me up to monitors and took note of my contractions and the babies' movements. They also drew blood and put me in a room to hang out while I waited for results. I was so convinced this would just be a waste of time but was happy to hear their little heartbeats and I settled in till I could go home. Eventually a nurse ushered Matt into my room and then shortly after my doctor surprised me by showing up. She told me that my blood platelets were low, I had preeclampsia, and we needed to deliver the babies. To say I was surprised would be an understatement! Just hours before she had me convinced that these babies still had at least another week and I had plans to cook and freeze Christmas dinner, finish packing my hospital bag, and read the end of the novel I had started the day before. So then I assumed that she meant maybe tomorrow morning so I could go home and get ready- it wasn't an emergency after all and it was after hours. Nope. These babies were coming and they were coming in a matter of 3 hours. WHAT?!? Suddenly I had a lot of phone calls to make and Matt went home to finish packing the hospital bag from the list I had left and hurry back.

They quickly admitted me, started IVs, had me change, strapped on I.D. bands, handed Matt a handsome ensemble to wear, and took me back to the operating room. Before I knew it, I was being given a spinal tap, laid on a table, had paper walls being constructed around me, Matt was sitting by my head, and I was being operated on. The room was cold, it smelled surgical, the doctors were telling me what was happening, and then suddenly tears were running unchecked down my cheeks as I heard that first magical cry. Suddenly, I was a mom! That was the sweet sound of my child's cry and for the rest of my life I will never forget that moment. Hearing the second cry was as sweet as the first and I found myself holding my breath waiting to hear it, now that I knew it was so close. The doctors finished my surgery, Matt went off to be with our little men, and I laid there alone- my whole world changed.

I ended up extremely sick from the surgery and the nurses took amazing care of me while Matt rushed back and forth between me and the babies, who had been taken to the NICU. The preeclampsia required I be put on magnesium sulfate which made me even sicker but was vital to preventing seizures and I had to remain on it for 24 hours after surgery. This made it impossible for me to leave my hospital bed once I was finally moved from recovery to my room, and the babies were in NICU and it was impossible for them to come to me. That was certainly not the way I ever envisioned my birth story going. Eventually Matt was allowed to bring me Baby A and while I was too sick to hold him or really even see him, I was able to meet him and touch him. Baby B remained in the NICU and I wasn't allowed to see him for the first time until the next day. Like everyone says, it was love at first sight! They were so small and each had their own premature issues but overall they were doing well.

Over the next few days I developed post-preeclampsia and became really sick again. My blood pressure sky rocketed, the nausea returned, I had a horrible headache, and my platelets were low. I was so upset to just be feeling better after being taken off the magnesium sulfate and then to be sick again. Thankfully the staff took great care of me, our babies were released from NICU, and we were all able to come home as a family together on Sunday night.

Spending 5 days in the hospital lends to way more information and stories than you care to read about in one blog post so I'll wrap it up at that. Matt is an incredible dad and we are beyond in love with our sweeties! They each are showing distinct personalities and we can already see who takes after who- which is SO fun! I'll be posting some pictures from our first week and it will probably seem like photo overkill but we'd like to ask that you not share their photos on Facebook and other social media sites without our okay. While we'll be posting some pictures on our blog, this is a private forum and we would like our little ones to have some privacy. :)

Since the babies are premature and very at-risk to germs, we will be staying home with them and keeping them healthy as well as simply figuring out the craziness of life with two newborns. We can't wait for when they are ready to be introduced to everyone!

XOXO,
Team Scott
Matt, Staci, Lucas, & Andrew

I sent this picture to notify my mom and two close friends that I was in the hospital for monitoring, absolutely convinced nothing would come of it and I would be home in just a few hours

Being admitted and getting so excited to finally see the faces of our sweet babies! You can catch a glimpse of my totally swollen feet in the background- thanks preeclampsia! 

On our way to have some babies! One of the symptoms of preeclampsia is fluid retention and within a matter of days I had become majorly swollen everywhere

On the operating table, being sewn up, and catching a glimpse of Baby B (Andrew). Baby A was already delivered and being taken care of by nurses

Our little miracle babies! I'll post about their names another time :)

The Final Countdown & Feeling Thankful

"I'm still pregnant."

