04 June 2011

i'm grateful for 'twins'

Greetings all,
Twins literally changed my life.  I was a working mother of one, in the high flying oil industry, with a Nanny, husband overseas & extremely scheduled life.  It was my first real job out of University, i managed a dozen departments & spent my lunch hours in the ladies bathroom expressing milk; the job was a fantastic distraction from my husband away for 8 months & calling in once a fortnight + i knew no one in Darwin.
I remember the guys threw me a 25th birthday party in the board room (with a Woolworths $6 cake in domed plastic container) & one said "you're on your way to 30 now, are you freaking out!!"  My response "well, i want 4 children so i'm thinking 30 should see me as a full time mummy of 3 at home".  Career suicide??  I just never pictured myself as a working mother. 
When our eldest was 20 months, we planned another baby, kapow, it was twins!!  I immediately planned my exit strategy from the real working world to mother 3 under 2.5 years & all the homely ways i'd longed for, sewing, baking, gardening, luncheons + the new life schedule of a 4th child at age 28/29!!  Our son was born just after i turned 29, same 2 year 4 month gap as the girls.   
I always thought i'd have sons, sure i loved pretty dresses, heels & accessories as an adult, but just thought i'd have a bunch of messy boys.  Clearly not!!  I have rather girlie girls, they like fishing, mud & dream of farm life, but they love dressing up & sparkles.  Suddenly having 3 girls in the house, had me wearing more pink too.  No wonder i'm spending this weekend making tulle ruffled bloomers to share the girliness with my customers at the next Handmade Market.  7 days of panic sewing!! 
 My parents were visiting us in Darwin when we found out we were having twins.  We played them the video footage of the ultrasound & they heard my obstetrician say "congratulations, twins" just as they saw 2 babies on the screen.  Tears & champagne flowed, my mother said "you needed a challenge" as our first baby was text book perfect.   
 I had the safest kind of twins, fraternal, in their own sacs "just having 2 babies at once".  Apart from horrendous morning sickness & ending up on crutches with a harness to support my belly (my waist measured 130cm at 9 months, pretty sure they were star fishing to take up as much room as possible, they were 6kg combined at birth) it was an 'uneventful' pregnancy.  Trust me, i had an octopus in there, it was plenty eventful, especially when they turned . . . arms & legs sticking out of my belly in all directions - should have known they'd be fighting fit athletes!!
 They are such sweethearts, they are gorgeous friends, rarely clash & have very different personalities.  They have a lot of unspoken connections & share beautifully, they have different ideas, imaginations & spirits.  They have always had calm around them, maybe as they always have their best buddy with them.  Twin 1 was born perfectly, such is her nature to strive for excellence & conformity, twin 2 was breach, so she was pulled out by her feet (that was attractive, a little like delivering a calf) & still has no sense of direction, she is truly unique & quirky.  They slept 12 hours a night from 3 weeks of age, they breastfed for 18 months & just never skipped a beat - school, sports, friends, you name it, they cruise through life.  I hope this gives some mums with multiples or larger families the non horror story they might need to hear . . . they can be a dream, easy & pure joy, not a sleepless, fighting, tantrum nightmare.   
 They've never wanted to dress alike or have matching hair styles.  They have different skin tones, body shapes, eyes & hair - yet people hear 'twins' & can't tell them apart.  Teachers often don't realise they are sisters - in public, they're not often together, they save that precious connection for home.  If one falls & is escourted to sick bay, a friend will take them, i find that really strange, where's the sisterhood, but they are clearly friends at school, sisters at home & twins when they they need to be closer.  I also like it when one gets invited to a party without the other, it proves they are individuals.  As a rule, i make sure each twin gives a seperate gift to the party girl or boy also.
I absolutely can NOT wait to watch these girls grow, if only to see where their sense of style takes them.  They mix & match to create the most amazing ensembles.  When i was making their big sister's formal dress for her primary school graduation (i know, i think it's a farce too) they were drawing up all sorts of designs & ideas. 
Special mention to their big sister who never blinked an eyelid at suddenly sharing HER life & parents with two new little people.  The fact our twins were so quiet, barely cried & were so easy helped lessen the impact on her life & i've never seen any sibling rivarly.  Ditto for their little brother, he was an uber easy baby & while he's relishing the role of "annoying little brother" for the past few years, he truly worships these girls.  FYI we never refer to them as "the twins", but by their names, personal choice
So i'm grateful for the special experience that is parenting twins, that they jolted me out of the work force (10 years & counting, never to return thanks), it's simply wonderful.  What else are people grateful for this Saturday??  Ask Maxabella Loves, love Posie
PS last chance to win a ticket to the Small Business Summit in Canberra next Friday, here!!

31 comments:

polkadotpeticoat said...

What a sweet sweet post Posie! they are so adorable.

