Since T got his new job way we've been without health insurance. No big deal, really. We're healthy people and the only time I ever go to the doctor is when I'm pregnant. But, wait... I am pregnant. And so it happened that I was 21 weeks along and having my first OB appointment last Wednesday. Everything was great and normal and healthy and then the nurse/midwife rolled in the ultrasound machine and put it on my belly. We saw an image of a baby's head and spine and then... I saw another head. I looked up at the nurse/midwife and saw her squinting at the screen. Fifteen minutes later, the doctor and nurse were in the room looking over my belly and confirming that there were, indeed, two babies growing in my belly. Two babies!! I laughed, I prayed, I cried. Two babies!!!!
I went to the appointment hoping to find the sex of the baby, though they told me I'd for sure find out at my in-depth ultrasound 4 days later, and left knowing I was having two babies! I called T, who I'd told not to take work off to come to a standard first OB appointment, and said, "Honey, are you sitting down?" I delivered the news and he was completely thrilled! I then proceeded to call my mom and brothers and sisters and share the surprising, joyful news.
My mom miscarried my twin about two months into her pregnancy. It was her sixth miscarriage and she was both sad and elated when the doctor told her that she was indeed miscarrying, but she was still pregnant. I grew up knowing I had a twin. In sixth grade when the book mobile came to our school I bought a cheesy novel called Double Trouble about twins with telekinetic powers who eventually learned to teleport themselves to one another. I followed their methods and tried really hard to "mind speak" to my twin in heaven. It didn't work. Consequently, when I was a teenager I used to think it would be neat if I had twins so I could see what it would have been like.
I think my daydreams of having twins ended in teenagehood, too. Probably around the time that I took Health 101 and realized what was really involved in birthing two kids. T and I have been making little preparations for us and E to get ready for baby #2 and then we learned it's baby #2 and baby #3. On Saturday we went to our ultrasound appointment and learned that babies #2 and #3 are little girls. We're 97% certain we have their names picked out, but to keep the suspense mounting I'll refer to them only as Baby A and Baby M. (3% uncertain because when they're born we could feel one, or both, of the names aren't right.)
We're all reeling from this paradigm shift, but are more happy than anything else. I have so many questions, thoughts, fears, and joys, but I keep coming back to the comfort I feel that Heavenly Father trusts us to raise these beautiful girls.
After I told T our twin news he text messaged me shortly thereafter: "I just realized we're about to be outnumbered." The first thing I thought was, "Double Trouble. Triple Threat."
I have a feeling we're in for an awesome ride!
