Seven years ago Dallas and I started talking about having another baby. (Just one) We went back and forth for a while trying to decide if we really wanted to start over with a new baby. My friend (and mother of four) Kathy told me, “you’ll never regret having one, but someday you might look back and wish you’d had one when you had the chance.” Those words of wisdom convinced us to try to have a baby.
Almost everyone we knew teased us about having twins again. My friends, my family, complete strangers – everyone joked about twins. But they were joking. I knew it was a long shot. There were no twins in my family, I was only 32, I was not on infertility medication. This time there would be just one.
We got pregnant pretty quickly. At our first obstetrician visit I asked how soon we would know if it was twins. I didn’t find out about Taryn and John until I was nearly six months along. I needed to emotionally prepare myself. The Doctor said, “We’ll know today. I’ll do an ultrasound to get your due date.” She felt my small 10-weeks-along belly saying, “don’t worry – it feels like a normal singleton pregnancy.”
One.
The ultrasound was a few minutes later, she laid me back and squirted the ultrasound goo on my stomach. Dallas held my hand. She placed the probe on the top of my belly and I saw it immediately. Two. Two little eggs, side-by-side. She crooked her head and looked closer as I said, “ummm…is that what I think it is?”
“Yes. You’ve got the Bobbsey Twins!”
Dallas squeezed my hand. Hard. He said, “That’s wild.” He repeated the squeezing and the comment through the rest of the ultrasound.
Two.
Again.
We rolled with it. The Army moved us halfway through from Texas to Georgia. I was lucky to have a very healthy pregnancy. Uncomfortable and hot, but healthy. I gained 40 lbs, all belly. At 36 weeks labor was induced. Reese came first at 6 lbs. 14 oz. Jackson came a half hour later at 5 lbs. 13 oz. They were perfectly healthy.
The beginning was stressful. We never slept. I don’t remember eating a full meal. I was exhausted from nursing two babies and still trying to pay attention to two 4th graders. But eventually it got better.
They started walking. Playing. Being boys.
Fun, awesome boys.
I complain all the time. I’m still tired. But I love every second of it. This is the best part of my life. It reminds me of that scene in Hope Floats when Sandra Bullock’s character says, “beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad, but it’s the middle that counts the most.” This is the middle and even though I only expected one. Even though having two again was scary. Even though I know someday soon all four of these fabulous people are going to leave me to chase their bliss. I get the middle. The middle is the very best part.
Just to prove that, here’s a Jacksonism for you. While eating ice cream cake after dinner Jackson (sitting criss-cross applesauce) bent his head over very close to his crotch. I said, “what are you doing?”
“I’m getting the chocolate drop. It’s down by my nuts.”
Happy birthday, twinkles!!! Your mama loves you so much…and so do the rest of the world
xxx
Thanks Grace!! I do love them – let’s try not to let that go to their heads though.
Jackson is so good at delivering the punch line and he doesn’t even know it! Or maybe he does. Not many people can say their super power is to make people . . . Two at a time! Happy Birthday Reese and Jackson!
I think he’s starting to know it – which is no good for any of us!
Happy Birthday, Reese and Jackson!
And what a beautiful story, B. I love the way you talk about raising children. You’re so obviously full of love. (And wine.)
Mostly wine.
Happy birthday twinkies!
You are doing great with the middle B! 
Thanks Ava, I’m trying – that’s the best we can all do, right?
you have twins when you are having twice the fun ! / happy bithday twin twins ! ///
They are twice the fun!
So sweet, Happy Birthday! My kids are also 7 years apart and we had the same discussion about going back to baby (both of mine are singles – but I did have a dream that the last pregnancy was twins and I was pretty convinced until I saw the ultrasound).
I was sure I was having twins the first time too! Only, my ultrasound proved me right.
My first thought is: please tell me Jackson meant a literal chocolate drop….
