Back to the Hospital for Bathtime

I've been sick for the last two weeks with a bad cold, so I decided not to go to the hospital until I was feeling better.  Today was the day that I finally got back to see the twin boys.  They still look so small, but they are off the ventilators and doing much better.  They still require feeding tubes as they are not nursing much, but each day seems to make a difference.  Steve took Cali and Ashton to Costco while I watched Weston get his first bath by a therapist who was teaching Natalie and Thomas how to wash a preemie.  It was fun to be part of this monumental day.  Tomorrow Ben will get his first bath.

Weston is in the back while Thomas gets him ready
for his bath.  Natalie is holding Ben.

Natalie and Ben

Ben sleeping away; he looks so nice and cozy.

Natalie, Thomas, Ben, and Weston

Here's Natalie, Ben, Weston, and me.
This was the first time I have held the babies.  In the
picture I am holding Weston.

Natalie has her arms full holding
the twins.  She looks so good already
even though it's only been two weeks since
she gave birth to these beautiful babies.  Ben
is in her right arm, and Weston is in her left arm.

Steve went to Costco with Ashton and Cali while I stayed
at the hospital with Natalie and Thomas.  Steve brought
pizza and drinks for us.  We are outside the Special
Care Nursery where Ben and Weston are hospitalized.

Steve and I took Cali and Ashton for a
few hours this aftenoon so Natalie
and Thomas could go to the show.  We went
to the park and to McDonald's while Natalie and
Thomas had a little time to themselves.  It was a
fun day spending time with  our sweet grandchildren.

Ashton had a lot of fun playing on all the
exercise bars at the park.  I bought both of
them matching green turtles at the gift shop in the hospital. 
They hauled them around the entire afternoon both at the park
and then at McDonald's.  The turtles definitely
were a hit for Cali and Ashton.

A Little of This and a Little of That

Here's a post with a combination of items.  Julie and Jace came for a week from Washington so Julie could attend Leah Schlauder's funeral and be part of the activities surrounding the birth of the twin boys.  We didn't take too many pictures while Julie and Jace were here.  I was sick and out of commission for some of the days they were visiting.  However, we spent the first three days, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, in good form attending the viewing and funeral for Leah and attending to The Ellsworths.  I know Natalie was happy to see Julie because Natalie cried when she saw Julie in the ICU at Summerlin Hospital. I definitely think the girls have strong bonds that tie them together through thick or thin.  It's nice as their mother to see the love the girls share for each other.

Julie's first look at Weston Clark Ellsworth

Here's Natalie and Julie in the ICU at
Summerlin Hospital.  Weston is in the incubator
behind the girls.

Julie and Natalie are standing by
Ben Steven Ellsworth's incubator.  I bought
matching blankets for the incubators.  It looked so
sweet to see them matching and to have
them say "we're twins" without using words.

We were hoping the arm would show just how small
this little guy really is!

Natalie's hand is inside the incubator to help us
see how small little Weston was at birth.

One day I came home to find everyone
outside our house climbing on
the plum tree.  I always think it is
cute to see the grandkids in
the tree.  It's a good size for
practicing climbing skills.

Jace had a great time.  I can't seem to
get him to look at the camera, but
he was having a lot of fun.  He kept
saying it was his turn on the ladder.
He's learning to share as is Ashton.

Jace is contemplating his next move.

I couldn't believe how high Cali could
climb.  I was wondering how strong
the branches were up that high.

There are lots of shadows, but you can see both
Jace and Cali have mastered the task of tree climbing.

After Julie and Jace left for Washington
and the week was over, I headed to the
temple to complete my last bridal attendant
assignment.  It was peaceful and a beautiful day.
As I was leaving, I decided to walk around to
the side of the temple to take a picture
of these statues.  I was there all by myself,
and it gave me a moment to contemplate
the birth of Christ and the birth of our
twin grandsons.  What a precious moment!

When Steve and I were
in Missouri over Halloween
weekend, we attended Heather
and Chad's stake conference.  The
stake president challenged everyone
to read the Book of Mormon in 90
days as a way of expressing love
toward the Savior.  Steve and I took the
challenge, and we are about 30 days into it.
We are hoping to be finished reading by
Valentine's Day; a day to show love
for those who have done so much
for us.  Christ would certainly fall
in that category!

