These girls are phenominal. Tilly is watching me from her swing, having just awakened from a nap, while Poppy is standing up next to me, intrigued by the computer.
Yes I did say standing...not on her own, of course. She requires something to pull herself up, but if she had a license plate frame it would say: "I'd rather be standing." That child climbs on everything. If she could balance she'd already be walking. For now she's stuck crawling. And she crawls like a frog walking...you know, she insists on using her feet instead of her knees, but she can move.
Tilly on the other hand does things about 1 1/2-2 weeks after her sister. She just started crawling this week but her movements are more fluid, coordinated and deliberate than Poppy...more like a turtle than a frog!
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Sunday, June 10, 2007
The first 6.
Thursday marked the twins 6 month birthday. Absolutely amazing! Things are finally making sense...that is...things aren't such a blurr anymore. The girls are so much fun to be with now that they react and interact with us.
Breakfast celebration
They got to eat this treat...
Mommy and I got to enjoy this one!
Thursday, May 24, 2007
As messy as front row seats at the Gallager show.
Feeding Poppy last night was a train wreck. Every time we put a spoonful in her mouth, she would not spit it out so much as spray it out! Using her new-found raspberry technique, she would p-l-l-l-l-l (or however you would spell the raspberry sound) peas, sweet potatoes and bananas all over hitting mostly herself, Tilly and occasionally Mommy and me.
And all we could do was watch, laugh, and reload!
And all we could do was watch, laugh, and reload!
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
This blog seemed so do-able...
Little did I know how much time these 2 little darlings would take. When, finally, we get them to bed I don't really want to blog AND my brain has been in some sort of fog for the last 25 weeks. But I sense the fog may be clearing.
Tilly has been sleeping through the night for a few weeks now but Poppy needed a feed usually every 3 hours. With our lifestyle, sleeping through the night for us is from midnight to around 6am. That would give us a 6 hour stretch of potentially uninterrupted sleep rather than 3 hours we've (and by we, I mean Gina) been getting.
So, Poppy has been stretching her middle of the night feed to 5 hours a few times and then last night went from midnight to 6:30 this morning...Yippie!
We think it's because we've started feeding them solid foods. What a mess that is! Fortunately, they took to eating pretty quickly and easily...and can they eat! We just shovel it in and they take it. Sure a lot gets ejected but with a quick squeegee it's ready to re-shovel.
It now seems that we've found the missing piece of the "sleep through the night" puzzle. I really hope this isn't a phase!
They also don't seem to be teething as much, and I'm sure that is having an impact, too.
Whatever works! It'll be great to think clearly again...be able to blog...and to be able to type without making errors about every 3 words!
Tilly has been sleeping through the night for a few weeks now but Poppy needed a feed usually every 3 hours. With our lifestyle, sleeping through the night for us is from midnight to around 6am. That would give us a 6 hour stretch of potentially uninterrupted sleep rather than 3 hours we've (and by we, I mean Gina) been getting.
So, Poppy has been stretching her middle of the night feed to 5 hours a few times and then last night went from midnight to 6:30 this morning...Yippie!
We think it's because we've started feeding them solid foods. What a mess that is! Fortunately, they took to eating pretty quickly and easily...and can they eat! We just shovel it in and they take it. Sure a lot gets ejected but with a quick squeegee it's ready to re-shovel.
It now seems that we've found the missing piece of the "sleep through the night" puzzle. I really hope this isn't a phase!
They also don't seem to be teething as much, and I'm sure that is having an impact, too.
Whatever works! It'll be great to think clearly again...be able to blog...and to be able to type without making errors about every 3 words!
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Daddy...
That was the first thing out of Tilly's mouth around 4:40 this morning. It was clear as day...daa-dee. As I was popping a paci back into Poppy's mouth, I said "I'm right here darling."
It was even in a regular speaking voice, not the rather erratic, excited burst that so much of their talking is. Usually she says something that sounds like daa-bprrr. That would be "daa" and a raspberry sound.
Now I must say that although I'm quite impressed with how much they are actually doing, I know she hasn't yet associated me to these sounds. Mommy has been teaching her to say Daddy for a while because she wants the girls to call for me first...not her! Daddy Daddy Daddy. Won't that be fantastic!
Regardless, it was sweet to hear.
It was even in a regular speaking voice, not the rather erratic, excited burst that so much of their talking is. Usually she says something that sounds like daa-bprrr. That would be "daa" and a raspberry sound.
Now I must say that although I'm quite impressed with how much they are actually doing, I know she hasn't yet associated me to these sounds. Mommy has been teaching her to say Daddy for a while because she wants the girls to call for me first...not her! Daddy Daddy Daddy. Won't that be fantastic!
Regardless, it was sweet to hear.
Friday, April 06, 2007
Does anyone remember laughter?
The girls are both giggling. It is one of the most beautiful sounds ever. Pure unabashed and uncontrolable laughter. I can't explain fully to those of you that don't have children...I didn't know it til this week...but it is something that everyone should experience.
Yesterday made 17 weeks.
I know, I know...it's been a very long time since I've posted anything. I've had great intentions but then I sit down to write and the girls demand attention.
They've gotten so much bigger...they've tripled their birthweight. At the last weigh-in Tilly was 13lbs 3oz and Poppy was 12lbs 1oz. And they're long. We haven't measured their length lately but Poppy can just about touch one rail with her head and the other with her feet. We're going to have to use the co-sleeper as a crib in no time.
We are working on getting them sleeptrained. Tilly can go for about 6 hours between feeds but Poppy barely makes it to 3 hours...though she has made it 4 1/2 hours a couple of times. Actually, that's not fair. We dream feed her every 3 hours until the midnight feeding and then she wakes us up for her overnight bottles.
But they are sleeping. For a while we were having the worst time with Poppy. That is until we realized she wasn't getting enough sleep. Her bewitching hour was sometime from 4 to 7pm. She would become overstimulated and frusterated and then all hell would break loose! There was little we could do to appease her other than to swaddle her and hold her. Now we put her down for more naps (even if they're only 30min catnaps!) and put her to bed earlier. It has made such a difference...she wakes with a smile on her face, they both do.
