I'm finally home

After 6 long days in the hospital, they finally released me today. Not only was it a complete surprise  when my water broke last Saturday, but it happened to be the week of Christmas that this all took place. All our Christmas plans were now thrown out the window.

After the babies were born on Monday, the doctor said that he wanted to keep me the full 4 days because they had tried a new "vacuum" seal on my incision and wanted to keep a close eye on it. So Christmas Eve, my friends Ashleigh and Charissa came to visit me and brought a small Christmas tree, gifts and treats. Then that afternoon Trent, my parents, and Bailey and Nick also came to visit with more goodies and presents. They left that evening to go to my parents and have dinner and a visit from Santa. I have to admit that I was pretty lonely that evening, but I went up to the NICU and held Jackson for a full hour which made my loneliness completely go away.



Christmas morning I got another amazing gift as I got to hold Madison for the first time since she was born. It really was so wonderful to get to cuddle her. Trent came down later that day while the kids went back to my parents, and we relaxed watching Christmas movies, ate turkey dinner in the cafeteria and again getting to hold both babies. Trent was able to hold both of them for the first time also, so Christmas Day was really special for us.

The pictures below are all of baby Madison...

I love it that she opened her eyes as soon as she heard my voice

Both kiddos look so different from each other. Jackson is very fair and has just a tiny bit of hair, but it is very light blonde. Madison has darker complexion and her hair is dark. They keep the babies separated so I have yet to get them side by side and compare but to me they seem so different already. Jackson is also very mellow and loves to relax on his bed (Or nest as the NICU team calls it) and Madison is always moving around, crying or cooing. The nurses say that she is a "firecracker". Oh how we love these babies so much. I cried the whole way home from the hospital and was just so sad to leave without them. Hopefully the stay will go by quickly and we can have these two babies home with us soon.

The babies have arrived !!!!!

Madison and Jackson made their debut Monday morning, December 22. Madison arrived at 9:01 am weighing 3 lbs 10 oz 16 inches and Jackson followed at 4 lbs 8 oz and 17 inches. My water broke on Saturday Dec 20 and luckily my dad happened to be at our house. He took Bailey and Nick home while Trent drove us to the hospital. They wanted to let the babies stay put for awhile and "bake" a little more but contractions started coming heavy, so after giving me steroids and waiting 48 hours I had a c section at 32 weeks.

Both babies and I seem to be doing well so far. They will be in the NICU for about a month. This is such a different experience that I'm just taking day by day. It seems surreal that not only are they here, but that I have 4 kids now!!!!!

 

 

 

 Trent is all ready to go into the operating room and watch the delivery

 

Baby Boy Jackson Mel Campbell

Baby girl Madison Ruby Campbell

 

Both babies were put on oxygen at first, but Jackson was soon taken off his. This is Madison below

 

Kangaroo time with Jackson - I got to hold him for the first time the next day. I didnt get to hold Madison, she was not quite ready to be held and is a little more cranky.

 

 

 

That evening when Bailey and Nick were visiting me at the hospital, the firemen brought some toys for the kids for Christmas. Bailey got dominoes and a dress up doll and Nick got a remote control car. Both kids were so excited that they got a toy and it wasnt even Christmas yet...it just made their night! I guess they deserve something special since their mommy will be in the hospital during Christmas and it just wont be the same that our family wont be together that day!

We are so excited for the babies to here, even though they arrived too early. Oh how we love them dearly and cant wait to take them home with us. What a wonderful christmas present for 2014!

Santa!!!!

Last night we went to our ward Christmas Party. We had a wonderful ham and turkey dinner, a nice program and at the end, Santa made a visit. The kids were pretty bored during the program, but seeing Santa made it all worth it.

Christmas Prep

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at my parents new house. The food was delicious and it was nice to relax while the kids were tearing up their house and not ours. Nick and Bailey love going out there and having so much more space to play and get dirty in...they now have 2 acres to play on!


A few days after, we headed out and picked out a Christmas tree. Bailey has been wanting to get the Christmas Tree up so she could help decorate it before school is back in this next week.

Nick and Bailey ran out this morning and turned on the Christmas Tree lights. They then wanted me to get pictures of them in front of the tree before church....Christmas is such a magical time for kids!

 

 

And this weekend we bought our first matching outfits for the twins.... Just 8 more weeks and they will be here! I have to admit that as much as I am scared at the thought of two at once, I am also super excited to meet them!

A bit early for Christmas?

This week is Thanksgiving break, but because it snowed so much last week, it is hard to think of it as still being fall. And I admit, there has been a bit of Christmas music in my car this last week...just something about the snow that gets me into the Christmas spirit. Last night Caldwell lit their community Christmas lights, and since it was warmer today than it has been all week (44 degrees instead of 5 degrees) I thought that maybe we should venture out and see the lights.

