things i've learned since having twins

We've learned a lot in this household in the past two months. Two babies will do that to you.  I've learned a lot about P-dubs. And I'm sure he's learned a heck of a lot more about me than he could ever possibly wish to know. But all's fair in love, war, and nursing {which can sometimes feel like war}. We've learned how two babies can be so different. And Howard, poor Howard, has learned to share the love and be VERY patient when he needs to go out. {Thank you, Howie.}

Some other things we've learned...

1. Don't press your luck.  If you have time to take a shower, don't press your luck and try to shave too. Come on now. And if you've been walking a fussy baby around the house during the dreaded and so aptly named 'witching hour' and you THINK she's asleep/calm enough to be put down--don't do it. Just don't. Don't put her down. Don't even SIT down. KEEP WALKING. 

2.  Teaching is way more exhausting than caring for twins. Some people might not agree with me. But it's been my experience that being a 24/7 mom, milk-bar, and entertainer is not nearly as exhausting or draining as teaching was. And that's all on very little sleep. {If sweet C would just learn to sleep like her sister that factor would be eliminated entirely.} Seriously, when I was teaching I would fall asleep EVERYWHERE. In the car (anytime P-dubs drove me anywhere). At the movies. On my sister-in-law's couch every time we went there. It was a little ridiculous. But I think this says a lot about teachers and the work they do. 

3.  We're special but not THAT special. Twins are definitely special and a little rare. But not that rare. Just last weekend while we were shopping at BJ's we saw three other sets of twins around the same age as the girls. Every where we go I hear, 'Oh, my daughter is pregnant with twins. What kind of stroller is that?' or 'I'm a twin!' or 'We have 11 week old twins. We hate our stroller. Where'd you get yours?' or 'My mom's third cousin twice removed had nieces that were twins.' Twins are way more common than you think. Or maybe I just notice them more now that we have them? Also, twin mommas are always asking about our stroller. It's pretty amazing. I could write a whole post about it. Maybe I will.

4.  It's so easy to be just me. When we were traveling back from the holidays in NH, I watched a twenty-something girl going through security and heading to her gate . She was all sorts of frazzled. I wanted to go up to her and take her frantic little hands and say,'Honey, it's so easy to be just you. Just relax. You have yourself, your computer bag, and your carry-on.  Your shoes are already back on. You are JUST fine.' Try having a baby strapped to you {and one to your husband}, a diaper bag on your back, pumped breast milk to get screened, a carry on, and your husband's gift box of Hickory Farms summer sausage and cheese because it wouldn't fit anywhere else.  Then you can be frantic. And even then, it's really not that bad. 

5.  Sometimes, when almost everything else is in the wash, your babies will wear Christmas pajamas in the middle of January. And that's ok.  

These pictures were taken today...as opposed to the one above that was actually taken at CHRISTMAStime.