We're convinced that Tilly can already "Hi"! Well that's what we'd like to think. We always smile big and say hi to the girls then they smile big...and I mean BIG. Does she really say "hi"? She does. Does she know what she's saying and what it means...not a chance! But she does say it at the appropriate time and she is just so damn cute!
They've gotten so much bigger...they've tripled their birthweight. At the last weigh-in Tilly was 13lbs 3oz and Poppy was 12lbs 1oz. And they're long. We haven't measured their length lately but Poppy can just about touch one rail with her head and the other with her feet. We're going to have to use the co-sleeper as a crib in no time.
We are working on getting them sleeptrained. Tilly can go for about 6 hours between feeds but Poppy barely makes it to 3 hours...though she has made it 4 1/2 hours a couple of times. Actually, that's not fair. We dream feed her every 3 hours until the midnight feeding and then she wakes us up for her overnight bottles.
But they are sleeping. For a while we were having the worst time with Poppy. That is until we realized she wasn't getting enough sleep. Her bewitching hour was sometime from 4 to 7pm. She would become overstimulated and frusterated and then all hell would break loose! There was little we could do to appease her other than to swaddle her and hold her. Now we put her down for more naps (even if they're only 30min catnaps!) and put her to bed earlier. It has made such a difference...she wakes with a smile on her face, they both do.
We're convinced that Tilly can already "Hi"! Well that's what we'd like to think. We always smile big and say hi to the girls then they smile big...and I mean BIG. Does she really say "hi"? She does. Does she know what she's saying and what it means...not a chance! But she does say it at the appropriate time and she is just so damn cute!
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Chances are, if you're reading this blog you already know what I do for a living. I thought I was prepared having walked dogs for 10 years, but no. Dog poop may have taken the edge off but there is definitely a difference in...scent. Not to mention texture!
Maybe if we got the girls on some sort of kibble...really good kibble, of course.
Maybe if we got the girls on some sort of kibble...really good kibble, of course.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Tomorrow makes 11.
11 weeks that is. Seems like forever since I've blogged but time does have a way of slipping away and my mind isn't as sharp as it was before they arrived. It's not just the sleep disruption, I get plenty of sleep...just not uninterrupted. It's more just the mind numbing of doing the same series of things every 3 hours or so. Feed, burp, change, try to comfort to sleep. Or if we really want to spice it up we'll change them before we feed them! It seems the only thing that changes is what's on the television.
They are sleeping in their crib at night now...and it was painless. We were worried that we'd have problems getting them from our bed to theirs...including the whole "cry it out" thing. We started putting them in after their midnight feeding and left them in until whatever time they awoke for the next . Then they'd be in bed with us until the first morning feed. Then we started putting them back after their middle of the night feeding and they would sleep til morning. Now we try to put them in after the 9pm feeding.
They've also been sleeping longer through the night. We went to the cabin 2 weeks ago and the girls slept in their pack and play from midnight-ish until nearly sun up. It turned out to be somewhere between 5 and 6 hours. We thought it may have been all the excitement of the ride and getting there but they've been pretty consistent at getting 5 hours in a stretch. I prefer they sleep from midnight til 5am...or 6am would be even better. But on Monday, Grandma and Grandpa M came down and watched them so Gina and I could go have a wonderful dinner for our 7th anniversary. They took care of them overnight, while we slept downstairs, and put them down after the 9pm feeding and let them sleep through their midnight feed. We did that again last night but they woke up incredibly hungry around 3:30am. I think tonight we'll wake them for the midnight and let them sleep til morning.
Now that I write this I'm quite happy. I know everyone talks about the 7 to 7 sleep. Sure that will be great but I'm quite happy with 9 to 6...actually it is closer to 7! They still need a feeding sometime in the middle of the night even when they are sleeping from 7 to 7 so we're close and it was all so sudden.
We had their 2 month checkup last week. The girls are both 22 inches long. They've grown 4 1/2" - 5"...basically from the knee down! And they weigh 10lb 8oz for Tilly and 9lb 9oz for Poppy. They are in the 50th and 25th percentile respectively. We're told preemies catch up by the time they reach 2 years old so the doctors are happy they're on the curve already.
New things they're doing:
Smiles and grins
Laughs and giggles (without being tickled!)
I caught Tilly sucking on her fingers, or trying to...her thumb is still tucked firmly in her fist.
Life is good.
They are sleeping in their crib at night now...and it was painless. We were worried that we'd have problems getting them from our bed to theirs...including the whole "cry it out" thing. We started putting them in after their midnight feeding and left them in until whatever time they awoke for the next . Then they'd be in bed with us until the first morning feed. Then we started putting them back after their middle of the night feeding and they would sleep til morning. Now we try to put them in after the 9pm feeding.
They've also been sleeping longer through the night. We went to the cabin 2 weeks ago and the girls slept in their pack and play from midnight-ish until nearly sun up. It turned out to be somewhere between 5 and 6 hours. We thought it may have been all the excitement of the ride and getting there but they've been pretty consistent at getting 5 hours in a stretch. I prefer they sleep from midnight til 5am...or 6am would be even better. But on Monday, Grandma and Grandpa M came down and watched them so Gina and I could go have a wonderful dinner for our 7th anniversary. They took care of them overnight, while we slept downstairs, and put them down after the 9pm feeding and let them sleep through their midnight feed. We did that again last night but they woke up incredibly hungry around 3:30am. I think tonight we'll wake them for the midnight and let them sleep til morning.
Now that I write this I'm quite happy. I know everyone talks about the 7 to 7 sleep. Sure that will be great but I'm quite happy with 9 to 6...actually it is closer to 7! They still need a feeding sometime in the middle of the night even when they are sleeping from 7 to 7 so we're close and it was all so sudden.
We had their 2 month checkup last week. The girls are both 22 inches long. They've grown 4 1/2" - 5"...basically from the knee down! And they weigh 10lb 8oz for Tilly and 9lb 9oz for Poppy. They are in the 50th and 25th percentile respectively. We're told preemies catch up by the time they reach 2 years old so the doctors are happy they're on the curve already.
New things they're doing:
Smiles and grins
Laughs and giggles (without being tickled!)
I caught Tilly sucking on her fingers, or trying to...her thumb is still tucked firmly in her fist.
Life is good.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
8 Weeks and counting
Well tomorrow, Thursday, makes 8 weeks. Where has the time gone?
