How it Happened

My husband and I found out we were expecting January 17, 2009 (three days before Obama was inaugurated- it was a big deal in DC). We told our families on January 19 because we were too excited to keep it a secret. I saw my doctor at the very end of January and found out I was having twins at the beginning of Feb., 6 weeks into the pregnancy.

The day started off like any other. We went to work, I felt queasy and had some pain on the right side of my stomach. I called the doctor after I freaked myself out googling pregnancy and stomach pain. The doctor called me back immediately and had me come in right away, so I begged people to cover my class and left school in the middle of the day. The doctor examined me and said things looked ok but she wanted me to get and ultrasound to rule out an ectopic pregnancy.

I was thrilled. I would get to see my baby! It didn't really cross my mind that something would be wrong even though I had worried about it all morning. As I sat in the waiting room (because I had to down three glasses of water) I let my mind wander. I remember thinking "wouldn't it be funny if it was twins?" Then I thought "there is no way it could be twins."

I am finally called back and they begin the ultrasound. The tech is really quiet but I can see the picture on a TV screen. She looks at a few of my parts and then focuses on these two little D shaped black spots with little white dots in them. While she is doing this I'm thinking what is she looking at. She flips the screen to my medical information and where it says "fetus(es)" she changes 1 to 2. I'm thinking what the hell is going on, there is no way I'm having two. That can't mean what I think it does.

When she flipped back to the ultrasound she started labeling the little Ds "A" and "B". And I'm thinking No freaking way. She still has not said anything to me. I finally get up the nerve and ask "why is there an A and a B." She hesitates and says "well I'm seeing two fetuses." Then she asks me to hold my breath so she can try and get a heart beat as I am hyperventilating. I don't remember much of the exam after that.

She let me leave but made me wait because she wanted the doctor to take a look before I left. I go out into the waiting room and call my husband. I don't remember exactly how the conversation went but something like this (he knew I went to the doctor and was having an ultrasound):
Me-well everything looks good but umm we're having twins.
Him-Are you serious?
Me-Yes, what are we going to do? we can't afford twins (freaking out continues).
Him- Now I have a quarterback and a linebacker
Me- What?
Him- (he laughs) I can't believe it's two. Don't worry it will be ok.

Alright I was so worried about telling him because I thought he would freak out and he was fine. Although he did tell me later that when I told him he stopped in the middle of the street in downtown DC and was almost hit by a car.

When the doctor release me I called my OB and then went across the street to my mother's school. I showed up in her door way and told her as she was teaching class. She looked at me for a minute and then said "that's not funny Doris" (my grandmother who passed away 3 years ago). After school she took me to Barnes and Noble and we bought every book there was about twins. I continued to freak out about affording them and keeping them safe.

It was certainly one of the most monumental days of my life.


37+ weeks