by Sarah Miller

The twins are coming.

My sister tends to do things differently. Heck, my whole family does actually. With her first child, he flew under the radar for weeks, giving false reads on pregnancy tests. This pregnancy seems to be no less surprising. Two weeks from the due date, her midwife gave some startling news. She could find a head, and a body, and well maybe another body. Much to my sister’s chagrin, an ultrasound seemed necessary at this point.

Reluctantly, she made an appointment. She and her partner and their little 2 ½ year old boy trekked into the doctor’s office and waited for the outcome. Her super-sized discomfort, the offhanded comments about her abnormally large belly and her extra weight gain were all confirmed by the finding of not one baby, but two. Twins! Two weeks before their arrival, the twins finally decide to make themselves known. Wanting the most natural birth possible, no sexes were discussed.

Plans have swiftly been put into place. The team of midwives and assistants have been assembled, an extra birth kit has been added and the birth tub is now sitting in the living room waiting for their arrival. Aunt Sarah (me) is on her way to usher in the new souls, cook satisfying meals, take care of little Finn and let momma put her feet up for a while.

So we wait.

Bets have been placed and all seem to have varying opinions about their timing and the outcome of the births. I expect them to arrive Thursday or Friday and to be two fraternal girls. The rest of our friends and family have different thoughts.

Time will tell.

For now we all keep positive thoughts on a safe, happy, healthy and normal home birth with plenty of loving arms on board to give assistance.

Bless*

[At the time of this post, the twins were safely and happily ushered into the world on the morning of June 12th. Baby A was fairly eager to arrive, whereas baby B, required a yank- feet first. Mother, father, auntie and little brother Finn, are all making the adjustments and functioning as well as possible with sleep deprivation…I am now considering my next career move- as a post partum doula.]