I know, I know...I've been really bad about writing. Sorry. Honestly, it's hard to find the time I had before and with the lack of sleep it's difficult to string these words together in any sort of coherent, entertaining sort of way.
Everyone that has children assures me that sleep will come eventually. I sure hope so!
Shelly came up and took some great pics of the girls. If all goes well, they'll be in Wonder Times magazine sometime around June or July.
Here's a few of the shots but I'll try to get more up soon. Time to feed...enjoy!
BTW-The other cutie is my niece Sophie.
I know, I know...I've been really bad about writing. Sorry. Honestly, it's hard to find the time I had before and with the lack of sleep it's difficult to string these words together in any sort of coherent, entertaining sort of way.
Everyone that has children assures me that sleep will come eventually. I sure hope so!
Shelly came up and took some great pics of the girls. If all goes well, they'll be in Wonder Times magazine sometime around June or July.
Here's a few of the shots but I'll try to get more up soon. Time to feed...enjoy!
BTW-The other cutie is my niece Sophie.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
As I write this, Poppy is laying with her head in the crook of my elbow. So excuse me if my typing is off!
I can sit here for hours and just look at her. The way her eyebrows are starting to grow in while the hair on her head is disappearing...though it looks like there is new peach fuzz to make up the difference.
But the way she moves her lips, the way she turns deep red and back to normal coloring in a matter of seconds, and the way she goes from a peaceful, almost angelic, expression to one of pure frustration instantly, all amaze me.
We went to the pediatrician today for our 1 month check up (really 5 weeks). The girls have both put on more than 3 pounds since birth. Poppy weighed 7lbs 2oz and Matilda was 7lbs 9oz. Both were 19.5" in length.
Gina said it's no wonder they're fussy, we'd be fussy too if we just about doubled our weight in a month. I guess I'll cut them some slack...for now!
I can sit here for hours and just look at her. The way her eyebrows are starting to grow in while the hair on her head is disappearing...though it looks like there is new peach fuzz to make up the difference.
But the way she moves her lips, the way she turns deep red and back to normal coloring in a matter of seconds, and the way she goes from a peaceful, almost angelic, expression to one of pure frustration instantly, all amaze me.
We went to the pediatrician today for our 1 month check up (really 5 weeks). The girls have both put on more than 3 pounds since birth. Poppy weighed 7lbs 2oz and Matilda was 7lbs 9oz. Both were 19.5" in length.
Gina said it's no wonder they're fussy, we'd be fussy too if we just about doubled our weight in a month. I guess I'll cut them some slack...for now!
Monday, January 08, 2007
Maybe it's just gas.
The girls have started smiling, it seems intentionally. They really smile for Gina especially when she tickles their face.
She even noticed that they do things with a day or 2 of each other. Tilly was smiling a couple of days ago and Poppy started today. They've both really started to focus on things but they still have little control over their extremities.
I'm continually amazed at their progress. Not that our girls are doing anything different than other babies their age. I guess it would be better to say I'm amazed at how quickly they, meaning all babies, develop. I know it's minor compared to the previous 36 weeks (going from 1 cell to a baby and all!), but it seems major because it's happening right before our eyes and our eyes are always on them.
She even noticed that they do things with a day or 2 of each other. Tilly was smiling a couple of days ago and Poppy started today. They've both really started to focus on things but they still have little control over their extremities.
I'm continually amazed at their progress. Not that our girls are doing anything different than other babies their age. I guess it would be better to say I'm amazed at how quickly they, meaning all babies, develop. I know it's minor compared to the previous 36 weeks (going from 1 cell to a baby and all!), but it seems major because it's happening right before our eyes and our eyes are always on them.
Downtime
Finally there is some downtime. Gina is off getting a mani-pedi and I am watching the girls. Poppy is sleeping...finally! And Tilly is sitting next to me fighting the urge to sleep. She just keeps looking around with eyes wide open, but blinking slowly, and making her dolphin-like sounds.
Yes, she has a unique sound...or should I say sounds. Sometimes it's like a dolphin calling er pod and some of them are like seagull. We just can't pinpoint the sounds. And she makes noise when she's feeding, too. And when she sleeps. And when she poops. She just made a winnie sound like a horse. I have no idea what it all means.
We went up to the cabin on Saturday for the night. They did great in the car, sleeping most of the time, and did fine up the river. Last night for the ride home they were dressed in the same outfits they wore home from the hospital, and the fit!!! I'll try to get new pics of them posted but for now, scroll down to the pics of them in their car seats and imagine them fitting into those outfits...in less than 5 weeks. I was blown away.
Sure, I know they've been growing but I had no idea how much. They packed on the weight when we first brought them home but we haven't been to the doctor since a week after we came home and they don't feel heavy like they did that first week. So Thursday we'll find out just how much they've grown, as we have an appointment with the pediatrician.
Personally, I hope they're pushing 8 pounds so they'll fit "properly" into the Baby Bjorn. We put them in it now but they're swaddled so they can't be that comfortable. I don't think they'll weight 8 pounds but they've got to be over 6 because they're both in "newborn" diapers and the "premies" only went to 6 pounds.
Thursday they'll also be 5 weeks old. It's absolutely amazing that it's been 5 weeks and I have absolutely no idea where the time went. I remember the hospital stay well but after that it's all a blurr. I'm afraid just how quickly time is going to pass.
Yes, she has a unique sound...or should I say sounds. Sometimes it's like a dolphin calling er pod and some of them are like seagull. We just can't pinpoint the sounds. And she makes noise when she's feeding, too. And when she sleeps. And when she poops. She just made a winnie sound like a horse. I have no idea what it all means.
We went up to the cabin on Saturday for the night. They did great in the car, sleeping most of the time, and did fine up the river. Last night for the ride home they were dressed in the same outfits they wore home from the hospital, and the fit!!! I'll try to get new pics of them posted but for now, scroll down to the pics of them in their car seats and imagine them fitting into those outfits...in less than 5 weeks. I was blown away.
Sure, I know they've been growing but I had no idea how much. They packed on the weight when we first brought them home but we haven't been to the doctor since a week after we came home and they don't feel heavy like they did that first week. So Thursday we'll find out just how much they've grown, as we have an appointment with the pediatrician.
