BABIES

Wow, what an AMAZING experience for both Grant and myself. God most certainly blessed us with 2 healthy miracles and we could not be more thankful for all the thoughts and prayers that were sent to us.

The journey started when both Grant and I were laying in bed awake at 2 am Friday June 19th due to a horrible thunderstorm that was slamming Holland. As I just fell back a sleep around 3 am there was a huge bolt of lightening and quite the bang of thunder that jolted me. I must say that is when my water broke...at least that's what I thought it must have been! It seemed like a balloon popped or I just received a swift kick from one of the little ones :) Sure enough I stood up and went to the bathroom to go potty...there was still a trickle after done. I told Grant, I think my water broke...sure enough we were grabbing bags and on our way to the hospital. I wasn't really having any contractions yet. Grant was really nervous driving a little fast...the rain was so heavy and huge puddles were on the road. I told him to slow down, I am just fine :)

We got to the hospital and up to OB we went. The nurse checked me and I was 5 cm and she could feel the head. We were heading in the right direction! By 5:15 am I got an epidural and it was smooth sailing from there on. The timing was perfect as the contractions were starting to get a little uncomfortable. Around 10:30 am the nurse checked me again because I was feeling a little more pressure. Sure enough I was 9 cm!!!! By 1:15 pm we were pushing and both of my bundles of joy arrived by 3:00 pm.

Adelyn entered the world screaming and letting us know that she arrived at 2:43 pm. It was the most amazing moment of my life. There is nothing that explains the feeling when you hear your own child automatically start breathing and their entire body kicks in to start working on its own. Grant was so great the whole time while pushing. He was helping count with the nurse as I was pushing. I must say we were laughing about 99% of the time. The entire staff that assisted the Doc made the whole process so comfortable and fun! After Adelyn arrived, they worked on shifting Axton around to come heads first. Needless to say after about 10 minutes of trying, he bounced back down and Doc had to start for a breech extraction. He had to break his water then got him by the feet and out my little man came and on my chest he sat. What a moment that I will never forget. The tears of joy and amazement that both of my babies have joined our lives in great health.

Axton had to lay in the incubator for about 36 hours so that his body temperature stayed up. Adelyn ended up having to lay on a billy blanket when we got home due to a little jaundice. Both babes lost a little weight, but made great strides a week and a half later. Here are the birth stats:

Adelyn Maylynn Arnoldink

5 lbs 3 oz

17 1/2 inches

2:43 pm

Axton Grant Arnoldink

5 lbs 2 oz

17 3/4 inches

3:00 pm

I loved every second of delivery and would do it all over in a heartbeat. God creates miracles and I must say that being a mother is the most amazing gift that God can give. The love that I have for both of my babies is untouchable. I can't kiss and stare at them enough :) It was a special weekend for delivery as Grant got to celebrate his first Father's Day with 2 bundles of joy!

Thank you Lord for all your blessings and I continue to pray that you be by our sides as we make decisions in raising our children. Be with Grant and I to continue growing our relationship stronger and stronger with your word.

Love Grant, Chas & Daisy Arnoldink

36 WONDERFUL Weeks

Sooo this is a little past due! I wanted to back date on how everything went :) I have to start out by thanking God for the amazing milestone we made it with the Twins. I am so thankful for all the thoughts and prayers that made this possible. At my 36 week appt, I was still about 2-3 cm and thinned about 80%. We were starting to make a little progress...yippeee! We were scheduled to see the Doc at 37 weeks unless I went into labor on my own. He said if I make it to 37 weeks, they would talk about inducing me....hope for natural labor :) Here is the last pic of my belly at 36 weeks. Grant and I had a little "last" date before the babes arrived.





Love Grant, Chas & Daisy Arnoldink

35 FANTASTIC Weeks

What an amazing accomplish it has been to reach 35 weeks! The babies are still inside growing stronger and stronger each day...yippeee! We had a little scare that sent us to the hospital late Saturday night because I was having horrible cramps in my tummy and back. I started getting cramps at 11:30 pm and decided to continue to lay down for a while. I went upstairs to get in bed to try and get more comfortable. An hour and a half later, I was still in a lot of pain so we drove to the hospital. I was actually having contractions every 4-5 minutes. My doctor was on vacation, so I told the babies not yet...pretty please :) The nurse checked me and I was dilated a little more just to 2 cm. I was still thinned the same, so that is a get thing! 

The doctor who was on call prescribed a shot to calm the contractions and pain. They gave it to me in the hip and within 5-10 minutes, I was pretty much sleeping without pain. I know that God was by our side and answered my prayers to keep these little ones inside for a little while longer!

It was a tough weekend for Grant knowing that he had to leave for Detroit on Monday until Thursday. His wonderful parents came over Sunday night to visit and we shared a moment in prayer. Thank you for your amazing words and there is no doubt that God has been with each one of us this week in helping us while we have been apart. 

We have an ultrasound on Friday to check the babies growth...so excited to see our little ones :) We will go in to see Doc on Monday for a follow-up appointment. I will then be released from BED REST and be able to move around :) I must say that these weeks have flew by and it was worth every second just to keep our babies inside and growing!

I thank everyone for all your thoughts and prayers. It means more than words can describe to know that so many people are keeping us in mind. God has continued to answer many prayers and has made this journey so amazing. I have loved every second of it and look forward to the journey that lies ahead for our family. I pray that the rest of the pregnancy goes very smooth and that we have healthy strong babies :)

I will update you all early next week!!!  

