How do you like them apples?!

Today was our region's annual Day to Serve, and we got to help glean apples to give to the needy. It was so much fun!

All I can say

Dear Chris,
I am so proud of you.
Love,
Shalon

Besties

Here is a glimpse of the cute relationship these girls have with each other. 

They are such fun little ladies!

(L: Lana, R: Mikayla)

Mom's best helper

This sweet boy is such a huge help to me. He holds doors so we can get through with the stroller, he entertains his "babes" (as he calls them), and today he even PULLED A DOLLY while I pushed the stroller. What a gentleman! Love you, Brayden Man.

Daddy

Hi, Chris! This is for you.

Arrival of Lana and Mikayla

Posted on Facebook 3/5/11

Well, the Ironroad Twins are here! The full story (so far) has been a long time coming – the past 4 weeks have been a huge “casserole” of emotions: happiness, excitement, worry, fear, fatigue…then more happiness. This whole experience has been a major test of faith, and it has given us an opportunity to come together even closer as a family. These precious girls are true miracles.


Just in case you don’t want the *full* story, here are a few “frequently asked questions” we get about the girls:

• What are their full names?
  Lana Jean Ironroad (pronounced “Lonna”) – shares the same middle name as Chris’s mom, Debbie
  Mikayla Kristin Ironroad – middle name is my mom’s first name
• Who was born first?Mikayla
• What were their stats?
  Mikayla: 3 pounts, 5 oz. 16 inches long, born at 11:18am
  Lana: 3 pounds, 1 oz. 16 inches long, born at 11:19am
• Where are the pictures??
  We have not been able to take very many pictures – and the ones we have are difficult to see the girls’ faces because of monitors, tape, etc. I promise I will post good ones as soon as possible.
• Who do they look like?
  Each other :) -- they have the same lips as their brother, but so far they kind of have their own look.
• Are they identical or fraternal?
  Identical – They look very similar, and they sound exactly the same, too!
• Did they have a lot of hair?
  Not when they were born, but they are getting quite a bit now. Right now, their hair is light brown.
• Do they get to be in the same bed?
  Right now, they are in separate isolettes, but once they can maintain their own temperatures they’ll get to share an open crib. I CAN’T WAIT!!
• How is recovery going?
  Great. It feels SO good to be home, and to be able to go OUT. While the 6 weeks I spent at the hospital were more pleasant than I could have hoped, I have gained a new-found appreciation for being with my family, and things like our silverware, our bed, our carpet, etc. :)
• When do the girls get to come home?
  I wish I knew! We haven’t been given a specific date – other than they will remain in the NICU at least until they reach 35 weeks gestation, which is May 11. After that, it’s up to the girls.:)

HERE’S THE STORY!! (warning: it’s a bit lengthy)

First, a bit of background. As you know, I was staying in the hospital for frequent monitoring because the girls were sharing both the same placenta and same amniotic sac. Every morning, we would monitor the girls’ heart beats for 1 hour, and then we’d have an ultrasound to monitor the flow through their umbilical cords (to make sure both babies were getting the blood flow essential to their survival…which sounds really scary now that I look back!).

The morning of April 7th, we did our usual 6am monitoring session, during which the girls traced unbelievably well (they were notorious for playing “hide and seek” with the nurses J). Usually I would go back to sleep while I was on the monitors (those who know me and my love for sleep are far from surprised, I’m sure), but that morning I was very alert. I ordered breakfast, did some writing (I’ll post that piece here soon), and just sat in bed pondering and praying. I felt a huge rush of peace and warmth, and a very clear impression that everything was going to be okay. I was a little bit taken back by it at the time – just because of the “out of the blue” nature by which it came – but I was grateful for it.

At about 8am, the radiology technician came in for the ultrasound scan. Things were looking normal for most of the ultrasound, until she scanned at one of the cord inserts in the placenta. After seeing so many ultrasounds by then, when I saw the wave forms from that spot I knew right away that something was up. The scan showed the reversal of flow that we had been watching for, meaning that there was a kink or a knot in one of the cords.