Personally, I hope they're pushing 8 pounds so they'll fit "properly" into the Baby Bjorn. We put them in it now but they're swaddled so they can't be that comfortable. I don't think they'll weight 8 pounds but they've got to be over 6 because they're both in "newborn" diapers and the "premies" only went to 6 pounds.
Thursday they'll also be 5 weeks old. It's absolutely amazing that it's been 5 weeks and I have absolutely no idea where the time went. I remember the hospital stay well but after that it's all a blurr. I'm afraid just how quickly time is going to pass.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
The Motherload!
Finally I know! Sorry for the delay with your picture "fix". I wish I had a better excuse than "twins" but that'll have to suffice...this time. Hope you enjoy them and here comes the disclaimer...these are pretty much all we have at the moment. There will be more. But for now this is it! I'll try to write more soon, too. That is, after all the Christmas decorations come down and I've had enough sleep to actually think while I write.
Please feel free to leave a comment, and please use the "other" option or sign it so we will know who you are!
Happy looking!
Please feel free to leave a comment, and please use the "other" option or sign it so we will know who you are!
Happy looking!
Sunday, December 31, 2006
A Truly Happy New Year
2006 has turned out to be one of the best of my life. Now that I think about it with the twins and buying the house in Monte Rio, it's probably been THE biggest for sure. And here I sit writing this and I don't feel that much different than I did last year at this time...maybe a bit more tired due to the now 3AM feedings, but overall very much the same.
Then again maybe I'm delerious or demented. The days seem to melt together like a grilled cheese sandwich. One feeding and diaper change runs into the next and I have a hard time remembering details about what happened at the last one...or maybe it was the time before that...no... it was 2 days ago...yeah, now I remember.
Then again maybe I'm delerious or demented. The days seem to melt together like a grilled cheese sandwich. One feeding and diaper change runs into the next and I have a hard time remembering details about what happened at the last one...or maybe it was the time before that...no... it was 2 days ago...yeah, now I remember.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
What's in a name?
How did we come up with the names? More than a few have wondered, so here it is in a nutshell.
Turns out we both decided on their first names and then each chose a middle name.
Poppy Sarafina Rose - Gina sent me a list of names she liked and her favorite was Poppy. It took a while, but the name really grew on me. Sarafina is a derivation of her Mother's name Sarah. And Rose is my Mother's middle name.
Matilda Hope Andreana - Matilda was also proposed on that list and it's a name that I've loved ever since the Steve Martin movie "A Simple Twist of Fate". There was an adorable little girl in the movie who was named, you guessed it, Matilda. Coincidentally, there is a distant Grandmother, and I mean distant, in Gina's family that also shares the name. Hope is a tribute to our first born Teagan Hope. And Andreana is a derivation of my middle name Andrew, which was also my Grandfather's name.
That's it in a nutshell...still it took us 4 days after they were born to commit to them.
Gotta go...Time to feed.
Turns out we both decided on their first names and then each chose a middle name.
Poppy Sarafina Rose - Gina sent me a list of names she liked and her favorite was Poppy. It took a while, but the name really grew on me. Sarafina is a derivation of her Mother's name Sarah. And Rose is my Mother's middle name.
Matilda Hope Andreana - Matilda was also proposed on that list and it's a name that I've loved ever since the Steve Martin movie "A Simple Twist of Fate". There was an adorable little girl in the movie who was named, you guessed it, Matilda. Coincidentally, there is a distant Grandmother, and I mean distant, in Gina's family that also shares the name. Hope is a tribute to our first born Teagan Hope. And Andreana is a derivation of my middle name Andrew, which was also my Grandfather's name.
That's it in a nutshell...still it took us 4 days after they were born to commit to them.
Gotta go...Time to feed.
The whirlwind cometh.
It was a day like any other day. I took a group of dogs out, came home, had a bit of something to eat and then we went to the hospital around 3pm. We sat in the pre-op room for about 2 hours while they ran an IV. The anesthesiologist, Paul, was the one that got the stick and turned out to be the favorite player in this game. He gave us the heads up about what to expect. I would be sitting with him, at Gina's head, behind the curtain.
"Can we take pictures and a video?" said I.
"There are signs posted that say you can't, but if anyone says anything tell them I said it was ok." he said.
The Grandparents -1 came in quickly to say hello and then headed up to the waiting room, then I changed into my "scrubs". Actually it was a paper-like fibrous suit that had so much static in it because of the weather.
Shortly thereafter (actually after our 5pm scheduled start time) we headed up ourselves.
Shelby had me wait in the hall while she brought Gina into the O.R. to get her prepped for surgery. Not more than a couple minutes later she came out and said they were letting me in early. I think it was Paul that gave the ok on that, too.
I was told not to touch anything...ANYTHING, so I just stood in the middle about 3' from anything.
Gina got her spinal and I got into position at beside her head. The surgeons suited up, washed up and came in.
Dr. Green was the primary surgeon. She did the proper introduction of the other surgeon that would be working with her and qualified him, them, as the team that has probably delivered more twins than anyone in San Francisco...at least at CPMC. She did introduce the co-surgeon, but never herself. Gina had appointments with her but I wasn't able to attend so I didn't know her from those. And when I say never introduced herself, I mean, not in the O.R., not in the hospital room when she was making rounds, not in the hallway. I still haven't "met" her! I mentioned it to a couple of the nurses and they weren't surprised at all! If I had anything to complain about it would be that...and that nobody really checked the juice machine to see if it was low or out of concentrate so they could defrost some more and have a continuous supply (good thing I worked in a restaurant and knew how to use the microwave!) but that's all.
Back to the story...They put a cover on Gina that had some sort of adhesive "window" that was placed over her belly, where they were going to do the c-section and unfolded it over her legs and towards her head, where it was clamped up to become the curtain. It was perfect because I didn't really want to see what was going on "down there".
So Paul, took a video of us while we were waiting for things to begin. The teams that would take the babies and clean them up came in and were in position.
I smelled something funny, like buring hair and thought it was just the heat lamps above where the girls would be placed to clean them. Then I hear Dr. Green say, "I went in right through the old scar." Turns out that buring hair and skin smell quite similar. I know that sounds awful but the scalpel cauderizes the incision as it cuts to prevent bleeding.
