Praying for the Turners

Just a little something that caught my attention.

First Thing Every Morning

The twins have obviously changed our life for the better. I am rather ashamed to say we are still trying to figure out what works best as far as for the adults. Since I have been back to work it has been a roller coaster of emotions. I enjoy my job, but I miss my babies so much. I thought it would get easier as the weeks went on and we got our routine down. The babies are perfect with their routine. I am horrible at mine. When I am rushed I get cranky, when I have to leave my babies I am cranky, when the lady in front of me on I-540 is driving 65mph and not 75mph I get cranky. I just want to get home to my babies.

So I started working on getting more organized so my morning would be easier and I would get to see the babies more and more. I started on my closet, well a week later I am still not finished. I am committing to getting it all organized this weekend. My precious friend, Meagan Matlock at All Things Soleful is going to create my outfits for me. Sounds silly to hire someone to do this for me, but being a career woman and a Mommy is tough. Is it for me? YES!!!. I just need a little help getting my day flowing better. If you are my friend on facebook you know when I was on bed rest my Mom along with family and friends got Jordyn's room, the nursery, kids bathroom, kitchen,  and living room all decluttered. They did not make it to the laundry room, my bathroom, bedroom or my closet, because Cason James decided he was going to make an entry into the world way too early.

You ask why did I post the video. I received this via email today and thought to myself, I am creating my own monster. I need to find the problem and get rid of it. Problem I feel rushed and unorganized which creates my bad attitude and can run over into my day. How do I fix it? First, get a schedule for myself, Second, have Meagan get my closet organized and outfits created. I will report back to you soon on how this is working. for me.

Have a good one,

Casey

Back to work I go after 7 months of being off....

June 1st was a very sad but exciting day for me. First, I was so upset to leave my babies. However I was and am so lucky that my Mom is retired that she kept the babies my first day back. It was a very fast day first day back to work. I had to be in Northwest Arkansas to have a meeting with my boss at 9:30. Some will say 9:30 is not that earlier. No it is not but when Cason and Nora wake up at 5am eat go back to sleep so Mommy goes back to sleep to until 9 then it is early.


Since going back we have gotten our routine down. I miss them horribly but I know they are with people who love them My Mom keeps them Wednesday-Friday and my mother in law has them Monday and Tuesday. My Mom calls me after every feeding and lets me hear the babies talk, which helps me make it through day.  My dear neighbor Vicki helps my mother in law with the babies on Monday and Tuesday. She sends me morning and afternoon videos of the babies. I am not sure what I would do without Vicky. She is my lifesaver. The babies love her to pieces. Vicky helps with every part of the babies lives from feedings to bedtime.


I have made it through two full work weeks now with only crying on the way to work. I just miss them so so much.This past Monday Nora started staying awake after her morning bottle so she comes in my bathroom with me to get ready. Cason started staying awake on Friday so now he joins us. I love getting to see and spend time with them before I go to work.

I know I would not have been able to go back to work if the babies had to go to daycare. There is something about after you have to have your babies stay in the NICU you feel you have to know the person keeping them like family. Preemies are just different than full term babies.

So our routine is this...

530-6:00-Babies up take morning bottle
6-7:00 I hold both babies for a little while
7-8 They go back to sleep, sometimes.
8:00 Mema comes to keep them Monday and Tuesday
        We leave for Mom Mom's house on Wed, Thurs and Friday
5:30 I pick them up or come home to them.
530-9:00 We play, eat, have floor time, go outside. Just whatever works.

They still take a bottle every THREE hours during the day but sleep through the night from 9:30 until 5:30ish. Yes they sleep through the night and have since they were about 8 weeks old.

Sydney decided to play....

Waiting for the next batter

Sydney Lynn decided she wanted to play softball. We were all thrilled b/c she has been the shy one since she was little bitty. So we found a team right away. My  Mom started taking her to the batting cages which she shocked us all. THE GIRL COULD HIT!!! She then started having practices. Little did we know we THE GIRL CAN CATCH AND THROW!!!


She plays short stop every game and is a great hitter. The team is a very young team so they have had their tail handed to them a few nights but other nights they have handed it back to others. She is very serious about playing ball. She plays tonight and Jordyn is going to watch her play. Sydney has watched Jordyn play since the day she was born. You never know what the little ones watching are soaking up, well apparently Sydney soaked up a few softball skills from Jordyn.

