What age...

[taryn]

did you start spending time with each of them, individually? When I took Chloe to the ped. yesterday I realized it was the first time she'd been out without her sister. Maurice made a comment about needing to start giving them 'out and about' time on their own occasionally. I have to say, it was weird. Hannah had to take a nap by herself for the first time since I can remember! :lol:

I'm starting to realize just how different they are. Chloe is calm but more aggressive. Hannah is wide open and busy, busy, busy but seeks approval and praise, and hates for anyone to even look at her in a scolding manner. Chloe is definitely the dominant twin, or whatever. I try not to intervene when Chloe is trying to dominate her because I don't want to start the cycle of habitually stepping in. Since they're sort of stuck with each other, I think it's essential they figure out ways to cope with each other's personalities. I'm not sure, though. It's hard sometimes, because Hannah will just give up, shrug her shoulders, and walk away. If you have a dominant twin/triplet, did you intervene?

Most of the time I love it when they copy each other. One will have this grand idea of climbing something, then they'll converse in their own language, and the other will follow suit. It's almost like the originator is explaining to the copy cat how to do what she just did. I say I love it most of the time because they've taken to stripping themselves naked at nap time. This morning when I came to get them up, Hannah was sitting in her crib naked, covered from head to toe in poop. *sigh*

I don't get as much done as I used to. I don't get out of the house as much as I used to; this winter weather makes it really hard to take the two wanderers anywhere except play dates where I know they're free to run about. We have become more of a homebody family; one of us will take the big kids out and the other will stay home with the girls. Right now they are just too small for this kind of cold, IMO. I don't think it is affecting them at this point. They are perfectly content just running around the house, playing with their toys each other, talking to each other, fighting with each other. I think it's true that once they're older, it is easier in the entertainment regard because they have each other, vs. a singleton where you are solely responsible for their entertainment. A lot of times I can introduce them to an activity, get them started, and they will pick it up on their own and adapt it to their own manner of team play, and I can just observe. We are so ready for summer! I cannot wait to get them out on the grass and in the warm sun, the lake, camping, fishing.....

I cannot even begin to describe my joy at accomplishing our goal of surviving the first year!

[Lisa JD]

Taryn, big Congrats on surviving the 1st year :D loved your update then even the poop part, I can't wait to have mine.
Hannah and Chloe are identical aren't they???
Do you go along to a twin playgroup etc??
sorry, Questions, questions ;)

I'm gonna try take these twins on little seperate outings, I mean, If we need ,milk and bread, I'll leave 1 with Dh and take the other and Brooke if she is home, then vice versa next pit stop ... also, because we are having fraternal, we have decided that their names will be very different to each other, these babies are 2 complete different pregnancies, taking place at once, that's how my OB described it, I thought that was amazing! I'm trying to treasure this miracle now and slow it down more and more.
I have my 1st Brisbane Multiple birth playgroup meet on the 1st April .. should be fun, all ages groups for a play and expectant mums to comg along, I'm looking forward tooooo it! I also just got my newsletter and I can hire twin breast feeding pillows for $10 a month, which is cool and even a pump for $15. I'm starting to get excited.

[taryn]

Chloe and Hannah are fraternal. They looked very much alike for the first year and people still ask if they are identical. We weren't completely sure of their twin status before birth, as they were the same sex. They had seperate placentas but sometimes identical twins can have that. Once they were born, however, it became obvious right away. They had different blood types, totally different hands and feet, etc. They looked very similar when clothed but once you got them in the bath, the differences came out.

They've begun to look less and less alike in the months since their first birthday (espcially since I gave Chloe 1" bangs :doh: :lol: ). It really is like two completely different pregnancies in one body. I remember that Chloe (who presented first, so baby 'A') was very calm in utero, rarely kicked and in fact I had to try and do kick counts with her because she was so still most of the time. Hannah used to kick the tar out of me constantly. Now, Hannah is my fidgeter--restless until she finally hits a wall and falls asleep. Chloe will talk herself to sleep calmly and peacefully. I often go into the room after they're asleep to find all of Hannah's bedding and her little song bunny cast to the floor. :lol:

I used to belong to a twin mom group but the age limit for the twins is 18 months. We have some very good friends who have twins who are three and a half, and they are a wonderful source of support/advice. I haven't been to this twin group in a while but I have offered to come in as a guest speaker for moms of newborns. My twins are the oldest in the group and fast approaching the age limit for the group.

I'm so glad you've found such a great deal on nursing pillow/breast pump rental! :thumbsup: What a great program that must be. Have fun at your twin meet; let us know how it goes! :D

[Lisa JD]

I will update for sure, I don't really want to go buy a electric pump, incase breast feeding becomes to chaotic for me, or my boobs just kill again, it would be handy in those 1st couple weeks to hire all that gear though, as I really have no clue how it will go, so I'll play it be ear when they arrive, If I can give them at least a couple weeks of liquid gold that would be good.

SO cool about your girls being fraternal, I guess we won't know definately until these are born also :D
You know it's funny, because my sleepy/mellow baby twin 1 has a name very similar name to Chloe ;)
mwa.

[Sheryl]

I don't remember how old they were, but I love to go out with just one of my girls. It's the only time they get "spoiled", I'll buy them something that I usually wouldn't get, like a special snack for them etc. It's important for them to get some individual time alone with just me too. They do the same thing with DH, although with him it's usually a trip to Home Depot, LOL!

I have one of mine that is the "dominant" and it's really hard to not step in, that's great that you can do that. It's actually the "oldest" who is the alpha triplet. The other 2 usually go along with her for whatever reason, but sometimes they can get sick of it and stand up for themselves.

Congratulations on making it the 1st year, Happy Birthday!!! Are they on the birthday list sticky? That's what I go by to do the birthday wishes, so feel free to add them to that post and I'll update the birthday list.

:D :D :D