*Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter they were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much*
It has been a month since we moved here to Houston. I absolutely love the house. It's been perfect for us. It's much better than our house in Tampa, it's bigger and it's more private. No one could ever find us if they wanted to. I like it that way. As soon as we arrived the house was painted the way we requested and the playroom I have for London and Kalea was just as amazing as their nursery. It was done with a land of make believe theme with unicorns, fairies, princesses and all that stuff but much to my dismay it is painted pink. I wanted lavender that I can work with; pink I cannot. I am not a pink type of person and don't want to push all that princess stuff onto my girls. We have everything set up even though for a week or so we were living out of boxes and eating takeout food we finally got everything ready and everything together. The first thing on Joe's list was to set up the nursery because it wouldn't be long before I was having my C-Section and we would be bringing them home from the hospital.
It took a good month to get settled into our home and Alani is adjusting to her new school, making new friends and now that we are settled Joe, Alani and me are on the way to the hospital on the morning of Joe's 32nd birthday so that I can have my C-section. I've been excited to meet these two little girls I've been carrying for almost 9 months. It feels like an eternity. I'm ready to hold them in my arms. "Today is the day we have our babies," says Joe with a smile as he takes my hand as he drives us to the hospital. His parents have flown into Houston as well as his sisters so they can be at the hospital with us. My mom and dad as well as Michelle will be in the waiting room. There's no denying that the babies will be spoiled and loved by their family. I don't want to be overwhelmed by the support of our families, I am glad they want to be involved but I don't want to be too overwhelmed after the girls are born.
"I can't wait. I am ready to meet them both. I'm going to miss feeling the movements, the kicks and the joy of carrying them but I'm excited to see how beautiful they are and how perfect they are and then in 5 years we can do it all again," I say with a smile as I look at him.
"So you want to do this all again in 5 years?" he asks with a smile.
"Yeah, Baby," I smile. "I want to do this all again in 5 years hopefully with a little boy that time around. I'm excited for our girls but I think you deserve to have a boy."
"Can it be a little sooner than 5 years? I'll be 37 years old by then I'm not sure I want to have a baby that close to 40."
"3 years?" I ask.
"That's better because we need at least 3 years between the girls and the next baby what if we have twins again?"
"Then we have twins again," I smile. "I have learned to expect it."
"And the chances are higher since twins run in both of our families not to mention you're a twin. What do we have to look forward to with London and Kalea?" he asks.
"I don't know a lot of competition. A lot of twins are very competitive with each other. I know Gun and I were very competitive with one another but we were also very close. Don't be surprised if they develop their own language. Gun and I had our own language only we could understand it."
"That should be interesting," he says as he pulls into the hospital parking lot. "Well, we're here," he says. "It won't be long now."
"It won't be long before I can stand up by myself, see my feet and hopefully not pee myself when I sneeze or cough. They tore up my bladder so I don't know if that's possible."
"You'll be fine," he smiles as he parks the car. He gets out and walks over to my side of the car after getting out my hospital bag that contains some clothes for me because I don't want to spend my 4 days in the hospital wearing a gown and want to be comfortable in my clothes as well as onesies for the girls and the girls' coming home outfits. "Do I need the carseats?" he asks as he helps me out of the car.
"Not till we're ready to leave. They don't want to see the carseats until our last day here," I say. "Getting out of this car is a workout," I say with a smile as Alani laughs at my struggle even with Joe's help. "Thanks, Baby," I say with a smile as he shuts the door behind me. We walk into the hospital holding hands he offers me a wheelchair but I don't need a wheelchair. I can walk. We make our way up to labor and delivery to sign in with the receptionist. Our families arrive shortly after and they are asked to wait in the waiting room while the doctor performs the C-section. I fill out paperwork before they come in to numb me and move me to an operating room.
I lay in the operating room while Joe gets scrubbed up with one of the nurses as I watch the doctor start preparing things for the C-Section. "How are you feeling today, Willow?" he asks. "Are you ready to have these babies?"
"I've been ready since March," I joke sort of. I have really been ready to deliver the babies since March but of course May 25th, is a much better date to have the babies because they are considered full term. If they would have come in March it would have been bad.
