Monday, October 30, 2017

An-ti-ci-pa-tion by Diane Burton



Did you hum the Carly Simon song as you read the blog title? Or maybe you thought of the ketchup commercial using that song. Either way, we’re always anticipating something, aren’t we? An event, like the book signing I did yesterday. Or a response from your editor or agent. A tax refund. Winning the lottery.

We anticipate the arrival of a new movie or book, especially the next book in a favorite series. A member of the book group I belong to asks me at each meeting when the next Alex O’Hara book is coming out. Like I can pump out a book every couple of months. Right.

But the event my family has been anticipating for months is the birth of the twins. None of us expected their arrival to come on/near the due date, November 22. We didn’t even expect it on November 8th, the scheduled C-section date. I’ve been anticipating their arrival for the past week. Our daughter-in-law has been very uncomfortable. She’s gotten so big, her skin was stretched tighter than a balloon ready to pop. When I got home from the book event Saturday evening, she apologized for not coming (I didn’t expect her to) because she’d been having contractions on and off for two days. I agreed with our son that she should just rest. We offered to come over and stay with her until Son got home from work. She declined, saying the contractions weren’t regular.

The boys had other ideas. They decided they’d cooked long enough and made their appearance just before midnight Saturday. One weighed 8 pounds 1 ounce; the other 5 pounds 11 ounces, and they were 4 weeks early. Can you imagine if they’d gone full term? Since they had been standing upright (on DIL’s bladder) for the past few weeks, we knew there would be a C-section.

Other than the discomfort/pain of surgery, Daughter-in-law is doing well. So are the boys. Since we’ve been anticipating this event since April, now that it’s here, it almost seems like a letdown. Of course, I’m not the one in the hospital, hoping, praying that I’ll know what to do with two babies. Although we saw the boys through a window, we haven’t gotten to hold them yet. DIL needs her rest, so we didn’t stay long yesterday. Can’t wait until tomorrow.

What does Toddler Girl think about all this? Her favorite show is Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. When Daniel’s sister was born, Dad took Mom to Doctor Anna’s office then the whole family walked home pushing the baby buggy. Since we’ve watched that episode often, I’m sure that’s what T.G. was anticipating. When she went to the hospital last evening, she got to see and touch her brothers. Definitely not what Daniel saw. Later, she and her daddy talked about what all she saw. Still, she can say her brothers’ names. 

We’re just thrilled and grateful that everyone is well. The anticipation is over. Reality is here.



24 comments:

Leah St. James said...

Well, congratulations! How exciting and wonderful. (I was big enough carrying one 8-pound baby, but add another 5-something pounds in there...no wonderful your DIL was so uncomfortable!) Wishing all much joy with the new baby boys! Thank you for taking time to share the news with us. (And yes, I was singing along with Carly.) :-)

Diane Burton said...

Thanks, Leah. After talking about this since the summer, I had to share our good news.

Loralee said...

Double congratulations, Diane!

Loralee said...

Double congratulations, Diane!

Loralee said...

Double congratulations, Diane!

Loralee said...

Double congratulations, Diane!

Diane Burton said...

Thanks, Loralee. Blogger must have developed a glitch. LOL

Lucy K. said...

So happy for your family that has just increased by two! I’m sure those baby boys will keep everybody busy once they come home, and Grandma and Grandpa will be doing extra help time. Best wishes to all, especially your dil. She deserves a medal for going nearly full term with 14 lbs of baby in her. I hope she’s feeling well. And gets lots of rest now!

Jannine Gallant said...

I can't even imagine carrying that much baby. Mine were both little, and it was miserable at the end. Congrats to the whole family! Pictures coming soon?

Greta said...

Congratulations

Greta said...

Congratulations

Patricia Kiyono said...

Wonderful news! More grandbabies to love. Congratulations!

Rolynn Anderson said...

Yay! Good news, Diane. Toddler Boys and Toddler Girl. They'll have such fun together...eventually.

Barbara Edwards said...

What a wonderful post. I'm so happy for your family. Tell them to enjoy every minute.

Vonnie Davis said...

HEALTHY TWINS...How marvelous. Congratulations. I'm expecting a great-grandson in two weeks. Kathy has had two miscarriages, so this pregnancy has been like walking on egg shells for her. Any pain and she's scared. She's scheduled for a C-section, too, because of some medical issues with her spine. We're calling this their miracle baby.

Alison Henderson said...

How exciting, Diane! Congratulations to the whole family. And you're right--those are BIG boys. If they were that size at 36 weeks, just think how big they'll be by the time they're 18! LOL

Margo Hoornstra said...

How wonderful! Congratulations. (Told you they'd come early.) Wow! Fourteen pounds of baby. My twins were 6'3 and 5'14 and that was plenty! No C section for me. Natural births, and Baby B was breech! I imagine you're on cloud nine. Come down quickly, because believe me, you'll be needed. The offer still stands, one mother of twins to another, if you and/or DIL need to talk.

Annette said...

Congratulations, Diane and family. How exciting. And the fun is just beginning.
All the best, Annette

Diane Burton said...

Thank you all for your good wishes. I'm still on Cloud Nine, even if I'm not allowed to hold them (Only parents.)

Vonnie, I hope all goes well for your great-grandson & his mother.

Alison, she's been complaining of discomfort. I should say so with all that baby inside her. Their other grandfather called them tackle and linebacker.

Oh, Margo, you are so sweet. But, holy moly, no C-section? And one was breech? Yikes!

It is so exciting. I know we're going to be busy, esp. after Son returns to work.

Alyssa Alexander said...

Oh, this is wonderful! Congratulations to you and your DIL! (Well, and Grandpa and Daddy too, of course.)

Enjoy those babies!

Brenda Whiteside said...

Wow and congrats. She was carrying a lot of poundage! I chuckled at the vision of one being so much bigger than the other. It will be fun to see how that plays out as they grow.

Diane Burton said...

Thanks, Alyssa & Brenda. DIL has been on a loop for Mothers of Multiples and they say that sometimes the twins even out.

Alicia Dean said...

Oh my gosh, how wonderful!!! Lucky you! Congratulations and blessings on your healthy twin grandbabies!

Diane Burton said...

Thanks, Alicia. The babies are doing well. Just wish they could come home soon.