Two's Company But Three's A Crowd?

     Shortly after we were married, it began.  By "it" I am referring to the push for a baby.  My mother reminded me that she was past the ideal age to become a grandmother, friends joked that we could leave on our honeymoon as a couple and come home as a family, and my great-aunt eyed my still-flat stomach suspiciously when we came home that first Christmas without any baby news.
     Our announcement several years later that we were expecting was met with proclamations such as "I can finally BUY things in the baby department" (my mother), "It'll be so much fun to be pregnant together" (my best friend), and "It's about time, I was starting to get worried" (if you haven't guessed, that was my aunt). Before baby #1 had started solids, the barrage of questions regarding when she was going to become a big sister began.  A little over a year later, we were expecting baby #2.  News of his impending arrival was also met with great jubilation and tears of joy.
     Once we had both a boy and a girl the assumption around town was that our baby making days were over.  "How nice", folks would say, "you got one of each after only two tries" as if having two or more children of the same sex was somehow less than ideal. When we made the announcement that we were expecting baby #3 we received much different responses including "Are you kidding?" (my brother-in-law), "You better go get a second job" (my father-in-law to my husband), "You two just don't quit" (my best friend's opinionated mother-in-law), and my personal favorite "This IS going to be it, right?" from the nosy neighborhood grocery store cashier. Many people thought this pregnancy had to be a complete surprise to us, including my father who reminded us on more than one occasion that vasectomies were both common and very safe.
     When our baby boy was born, everyone was thrilled of course, except maybe the cashier.  My first time at the store with all three kids was met with a wary eye and a comment of "I don't know where you're going to put the groceries. Your buggy is already full."
    While I am (fairly) certain that our family is complete, only God knows for sure.  I am prepared, however, with the perfect response next time someone implies that three kids is more than enough  With a straight face I'm going to say "Actually, I'm expecting. We're hoping for twins."