twins? identical? whaaaat?

when we first found out that we were pregnant, we had no idea what identical meant, and it's not what you think since we've been asked this question many times....  here's how we found out:

at six weeks (my second ultrasound at the high-risk specialist office), i was really supposed to be eight weeks.  immediately, she measured the baby and stated that we were only six weeks.  i was shocked, and didn't really understand.  so, i was pushed back two weeks.

THEN, she started squinting with her eyes, furrowing her eyebrows....  straight away, i asked her if something was wrong.  "no, nothing's wrong... it's just that... i think i see... two."  

as soon as she said that, i knew there were twins.  i turned to gab on my left, and his smile was so wide, and he was laughing so hard!  i was smiling so wide... so proud.  see, we always joked around that we'd have twins since his paternal grandma was one (identical- will explain later), AND had identical twin siblings (will explain later)!!!  i, like anyone, thought it ran in the fam, and that gab was due to have twins....

then, she said, "this sometimes happens... the baby's reflection looks like a second baby is there.  very normal.  we have to do a different ultrasound now."  

but, seriously, TWINS?!  i just smiled, and we had to do the more-thorough ultrasound (do i have to name it?).  of course, we were more intrigued at this second ultrasound for two reasons- the previous ultrasound (apr. 29, turns out i was just a few weeks then) was a little sac with a black little pea in it AND we wanted to know if there were twins!

"yes, they are twins... one placenta... identical twins."

WAIT, IDENTICAL?!  my head was so foggy and shocked at this point that i asked (you might find this a silly question, but seriously when you get the same information- let's see how you react!, AND plus- others have asked me the same question!)...

can it be a boy and girl?  (wouldn't that be perfect?!)

"no, two boys or two girls."

OH BOY... so it runs in my husband's family, he has identicals on his side, i told her.

"no, sorry to say, but... this is all you.  your egg split into two.  identical twins are not hereditary, non-genetic... they just happen in life.  no explanation."

poor gab... he thought it was his genes. ;)  so, what baffles me especially is HOW IN THE WORLD did his grandma have an identical twin ALONG with identical twin sisters?!  seriously, what are the chances of THAT?!  (stats later, please)

when we did see the dr. after that, he told us that i was already high-risk as is (more later), BUT they basically were going to take over my care and deliver these babies because i was even more high-risk with twins... identical twins.  he said that his only concern was that both babies in their own sacs needed to be separated by a membrane in the placenta.  otherwise, there's a higher mortality and a higher risk of bedrest.

two weeks go by... completely concerned, stressed, and praying for these babies... we go to our next appt., and THANK GOD- there's the membrane we needed!!!  woo hoo!  fantastic news!