The tech did a great job of remaining calm, and she left the room to get a second opinion from one of the other techs. While she was gone, I got the same impression, “everything is going to be okay.” At that point, I knew that the babies were going to have to come extra early, and I tried to remember the comforting thought that “everything is going to be okay”. The 2nd tech came and scanned the same spot, and the techs agreed that it was time to page my doctor.

The calm, quiet atmosphere that I had enjoyed that morning suddenly became quite the opposite. Dr. Lays (my OBGYN) walked into the room, accompanied by the Neonatologist (NICU Doctor) and 3 or 4 nurses. My doctor looked at the ultrasound images, looked at me, and said, “we’re having babies today.” I can’t describe the feelings I had at that moment…It felt like I was in some kind of a dream…and I was so scared for those little babies. But I knew everything would be okay. The “dream feeling” disappeared with my phone call to Chris. Everything suddenly became very real. I can’t imagine how he must have felt…but he was very calm, which helped me a lot (surprise, surprise).

Nurses and hospital staff rushed in and out of the room, getting paperwork done and preparing me for the C-secion. It was quite the contrast to the low-key atmosphere that had been in the room during the weeks prior. I tried so hard to remain calm and positive, but I was getting so nervous and concerned about how little our babies were.

I felt so relieved and comforted when Chris walked in the door. The nurses came in and gave him his scrubs to wear, and got him some crackers and soda so that he wouldn’t be in the OR with an empty stomach. Chris got “scrubbed up”, and before I knew it I was walking down the hall toward the operating room (CRAZY feeling).

The C-section went very quickly. Within 15 minutes of when we started, Mikayla was born, weighing 3 pounds, 5 ounces and measuring 16 inches long. She had the tiniest cry! Then 1 minute later, Lana came out with the same tiny cry, weighing 3 pounds, 1 ounce and measuring 16 inches long. It was a very special – unforgettable – moment for Chris and me. I felt a flood of relief that the girls were out safely, and I felt so much love for those two little girls. I wasn’t able to hold them, but the NICU nurses paused with the warmers as they walked out so that I could at least take a peek.

In the recovery room, a NICU nurse came in and told me that the girls had already been running the show, and they refused to be intubated (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracheal_intubation#Children). Fortunately, the Neonatologist decided to let the girls try to prove that they didn’t need intubation. They never ended up having to have it done.

Lana and Mikayla have been doing very well in the NICU. They have been steadily gaining weight – each are about 4 ½ pounds now – they are breathing completely on their own, and they’re learning how to maintain their own body heat, and eat and breathe at the same time. Once they can do those things – while continuing to steadily gain weight – they will be able to COME HOME! Brayden was able to meet them for the first time this past Sunday (May 1), and he was quite smitten with his sisters. It felt great to have our whole family together.

I feel so humbled and grateful that the girls arrived safely and that things are going so well. My doctor said that the cords were the most tangled that she has ever seen (2 true knots, and lots of twists and tangles). These baby girls are true miracles, and I have no doubt that they were watched over and protected. I have felt the love of our Heavenly Father so strongly through this whole experience, and I am so excited about the chapter ahead. Thank you for your prayers, your love, and your strong support through this. I have learned just how incredible our friends and family members are, and I will be forever grateful for all of the kindness that has been shown to us.

Bed & Breakfast

Journal entry written 3/6/11


Well! Where to begin?? I am writing right now from room #430 at the Altru Hospital -- or the "Bed & Breakfast", as I like to call it. :) Let me 'splain.

At our ultrasound where we received the news about our 2 GIRLS, they noticed that there wasn't a "divider" or membrane between the babies. I didn't think anything of this -- I just thought that some twins were like that. Well it turns out that it is extremely rare. I guess these little girls are extra special.

With this special pregnancy, there is a special risk. Because the girls share the same placenta and the same amniotic sac, there is a risk of cord entanglement, which could potentially cut off the blood supply for one or both babies. So that's why I am in the Bed & Breakfast. We do an ultrasound each morning, and then the girls' heart beats are monitored for 1 hour, 3 times per day.

