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Twins

Dressing Twins: To Match or Not To Match?

Early on, I didn’t give a lot of thought as to whether or not I would be dressing the twins alike. As it turned out, two relatives gave us (no joke) and attic full of hand-me-down girls clothes. We had way more clothing then our two girls were going to need-praise the Lord! So, out of necessity, most of the outfits the girls weren’t matching because the hand-me-downs hadn’t come from twins.  dressing twins2 From the time the girls were still in my tummy I knew that I’d be using pink to designate things that were strictly ‘Madeline’s’ and purple for things that were ‘Emily’s’: Madeline’s blanket and pacifiers were pink, Emily’s were purple. It just made things easier. Also, friends and family wanted to know what my “colors” were for their nursery so that they could buy gifts and make blankets that matched my theme. Now that they are almost 3 (yikes!), I’ve learned a thing or two about dressing twins alike.

Some pros for dressing twins alike:

They’re easier to pick out of a crowd when their outfits are identical.

You’ve seen those families at Disneyland, right? You know, the folks who are all wearing the same bright orange “celebrating big sister’s birthday” T-shirts? Well, there’s a reason they do that! If you have wiggly little ones (i.e. twin toddlers), it really helps when you can quickly locate a matching pair of children. alike

It may lower the chances you’ll get peppered with “are they twins?” questions while you’re out.

People take one look at your same-sized children with the same-sized, same-colored clothing on, and presume that they are, in fact, twins. alike hike

It makes shopping easier-just grab 2 of everything!

I’ve met quite a few families that shop this way, actually. It takes forever to do back to school shopping for multiple children. As long as they don’t mind, why not get them all the same clothing?

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alike easter

No fighting over who gets the brown skirt if there are 2 of them!

Ever since they could communicate, one of the girls is usually be dead set against wearing something. I’m not sure if this is a girl thing, or just my twins. But having matching outfits often cuts down on the arguments over what to wear.

Some cons for dressing twins alike:

Hand-me-downs from singletons don’t fit in with the ‘everything matches’ plan.

In the beginning, I wanted the girls to ALWAYS match. But then we got that huge shipment of hand-me-downs which I just couldn’t pass up. We ended up going with Plan B, where Madeline wears reds, pinks, and some blues and Emily wears purples, greens, yellows, and some blues. This honestly probably stems from my possessiveness, which I blame on being one of six kids. 🙂

There aren’t usually 2 of everything on a sale rack.

A big downside to having twins in all-matching clothing is that… It’s expensive. So if you are bargain shopping, chances are VERY likely that you will not find two of the very same outfit in the very same size. Yet another reason why we went with Plan B.  dressing twins

Your twins will stand out more, and everyone will ask you if they are twins.

Basically, whether you dress your twins alike or not, people are always going to ask you if they are twins. So, new mothers of twins, this is just something you have to get used to. If you can’t think of something nice (or funny) to say, try these suggestions.

You can only dress them the way you want to for so long.

Of course I want my children to develop their own identities. And I really don’t think that the way that I dressed them as a toddler is going to make them live out one identity over another. And as soon as they don’t like being dressed alike, I’ll let them pick their clothing. But right now they are three, and they really love each other. Thankfully, so far it hasn’t been an issue. When it does they’ll be old enough to dress themselves and I’ll just be thankful I’m not having to stuff bendy little feet into skinny little jeans anymore.  alike but different

My original “the-twins-will-always-match-100%-forever-and-ever-the-end” mentality only lasted so long. What we ended up with was one girl who prefers pink and the other one who prefers purple. And when neither of those options are available I like to buy outfits that are alike but different. Kohl’s and Target have great mix and match options so I can have both girls in polkadot leggings and a little tunic that are very similar but different colors. In reality though, I don’t shop very often. I just love hand-me-downs and hate to see good clothing go to waste, which means we are fortunate enough to have plenty of clothing for the girls!

Now if I could just get my 12-year-old on board with wearing hand-me-downs… Well, you can’t win ’em all. 😉

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When Should You Start Buying Supplies for Twins?

Finding out your are having twins is such an amazing revelation. It’s not uncommon to want to run out and buy all the things right away. In this post I’ll share my advice for when to buy baby stuff for those who are just itching to get started.  when to buy supplies for twins

Early on: Diapers and the big stuff

I highly recommend stockpiling diapers from the get-go because a) they can get pretty expensive and b) the first 4 or 5 months of newborn twins are the most challenging so the more prepared you are at home, the better!

