Two months have passed. The nursery was completed, the search for a maid service that used as many natural products as possible was over, as well as finding a company that supplied them with nannies, who would work as a team to help care for the babies, laundry and cook, if needed. Luke and Noah purchased a GMC conversion van for when they all traveled together and two hybrid Escalades.
They started stocking up on baby supplies and purchased a second washing machine and dryer that matched the existing ones. Luckily, their laundry room was large enough but they did get rid of the bases for the existing washer and dryer, which put them a little about waist high and put a granite countertop that matched the rest of the room along the top of the machines was also added so that were extra counter space for all the laundry.
During the seventh month, Rose was beginning to have some issues, mostly due to her increasing size. Late in the seventh month, she was hospitalized with complete bed rest. Luke and Noah were at the hospital with Rose every day until finally around week thirty three, Christmas day, when they got the word that a caesarean section may have to be performed. The doctors were surprised the pregnancy was able to last this long.
Dr. Simms, who was Rose's perinatologist, walked up to Luke and Noah. "The small male is starting to show signs of distress. If things do not turn around soon, I think we may need to do a caesarean section." He explained medically what the issues and risks were. After he was finished, he left to call his team in.
Noah embraced Luke dotting feather light kisses to his face to somehow keep both of them calm from the worry about the babies.
Luke started to cry. "What happens . . .?" Neither Luke nor Noah had gotten over the loss of two of their babies.
"Don't you even think it!" Noah warned as he pulled back and wiped away Luke's tears. "They will all be fine."
"Are you sure?" Luke looked very vulnerable.
"I don't know Luke but we will deal with whatever happens . . . together." Noah replied with a lot of strength and then got excited. "Do you know what this means? We are going to have Christmas babies. I think we should call your parents now."
Sniffling away his tears, Luke pulled out his phone and dialed his mother's number.
Lily answered her phone. "Merry Christmas, Luke. How is everything out there?"
Noah put his ear next to Luke's, so he could hear the conversation. "We think it's time. The small male is starting to show signs of distress. The doctors want to do a caesarean section if his condition doesn't change."
"What on Christmas day?" Lily was shocked. "Mother . . . Mother." Luke could hear Lily yelling for Lucinda. "The babies are coming, call Wesley to get the plane ready." Luke could hear cheering in the background. Lily turned her attention to Luke. "We are at the farm. We just finished eating Christmas dinner. We will be on our way in a half hour."
Noah whispered to Luke. "Have her bring some leftovers."
"Noah said to bring some leftovers with you. We will keep you up to date." Luke said with a shaky voice.
Lily could tell Luke was scared. "Everything will be okay, baby. I just know it."
"I hope so, Mom . . . just get here." Luke pleaded and then hung up the phone. He looked at Noah. "I wish they were here already."
-P-
About an hour later, Luke and Noah were talking with Rose, trying to keep her calm with all the doctors and nurses running around poking and prodding her.
Noah spoke to her tummy. "Hey, little guy. This is your dad . . . we're going to get you, well, all of you out of there soon." A baby kicked and he could physically see the movement, which caused everyone in the room who saw it to start laughing. Noah started to tear up. "Watch out for your brother. We want to make sure that you all come out safely. It's Christmas day, so you will want to see Santa." Noah paused. "We really want to get to know all of you. Your Dad, Rose, your grandparents and I love you all very much. You just hang in there . . ." You could hear some sniffles going around the room.
Dr. Simms walked into the room. "The new test results are in and they are not any better. We feel we should do a caesarean section now before it turns into a critical situation."
"As long as Rose and the babies are okay, it is fine with us," Luke said.
"I've been ready." Rose was eager for the pregnancy to be over at this point.
"You can do it Rose," Noah said as a nurse grabbed him and Luke by the arm and pulled them out of the room to get ready.
As they were being dragged by the nurse, Luke dialed the phone and told his mom that the babies were about to be born and explained what was happening as they were changing into scrubs. As soon as they were wearing scrubs, he hung up the phone. Luke and Noah were rushed into a large room full of medical staff and medical equipment that included four incubators.
