Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Meeting Pa and Auntie Carrie
On June 4, 2010, Mac and Lincoln - at 5 days old - had their first visitors, Pa and Auntie Carrie. I had thought, many times, about the day that I would introduce the boys to my family...Who they thought they looked like, if they thought they were cute, if they would be as excited to meet them as I was to witness the meeting... After many texts and much anticipation for Pa and Auntie Carrie's arrival I saw my fathers car pull up infront of the house. Ryan, holding Mac, followed Lincoln and I out the front door all the while taping the interaction. In the moment, I was so excited to see my father and sister and show them the boys that I didnt necessaily take in all the emotion the moment held. Now, almost a month later after having viewed the footage multiple times, I find myself choking back tears as I watch my father and sister meeting my children. Its amazing how a Grandfather and Aunt who are, essentially, strangers to these two boys can hold so much love for them. I am, always, thankful for the amazing family I come from. My father, mother, brother and sisters are all hard working. They are all very loving and supportive and kind but most importantly they let themselves love without holding back. Its this trait of the Holligan family that I pride myself on and brag about to others. Its this trait that I hope Lincoln and Mac inherit and teach to their children. I look forward to watching this moment with my mother, brother, sister and grandmother...Knowing that each time it will be just as exicting, just as loving and I will be just as full of pride as the first time I "showed off" the boys to my father and sister
Brothers
"The closeness that twins experience is unique. Growing up in the same family, and the same age, they are in a unique position to share perspectives on life."
Its hard to remember a time, nor do I long too, before the arrival of Lincoln and Mac. I think of the boys as beings, individuals, asleep on my chest or quietly looking at their sweet little hands while lying next to one another in their cribs. I am so wrapped up in these perfect sweet beings as they are right now that it is hard to recall the feeling of being pregnant - The morning sickness, the exhaustion, and the feel of them moving inside me.
When I watch the boys I cant help but wonder if they too have difficulty recalling that they were ever together inside me. Does Mac recall Lincolns gentle kicks to the head and do they remember the sound of one another's heart beat? These are the things I find myself wondering while I watch them, sound asleep in their own little worlds with the edges of their mouths curling up in unconscious smiles. When I put the boys to bed together in the same crib, on their backs about a foot and a half apart and Mac rolls to his side facing Lincoln is that intentional. My gut tells me it is and the mother inside me thinks that he loves his brother so much that he wants his face to be the first thing he sees when he wakes up. What I can say for certain is that Lincoln and Mac are more at ease and fuss less when they are together.
Today, June 22, 2010 I put my little 3 week old boys down for a nap. When I went in to check on them a few minutes later this is what I found:
Mac, having been placed a foot and a half from his brother, had rolled over and had his hand resting on Lincolns head. I had never had something so simple fill my heart with such emotion. I am sure that some would say that it was just chance that Mac happened to roll in the direction of Lincoln but I know, without a doubt, he simply missed his brother.
Its hard to remember a time, nor do I long too, before the arrival of Lincoln and Mac. I think of the boys as beings, individuals, asleep on my chest or quietly looking at their sweet little hands while lying next to one another in their cribs. I am so wrapped up in these perfect sweet beings as they are right now that it is hard to recall the feeling of being pregnant - The morning sickness, the exhaustion, and the feel of them moving inside me.
When I watch the boys I cant help but wonder if they too have difficulty recalling that they were ever together inside me. Does Mac recall Lincolns gentle kicks to the head and do they remember the sound of one another's heart beat? These are the things I find myself wondering while I watch them, sound asleep in their own little worlds with the edges of their mouths curling up in unconscious smiles. When I put the boys to bed together in the same crib, on their backs about a foot and a half apart and Mac rolls to his side facing Lincoln is that intentional. My gut tells me it is and the mother inside me thinks that he loves his brother so much that he wants his face to be the first thing he sees when he wakes up. What I can say for certain is that Lincoln and Mac are more at ease and fuss less when they are together.
