Introducing Dylan and Grant

Our three kids!!! :) :) :)

Hi Everyone! Jarrod and I are excited to announce the arrival of Dylan Robert and Grant Thomas Yates! We are so excited to have them as an early Christmas present! They have truly been little sweethearts since they decided to make a little bit of an early appearance. Sorry it has taken me so long to get this blog updated. It has been quite a whirlwind.

I went in to my Non-Stress Test on Monday morning apparently looking pretty crappy because my nurse, Darlene, sent me straight to Triage. I was really in pain under my rib cage, which is exactly where Dylan was hanging out (transverse under my rib cage). I didn't know it at the time, but I was actually entering preeclampsia, a serious condition in pregnancy that usually presents with swelling and high blood pressure. I had no swelling and no high blood pressure but the pain under my rib cage actually ended up being likely swelling of my liver and so the doctor (after confirming with labs) called it severe atypical preeclampsia and decided to deliver. Unfortunately the treatment for severe preeclampsia is a rough drug and I had to have it before delivery and for 24 hours afterward. It made for a difficult delivery experience as I had to stay in labor and delivery for more than 30 hours and the drug is not fun, but in the end, everyone ended up being great!

At 4:06 p.m. on Monday, December 20, Grant Thomas was born and his twin brother Dylan Robert followed at 4:08 p.m. Grant was 20 inches long and weighed 6 lbs. 12 oz. Dylan was 19 inches long and weighed 6 lbs. 4 oz. Both are doing well! They are technically considered preterm by one day -- I was 36 weeks and 6 days pregnant -- but they are thriving. We are going home today on Christmas Eve! I am nervous but excited about the months ahead. They are precious little bundles and we are really busy already. Nora is beyond excited and can't wait to go see her "baby brothers." She cried the first night when they took them away without her getting to say goodbye.

More updates coming soon. Looking forward to getting home. Merry Christmas everyone!!!

In recovery after delivery

Grant on left; Dylan on right

Barely able to open my eyes after about 18 hours of magnesium sulfate on board

Daddy and the boys

Dylan on the left; Grant on the right