-The challenge of changing diapers!
It isn't just that you have to change TWO diapers every time, but that fact that while
you are changing Baby B, you have to watch Baby A. It never fails that she will head
directly for one of the following: the door (if the baby gate isn't up), her sister's
face /toy/paci, the wipes (and will pull them out one by one until you see her!) or
worst of all her sister's POOPY diaper!! It isn't like an older sibling that you can reason
with, she is the same age as the one you are wrestling into a new diaper.
The fear of the Non-Overlapping Nap!
One twin goes down for her nap while her sister is fighting sleep like crazy, and by the
time the second twin falls asleep, the first is awake again and ready to move on
(leaving you with no baby-free minutes to say clean the toilet, take a shower yourself
or do anything that needs to be done without a baby in your arm.
The fear of a preferred twin!
This is the panicky feeling that you get when it seems that someone bonds with one of
your twins and not the other. You flash forward a few years and immediately see the
second twin seeing this herself and feeling a little hurt, and it breaks your heart. It
probably isn't intentional, and no one means to hurt anyone's feelings (you are
probably over thinking it) but you are on high alert to keep things as fair and equal as
you possibly can.
The hatred of bath time!
Going to be honest, I love giving each twin a bath (the time when it is just them
splashing happily in the water) but I HATE the prep, clean up and transition of
bathing two babies (one after the next). I have tried to bathe them as the same time,
but unless someone else is helping, I'm so stressed thinking someone is going to dunk
themselves (and how do you grab TWO wet slippery babies at once) and how do you
get them both in and out without leaving one unattended (I've brought the walker into
the bathroom, drained the tub so the second twin is sitting on the bottom of the empty
tub while I towel off her sister) nothing seems to work well--I get stressed just writing
about it now! So one-at-a-time it is!
AND LASTLY the dreaded questions and comments when you are out in public!
"Are they twins?" I get it, mine don't necessarily look like twins (but they don't look
like they are 9 month apart either! AND they are usually wearing matching coats!)
Regardless, I hear it 3-4 times per shopping trip...Sometimes it is followed by
"Do twins run in your family?" or "Are they natural?". Either question, I'd rather not
discuss my family tree in the middle of the grocery aisle and they aren't Robot Babies--
so I'd say they are probably natural.
"Double Trouble!" or "You have your hands full".... Yep. Thanks for letting me know.
Not sure what you expect me to say....
The WORST is hearing someone say "I'd shoot myself if I had twins!". I'm really hoping
that you are exaggerating because if having twins makes you think suicidal thoughts
you probably shouldn't be a parent at all. Yes it is a lot of work, but is isn't a death
sentence. They are adorable blessings and I love them more than anything in the
world, so I'm probably going to be slightly offered with this comment. Also you really
need to practice your social skills (or at least your whispering skills!)
Lastly-- need to end on a happier note...
Only Twin parents get the heart-bursting love that you feel when one twin hugs her sister or gives up her own pacifier to her crying twin. The secret jibbish language that they speak to each other and the feeling you get when you all snuggle together. All the blessings of being a twin parent.
It isn't just that you have to change TWO diapers every time, but that fact that while
you are changing Baby B, you have to watch Baby A. It never fails that she will head
directly for one of the following: the door (if the baby gate isn't up), her sister's
face /toy/paci, the wipes (and will pull them out one by one until you see her!) or
worst of all her sister's POOPY diaper!! It isn't like an older sibling that you can reason
with, she is the same age as the one you are wrestling into a new diaper.
The fear of the Non-Overlapping Nap!
One twin goes down for her nap while her sister is fighting sleep like crazy, and by the
time the second twin falls asleep, the first is awake again and ready to move on
(leaving you with no baby-free minutes to say clean the toilet, take a shower yourself
or do anything that needs to be done without a baby in your arm.
The fear of a preferred twin!
This is the panicky feeling that you get when it seems that someone bonds with one of
your twins and not the other. You flash forward a few years and immediately see the
second twin seeing this herself and feeling a little hurt, and it breaks your heart. It
probably isn't intentional, and no one means to hurt anyone's feelings (you are
probably over thinking it) but you are on high alert to keep things as fair and equal as
you possibly can.
The hatred of bath time!
Going to be honest, I love giving each twin a bath (the time when it is just them
splashing happily in the water) but I HATE the prep, clean up and transition of
bathing two babies (one after the next). I have tried to bathe them as the same time,
but unless someone else is helping, I'm so stressed thinking someone is going to dunk
themselves (and how do you grab TWO wet slippery babies at once) and how do you
get them both in and out without leaving one unattended (I've brought the walker into
the bathroom, drained the tub so the second twin is sitting on the bottom of the empty
tub while I towel off her sister) nothing seems to work well--I get stressed just writing
about it now! So one-at-a-time it is!
AND LASTLY the dreaded questions and comments when you are out in public!
"Are they twins?" I get it, mine don't necessarily look like twins (but they don't look
like they are 9 month apart either! AND they are usually wearing matching coats!)
Regardless, I hear it 3-4 times per shopping trip...Sometimes it is followed by
"Do twins run in your family?" or "Are they natural?". Either question, I'd rather not
discuss my family tree in the middle of the grocery aisle and they aren't Robot Babies--
so I'd say they are probably natural.
"Double Trouble!" or "You have your hands full".... Yep. Thanks for letting me know.
Not sure what you expect me to say....
The WORST is hearing someone say "I'd shoot myself if I had twins!". I'm really hoping
that you are exaggerating because if having twins makes you think suicidal thoughts
you probably shouldn't be a parent at all. Yes it is a lot of work, but is isn't a death
sentence. They are adorable blessings and I love them more than anything in the
world, so I'm probably going to be slightly offered with this comment. Also you really
need to practice your social skills (or at least your whispering skills!)
Lastly-- need to end on a happier note...
Only Twin parents get the heart-bursting love that you feel when one twin hugs her sister or gives up her own pacifier to her crying twin. The secret jibbish language that they speak to each other and the feeling you get when you all snuggle together. All the blessings of being a twin parent.