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Great
Grandma Malia!!
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Jan.
8, 2008
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| What a way to start the New Year! One of the reasons I came back to Austin for so long after the Blue Ridge tour was to welcome our family's first twins into the world. Although we had so many fears and reservations about them being born by my 16 year old granddaughter, there was such a sense of joy and relief when they came out OK. Mom did a fantastic job, especially since she's been virtually bed-bound for the last two weeks due to complications. By strictly following doctor's orders, she was able to keep them in the womb long enough for them to have a real fighting chance even when born early, as many twins are. They weren't due until March 8 (a week after their mom's birthday), but decided to join the world on January 8. I think it's because they didn't want to compete with mom for birthday gifts! | |||||||||||
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When
Caitlin saw me starting to take pictures, she asked for makeup and
said she wanted pretty birth pictures. This was right after the
epidural took affect. She was dilated to about 4 centimeters at
that point and had been having some pretty painful contractions.
When she asked me how far along I was before I asked for the epidural
when I had her mom, I told her that word didn't even exist
in 1969, much less anything that would really block the pain of
childbirth back then. She looked at me horrified and I felt so ancient
at that moment, I was finally worthy of the title of great grandma!
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The
parents-to-be: I know, I know, they still look too young to be parents,
don't they? And of course they have their own fears, but it's time
to give them the benefit of the doubt and let them reap what they
have sown with as much help as we can give while still allowing
them to be primarily responsible for their babies. What a balancing
act! At 16 & 17, they certainly have a lot to learn about life
and parenthood, but didn't we all??
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Meet
the firstborn - Ms. Cadence Alexa. She was born at 6:15 pm, was
16.5" long and weighed in at a whopping 3 lb. 6 oz. Look at
how big a normal size pacifier looks next to her!
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Cailie
Elizabeth poked along and had to be prodded out with forceps 17
minutes later. Even though she was bigger at 3 lb. 9 oz. and 17"
long, she had problems breathing on her own and so they placed her
on a ventilator to help her along for the first few days. I'm happy
to report she was removed from it on Friday, Jan. 11 and both girls
are doing great!
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The
doc says all appears to be well with them both, but they probably
won't come home from the hospital until their original due date.
Caitlin is doing great and will be released from the hospital on
Thursday. For a while, she'll be staying at The Seton League House,
a facility the hospital makes available to family members of patients
in intensive care. She'll be right next door and be able to breastfeed
as she always wanted. What a great deal!
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I
was also so proud of my daughter, Angelique. It's not been easy
for her in a lot of ways for her baby to have babies, but she came
through like a trooper. We've all had our share of doubts and fears,
but when I couldn't sleep last night, it came to me that now is
the time to concentrate on Joy & Gratitude instead of
focusing on all the negatives and worry. Sure, there will be financial
burdens and things unforeseen, but those things have a way of working
out no matter what we think at the time or how scared we are that
they will not. Of course it won’t be easy, but if one or both
of those babies had not made it or had irreversible problems, Caitlin
would never have gotten over it. So there is joy to be found in
this circumstance and we should be grateful for the good results
so far and the joys to come. The difficulties will be handled by
all of us as a family. Even though we would not have chosen this
early growing up spurt for Caitlin, as her dad said, let's give
her the chance to be a good mom.
Angelique and I recently saw an inspiring woman on a TV show. She had overcome some incredible odds and her even being alive was a miracle. Yet her personality was bubbly and her outlook was extremely positive. She said she could choose to be bitter and negative, but it always came to down a matter of choice…and at this point why would we choose to harbor ill will or negative energy??? Angelique also said she had decided she didn't want to be a "regular ole' grandma." So in honor of our cajun heritage, she wants to be called "Ya-Ya." I love it, sha! Laissez les bons temps roule! |
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| Copyright 2001-2008 by Malia
Lane
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