“Are you excited?” My mom asked. “Yes, but this time it feels different.” For us this pregnancy has only been five months. We have been so busy working to make the adoption happen that the time has just flown by. Between work, our girls, normal housework and upkeep, fund raising, trips to see our birth mother, getting our son’s room ready, and everyday life something feels lost, missing. The awestruck wonder of becoming a parent, again? Maybe it’s different because we know we can handle another baby? Maybe its due to how rapidly this process of adoption has been moving along? Maybe it’s that we have a game plan and are following it? Could it be shear exhaustion? I paused and looked back at our journey to become parents and the year and a half since our girls were born.
Discovering that we were infertile and coming to terms with it was a painful and lonely process. Most of our friends and family have children and did not have any issues doing so. Understanding and true compassion seemed to be in short supply. The ordeal seemed to alienate us from many of our friends and co-workers. Until we opened up completely to our families and gave them day-by-day updates on our last pregnancy, they did not seem to be able to understand or relate. Many of our friendships did not survive the process of getting our girls and the first year of their lives. However, the fun we have as a family has replaced the nights of hanging out with friends and going to parties. And we’re meeting new friends through the various mommy and parent groups that Nichole has joined.
When our girls were born numerous people commented to me that we could try again and have a son. Several people seemed to pity me or be saddened that I have two girls and no boys. This did not bother me as I love my girls more than I though possible. It did, however, make me sad for the people making the comments. However, when I heard that baby H was going to be a boy, I was thrilled. While I look forward to introducing my son to my interests and hobbies with the hope that at least some of them will resonate with him, I know he will be his own person. Just as my girls are developing their own personalities, my son will be unique. Someone that I will get to know and love as he grows. I hope that he is able to introduce me to new interests and hobbies, that I will be able to discover a whole new world with him. I do not want a “mini me”; rather a new piece of the puzzle to fit into our family creating a clearer and ever-developing picture of our future.
My friend John once told me, “Being a dad is the best thing in the world. You come home and your kids stop what they’re doing, run over to you, and jump up and down singing, “Daddy’s home!, Daddy’s home!” at the top of their lungs while grinning ear to ear. No one else has EVER reacted like that when I showed up at work, or anywhere else.” I’ve seen his daughter Maddie and son Ryan do this on numerous occasions. Until I became a dad, I thought John was just being funny. Now when I enter a room after being gone for a while, and my girls reach for me and shout “Da-da!” I know exactly what John meant. It may be selfish, but I look forward to one more voice being added to the chorus.
They most common thing that I hear when people see my twins is, “Boy, you have your hands full!” While this may be true, I have learned to adapt. I have become quasi-ambidextrous, plan several steps ahead for everything that I do, and encourage the girls to be independent and do as much on their own as possible. It also helps that they are in the “it’s fun to help phase.” Dealing with twins is not the exhausting ordeal that it used to be, it’s just the way it is, and we do quite well. Adding another to the mix will be challenging, but not impossible. While my hands may be full as I care for my girls my heart swells with love and pride every time they learn something new – a word, a task, figure out how to use something, or understand a question or request and respond in a positive way. There is still more than enough room in my heart for another child.
Cancer Ever After 
> While I look forward to introducing my son to my interests and hobbies with the hope that at least some of them will resonate with him, I know he will be his own person.
Your little girls would love to go hunting with Daddy as well. And, did you know they make rifles in pink camo?
When I was a kid, I wanted to be just like Daddy because he was like a superhero to me. As I’ve gotten older, I’m learning that the superhero part is actually true.
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