This is how I now answer the phone when it rings and my mom's picture pops up on my screen. Silly mom! She's knows I'll call her if anything happens but the job of a mom is to worry and check-in and be concerned and love your little one even when they aren't so "little" anymore. I'm about to find out all about this new job description but for now I appreciate that my mom cares and is always thinking of me!

I'm in my 36th week and really wasn't sure I would ever make it this far. Pregnancy has been the greatest blessing but has also been much more challenging than I ever anticipated. It has been especially hard with Matt's busier-than-anticipated travel schedule this year. There were so many times I desperately needed someone to take care of me and had to figure out a way to do it on my own when he was gone. But thankfully over the summer I met and have become friends with an amazing group of girls who have loved on me and have taken care of me like family, which means so much as I don't have my mom or sister nearby to lean on and help me. They keep me company, feed me, support me, listen to me, love on me (especially when hormones run wild and I end up crying about the silliest things), and encourage me. Thank you Awakening Church girls for being like the family I so desperately need close by!!! These women are also setting up meals to be delivered to us after the babies are born which will be SUCH a lifesaver!

My friend Anne has also been an amazing support. She checks in with me, visits with me, and feeds me. Apparently people think I need to eat. :) My cousin Rachel has also been an endless wealth of help and love. I am so thankful to have her knowledge of twins and someone to chat with who understands this special kind of pregnancy and future of raising multiples. My other biggest support has been a group of friends from my online infertility support group. Most of us met as we walked through endless infertility treatments, disappointments, heartache, and then miracles and our pregnancies. There's something very different about pregnancy after walking through infertility that I can't explain- it changes everything about the pregnancy experience as well as the future raising our little ones.

So as I look forward to these final weeks, days, and hours of pregnancy- no matter how hard they may be- I feel so blessed and grateful for so many things. This gift of pregnancy, these two little miracles (and indeed, they are true miracles), new friends, and loving family... I couldn't be more thankful!

We will be sure to let everyone know when these babies are born, whenever that may be. Our families will most likely receive a text from our parents and once we are recovered enough we will post something on Facebook. Until then, I'll stick to answering my phone with, "I'm still pregnant." ;)

A Different Perspective on Mary's Story

Growing up, one of my favorite holiday songs was Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song) by Amy Grant. I could almost envision what it would have been like to be Mary, pregnant, confused, excited, and celebrating the first Christmas. Now, years later, I find myself ready to give birth during the Christmas season and it has brought me a whole new perspective on Mary's story. 

As a mom-to-be you dream of where you will give birth, who will care for you, what things may go wrong, and where you will bring your baby home to- Mary had no knowledge about any of those things. Today we are concerned that when we give birth everything will be clean and sterilized, and we make sure experienced people will be around to help us, be it doctors, nurses, or midwives. We dream of having our husband by our side and spending our first moments as a family together. What must Mary have thought when her time came and all that was available was a filthy stable filled with stinky animals and no one to help her? She was a teen herself...what could she have known about giving birth? I imagine she felt alone and fearful. Did she allow Joseph to help her- a fiance she had never been intimate with? Would she have let him see her in this most intimate moment, or was he pacing outside the stable, also fearful and unsure of how to help this young woman whom was to be his wife?

I have to imagine even before the birth and the journey they took to Bethlehem. I cannot tell you how my body aches, how exhausted I am, and how swollen my limbs are. When I imagine that, while on a long journey by foot and donkey....I cannot fathom. What must she have thought when the decree came and she realized she had no choice but to make the journey? She must have known her time was close. Did she whine and complain like I surely would have, or was she stronger than me? Maybe she accepted with grace and faith. How that thought challenges me! How did she manage to walk with her baby dropped down low, or (in my opinion perhaps even worse) ride on the bony back of a donkey bumping along? Were her ankles swollen beyond recognition from walking alongside Joseph? Did she manage to sleep while they camped or was she too uncomfortable on the hard ground? There are so many things I never truly understood before. 

Suddenly, all the unknowns about my own birth story don't seem so insurmountable. I know Matt will get me to the hospital on time (in the comfort of our Jeep, with seat heaters if "needed" in cold weather), where I will be surrounded by the best of care both during and after the birth. I know there will be knowledgeable people and modern medicine should my babies or I need care. I know I will bring my babies home to a sweet nursery I have diligently and lovingly planned and created every perfect detail of. And I know I will not be alone. 