So Dr. Green says, "Time." And Paul says, "I've got 51." I am sitting there, camera running and waiting for them to hold the girls up over the curtain when I hear, "Daddy, do you have your camera ready."
With that, I stood up and was in time to see Baby A being pulled out and flipped down onto Gina's legs. The put the first clamp on the umbilical cord, then the second and then a cut, followed by a pass of a very floppy, flailing baby to the first team for clean up.
From where I was standing I had a great shot at them wiping her off and suctioning out her mouth and bundling her up, amidst a constant cry, one of the most beautiful sounds EVER!
Gina was craning her head, trying to get a glimpse of her.
I turned the camera back just in time to see them cutting the cord on Baby B and then the pass of her, also floppy and flailing, to the team that would clean her up. Now there were beautiful sounds in stereo.
Gina said I was sobbing when I saw them...If I was it isn't on the video, not even the audio, so I don't believe it! I was definitely tearing up, maybe even crying, but not sobbing. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
So they bundled them, in a big poofy Christmas Story down jacket sort of way, and brought them over so we could see them and I had the honor and privelege of holding one for the first time, again Paul got it on video. We were both crying and then they put them into a crib together and said this baby train is leaving. So I got onboard and headed for destinations unknown while they finished the surgery.
We passed 3 of the grandparents enroute to the Wellness Nursery.
Once inside, didn't let up a bit. The girls were quickly taken from their lucite crib, unwrapped and placed under a warming element like a cheeseburger and fries waiting to go out to the table. They were each weighed and measured. Matilda was 4lbs 8oz and 18" long, Poppy was 4lbs 0oz and 17" long. They put ointment into their eyes, gave a vitamin K injection, manipulated their legs to check their hip sockets, pricked their foot to test for blood sugar levels and gave them a bottle. I don't know how long this took, but it seemed like 2 minutes.
There was an Asian family looking at the girls as they were checked out and boy did they look happy. It dawned on me that I should call the grandparents and have them come down to the nursery to get the first glimpse of the new arrivals.
In no time their familiar faces were peering in...their noses might even have been pressed against the glass!
So I'm rolling video with my right hand and snapping pictures with my left and the grandparents are taking pics looking in. And it's a good thing we have the documentation as the whole thing was, and is, such a blur.
So I leave the nursery and stop to visit with the 3 grandparents (the Trio) on the way to Recovery to see Mommy. Of course they want to know names. We had managed to keep them secret until now...mostly because we hadn't really decided on them. So I tell them that one is named Matilda and the other is Poppy.
They weren't thrilled. They weren't even amused. The looks on their faces spoke volumes, and immediately wanted to know if they could call them something else. To which I blurted out, "You'll call them what we say you'll call them!"
It was a rude and defensive reaction on my part and it hurt feelings, for which I'm sorry. But this was the happiest day of our lives and I was just told, in not so many words, "we don't really like the names you've chosen." Gina's dad thought she was kidding when she told him the names.
It must be generational...the grandparents and their generation don't much care for their names but our friends love them. Interesting...very interesting. Kind of like when I had long hair!
So the grandparents went to get some dinner and I went to Recovery to see Gina. While we waited for Gina to get discharged to her (our) room, I called her Dad and told him the good news.
We finally made it up to the room as the Trio was coming back from dinner with their pet name for Matilda...Tilly. Little did they know that Gina and I had came up with the same pet name for her while in Recovery.
As I finish this it's 2 weeks later and I can't remember if I went to the nursery to get the girls or if they brought them in to see us. It's all such a blur.
A 4 day blur with a few lucid moments!
That first night I learned how to hold them for feeding and burping, how to change their diapers, where to get lemonade, how to find the nursery, how to make up the cot, 2 ways to swaddle.
Mostly we just looked at the girls. Little hands, little feet, tiny noses. Beautiful, just beautiful. Much like our time spent with Teagan, we just marvelled at their beauty and perfection and the miracle that they are.
There was a lot of that the entire time. It was all so surreal but in the end we got to take them home with us.
Reality has hit...usually around 4 in the morning these last couple of days! A little sleep deprivation and I'm having a hard time thinking straight!
"It's only temporary"...that's what I'm told. That is more like a mantra...no...
Maybe it's more like a prayer... does anyone know if there's a Saint for peaceful nights and restful sleep?
"Can we take pictures and a video?" said I.
"There are signs posted that say you can't, but if anyone says anything tell them I said it was ok." he said.
The Grandparents -1 came in quickly to say hello and then headed up to the waiting room, then I changed into my "scrubs". Actually it was a paper-like fibrous suit that had so much static in it because of the weather.
Shortly thereafter (actually after our 5pm scheduled start time) we headed up ourselves.
Shelby had me wait in the hall while she brought Gina into the O.R. to get her prepped for surgery. Not more than a couple minutes later she came out and said they were letting me in early. I think it was Paul that gave the ok on that, too.
I was told not to touch anything...ANYTHING, so I just stood in the middle about 3' from anything.
Gina got her spinal and I got into position at beside her head. The surgeons suited up, washed up and came in.
Dr. Green was the primary surgeon. She did the proper introduction of the other surgeon that would be working with her and qualified him, them, as the team that has probably delivered more twins than anyone in San Francisco...at least at CPMC. She did introduce the co-surgeon, but never herself. Gina had appointments with her but I wasn't able to attend so I didn't know her from those. And when I say never introduced herself, I mean, not in the O.R., not in the hospital room when she was making rounds, not in the hallway. I still haven't "met" her! I mentioned it to a couple of the nurses and they weren't surprised at all! If I had anything to complain about it would be that...and that nobody really checked the juice machine to see if it was low or out of concentrate so they could defrost some more and have a continuous supply (good thing I worked in a restaurant and knew how to use the microwave!) but that's all.
Back to the story...They put a cover on Gina that had some sort of adhesive "window" that was placed over her belly, where they were going to do the c-section and unfolded it over her legs and towards her head, where it was clamped up to become the curtain. It was perfect because I didn't really want to see what was going on "down there".
So Paul, took a video of us while we were waiting for things to begin. The teams that would take the babies and clean them up came in and were in position.
I smelled something funny, like buring hair and thought it was just the heat lamps above where the girls would be placed to clean them. Then I hear Dr. Green say, "I went in right through the old scar." Turns out that buring hair and skin smell quite similar. I know that sounds awful but the scalpel cauderizes the incision as it cuts to prevent bleeding.
