It’s Halloween! (almost)

NOW:  One of my annoying things from last week’s post was that I’m sick of waiting for Halloween to get here.  I’m so excited!  We visited the Great Pumpkin Farm like  forever ago.  We picked out pumpkins at a parking lot stand weeks ago.  I have been wearing orange and black for the past 5 days. 

The Elmo costumes are ready.  Although I haven’t been to Wal Mart and K Mart to look again for red pants.  So, black it is.  For now.

Finally.  Finally.  We got to celebrate Halloween.  Sort of.  “Mommy’s School” had a Halloween party tonight.  Goody bags, hayride, pumpkins, face painting, the works.  When I told the twins they said “YAY, SEE THE KIDS!!!!”  “AND PUMPKINS!!!”  I see where their priorities lie. 

I was missing them so much while I was at work.  I think it’s because I was so excited to see them and get them dressed up and go to Halloween.  🙂

Holidays were always a big deal in my house growing up.  We decorated and planned for weeks.  I am glad Tim embraces the same type of behavior now with our own kids.  We get excited not just for the kids, but for ourselves.  And now it doesn’t seem so weird because we can pretend “it’s for the kids.”  And having the kids makes it that much more special and exciting.  It’s nice because we have fun too.  It’s an escape from reality and the stress of work and chores.  I love that we both still have a child-like mentality within us at times like this.  It will help us stay happy and feeling young and encourages our kids to be excited and curious.

Anyway, not only were they excited because their costumes were laid out and I told them we were going to a party …..Mommy’s shirt and earrings had pumpkins!!!!  I love the fact that they still literally squeal with joy over the smallest things.  🙂

So after the raviolis are done cooking, and a quick wardrobe change….we were off!  For Halloween! 

We went on a little hayride, picked out pumpkins, got a tatoo on our hands, and ate rice krispie treats in the shape of pumpkins.  The twins also got their first taste of Kool-Aid.  🙂  Not THE kool-aid.  Just regular Cherry Kool-Aid.

Everyone exclaimed over their costumes, and I decided the black legs will be fine…..especially because for trick-or-treating it will be dark anyway!

All in all, we had a fun time.  And I’m slightly satisfied in my thirst for celebrating Halloween.  For now.  This is now.

THEN: I think August 30th was one of the longest days of my life.  Tim and I had spent so much time together in the hospital the last couple days we had run out of things to talk about.  We could have talked ourselves in circles about how awful we were both feeling, but what was the point?  Now that we knew the twins had to be delivered we just wanted it done.

We called my mom, dad, and sister first.  Of course they would come up to the hospital later.

Father-in-Law, Sister-in-Law and soon to be Brother-in-Law were next.  Dad and Sarah would come up later.  Ron had to work.  That was fine.  Mother-in-Law was at work.  I was worried about this because it’s really hard for her to get off, especially last minute, especially on a weekend.  But she would be there. 

It was so much of a relief that they would all come.  But it was also nerve-wracking.  I knew it would be more people telling me everything would be ok, and don’t worry, and they weren’t worried.  Even though they were and I didn’t want them to worry.  Part of me wished I could have just called them later and just said “oh by the way, twins were born, everything’s fine.”  But…..that wasn’t reality in any sense.  And besides, I didn’t know if everything would be fine.

But, so be it.  Ever try to watch TV, with limited channels, in the middle of a Sunday afternoon?  Terrible, to say the least.  so that wasn’t an option.  I couldn’t concentrate enough to read.  I guess Tim and I both kinda just wanted to be alone with our thoughts, but be with each other. 

Halfway through the day a nurse from the NICU came up to see us and explain what the NICU was all about.  Now, honestly, I had been preparing for the NICU route from Day 1.  I knew all along that it was a possibility for them to come early, or with low birthweights.  So at least this was not a total shock. 

The nurses explained several different scenarios and types of equipment that would be used.  A pair of nurses was assigned to each baby right in the delivery room so as soon as they were born they could be assessed and taken care of as necessary.  It made me feel marginally better. 

Right now, it was just the waiting.  And the not-knowing.  Were they healthy?  Would there be anything “wrong” with them?  How long would they end up staying there?  What machines would they be hooked to?  Would they be fighting for their lives? 

We didn’t know these answers.  But at 4:38 and 4:40 PM we would find out.

That was then.