I am able to get up and move around as needed, so it's not strict bed rest or anything (thank heavens!), but I do have to be careful. I will be staying here until our little princesses make their debut -- hopefully somewhere between 32-34 weeks gestation if everything continues to go well. I am 25 weeks, 4 days right now, so we'll be hanging out for a bit. :)

This experience has been (already) a major growing one -- spiritually as well as physically :). Being away from my sweet family has been a huge reminder of how much I adore them. I have had a lot of time to reflect upon my relationship with Chris, especially. I am absolutely crazy about that guy. I really don't know enough words to describe the way I feel about him. He is perfect for me. He is truly a noble man and I am honored to get to be by his side in this life and through eternity. These girls are beyond lucky to have him as an example of what to look for in a husband.

Brayden was my biggest concern about checking in. He is my little buddy and we are together all day, every day. I was really worried about how he would handle everything. Chris was actually in New York City for a Moot Court competition when they told me I needed to check in, so it was really hard. Luckily, Chris's brother Rob was able to drive up from Valley City and stay with Brayden for a couple of days. I don't know how we could have done it without him.

The evening before I had to check in (I received the news just that afternoon), I decided that Brayden and I needed to have some fun. I took him to the Dollar Store -- because he always asks to go in there, and I never want to. I had been very emotional in the car, and Brayden was very concerned. As soon as we walked into the store, he pointed to a yellow smiley face balloon and said, "we get this balloon because we're happy??" I love this boy's heart.

After the dollar store, we went to Target and I let Brayden pick out 2 babies to take care of. He chose 2 of the exact same baby (there were plenty to choose from, too)!

That evening, we had pizza together and had a mini-party, just the 2 of us. Every time I got sad (which happened a lot), Brayden would grab the smiley face balloon and say, "But we're happy!"

I must say it was pretty strange to walk around the apartment and know that I wouldn't be back there until after the babies were born. It was really hard. Strangely enough, though, I believe with all of my heart that I was being prepared to leave way before I knew it would be happening. For at least a month prior to receiving the news, I was in the mode of getting things ready for the babies to come. We got Brayden a new bed, I went through and organized all of the closets, I deep-cleaned...all of the things I had expected to do much closer to the girls' arrival. I firmly believe that Heavenly Father and the Holy Ghost were preparing me. It is amazing how -- whether we realize it or not -- our Heavenly Father meets our needs (in this case, before they were even needs!).

This experience has already been a major testimony and faith builder for me. The fact that these girls could have to be taken at any moment should be terrifying. But I have learned to trust that they are in Heavenly Father's care, and that He will determine when it is time for them to come. This has allowed me to let go of control and learn to just trust. The right thing will happen. We will be okay.

Sharing Already

(from a Facebook post 2/25/11)

Update on the Ironroad twins! It turns out they are even more special than we thought. They are "mo-mo" twins (short for mono-chrionic, mono-zygotic), which means they are in the same sac.

While it is lots of fun because they are as close as they can get (without being conjoined), it is also very rare (estimated by some to be 1 pregnancy in 35,000) and there is a risk of cord entanglement which would cause trouble for one or both girls.

So as of 12pm today, I have checked in to a local "bed and breakfast" (aka hospital) for regular monitoring, and this is where the girls and I will live until they make their debut (most likely at 32 weeks, which is around April 20). Fortunately, it's not strict bed rest...I'll be able to walk around and do what I need to do... I just won't get to be home with Chris and the Brayden man.

Internally the girls are perfect, and I'm doing great (other than missing my guys)...this is basically preventative stuff. So please keep us in your prayers, and I'll be posting regular updates.

THANK YOU to those who have emailed/called/texted. We feel so much love and support, and I am so grateful for the incredible people around us. If you haven't heard back from me yet, I'll be catching up on messages here shortly.

Lots of love from Shalon and the Mo-Mo's (we should start a band!)

Sweet Boy

This boy has the sweetest little heart.

Brayden developed a special bond with one of his nursery leaders at church. She played a huge role in helping him feel comfortable in class, and he won her over with his knowledge of his letters. :)

This sister was giving a talk in Sacrament meeting one Sunday. Brayden usually just plays with his toys during the talks, but this time he sat on my lap very reverently and listened. As she was talking, she shared an emotional story of when she and her husband lost their newborn baby. As she was crying and telling the story, Brayden put his arm around my neck, and -- looking very concerned -- said, "She is sad." I told him that he was right, and that she was sad because her baby was very sick.