So Dr. Green says, "Time." And Paul says, "I've got 51." I am sitting there, camera running and waiting for them to hold the girls up over the curtain when I hear, "Daddy, do you have your camera ready."
With that, I stood up and was in time to see Baby A being pulled out and flipped down onto Gina's legs. The put the first clamp on the umbilical cord, then the second and then a cut, followed by a pass of a very floppy, flailing baby to the first team for clean up.
From where I was standing I had a great shot at them wiping her off and suctioning out her mouth and bundling her up, amidst a constant cry, one of the most beautiful sounds EVER!
Gina was craning her head, trying to get a glimpse of her.
I turned the camera back just in time to see them cutting the cord on Baby B and then the pass of her, also floppy and flailing, to the team that would clean her up. Now there were beautiful sounds in stereo.
Gina said I was sobbing when I saw them...If I was it isn't on the video, not even the audio, so I don't believe it! I was definitely tearing up, maybe even crying, but not sobbing. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
So they bundled them, in a big poofy Christmas Story down jacket sort of way, and brought them over so we could see them and I had the honor and privelege of holding one for the first time, again Paul got it on video. We were both crying and then they put them into a crib together and said this baby train is leaving. So I got onboard and headed for destinations unknown while they finished the surgery.
We passed 3 of the grandparents enroute to the Wellness Nursery.
Once inside, didn't let up a bit. The girls were quickly taken from their lucite crib, unwrapped and placed under a warming element like a cheeseburger and fries waiting to go out to the table. They were each weighed and measured. Matilda was 4lbs 8oz and 18" long, Poppy was 4lbs 0oz and 17" long. They put ointment into their eyes, gave a vitamin K injection, manipulated their legs to check their hip sockets, pricked their foot to test for blood sugar levels and gave them a bottle. I don't know how long this took, but it seemed like 2 minutes.
There was an Asian family looking at the girls as they were checked out and boy did they look happy. It dawned on me that I should call the grandparents and have them come down to the nursery to get the first glimpse of the new arrivals.
In no time their familiar faces were peering in...their noses might even have been pressed against the glass!
So I'm rolling video with my right hand and snapping pictures with my left and the grandparents are taking pics looking in. And it's a good thing we have the documentation as the whole thing was, and is, such a blur.
So I leave the nursery and stop to visit with the 3 grandparents (the Trio) on the way to Recovery to see Mommy. Of course they want to know names. We had managed to keep them secret until now...mostly because we hadn't really decided on them. So I tell them that one is named Matilda and the other is Poppy.
They weren't thrilled. They weren't even amused. The looks on their faces spoke volumes, and immediately wanted to know if they could call them something else. To which I blurted out, "You'll call them what we say you'll call them!"
It was a rude and defensive reaction on my part and it hurt feelings, for which I'm sorry. But this was the happiest day of our lives and I was just told, in not so many words, "we don't really like the names you've chosen." Gina's dad thought she was kidding when she told him the names.
It must be generational...the grandparents and their generation don't much care for their names but our friends love them. Interesting...very interesting. Kind of like when I had long hair!
So the grandparents went to get some dinner and I went to Recovery to see Gina. While we waited for Gina to get discharged to her (our) room, I called her Dad and told him the good news.
We finally made it up to the room as the Trio was coming back from dinner with their pet name for Matilda...Tilly. Little did they know that Gina and I had came up with the same pet name for her while in Recovery.
As I finish this it's 2 weeks later and I can't remember if I went to the nursery to get the girls or if they brought them in to see us. It's all such a blur.
A 4 day blur with a few lucid moments!
That first night I learned how to hold them for feeding and burping, how to change their diapers, where to get lemonade, how to find the nursery, how to make up the cot, 2 ways to swaddle.
Mostly we just looked at the girls. Little hands, little feet, tiny noses. Beautiful, just beautiful. Much like our time spent with Teagan, we just marvelled at their beauty and perfection and the miracle that they are.
There was a lot of that the entire time. It was all so surreal but in the end we got to take them home with us.
Reality has hit...usually around 4 in the morning these last couple of days! A little sleep deprivation and I'm having a hard time thinking straight!
"It's only temporary"...that's what I'm told. That is more like a mantra...no...
Maybe it's more like a prayer... does anyone know if there's a Saint for peaceful nights and restful sleep?
Thursday, December 14, 2006
The twins are 1 week old.
Well it's been a week and this is really the first time I've had a chance to write. This has been such a great week even with the lack of sleep. I love my family.
What have I learned this week?
How to feed, how to burp, how to swaddle, how to change a diaper, how to hold the girls. The learning curve is quite steep when thrown into it.
The scariest part of this week was when Poppy spit up and it came gushing out her nostrils. Talk about panic. And I mean everyone freaked out starting with Poppy as she struggled for air, followed a millisecond later by Gina. So we also learned how to use the "bulb" to suck the gunk out of her nose. Gina has become much more calm when it happens.
We learned that we weren't doing as good a job as we needed at burping so we have become more thorough at it and now don't really have the spit up problems.
It's off to bed now as I have a 4am feeding but I'll write more soon.
What have I learned this week?
How to feed, how to burp, how to swaddle, how to change a diaper, how to hold the girls. The learning curve is quite steep when thrown into it.
The scariest part of this week was when Poppy spit up and it came gushing out her nostrils. Talk about panic. And I mean everyone freaked out starting with Poppy as she struggled for air, followed a millisecond later by Gina. So we also learned how to use the "bulb" to suck the gunk out of her nose. Gina has become much more calm when it happens.
We learned that we weren't doing as good a job as we needed at burping so we have become more thorough at it and now don't really have the spit up problems.
It's off to bed now as I have a 4am feeding but I'll write more soon.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Surprise!
As Ty Penington would say: "Welcome home, Baby Girls. Welcome home."
We were all discharged from the hospital yesterday, even Poppy. There was the possibility that Matilda would come home with us and Poppy would have to stay in for a while, but she proved that she could put on weight and so they were happy to let us bring them both home.
Now both are sucking down their bottles like they've been in the desert for 36 weeks! Well maybe not that bad, but still quite quickly. It took a while to figure out which nipples we should be using and which formula to use for which but I think we've got it figured out.
