Announcing Twins!

When we got back to Kansas City from our honeymoon, we started settling into our lives as a married couple and LOVED it.  We had already bought a house eariler that year so everything was set and ready for us to jump into life.  Four weeks later, I had the feeling I could be pregnant.  One pregnancy test later, it was confirmed.  We were going to have a honeymoon baby, or so we thought.  I scheduled an appointment at The University of Kansas Hospital and the soonest I could get was 8.5 weeks gestation.  They wanted me to come in for a sonogram and a doctor's appointment.  The sonogram was to check gestational age and to determine a due date.  Alex and I were so excited and couldn't wait to see our first image of our tiny human.  We went into the room and prepared for the sonogram, which was done vaginally because of how small the baby's are at 8 weeks.  Butterflies were in both our stomachs and this image appeared.

My immediate thought: split screen!  Must be a front and side version of the little babe.  Alex knew right away and the smile on his face went from ear to ear.  The technician then said, "Well, there's 2 babies in there!"  My world went dark.  I'll be incredibly honest about this part.  I was in shock.  I don't know why it hadn't crossed my mind.  My cousins are twins and so it is in my family, but I honestly didn't even have it on my radar.  Alex listened to the rest of the appointment and I was just going through the motions, tears and all.  I was terrified!  I selfishly started thinking of the toll it would take on my body, the hardships of being a first time parent not only to one but TWO newborns, the finances, etc...  All the while, Alex kept smiling and holding me close and talking about all the fun and excitement we had ahead of us.  It was what I needed, even though I didn't know it at the time.  It took me a few days to let this settle in, but once I did, I was overjoyed.  Alex and I have always wanted a big family and this was a sure fire way to start.  We found out the genders at our 16 week appointment!  A boy and a girl!  We were thrilled.  They are fraternal twins, meaning they have their own amniotic sacs and placentas.  My doctor told me it was the safest twin pregnancy.  We had names picked out already and can't wait to see their faces matched to their names:

Emily (Emmy) Lou Keith

Bennett Matthew Keith

Emily was my grandmother's name and Lou was my great grandmother's name.  Matthew is a family name on Alex's side- his middle name, his father's middle name and grandfather's middle name.  We have loved calling them by name and getting to know them by their movements in my belly.