Life Begins with Twins

During their 15th month, Chance and Grace clearly began to follow simple directions. For example, when Mommy said, "I need a diaper," Chance walked from the living room, down the hall to his bedroom, opened the cabinet door, pulled out a few diapers, and brought them back, saying "diaper." Mommy screamed in delight and praised the joy right into that boy. Does anyone know how dumbfounding such a development is to a Mommy of Twins?! Sure, they'd followed a request before, but only randomly and not as evidently . . .

Last month, Mommy was often reminded of the limitations of having twins this age. A neighborhood Mommy (not of twins, of a 4-yr-old and a 2-yr-old) said she and her kids frequent the neighborhood pool, but then she paused and said, "I guess you don't go to the pool with your twins by yourself." No, Mommy doesn't. Who would keep both babies from jumping/falling in the water at once? At Susan's shower in NY, a guest commented, "I guess you can't go in the front yard with your twins." No, our house is within 50 feet of the neighborhood street and twins go in opposite directions. When previously enrolling in Kindermusik and The Little Gym, Mommy had been disheartened that she couldn't take BOTH of her babies to classes (or to any number of places) because they require(d) 1-1 ratios, and Mommy confesses to a bit of envy when watching other moms take their single babies places without having to think about doubling the effort or dividing the attention.

But our twins are beginning to listen and follow instructions. Become little adults. Someday Mommy will miss babyhood, but right now, the budding freedom for Mommy is too intoxicating . . . and watching them grow into the people they will become is next to godly. Thankfully, though, God is in charge, not this tired Mommy who spent last week nursing babies with stomach viruses, holding both at once, soothing them while they screamed from stomach cramps, cleaning up the "messes" of angry tummies, etc.

They're charmers, these twins, in part just because they're twins. Mommy and Daddy still seem to be entertained by the comments strangers in public make. It usually starts with, "Are those twins?!" But last week, a lady in Wal-Mart asked, "Are they fertile or identical?" (Mommy asked her to repeat the question, so yes, she really did say "fertile.") And today, a lady in the UPS store (where they're oh-so-helpful with the twins!) oooh'd and ahhh'd over the twins, raved about how blessed we are to have twins (yes, we agree), and then gave both of them a dollar bill as a "love offering."

My dear friend Valerie reminded me more than once--when I was pregnant and feeling icky and shocked at the idea of TWINS--"Kids are fun." (Thank you so much, Val.) Yes, they are. How grateful I am that God poured His Grace upon us, giving us this Chance to parent our beautiful twins.



Together forever. (In the midst of a busy afternoon at Grandpa's, Gracie saw Chance sitting beside the couch eating bread, so she joined him, after which he delightedly smiled at her.)