Blessed indeed

"Sleep now" they say, "eat your food while it's hot" they say, "enjoy this time" they say. They never really said why, because motherhood will be the HARDEST but BEST thing you will ever do in your life and you wont get to sleep, eat hot food or sit and enjoy a few moments! :)

I do realize it has been approximately 8 months give or take a few since I have written anything. If you are wondering why, take a look at these beauties...

A first look at my beautiful babies!

Leaving the NICU

2 Months Old!

3 months old!

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 Months

8 Months - With Santa

Now you see why I can't seem to take my self away from spending a few extra minutes with them to blog to you all! But I do want to share what is happening in our lives! So you are in luck! I just happened to find some time!

So back to the story of how they got into this world. (see previous post for prebabies). The nurses swarm me and get me ready in about a half an hour. Then there I am getting wheeled down the hallway in the bed that I've spent the past week in. (I had decided the night before that I would be ok sitting in the hospital for another week if it meant healthier babies...) But there I was getting wheeled down the hallway because God always has his plan and loves to remind me that I can't do the planning.
I remember Ryan walking behind me saying "This is the longest walk down a hallway I've ever had."... a walk to fatherhood... a walk to a new life... a walk to MEET OUR DAUGHTERS!

Ryan thought the hallway was a significant moment in his life... it was. 

So there we are in the surgical suite. The nurse anesthetist gives me my spinal block and they swing me up onto the table. I remember Ryan was up by my head for a few minutes... until...

Our whole entire world turned pink.

Two baby girls in one minute. Our family of two into a family of four at 10:33 am!!!

I got to see each of the girls for a few seconds then they and Ryan were whisked off to the NICU.

I was put on a medication called "magnesium" for 24 hours. This meant I could not leave my room for 24 hours.... with a little help from some special nurses I got to see my babies twice in the first 24 hours. Each time I would get to go up there to see them I would get exhausted just from riding in the wheelchair.

The girls seemed to be breathing alright but since they were born at 34.5 weeks gestation they needed to take every precaution with their lung development. They were put on CPaP masks for a day with no oxygen being pumped into them (just room air) to help the girls get air in and out of those tiny lungs. A day later they graduated to nasal canulas to just remind them to keep those little lungs moving!
For many days they were fed through a feeding tube and eventually they were able to drink from bottles! Ryan and I spent most of our waking hours  (and some of the sleeping ones) in the NICU with the girls. Eventually they were drinking enough on their own that we were able to take them home!!! On my first official mother's day we took Stella and Elsie HOME! BEST mother's day gift EVER!!

It just so happened that Grandpa Randy made a surprise visit as we were packing up the girls' and all of their stuff! Surprise for him and us! Had he come a few hours later we wouldn't have even been in the hospital anymore! :) It was very special that he came to wish me a happy first mother's day and also that he got to help carry the girls out of the hospital!!

That is the end of the first Chapter in the life of the Ranschau twins. In a lot of ways Ryan and I feel blessed of those few weeks in the NICU. Those nurses teach you a LOT! Babies don't come with manuals or instructions but ours had some fantastic NICU nurses and we are grateful for them!

After 8 months of growth it leaves me breathless to think of all of the hurdles we had along the way.  Those two weeks in the NICU seemed to be the longest two weeks of my life at the time. Now it's like they were a blink of an eye. Having twins seems to get easier one day and then harder the next but I wouldn't trade them for the world and I don't know what I would do with only one baby. :) I love them more each day than I did the last. You think you can't love them any more but then you do! Motherhood is amazing. I love it! Ryan and I have been Blessed by the Lord with two incredible, happy, healthy little girls that make each day a new adventure! We are BLESSED indeed. THANK YOU LORD!

Until next time! 

-Lindsay

Pre-babies happenings

I guess it's about time I update this thing!

Let's start back at week 20 of the pregnancy, because I think that's about where we left off.

WOW! Twins! Can you believe it?? I didn't really wrap my head around it until I could start distinguishing their kicks. Stella was first (baby A) head way down in my pelvis but her long little legs stretched all the way up to my ribs and kicked away as she pleased! Elsie was on my left side of my pelvis head down with her feet kicking away at my right side and at her sisters legs. On the ultrasounds we would watch them have little wars with their feet and all I could think was... "God, is this payback??" 

I wasn't a bad child. I actually like to think that I was pretty good... but I had my moments. Moments that I wouldn't take back if I could because I learned lots of lessons from them. They taught me how much my parents loved me, even if I screamed at them or rolled my eyes with a terrible attitude. They taught me that I wouldn't get my way by being an angry teenager! 

So now all I could think was two little Lindsay's running around torturing their parents... oooh dear. 