We were all discharged from the hospital yesterday, even Poppy. There was the possibility that Matilda would come home with us and Poppy would have to stay in for a while, but she proved that she could put on weight and so they were happy to let us bring them both home.
Now both are sucking down their bottles like they've been in the desert for 36 weeks! Well maybe not that bad, but still quite quickly. It took a while to figure out which nipples we should be using and which formula to use for which but I think we've got it figured out.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Friday, December 08, 2006
I promise more...
I'm having a difficult time getting a signal at the hospital, I'll write more and post more pics when I can.Thanks for all the comments, we love them.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
One last look.
We had our last NST today. Our last chance to see the girls before they arrive.
It really is difficult to imagine how big they're actually going to be based on what is on the screen. If it were actual size, they'd be HUGE! The foot we saw was big, like about 2.5-3" long. But we could see toes... they looked like pudgy little toes. And long fingers, or so they seemed. We'll find out in 2 days time.
We have been so fortunate to be able to see the girls develop during this pregnancy. It has allowed me, and I'm sure Gina, too, to bond with them in a completely different way. I can't feel them the way she can, obviously, but I could see them and all their bits. It's also been reassuring because we were able to see they were developing properly. It's really been quite awesome.
Everyone asks if I'm getting excited. I've been excited for about 35 weeks, 6 days but I don't have that belly full of caffeine feeling...yet. I don't know if it's going to start tomorrow, or on Thursday morning, or when we are going into the O.R., or I first see them, or the first time I get to hold one of them. I do have a sneaking suspicion we aren't even prepared for the whirlwind that is about to hit us. Sure, everything is stocked up and in it's place, but as soon as the girls get dropped in the middle of all this organization it'll be a different story. .. I'm guessing we won't even have time to notice.
It really is difficult to imagine how big they're actually going to be based on what is on the screen. If it were actual size, they'd be HUGE! The foot we saw was big, like about 2.5-3" long. But we could see toes... they looked like pudgy little toes. And long fingers, or so they seemed. We'll find out in 2 days time.
We have been so fortunate to be able to see the girls develop during this pregnancy. It has allowed me, and I'm sure Gina, too, to bond with them in a completely different way. I can't feel them the way she can, obviously, but I could see them and all their bits. It's also been reassuring because we were able to see they were developing properly. It's really been quite awesome.
Everyone asks if I'm getting excited. I've been excited for about 35 weeks, 6 days but I don't have that belly full of caffeine feeling...yet. I don't know if it's going to start tomorrow, or on Thursday morning, or when we are going into the O.R., or I first see them, or the first time I get to hold one of them. I do have a sneaking suspicion we aren't even prepared for the whirlwind that is about to hit us. Sure, everything is stocked up and in it's place, but as soon as the girls get dropped in the middle of all this organization it'll be a different story. .. I'm guessing we won't even have time to notice.
Thank you Saint Jude.
Have you ever been looking through the classifieds and seen this? I have, but never knew what it meant. I now know.
Being raised Catholic, Saints are normal to me. If you aren’t familiar with them, they are people that performed miracles or were martyred while living and have performed miracles in death. They all have an area of “expertise”, if you will, and can be petitioned to help. It’s sort of like asking a friend to pray for you, but as a Saint, they will pray directly to God on your behalf... sort of like whispering in His ear!
Saint Jude helps out when all is hopeless. I will tell you that I know first hand, the power of prayer and St. Jude’s intercession.
I said this for Teagan's pregnancy and we were blessed with an Angel. 2 months later we went to New Orleans, to the police memorial, which used to be a Catholic church. There we visited the largest statue of St. Jude and in his shrine, like so many others, we slipped our written requests under his statue, and said a prayer for his assistance. Here in the City we've visited his shrine at St. Dominic's and lit a candle, and prayed for his assistance. At home we have a St. Jude candle that we burn for him and I'm sure more than a few prayers have been said over it. And then there's the Novena, a prayer to St. Jude asking for his help, followed by 3 Our Father, 3 Hail Mary, 3 Glory Be and 1 Sacred Heart...said 9 times per day for 9 days. With Teagan I prayed the Novena for more than 27 days (just to be sure.) With the twins I prayed the Novena 1 time (9 days).
For 36 weeks we've been blessed with the miracle of Life, watching the girls grow and develop literally from embryo to birth this Thursday. Do I believe St. Jude played a role in this blessing? Absolutely. So I give thanks to God for our daughters, all 3 of them, and a special thanks to St. Jude for his "whisper".
As part of seeking his assistance I am to make his name and works known, in the hopes others would seek his assistance should they find themselves in a truly hopeless situation.
I pray you should never need his help, but if you ever find yourself in such a situation don't be afraid to ask.
The prayer is known as a novena. It is said 9 times a day for 9 days. There are many versions which can easily be found on the web, I found these at www.stjudenovena.org. Being Catholic, Our Father, Hail Mary, and Gloria are also part of my novena. This is what I prayed:
“Holy Saint Jude, apostle and martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, near kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor of all Who seek your special patronage in time of need. To you I have recourse from the depths of my heart and humbly beg to whom God has given such great power to come to my assistance. Help me in my present and urgent petition, (insert what you are praying for). In return I will make your name known and cause you to be invoked. Saint Jude pray for me and all those who invoke your aid, amen."“Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kindom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as weforgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, amen.”
“May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, glorified, loved, and preserved throughout the world, now and forever. Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us. Saint Jude, worker of miracles, pray for us. Saint Jude, helper of the hopeless, pray for us. Amen.”
Now repeat 8 more times.
Don't forget to give thanks for the many blessings in your life, and there are many if you take time to recognize them.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, THURSDAY!!!
I can't believe we're, that is to say, Gina, is going the full 36 weeks...to the day! Are we ready? I'd like to think so...probably not.
The house is decorated for their 1st Christmas. The nursery is ready, wet wipes in the warmer, tiny diapers in the basket, sleepsack in the crib. All the bottles have been washed and are ready for sterilization.
Still, the whirlwind of those that are our greatest blessing is still unknown.
This weekend it's just about relaxation, maybe a mani-pedi for Gina, getting the decorations up and tying up a few loose ends before the big day.
