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Tuesday, February 9, 2010

An Occasion

Today I did something I've wanted to do for a long time. Reintroduce these strong, healthy girls to the many NICU nurses from 9 months ago. Ainsleigh and Annabelle did their part well: smiled, cooed, and kept the attention of about 7 nurses that came from their stations to see the "grown" Shiffler twins.

I couldn't believe it. There I stood in the exact place that used to represent everything new, scary, intimidating, and unknown, with my cheery, chubby, and aware almost 12 month old girls.

We've experienced the most hardship and exhaustion in our family this year. And today, standing there while nurses smiled down on my babies, it hit me: We've arrived. We're in the exact spot that I've told myself over and over again we would arrive at, all along desperately hoping I was right.

Today I looked down at Ainsleigh sucking on her new toy, and the sentiment returned when I realized that in assembling it last evening, many of the ribbons I chose were the exact ribbons I saved from their shower gifts.

That little taggie blankie now means something more. It connects their beginnings with the closure of the difficult early months. Active, predictable, playful girls are here to stay.

We've arrived. We've definitely arrived.

7 comments:

Ann said...

wonderful :)

Jared and Kari said...

Congratulations on your arrival! And might I say your twins are just beautiful--they look just like their mommy!

Lorrie said...

Oh Nicole, you've done so well...they are lovely little ladies! All four of them! Time passes quickly...mine will be 11 this June. Hard to believe.

ABC Mama said...

What a beautiful miracle! I swear we were just at your shower awaiting the arrival. I am so glad they are so healthy and happy! Way to go on not only making it but enjoying every step of the way!

Christine Mains said...

How exciting for you and the nurses to reunite where you, your family, and the twins spent so many weeks/days/hours of their new life almost a year ago. My grandmother was a night nurse for many years in the baby nursery while my dad grew up, and loved the babies she cared for, and had a lot of wonderful memories being with them in the late of hours of the night.

I cannot believe your twins are almost 1. It goes so fast. My twins will be 5, and all I can remember from their first year is how tired I was, and how cute they were.

Congratulations! You are an amazing mother!

Anonymous said...

Your girls are beautiful!
wow, they are almost 1 year old.
Look how much you went through, how much you achieved.
Amazing!

Eriko

Cindy said...

I don't know how you do it Nicole. You're an awesome mother! It was fun to see the itty bitty picture of your twin girls, they were so tiny!