My Days With Twins

I somewhat naively thought that when Lucas started school I would have more time on my hands, that I would have moments in the day to get jobs done, catch up on blogging, maybe even start a few little projects. Instead, I seem to have got even busier…just in case you didn’t know taking care of twins is a full time job! When Lucas started nursery last year we were so limited in the day to get him to and from school in the afternoon, our school runs didn’t leave much time for anything either side. I imagined that getting him into school for 9am and not having to leave the house again until 3pm meant 6 gloriously calm hours, foolish I know. My days with twins just fly past.

The twins are a just over a month off turning two and they seem to be doing more and more because they have an older brother to learn from. They are always on the go and naptime is really hit and miss. Sometimes they go up and fall asleep no problem then other times I can hear them chattering away to each other for so long that they never actually sleep. Last week I could hear Boo shouting, ‘Bear, Bear, Bear’ (he does actually call him Bear!) as he didn’t want his little playmate to nod off. Frustrating for me as if they don’t sleep they will nod off in the pushchair on the way to get Lucas which is just too late in the day. All that time I thought I would have seems to just amount to nothing, my day is totally full and yet I never seem to have much to show for it!

Despite not having the time I thought I would I wouldn’t change it, not at all. This is the time they have never had with me and we can do things at their pace rather than working round Lucas’ routine. I’ve started going back to playgroup and on Friday morning we go to read and rhyme at our local library. I did both of these things with Lucas when he was their age and I love getting back and having a chance to do it with them. I was worried that we spent too much time indoors just the three of us so getting them out to be with other children makes me feel so much happier. They absolutely love their playgroup and right from the first week acted just like they had always been there. The library is taking a bit more getting used to and they aren’t very keen on the singing which is mostly what the group is all about!

I’m enjoying getting out with them just as much as I love our cosy days in. They haven’t quite hit that full on tantrum phase yet so I’m enjoying this age while I can. Some days I feel more like a referee than a mother but they are still mostly, happy boys. They love to explore and do new things and I just love being able to give them that little bit more attention. It means I pick up on those tiny things they are learning and the moments that would sometimes have gone unnoticed. Every day I hear new words come tumbling out; even though they most definitely have their own ‘twin speak’ for the most part I can decipher their language. As the weather is getting worse we spend more days in and I try to find new things to entertain them, I’m still not terribly good at messy or creative play and I need to get a little braver and get them involved in baking and cooking. It is a little sad that things that were so easy with just one get left that little bit longer with two. I do build a mean train track though so all is not lost.

They are a little team of two, so much fun to be around and their smiles never fail to brighten my days. The things they do make me laugh out loud and as soon as they hear me laugh they let out a big chuckle too. This time with them is so precious to me as it is the very first time we have had it. When they were tiny newborns there was no time for long lazy days, snoozes and cuddles on the sofa never happened, I never experienced those lost hours with a warm baby asleep in my arms. We couldn’t get to the baby groups, the baby massage, the sensory play…all of that passed us by. For all those things we couldn’t do I try to make the most of what we can do now and it is just wonderful.