If I were to reflect on the past two years, one word best describes them. Blurry. A big, old blur. That's my four-word definition. Unlike the years between Mary's birth and turning two where I savored, stowed, and secured the transition from infant to baby to toddler, these years will always be a little less precise in my mental files.
But two years with twins seems momentous, nonetheless. I can't provide every detail, but there was sweetness, laughter, tears, tired eyes, anger and frustration, sacrifice and reward, resolve and rejoicing. All the celebratory and cringeworthy elements that you want in an epic job well done as parents. The little characters that stole the show (and part of my sanity) accomplished a ton in the past year. And I'm so proud of them.
They were graduates of speech therapy, going from saying 'woo woo' to saying puppy and now to saying two and three-word sentences. If I may indulge, some of their favorite lines are:
'Aw, puppy ... woo woo.'
'Outside. See puppy'
'Help me Mommy. Get puppy.'
'Aw puppy eat.'
'Ok, go night night, puppy.'
Basically 95% of their sentences are structured around dogs, but I'll take it. That's progress regardless of the centering theme.
They went from good little eaters, to insatiable over eaters. They particularly love crumb topped donuts, fruit pouches and fruit snacks, avocados, any kind of meat, cheeeeeese, and ice cream. They are the first ones to come downstairs for dinner and can hear my call, all the way up on the third floor. They know how to say please and thank you after they are served. And they will even bring their plates over to the sink when they are done. 9 times out of 10 the remnants on their plate topple to the ground on the brief walk over, but again, I'll call it a win.
They love to climb. On anything and everything. Church pews, their high chairs, on the couch in my office, and particularly out of their own cribs. When you hear them giggling on the baby monitor, you know they have done it again.
They spent the summer swimming and swimming, and Caroline is basically doing the motions of free style in the baby pool. I'm hoping will they stay as fierce and fearless next year.
They love Cocomelon. Period.
They are determined and sometimes stubborn in their attitude. They want to do it their way, right away, without assistance. This is particularly true with water bottles, markers, and anything else that will end up making a giant mess and causing total chaos when things go awry.
As much as they are similar, or identical in look and stature, they are still very much their own person. Caroline is loud. Jacqueline more reserved. Caroline has more the Bobby and Margaret energy level. Jacqueline has Mary's comportment. Caroline will steal Jacqueline's food. Jacqueline will shovel it in her mouth before Caroling can get to it. Caroline sucks on her finger and always wants her very frayed blanket. Jacqueline is weaning off of a pacifier.
Their connection runs deep though. They are best friends and look after each other. If one has fallen down, the other one rushes over to help her up. 'Help up,' Caroline says. 'Okay,' Jacqueline says. It's just about the cutest thing they do.
They are both cuddlers. Both give big hugs, nose nuzzles, and plea for you to hold on to them as long as possible. And man, do I love giving them all the love I can offer.
When I found out that we were having identical twins in 2020, I panicked. I was crying in Walgreens buying extra folic acid, worried about my ability to take care of two more babies at this juncture of life.
It's blurry, like I said, but somehow, most likely by the grace of God, it has worked. And been a lot of fun. And now they are two. 'TWO!' as Jacqeline will say. Sometimes the two in them is pretty terrible, I'm not going to lie. But more often than not, they are absolutely, positively terrific.
Happy (belated) second birthday twins - love you.
Mommy / Lo.
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