Thing 1 and Thing 2

For anyone who hasn't heard what I thought was our "family secret" (yeah right, when you come from a family as big as mine and have a husband who is as excited as mine is there is not such a thing!) we are ready to share our news with the world: we're expecting twins!


We couldn't be more thrilled. Bryan says he knew from the time we did this cycle of IVF that it was going to be two babies because he was seeing two of everything. I really assumed it would be just one, since that is what we got the first time around. When we had the first ultrasound at four weeks and saw two little sacks and heard two little heartbeats we were elated. It is such a gift to be able to have children, a blessing that we hold extra close to our hearts after the challenges we went through before we had Eleanore, and even closer to our hearts now that we know the joy Eleanore has brought into our lives.


I am now 11 weeks along. We had an ultrasound this afternoon and the babies are measuring close to each other (which is apparently the way doctors monitor whether multiples are thriving and viable): baby a is measuring 10 weeks 2 days and baby b is measuring 10 weeks 6 days.


I'd be lying if said I wasn't nervous. I am, on all fronts. I feel scared that something could go wrong with the pregnancy (what pregnant lady doesn't feel that), I'm worried about how enormous my belly is bound to get, I'm scared to give birth to two babies...and even more scared that I'll have to have a c-section, and, of course, I'm nervous about caring for two newborns and a two-year-old. But none of these fears outweigh the joy that I feel. We're just counting on our Heavenly Father to guide us through this new adventure. He has never let us down yet.


Here's a picture of the two little ones:

Although I know that Eleanore probably has no idea what is ahead, we've told her that Mommy has two babies in her tummy. It is cute how she responds. Everyday she'll say, "Mommy...Tummy...Baby...Two!" Then she'll ask "Daddy baby?" and "Eleanore baby?" and we'll remind her that she and Daddy don't have babies in their tummies, just Mommy. Which she gets. She laughs every time, like her question is joke. Very cute. She is such a tenderhearted little girl. I think she is going to be a good big sister.