"It will all be over in the next couple of hours," he smiles. "Can you feel this?" he asks as I watch him hit my foot with an object. I shake my head no as Joe comes into the operating room dressed in mint green scrubs, his hair covered with a cap and his shoes covered with plastic. "Good," he says with a smile. "You're ready. And Dad how are you feeling today? Are you ready to share your birthday with your little girls?"
"I'm excited," says Joe with a smile. He wanted to record the birth but they wouldn't let him because of it being a C-Section besides I don't want him to record anything especially me being cut open and having two babies pulled out of my uterus. He can take as many pictures as he wants after they are born it doesn't matter to me. "I can't wait to see them."
"I can tell you're a proud father," he says with a smile. "I know the last time wasn't what you expected but I promise this time you will have a better outcome."
"I hope so," I say. "I'm scared," I say as I look up at Joe.
"Why are you scared?" Joe asks as he looks down at me. "You have nothing to be scared of. The doctor is going to do the C-section and soon we'll have two beautiful little girls we're going to love and spoil."
"I know but what if something happens with them like something happened with Koa? What if they have heart problems too?" I ask with tears in my eyes. "What if we lose them too?"
"Everything is going to be fine," he says with a reassuring smile. "Their hearts are healthy and their hearts are strong. Everything is going to be okay," he says. "I promise everything is going to be all right," he says with a smile. "I love you."
"I love you too," I smile as he leans down and kisses my lips softly. "Let's have some babies," I smile at the doctor.
"You ready?" he asks with a smile.
"We're ready," I say with a smile. The fear of something being wrong with one of the girls is still there. It doesn't leave me as he cuts me open. Joe holds my hand as the doctor and the nurses work. I watch as one of the nurses get two incubators ready each with a blanket for each of the babies. Joe watches as the doctor works and I say, "what's going on?"
"He's getting to your uterus," says Joe. "There's a lot of blood, more blood than I was expecting. How are you doing?" he asks as he runs his hand over my head.
"Good," I say. "I can't feel a thing."
The doctor continues his work on my stomach, cutting it open and getting to my uterus. It feels like an eternity as I wait for him to reach my baby girls. About fifteen minutes later he says. "Here they are." He pulls out baby one and says, "It's a girl!" Her cries fill the room once the nurse suctions out her mouth and her nose. I catch a glimpse of her as the nurse holds her in her arms. She has a head full of black hair, a lot of black hair.
"She's beautiful," says Joe with tears in his eyes. "She's beautiful."
"Dad would you like to cut the cord?" asks the doctor.
"Yes," he says as the nurse hands him a pair of scissors. She points to where he needs to cut and he cuts the cord. The nurse takes her to get cleaned up as the doctor delivers the next baby two minutes later.
"It's a girl!" he says with a smile. Her cries match her sister's as they suction her mouth and nose out. She has just as much hair as her sister and it's black too. Joe cuts her cord and the nurse takes her to get cleaned up as the doctor continues to work with me by delivering my placenta and then he starts closing me back up when he's finished.
"They're beautiful," says Joe with tears in his eyes. "Beautiful," he cries.
"Baby A was 6lbs. 2 oz." says the nurse as she hands her to Joe wrapped up in a pink blanket and a pink cap on her head covering her beautiful black hair. I never saw a baby other than Koa with so much hair in my life. They definitely aren't bald and it explains all my heart burn during pregnancy.
"That's a big baby for a twin," I say as Joe holds her in his arms. I smile at him. He's so happy to be holding one of his daughters. She looks exactly like him except her eyes are blue in color. "She's so pretty. She looks just like you," I smile with tears in my eyes. "Kalea Malia Calaway-Anoa'i," I say with a smile.
"Kalea Malia," he says with a smile. "Welcome to the world Little One. I've been waiting for you to come. Your mama and me are going to love you so much. I'm glad I can finally meet you and hold you in my arms. You're so beautiful," he says with tears in his eyes before he kisses her forehead. "Happy Birthday," he says making me smile. He puts Kalea into the first incubator as the nurse hands him baby 2.
"Baby B is 5lbs. 6 oz." she says handing the baby to Joe. She's definitely identical to her older sister Kalea. Everything about them is the same and I have no idea how we're going to be able to tell them apart. There's no way unless we come up with a little trick to be able to tell them apart. I'm surprised at how big they are for being twins most sets of twins aren't more than 5lbs each but Kalea is 6lbs while the next baby is 5lbs it all makes sense on why I was so big. "Congratulations."
