“If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.”

Happy Birthday!

(Alan and I in the NICU with the twins)

Our Twins, Aiden and Harper gave me the best birthday surprise, they arrived January 5, 2015 to share mine and my twin sister's birthday!

(Twins Celebrating Twins)

There was a time in my life that I thought I could plan out exactly how we were going to have children 

• Not once did I ever think infertility would be an issue. I never had any health concerns and had always maintained a healthy lifestyle. 
• I thought If I planned it  right I would not have a child born around the holidays. Having a birthday January 5th I feel like nobody really wants to celebrate after Christmas and New Years.  I went through  multiple ovulation kits to help identify the appropriate time to get pregnant.
• I followed a Chinese calendar with a friend to see whether or not we would have a boy or a girl. 
• Being a twin I wasn't too sure I would be cut out to be a mom of multiples. 
• I had always pictured myself being fit- working out all the way up to delivery.
• And last I had always thought I would be picture perfect with hair and makeup for our first family  photo in the hospital.

   When looking at the big picture I realized these were not of any importance, but that is how I envisioned myself being pregnant.  

As they say:
"If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans." -Woody Allen

God sure got quite a few laughs from me, the one that gets me the most is when a friend and I were both attempting to read the Chinese calendar on the internet and plan out our future.  At the time she lived in Chicago and I was in Arizona and we wanted to have children at the same time to share motherhood.  We finally realized there were multiple calendars and we were not reading the same one-all we could do was laugh at each other.  After a year of ovulation kits and calendars this could not have come at a better time,  I needed a good laugh with a dear friend.

Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive or carry a pregnancy to term after 12 months of trying to conceive.  After trying on our own for a couple of years we finally met with a Reproductive Endocrinologist ( Dr. John Couvaras).  Our first appointment was February 15th, 2013.  We quickly realized this was going to be a process of doctor visits and not a one time event.

Our prayers were finally answered to become parents, it was truly a blessing to share such a special day with my twins.  The holidays are around the corner but I wouldn't want it any other way.  It was the best birthday I have had and I am already looking forward to planning our future parties!

Now being a mom of multiples I realize it was one of the greatest gifts to my husband and I to have two unique personalities to LOVE on at the same time.  

As for the working out- that was squashed at 18 weeks.  I had a cervical cerclage placed so they would not arrive too early and was put on bed rest until 29 weeks.

Make-up and hair also went out the window when after the delivery all I wanted to do was rush to the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) to be with my son.  Aiden had been taken away from me right after I delivered him because he was not able to keep his temperature stable.  In that moment nothing else mattered I just wanted my two babies to be healthy.

(Alan & Aiden in the NICU)

My pregnancy may have not went as planned but January 5th, 2015 was one of the best days of my life!