The first torture they didn't know they were ensuing was gestational diabetes. We found out I had that at 24 weeks. The Dr's told me that it was fairly common with twins and that I shouldn't worry. They did put me on insulin right away because my only bad blood sugar in the day was my fasting blood sugars in the morning and I couldn't really use my diet to control that. Every night before I would attempt to sleep (I was already getting pretty uncomfortable at this point and didn't sleep well) Ryan would inject insulin into me. Fun. 

At this point I thought... well if this is as bad as it gets that's not so bad. Night sickness for the first 20 weeks or so and now diabetes... I can handle this. 

At this point we are going to ultrasounds once every 2 weeks. With our type of twins, mono-di (one placenta, two sacs), they like to make sure the twins are growing at the same rate. This is due to a condition called twin to twin transfusion (where one twin would take more blood and nutrients than the other and grow more leaving the other twin behind). Our girls looked GREAT! Never more than 2% different in size according to the ultrasounds. We were sitting pretty until gestational week 26.

The Perinatologist went to a conference on twin to twin and learned of a new way to scan to see if one baby was possibly anemic. So here I am at my first ultrasound that I ever had to go to on my own and bam they find that Elsie was possibly anemic. She wasn't anemic enough to be concerned yet but they wanted to keep a close eye on her so we went to ultrasounds twice a week. 

Ugh, now I'm a little worried! I hope I can keep these babes in me!! My personal goal was to be working (not on bedrest) until April 23 (my brothers birthday). And then to keep them in me until May 12 (my mom's birthday). It felt nice to have some goals to strive for. Well, one day while going to an ultrasound (the 2nd one I went to alone) the nurse noted that I looked rather swollen and asked to take my blood pressure. The perinatologist deemed my BP too high to go back to work so off I went to bed rest.

Now, remember, I was working 8 hour days prior to these people putting me on "bed rest" and what exactly is "bed rest" anyway (remember I told you I was a stubborn teenager...?)?? I didn't know! so I would lay on the couch for a few more hours than normal but I still needed to eat and get water and whatnot so I was up... and of course I wanted to go out to eat with my friends before I would never have the freedom to again! That was my bad. They put me on bed rest on a Thursday and by the next Tuesday I had another appointment with my Dr's. They took my blood pressures again, discussed them and sent me straight to the Hospital.

I was informed that I would be spending the night to do a urine test and some blood work then was going to be able to go home and be on STRICT bed rest until the babies decided to come. Well that all fell apart when I sat up to eat some lunch one afternoon and the nurse took my blood pressure. I don't know if I was excited to eat or really had that high of pressures when I was sitting up but those blood pressures landed me in the hospital until the birth of the girls. And I bawled. and bawled.

So nurses took care of me for 8 days. One week after I was admitted I had a few phone calls that rose my pressures sky high and they just never went down! 24 hours later my Dr. walked in and asked how noon sounded? Ryan asked noon on what day? and she said, "today!" So I quick got to calling our parents and Ryan wanted to run home quick to change and shower... that is when the nurses came flying in and asked him where he was going?! "Oh no, Dad, you aren't going anywhere. Noon doesn't work for us. You guys are going to have these babies right NOW!" 

It was a good thing I didn't have time to think took long about what was happening! (I'm sure it would have made my blood pressure go up! ;)

More to come... stay tuned...

-L

Surprise! Surprise!

Today, instead of Lindsay, I (Ryan) am blogging. 

Today we had our 20 week ultrasound, but before I go too far let's start this story a few weeks earlier. 

Lindsay had been getting sick. Not just feeling sick, but she would almost instantly vomit at certain triggers, mostly smells. She was getting sick every single day for a solid 10 weeks, and off and on since then. Last week she had a few episodes of high blood pressure and a few other small issues. So, the doctor had Lindsay get a few blood tests and a urine sample. The only results from these are minor, except her Iron levels were pretty low. 

Ok, back to today's ultrasound. 

Lindsay and I were hesitant about today's exam because so many of our friends, family, and co workers had been asking the typical question "Are you going to find out what [gender] you are going to have?" So we went into the exam room with an open mind that we would ask the technologist to NOT tell us the gender, but also to not avoid it. So basically if we could see for ourselves, then we will see. If we miss it, we will find out at delivery. 

Getting start with the ultrasound was what we expected, exposed belly, cold Ultrasound jelly...lights...camera...action!!! 