Another thing you will want to plan for early in your twin pregnancy are the furniture items. Are you going to use 2 cribs or 1? Where will you store pack and plays and a double stroller? It’s best to decide what you want to use and where you are going to put it while you are still moving around comfortably. After the second trimester you are going to be sizably pregnant. Your body will really slow down and it is exhausting just doing regular stuff, much less putting together furniture, painting, shopping, etc.

*Tip: Save the receipts! Extra diapers can be returned.

After the anatomy ultrasound (usually 18-20 weeks): gender-specific stuff and clothes

During a twin pregnancy you have a lot of ultrasounds. Chances are you will have an idea of the babies’ genders before this, what my ObGyn called “the big ultrasound”. The ultrasound technician will also check to make sure that all the babies’ parts are developing at a normal rate, so it may be a good idea to hold off on buying too much until you’re sure they are both ok. Once you have the anatomy ultrasound you can start getting outfits and other items (check this list of twin essentials) that you want in gender-specific colors for your newborn twins. Keep in mind that “full term” for a twin pregnancy is 37 weeks, and it is not uncommon for twins to be born anytime after 32 weeks. You may want to install your carseats ahead of time so you are ready for when the babies come!

*Tip: Visit Twiniversity’s page for discounts for multiples.

After the babies arrive: Stuff for older babies

Play items like Fisher Price’s Exersaucers are nice, but they take up a lot of space and won’t be used until the twins are at least 6 months old. These, along with high chairs, carriers, and play items, can be purchased at a later date.

*Tip: You may not need 2 of every toy, so it is best to wait until you get to know your babies’ personalities before buying toys for them.

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English-to-Toddler Picture Dictionary

Kids say the darndest things, don’t they?

Thankfully, we aren’t at the stage where the girls say horribly embarrassing things about strangers at full volume. Madeline and Emily are in the “See how cute she says ___” stage. And it’s awesome.

For a while, I did that thing you’re not supposed to do and compared my twins’ lack of vocabulary to the extensive vocabulary of other twins their same age. Our girls are definitely not as well-developed in the language department as other toddlers are. However, not all children learn at the same pace, and it seems that they are increasing in language every day so I’m not concerned. Their toddler talk is so much fun to listen to.

I’d like to share some of their toddler vocabulary, and invite you to explore the language of an average 2-year-old. In case you meet Madeline and Emily in the near future, included in this post is a picture dictionary so you have a visual to go with the toddler nonsense that comes out of their mouths.

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sandwich  :  souwart

I actually got a text from the babysitter about this one, asking “what are “souwarts”? Emily wants one.”  :lol:

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giraffe  :  dragon

You gotta admit, giraffes are weird-looking. 

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fly  :  butterfly

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bee  :  butterfly

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dragonfly  :  butterfly

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butterfly  :  butterfly

Are we noticing a trend?  :razz:

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flower  :  flaller

This particular one would be a “piddy lellow flaller”.

Via clipartpanda.com BTW, it is super hard to find clipart for applesauce. Instead how about you imagine this apple, peeled and mushed up.

applesauce  :  applescott

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octopus  :  applescott

Apparently the same word applies to both 8-limbed sea creatures and a bowl of pureed apples. Go figure.

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upside-down  :  up-a-down

Do not be confused, they don’t want to go up AND down, it means they want their head to be where their feet are. I have made this error before, they are not amused.

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spider  :  THE bisty bisty spider 

You know, from the song… The bisty bisty spider went up the water spout…

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all of the above are firetrucks

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wake up  :  leek up

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kitten  :  callie cat

anything you do on your stomach  :  swimming

Emily Swimmin'

Emily Swimmin’

Now you’re caught up on the toddler lingo in the Rushed Mommy home. :smile:

I get a kick out of funny words children use for things, please share your own toddler’s translations for things in the comments below!

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10 Lessons I Learned from my Toddler Twins

At times they will drive you crazy. But raising toddler twins isn’t all tantrums and food fights. They are also the most lovable, most adorable pudgy-cheeked little people at times. They will drive you bonkers, but you will treasure them and never want them to grow up.

10 lessons I learned from my toddler twins

Having toddler twins will make errands just that much more of a challenge. Because unless all stores have double shopping carts (which they don’t), both will want to ride in the front part of the cart. Or one will want to ride until you put her in the seat, and then she’ll want out and her sister will refuse to get in. What will most likely be the case is the store you go to won’t have carts and you will spend your shopping trip chasing after two tiny hoodlums and praying that they stay together.

toddler twins on errands
Apparently we’re staying here.

