Surviving Twins: The First Year

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When I was pregnant with my twins, so many people said, you just have to make it through the first year, then it will be a breeze.  The first year is the hardest for sure. My twins turned one a few months ago and I was thinking “Whew, we made it through the first year,  now life should ease up.”  Boy was I wrong.  I don’t know if my experience is just different from everyone else’s, or if they were trying to make me feel good but the first year was a breeze.  We are only 4 months into their second year of life and I am ready to throw in the towel.  Parenting twin one year old’s is SO hard! 

Surviving Twins: The First Year

The first year of their life was a breeze for me.  Sure there are sleepless nights, figuring out how to feed two at once and trying to console two babies at once.  But a snapshot of my day as them when they were little, and not walking is much easier than it is now.  Instead of spending my time cuddling, feeding and watching them sleep, a typical day goes something like this.

7:00am – Wake up

7:05am – I get myself dressed while the babies are still asleep and contained.

7:15am – Dress twin A, while trying to keep track of twin B, who is most likely: playing in the toilet(because big brother and sister forgot to close the bathroom door), playing in the dog water (because they have knocked the baby gate over for the millionth time), or destroying something in the house.  All this is going on while I am wrangling twin A who doesnt want a diaper change or to get dressed.

7:25am – Switch twins while the other destroys the house. And this time twin B fights be to get dressed and change their diaper. Tell big brother and big sister to try to make sure twin A isn’t playing in any form of water or destroying the house too much.

7:3oam – Try feeding them 10 different things for breakfast, all while they through each one at you or crumble it up on the floor, revert to giving them a pop tart or bar as I get out of the house and off to work.

7:40am – Grab my millions of bags (ok more like 3 but it sure feels like a million) and try to hurry everyone out the door, as the big kids climb in the car I grab the twins and put them both inside the van.  Twin A screams, fights and arches her back making it most difficult to get her buckled in.  Once I finally get her in, I grab twin B who has made his way to the front seat and is throwing a fit because he too has to be put in his car seat.

8:00am – We make it to work and begin our (what should be short walk) into work.  I grab all my bags, load the older kids up with as much as the can carry and debate on whether I should try to let the twins walk or carry them as I walk quickly because one twin is going to be sure to be mad about being carried and is sure to throw herself backwards as I walk.  Either decision will be a big production with babies running in opposite directions, throwing a fit if I try to hold their hand and arching their back if I try to carry them in.  It’s basically a loose loose situation.

8:15am – We finally make it into work and I spend the next 3-4 hours watching other kids (I work in a childcare) as well as my own.  My twins have been told 257503594044 times to be soft, don’t hit, leave them alone and put in time out so many times I have lost count.

11:15ish – Lunch time – Once we get to the break room (replay all the scenes that happened as we tried to get into work, because they happen again) I get the babies situated in their high chairs and feed them and me as fast as possible, it goes something like, one bite for you, one bite for you and one bite for me and repeat. I spend the rest of my lunch break trying to make sure we are all fed and preventing food from being thrown on the floor.  Cleaning up after them takes almost as long as I get to eat my lunch, and we are back on our quest into childcare while trying to avoid melt downs, or them running into any room with an open door.Surviving Twins: The First Year | East Valley Moms Blog

After returning from lunch the rest of the day goes similar to the beginning, throw in a 20 minute nap and that’s about it. Once we are home from work I am constantly making sure they aren’t completely destroying the house, pushing, hitting and pulling each other’s hair and leaving their older brother and sister alone. To say I am exhausted is a complete understatement.  Fellow twin moms out there, or moms of multiples in general, what is your opinion? Do you think the first year was the hardest?  I would love to hear your opinions!

2 COMMENTS

  1. Having spent the past weekend with your family, I am amazed at your “coolness” and patience. You are the best Mom any child could ask for.

    • Aww thank you! I definitely don’t think I have enough patience, but they are definitely teaching me more patience everyday.

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