Now, with both Lindsay and I in the Medical Imaging field, we have a better-than-a-beginners-idea of what an ultrasound looks like. KAPOWY!!! As soon as the first images pop up I see something is just different. I swear I saw two baby heads on the screen!!!!! Wouldn't you know the tech stops to ask us a few questions. She asked if we had prior ultrasounds and when our due date was. Two questions that she could clearly get out of our chart. But the thing that raised my eyebrows, was that she seemed confused when she asked these questions. So after she flips to the chart, back to some old images, back to the chart again and finally back to the images she says..."Well I guess I've got a surprise for you guys!" and Lindsay shrieks "There are twins in there!!!!" 

This is a photo showing two heads! This changes EVERYTHING!!! Now we want to know the sex of the babies IF we can find out both! NO MORE SURPRISES! The ultrasound continues as normal, with the exception that the tech has to measure everything twice! Both are girls!!!  

The Neonatologist was unable to tell us if they are going to be identical for sure. She said it has be determined earlier in the pregnancy and she herself was very shocked that no one found we had twins until this late in pregnancy. She did say that them being identical has to do with thickness of the membranes of the fetal sac and some other technical factors. And... they are fairly confident that the placenta shows signs of them being identical!! 

After leaving the ultrasound and neonatologist we had an appointment with our OB doctor. She doesn't know about our ultrasound yet so we shock her with the news. She says this completely explains Lindsay's prior symptoms!!! Twins will deprive the mother of Iron much faster than just one baby would. She did the 8 week ultrasound so she too is shocked that there are two babies in Lindsay! Both prior scans (6 and 8 weeks) did not show more than one heart beat!! One is a little shy!! Both the OB and the neonatologist said its very rare to not know this late (20 weeks) in the pregnancy!!!

So that is all. WE'RE HAVING TWINS!!!! *cue the dance music*

Grandpa

I know it has been a LONG time since I have blogged. I just haven't been in the mood! Anyone who knows me knows that if I don't feel like doing something, I'm probably not going to do it. Unless that involves work, or doing some thing my husband wants me to do. (sometimes) hehe. But anyway, I was having some deep thoughts today so I thought, what a wonderful time to blog! Now, before I start blabbing and you stop reading, know that there is some fun stuff to read toward the end of this blog post! Also, the BEST video you have yet to see. 

So, let's get on with it.

Today, on my way home from work, I was reminiscing about my grandpa! I miss that guy like crazy. For those of you who don't know, Grandpa passed away 2 weeks before Ryan and I got married in March. The cancer he had when he was younger came back to take his life. 

That isn't what I was thinking about though, I was thinking about how much fun I always had with Grandpa and how BLESSED I was to have him. I was trying to get an idea of what made him so special, but I couldn't. It wasn't just one thing, it was everything he did for us and with us that made him so special. It was all because he just loved us so much and so genuinely. I mean, most of the time he probably didn't know he was impacting our lives so much. For instance when he told me that eating my scrambled eggs plain was no way to do it! "You gotta put some ketchup on that!"- You were right Grandpa, I don't know what I was doing eating those things plain all those years. 

Anyway, I miss him a lot! I used to love calling him up and just saying hello, seeing how his golf game was going or what was new in Iowa. 

I guess I'm getting a little off track here, I was going to tell you something extra Fun...

Ok, let's let Jane & Becky tell you.

Did you get it?? Bun in the oven!? pretty tricky right? 

Ryan and I are having a BABY! June 2nd is when he/she is due! 

FUN news! But let me tie it into my top part, the part about Grandpa. I was thinking, how sad that my little peanut doesn't get to meet Grandpa! But then I thought, ohh.... Linds, they will. When my dad takes them fishing, when I teach them to put ketchup on their eggs, when Ryan's dad takes them in the tractor, and when they are loved unconditionally by their grandparents who can't do anything but spoil them. They will meet him. 

I'm not saying that I'm not sad that Grandpa's not here, I'm saying his shoes will be filled by the new Grandpa. Because what better role model could my dad have then the best grandpa ever. So cheers to Grandpa and cheers to new baby Ranschau!!! And cheers to new Grandpas who will be the best grandpas ever to their grand kids! Love you all! (I'm "toasting" you with my sprite... while I sit here waiting for the hubby to get home from work!)

Addiction & Apple Crisp

When we got married, I knew little about Ryan's addiction. Now that we are married, I've found much more out. It is an awful thing, addiction. It can tear families apart. If I am being really honest, Ryan's addiction has already started fights.

Now before you start judging me, I don't believe in airing all of our dirty laundry in public. I did, however, say that I was going to blog about all of the trials, tribulations, and triumphs in our new marriage! So, being the good wife that I am, I got my husbands permission to air this dirty laundry. I think it may even be therapeutic for us!

Ok, I don't think I'm quite ready to tell you what it is. I mean, why start another argument right now? 

