Happy Birthday to the Twins!

The twins turned three almost two weeks ago. I honestly can't believe it and am a little sad. By the time any of the other kids were three I had another baby (in the last case babies)! I can remember my pregnancy with them so clearly~not only because of the fact that it wasn't so long ago, but that it was so very eventful from the very beginning. I was sicker than I ever was with any of the other kids, more tired, blue (don't recall feeling that way during a pregnancy with any of the others) and just plain blah! I was HUGE! I had gained 10 pounds in my first month and 13 by the time I went to the dr. for my first appt. at 10 weeks. I had people I didn't know very well asking me if I was pregnant at 6 weeks. I was already out of my regular clothes at that point. I just thought it was my fourth (technically fifth) pregnancy and that I "popped" sooner! At my 10 week appt. the nurse practitioner INSISTED that I go for an ultrasound the following Monday to check for twins. I INSISTED that it wasn't necessary because twins do not run in my family and I had three little ones at home. It was going to be difficult finding someone to watch the other three once a month~forget twice in a matter of 3 days. I came back at 14 weeks and went first to have an ultrasound. I recall telling the dr. that we were there to check the size of the baby because I had gained so much weight and was showing so soon. He put the little hand held part of the ultrasound on my stomach and pulled back right away. Having had a later miscarriage, I panicked and asked what was wrong. He asked if this was our first ultrasound and it was. He put the ultrasound back on my stomach and responded "nothing's wrong, it's just that there's two (or twins)". I was shocked~even though I was there to check for exactly that! I started to cry and panic. Brian was thrilled and very proud of himself (I quickly learned from the dr. that father's have NOTHING to do with there being two babies and that it has everything to do with the mother). That was the first deflated balloon of the day for him. Next I went on to ask my overly excited husband how he thought we were going to support two additional babies~we would have two babies to feed, two preschool tuitions, two sport fees, two college tuitions...I was in a panic. Also, how do you care for two babies at one time???

All of those concerns took a backseat as the pregnancy progressed. I was exhausted!!!! I have NEVER been that exhausted in all my life nor with any of my other pregnancies. It was an excruiating 9 months. I developed pneumonia, had to have a root canal, had a couple of early contractions that I went to the hospital to be checked for and couldn't move in my third trimester. I always loved being pregnant~this time I hated it!

Brendan and Audrey you were born at 38 weeks. You held on until the end~Audrey held on longer than that during the delivery! I delivered in the OR with tons of lights around and NO HEAT! I was freezing! Several drs., a student and an ultrasound on hand to locate Audrey who would NOT come out after Brendan was born. She just wasn't going to leave me. Some things never change!

These first few years have been tough and the other kids have suffered from lack of attention, but even with all of my concerns and any attention the three older kids did not get, it was all worth it! The dynamic of our family is AWESOME! They fight~but they love each other immensely and always have a playmate. Brendan and Audrey are so awesome to listen to. I really need to video more. There is nothing like two babies the same age growing up together~even ones who are a year apart. For all you mothers out there with kids one year apart~IT IS NOT THE SAME AS HAVING TWINS! I mean no disrespect because raising kids is tough no matter how many you have, but the dynamic of two the exact same age is just a whole other story.

Happy Birthday to my babies! I can't believe you're 3! Dad, Patrick, Sean, Caroline and I are so fortunate to have you in our lives! We wouldn't have it any other way!