So, Brooke and Mary TuTu?

A few people have asked why I call the twins "Brooke" and "Mary TuTu". Of course in real life I call them by their real names, but here I use these nicknames mainly to protect their identity.

When I was expecting the twins, the teens were fascinated with the whole process. The girls would rub my stomach, sit with their hands propped on my stomach during Bible class to feel the kicks, bend down to stomach level and talk to them, and comment about my "widening girth". The boys were just as fascinated just not as "hands-on". They also commented on my "widening girth" (I did get pretty big!), teased about eating for three, and usually gave up their chairs for me if theirs was a more comfortable one. This was weird at first, but I just decided that if you are married to a youth minister, this is all part of the "experience".

Bubba had just turned 3 when I found out I was pregnant. He had a crush on one of the teens, and she just adored him, too. Her name was Brooke. Honey and I were having a hard time coming up with names (two sets of first and middle that we both liked was hard!). The teens (and grandparents) were anxious to know what their names would be, and we didn't have a clue.

While we pondered this, Bubba and Brooke came up with a back-up plan. They would each name one, and then if Honey and I didn't come through, we could use their names. Brooke picked "Brooke" and Bubba picked "Mary TuTu" (don't ask, I don't know, he was 3!).

While at doctors appts (I had at least 3 per week) they referred to the girls as "Twin A" and "Twin B". This made it easy to keep up with the health of each baby. It didn't feel very endearing for me to call them "Twin A and B" so I started referring to them as Brooke and Mary TuTu. It caught on and soon everyone was doing the same. Brooke was on my right and Mary TuTu was on my left. Even my ob-gyn and the nurses that did my NSTs twice a week played the game. We called them this so much, I was afraid that Bubba would be confused and call them these names even after they were born. It was a fun game, but I didn't want the names to last that long!

When I delivered the girls, I asked the doctor which one was born first. He replied, "Mary TuTu." The attending doctor and nurses all looked at him and then at me with these bewildered looks. They didn't know we had been playing this game for 5 months! Then the nurse finally had to ask so she could make sure the records were correct,"Was that "Twin A" or "Twin B"?"

Bubba never did get confused. He didn't ever call them Brooke and Mary TuTu after they were born. Now, almost 3 years later, he claims he doesn't even remember naming them that at all!