First, let me tell you about this amazing apple crisp that I made today! I went looking for apple crisp recipe's because Ryan and I went with our friends, the Olsen's and the Okland's, to pick apples this weekend! What a blast!! ALSO what a bunch of apples!! 

Tessa- pickin apples! 

Tess and Paul, reaching for the tall ones!

So I went in search of a good recipe. Not wanting to peruse the internet, I went straight to a couple of cookbooks that I had on my counter. The first cookbook is from a church back home, that happens to have a TON of recipes of my mom's in it. I didn't find an apple crisp recipe from my mom :(. The second cookbook was given to me by my mother-in-law. Actually, when she gave it to me, she kind of giggled. She's a happy person, I don't know why she is giggling? Well, you see, as I was looking through this and that (canning/freezing recipes) there were a TON of recipes from my mother-in-law. WHAT? I didn't know she knew how to can things. I need to get Beckeroo to my house more often! So- I continue to peruse this cookbook, turns out it is schmuck full of her recipes! No wonder she was giggling! She just gave me the key to her Son's heart! I can make her recipes and he will never know why they taste so much like his mom's cookin'! FANTASTIC!

Anyway, Bec had an apple crisp recipe in there, and since it's in a published cookbook, I decided I could share it with you and it wouldn't be sharing any of the Ranschau "secret" recipes.

Becky Ranschau's Apple Crisp * SUPER DELICIOUS

Apple Slices

1 c. sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 c. brown sugar

1 c. flour

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. nuts

Spray and butter a 9x13 pan. Peel and slice the apples and put them in the pan. Add sugar and cinnamon on top of apples. Mix following until crumbly: brown sugar, flour, butter and nuts. Sprinkle on apples. Bake 1 hour @ 325 Degrees.

Serve warm with ice cream!

*** Lindsay Note: I added oatmeal instead of nuts because I didn't have any nuts but I still wanted some sort of crunch! 

I didn't get a picture before Ryan and I demolished half of it! 

Which takes me back to the whole reason we are here. Ryan's Addiction. It's not a drug or anything like that. It is... this...

That's right, you saw it here first! ICE CREAM! Honestly, I sincerely think that it is an addiction! I can't keep ice cream in the freezer for very many days. That is, unless I deem it mine and threaten him if he touches it! Honestly, one time I thought, oh, Harley chewed up one of our gallon buckets I should go get some ice cream and we can have another one in a few months. I had another ice cream bucket in 4 days. NO! I'm not kidding! He sees ice cream and he eats it! If I don't buy it from the store, he goes and gets it from Milkyway or Dairy Queen. When he goes out to Milkyway or Dairy Queen he drags me with him. And then I gain weight. So I have decided to just buy it for him and don't expect it to last for very many days. Because it won't. I also consider it a victory when I get to take the last ice cream out of the bottom of the box.  

Come on! Let's take a bath!

Honestly, I don't know what my dog is... but she's not a dog! I mean, I get it. We bought her from a Rhodesian Ridgeback breeder in Harrisburg. She's a Kina Kibambe Ridgeback... but she is NOT a dog. She's more of a human... a little dainty princess in a big dog's body! I kid you not! 

Lets take this for example: She HATES water!

In the morning, if the sprinklers have gone off, she WILL NOT walk in the grass. Wet grass? NO WAY! Ryan has even seen her plant her feet on the rocks and point her rear to the grass and relieve herself that way! Crazy!!

This dog will stop at nothing to stay dry. 

So lets say, for instance, that she smells... which often happens after a few weeks. And then lets say that we want to give her a bath. Hahaha good luck getting her in the tub!

"Harley, come on... lets go get a bath." The funniest part about this sentence is that it doesn't bother her one little bit! She'll just stare at you! Then say "Harley lets go get a bath" and walk toward the bathroom... ZOOM she's gone!! It's really funny how fast she moves!

"Ryan, where did she go?" "Well, I don't know, she's got to be here somewhere."

She goes where she thinks you can't get her. 

In the corner of the living room... behind her favorite green chair. And there she sits. Until the pepperoni comes out, Ryan gets a hold of her and she's lifted into the bathtub and showered with her least favorite thing... water.

She then proceeds to shake all water off onto my bathroom walls and run around like a crazy dog (I imagine trying to get warm). She also enjoys rubbing her wet face on my carpet. 

And that's how we do doggie baths in the Ranschau abode! 

Oh what a day!

6 Months ago yesterday I married my best friend! Every day since then has been an adventure! I didn't know it was possible, but I grow as a person and as a wife every single day! I have learned to love the strange things he does. Apparently I do a lot of strange things too. 

Happy 6 month anniversary, my love! I can't wait for a million, billion, zillion more months with you!