"Thank-you," I say with a smile as I look at our baby girl in Joe's arms she's wrapped in a pink blanket with a pink cap covering her black hair too. She looks just like Joe as well and has the same blue eyes as Kalea. "I don't know how we are going to be able to tell them apart."
"I don't know either. We'll have to figure out a trick," he says with a smile. "Hello, Little One. I'm so happy to meet you. I've been waiting for your arrival, waiting to hold you and waiting to kiss you," he says before kissing her forehead. "I promise your mommy and I are going to give you and your sister the best life we can. We're going to love you so much and never stop loving you two. You have a whole family out in the waiting room that's waiting to see you," he says. "Happy Birthday," he says. He kisses her forehead. "London Jane Calaway-Anoa'i," he says with a smile. "How does that sound?"
"I love it. A special name for a special girl but do you think Kalea is too much. I mean her name is a mouthful compared to London's name. What if we changed her name? I'm not saying we should but I just want an opinion. Kalea Malia Calaway-Anoa'i is a lot. Can you imagine her graduation day or when she's in trouble because let's face it she is my daughter and she will be naughty too Kalea Malia might be a lot to say. What do you think?"
"I agree with you," he says. "She needs a different name. I love Kalea but it doesn't fit her. What about an L name?"
"I don't know," I say, "we have to figure it out. I kind of like Lydia and I like Mila for a girl. Lydia is also a character in Pride and Prejudice so what do you think of Lydia Joy Calaway-Anoa'i and London Jane Calaway-Anoa'i? Or what about Mila Rose Calaway-Anoa'i or Mila Kate Calaway-Anoa'i?"
"I like London and Mila together," he smiles. "I really like it. I like Mila Rose Calaway-Anoa'i," he says.
"Me too," I smile. "Mila Rose and London Jane, they are perfect names. Rose is my nana's middle name. My dad really wanted us to use a family name so he should be happy with Mila Rose."
"It's beautiful like her," he says, "but we are really going to need to tell them apart the struggle is going to be real," he says with a smile. He looks proud to be holding our daughter in his arms. I can't wait until I am able to hold them.
"Will you be breastfeeding or formula feeding?" asks the nurse as the doctor finishes stitching me back up.
"Breastfeeding," I answer. I know it's not going to be easy with twins but it's what I want to do and Joe supports my decision to breastfeed.
"Okay, once we get you settled into your room I'm going to need you to try to feed them."
"Okay," I say with a smile as I watch Joe bounce London back and forth as he smiles down at her. He's definitely a proud papa. It melts my heart.
Joe's Point of View:
Once the doctor gets Willow all stitched up they move her, Mila and London to their private room where both the girls will stay with Willow because she doesn't want them to stay in the nursery so she can get to them faster when they need to eat. Willow feeds both Mila and London at the same time and they both latch on not giving an issue which I know she's happy about because she was worried they wouldn't want to nurse but they gave no problem they were ready to eat. There's nothing more beautiful than watching my wife feed our daughters. She looks at them with so much love as she holds them and welcomes them to the world. "Mila and London, welcome to the world," she says with tears in her eyes. "You're going to love it here. Your daddy and I are going to give you the best life possible. I love you so much already. I never knew love at first sight could exist but then I sit here holding you two and I know that it is real," she says making me smile.
"Are they finished eating?" I ask.
"Yeah," she says. "They're finished."
"Are you ready for the family to come back?" I ask. "Or do you want a little more time with them?"
"You can bring the family back," she says with a smile. "By the way, Happy Birthday, Joe. This has to be the best birthday present you've ever gotten."
"It has been the best birthday of my life," I smile. "Thank-you," I say as I lean down and kiss her lips. "You did so good today. I love you, Baby Girl," I say with a smile.
"I love you too," she smiles. "Go get our family. I know they're growing impatient waiting."
"All right," I say before I walk out of the hospital room.
I walk into the waiting room and everyone jumps up. There are balloons and gift baskets for them from my family and Willow's family. "Are they here?" asks Mark.
"They're here," I smile. "Willow is ready for you to come meet them," I say. "Follow me."
We walk to Willow's room and I open the door as we reach it. It's like we have a party going on with as many people we have coming back with us with my mom, dad, my sisters, my nieces and my nephews, Willow's dad, her mom, Michelle, Kaia and Gracie and we can't forget the big sister Alani who I know has been ready to meet her baby sisters since she found out Willow was pregnant. We walk into room and Willow looks up at everyone and says, "Meet Mila Rose Calaway-Anoa'i and London Jane Calaway-Anoa'i."
