Twin observations through year one.

by Joe Doyle on May 27, 2008

Twins. It’s pretty much what everyone says – a lot of work. So many people ask is it harder with two?

The answer is yes.

And no.

In many ways it’s more rewarding. But what the hell do I know, I’ve only had two. In no particular order…

- Twice the diapers (cost).

- Twice the diapers (human waste).

- Your kids are out of diapers faster than two singletons who are close in age.

- The bond is amazing - every morning Katie and Patrick look to each other in their cribs. At day camp, they glance across the room at one another. They are as much friends as they are brother and sister.

- To see your child bond with another, like holding hands or a kiss, is even more rewarding when they do it every day in your living room.

- Zone defense is hard. Man-to-man is where it’s at.

- If one is quiet, something is brewing. If both are quiet, best go see what they’ve gotten in to.

- Nobody wants to leave their kid alone in the car when you’re getting ready to go out. But how do you strap them both in? Answer = two people. Always.

- Or at day care you push one in a stroller and carry the other.

- Twice the laundry.

- Katie and Patrick share better than most singletons we know. Of course, they also take things from one another, too.

- As much as they share DNA and a birth date, they are two completely individual people with strengths and weaknesses like all of us.

- Travel by plane with one infant means the parents share kid-on-the-lap space. With two, not so much.

- The safest car seats cost $250. Each.

- Day care costs more than I’ve ever paid in rent. It’s a mortgage payment.

- Forget real conversations at a party with your kids. If you’re primary, you are unable to do anything else. If you’re talking to a friend when one gets away from the primary, you’re running mid-sentence.

- People stop and stare – everyone loves an infant. But two brings out conversations from strangers about a sister who has twins, etc. When I take just one, we get ignored.

- As they get older, they will have each other to play with, so there is less relying on Mom and Dad to be full-time playmates.

Happy Monday. Er, Tuesday!

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{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Jewy Matt 05.27.08 at 2:54 pm

Wait…you had TWINS?!?! Well, that explains a lot.

2 Joe Doyle 05.27.08 at 3:27 pm

Yes, two of them even.

3 Sis Kelly 05.27.08 at 7:46 pm

One of the things my boss said that I thought was pretty interesting: Not only do you have two kids but then you are managing the relationship between the two kids so it is like you have three kids :)

4 Joe Doyle 05.27.08 at 8:21 pm

See that. And when you’re here to visit it’s like four!

Just kidding. Good observation, though.

5 Sis Kelly 05.27.08 at 8:23 pm

Those kids tired me out!

6 Joe Doyle 05.27.08 at 8:32 pm

They ran around so much this weekend we put them to bed at 7 tonight. Katie’s been sleeping in (like a teenager) when we keep her up later.

7 Grandpa Ashley 05.30.08 at 6:43 am

It’s wonderful to see the baby’s grow and learn,but it’s even more wonderful to see the other two learn and grow even though they are much older. Hope you all keep growing together.
dad

8 Joe Doyle 05.30.08 at 7:33 am

Thanks, dad. Every day, something new…

9 Jewy Matt 05.30.08 at 5:27 pm

At least they aren’t Minnesota Twins. Yuck!!!

10 Joe Doyle 05.30.08 at 9:01 pm

Twinkees! I call them that every once in a while and it just doesn’t feel right. Perhaps I should call them “ho-hos” or “ding dongs” or even “sno balls”.

Nah.

11 Aunt Pam 06.02.08 at 12:28 pm

Watching your children has been soo fun for me…watching twins learn about the world is wonderful! You can tell there’s a bond between them. Watching them “work” that bond is omething we should all just look at and learn from.

Love, Aunt Pam

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