Last day of 4

Next year, I'm ordering the sandwiches from Gelsons . . .

Today has been exhausting. Up early to get some laundry done, off to the grocery store to get the food for tomorrow's party, then home to put away and have lunch, then off to the party store to buy the pinatas, then dropped off kids and grandma so I could get my hair cut. Thankfully, Mom made the cupcakes while I was getting my hair done. That really helped. Once I got home, we headed off to the park where I was supposed to meet a woman who is looking for a home for her 2 dogs but she never showed. Then we went out to dinner. The service was terrible but the kids were good and it was nice to sit down even if my dinner of eggs, sausage and toast came out as 3 courses. Jack was so tired he fell asleep on my lap.

Now it's 11:15 and just Mom and I are still up. We iced the cupcakes and packed them up. We wrapped the presents and finally, we can go to bed. But of course, I had to post first.

5 years ago today, my doctor came into my hospital room and expressed her amazement that my contractions had slowed, finally after 2 months of total bedrest and magnesium sulfate. It was one of the best days I had in the hospital. She seemed relieved to have gotten me through the scariest weeks of my pregnancy. She told me that she'd get me to 34 weeks and then wean me off the mag. We'll schedule your c-section around Christmastime, she said confidently.

That night, Tom stayed in the room with me. He had demo'd our bathroom that week (after all, babies weren't coming until Christmas) and the dust was too much for him. I remember going to bed that night feeling like I'd done my job. I tolerated the mag, the catheter, the complete bedrest, no showers, no baths, lying flat on my left side with 3 monitors strapped to my belly, getting blood taken every 8 hours - for the safety of my babies, I did that. I fell asleep easily that night.

'Course, I didn't make it to Christmas, did I.

But here we are, 5 years later and I can't imagine my life without them in it.