So on with the story of my pregnancy.

After we decided not to continue a partnership with our first practitioner, the shirtless poet, I called the Oregon Health and Science University because it has a midwifery program. I had wanted a natural birth and the idea of natural birth in a hospital setting appealed to me.

Except I couldn't ever figure out how to make an appointment with the midwifery program specifically and I just ended up seeing someone in the Center for Women's Health. But whatever, it was cool. I figured I'd eventually get myself a midwife.

On the day of our appointment, Stephen and I drove up the twisty road to OHSU. Have you ever been there? It's quite beautiful. All of Portland is, really.

Once there, I was totally unprepared for my second ultrasound. A transvaginal ultrasound! Not at all like in the movies. Who even knew that crazy thing existed? I didn't! And thanks to the way Henry's little pointy head was lodged in my pelvis, the transvaginal ultrasound would eventually become my new best friend - but I am getting ahead of myself.

Even though I was unprepared for the ultrasound, I was excited to see my little baby and so I was just going with it. We were looking at the fuzzy screen, Stephen was holding my hand, I was readying myself for the happy tears. And then the doctor said, Oh.

Oh. What's that? It looks like two sacs. Two sacs? Excuse me. I need to get the on-floor doctor.

Then she turned the fuzzy screen away from us and left the room. And yep. That's how we found out we were having twins, although not for another five minutes or so.

And believe me, those were some of the scariest five minutes of my life. Was there a mutant baby in me? Had I drank too many vodka tonics before I knew? Was it going to die? What was wrong with my baby?! Twins didn't even cross my mind.

When both doctors finally returned, the on-floor doctor quickly recognized that I was carrying twins.

Surprise! Two-for-one unexpected pregnancy special!

And then Stephen kept saying shit and laughing even though I tired to hush his cursing.

Lucky for us we had the right kind of twins. Two sacs, not touching, and two placentas. We were good to go and so they sent us on down the twisty road with some pamphlets and four pictures of Baby A and Baby B.

Here I am in August 2005 at about 10 weeks and then again in September at about 14 weeks. My expression in the first photo is deceiving. I was excited to be expecting twins. That fist trimester just really kicked my ass - I'll get to that next week.



So my parents of twins, how did you find out you were expecting two? Was it traumatic? Was it exciting? Was it a shock? Was it many things? I went through so many emotions. Shock. Disbelieve. Fear. Amazement. Gratitude. You name I probably felt it. Was it the same for you?