Everywhere you go people will be admiring your adorable little ones and stopping to talk to them. These strangers have no idea that just a few minutes ago one of your twins was trying to yank all the balls out of one of those big ball pens in the middle of the aisle and her sister was sobbing because you won’t buy her Elsa stickers. All they see is an angelic, cute little toddler — and another one just like her!

Unreasonable mealtime arguments are multiplied:

Mommy: “Here are your sandwiches.”
Twin A: “I want the BLUE plate!”
Mommy: “You wanted purple yesterday. Your sandwich is on the purple plate.”
Twin A: “BLUE!”
Mommy: “You already have purple. The blue one is dirty. You get purple. See? Purple is pretty!”
Twin A: (smiling) “Pretty purple!”
Mommy starts to sit down with her lunch.
Twin B: “I want a fork!”
Mommy: Sigh “You don’t need a fork. It’s a sandwich.”
Twin B: “FORK!!!”

Via Mums Grapevine Facebook
Via Mums Grapevine Facebook

They will also be the best of friends, even at the table. There’s not much that can compete with the endearing mealtime conversation between two toddlers. The best part about their little dinner discussions is that, while most of your friends have no idea what they’re saying, Mommy and Daddy do.

Having two of everything is not always enough. You can have a thousand Thomas the Tank Engines and one twin will need them all. So will her sister.

Via

They won’t hesitate to take care of one another. They will stick up for their sibling as if our country’s freedom depended upon it. Don’t mess with a twin who wants to go down the slide that is “yours”. Her sister will bring justice to the playground.

You will provide them with creative play toys, like blocks or train sets. They will beg you to create something for them. Then they will instantly team up against you to destroy it and want you to make another one.

Twins come with a built-in companion to play invented games with. By the time they are toddlers, they will occasionally entertain themselves in games with rules that only they understand.  YouTube Preview Image

They will watch Yo Gabba Gabba over and over. And those dorky bands who sing hippy tunes about washing your hands will be stuck in your head the rest of the day.

Bonus: The same songs will get stuck in their heads and you will be blessed with the  audio of such toddler classics like “The Bisty Bisty Spidow” in stereo. 

Raising toddler twins isn't all tantrums and food fights. They will make you bonkers, drive you crazy, but you will treasure them always.

Getting Twins on a Schedule

It was so important to me to get my twins on a schedule. I wanted to be able to dictate when they slept and ate, thinking it would give me more freedom. This vlog tells how getting twins on a schedule went down for us.

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Twins Maternity Leave: My Story

At our first ultrasound, we never thought we’d hear the doctor say that we were expecting twins. Once we had some time to wrap our heads around this incredible and unexpected news, it was time to start thinking about how we were going to plan for their arrival.

pregnant with twins maternity leave

Bies/ Flickr/ Creative Commons

In the beginning I was bound and determined to work right up until the day the twins came. However, my OBGYN recommended I go on maternity leave at 32 weeks. By then I was already pretty enormous, but I convinced her that I was ok to work a liiiiiittle longer. I was teaching third grade at the time, spending the day on my feet and with a commute of just under an hour either way. As my pregnancy progressed she insisted I stop working at 35 weeks, and I was so uncomfortable that I took her advice without hesitation.

Then, at 37 ½ weeks, the girls came! They were beautiful and delicate and oh so much work! I wanted to spend every minute looking at their sweet faces and holding their tiny bodies.

RELATED: This post explains how we financially prepared for twins.

newborn twins

I got what I wanted, and then some. That first week home from the hospital was rough, to say the least. Twins require a LOT of holding. They also cry a lot, have to be fed ‘round the clock, and between the two of them they keep you up all night. After weeks of literally sleepless nights I began to panic. How was I going to keep this up AND work a full-time job? Work started at 7:15. Factoring in the time it took to drop off the girls at daycare and my older son at school, we would all have to be out the door before 6 a.m. Adding to my anxiety was the fact that the on-campus before-school care for my oldest wasn’t even open until 6:30 and the only childcare I was able to find for the twins was 25 minutes away.

All my worries tore me apart on the inside. What was I to do about my oldest child? When was I going to spend time with my children? How was I going to be a good teacher when I wasn’t getting more than a few hours of sleep a night?

As unreasonable as it sounds, I truly felt like I was destroying all possibilities of happiness for my little family. As if any unpleasantness in the home was ultimately my fault. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was rapidly plunging into post-partum depression.

