Moms of multiples tell it like it is

Back Two the Future: “Which one is the evil twin?”

February 16th, 2010 by Jen from Diagnosis: Urine · 15 Comments

Have you been asked this?
I’m sure we’ve all gotten variations of the question. “Who is more outgoing?” “Is one good and one bad?” “What are their personalities like?”
Once someone asked me which one was my favorite.
I don’t mind the questions, especially the “rude” ones, because usually I can joke about it and I’m so excited [...]

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Tags: Behavior · Other people · Preschoolers

brotherly love

February 1st, 2010 by Jen from Diagnosis: Urine · 13 Comments

When I was pregnant with my twins, I remember reading something that warned parents of multiples against thinking their babies needed them any less because of having been born a multiple. I was bummed when I read that.
We did our best to parent our twins as we had our oldest. I nursed them, they were [...]

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Tags: Behavior · Development · Older children · Preschoolers · Relationships · Sleep

My boys say goodbye to their comfort objects

January 19th, 2010 by Jen from Diagnosis: Urine · 17 Comments

Just before Christmas, my boys had their dentist appointment. Their teeth looked great (despite our lackluster brushing schedule), but the dentist had one concern.
“How’s it going getting rid of the pacifiers?” he asked P.
A look of panic flashed across P’s face, and he turned away from the dentist.
He tried again. “Are you guys gonna give [...]

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Tags: Celebrations · Development · Preschoolers · Relationships

Separation anxiety taken to a whole new level

January 5th, 2010 by Jen from Diagnosis: Urine · 11 Comments

The boys were cleaning their room, as I had asked. I was clearing the dinner dishes. I should have recognized the relative calm as the freakishly low tide just before a tsunami surges in.
I heard G, my firstborn twin, making his awkward way down the stairs, touching both feet on each step before descending. “Mom!” [...]

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Tags: Development · Preschoolers · Relationships

Back 2 the Future: Child-proofing

December 15th, 2009 by Jen from Diagnosis: Urine · 17 Comments

“Child-proofing” is a term that gives me a good hearty chuckle, like “potty trained.” We child-proofed the heck out of our house when we were expecting the twins. Magnetic locks on all the cabinets, with the magnet stored up high. Gates at the top and bottom of the stairs. Locks on all the door handles, [...]

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Tags: Ask The Moms · Safety · potty training

Back 2 the Future: Baby, you’re so money.

December 1st, 2009 by Jen from Diagnosis: Urine · 20 Comments

In trying to decide what to write about this week, I came across an email I’d sent my sister in May 2005, when my twins were almost 9 months old and my daughter was not quite 3. The email was 316 words of me freaking out over our family finances.
We were paying for part time [...]

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Tags: Childcare · Feeding

How it happened that I spent an evening on the phone with Poison Control and Astroglide customer service

November 17th, 2009 by Jen from Diagnosis: Urine · 11 Comments

When my twins were 13 months old, my daughter, Miss A, was 3. My husband and I were both working full time, and we’d worked out an arrangement where he kept the children at home until 1, then brought them to my office. We’d switch cars and he would head to work, and I’d go [...]

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Tags: Behavior · Safety · Toddlers

Back 2 the Future: So blessed/so depressed

November 3rd, 2009 by Jen from Diagnosis: Urine · 24 Comments

My twin pregnancy was diagnosed at our 20-week ultrasound. Our twins were healthy and the pregnancy was low-risk, as twin pregnancies go. We were flooded with congrats and well wishes from friends and family.
I spent the first week after the ultrasound in complete shock. Sometime during the second week, I calculated what our daycare expenses [...]

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Tags: Childcare · Family · Mommy Issues · Other people · Working

Back 2 the Future: Twin flashbacks

October 20th, 2009 by Jen from Diagnosis: Urine · 10 Comments

My twins are 5 now. Five! When I’m out with the kids, I’m more likely to be asked whether they and their older sister are triplets, than I am to be asked whether the boys are twins. The spectacle of twinfants in a double stroller is behind us, replaced by the more alarming spectacle of [...]

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Tags: Behavior · Development · Preschoolers · Sleep · Toddlers · potty training

The ability to self-soothe begins to emerge around 61 months.

September 23rd, 2009 by Jen from Diagnosis: Urine · 5 Comments

At five years old, my twins may be the oldest reflected here at HDYDI. They make up for that by having the maturity and social skills of two week olds.
I’m kidding! Mostly. During their first year, they attended two home daycares until we convinced my sister-in-law to watch them. She continued until I quit my [...]

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Tags: Activities · Behavior · Childcare · Development · Preschoolers