Ready for a big hit

I sometimes say I can not wait to watch Cason and Nora play ball then I am thinking NO WAY I want them to be little forever. Jordyn started playing ball at the age of 5. I will never forget those tiny tiny little legs running as fast as they could to first base. I called her little Mighty Mouse b/c she was short but fast like Mighty Mouse. Jordyn took this year off from playing softball which is bittersweet. I have no clue how she would have fit one more thing in her schedule. She is playing basketball, volleyball, track, and cheerleading this year. Heavens I think we just need to sale the house and live in our cars.


Have a great weekend. We are hitting the pool today with my sweet friend Amanda and her precious boys.

One down Two to go she says.

Saying Bye to Dr.Torres

Dr. Torres, Nora & Cason April 19th.

Nora and Cason April 19th- 7 weeks and 5 days old

April 19th was a sad day for the Collyar family. It was our last visit to Dr. Torres. He is the best doctor a pregnant woman could ever have in life. We will miss him greatly. Thank you Dr. Torres for all you have done for us over the last seven years. We got to say "Good Bye" again at his retirement luncheon  on the 25th. Cason and Nora were his last set of twins to deliver. Dr. Torres always called me back regardless of what I needed or what silly questions I felt I needed to ask. God love him, the morning my water broke I called him at home and woke him up. He was sweet as pie. Thank goodness he was on call but he promised me if he was not he would deliver the twins regardless.

Jordyn is a AMS........

Well my post are seriously bad behind. I have a lot of catching up to do. As many of you know who know me Jordyn keep us busy non stop with social and sports activities. The latest adventure she is going to take us on will be........ CHEERLEADING!!!! Yes we have a Alma Middle School Cheerleader for 2012-2013 school year.

She was very nervous the day of try outs and rightfully so. The girl has not been a cheerleader since little league football. Try outs were the weekend 3/17 the twins came home. She stayed the night with Mema and Pepa so she could rest without being disturbed, they took her to try outs and Daddy picked her up. They went to Braums with all the other girls and their Moms afterwards. Picture that one Travis hanging out with the Moms at Braums. They finally got home after a hour or so. I met them in the garage waiting to hear the news. Well heavens no news yet. Jordyn was hanging out with me in the living room and she gets a text that the list was posted after only being home 15 minutes. Of course the girl made it, not that I doubted she would not but again she has not tumbled in a long time or cheered in years.

So I guess I can say I am a  CHEER STEP MOM. I do not like the word step, due to I had a STEP MONSTER growing up.

I am on the look out for a tiny Alma cheerleader or just green and gold cheerleader outfit for Nora. She is so tiny I may have to have one made for her. So needless to say as much as I wish we did not have another activity on our schedule I am proud and happy for her.

WAY TO GO JORDYN!!!

Nora says Congratulations BIG SISTER

Twins Nursery for a boy and a girl

 Bedding was made by Carmen at Keep it Gypsy & all painting by Angela Lensing at Cross my Art

I want a nursery that was not too babyish, practical and fun. So here it is. I still need to get there newborn pictures on the wall. These pictures were taken before the twins were born. They actually do sleep in their room but in the same bed most of the time. Do not get me wrong they sleep much better in their Moses basket. I may resort to putting them in their Moses basket and putting it in the bed. You do whatever works.

Birth Story Part 2

Travis getting ready for the O.R
Ready to go.

Smiling but not sure what to think.

So it is around 9am. I am still trying to go to sleep. Travis and my Mom are talking softly watching videos on you tube. I had just had enough of hearing them when I heard my Mom say Travis she is going to get you. I was getting up every ten minutes to go to the restroom b/c let me remind you I had magnesium running as fast as it could into my veins. Again not really having labor pains that I could not apply pressure to and make them feel better except in my back. My back was really starting to bother me. Travis starting watching the monitor more closely. He would not tell me what the contractions were reading but he would tell me when they were coming back down. Again nothing that was major that did not feel like anything more than a period cramp but apparently they were something major. Dr. Torres comes in to check me around 9:05. Well we all got a little surprise. He says you are at a 3 well no more like a 3 1/2. Next words are I am pulling the plug we are going. Woo holy cow what no way!!! Dr. T tells Travis he has 20 minutes to get in the bunny suit for the operating room. My Mom was in the restroom so when she comes out I am still in shock and white as a sheep. She said I told her Mom they are taking them now. I call one of my closest friends Carrie to tell her we are going into surgery. My room all of a sudden has several nurses, a CRNA, and I am signing papers. I got to signed two sets of papers one for Cason and one for Nora. So we are ready to go but the NICU team and O.R team was not ready just yet. Dr. T comes back in to make sure Trav and I are ready and tells us he is still waiting on the rest of the team. He said I will see you in then O.R room b/c I am going to crack the whip to get things going now. So off to the O.R we go.

