What it's like with twin toddlers...

 

​Hey y'all! Hope you're doing well. Today, I am going to fill you in on how things have been going in our household lately, raising twins. 
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First, let's talk about the two little munchkins. Mattix and Mckinly are two years and one month old. They are full of personality and indeed keep things exciting for us here at home. For starters, they are always climbing and jumping off of something. I may or may not have almost had a heart attack when I've caught them in the middle of jumping off of furniture. They have tested every boundary in our home to try and see what they can get away with. Boy, can they push the limits. The hardest part so far about this stage they are in is that the tantrums are relentless. Meltdowns happen at least three times a day each. And the whining never ends. And it's emotionally draining for everyone. 

When people ask about their bond and if they are close to each other, I say yes. They genuinely are inseparable, but they do have a love-hate relationship with each other most days. Which is understandable considering they are in each other's faces 24/7. They don't get a break. They get tired of each other. What if you had to share your food, toys, and space? All. Day. Long. 

Even though they have their moments, they love each other so much. They are incredibly affectionate towards each other; it's really sweet to watch. They are always hugging and giving kisses. "Hug bro bro, kiss bro bro". Whenever they have their cute little moments, Patrick and I lock eyes, and I know we are thinking the same thing....why are they so adorable!! They take care of each other too. For example, if I give one of them a snack, they immediately take it to the other, and then come back and get their own. 
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They LOVE playing together, like really playing together. They'll put their babies (stuffed animals) to sleep, read books, drive around in their cars, or make things with their legos or stem blocks and have little conversations that only they can understand. It's been cool having them play nicely together too, more space for me to get things done here and there around the house. Or work on my blog.

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Overall, I love the toddler stage; it's been full of surprises. It's like they are still babies with little adult personalities, and it can be hard to try and find a balance when it comes to teaching them right from wrong, but that's another story for another time. I try my hardest to be consistent with boundaries, but to be honest, it hasn't been working very well. It's...a work in progress. One thing I have learned about them in the stage is that their curiosity is way more important to them than what we want them to do. They are strong-willed and do not give up easily.

If I am 100% honest, there have been many days that have ended with all three of us in tears. Sometimes my patience is thin, and I snap at them. Other times they are irritated, and they aren't in the best mood or  whining because they can't communicate clearly enough for me to understand what they want. They are people who have emotions just like you and me, so I do my best not to sweat the things that are out of my control.

For me, raising twins, as a twin has been quite the experience. I have a unique lens that has allowed me to understand my sons in such a special way. 

With that being said, the challenges that come with raising twins are endless. Always having to divide my attention between the boys is tough. I want to make sure one feels just as important as the other. But the truth is that there is no way to measure my love and attention to make sure that they are always getting the same exact amount, so I do my best.  

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​Even though they are twins, we each have our special little bond. With twins, people seem to think because I have twins, I have to do everything the exact same, and that's just not true. They need different things. For example, Mckinly is a cuddler. Mattix is not, so naturally, I cuddle Mckinly more. When I have a little moment to be with one of them without the other, I do. You have to take advantage of those small windows of time when their not glued to each other and know that it is okay if one twin needed you more that day.

If you're expecting twins or in an earlier stage with your twins than I am, know that everything is a phase and won't last forever. You got this.

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