I called my mom and she checked the internet. No significant studies, but no birth defects reported is only semi comforting when you’re new at being pregnant and promise to never dye your hair or drink caffeine or eat anything but veggies during the next long months. I took a half a pill and a nap. Ryan drove the whole way. I won’t mention the numerous potty stops.Ryan was counting on his immediate family to meet at my in-laws house. We called when we knew the approximate time we would arrive. Their plans had changed. The entire extended family was meeting at Grandma’s for the annual cookie making and baking traditions that I had yet to be introduced to. We decided as to not call attention in having a fit and making everyone change their plans, we’d go with the flow and the announcement would happen later that night.
Ryan had decided, much to my delight, that telling my family my way went well. He decided we could do it the same way for his family.
It was pleasant and nerve-wracking to visit with his family and not mention pregnancy things and babies and twins. But the immediate family all made it back to my in-laws’ home. As I mentioned before, it was my mother in law’s birthday. We had the 5 by 7 pictures with us, but hadn’t wrapped them yet. We stopped at Walmart on the way there and grabbed some tissue paper and gift bags. My husband also stopped to get the other gift for his mom: their “My grandkids are cuter than yours!” license plate frame. My in-laws already had a grandson. The presents would be numbered one, two, and three. Open the “oops picture” first. The license plate frame with the plural of grandkids confirming the “oops picture” means we are indeed pregnant is the second present. The third present is the ultrasound printout. I let Ryan run the show.
We all sat down in the living room. Everyone knew something was up because Ryan’s sister wasn’t going to come for just ‘Mom opening presents.’ Ryan made it known that she must be present. So, they suspected something was going on.
Everyone gathered on the couches in the living room: parents-in-law, sister-in-law and her soon to be fiancé, and my 13 year old brother-in-law. Even the dog was present and attentive. Ryan turned on the makeshift video camera: his digital camera had a video setting. It turned out to have poor resolution, but we still enjoy watching these moments on grainy playback.
My mother in law was handed her three gifts and instructed which to open first. She was happy, yet hesitant. Ryan’s need for his sister to be present had put everyone on the alert. She opened the “oops picture” and stared for a while. No one else could see the picture. “You’re kidding, right? You’re kidding.” No one knew what she was talking about as she set the framed picture to her side. I could feel my father in law tense up. She continued to present number two. She read the license plate frame and said, “You’re KIDDING? ALREADY?” She was giggling. She asked me when I was due. “August.” I could feel my father in law counting on his fingers to make sure that the due date was at least nine months from when we were married – it was.
So, everyone continued to sit in silence. The ‘When are you due’ question had not triggered any verbal reactions, nor any physical reactions. I expected some trading glances, or maybe leaning forward in anticipation. Maybe these people just didn’t get it yet.
She opened up the whammy, hum-dinger of gifts. “Oh, an ultrasound picture!” Ryan stepped forward while still filming. He circled one black dot with his finger, “That’s a baby.” He circled the other black dot with his finger, “And that’s a baby.” “AHH! You’re really gonna have twins?!?” She was hysterically happy, squealing like a child who got exactly what she wanted on Christmas. She jumped up and down holding the framed ultrasound picture of her grandbabies. The dog. That annoying little dog started barking like a stranger was breaking into the house to steal her Beggin Strips. Everyone finally started to react. They reached out and wanted to see the ultrasound. My mother in law was jumping around the room and hugging everyone. My father in law sat stoic on the couch, no doubt the adding machine of his brain clicking away, tallying up expenses.
Ryan was excited. My mother in law couldn’t have been more excited. My sister in law gave me a hug. I wanted to muzzle the barking dog. Now, to tell the rest of his family.
Here is the video of this event.
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