My CRNA came in and ask me if I had any thing that may cause issues with the spinal tap. Poor guy he did not realize he was dealing with a woman who has scoliosis. He looked at my spine and said we it could be an issue but will probably be okay. The spinal tap was a walk in the park. My feet starting going numb first then the numbness worked its way up. They test to make sure I am numb by pinching my belly with tongs. More nurses continue to come in. A good friend from grade school was in the OR for the babies so I felt good knowing she was there to care of my preemies. There were probably around 15 people in the OR. Each baby had there own team of nurses and I had mine own. Okay so everything is in place for me and the babies. Dr. T tells me I am going to feel a lot of pressure, pulling and tugging. I did not feel anything when he was getting Cason out. Cason was born at 9:44 weighing 4lbs 12 oz and 17 1/2 inches long. Dr T said Casey he bit me. I said well pull him out like a catfish doc. Everyone was rolling at that point. Cason comes out crying loud and strong. My heart was full of love for that precious little baby boy right away. It is Nora's turn to come into the world. Well just let me tell you she had zero interest in coming into the world. She was face down, high and laying across me. Dr. T was rocking, pulling, tugging the wole bit to try to get her. He said Casey I am sorry but she keeps kicking and getting away. She was a finally born at 9:47am weighing 3lbs 13 oz and 16 1/2 inches long. I couldn't see her b/c her team of nurses were further away from me than Cason. I could not hear her crying. I asked Trav several times if she was crying and he said yes can you not hear her. I never heard her cry. I guess Cason was so loud he was overpowering her. So babies are born I am okay feeling fine. I got to see Cason and Nora for one second and it was off to the NICU for my babies. We knew they would have to go, but the reality of not holding your babies after birth hit hard at that point. Thank you Lord for pain meds keeping me loopy.

Travis and Laura ( my friend from grade school and NICU nurse) head off to the NICU with Cason and Nora. Laura told Trav at one point speed it up Dad. They were 6 1/2 weeks early and needed a little bit of help breathing right away. Babies are in the nursery with Travis. Dr. Torres and my nurses are working on getting me all stapled up and off to recovery we go. I could not tell you how long I was in recovery not long in my mind but I had morphine that I did not even know I had until the next day. The is a story within itself. Trav came back to recovery with me shortly after he took the babies to the NICU but he went back to the babies. My Mom and Amy came back to recovery and sit with me. It was not long and I was in my room.

Morning of Feb 25th, 2012-Birth Story Part 1

The fun began around 3:15am Saturday Feb 25th. Well let's back up to Friday Feb 24th when the fun really began, however I did not have a clue what was really going to happen. I did not feel so great through out the day, but I was just thinking I was getting so big that how could I feel great. I did notice that my back was hurting, but again nothing major. So I go to bed around 12am Saturday which is late late for this (at the time pregnant) woman. I get up to go to the bathroom around 315am which again is normal. However this time it is not so normal. I get both of my feet on the floor and my water breaks. My first thought was oh heavens surely my water did not break. So I go on to the bathroom and discover oh yes gmy water broke. I calmly go back to the bedroom and I nudge Travis to wake him up. I said "hey Trav do not freak out but mine water just broke. Well he said "No way, what do we do now". I call Dr. Torres at home. He was on call thank goodness. He asked me if I was contracting. I was not or at least I did not think so, little did I know I had been since Friday. I was having back labor and did not know it. He tells me I am far enough along the babies will be okay, but will more than likely go to the NICU. He has a plan to delay labor. The plan was for me to get to the hospital and as long as I was not dilating we would delay delivering for 48 hours, which would give us enough time to have two steroid shots so they babies lung would get a little kick start. I call my Mom and Trav's Mom tell hem what has happened but I tell them no worries and do not come just yet because the babies are not coming for another 48 hours.

So we get all hooked up to the iv, monitors, etc by 5am. Nurse checks me and tells me I am a ONE and 80% effaced. She also asked me if I was feeling that... I said feel what? She said I was having pretty good contractions every 55 seconds. Then she says she can feel Cason's head. Okay so this does not sound like anything is being delayed. Dr. T wants me to have magnesium which is suppose to relax my uterus so I will no longer be contracting and also wants to me have two steroid shots. I got one steroid shot around 515am but my uterus did not relax, so needless to say delivery was NOT delayed 48 hours. I could not get comfortable for anything, so I knew something was up. I could always lay on my left side and go to sleep, well not this time and my back was killing me. Dr. T came in around 7am checked me and I was still around a 1 but contractions were apparently coming on faster, but I did not feel anything like what I thought was a contraction. Again my back was the only thing that was hurting. So we just hang out and chill until around 9am.....