Each baby would have their own neonatologist and respiratory therapist and two nurses. Rose had a team of doctors in the event anything happened with her. There were several floating nurse practitioners and neonatologists in the room as well as several phlebotomists and radiologists, just in case they were needed.
-P-
Once the entire team entered the room, Dr. Simms took control of the room. "Keep monitoring the small male. He's under a little bit of distress but unless it gets worse, we shouldn't need to rush but let's prepare for the worst," Dr. Simms said. "Anytime you're ready Dr. Jamali."
Dr. Jamali was a plastic surgeon whose expertise was to cut and then stitch up the wealthy during caesarean sections in Hollywood. He would make sure the scar would be cut and sown up in the best possible way.
"Okay, here we go." Dr. Jamali made his cut and pulled the skin back exposing the womb.
Dr. Simms put his hands in Rose's womb and pulled out the first baby. "It's a boy," he said as he handed it to the first neonatologist. The baby started crying. Luke and Noah welled up with tears. Luke cut the cord on the first baby as Dr. Simms was busy getting the second baby ready.
Dr. Simms pulled out a second baby. "It's a girl." Noah cut the cord as the baby began to cry. The neonatologist ran off with it to the second incubator.
Dr. Simms pulled out the third baby. "It's another girl." She cried as soon as she was pulled out. Luke cut the cord on her and the third neonatologist too her to the third incubator.
"Noah, we need to do this quickly, just to be safe." Dr. Simms then pulled the fourth baby out. "It's a boy." Noah cut the cord quickly and the fourth neonatologist rushed off with it. The baby was not crying.
Luke and Noah were moved to the side of the room, away from the bed as they continued to look at the neonatologist and a respiratory therapist giving CPR to the last baby.
"Noah?" Luke said as Noah pulled him into a hug. Luke was getting more scared the longer the baby went without crying. "He's not . . ."
"It will be . . . ," Noah started but was interrupted by the last baby's loud cry.
"He's crying, Noah . . . he's crying," Luke said with excitement as he pulled Noah even closer to him. All they could do in that moment was hug and cry.
-P-
Noah looked over and saw Dr. Jamali stitching up Rose. He didn't seem to be in too much of a hurry, so he assumed all was good. There wasn't enough praise he could give Rose for what she had gone through for them.
"Merry Christmas, baby," Luke said to Noah pulling him into a kiss.
"Merry Christmas to you too," replied Noah putting his arms around Luke's waist.
A nurse walked up Luke and Noah. "Would you like to meet your babies?"
"Yes!" they both replied quickly.
They walked over to the first baby. "This beautiful boy is four pounds one ounce and sixteen inches long."
Luke took a look at the baby before him. He had black hair and blue eyes. No doubt, he was the spitting image of Noah. Luke looked at Noah and said "Harvey?" Noah shook his head yes. "Hi Harvey . . . your name is Harvey Bryant Snyder."
The nurse took out a tag and placed it on his arm and on the incubator. Luke had informed the nurses of the names they chose ahead of time, so they had the tags ready. They stayed there a few minutes talking to, touching and soaking in the features of the baby before they moved on to the next. They walked over to the second baby. "This beautiful girl is four pounds even and fifteen inches long."
She had light brown hair and brown eyes. Like the first time, Luke looked at Noah. "Emma?" Noah shook his head yes. "Hi Emma . . . your name is Emma Rose Snyder."
"She looks like Grandma," Noah smiled. Luke agreed.
The nurse put a tag on her arm and on the incubator. Again, they stayed a few minutes before moving on. They walked over to the third baby. "This beautiful girl is four pounds one ounce and sixteen inches long."
The third baby was another girl with black hair and blue eyes. "Hi Charlene Mary Snyder," Noah said.
