The Difference a Year Makes

One year ago today, Richard and I found out that we were expecting two babies, instead of just one.

We had only settled in Hamilton in May and didn’t have a family doctor yet, so when we found out that we were pregnant we frantically tried to get in somewhere, because we had no idea what to expect from being pregnant, but figured we needed a doctor to keep tabs on me. We were put onto a wait list for a doctor, but were able to get in to see a midwife right away.

I don’t know what I was expecting from that initial visit, but I definitely expected that they would do some sort of test or something to confirm that I was pregnant, but she didn’t. She took the pregnancy test for its word, and gave us a script for two ultrasounds. The first was for an optional 8 week ultrasound, and the second was for the 20 week mandatory ultrasound.

Of course we chose to go to the 8 week ultrasound – just to confirm that I actually was pregnant and that the pregnancy tests weren’t wrong (**Spoiler Alert – they weren’t wrong**)

At the ultrasound, they took me back and left Richard in the waiting room. As it was my first pregnancy and first ultrasound, I didn’t know that Richard wouldn’t be brought back until the end, and I didn’t know that they couldn’t tell me anything during the ultrasound. It seemed to take forever, and I kept asking “Is everything alright? Am I actually pregnant” To which the technician responded, “Yes you are, but I can’t tell you anything else. I’ll call your husband in shortly and show you the pictures.”

Finally, she brought Richard into the room and said “I have a surprise for you!” I immediately thought there is more than one! Because seeing one baby wouldn’t be a surprise since she had already confirmed that I was pregnant.

She turned the monitor to us and said “You’re having twins!!” I will never forget that moment. I have never felt that way before – so elated and in awe of the two little beans (that is what they looked like to me!) on the screen. I started crying, out of joy and shock, and looked over at Richard; his mouth was aghast. Afterwards he said “I was just wrapping my head around the fact that we are having one baby and now we are having two!” But we had 7 more months to get our heads wrapped around that.

And now, one year to the date that we found out that we were having twins, they no longer look like little beans in a black and white picture, but are two fully formed and functioning, beautiful boys. It is amazing to see and experience the difference that one year makes!