2 for 1 Special

It is done and just begun!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I would officially and very proudly like to introduce you to:

Thomas James Vnak - Born on 5/29/06 at 9:57am at 4 pounds 15 ounces.

Joseph John Vnak - Born on 5/29/06 at 10:17am at 5 pounds 13 ounces.

I don't have any pictures to post yet since I'm at the hospital and forgot the cord to connect the camera to the computer, but they will come in the next couple of days.

I want to focus on telling the story leading up to the birth and how they are doing right now, but it is just way to much to process. How can I briefly sum it up? Divine! Amazing! Miraculous! Two thumbs up! The biggest rollercoaster of the summer! Riducustupidfantasam!

First the babies. Each are extremely adorable, both Katie and I confer. I know everyone says their babies are cute and adorable, but as Katie can attest from working in a hospital, all babies are not cute. Ours are and we are forever grateful.

They were born at exactly 36 weeks which was fantastic considering where we came from, but still premature. Consequently, both had to be put on a CPAP machine which ensures their lungs stay completely open while they breathe. They were both on these machines for a couple of hours, and were taken off which is great.

Joseph has had a bout with his right arm. When he got back from the operating room, his right arm from elbow to hand was white. Over the next bit of time it turned a pinkish blue. Pink is good, blue is not. The docs ordered an ultrasound and he had a blood clot in his wrist. The doctors did some other tests and put him on some medicine to decoagulate it which has had a great impact. His arm is now fine in appearance and he can move it just fine. That said, this situation is something you would not expect to see in an infant, but an older adult. So, it is a unique case and the doctors are conducting a number of other tests to insure it is hopefully just an isolated situation. More to come when we know it on this topic.

All in all, the babies are great: cute, adorable, suave, just like their father.

As for the stay in the hospital, we don't know how long they will be here yet, but hopefully we will have a roadmap in the next few days.

Now, let's look into the past of the whole labor ordeal. It is absolutely mind blowing. I still haven't registered the whole experience and might not ever completely, at least in words. It is truly an experience, something that you must experience live for a loved one to truly understand. Here's the time line:

Sunday 11:30pm - Go to Bed
Monday 2:10am - Katie wakes up and tells me she doesn't quite feel right. She goes to the bathroom and notices a small spot of wetness. Both of us want to go back to bed and try rationalize every way to justify doing so. "I just wish there was some definitive sign this was really it!"

2:30am - Definitive Sign Received

3:30am - Arrive at hospital with bags packed.

3:45am - Contractions start

4:30am - 5cm dilated

4:30-7:30am - Dilation to 8cm. The contractions during this time period are far more fierce and intense than the practice Braxton-Hicks contractions. Watch out all you expectant parents.

7:30am - Katie gets an epidural which is pure narcotic bliss. As expected, the anethestist was a cocky "I play with some serious drugs and it's legal" bastard. But he did a great job, so drug away! Everyone should get an epidural. There is no need with today's modern medicine to suffer. The contractions are enough.

8:18am - Doctor tests dilation and only has to reach in 1 inch to feel Baby A's head. The nurse asks, "Dad, would you like to touch your sons head?" Gasp, pause, "Um, sure." Crazilishisly awesome! I met my first son.

8:30am - Dilation to 10cm.

9:10am - Katie starts pushing. The rest is just freaking unbelievable. I've never witnessed anything so great. It was so amazing and exhausting.

9:57am - Thomas James Vnak is born, with his eyes wide open. Truly divine!

10:10am - The doctors are working with Katie to get Baby B to move down. Unfortunately, he is larger than Baby A, so the tunnel needs to get bigger. Ideally, Baby A is bigger than Baby B, but that was not the case.

10:12am - This part was the funniest part of the whole labor. Baby B's water had not yet "broke." So, the doctor starts jabbing this plastic needle to burst it with no success. Suddenly Katie starts contracting and pushing down while the doctor jabs and.....BOOOM! A giant water explosion shoots all over the doctors. Where the hell is a video camera when you need one? In my mind, I’m laughing my ass off in disbelief asking, "Did that honestly just happen?" Good lawd!!!!

10:14am - All of sudden Baby B's umbilical cord comes out, which is opposite of what is supposed to happen and Baby B's heart rate starts to drop. The attending docter quickly stepped in and whipped out a vacuum extractor, which honest to God looks like a Nerf gun. It has a very primitive operation. Step one: Insert. Step two: Pump. Step three: Pull. Shebamm!

10:17am - Joseph John Vnak is born, and is quickly attended to.


Katie is doing great. I like to call people all-stars, but she truly is the MVP of my all-star team. The recovery is not cakewalk. But drugs and warm baths do help. She is trying to rest so that she can focus on nursing, as the babies become ready.

We will update more in the future as news is appropriate and get some pictures uploaded once I get home.

It has begun!