The nurse put a tag on her arm and on the incubator. Again, they stayed a few minutes before they walked over to the forth baby. "This beautiful little boy is a little smaller at three pounds eight ounces and fourteen inches long."
He had light brown hair and brown eyes. "Your name is Bradley Walsh Snyder." The nurse put the last a tag on his arm and incubator.
"Is he okay?" Noah looked at the neonatologist. Bradley looked much smaller than his brother and sisters.
"He is more underweight than the others and it took him a minute to breathe but he seems healthy. We have fitted him with an oxygen mask just as a precautionary measure but he's breathing on his own just fine," explained the neonatologist.
"They are all just so adorable," they both couldn't look away from the babies.
Dr. Simms walked up to Luke and Noah. "All the babies are underweight, as we expected but they seem to be in good health otherwise. None of them show any signs of abnormalities but we will run more tests when we clean them up. Rose is stable and in recovery. We are going to keep her here for at least four to five days. We will be able to express breast milk for the babies."
Noah looked at everyone standing there. "We do not know how to thank all of you."
The nurse came back with pictures of the babies and handed them to Noah.
-P-
Luke and Noah spent about ten minutes going back and forth between each incubator talking to and touching their babies.
A nurse walked into the room. "We have a bossy old lady out here who is demanding to know information about the Snyder babies."
"That must be Lucinda," Noah tried not to laugh. "We are so sorry."
Luke spoke up in defense of his grandmother. "She can be a little demanding but she is very loveable."
"A little? She's demanding to speak with the on-duty administrator," the nurse exclaimed.
"She normally goes right to the top. We will take care of it," Noah replied, trying to suppress a laugh. They walked out into the hallway towards the nurses' station.
"We'd like to show the babies to my parents and grandparents in a private room, if we can."
"Give us about an hour, so we can clean them up and run more tests on them."
They could hear Lucinda down the hall complaining. They laughed as they ran down the hall.
"Grandmother!" Luke called out.
They all circled around Luke and Noah. "There you are. They wouldn't tell us anything."
"You have four healthy grandchildren."
After the congratulation hugs were exchanged, they decided to head down to the cafeteria. Noah separated himself for a few minutes as they waited for the elevator and apologized to the nursing staff and canceled the call to the administrator.
On the way down, Luke made a quick phone call. "Gino, its Luke Snyder. Have you been out to the hospital today yet? Good, you can deliver our order any time you want . . . yes, the big box and add an extra dozen of flowers." Luke told him the sexes, weights and heights of all the kids and he thanked Gino. He turned to Noah. "He was just coming over here so he will drop them off today."
"Drop what off, dear?" asked Lucinda.
"We want the doctors and nurses to take special care of our babies so we ordered some flowers and candy to show our appreciation."
"But it's Christmas day."
"Gino and his partner own the landscaping company that does the landscaping at the house but he also owns a florist shop. He delivers flowers to the hospital on Christmas day and usually brings extras for anyone who does not have family on Christmas."
"That is very nice. We may need to start that at Memorial." Lucinda was impressed.
When they got down to the cafeteria, Emma unpacked the leftovers from Christmas that Jack and Carly shoved in a bunch of tupperware containers. They had turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce and a few pieces from several different pies and cookies. Holden went up and purchased some drinks for them.
They sat down and started peppering the new dads with questions as they ate.
"You will just have to wait. The nurses are running tests and cleaning them up but we will have a private viewing for the babies in about an hour." Luke said with a devious smile on his face.
Luke and Noah gave them the weights and heights but not much else. They wanted them to be totally surprised. Noah told them everything that happened during the delivery. Luke and Noah were just finishing their lunch when Luke got paged that the babies were ready. They had cleaned up the table and threw out the trash.
"Thanks for bringing us the leftovers. It makes us feel like we are home. Everything was delicious, Grandma." Noah thanked Emma.
"They are ready, shall we go up?" Luke laughed when he and Noah suddenly became the only ones left at the table. They got up, and walked to the elevator holding hands.