Babypalooza Magazine Spring 2018

Stella for 12.
Prior to having the twins, Jennie always put her
teaching career first, “but having the babies helps
me maintain my sanity,” she says. “My priorities are
just so different now.” However, Jennie did return to
work in October 2017 when Franklin and Stella were
6 months old. “I love teaching, and work helps me
to stay balanced,” Jennie says. But, after researching
daycares, “we started multiplying everything by two,
and the cost was outrageous,” Jennie says. “We had
sticker shock.” Jennie’s parents stepped in and
volunteered to keep the babies for the first year.
“We were so fortunate to have them,” Jennie says.
The twins will start daycare in the fall.
For support, Jennie has also connected with a
group of seven twin moms through Birmingham
Area Mothers of Multiples (see sidebar). “We have
girls’ nights out and play dates,” she says. “No one
understands having two babies at once other than
twin moms.”
Today, with Franklin and Stella getting more
mobile, life is busy but fun. “They play together and
keep each other entertained,” Jennie says. “Having
twins means double the laughs, giggles, and snuggles.”
Robin Ennis
Husband Jay
Mom of Alden, Andrew, and Archer, 3 years old
Robin and Jay Ennis always knew they wanted to
start a family, but after two years of struggling to have
a baby, Robin began infertility treatments. Robin’s
doctors recommended In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
as the couple’s best chance to have a baby, so despite
the high cost and invasiveness, they decided to
proceed. “We knew we wanted to do whatever it
took to have a baby,” Robin says. “And it may sound
strange, but going through IVF was a huge bonding
experience for us. It brought us closer knowing that
we were both committed to starting a family and
supporting each other through the process.”
After the Ennis’ first IVF cycle failed, Robin was
determined to do what she could to make the second
round successful. She took supplements to improve
her egg quality, went to acupuncture weekly, and
changed to a gluten-free diet. For the second IVF
cycle, doctors implanted three separate embryos, and
in June 2014 an ultrasound revealed that Robin was
expecting triplets (because the doctors implanted
22 BabyPalooza.com
PHOTO BY: KATHRYN PETERS PHOTOGRAPHY