Perspective

We've had a rough couple of weeks with our boys. . . actually, I'm not going to lie to you, we've had a rough 14 1/2 wks (since they were born). First it was the NICU and then feeding/supply issues and since about 6 wks it's been tummy problems/ extreme colic and for the past couple of weeks they've been teasing us with sleeping through the night. Take last night for example, C slept about 10hrs, W woke up 3 times. The night before that, W slept for 7 hrs before waking up to eat and then falling asleep for another 4-5hrs, C woke up 4 times and a few nights before that they were about left out on the curb because Erik and I were at our wits end. We couldn't figure out why they were crying (rather screaming) or what to do to calm them down. Finally about 1:00am they settled down and slept for a few (about 3) hrs. before waking up to eat again - unfortunately, those kind of nights happen all to frequently. I would never do anything to hurt my boys, but it's on those nights that I kind of see what drives people to hurt their children, and I don't think you can really understand unless you've had nights like that. Something that helps us to get through nights like that is our perspective on things. Not the perspective that we know it's wrong to hurt our kids, or even our perspective on live because of what the gospel teaches, no this is a bit more personal, a bit closer to the heart. All I have to do is to think back to the boys' birth and how close we came to losing them and it makes me so grateful that they're here that I'll deal with the most colicky nights. I think back on their birth and can't help but to see Heavenly Father's hand in it. When I arrived at the hospital for my induction I was already dilated to a 5 yet I'd had no contractions. The boys were delivered about 3hrs after they started the pitocin, which was amazingly fast - a good thing since C wasn't handling the contractions very well and his heart rate actually dropped to the low 40s. We were fortunate to be at a hospital that had the right kind of blood on hand to give our boys their transfusions (their blood is O+). But mainly, we're lucky that they were born when they were, their condition was so bad that had we waited a week C wouldn't have made it and W's survival would have been questionable. So whenever we're having a rough night, I think at least they're both here with me and that I get to go through these rough nights with them, and that we're lucky enough that the only apparent side effects so far are just minor things due to being premature.

On a more positive note, here's some fun facts about our boys. . .

They are both smiling a TON. They love to sit in their bumbo seats and neither one is a fan of tummy time - W usually screams the entire 15 minutes and C cries until he falls asleep. W seems to be more of a social baby. He "talks" a lot more it's easier to get him to smile. He'd also rather stand than sit. C likes to watch people, but he doesn't do a lot of "talking". It's also a little harder to get him to smile and when you do, it's more of a half/side smile. He also likes to be held more than W does. So as of right now, it seems like W will be following in his sister/father's footsteps and C will be a child after my own heart. Either way, we LOVE these two little guys so much and can't imagine life without them. We are so happy that Heavenly Father let them come to our family (and helped them get here safely).