He watched her for a minute, then turned to me again and said, "I need to give her a hug and make her feel happy." I told him that was a great idea, and that we'd go give her a hug after the meeting was over. For the rest of the meeting, he was so quiet and reverent, and kept reminding me that his teacher was sad. The look on his face was so sincere and concerned.

After the meeting ended, Brayden grabbed my hand and pulled me to the front of the chapel, where his teacher was standing. I explained to her that Brayden was concerned about her and that he wanted to help cheer her up. She got tears in her eyes and he gave her a hug. For a few weeks after that, he would mention this sister at least a couple of times each day.

I feel so honored and humbled to be the earthly mother of this noble spirit. Chris and I agree that there is something truly special about this boy. We adore our Brayden Wakiya.

A new year, a new life (or two)

Ringing in the new year paled in excitement to ringing in my second trimester. I had been so tired and SO nauseated! I could not wait for our ultrasound, scheduled for January 17.

The morning of the 17th, I called to make sure I had our ultrasound appointment time right. To my dismay, the nurse had forgotten to order the ultrasound, and had simply told me the date!

I was one grumpy pregnant lady.

We scheduled the REAL ultrasound for January 24. We had no idea what was coming.

I laid there on the ultrasound table, belly exposed, waiting with baited breath for the news. The technician (Derick) paused. He moved the wand around one more time and said, "Well it looks like there's two in there."

At first (and for the next couple of minutes) I thought he was kidding around. To prove the reality of the situation, he showed us 2 heads, 4 arms, 4 legs, and 2 hearts. Once I realized he was serious, it was like those out-of-body experiences you hear about. We had no idea this was coming. In fact, we had only joked about it in the past! And that is when God laughed. :)

We were asked if we wanted to find out what gender the babies were. The technician told us they were in the same placenta, meaning they were identical twins. We obviously wanted to know, and he told us they were both GIRLS! He also told us that he didn't see a membrane between the girls, and that he would put a call in to my doctor (I had no clue what this meant -- I just thought it was part of identical twinning).

During the remainder of the ultrasound when the measurements and fluid levels were taken, I sat and watched Chris, trying to get a read on what he was feeling. The poor guy looked like he was in total shock. Each time our eyes met, we both shook our heads in disbelief and laughed (and I cried at the same time).

The rest of the day was spent on an emotional carousel, circling between shock, excitement, and overwhelm...then back to shock again.

Here is a bit of my journal entry from Ultrasound Day:
-------------------------------------------------------
I would be lying to say I am not completely overwhelmed and intimidated by this life-changing news. It is going to be tricky, but at the same time I feel so much peace and so much love and support from my Father in Heaven. With His help, I can do all things. I feel so blessed to be trusted with Brayden and with these 2 little ladies. We are in for a lot of fun ahead. Brayden says he is looking forward to teaching his sisters about letters, cake, party hats, and balloons.

So there you have it! The beginning of a wild and exciting ride. I am humbled and grateful, and so many different things right now. Most of all, I am incredibly happy.
-------------------------------------------------------

Gitter Dun!

I have been trying, unsuccessfully, for the past few days to come up with a smooth, clever way to jump back in here. I have finally decided to just type and get on with it.

My last post was a recap of 2010.

Given the fact that I feel like a completely different person than I was a year ago, I have been at a loss as to where to start. So we'll start with a chuckle.

I had written a "New Year" post and saved it as a draft, and never ended up posting it. Considering what 2011 has brought, this post is quite hilarious. I'll follow with a details of what followed shortly after writing it.

Let's just say I'm going back to the cliche resolution lists.

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Written January 8, 2011

In past new years, I have created lists of things I would like to improve about myself. Typically, I'll do really well with them for the first month week or so, and then the New Year hype dies down and takes my motivation with it.

This year, I have decided that -- instead of a list of things that I hope to improve about myself -- I will simply choose a theme to stick in my brain throughout the year. As I reflected upon 2010 and the overall theme that the year gave itself, I realized that 2010 was a year of major growth. It started with probably the biggest trial I've ever had, and ended with trying to run a business while fighting through morning sickness (NOT fun!). It was a year of me in a funk!

