Our life changed, rather abruptly, the moment we discovered we were expecting twins. It seemed inconceivable to us (or at least me) as we walked down the hallway in the doctor's office. The long hallway before the ultrasound room was covered in snapshots of babies conceived with the help of this doctor. And many, many, many of those snapshots had more than one infant.
"Don't worry," I whispered at my increasingly panic stricken husband, "we weren't taking those kinds of drugs." I said this with complete confidence.
The doctor, who was not my usual physician, literally bounced into the room. I expect that in their practice, these are the visits they live for. Success after many stories that aren't quite so happy. After joking about having a look, he paused. The anticipation was nearly killing me, as I desperately wanted to see a heartbeat at this appointment. I had focused all my mental energy on this, praying that we would get to witness this milestone on this day.
"And, here's Baby B," he announced nonchalantly, "Let's check around for a third."
My world swiveled. Much of my memory goes black. I mean, I must have put my underwear back on at some point, but there is no memory of even leaving the appointment. While some amount of relief was allowed for the fact that a third was not found, all the expectations for my pregnancy, and life, shifted slightly (but significantly!).
There were many moments during the first few months that we wondered if we would survive these two-- all that crying and puking and can get to be a bit much. Little by little, things became easier and easier. The "almost-two" moments are tough too (think parking lots), but so much sweeter too. Here are a couple of reasons that I currently adore being a twin mommy:
(1) The way one looks for the other when they notice they're not around. The other day, Mia and I went to visit Katie while Benny went biking with Dad. It was quite hysterical as we pulled out of the driveway without her car seat neighbor. You have to wonder if she thought I'd just forgotten him! Her little hand shrugged as she asked "Ben" and she looked a little worried.
(2) Diaper changes. Yes, diaper changes. Not only will they tell you to change the other one ("No, Mia!") but they'll also throw a fit if you change the stinkier one first! While it's a no win situation, I find it quite funny. I might be losing my mind.
(3) Sharing. Nothing is cuter to me than when they share with each other without prodding. Cups, toys, food and treats are all handed over when ... Of course, this also goes the other way-- I've noticed several times over the past few days that Mia will wait until B isn't looking to grab his bowl and dump it into her own. Evidently, bunny graham crackers are irresistible.
(4) Dancing. I'm not sure if you all have heard the infectious rhythms of "Choo Choo Soul". Evidently this ear-candy is absolutely magnetic to our dancing crew. Jumping and stomping ensues with the first train whistle. While I could leave the tunes, the moves melt my heart.
(5) Sliding. Outdoor play has become difficult lately because both of my babies love the same toys. The swing and slide in particular are the big favorites this spring. Endless cries of "underdog!" can be heard whenever someone is strapped into the swing (though it sounds a little more like "all done" than "underdog"). Ben and Mia have become experts at taking turns on the slide. Poor B has a habit of getting a little slider's remorse at the top and Mia has taken to giving him a helpful shove. I'm certain that Mia would only do this in order to help Ben overcome his fears.