I was really hoping that I would be entitled to twice as long a paid maternity leave since I had given birth to twice the usual number of babies. Unfortunately, whether you give birth to one child or quadruplets, you are only allowed 6 weeks of paid disability leave for a vaginal delivery (even with insurance). But only 6 weeks after having twins, there is no way I was functioning at full capacity. I was a wreck, and I looked it.

I went to see my doctor, hoping that he could help me figure things out. I told him about how I was having difficulty concentrating, how I was forgetting things like the lyrics to the ABCs, and how I was losing control of my emotions. He must have recognized the symptoms of PPD, because he gave me a note for an extra week off of work and referred me to a therapist.

Because of post-partum recovery and the ensuing depression, I ended up taking a full 3 months off of work. Looking back, I really needed that time to mentally recuperate and adjust to the chaos that having twins threw my life into. In all, my maternity leave went from when I was 35 weeks pregnant to 12 weeks post-partum. When I finally went back to work, I was in a good place mentally. I could find things to laugh about, my relationship with my husband had improved, and I was enjoying my little girls more every day. Of course, it helped that a major leap of faith got me into a job that was much closer to home.

twins maternity leave

I hope this post doesn’t sound like the downer it reads in my head. Things are rough that first few months as a parent of twins, but you will survive. And even in the midst of those hard times you will find that your babies bring you so much joy.

I love hearing from other Mommies, please share your maternity story in the comments section below!

twins maternity leave

Terrified of Having Twins? 18 Pieces of Advice from a Mom Who has Been There

When I was expecting twins, I had no idea what I was in for. Then they came and it seemed that each day was a new learning experience. As I muddled through those first few crazy months, I made some big discoveries about parenting and about myself.

What I’ve learned about raising twins

  1. There will be easy days and there will be hard days. How you respond to them makes all the difference.
  2. People are going to ask you what you want for baby showers and the like. Ask for gifts of meals, help around the house or with holding babies so you can sleep/shower, and diapers. Trust me, you won’t regret it.
  3. Get ready-early! Pack your hospital bag, purchase and install your carseats, and buy preemie clothes just in case. Chances are that you will bring your babies home from the hospital and they will be swimming in their newborn layette.  newborn twins
  4. Focus your energy on caring for your newborns and don’t stress the other stuff. Be flexible. Forget the housework!
  5. You don’t need 2 of everything at first. You can get by with 2 similar things, like a bouncer and a swing. But by the time you have 2 toddlers, yes, you’re going to need 2 of everything. And they need to be exactly the same.  twins
  6. Find a way to get some time to yourself. Get out of the house if you can get someone to come over and hold babies for a while. Personally, I wake up an hour before the rest of the family. Those quiet moments have been a lifesaver.
  7. It gets easier. Each stage has its ups and downs. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Meanwhile, in between those difficult times are moments of sweet sibling interaction that will melt your heart. Remember these moments when they are tearing at each other’s hair and you are ready to trade them in for a used PT Cruiser. 
  8. You can breastfeed them both. Get support from the lactation consultant while you are in the hospital, be patient, and check out the YouTube videos and blogs of moms who have done it before you.
  9. Know that you will feel overwhelmed. It comes with the territory.
  10. Get them on the same schedule. And by this I don’t mean an hourly feeding and sleeping schedule that your life has to revolve around. Simply feed them at the same time, put them to sleep at the same time, bathe and change them at the same time, and when one wakes up to eat-wake up the other one, too.
  11. Twins are expensive. Accept hand-me-downs! If someone offers you clothing or used baby gear-take it!
  12. Relax. Stay calm. It’s ok if they cry. It’s ok to lay them down in their crib for a few minutes while you take some deep breaths and regroup.
  13. You just won’t sleep for the first few months. But no matter how bad it seems, you will get through it. You will sleep again, and soon those long sleepless nights will be nothing more than a distant memory.   sleep
  14. Your sanity and the health and happiness of your babies/other children/spouse are your biggest concern. Not the toppling-over pile of laundry or the dust on the bookshelf. It’s ok to ask for help-and if it’s offered, you should take it!
  15. You’re going to be a celebrity around town. Twins get lots of attention in public, especially if they are identical. And everyone has a twin story that they want to share with you.  
  16. Raising children is hard, whether it’s twins or a singleton, three children or eight children. Every baby is different. Parenting is an adventure, and very few parents feel that they are doing everything “right”.
  17. Get hooked up with other twin parents. Connecting with the National Mothers of Twins Club is a great place to start. I highly recommend joining your local parents of twins club. The support, encouragement, and advice these parents offer is invaluable.
  18. Spend time with each twin individually. Some of my favorite moments are the snuggles and story time that I get with just one child.