Be sure to "tune in" on Thursday night, as I'll be posting the first pics of the girls here as soon as I can take them and get a signal with my cell phone to upload them. That's right, I get the exclusive scoop and you'll get to see them before anyone who hasn't visited before you!
The house is decorated for their 1st Christmas. The nursery is ready, wet wipes in the warmer, tiny diapers in the basket, sleepsack in the crib. All the bottles have been washed and are ready for sterilization.
Still, the whirlwind of those that are our greatest blessing is still unknown.
This weekend it's just about relaxation, maybe a mani-pedi for Gina, getting the decorations up and tying up a few loose ends before the big day.
Be sure to "tune in" on Thursday night, as I'll be posting the first pics of the girls here as soon as I can take them and get a signal with my cell phone to upload them. That's right, I get the exclusive scoop and you'll get to see them before anyone who hasn't visited before you!
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
BD -9
We're getting closer and closer. The girls were squirming more at the NST than I think I'd seen before, but everyone thinks they're going the full 36 weeks. That's good news for the twins but not so good for Gina.
The quest for names is still on. You'd think with a little more than a week to go we'd already have them. We have an idea, but now Gina isn't quite sure if she is happy with their first names. Then we have to work on middle names, of which I expect them to have more than one... I keep saying they're gonna have 7 middle names! We'll see.
So the nursery is finished, with the exception of hanging a couple of pictures and now we need to get the Christmas decorations up. And when I say 'we' I mean 'me'! The house has to be ready for the girls' first Christmas. I'm planning on getting a smaller tree than years past and putting the ornaments that won't fit on garland. Teagan's tree is already upstairs but I have to find the ornaments for it. It should all come together by this weekend...I hope!
The last couple of years, since Teagan was called Home, Christmas hasn't really been Christmas, especially for Gina. This year should be different. This year the magic should be back. Sure we'll be exhausted but as far as I'm concerned, it'll be perfect.
The quest for names is still on. You'd think with a little more than a week to go we'd already have them. We have an idea, but now Gina isn't quite sure if she is happy with their first names. Then we have to work on middle names, of which I expect them to have more than one... I keep saying they're gonna have 7 middle names! We'll see.
So the nursery is finished, with the exception of hanging a couple of pictures and now we need to get the Christmas decorations up. And when I say 'we' I mean 'me'! The house has to be ready for the girls' first Christmas. I'm planning on getting a smaller tree than years past and putting the ornaments that won't fit on garland. Teagan's tree is already upstairs but I have to find the ornaments for it. It should all come together by this weekend...I hope!
The last couple of years, since Teagan was called Home, Christmas hasn't really been Christmas, especially for Gina. This year should be different. This year the magic should be back. Sure we'll be exhausted but as far as I'm concerned, it'll be perfect.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
B-Day minus 12.
I guess this could be considered our 12 days of Christmas. Except this year I'll get the best presents I've ever received. Sure, when I was little I'm sure Santa brought many gifts that were the "best ever" but I'm certain this really will be THE year for the BEST EVER!
Of course, 12 days is the longest we'll have to wait, if they come sooner that'll be good, too. Gina is already having contractions and they're not front or back ones - it's the whole uterus doing its glorious thing, getting ready for the finale of its ultimate purpose.
And so we wait...Gina doesn't sleep well now but I'm like a baby...except for the crying...and the diapers.
And speaking of diapers, we're stocking up on premies. Gina has just ordered a case that, combined with what we already have, will make just about a weeks worth. "How many is that?", you ask. About 200 per week! That's a whole lot of diapers, not to mention the stuff inside them. Our Diaper Champ is definitely going to get a workout.
Baby B cooperated last night and let me feel her move and hiccup. They are so close to the surface now, it's much easier to feel heads and bottoms. I swear they are separated from the outside world by less than 1/2", or so it feels.
Sometimes I think I should be disappointed that I haven't been able to feel them move that much. Truth is, I'm not even phased by it. The way I figure it is that I'll feel them squirm plenty very soon plus all my other senses will be "tickled... soon... very soon.
Of course, 12 days is the longest we'll have to wait, if they come sooner that'll be good, too. Gina is already having contractions and they're not front or back ones - it's the whole uterus doing its glorious thing, getting ready for the finale of its ultimate purpose.
And so we wait...Gina doesn't sleep well now but I'm like a baby...except for the crying...and the diapers.
And speaking of diapers, we're stocking up on premies. Gina has just ordered a case that, combined with what we already have, will make just about a weeks worth. "How many is that?", you ask. About 200 per week! That's a whole lot of diapers, not to mention the stuff inside them. Our Diaper Champ is definitely going to get a workout.
Baby B cooperated last night and let me feel her move and hiccup. They are so close to the surface now, it's much easier to feel heads and bottoms. I swear they are separated from the outside world by less than 1/2", or so it feels.
Sometimes I think I should be disappointed that I haven't been able to feel them move that much. Truth is, I'm not even phased by it. The way I figure it is that I'll feel them squirm plenty very soon plus all my other senses will be "tickled... soon... very soon.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
More Great Pics.
Unfortunately Aunt Shelly couldn't make it up to take pics of Gina so I had one of my clients take them...don't worry Shelly, you will still be our "official photographer" for the girls.
Can you believe there are 2 in there?
The Nursery is Finished!!!
Well, functionally, we're ready. The mattress is in and covered with a sheet and the only things missing are the girls!
Sure I have to frame and hang the pictures, maybe put up a shelf or 2, but that's just accessorizing.
Here are some pics.
The roadblock of a crib. Even this one arrived cracked too but useable so I didn't want to wait for the replacement headboard... I'll fix it later!
Gina wanted a chandelier for the girls room...already they're princesses!
Here's a baby's eye view from the crib!
Sure I have to frame and hang the pictures, maybe put up a shelf or 2, but that's just accessorizing.
Here are some pics.
The roadblock of a crib. Even this one arrived cracked too but useable so I didn't want to wait for the replacement headboard... I'll fix it later!
Gina wanted a chandelier for the girls room...already they're princesses!
Here's a baby's eye view from the crib!
Friday, November 17, 2006
Updated pics of Mommy and the Belly.
It's just so amazing how big the girls are now. And there are 2 in there! It seems like she could pop any time now. Her belly is so tight you could bouce a quarter off it! But we won't do that, right?
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