Today, June 22, 2010 I put my little 3 week old boys down for a nap. When I went in to check on them a few minutes later this is what I found:
Mac, having been placed a foot and a half from his brother, had rolled over and had his hand resting on Lincolns head. I had never had something so simple fill my heart with such emotion. I am sure that some would say that it was just chance that Mac happened to roll in the direction of Lincoln but I know, without a doubt, he simply missed his brother.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
The Arrival Of Lincoln and McCann
In the early morning on the day of Lincoln and Macs birth Ryan and I received the following letter from my mother, Gram Bea. I layed in bed attempting to read it aloud to Ryan. Overwhelmed with emotion and the knowledge that our 'ride' had begun years ago, Ryan waited patiently for me to choke back tears after every word and continue reading. The line of this letter that sticks with me most is "I am just so thankful that your parents decided to stay in line and have patience that their turn would come." Thank God we didn't give up, we are so thankful for Mac and Lincoln and look forward to the ride to come. Thanks Mom!
Dear Meghan, Ryan, Mac and Linc,
Here it is Memorial Day 2010 and your parents are sitting in a hospital in Cleveland Ohio about to start the ride of a life time, for them as parents and for the two of you as brothers.
No theme park in the world could ever make a ride that would compare to what the four of you are about to embark on. Its like a roller coaster, it starts off slow in the beginning just sitting in your seat waiting with anticipation for the ride to start... with your best friend by your side.....because who else do you want to share this experience over and over through out the years with, all the "REMEMBER WHENS". Then the ride starts and so does all the expectation, will it be everything you imagined or everything that people who have taken this ride before you tell you to expect. Being the people that you are you have to try it for yourself. All the sharp turns, the ups , the downs, dark tunnels followed by the light so bright it hurts your eyes, the screams of joy and of terror....all the while hanging on to your friend and the bar for dear life, for fear of any moment being flung from the ride.
As the ride continues you learn to anticipate the turns and start to lean into them to make the ride a little smother, you loosen your grip on the bar but never on your friend and start to enjoy the ride.
Mac and Linc your Uncle Adam, Aunts Tara and Carrie and your mother have all taken me on the ride of a LIFETIME that I would never have wanted to miss no matter how long the line, the cost, or the wait. I am just so thankful that your parents decided to stay in line and have patience that their turn would come.
What makes some people get off the ride and say"That was fun, but once is enough" and others shout " Lets Do It Again" I am not sure~
But for all of you PLEASE just sit back and enjoy the RIDE OF YOUR LIFE~
PWAH
There is not a one of you that I dont LOVE with my whole heart~
PS.....I wish that I had some wonderful story to go along with this analogy....but all that I have is this.........ONCE...I rode a roller coaster in Palisades Park NJ, and it scared the (shit) life out of me.
Here is how the most exciting part of our ride began:
For 29 years May 31st had come and gone just like any other day. However, my view of May 31st changed this year when, in the early morning hours of Monday, May 31, 2010 Ryan and I jumped out of bed with an excitment like no other. It was the day we had been praying and waiting for for years - We were going to be parents, finally. Through the excitment, we forced ourselves to slow down and take our time getting showered and dressed, and making sure our bags were packed with every conceivable item we might need from clothes to MP3 players.
Due at the hospital at 6:00am, Ryan was pacing the dining room and ready to leave at 5:15. Only able to put Ryan off about 10 minutes, we arrived at the Fairview Hospital birthing unit at 5:30. We checked in and were asked to "take a seat in the waiting room" to which I responded by giving Ryan that 'told you they wouldnt take me half an hour early' look and proceed to the waiting area where we anxiously waited to be called.
Dear Meghan, Ryan, Mac and Linc,
Here it is Memorial Day 2010 and your parents are sitting in a hospital in Cleveland Ohio about to start the ride of a life time, for them as parents and for the two of you as brothers.
