thetadpoles.com

Today was D & A’s big 4th of July party. We like to think of them as our back-up family. Whereas most of our family is far away, they are local and I know that we can always count on them. No plans for Thanksgiving? Come to our house! Christmas Eve dinner? Come on over! I was their 3 boys nanny for over 10 years. The boys are like our little brothers except I never swear in front of them (I may have slipped up once). Since we are so close to all of them, I made them one of the “parent pregnancy announcement boxes” too. Tadd and I went to the house early to hang out but also to tell them before the other guests were to arrive. My plan is to keep the pregnancy on the down low till August. We gave them the box and they looked genuinely happy for us. I’m reveling in the part where I tell people to open the enclosed slip of paper with the sonogram showing the twins. D got all excited. She has been telling me for years to have a baby so she can play with it. Now they can have 2! Perhaps we can drop them off at 2 am when we are trying to sleep, ha ha.Now might be the time for revenge because Tadd spent years doing “circus tricks” (dangerous looking stunts where the boys would stand on his shoulders or be launched in the air onto the couch), teaching the boys to ride motorcycles and other wild testosterone driven things.

Anyways, their parties are always the best. They have great food, hire a bartender, music, etc. As much as I was looking forward to the visit, I was a little bummed that I was instantly tagged the “D.D.”. That’s ok, I can be good till after the twins are born, then it will be Tadd’s turn. My cousin Brandy was coming to stay and celebrate the 4th of July with us. She drove down with her new boyfriend and her youngest child, Andrew. I wasn’t going to tell Brandy yet because I wanted to wait until all the parents had been told. I had a very elaborate lie as to why I wasn’t drinking at the party all worked out. I told her that I had to go in for infertility testing and * couldn’t have any caffeine or alcohol a week before the test. I figured she would buy that since I had gotten off the pill a year ago. The lie worked and we all hung out in D & A’s backyard, talking and playing with little Andrew. As the night wore on, we haded back to our apartment so we could change into warmer clothers since we were going to watch the fireworks on a boat in the Santa Barbara Harbor. Tadd is part of a sailing team and the boat is a great place to watch the firework show. We met up with Brent, also on the sailing team, his wife Michelle, and a few other people that were there. Michelle is pregnant and due on September 20th. Again, everyone else is hanging out, drinking (except Michelle and I), having a good time. Tadd and I were sitting on the back of the boat and he starts whispering to me “I’m so excited…I want to tell people”, and “It would be so great if we could say it before the fireworks begin” blah, blah, blah. Tadd was not on the same “Keep quiet till August” plan as I am. He was driving me a little nuts, but I felt bad. He looked like a drunk puppy, begging to spill the beans. I gave in. I wish I could have taped that!He stands up on the boat and says”We have an announcement to make. Hava is pregnant”. People start saying congratulations, then Tadd blows out “WITH TWINS!”. You have to admit it is a little more dramatic when you say that.