Now, the rest: I can remember those pre-baby conversations like they were yesterday- so glad you and Dallas braved it- you have an amazing family! Love ya and Happy Birthday boys!
Hahaha! Yes, a literal chocolate drop!!
Thanks, Jen – your family is pretty awesome too. I guess it takes on to know one!
Happy Birthday Reese and Jackson!! What a beautiful story
Thanks, Christine!
i really need to stop reading this at work!!! crying my eyeballs out!! i love you and i love all the funny stories of these crazy little boys!! i will never forget when you guys all stayed at my house and they were playing with the rock band guitar! they were hillarious!! cant believe they are six!! btw, hope floats is my all time favorite movie in the history of movies (well, next to annie!!!) thanks for sharing all the “middles” with us!! love you bridge!!!
I love you too!! Now stop crying you big baby!
Can’t beileve it was 6 years ago! Miss those little guys so much!
I can’t believe it either! It seems like yesterday. We miss you too. One more year in this miserable place…
Can’t wait until my guys start obsessing about their nuts!! Not really. Happy Birthday, guys!
Thanks. The nut obsessing happens at an early age. I tell them to take their hands out of their pants at least 37 times a day.
Aww. My brothers are twins. As are my cousins. No fertility meds in my family either. It’s only a matter of time for me. *sigh*.
Get a puppy. Seriously.
Beautiful post Bridget! The middle is the very best! I always say, “I gave my children their wings one feather at a time, and helped them learn to fly.” Not having them around 24/7 is very quiet and chaos-free…. and boring!
enjoy! enjoy! enjoy!
I love your phrase!! My aunt had a sign in her house that said, “there are 2 great gifts we give our children. One is roots, the other is wings.” Love it.
1. Oh Jackson.
2. Hope Floats is my most favoritest movie in the entire world. Seriously. Seen it like 3 trillion times. Plus one.
3. I’m so glad you changed your “You might also like” because it was also a picture of your bras and the one of you in the red dress. Every time. Geez.
4. Happy birthday twinkies!!!!!
I didn’t change anything. WordPress has a mind of its own.
Which twinkie is which twinkie in the car seats? My first guess is that Reese is on the left because it looks like that baby has a bigger head. However in every other picture Reese is on the right. Yes, your words of wisdom about the middle are fabulous, but I really need to know which baby is which baby.
They’re in the same position in every picture. Weird.
You have four kids but only two birthdays to remember and no “middle child” really. Damn lady, you just couldn’t plan that kind of luck!
Here’s to the “middle” – mine is a big fat beer belly.
Mine is filled with grapes. Smashed and fermented. But that’s better than another set of twins.
Happy birthday twinkies!!!!
So have you ever won the lottery with those odds?
I did. The prize was all these dumb kids.
Bwahahahaha!
Happy Birthday to the Twinkies!!! Great pics!
Thank you! They’re pretty cute!
I love your family. Happy Birthday Twinkies!!
I love yours too!
Happy Birthday Reece and Jackson! I love reading your stories, they grow up so fast get a box of wine and enjoy the middle
Cheers! To the middle.
Wow! I had no idea I had such an impact! Lol I do remember also saying that you should have twins again so they would have someone to play with. Then when you told me about the twins you called yourself “a freak of nature”! Haha I knew you wouldn’t regret it. Such blessings!
Yes, you sure did! It’s all your fault, so which kid do you want? (You can’t have Taryn – nice try.)
Actually, I’ve passed on your words of advice a hundred times over – it’s the best. I don’t remember saying that, but I’m sure I did. I am a freak of nature!
The middle really is the very best part. You were just made for double blessings, it seems.
This made me all sappy – not in an I wish had twins way – but I am sure glad you did! Happy birthday boys!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
So adorable
))
Happy Birthday! That quote from Hope Floats brought tears to my eyes, cause I had forgotten about it but its SO TRUE! And thanks for your words while I was pregnant about not regretting having another one. Because while I am tired and most days frustrated, I don’t regret it.