Show and Tell: Views
October 7, 2009
Update: Using the burrito post as a springboard, I think I’ll call the babies The Burrito and The Tamale. Those names sound as good as any I was going to come up with, since I was going to use pseudonyms anyway. A, the Burrito boy, is a bundle of yumminess. B, the Tamale girl, is a little picante.
I am working on writing the birth story for you; there is so much to tell. Not much to tell with the babies except that they are doing incredibly unbelievably fantastic. After failing at the baby lottery for so many years, I have hit the jackpot. Slightly early but perfectly healthy babies, sweet and beautiful. More baby photos on the way soon so that you can see for yourself.
Although I may not feel like it, I have been deemed healthy enough to cease being a patient today. Instead of driving over an hour back and forth to my house, I am so fortunate to be able to bunk with The Burrito and The Tamale. All of a sudden I will go from spending no more than half an hour or an hour per day with them to the entire day. Because of my recovery process, motherhood has been a slow transition. The thought of being with them all the time, of holding them for more than a few minutes, overwhelms me with disbelief and love.
You may recall that the view from my hospital bedrest window offered a mix of construction workers and fireworks. The view from my postpartum window is quite different. It’s almost directly above my old room, but it’s 3 stories higher and on a hill, so it has a fabulous view of a city, bodies of water, and the changing foliage. By day:
And one that comes with a metaphor. On the day I took the following photo, the weather was all over the place. Every few minutes it would change from sunny to rainy to overcast to clear to stormy. This is what it has felt like to be me over the past few days. I have had such a difficult time physically, quite a switch from being the perpetual bedrest non-complainer with the iron pain tolerance. The babies have made it more than worthwhile, but even seeing them has taken a physical toll. I did not throw up even once during the entire pregnancy (months of nausea, but zero vomiting), but the first time I was about to hold my son, I was so queasy from the anesthesia, narcotics, and movement that I puked just as they were about to put him in my arms. It happened again on my next visit — not the welcome that he deserves. I’ve struggled to get to the NICU (with help, via wheelchair) twice a day, usually not for long, then paid a physical price the rest of the day. Most of the time my pain has been decently controlled, but sometimes it hasn’t. At times I have wept with pain; at other times I have been in so much pain that I wanted to scream but couldn’t make a sound. All of this, while being happier than I ever dreamed. The contrast between my emotional highs and physical lows is absolutely bizarre, and the postpartum hormones just serve to magnify everything.
Back to the weather metaphor. Just when you think it can’t rain any harder, the storm breaks. One minute the sky is black; the next minute there are two rainbows.
Forget about potato chips; two rainbows is quite an omen. I hear you, Universe. I will weather the storm, and we will all be okay. Together.
October 7, 2009 at 9:11 pm
You will be more than okay. And I love the blog names for the babies.
October 7, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Well, they’re bound to be wrapped up like burritos and tamales for a while, so the nicknames are great!
I’m glad you’re weathering the storms that have been coming your way. I hope it becomes calm and clear for you soon.
October 7, 2009 at 9:26 pm
So glad to hear you, and they, are doing well. They’re absolutely adorable.
October 7, 2009 at 9:33 pm
So glad that they are doing wonderfully; so glad that you are doing better. Burrito and Tamale are fantastic names! I’m so excited and emotional for you.
Hoping for blue skies to shine on you and yours from here on out.
October 7, 2009 at 9:45 pm
This has moved me to tears. You are beautiful, and so are your adorable rainbow babies. Love to you and yours.
October 7, 2009 at 9:55 pm
you will be okay 🙂 so happy for you and the arrival of your rainbow babes.
October 7, 2009 at 10:56 pm
God what a beautiful post. I love the pictures and the symbolism of the rainbows is perfect. I am so happy for you.
October 7, 2009 at 11:39 pm
the double rainbows are just perfect. very happy for you and the little ones.
October 8, 2009 at 12:26 am
Great names! I was such a hot mess physically after my twins were born that I was almost grateful they were in the neonatal unit so I could have time to recover while qualified nurses were tending to the childrenz.
I am amazed that my body was able to recover – I was stitched up for hours after the birth, I needed a blood transfusion and I had hemorrhiods the size of my head – but somehow I did and you will too!
Let yourself rest as much as you can. Also, if you have time google Kangaroo Care – it helped me and the hubby really bond with our girls when they were first born.
October 8, 2009 at 1:06 am
Congratulations! Hope you and babies are doing well! Can’t wait to see more pics!
October 8, 2009 at 4:47 am
Feel touched.
Much love to both the babies and the universe.
October 8, 2009 at 6:23 am
So glad to hear that your spicy little ones are doing so well! That is wonderful news!!! (And I am so jealous that you get to room with them! I drive 45 minutes each way to see our babies in the NICU twice a day and would give my arm to be able to stay there 24/7!)
October 8, 2009 at 8:12 am
Wonderful views! I love your nicknames for the children. Wishing you a speedy recovery!
October 8, 2009 at 9:17 am
Just can’t get over the double rainbow…just priceless!
I am so happy for you and hoping for a quick recovery…can’t wait to see pictures of the little Mexican foodies! Such cute names!
October 8, 2009 at 9:36 am
Great nicknames, great pictures, great story! Thank you for sharing! And Congrats on The Tamale & The Burrito! 🙂
October 8, 2009 at 10:37 am
Such a beautiful post and wonderful photos! I like to think of it as when you were 3 stories lower, you were watching the construction because you were constructing the Burrito and the Tamale. Now that they’re here and you’re enjoying their beauty and presence, you get views of beauty. Thank you for a wonderful post!
October 8, 2009 at 11:22 am
Glad to know that you are slowly recovering. You will be all energy, cherishing your time with your Burrito and Tamale pretty soon! Looking forward to your birth story and the pics!
October 8, 2009 at 11:35 am
🙂 i am so happy for you!! xoxo
October 8, 2009 at 11:52 am
Goosebumps.
What a beautiful post.
I wish you a quick recovery and much happiness with the burrito and the tamale.
Congratulations, again!
October 8, 2009 at 12:13 pm
I’m sorry your recovery is going slow. But you’re getting there! The last picture is wonderful. I love the double rainbow and the meaning. Enjoy your beautiful babies.
*HUGS*
October 8, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Beautiful post, pictures & babies! Congrats!
October 8, 2009 at 7:10 pm
Amazing photos. So glad the scenery is a little easier to deal with.
I can’t begin to imagine how hard it can be to not be able to hold your babies for long after going through everything you have had to go through to have them. I hope your pain lessens and you can be home soon.
October 8, 2009 at 10:32 pm
“The contrast between my emotional highs and physical lows is absolutely bizarre.”
Talk about extremes.
Love the rainbow metaphor. You have such a way of putting things together!
October 9, 2009 at 10:12 pm
It’s amazing how everything even the view and weather touch each of us a certain way depending on our lifes cituations! Congratulations on your new little additions! Thrilled for you!
January 2, 2010 at 5:33 pm
Popped over from the Crème de la Crème list and just want to say congratulations!
January 19, 2010 at 1:16 pm
Over from the Creme de la Creme– what a great post! I’m looking forward to welcoming my own Burrito and Tamale (though for now, they’re Twinkle and Sparkle. Or John and Paul. Or Earline and Joe-Cletus the Fetus. Not sure what they’ll be called once they arrive…) in June. Will be reading further from here to find out more about the early life at home with twins! Congrats!