What is it like having Twins?

It is awesome!! 

Ok, that is it...easiest blog I have ever written, ha!

I decided to write this blog tonight, the night that Sean, my twin boy is staying with daddy's nana.  That being my mother in law.  My mom is mommy's nana.  Pretty clever, huh? Lyla thought that up on her own when she was about 2. Smart girl.

So tonight we just have the girls.  I said to Tim "going from 3 kids to 2 kids is equivalent to going from 1 kid to no kids".  And it is true! My eyes are a little bit more open tonight, so you might get the real truth when I answer the question "what is it like having twins?".  You see, this subject has been brewing in my mind about what to write for a few weeks now.  I was going to write how great and easy it is, because that is how it feels most of the time.  It doesn't feel much different than just having one baby. But after my chill evening with just two kids, I realized - having twins is HARD and EXHAUSTING!!!  I guess I am so used to it, and so in love with it, it doesn't feel difficult (most of the time).

The BEST thing about having twins, 17 months into this adventure, is watching them interact with each other  I love it.  Even when they aren't getting along.  It is just the best thing ever.  I day dream about how close they are going to be, how they are going to be best friends and always have that connection now matter what lies ahead.  I get excited about the future!

The other great thing is the "awwwww are they twins?" when we are out in public.  It doesn't happy as much now they are a little older.  But that is OK.  So many twin mom's complain about how many times they have to answer questions, tell stories, and talk to complete strangers.  But I love it. LOVE it.  Who doesn't want to talk about their kids all the time? I fought so hard to get pregnant, stay pregnant, and they had to fight so hard in the NICU...I am proud to answer any single question you have about them. 

And one other great thing, is the friends I have met through joining my local moms of multiples club CAMOMC.  I highly suggest joining a group if you are expecting or have twins!

The HARDEST thing about having twins is the restrictions on where I can go when I am by myself.  At this stage, I feel like I always have to have someone with me.  Lyla listens well and will stay by my side, however I stay paranoid unless my eyes are on her at all times.  But they can't be, hell, I can't even have my eyes on both babies at all times.  They go in opposite directions! It is getting easier though. I can now go to Target or the mall by myself with all three with relative ease.  And for me, that is a huge deal.  I love my Target trips. Especially now that they have these carts.

When it is Tim and I, we are a well oiled machine when it comes to these three kids.  We work so well together, and we keep the kids fed, happy and in one piece.

Being pregnant with twins, for me, was a very good experience.  They biggest difference between my singleton and multiples pregnancy, was the movement I felt.  With the twins, I felt much more movement and stronger kicks.  But that may have been a boy thing, who knows.  Sean would kick me so hard out of nowhere, I would startle and scream so loudly!!

The other major difference was the cost.  Double this and double that adds up!! Daycare, doctor bills, high risk specialists, etc.

I am very thankful for consignment sales, gifts and hand-me-downs.  

I got pregnant via IVF. I have boy/girl twins.  They look nothing alike.  Sometimes this makes me feel like I don't have "real" twins. I didn't have spontaneous twins and get the shock of a lifetime finding out we were pregnant with twins. It was a shock, but not of a lifetime.

I think it would be so neat to have identical twins, and dress them alike.  I wonder if my kids will have the twin connection since they are fraternal, and if they are going to miss out on all the neat stuff that goes along with being twins.

Then I snap out of it, tell myself I am stupid and I carried TWO babies in my belly, and then I get over it.

My favorite twin tip:

For eating out on the go, which we do alot of! I bought plastic bibs with the food catcher pocket things from Dollar General, and I put the food in the pocket! They eat right out of it, no highchair or tray needed, just leave them in the stroller. This has come in handy many times when we have been out doing activities during meal time.  

Another question I get asked a lot is: how do you do it?
Read my blog answering that question.
How do you do it all?

And now.... my collection of favorite "twin only" photos: