How these little boys are two already? I just don’t know! When they were tiny babies I remember wondering what it would be like when they reached this age and now it is here it seems a little surreal that I have two, two year olds running around our house every day. I wrote about my newborn experience with twins when they were just 21 weeks, so around five months, when I read it back now I still agree with it all. I look at it and think of how far we have come, it all seems a little hazy when I try to conjure up those days of bottles, bouncers and sleepsuits. I know I went through them but the memories are a little dreamlike.
I do remember that I barely left the house those first few months, the first year actually! When Lucas started pre-school that meant we were out every day taking him to and from school but it also meant there wasn’t much time for anything else around the half-day school run. Now we can do more, I can take them to playgroups and up to the park…anywhere that is contained! I must admit I am still happy to stay in, and so are the boys, it doesn’t bother me to have to cosy up indoors. It does mean though that the weekends are what I look forward to the most. Those days when we can get out and do something as a family. I remember the weekends being just more rotation of bottles, nappy changes, maybe one of us trying to fit in a nap. Now we can head out the house without wondering if everyone has been fed, I can pack a small rucksack, we don’t always need the buggy, we can eat out without too much trouble. In so many ways like that it gets easier and yet I have had days were I thought it is so much harder with toddler twins.
My twins are good, really good, so much better than Lucas was at this age. That doesn’t mean I haven’t experienced the public meltdown. Not much phases me now but a couple of times we’ve had to leave playgroup early because they’ve been running riot and I can’t physically stop them both. We go to leave and I’ve had one running up and down the foyer while I try to prise the other off the floor and into his coat. Although I try to keep my cool every now and then I have the panic that one will get away and I stand in between the two trying to figure out which is more likely to get into trouble or hurt themselves and which I can get to quicker. I remember when I had tiny babies seeing twin mums with older children and seeing what they can do and thinking how do they ever manage?!
When the twins were 12 months we definitely turned a corner but it is only now I think that we can truly relax and enjoy the days out. At first we were just doing them to go somewhere…to get out; a few were disasters and then things just seemed to fall into place and before I knew it we were having fun. I can’t tell you when that changed but it gets easier all the time. This is one of the first really special days out like that I remember, when we let them all walk around the park. The photos are some of my favourites and me and my husband were able to sit back and watch them all play together. Seeing them outdoors, having fun together makes me happier than I can explain. I think maybe because we were cooped up for so long I get a bit emotional seeing what we can actually do now. It keeps that Mummy guilt at bay a little bit more, stops me feeling bad about all the things we didn’t do with them that we did with Lucas at this age.
A lot of the time it is madness, complete and utter madness but I think as long as we embrace it we are doing ok. A few days ago the boys were up to their usual malarkey; getting stuck in the curtains, running down the hall and bouncing off the doors, I think someone was stuck behind a chair. We just turned to each other and laughed, laughed until we cried. Sometimes our life just seems absurd, I don’t even know what we found so funny. It was as if we looked at each other and in an instant knew the other was about to say something about never thinking our life would be like this.
And of course I’d never change it, I can’t even express how lucky I feel to have these boys. It never crossed my mind that this would be our family but it is and it is perfect for us. I still have days where I am exhausted and I can’t wait for them to go to bed but once they are tucked in and the house is quiet I am always looking forward to the morning, to another day with them, to see their smiles and laughter and even watch the squabbles. I wouldn’t change any of it.
10 Comments
This is such a lovely post and one that I can kind of relate to right now as I start to cons out of the baby fog. It sounds like a complete joyful whirlwind with your 3 lovely boys though and long may it continue. Xx
February 5, 2016 at 1:18 pmAs lovely as those little babies are I really do love it when you get past the days in the baby haze. It won’t be long until your two are running round together Tas 🙂 xx
February 9, 2016 at 8:16 pmThey are such lovely boys and you are a lovely mummy. My Little Miss very much enjoyed playing in the curtains with them. You are right, the time goes FAR too quickly xXx
February 5, 2016 at 9:42 pmAh thank you Katie. Haha, Little Miss was a lovely visitor and is welcome anytime 🙂 xx
February 9, 2016 at 8:17 pmHayley your house must rock, you deserve the name extraordinary chaos more than me ha ha, but you can just see what incredible parents you are and how devoted you are to your gorgeous boys. I love reading about the boys antics, it reminds me of when our were little, but busier x
February 5, 2016 at 10:36 pmHaha, I’m not sure about the extraordinary part but it is definitely chaos 🙂 Boys always seem to be so busy don’t they, I love reading about yours just as much and seeing what we have to come! xx
February 9, 2016 at 8:22 pmWhat a really lovely post – I’m off to share it on my blog Facebook page. It brings back so many memories. The baby phase feels like a very distant memory for us too. I do remember my boys being incredibly tough from the age of 15 months to about 2 and a half though – they were total monkeys that didn’t listen, climbed everything and ran off in opposite directions! We stayed in a lot more between those ages too like you – sometimes it was just so much easier and safer. Even now there are times we don’t go to places because I know it will be too challenging with 2 x 6yos and a headstrong 3yo. As you say, it does get easier in lots of ways as every year passes. But boys have an endless amount of energy don’t they?! Yours are such cuties – it’s making me miss the pre-school years again! xx
February 6, 2016 at 9:01 amAh I love your comment Karen, I love hearing about others with twins. I think you’re right, boys are always bundles of energy anyway so add to that two toddlers it is just chaos. I know I had a few days were the destruction was just too much to bear but thankfully we are coming through that phase now! xx
February 9, 2016 at 8:24 pmHow are they two, Hayley?! How?! I know what you mean about embracing the madness. You just have to go with it, don’t you?! I find it too stressful to fight it … it’s actually way more fun when you accept the chaos and get involved in it 🙂
February 7, 2016 at 10:11 pmI think that is maybe the biggest thing I’ve learnt as a parent over the last 12 months Rachel, I’m pretty relaxed anyway but not much phases me now 🙂 Boys are just such bundles of energy aren’t they? I wouldn’t change it though xx
February 9, 2016 at 8:25 pm