Twin FAQ

[pantryslut]

1. Are they identical or fraternal?

Fraternal.

2. Who's the father?

This is complicated. Genetically speaking, black_pearl_10 is the father. Legally speaking, thanks to marriage laws (hey, didja know that one of the purposes of marriage is to 'legitimize' children, that is, give them a legal father regardless of genetic parentage?), imnotandrei's name is on the birth certificate and thus the legal father, unless we try and mess with this down the road, which we might -- and possibly become a groundbreaking test case!

3. Where did you get their names from?

Mostly, I liked the way they sounded, that's all. 'Frances' is Steven's grandmother's name. 'Simone' was inspired by a radio ad for the opera, but also for Nina and de Beauvoir. 'April' and 'Leah' are my own whim.

Their second middle name is G.'s last name; their last name is the same as mine.

4. Can I come over?

If we know you personally, sure.

5. Can I hold them?

Yes. Wash your hands first.

6. How are the cats doing with all this?

Surprisingly well. Coaltrain is extra-needy, and Fritzi is overcoming her natural wariness, but overall, they seem to be adjusting just fine and mostly ignoring the babies.

7. Are you guys getting any sleep?

No. Well, OK, a little sleep, but not much.

8. Which one is Scooba and which one is Roomba? How do you know?

Simone is Roomba; April is Scooba. I knew which was which positionally in the womb, but I didn't know their names until I met them in person. (They actually spent a day as "Baby A" and "Baby B" b/c I hadn't had a chance to really meet Simone properly -- she was in the NICU and I was all IV'd up.)

9. Which one is older?

Simone, by two minutes. She is also the bigger one.

10. When can they come out to play?

In about a month.


Any other questions? Ask away!

Comments

[pantryslut.livejournal.com]

I would like G. to be acknowledged as the father in some official way.

[innerdoggie.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Let me ask my dad -- he did some weird lawyer tricks for a client who was adopting a child. Maybe there are some for your household, too.

Who's health insurance are the babies on? If they are on imnotandrei's insurance, would changing their birth certificate to black_pearl_10 take their insurance away, or would they go on his? Of course, if they are on your policy, that wouldn't make a difference.

[pantryslut.livejournal.com]

At the moment, they are on imnotandrei's insurance, which is one reason we're not moving very fast at the moment on legal status changes...

(G. is currently unemployed, and my health insurance is via imnotandrei at the moment too.)

[innerdoggie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, keep 'em on the health insurance. That's important.

[innerdoggie.livejournal.com]

Ah, I did have a chance to talk to my dad. He said that in some states that the legal father of a married woman's baby is always her husband and you can't change it. In other states, you can change this, but you'd have to go to court. He didn't know what kind of state California is.

My personal opinion is to let it be, for the sake of health insurance. You might feel out lawyer friends in California who work with family law in the LGBTQ community to think about legal paternity options for the future.

Wouldn't it be great to have both men be legal daddies?