Doubly Blessed

On Wednesday, November 30th, Natalie had a doctor appointment.  After her appointment she let us know that she was dialated to four and 80% effaced.  As she was only 34 weeks pregnant, I was surprised and yet having seen how miserable she felt the night before, I wasn't surprised.  The doctor kept her at his office for monitoring and then sent her to Summerlin Hospital for further monitoring.  It turned out she was in labor.  By the time I got the second phone call, Natalie was dialated to six.  Steve and I hurriedly drove to Summerlin Hospital around  four or five in the evening.

Because it was twins and they were early, the doctor told her that she would deliver in an operating room in case she needed to have a C-Section.  Natalie was wheeled off from the labor room when she reached a dialation of ten which occurred relatively easy with the help of an epideral and some other medication.  An hour later they wheeled Natalie back to the labor/delivery room.  She had delivered one of the babies but not the other.  Since it was now a single birth, she was going to be able to have the baby in the same room she had been with us during labor.  She had gone back to a dialation of four, and it appeared that she was going to have to go through labor for a second time in the same evening.  A little more than two hours later Baby B was born.  Natalie invited me to stay in the room with her, Thomas, and a team of medical professionals.  It was a magnificient event, and I am so happy that I was part of such a special moment.  Natalie was a trooper; and although it was difficult at the end, she did what she needed to do and remained the same patient, loving, even-tempered daughter I have always known her to be.

Names haven't been selected yet, but I know Natalie and Thomas are working on that situation now.  Both babies are in the ICU because of underdeveloped lungs.  Baby B is the worse.  Both had to have breathing tubes and feeding tubes.  Baby B has two picks; one is in the umbilical cord and the other in the wrist.  Those picks are for medications for the heart and lungs.   What is rather unique about the birth of these twins is that Baby A was born on November 30th around 11:00 p.m. and Baby B was born on December 1st around 1:00 a.m. 

Labor and Delivery Room

Here's Natalie and me before either babies
have been born

Optimism in the "goal"

Dialated to 10 and ready to head for the
operating room

Baby B who was born second in the
labor and delivery room. 

Baby B receiving medical attention

My first glimpses of Baby A in the ICU

We brought Cali and Ashton to the
hospital so they could see their new
brothers.  Because of their age they had
to wear gowns, gloves, hats, and masks.

Natalie and Cali admiring Baby B

Natalie, Steve, Cali, and Thomas
by Baby B's incubator

Natalie by Baby A in his incubator

Gaylord Texan Resort and Ice Show, Part 3 of Trip

On Saturday we drove to another town in Texas called Grapevine where the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center is located.  Grapevine is very close to Dallas and only a short drive from Frisco where we stayed.  The hotel reminded me a lot of the Bellagio in Las Vegas.  It had a huge atrium which was decorated for Christmas with a "Texas" spin on things.  It took us awhile to walk around the atrium and then we went to "Ice" which was an ice sculpture display in the hotel in one of the huge convention rooms. The hotel had partnered with Dreamworks.  The entire display was made out of ice and the scenes were all from "Shrek the Halls."  It was amazing.  It was about three degrees in the display so we were all given huge, heavy coats with hoods to keep us warm and able to enjoy the incredible ice sculptures.

I wanted a picture of the license plate on our car rental
before we began our "Ice" experience at the
Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center on Lake Grapevine.

Inside the foyer of the Gaylord Texan Resort

The Atrium at the Gaylord

Steve at the Gaylord Texan Hotel

The two of us enjoying an early Christmas in Texas.

Here I am with Melanie at the Gaylord.

Melanie with her Dad at the Gaylord

Cowboy decorations make me smile.

A Pretty Fountain at the Gaylord

Santa's reindeers were pretty entertaining
to view.  Here's Steve enjoying "sports"
mixed with Christmas.

Melanie and Ryan as we waited in line
for "Ice."

Inside "Ice"

Mother and Daughter look alikes at "Ice"

Melanie with her Dad standing in front of a huge
ice sculpture

Maybe we shouldn't have posed for this picture
considering the caption on the book Shrek is holding.

Ryan's man cave at "Ice"

In this room behind where I am standing you could
ride down a slide made of ice.  Dad was the only
one brave enough to participate.

Steve and Melanie by the dragon and the three
bad wolves all of which were made out of ice.

Enjoying the "family" from Shrek the Halls

At the end of Shrek the Halls there was another
room with these impressive ice sculptures of the nativity.

Clowning around with Melanie and one of
Santa's reindeers dressed for "ballet"

Huge Texas boots in the background of this scene definitely
reminds me that we were in Texas.

A gingerbread house man-size!