The lights were beautiful as usual, the kids had a blast and it really was more enjoyable since it was not as cold as when we had gone in previous years...last year my cousin Brit was visiting and almost died with how cold it was :)

 

Being silly on the bridge with tongues out...we were just glad that Nick didn't put his tongue on the railings and get it frozen again :)

 

Trent is almost unrecognizable with his beard...but it is No shave November that his work is supporting for cancer awareness

Halloween

I finally found my camera that had all my Halloween pictures on it...yeay!!! We had quite a few Halloween festivities this year. I helped put on our subdivision Halloween Party, then we went trunk or treating during the week and finally ended the week with Halloween Day. I helped Bailey's class put on their party, then we went to the Community Halloween party at a local Bran and played games and had some snacks and ended the night trick or treating around the neighborhood. The kids had an absolute blast and were pretty wired that night. It was a very fun October!

Nick's preschool class all dressed up... HE's the shark in the middle

Bailey's 1st grade class (Nick came with to help) making spider hats (her friend Aspen in red)

At the trunk or treat with our friend Lexi- Bailey is pink Jasmine

At the community barn with Nicks friend Bronco- AKA Superman!!!!

 

And Bailey's friend Bethany

What a wonderful Halloween we had and such great friends to celebrate it with!!!!

Snow Day!!!!

Today we have a snow day and the schools are all out. We got a few inches of snow yesterday, but when we woke up this morning, there was quite a bit more. Bailey was excited that she got to stay home today and relax. I was also excited that I didn't  have to drive in it this morning to drop her off!!!

 

The pictures aren't very clear because I can't find my camera (with all my Halloween pictures on it) and I'm taking these on my phone.


Babies update*** I went a few weeks ago to my normal monthly appointment with maternal fetal medicine and they saw that the Baby on the bottom (girl) didn't have very much amniotic fluid around her. They immediately sent me to Labor and delivery thinking that my water broke. I was informed that there was a good chance I would be staying at the hospital until I delivered (which would be terrible because I am only 26 weeks). Luckily, my water had not broken, but they did say that she only had a tiny pocket of fluid and to take it easy and come back in a few days. I was a nervous wreck all week. At my next appointment, the news was good. There was another pocket of fluid that they didn't see before so it was not as dire as they previously thought. She still has less fluid than her brother but she actually weighs more and is growing steadily - She was 2 lbs 4 oz and he was only 2 lb) So far they are both doing good and hopefully no more scares!

Linder Farms Pumpkin Patch

Since school has started, and I being pregnant, our family hasn't gotten out as much as we used to, so this weekend we decided to make the most of our day off.

Today was about 75 degrees and absolutely beautiful. We decided that we needed to enjoy the fall weather, so we headed to a corn maze and pumpkin patch at a local farm. The kids had an absolute amazing time and it was good to have them running around and getting dirty....since the cold weather will be coming soon.


The kids were able to ride a few fun farm rides

 

We walked over a mile and were in the corn maze for an hour running (or walking) around. Luckily Trent was keeping track on the map so he knew where we were or it would have taken us a lot longer to get out! By the end even Nick was tired and wanted to get out of the maze.

 

And lastly, they each got to pick out a pumpkin. They could get any one they wanted as long as they were able to carry it back.

 

 

I love the fall weather and fun activities. Hopefully this great weather will last awhile, we are not quite ready to get out our winter jackets quite yet! 

And the genders are....

Baby A is a girl and baby B is a boy!!!!! We went to our doctors appt and saw right away that the baby B was a boy. Baby A was a little more difficult and very modest until the end when she finally decided to move around a bit and convinced the doctor that she was indeed a girl! They are both very similar in weight and size and no complications so far!

Bailey starts 1st grade

Today was Bailey's first day of school- all day school in first grade. She has been nervous all week and has been acting up, so I was ready for her to go back. But as I dropped her off, I couldn't help the little tears that swelled in my eyes as I said goodbye.

She has one of her best friends in her class and was very excited to see her. She is gonna love first grade and do great!

We carpool with her friend Soren who is also in the 1st grade

 

California Trip

This summer is flying by and I haven't been feeling well, so we haven't made the most of summer vacation....so we decided to head to California for a fun summer trip before school starts.  My brother Jeff and his wife Yolanda just had their first baby, a boy! So we were able to visit with them while we were down there.

We headed to my grandparents ranch where the kids could run around, get dirty and ride horses. We made a few day trips to the beach, and of course fish and chips in Morro Bay. The kids really had a great week and topped it off by staying at Circus Circus on the way home and having a blast. It was nice to have one fun trip this summer before we have to get ready for school...then for the two babies on the way!


Nick and Bailey loved helping feed the horses every morning

Then they helped brush and get them ready to put the saddle on

 

 

 

Then we went to the Apple Farm by Avila Beach and they had hay rides and pony rides we enjoyed

 

 

 Then to the beach

  

 

Nick was fearless and kept going farther and farther into the waves until a few were so big they crashed over him.  The picture below is in the morning when we first arrived...the day got warmer and the waves got bigger

We went to Morro Bay with Grandma Davis, Grandma Parsons and Aunt Pam

 

 

 

 We had so much fun... I have to admit that it would have been a lot more enjoyable for me if I didn't feel so nauseous the whole time, but the kids had such a great time it didn't matter!