Top 10 Things I Love About Having Twins

(Here is the link to original post. My comments below.)

Being a parent twins or multiples is an experience full of ups and downs. There are many challenging times, for sure, but also plenty of moments where you feel so lucky and blessed to have them. These are some of the things that I love most about being a mom of twins.

1. Armfuls and Handfuls: Every child fills their parents' hearts and home with joy. That's what I really love about having twins or more. The love and joy are compounded. Cradling two twinfants in my arms was so incredibly, almost unbearably, sweet. Holding hands with two toddlers -- one on the right, and one on the left -- while crossing the street made me feel complete. Double hugs, double kisses, mommy-in-the-middle "sandwich" cuddles on the couch... life just doesn't get any better than that.

2. Single-Mindedness: Parenting happens in stages. For people with a one-track mind, like me, it's much easier to manage two infants, two toddlers or two 'tweens, than to juggle the needs of a baby and a preschooler. The phases of parenthood are experienced more intensely, sometimes, because they are simultaneous, but I love it that way.


3. Shared Accomplishments: It's always exciting to see your child meet a milestone. But when two or more multiples accomplish their goals simultaneously, it's a wonderful experience for a family. For example, I was bursting with pride when both of my twins made honor roll on their last report cards, but the achievement was even sweeter because they were happy for each other.


4. Private Jokes: It's such fun to hear them share jokes, call each other by nicknames and role play their special scenarios. Once when they were babies, 10 months old, we were driving down the road, when giggles erupted from the car seats in the back seat. As one laughed, the other broke out in giggles; they spurred each other on the entire ride home. What a sweet sound those baby giggles were; it is still sweet to hear them laugh together, not at each other, but with each other.


5. Alike, But Different It's fascinating to be an observer of twins. With so many similarities, but such stark differences, it's always interesting to see how they develop as individuals. Where parents of singletons may say, "Oh, you are just like your sister was at that age," parents of multiples have an instant basis of comparison and contrast among their children.


6. 2-For-1 Bonus Short and sweet .... one pregnancy = two babies! Such a deal! Although a pregnancy with multiples may have more risks, and sometimes more complications, it truly is a two-for-one deal.


7. A Sense of Status Okay, I admit it. I get a little thrill of pride in being a mom of twins. It's like being a part of an elite club. You feel an instant bond with other parents of multiples. I love the reaction I get when I tell people I have twins. "Wow!" "I always wanted twins..." "I don't know how you do it..." It's almost like we enjoy an exclusive status in the parenting world, earning a slight nod of respect for pulling double duty.


8. Sharing Twins share everything -- their birthday, their parents' attention, and many of their belongings. Although they may get frustrated with their situation, as a parent, it's very gratifying to witness their "what's mine is yours" attitude in a moment of unselfish benevolence.

9. A Beautiful Bond The twin bond is more enduring than any other relationship on earth, starting even before birth, and often outlasting many friendships and even marriages. Despite their squabbles, it's comforting to know that they will (hopefully) enjoy their unique relationship for all of their lives. As their mother, I feel really privileged to be a party to their special bond, and to have the opportunity to nurture it.

10. Confidence in Companionship I love the confidence that my twins exhibit simply because they have always had each other to rely on. I love to watch them enter new, unfamiliar situations with total surety because they are together. I love seeing all the ways that being a twin shapes their personalities, both as an advantage and a disadvantage. They have never known loneliness because they've always had each other as a companion.
****
This nearly made me cry reading. I already feel so many of the things that she expressed and look forward to experiencing and feeling the others for myself later in our lives together.

I am so blessed. I could make a list of one hundred things that I love about being a mom of twins, but I have to say that these are a most excellent top ten.

Enjoy right now!
Cara :)

Fraternal Twins... Yes, Definitely Fraternal Twins

My twin sons are so fraternal.

Every single thing about them is night and day.

They most definitely look like siblings, but they are very different from one another.

Exciting News!
By the way!!! General Potty is essentially potty trained! He is the one that would hold it through sleeping and even for long period of awake time, but when it came right down to it, would go on the kitchen chair, in the front room, or wherever he was, instead of going in to the toilet/potty.