No theme park in the world could ever make a ride that would compare to what the four of you are about to embark on. Its like a roller coaster, it starts off slow in the beginning just sitting in your seat waiting with anticipation for the ride to start... with your best friend by your side.....because who else do you want to share this experience over and over through out the years with, all the "REMEMBER WHENS". Then the ride starts and so does all the expectation, will it be everything you imagined or everything that people who have taken this ride before you tell you to expect. Being the people that you are you have to try it for yourself. All the sharp turns, the ups , the downs, dark tunnels followed by the light so bright it hurts your eyes, the screams of joy and of terror....all the while hanging on to your friend and the bar for dear life, for fear of any moment being flung from the ride.
As the ride continues you learn to anticipate the turns and start to lean into them to make the ride a little smother, you loosen your grip on the bar but never on your friend and start to enjoy the ride.
Mac and Linc your Uncle Adam, Aunts Tara and Carrie and your mother have all taken me on the ride of a LIFETIME that I would never have wanted to miss no matter how long the line, the cost, or the wait. I am just so thankful that your parents decided to stay in line and have patience that their turn would come.
What makes some people get off the ride and say"That was fun, but once is enough" and others shout " Lets Do It Again" I am not sure~
But for all of you PLEASE just sit back and enjoy the RIDE OF YOUR LIFE~
PWAH
There is not a one of you that I dont LOVE with my whole heart~
PS.....I wish that I had some wonderful story to go along with this analogy....but all that I have is this.........ONCE...I rode a roller coaster in Palisades Park NJ, and it scared the (shit) life out of me.
Here is how the most exciting part of our ride began:
For 29 years May 31st had come and gone just like any other day. However, my view of May 31st changed this year when, in the early morning hours of Monday, May 31, 2010 Ryan and I jumped out of bed with an excitment like no other. It was the day we had been praying and waiting for for years - We were going to be parents, finally. Through the excitment, we forced ourselves to slow down and take our time getting showered and dressed, and making sure our bags were packed with every conceivable item we might need from clothes to MP3 players.
Due at the hospital at 6:00am, Ryan was pacing the dining room and ready to leave at 5:15. Only able to put Ryan off about 10 minutes, we arrived at the Fairview Hospital birthing unit at 5:30. We checked in and were asked to "take a seat in the waiting room" to which I responded by giving Ryan that 'told you they wouldnt take me half an hour early' look and proceed to the waiting area where we anxiously waited to be called.
At 6:00am I was called in. I was asked the typical questions, put in a birthing room, hooked up to an IV and on my way to motherhood! With Ryan at my side we talked about Linc and Mac, what they would look like, when they would be born, how much they would weigh, if they would have hair...
At 8:30 the anesthesiologist came to place the epidural line.
Around 12:oo the doctor checked me and I was still 3cm, exactly the same as I had been for the past 4 weeks. The doctor decided to break my water and by 12:00 contracts had begun and I took a quick nap in preparation for things to come.
By 2:00 painful contractions set in and a quick check showed I was 6cm. At this time I asked for the medication to be administered through the epidural we had placed prior to the onset of the contractions. By 3:00pm I was 10cm and began pushing. By 3:30 we could see the top of Lincolns head and we were excited! However, I was exhausted already. I remember thinking there is no life experience in the world that prepares you for labor.
At 5:42pm on May 31, 2010 Lincoln Frederick Whitney was born. He weighed 6lbs, 12oz and had dark brown hair. He was amazingly beautiful, absolutely perfect. I was more in love then I thought that I would be and I was completely overwhelmed. A short 5 minutes later, at 5:47 pm McCann Russell Whitney arrived. Weighing in at 6lbs even Mac entered the world with dark gray eyes and beautiful red hair. The boys were cleaned up and then placed on my chest. having them both here, safe and seeing them -finally, was the most amazing experience of my life and I found myself thinking that there is no life experience in the world that prepares you for the birth of your children.
I am not sure what our ride will hold for us. I am certain that there will be moments that terrify me and make me want to close my eyes and pray for the smooth predictable part of the ride to return but even in these moments I know I will be thankful for my wonderful family and all the blessings God has given us.
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