Love Grant, Chas & Daisy Arnoldink

34 GREAT Weeks

Two weeks has already passed since I have been on bed rest. I can't complain, it has actually flew!!! We are still praying to keep the little bundles of joy inside for 13 more days...wow, how weird does that sound...it will be here before we know it! We are super excited and can't believe how fast time has went.

I had a check up this past Monday and it went great! I have not progressed at all since last week, which gives us more time with the babies inside!!! The Doc was rather happy with everything, just thought I needed to gain some weight. I figured I would have put on some pounds with just laying down for the past 2 weeks...haven't gained any. Let me tell you that I do whatever I want and my wonderful Hubby has been giving me plate fulls that I never think I can eat and what do you know...my plate will be clean when i give it back to him...hehe!!! The babies are looking great, just important that they put on some weight in these next few weeks.

I go back in to check up with Doc this Friday....because he is going on vacation Sunday-Friday...not good timing on his part. But then again, the babies are not allowed to come until week 36, which is after he gets back. So it will all work out!

Tonight, Grant was a huge help...he got our stroller put together and looked GREAT as he test drove it around the living room :) He also got our swing and Twins Pack-N-Play set up...time is ticking!!!

Enough rattling on for now! I thank God for all the amazing blessings and all the incredible things he continues to do for Grant and I. His journey has been so wonderful and I look forward to the road he has ahead for us.

Thank you to everyone for all the thoughts and prayers. God has done wonders by answering them all. We love you all and look forward to updating you next week!

Love Grant, Chas & Daisy Arnoldink

33 Weeks

Another week has passed, such a blessing!!! I am 33 weeks and 3 days...the babies are continuing to grow stronger and stronger :) I had a check-up on Tuesday where they had me do another non-stress test. The babies are continuing to look great...i was having some more contractions, but nothing to make them keep me. I think my nerves were sparking them! After the non-stress test, I met with my Doc and he was very happy with the results of the babies, but a little concerned with the contractions from the NST. He continued to tell me to do NOTHING besides lay on my back and relax. We would love to get the babies to 36 weeks which is only 2.5 weeks away!!! He checked me again and I am still 1 cm dilated but my cervix has thinned to 65%. It was 50% last week, so at this rate I might just have 2 more weeks in me :)

I thank you for the continuous prayers and for strong healthy growing babies! God has already blessed us with another week of keeping them inside...he has great plans for us :)

I will update again next week!

Here is a photo from my Holland Babies Shower...don't worry I had the picture snapped while I was up for a bathroom break. I was quick to get back to the couch :)

33 Weeks and 4 days

Love Grant, Chas & Daisy Arnoldink

32 Weeks

This week started out a little different. I woke up Monday morning after having some cramps and a tight tummy. I continued to get up Tuesday morning with a tight tummy just thinking the babies were growing and my tummy was probably stretching. Well Wednesday morning I decided to call the doctor to tell them what I was experiencing. They told me to come in, thought i might be having contractions. I got to the hospital at noon and they hook me up to the stress test to track the babies heart beat and notice that I am having contractions about every 2-3 minutes. The nurse checked me and I was dilated 1 cm. Too early for this to be happening. They started me on an IV and then put me magnesium sulfate which is a muscle relaxer. I was on that all night and then they took me off at noon. Doc checked me in the morning and i was still 1 cm dilated and my cervix was starting to thin. He put me on a blood pressure medicine that has a side effect of slowing/stopping contractions. They did slow down to 4-5 mins, then 6-8 then i was having maybe 4 an hour. By around 6:30 the contractions had pretty much stopped and i was released to go home....on strict bed rest until the babies arrive. I am on an antibiotic and the blood pressure medicine. I pray that they stay in for at least 2.5 to 3 weeks as their lungs are getting ready yet to enter the world.

We also had our scheduled ultra sound that was very refreshing. The babies continue to look great, growing at the same pace and weighing almost 4.5 lbs each :) I have to say that I was overly relieved to have such great nurses taking care of me. God has continued his journey with a little bump in the road, but he answered many prayers while we were in the hospital. Please continue to keep our family and babies in your thoughts and prayers. I thank each one of you for your continued support.

I have a check up on Tuesday, I will make sure to update you after that. My picture taking this week got a little delayed. I will add some on the next update.

Much Love Grant, Chas, Daisy & Babies Arnoldink

Baby Shower at 30 Weeks & the Fabulous Week 31

Wow...how does time seriously go so fast?!? Week 30 ended with my first BABIES Shower in Columbia City. It was a great shower and it was so nice to see a ton of family and friends that I have not seen since the Holidays or before. I got so many great gifts which will become all of great use once our little bundles of joy arrive :) Here are a few pics from the shower:

On to week 31...I am still amazed on how wonderful this pregnancy has been. I pray that it continues and that our babies stay inside for at least 5 more weeks. That would put them at 36 weeks which is a normal time for them to arrive. It is pretty crazy to think that only 5-7 more weeks and we will have 2 blessings from God....we can't be more thankful :)

I had my 31 week check-up appointment yesterday where I measured 35 weeks. Doc is very happy with how everything looks and I am going to be able to continue working as long as I take it easy :) I will have an ultra sound next Thursday and then follow up with my 33 week visit to see how the babies are checking out. Please continue to keep us all in your thoughts and prayers. We have been so blessed and I pray for God's journey to continue. We miss and love you all!!! Enjoy a few belly pics:

30 Weeks

At the Tulip Festival

31 Weeks

Love Grant, Chas & Daisy Arnoldink