Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday to our sweet little girls! (December 20th)

It has been a really long last couple of days. Monday morning (December 20th) at 2:50 am I got up to use the restroom and got back into bed. At 3 am my water broke and things started to get busy. We got a nurse in, she called the doctor and got us ready for surgery. Our baby A was really low and breech so we knew that if she didn't turn around we would have a c-section. By 4:11 am we had Adelain Lynn and at 4:12 am we had McKinley Jane. Everything went by really fast and smoothly. Clay enjoyed following the girls as they got measured. Adelain- baby A was 3 lbs 14 oz and 17 1/4 inches long and McKinely was 4 lbs 8 oz and 17 inches long. They showed the babies to me and then took them to the NICU where Clay followed and took pictures. I was unable to see them until I could feel my legs and get into a wheel chair which was 4 hours after we had them. They are absolutely beautiful and precious and we thank God for the gift that they are!

Adelain, although smaller has had no big problems besides being early and little. McKinley, the larger of the 2 was breathing really fast and had to have oxygen given to her through her nose. They thought she may need to go on the ventilator but never did. Tuesday early afternoon they took out the oxygen and she has gone without it since- praise the Lord! We are also waiting to find out about McKinley's right hand which appears to be smaller than her left. It is hard to tell right now because of an IV in her right hand.
Clay and I have enjoyed every minute of being parents. It is still hard to believe that they are here and ours! The doctors have been surprised at how well they are doing and think that they will be able to go home in a couple of weeks. Until that time, Clay and I are living in a room next door to them in the NICU. We are so thankful that the hospital offers parents this room. We are currently trying to nurse which the doctors didn't think would be possible for awhile.

We are enjoying holding and cuddling with our girls. Clay especially loves when they lay on him as he reclines on a chair. Clay is also really excited to have a bed to sleep in tonight- the first bed in 20 days! We are taking on more parenting duties such as diapering- tonight will be Clay's first diaper that he has changed.... ever!

We have been blessed with many visitors. They have helped the time go by especially when I couldn't get out my room before the girls came. We are excited to have our families come for Christmas. Clay's mom, sister Sara's family- Micah, Rylan, and Madisyn come up for Christmas eve. We will be eating our traditional dinner of soup in the lobby! My family is coming on Sunday where Clay and I will meet them at the Holiday Inn through out the day. We look forward to seeing my sister Michala who is due in March and her husband and twins from Dallas, my brother Zach, parents, and sister Megan, Conrad and their 2 girls Izzy and Amelia. Amelia was born 6 hours after our little girls!!

We thank you for the many people who have been praying for us and the girls and would ask that you continue to pray for them! We wish you all a very Merry Christmas. What a wonderful time to celebrate not only our girls birth but especially the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Clay, Erin, Adelain, and McKinley Mankin