#Twinning

It's been a little over 48 hours since Jarrod and I learned we have TWO babies, not just one, due this December.  We still have all of our "gear" from Collin, so I thought the only purchases that might need to occur would be to buy some pink items should this baby turn out to be a girl.

Monday's appointment was supposed to answer that question for me: Is it another boy or will I get the little girl I've been wishing for this time around?  For the record, I am 18 weeks pregnant right now.  We had an ultrasound at 8 weeks to confirm our pregnancy, and we were told there was only one baby in there!

I picked Collin up from daycare (snatched him from his nap mat while he was sweaty and sleeping deep) and headed to the ultrasound a little before 2:00 pm.  Jarrod met us there and entertained Collin while I nervously watched the door to the ultrasound hallway.  Finally, around 2:20 we were called back and got situated.  The lights were turned out, the machine turned on and immediately Jarrod and I both saw two round blobs on the screen.  The tech said, "Uhhh, did we know this already?", and she went to check my chart.  I sat up and said, "What does that mean?!"  She looked at my chart and back at the screen and said, "You've got twins in there, honey!"

My face flushed and tears immediately started to flow.  Jarrod was smiling from ear to ear and Collin was sitting on his lap clueless!

The tech started moving the probe around some more and began to explain what we were seeing.  Then she realized her 11 year old daughter was nearby and had never seen her do an ultrasound of twins before, so she asked us if she could come in the room.  I said, "Sure, why the heck not?!"  Poor girl had no idea what she was walking into.  Collin was talking a million miles a minute about how maybe there were 3 or 4 babies in there, Jarrod was smiling and talking shop with the tech and I was red-faced and crying.

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Eventually we got back around to the important stuff - GENDER.  The tech said, "Do you want to know what they are?"  I responded with, "PLEASE!"  Right away we determined that the first baby was a boy.  There was no denying that fact.  He was kicking around and proudly showing off his parts.  The second baby was a lot more difficult to distinguish.  She was laying at one point with her legs stretched out and kicking her brother in the head (not really - because they are each in their own placentas, but still).  She had her legs crossed at the ankles, and Jarrod later said, "That's my girl, little angel".  (HA!)  Finally, we made sure there was nothing extra in between those legs and were able to see that she had girl parts.  This, of course, did not stop me from asking repeatedly to go back and check on her just to verify nothing was going to pop out and surprise us!  The tech told us, "This girl is going to give you a run for your money.  She's a wild thing."

Little boy is on the right side of my tummy and little girl is on the left.  So far, little boy feels more active.

Around this point, the tech, who absolutely could not believe she had missed a set of twins on the first ultrasound, called for a nurse to come in.  Bless that nurse.  She took one look at me and went to retrieve some Kleenex from the counter.  She leaned over and verified that baby number 2 was a girl, and she kept looking back and forth at my chart and also could not believe I had two instead of one!

After a few minutes of this, my doctor showed up in the hallway.  Jarrod just started laughing harder at this and the room became even more crowded when my doctor joined us all.  He leaned over the screen and agreed that the babies were fraternal twins and that there were indeed TWO in there.  He laughed and laughed at me.  I told him, "I only have room in my house for one more kid!"

After the doctor and nurse left the room, we measured the babies and checked their heart rates.  They were both measuring healthy and their heart rates were both 138.  We got some pictures of them and watched as the baby boy stuck his tongue out over and over again.  Collin thought this was especially neat.

A shot of baby girl

Quite a while later, we shut down the ultrasound and went back to meet with my doctor.  Jarrod and I were in disbelief, but Collin wisely announced, "We are gonna need TWO cribs."

After our appointment was over, I drove home with Collin and Jarrod followed us.  I cried and alternated between thanking the Lord and saying, "I am going to have three kids."  At one point, Collin said, "I am gonna be so, so, so happy if they are twins, Mommy."  I said, "Brother, they ARE twins", and he said, "OHHHH, I will be SO happy when they are born!!"  (He then explained to me, in case I didn't know the definition of "twins", that if you wear the same glasses as someone else then you are twins.)

He told me this morning he is going to have to watch them like we watch him.  He practiced saying things like, "Hey!  Baby girl, you do NOT hit that baby boy."

Also, it's not unusual for me to catch him hanging out like this now....  He will look up from the book and with a very serious face suggest a name.  I don't think he knows that he can't actually read!  So far the best first and middle name combo he has come up with for the boy is: Mickey Mouse.

We are in for a wild ride! 
Please pray with us that these babies stay put and continue to develop well.

Summer Fun

We have been working to maximize the Summertime Fun around here the past few weeks.  However, you know what they say, If it's not one thing, it's another (and sometimes it's your mother).  So that means we have also had our fair share of grown-up troubles this summer.  Car trouble, kitchen light fixture trouble, garbage disposal trouble, Internet trouble...all loads of fun.

BUT. In the midst of those glamorous struggles, we have still managed to have some real fun.

Most recently, July 4th festivities.  I HEART the 4th of July!  Red, white and blue - LOVE it!  

For the last three years we have traveled to visit Jarrod's parents.  Their community does the 4th of July to the max.  We start with a parade in the morning, hit up the water park afterward, go back to the house for naps/cleaning up, have dinner and then head back out for some free fun (bounce houses, face painting, etc.) and the FIREWORKS!

Collin loves every minute of it.  He has been talking for weeks now about going to Nonne and Papa's for the parade and fireworks.

This kid is ready for the parade to begin!

Cheesing with Nonne and Papa

I want to skateboard behind a golf cart, too!

Next up was the water park where Collin proudly wore his shades the entire time, and Mommy got to indulge in a lesson all about lifeguards after Mr. Curious asked a dozen questions.

After a nap, we had dinner and then it was back out for some more fun before the fireworks show.

Collin and I got glitter tattoos.  He got the American flag and I got red,white and blue stars.

Watching fireworks with his Nonne and Papa

Other fun for the weekend included playing in a giant "bubble" that Jarrod's dad built.  There may have even been a silly string fight inside of the thing!

And last but not least, we took Collin to dinner at Rainforest Cafe on our last night in town.  He flipping loved it!  Which was great, because Mommy and Daddy were less than impressed.  This face made it all worth it :)