This year, though I know it is impossible to be in total control, I am committing to take a more active role in what the year brings. So my theme will be, as Larry the Cable Guy always says, "Gitter Dun!"

Often I find myself getting so caught up in the details of what needs to happen (in any given situation) that I never end up doing what I aim to do. This year, I made a breakthrough and started my own Virtual Assistant practice. It was a risk and it took a lot of work, but I made it happen. This year, I want to continue stretching and growing and creating opportunities for myself. I want to "Gitter Dun!"

Wish me luck!

One reason why I love being a mom...

(post from 3/28/11)

I know it's been a while since I've posted -- I have a lot of 'splaining to do! But instead of waiting until I'm all caught up (ha) I thought I'd post the latest from the B man. He makes it so fun to be a mom!

(this is a long video, but I didn't know what to cut!)

2010 Recap

There's a cool thing on Facebook right now that lets you create a collage of your status updates...This basically sums up 2010 for me!

note: if the right side of this is cut off, just click on the collage to view the whole thing.

Applesauce

Brayden's favorite word these days is "applesauce." He replaces other words with it at unexpected times, and just thinks it's the most hilarious thing ever. My favorite is at night time when we sing his bedtime song (Families Can Be Together Forever -- or the "family song", as he calls it). He sings, "The Lord ... has shown me how I APPLESAUCE."

I love being Brayden's mom.

Headed West

At the end of the summer, we took a 3-week trip to Utah/California by way of South Dakota and Colorado. We had a great time in the car together -- lots of talking, laughing, and some singing (Brayden discovered his love of "That's What You Get" by Paramore (or the "beautiful song", as he calls it)!

We stopped to see Mt. Rushmore...

One of my favorite photos...ever.

Stopped in Colorado and stayed with Linda and Rulon at their gorgeous place in Estes Park...

This is in their back yard!

Lots of fun in Utah...

Then to California to stay with Trish and Smith and their family, see Aunt Kim, and have lots of fun at the beach...

Brayden's "you wanna piece -o- this??" look

Snuggles for Aunt Kim

And back to Utah for more fun with friends and family, and birthday parties for Grandma, Grandpa, and Brayden.

Brayden was the King of the Birthday Hats -- he chose one especially for each person at his party.

Firsts

Brayden experienced a few firsts this summer...

First long jump...

First "big boy" puzzle completed all by himself!

Dancing (okay, mostly just walking) in his first pow wow, with his awesome cousin Skye showing him the ropes

First movie in a theater -- Toy Story 3 (yes, I cried. still do when I watch it.)

First hail storm...which leads to my next post!

What the Hail??

Okay, what you're about to see is one of the craziest things I have experienced so far in my 26 years. It happened at about 2am one night this summer, and I still can't believe it actually happened. It left a mark on Brayden's memory, too...every time he hears us talking about a storm, he says, "What's happening to the house??" You'll see why, here...

THIS is the size of the hail that fell during the storm! Solid ice.
And...this is what it did:

Broken windshield and dents all over the hood, top, and a few on the sides

Shattered the back window and if you look closely you'll see the cellulite on the trunk!

More damage, pretty much covering the car.

So...

We said goodbye to the Jetta.
(very grateful for good auto insurance!)

Summer Begins!

The summer began with Chris finishing year 1 of Law school (big hurrah!) and us migrating south-west (about 4 hours) to Cannonball, ND for Chris's summer internship working with the Tribal Court on the Standing Rock reservation. We stayed with Chris's brother, Rob, and his family for the summer and had a great time. Brayden loved hanging out with his cousins, and grew up a lot. Here are some photos...

Brayden and Kade - Cousins to go!

Off to search for ant hills -- this was on the ranch we stayed on...so peaceful!

Trampoline fun

Hanging out with Dad

Talking with Grandma

Brayden discovering just how much he loves cupcakes frosting

 

Rockin' the aviators

Ice cream cone! He became quite the pro by the end of the summer

Fun day at the zoo

Aaaaaaaand...he's out.