As Advent begins and as I face these last weeks of pregnancy, I will constantly be thinking of Mary and her story and praying that I have the faith she did. For those of you women who have been pregnant, I challenge you to really think of what her journey must have been like. And for those of you still waiting for your miracle baby, I challenge you to have faith in what you do not know or see- just like Mary did as she learned of her pregnancy, made her journey, and gave birth alone, all while trusting in Him. What an incredible young woman she must have been!

Update on Team Scott and the Babies

10 weeks ago: 25 weeks pregnant, being monitored at the hospital

At 25 weeks pregnant I started having a lot of contractions and ended up in the hospital, strapped up to monitors galore, with alarms going off left and right as the babies continually kicked the monitors off. It was quite challenging to find their separate heartbeats each time and continually replace the monitors! Thankfully everything checked out with our little ones and I was eventually sent home with a prescription to stop the contractions.

That was about 10 weeks ago and now at 34 weeks pregnant my contractions have picked up even more and I have to take my medication on a regular basis to stop them since we are trying to bake these buns in the oven as long as possible. Baby A is positioned impossibly low, with Baby B pressing down on him, and their weight and positions are causing me to be in a lot of pain to the point that I can barely walk and even sitting is extremely uncomfortable (and forget laying down or sleeping!). While I am only 34 weeks pregnant, the size of my belly is measuring at 42 weeks pregnant so hopefully you can imagine the discomfort I'm in - and I still have at least 3 weeks to go! All of these contractions and pressure are also causing me to have false labor, which typically happens in the middle of the night so poor Matt isn't sleeping much these days either.

I am restricted to the couch with my feet up but the babies seem healthy and my doctor doesn't seem to think there isn't any reason I won't make it till my due date so long as I follow her instructions. It looks like we should be meeting these little ones sometime before Christmas so this story is "to be continued" for awhile longer...

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Reorganizing

I like to tease Matt that everything in our house is easy to find because it's so organized and he likes to joke that he can never find anything because I'm always reorganizing things. HAHA! Guilty as charged! ;)

The nursery used to be our office/workout room/guest room/extra storage and all of that had to be reorganized into other areas of the house so we could make room for the babies and their things. Good thing for us, reorganizing is right up my alley! I am a big fan of baskets and keeping things stored together while Matt is what I call a "free organizer" and leaves his things in a trail all around the house...great for finding him but not so great when trying to keep our house looking clutter-free! I thought I would post some pictures of how we shuffled things around to create new spaces for our growing family.

This unit has two baskets to hold our workout shoes and extra shoes, like flip flops and slippers. It also holds a box for each of us to store our knick-knacks in...those items that typically end up in a junk drawer. On top of the unit I keep a basket for Matt to empty his pockets out into when he walks through the door to help minimize the free organizing. 

This unit holds all of our workout equipment, but I love that it has doors so I don't have to see it all!

Here's the inside of the cabinet: Our workout programs (like P90X, T25, Brazil Butt Lift, and more), our weights, yoga block, and other gear

This unit holds baskets for our workout towels and baby toys. It also holds our DVDs and a shelf for each of us to store the current books we're reading

Here's a look at the room overall. We also recently invested in a new rug and leather sofa/ recliner set. I'm loving that things are finally coordinating since everything we had before was still from our college days and mismatched.

I hung our workout resistance bands in the closet so all the workout things are now downstairs. The guest room things are stored in Rubbermaid bins in storage outside. It's easy enough to bring them in and set them up when we have an overnight visitor. The stroller also fits in this closet under the stairs. 

Here's a peek in the basket of baby toys :)

My cousins loaned us this twin sized pack 'n play- thanks Mark & Rachel! For now I'm storing a basket with diapers and wipes in it but eventually both babies will be able to sleep and play safely downstairs in it. 

A peek at the closet in the nursery upstairs. It's not done but for now it's storing boxes with extra baby clothes and supplies, organized by size and type.

I love seeing handsome little button-down shirts hanging up!

The other side of the closet still holds some of our clothes as well as my craft and sewing things. 

We transferred the desk and computer into this armoire. I love that it can be closed up and tucked away so the room still seems like a nursery. 

So that's about it! We have storage outside in our carport where I have Rubbermaid bins with the guest bed things, as well as Christmas decorations, gift wrap, and other seasonal decorations. Right now the house is decorated for Fall but I am getting eager to decorate for Winter and Christmas. I think that will make it feel even closer to when these babies are going to be born!