Looking back...

It's been over a month now since Olivia and Cole were in my belly. Lots of thoughts have went through my mind in the last month as I think a lot during my sleepless nights! I am sure for each person the birth of a child forever changes their lives. For me...it was my pregnancy with the twins that has forever changed who I am as a person. 16+ weeks of strict bedrest (8+ which were spent at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital) truly made me appreciate the little things in life and FREEDOM. I endured more during my pregnancy than I have my entire life. It is only because of my positive attitude, ability to follow the strict bedrest orders, and the loving care and support of my doctor's, nurses, family and friends that Olivia and Cole are with us today.

So with that said I want to THANK ALL OF YOU:

First I want to thank the love of my life, George, for agreeing that expanding our family was more important than buying and keeping a camper!! All I have ever wanted in our marriage is to make you a daddy! The love and dedication that you give our children and I can be seen a mile away. The hardest part of my pregnancy was being away from you and Luukas for 8+ weeks. I hated not being able to help you do things around the house and just plain not being there for 2 months. I know the time I was in the hospital was very stressful on you. All I can say is that we are both better and stronger people because of the last 9 months!

Luukas - You are the best son anyone could ever ask for. You've been through more than most 4-yr-old's and yet, you just keep smiling! Thank you for being such a good boy for Daddy and everyone else who took care of you while I was in the hospital. Thank you for understanding why Mommy hasn't been able to lift you up since April and for helping me so much around the house. Thank you for coming to visit me every couple days and for cuddling with me while we watched SpongeBob and ate hospital ice cream together. Thank you for all of the hugs, kisses and "I love you's." Most of all, thank you for being such a great BIG BROTHER!!! You amaze me every day!!!

Thank you Dr. Abuzeid, Dr. Ashraf and all of the staff at IVF Michigan. Without you we wouldn't EVEN HAVE Luukas, Olivia and Cole. We are forever grateful for the work that you do with couples struggling with infertility. The dignity and professionalism that you treat families with makes going through the in-vitro process a whole lot easier.

Thank you Dr. Kazzi, Dr. Fabian, Dr. Thomas and all of the OB residents and Maternal Fetal Medicine staff at St. Joe's. You put up with me for 8 1/2 LONG months! You dealt with my fears, anxiety, tears, and joys of happiness. Dr. Kazzi...you knew all along that I would get to 34-35 weeks in my pregnancy! Even I didn't believe I could get that far, but the whole time you kept pushing me to get further and I did! Thank you for your constant support and for never looking at me like I was crazy when I asked my million questions and demanded tests. You have a god given gift to care for pregnant women and you do so in a very humble way.

Thank you to the nurses and PCA's on 3WAN at St. Joe's. You helped me get through 8+ weeks of hospital bedrest. You became my family over those long weeks and I will never know how to repay you for keeping me sane! The long (and late night) talks, constant encouragement and laughter, yummy milkshakes, midnight snack runs for weird combinations of food, and the patience and care that you gave me helped make each day go by faster. Thank you for putting me in check when I needed it and for always being candid with me! Each of you never gave up on me no matter how much I complained, cried, doubted things, worried, etc. Thank you for celebrating each milestone of my pregnancy with me and for just plain 'ol being there! It is because of your love and support that I made it to 33 weeks and 6 days gestation!! With that said, no offense, but I never want to see another needle or hospital bed, so I promise to come visit you all...but only as a visitor and not as a patient!

Thank you to Dr. Desai, Dr. Holtrop, Dr. Pampati and all of the NICU staff at St. Joe's. You took care of Olivia and Cole just as you would your own children! You also showed George and I that a positive NICU experience IS POSSIBLE! A special thanks to Vernette for making me come back to St. Joe's Emergency Room two days after being discharged from my delivery. YOU SAVED MY LIFE!

Thanks to Dr. Antone and all of the staff at Northeast Pediatrics!! We are so lucky to have found the best pediatrician office in the world! You are all very dedicated to the idea of the WHOLE child and to maintaining optimal health for all! Thank you for always being there for our family!

Thank you Mom and Dad, Aunt Meg and Uncle Gregg, Shawn, Toni and Randall, Dad (George Jr.), Noelle and John, Sue, and Chris and Rose for taking care of Luukas (often at the spur of a moment) and for putting together the twins nursery for George and I. The time you dedicated to our family allowed us to keep Luukas in a routine, something that was very important to us. Thank you for your constant visits to see me at the hospital too. Also, a special thanks goes out to my Mom, Aunt Meg, and Toni for attending my numerous ultrasounds and doctor's appointments with me.

Mom, thank you for making sure that George, Luukas and I had clean clothes to wear and a clean house to live in for the last 5 months. Thank you for visiting me every other day (sometimes every day) that I was in the hospital as well and for letting me call you in the middle of the night to chit-chat and calm my fears, tears, and anxieties. I am so lucky to have you as a mother and I cherish each day that we have together.

Thank you Chris, Rose, Shawn, Josh, Laura, Sarah and Ken - George and I could not ask for better siblings! We appreciate all you do for us and are so honored to make you the namesakes and godparents (also Jena and Charlie) of Olivia and Cole.

Thank you to all of you who took time out of your busy lives to visit, call, email, and text message me while I was on bedrest and in the hospital. I know I will miss someone if I attempt to name all of you, but know that I truly appreciate the support you provided my family and I during those 4-5 long months. Thank you also to Tina, Bridget and Sue for driving me back and forth to the hospital. Oh and I must not forget to mention how much I appreciated those of you who brought us food...THANK YOU for giving me a break from hospital food! Last, thank you everyone who dealt with my tears regarding my fear that George wouldn't answer his phone and be at the hospital in time for Olivia and Cole's birth. HE MADE IT!!!

Thank you to my Romeo co-worker's and administrators. I am very proud to work for such a fine school district. The support you have shown me while on medical leave made missing work a lot easier. A special thanks to Margaret, MaryJane and Julie for answering my trillion questions regarding my leave. Also, I can't forget my Eastwood Clinics co-worker's and director! Thanks for always calling and checking up on me!!

Last, but not least, thank you to all of my new friends I made during the length of my pregnancy. From my friends who blogged with me day in and day out on the pregnancy site to Joyel, my post-partum doula, who taught me all about breastfeeding even if it was short-lived. To my Mom's of Multiples group - Thank you for welcoming me with open arms. I have already learned so much from all of you and I'm forever grateful to GoMOM's! Cathy, Angela, Teresa, Jessica and everyone else from GoMOM's....Thank you for providing us with meals and encouragement and support during my pregnancy and during these first few weeks as parents of twins. Only you can appreciate what it's like attempting to feed two babies at once....or feeding one baby and then thinking you can go to sleep, only to be reminded via a second crying baby that you have another feeding yet to do!! Jessica - you are also a gift from God! Each day I was on bedrest, I looked forward to opening my email and seeing one from you. Your experiences from the 10 weeks you spent on hospital bedrest at St. Joe's in 2007 helped me to get through my hospital bedrest. I know we were meant to meet...as the last few months have been truly healing to both of us in very different ways. I am so thankful to have you as a friend and truly feel like we are soul sisters. I look forward to our families growing up together (yours literally!!) and to watching Parker, McKenna, Olivia, Cole and Baby Watson become fast friends, just as we have become!! I am soooo excited for what 2009 is going to bring to your family!!

This is a very long post, but there is no short way to thank each and every one of you for what you have done for our family in 2008! We love you all!