Alice Becomes said...

that's lovely Posie! I bet twins changed your life, i love the positivity you and your blog ooze, there is just something about the way you write that makes me feel happy. A gorgeous family, lots of things to be grateful for

Gill xo

Cathie said...

wonderful post Miss Posie...makes me wanna go out & get me a couple of those gorgeous little blondies :)
well made & well nurtured.
beautiful ♥

Michelle said...

You obviously have beautiful children, but I think you are obviously a wonderful attentive loving mother too. Have a great weekend, Michelle xx

yardage girl said...

Wonderful post - your kids are lovely!

supermac said...

I just love it that you were able to keep them together and apart at the same time. Such a brilliant way to raise twins. xx

Rebekah said...

Such a lovely post.
Such gorgeous girls xx

Felicity said...

What a clever choice they made to have such fantastic parents - SUCH a gorgeous family!

I love that you enable the girls to be individuals and not be be defined by their twinness.

xx Felicity

mel @ loved handmade said...

You've certainly been blessed, lucky lady! We are totally conviced that if we were to go for a 4th, we'd end up with twins, it's in the genes!

Tammy said...

Awww thanks for sharing that Posie. T. x

posie blogs Jennie McClelland said...

You ladies are all so gorgeous, i've never really thought of how we've raised them together but apart, thanks for the outside insight!! They were such a pleasant surprise at 26, i know they are pretty common now, but back then, twins were still pretty rare, but always special, love Posie

gretbert said...

What a lovely post and such beautiful girls! I am going to send this to my friends with twins :)

Mrs M said...

I applaude you, I can't even imagine having twins.

the old boathouse said...

You are very lucky they are beautiful in every way. How is your soldier? have a lovely weekend cheers katherine

Naturally Carol said...

I applaud you for raising them as individuals..that really comes through on your posts. They shine as two beautiful girls..inside and out!

Kate said...

Lovely lovely post! xx

Thea said...

Another beautifully written post. I wonder if your children read them? I know that one day they will look back at them and understand and truly appreciate the love in these written words. xx

The Moerks said...

Gorgeous girls. Oh course they are independent, spirited yet sweet girls. Just like their Mum I imagine. I am loving the headbands. Miss B has just gone off to a "Red carpet, dress to impress" party and would have given her left arm for one of those head bands about an hour ago.

1000 Homes of Happiness said...

What a gorgeous mumma you are Posie. I agree, so much to be grateful for with twins. My little ladies (5) melt my heart. They were also 'easy' newborns who slept for hours both day and night. Hence a little Bloss who followed not long after.

Your girls clearly have their own personalities and well done to you both on nurturing this.

Oh dear...you have made me clucky for another one now...hmmm what is it like having a little man after all the ladies?

Lovely post.

Kellie xoxoxo

deux chiens et un garcon said...

From managing a few departments to being the loving mother of 2 sweet little girls with their own little compartments.

The they are beautifully balanced with a sister and brother who are as wonderful in their own right.

xx

Cate said...

They are such beautiful girls. Sisters who are good friends are so blessed. And twins probably feel that blessing even more.
hope you're having a great weekend Posie
xxxCate

One of my Hobby Blogs said...

gawd, you got me all clucky again, and I'm not in my 20's like you were when you had your bubs, so it's probably best I try to forget this lovely post for now! congrats.

All For Love said...

Awww Posie, I loved reading this story about your beautiful girls. It is so cool that you knew what you wanted and went for it. It was all meant to be and it has turned out perfectly. You do have such a gorgeous family. I am not surprised you are grateful for it all.
And they clearly have wonderful parents, who have made them such well adjusted babies/children xo

Maxabella said...

They are beautiful, beautiful girls. How lucky they are to have each other.

I will see you at the Handmade market... why, yes, yes I will!!!!! x

Sarah@Dolls And Daydreams said...

What a lovely post! And what lovely girls you have :) I love the fact you have obviously nurtured them as individuals. Fingers crossed my soon to be new little man will be an easy baby and his big sister takes it all in her stride! (btw was your son like the girls moving around like an octopuses? This chap just doesn’t stop? Whereas my daughter was so gentle, he’s like karate kid in there!!! Hahahaha)

Unknown said...

How sweet they are. Lovely pics. Hard work when babies I am sure but so nice now!

Kylie said...

Lovely post Mrs Posie. All four of your children are a delight and all so lovely - like there lovely parents - lovely people produce lovely children. Have a great week.

Amy said...

What a lovely post and what such gorgeous girls!


You stories of a family of four are really making it hard for me to convince myself the three is enough. I would love four kids, hubby not so much...

Mandy said...

Great post! I love that your girls can go their own way, but also love sharing the twin connection. My second daughter is graduating Year 7 this year and my eldest daughter is graduating Year 12 (omg!), so I know just what you mean about that, also ;)

posie blogs Jennie McClelland said...

Four children are a great combination of playing & living together, that's for sure!! Love Posie

Annette Piper said...

I know just how cute twins can be ... mine are the same age too, but identical!