the best of both worlds.

Well guess what?

It's a GIRL!

And a BOY!

Yes, it looks like the C House will be enjoying the best of both worlds.

We had a wonderful experience at our ultrasound this morning. The tech took care of the important things right away, and checked for gender first. She checked Baby A . . . a girl. She looked just like Carly did. Then she checked Baby B, and wow . . . he was all boy. I could tell before she even said so. We are so happy about having another little girl, because we sure do love the one we've got now. And adding a little boy to the mix feels so surreal. What are we going to do with a boy? I don't know, but at least I won't have to worry about gluing a bow to his head.

Our ultrasound was long. I mean, you want them to be long, but it was really long. Checking twice the babies really is twice the work. But it really gave us a chance to watch the babies. I know they are still in utero, but we believe babies are born with personalities. Carly certainly was. Little Miss A was calm. She let the tech do her thing, and once put her hand right up to us like she was saying hi. Baby Boy B was really active and the tech said she had to chase him around to get measurements. We watched him open and close his mouth and cross and uncross his legs. I could have guessed that, because Triple B is on my left and I've spent many nights feeling the left side move while the right side is quiet. Miss A is lower and on the right, so she will most likely be coming first (which got her the "A" label in the first place). They already seem to fit the "big sister/little brother" mold, like he was teasing her and she was just putting up with him, and have a teasing but loving relationship. They kept their heads together the whole time. Every time she swept past their heads, you could see the two circles right next to each other. It was the sweetest thing. They love each other, and boy, do we love them. They both look perfectly healthy and are measuring right on time. They are both estimated to be about 12 oz, which is good because they are growing at an even rate. They are also both the size they would be if they were singletons, which is why their mama is ginormous.

Speaking of the mama, I hit 20 weeks on Sunday. It is fun to celebrate half-way, though I'm probably a few weeks beyond half way since twins are considered "done" at 37 weeks. I feel like I've gone from the dreadful first trimester right on to the third. I've got a big belly, back pain, a numb tailbone when I wake up, and sore hips. And we're at 20 weeks. Its becoming very obvious that carrying these two will be a whole different experience then carrying one. But I get TWO at the end, so I'll take it. My nausea continues but it is what it is. Very similar to how I was with Carly. It is no longer debilitating, and I can for the most part carry on with eating and cooking like normal. Except chicken. Ew, chicken. We're expanding our meat horizons around here because right now I just can't do chicken. The exhaustion is what is really getting me these days. I. AM. SO. FREAKING. TIRED. All the time. But tired is better than vomiting, so again, I'll take it.

I feel a little like all of this is a bit unfair. These babies look healthy. We are getting a son and a daughter. So many people are offering so much help. I'm knocking on wood as I think this, but things are just good right now, even as my constant fear of preterm labor and bed-rest loom. I am just very very grateful for this wild and wacky adventure we've got going on. Very grateful.