'Can’t believe the blessing we have': Edmonton couple will give birth to quadruplets in July (2024)

The news is out with Tammy and Tommy Watson’s gender reveal.

It’s a girl! And another girl! A boy! And another boy!

Article content

The Edmonton couple are welcoming quadruplets in July and are enjoying watching the double-takes ––make that quadruple takes when they are letting friends and family know their big news.

After giving birth to their daughter Emmy Lou in 2022, they will soon be parents to five children under the age of two.

Article content

On Friday, the couple held a gender reveal party for their friends and family to celebrate the joyous occasion.

“It feels mind-boggling,” said Tara.

“We can’t believe the blessing we have, there is going to be two boys and two girls. We don’t know if they will be two sets of identical twins or fraternal twins.

“We’re planning the nursery and picking out names. We’re starting to picture our future and see how they’re all going to fit into our family. We’re ready for them. We’re so excited for their arrival.”

Lots of planning ahead

There is certainly a lot of planning and preparation when a baby arrives, but for the Watson’s, their planning has gone into overdrive with four more babies arriving soon.

If they didn’t buy certain grocery items in bulk before, they certainly will be now.

Four times the amount of diaper changes. Four times the amount of daily feedings among many other things that come with raising babies. But, they are excited to show their little ones all the love in the world when they arrive this summer.

They say it takes a village to raise a family, and in this case, it may be true.

Article content

Article content

The love and support the Watson’s have received from friends and family has been incredible throughout this process.

With help from friends and family Tara and Tommy have built spreadsheets to calculate how many diapers they will need of each size throughout the newborn and toddler phases as well as eating schedules for the babies, their toddler and themselves.

“It’s a lot of juggling and figuring things out, but we’re going to take it a year or two at a time,” said Tara.

“We will have to add some more bedrooms in the basem*nt eventually. Tommy’s list is getting longer.”

Tommy has been busy getting four cribs built and re-modelling and painting one of the rooms in their home to become the quadruplets’ nursery.

“I try to be as supportive as I can be, and try to take the weight of a lot of other things that need to be done around the house,” said Tommy.

“I’m doing more cooking and cleaning than maybe I’m used to. I’m more of the breakfast dad around here, but it’s been nice to cook more meals in the evenings. I’m getting a lot more quality time with Emmy, taking her for walks, having that daddy-daughter time so that Tara can have that much-needed rest she needs.”

Article content

First set of quadruplets since 2016

The arrival of the Watson quads will be the sixth set of quadruplets born in Alberta in the last 20 years. The last were born to Bethani and Tim Webb of Hythe, Alberta, in 2016.

In a baby twist, Tara and Bethani are second cousins.

“My Baba called me in 2016 to tell me about Bethani’s quads, even though I had never met her, but I knew she was in the family. My Baba was so happy and excited to share the news,” said Tara.

“As soon we found out the news, they were the first thing that came to mind. All I could think about was wishing I could call my Baba. She passed away in 2017, and I just can’t help but think she’d think this would be the coolest and craziest thing to happen. If one set of quads gave her that much joy, I can’t imagine what she would say today to two sets of quads in the family.”

Their daughter Emmy Lou is excited to become a big sister. Although she may not know what’s in store for her quite yet.

“She doesn’t know these four babies will come and live in our house forever, but it’s fun. We will ask her ‘Where’s the babies?’ and she’ll point to me and say ‘Mommy’s tummy’,” said Tara.

Article content

“She will point to them and say ‘Emmy’s babies’ and count 1-2-3-4. In some ways she thinks she knows what’s coming, but she has no idea. She will be in for a shock to, and will probably ask when they’re going home, many times after their arrival.

“We’re excited that she’s going to grow up with a big, busy household, and it’s going to be such a blessing and a gift.”

There are certainly greater risks and complications to giving birth to quadruplets, and when they were given the news at the first ultrasound, there were plenty of emotions.

Early on, doctors and medical staff even made a suggestion of fetal reduction to improve the chances of a successful birth. There were a lot of difficult discussions, but they kept everything in stride.

As each ultrasound came and went, the prognosis continued to be positive as the babies were growing stronger. In fact they’re thriving. All four babies are in the 65th to 70th percentile for their weight and height.

“We both processed it internally in our own ways and also together. There would be days where we’d wake up in the middle of the night at 3 a.m. both staring at the ceiling and thinking about it,” said Tara.

Article content

“In a lot of ways, it brought us closer together as a couple. It reassured us that we both were on the same page after all the many weeks and sleepless nights, this was a wanted pregnancy, and wanted babies, and we wanted to do everything we could to support this pregnancy and support our new family of five.”

One thing you can guarantee is that when the four babies make their arrival at the Royal Alexandra hospital in a couple months, there will be a lot of love, joy and excitement as they welcome their new bundles of joy to the world.

“I just keep picturing in my mind when they get here and I get to hold two each in my arms,” said Tommy.

“I can’t wait to just take in that moment, because I know how surreal that’s going to be.”

Article content