Losing the Potty Training Battle

Potty training twins is not going so well. The girls are not open to sitting on the potty, even for fun.

potty training

This is not a happy face

Emily throws a fit whenever you take off her diaper. They don’t talk enough to let us know when they have to go, and I doubt they even know themselves when they need to go! They can’t pull up/down their training pants on their own. Mommy and Daddy are gone during the day, so the girls are with a sitter Monday-Thursday. And we have a new baby coming sooner than we’re ready for.

Sometimes you just have to take a step back and start over. As much as I did NOT want to have 3 children in diapers, I don’t think the twins can be rushed into potty training. We’re going to have to call it quits for now. Phooey.

Twin Talk and a Little Taylor Swift

The twins are finally starting to talk more! I was worried that they’d chat my ears off as soon as they started developing some language, but so far we’re all enjoying the little things they have to say. FullSizeRender As of now, they ramble in baby talk for a few ‘words’, and finish up their ‘sentence’ with the thing they are trying to communicate. Like this: “blah, blah, blah, shoe”. They use a few 2-word sentences like Bye, Mama and “No Ni-Nite”. They are NOT fond of bed time.

FullSizeRender (1) Madeline is more chatty than Emily, although she doesn’t always make a lot of sense. She probably will be the one to talk my ear off before long. She says “Hi” to just about everyone we pass when we go out. She learned to say “Sorry” (pronounced sawwy), but she doesn’t always apply it at the right times. Any time you bump into her or you bump yourself on a piece of furniture or something, she immediately calls out, “Sawwy!”. I guess she’s used to hearing people apologize for bonking into someone, and thinks that’s just what everyone says, all the time. She’s also really good at saying thank you. It’s adorable in her little munchkin voice. At least she’s learned manners!

Emily Emily is quieter, more soft-spoken, and tends to keep to herself more. And she’s obsessed with Frozen. She calls it “Let it Go” (actually, it’s more like Yeh-Go”), and several times a day she points at the TV and demands we put on the movie: “Yeh-Go! Yeh-Go!”. A few times I played the “Let it Go” song on Youtube using my cell phone, and now Emily hands me my phone and asks to see “Yeh-Go” there, too. It never bothers us because she doesn’t throw a tantrum when we tell her no, and she is so darn cute when she sings along with the movie. The other word Emily uses often is “yellow”. She’s learned the color name yellow (lellow, of course) and calls every color “yellow”. She also knows “T”, which she points out whenever she sees a word or number, and then Mommy tells her, “that’s not T, but it’s a letter (or number). This letter/number is ____.” I don’t know how much of it makes any sense to her, but I love having conversations with my little ones on any topic. FullSizeRender (2)

Then there’s the oldest. I realized that I don’t mention him much on here. He’s just such a busy kid, it’s hard to keep up with him. Last winter he was in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, put on through the school. After that he started taking an interest in music and singing. I want to encourage anything that builds his confidence, so I don’t mind him listening to kid-friendly pop music. IMG_0387 Lately, his favorite singer has been Taylor Swift. This, honestly, I find hilarious. Coming from a kid who is rather big for his age, is totally into football and playing “Nerf wars” with his friends in the neighborhood, it’s a little unexpected to hear him in his room singing along to teeny-bopper girly songs. But it could be worse! He could want to listen to gangsta rap, which I won’t let him do, and then we’d both be unhappy. Thank you, Taylor Swift, for being so popular and keeping my ‘tween from listening to Lil Wayne.

I have to close with his favorite T-Swift song: We Are Never Getting Back Together. ;-)

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A Precious Moment with the Twins

The twins are going through a tough phase. They are struggling with a sense of what is “normal”. Being shifted from daycare where they are spoonfed at meals and babied more than toddlers should be, to home where Mommy asks them to hand her things and “help” put things away is a hard transition for them. Because of their daycare schedule, their naptimes have gotten irregular or skipped altogether. grouchy twins

I think that’s why lately Emily has been really whiny and Madeline has been bratty to Emily.

But every now and then they get along, no one’s throwing a tantrum, and life is amazing.

Like this moment. twins

They look so old here, so different from the frail babies they once were.

I have to remind myself sometimes that they are working hard at growing and learning, just like Mommy is working hard at being a teacher. Sometimes it’s just not easy being a toddler.

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Hi, I’m Nikki!

I'm Nikki, a lover of coffee, chef for 6, elementary teacher, and expert in the art of wrangling twins. I'm also a working mom with a passion for having fun and keeping a cozy home. Come along with me on the journey of a joyful mom! Learn More…

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