Life With L&M: Becoming a Mom

My name is Angela Perine and I turned the big 3 0 this past year. Well, last year if you want to get technical. A lot has happened in my life that I thank God for. He has blessed me with so much.
The majority of my upcoming posts will mostly be flashbacks with the girls. I have 18 months worth of catching up to do. There won't be too many. I promise. Everyday they are growing and changing in so many different ways. I don't want to miss what is right in front me.

I met my husband, Kurt, or Burt as I like to call him, in college in 2005. I was blonde. Oh dear!

In 2011, he proposed and of course I said yes!

March 2012, we got married in Hawaii with some very close family and friends.

We had our fair share of adventures. Here, we hiked San Jacinto to the summit. My most favorite hike to date. The 360 arial view was amazing.

November of 2012, we found out I was pregnant and soon enough, we learned they were going to be twin girls! For those of you wondering, yes, twins run on my mom's side of the family.

There was a lot of concern about my small frame being able to carry these two to term, but somehow I pulled it off. I worked out almost everyday until I was about 28 weeks pregnant, and I worked at a preschool till I was about 33 weeks. I was never put on bed rest.

Somehow, the Rocky theme song plays in my head when I think about this.

This was me at 36 weeks pregnant. I delivered at 36 wks 6 days

On Tuesday, July 9, 2013, I went in for a routine non-stress test. And that was the beginning of a very long day/night.

Somehow, during the course of this evening, I was able to update what was happening on my notes app. In hopes that I would one day put it in a journal. Duh! I remember my best friend Maryanne and I were texting back and forth and she was even wondering how I was still able to do that while in labor. I honestly don't know. It could have been the lack of sleep along with the anxiety and anticipation for the final show. Or maybe it was the drugs. They worked wonders! Anyway, this is what I logged into my phone. I was surprisingly detailed.

Went in today, July 9, 2013 at 2pm for my non-stress test. Was having contractions so they sent me to get my cervix checked. I was at 1cm, So Dr. Soto recommended I go to the hospital and check in at labor and delivery to be monitored. I thought for sure it would be a false alarm and they would send me home. Checked in around 4:45pm and still at 1cm. Kurt came, we walked for about an hour. Checked again at 6:45pm; dilated to 2.5cm. They admitted me. Checked again at around 9:30pm; at 4cm. Started on Pitocin to speed up the process. Got an epidural around 11pm and checked at 11:30pm; at 5cm. Broke Twin A's water. Put in catheter around 12 am. Checked at 12:55am; still at 5cm. At 1:50am, 8cm. Nurse says Baby A is ready to come out! Just needs a little more room. At 2:30am, 9.5cm. At 3:00am, fully dilated. IT'S GO TIME! Got me ready to go to OR to deliver in case an emergency c-section was needed. Pushed for 35 minutes and Lily was born at 4:06am. 3lbs 13oz. She went to the NICU to gain weight. Waited an hour for Mia to descend. Pushed for about an hour . Born at 6:02am at 5lbs 3oz. She went to the nursery, but developed a fever and was taken to NICU. Both babies are breathing on their own.

Lily Sofia is on the left and Mia Grace is on the right

All my ultrasounds had the girls measuring around the same size. 5lbs 6oz. So you can imagine my surprise when I heard Lily's weight. I truly believe that Mia did not want to be away from her sister and that is why she developed a fever and was sent to be with her.

Lily looked like a sweet little doll.

Mia ended up with jaundice and got to lounge in her personal tanning bed.

The nurses who took care of my angels were AMAZING! Loved each and every one of them. The added benefit of the girls being in the NICU is that they put them on a schedule which I was able to continue.

After 6 days, Mia was able to come home. I balled my eyes out at the thought of leaving Lily all by herself. How do you separate sisters who have never been apart?

Lily, managed to do just fine. When she was ready to come out of her isolate and switch to an open crib, they happened to have run out of the boring clear ones that all the babies get put into. My little princess got the deluxe suite. Complete with her own personal mirror and sound machine. I kid you not, moms in the NICU would stare at me wondering who this baby belonged to. Clearly this baby must belong to a celebrity.