Potty Trained
A couple of days ago, he woke up came in and smiled at me (oh it was so very sweet) gave me a kiss and ran into the bathroom pulling his pants down on the way. grabbed the stool that we stack under the other stool that is for them to wash their hands (we desperately need to remodel our bathroom) and put it in front of the toilet, sat down and went potty on the toilet.

Sleep Is The Trick
It was so very exciting! Since then he has only had two, yes 2, accidents and both times he was incredibly tired. I tell you that sleep has everything to do with every one in the world functioning properly. Why do we not all have Siesta and why on earth are they trying to change that where they do have it?

Poop On The Potty
He has told me every time he needs to go potty and will poop on the potty. He will grab the potty chair if the toilet is unavailable for any given reason. He is a 100% potty trained toddler, who is allowed an accident or two for now. :)

Elephant Poop
While he is pooping on the toilet he is saying "Big Poop!" "Big Elephant Poop!" And Sargent Potty is on the sideline saying the same thing. Oh it is hilarious!

Elephant At The Zoo
We went to the zoo again the other day and the Elephant pooped right when we walked up, rather close to the fence. The boys thought that was a big huge pile of poop that was bigger than they are, put together almost, and they couldn't get over the stench.

BIG Stinky Elephant Poop
So now anything related to poop is a "Big Stinky Elephant Poop!" (with a scrunched up face and hands stretched to either side yelling the word "BIG".)

Pull Ups Training Pants
Sargent potty will go sit on the toilet after he has already gone in his pants. We did invest in Pull Ups... I know I didn't want to buy another diaper of any kind, but he just is too easily distracted and whenever he doesn't have something on to sleep he comes running in to me when he wakes up wet and doesn't get a good nap, or nights sleep.

"Me do it."
Basically in the "Not quite ready" category. He gets it, just is too independent to want to worry about it right now. It wasn't his idea yet. He insists on dressing himself and does it quite well. General is just fine with mom helping him. Sargent's favorite phrase of late is "Me do it." and if he doesn't get to do it... I wonder what the neighbors think I do to him...?

Twins Are Different
I have to go into the other differences. Apparently Sargent Potty is underweight... he is in the 10Th percentile on height and 25Th on weight. General is in the 98Th percentile on height and 50Th on weight. I don't know how to pump Sargent up without General also gaining... they eat the same things... just different amounts.

General is dark blond, Sargent is very blond. You could say he has white hair on some days. :)

Twin Teeth.. Nope!
General got all his teeth almost all at once. Sargent's teeth would start to come in and make him very sick... throw up sick for a week and then decide to go away... about 5 times each tooth. UGH!! Did I not call him Sargent High maintenance or something at some point in time? Everything about his is high maintenance. he has to be held, he has to have a cracker...

Do Twins Wake Each Other...?
Now I am not a mother who generally gives in to every whim of my children, but i noticed that I kind of do with him. From the get go General has been really low key and all I had to worry about was not waking him up. Sargent... well he is the one who I tried to keep from waking up General.

Noisy, Wiggly Boy
So I would always scoop him up when he grunted for more than five minutes when he was tiny. he was noisy and wiggly. He hasn't changed much, but I don't worry about him waking his brother anymore. They say that you never have to worry about that actually.

Stubborn Boy
He is the kind of child that will not relent. He will ask me for a cracker for an entire hour (yes, I tested this a few times). Even though he knows that it is almost snack time, he will ask for it, yell for it, whine for it... he wants his cracker NOW.

Twins are Amazing
I am grateful they are so different. I know that even identical twins are different, but these two boys are too cute. I know you think I am just a bragging mom, but they are beautiful boys. and they are both beautiful. Unique and beautiful. Inside and out.

What Sibling Doesn't?
They are so tender and loving and kind. they share and they take turns. They play and laugh and fight and get frustrated and irritable, but they are fantastic! I couldn't love them more than I do... I don't even understand the depth of the love I have for them. They are amazing and fantastic to me.

Enjoy right now.
Cara :)