"They are beautiful," says my mom. "They are so precious."
"I can't believe my little girl is a mother," says Mark with tears in his eyes. "They are beautiful. Congratulations," he says before he shakes my hand and then gives me a hug before he kisses Willow's forehead.
"Thank-you," she says with a smile.
"They look big for twins," says her mom. "How much did they weigh?"
"Mila was 6lbs and London was 5lbs. I never heard of such a thing," she says, "but it's the Samoan in them coming out."
"They are island girls for sure," says my mom with a smile. "Can I hold one?"
"Of course," says Willow with a smile.
"And all that hair," says Michelle. "Kai was bald when she was born. They are definitely not bald."
"Well, they get that from their dad," says Willow with a smile as she looks up at me. "Good hair runs in the family."
"Can I hold a baby?" asks Alani.
"Of course," I smile. "Have a seat and I'll hand Mila to you," I say.
"Okay, Dad," she says as she takes a seat and I take Mila from Willow and hand her to Alani.
"How are we going to tell them apart?" asks Alani as she looks down at her baby sister. "They look exactly the same."
"We're not sure yet," I say. "We have to do something. I'm guessing different outfits, different headbands. I have to make it easy. We are still trying to find something distinguishing that can tell them apart."
"That's going to be difficult since they are identical," says Mark. "At least I had one girl and a boy so it wasn't too difficult."
"They don't even look like Willow," says her mom.
"It's like I didn't have any part in making them," says Willow with a smile. "But they're beautiful. Their eyes are a light blue color so maybe they will have my eyes we'll have to wait and see."
"I've never met an Island baby with hazel, green or blue eyes," says my dad. "The Polynesian gene is strong."
"I don't disagree," says Willow with a smile.
"How are you feeling?" asks Mark.
"I'm starting to feel it. They have pain meds for me to take to help with the pain but I don't think I'm going to use them. I'm just going to suffer through the pain and I'm tired. I'm really tired. I didn't do much but I'm tired."
"You should get some rest," he says.
"She'll get rest once everything settles down in here and she feeds London and Mila."
"As long as she rests," he says, "how long are they keeping you?"
"4 days," she answers. "They said 4 days."
"Well, when you get home," says my mom, "we can help you out until you adjust to having twins."
"I think we'll be all right," says Willow. "Thank-you though but you are more than welcome to come stay with us to visit with the girls for a few days. I wouldn't mind that. There really isn't much that you can do anyway. I'm breastfeeding so I'll be doing most of the feedings."
"You'll see," says Michelle. "You're going to have a lot of housework and laundry to do. You're going to be really exhausted. You're going to need as much help as you can get. Take her up on her offer and of course you have your father and me."
"And me," says her mom. "We're all here to help you."
"Thank-you," I say with a smile. "I'm happy that everyone wants to help us with Mila and London. It means a lot to us. Thank-you," I say gratefully. I am grateful that we have so many people willing to help us out the first few weeks. I remember how exhausting it was with just Alani I can't imagine how exhausting it will be with twins.
Our family spends the afternoon into the early evening visiting with us and the babies. They give Willow presents for the babies which include diapers, outfits, plush animals, sleepers, onesies, blankets, a basket with bath supplies and a basket with diaper accessories. My mom also knitted each of the girls a baby blanket. Willow and our families even surprise me with a birthday cake to celebrate my birthday. As the evening wears on I can tell Willow is tired, both the babies are asleep so I inform our guests that it's time for them to go home so Willow can get some rest before Mila and London wake up to eat. They say their goodbyes and congratulate us once more before they leave. My parents take Alani back to our house to keep her while I stay at the hospital for a couple nights with Willow. Once they are gone Willow wastes no time falling asleep. I smile as she rests and I look into the incubators at our little blessings and see they are asleep. There is nothing more beautiful and sweet than seeing both my girls sleeping with their mouths open and one hand draped over their forehead. I've had some good birthdays in my life but my 32nd birthday has been the best of my life because it is the day Mila and London were born; two of the best birthday gifts I have ever gotten in my life.
*A/N: What did you think? Please review and thank-you for reading.