Second Year Moms: Who's Hanging Out in Here

Hi everyone! Great idea for a thread, Rachel!

DH and I are both research scientists for a biotech company. Our kiddos, Keegan and Molly, are 18 months old. They are lucky enough to stay home with our wonderful nanny...if I stayed home with them all day, they wouldn't be so lucky as I CANNOT handle the whining that has erupted in our house in the last few months!! Thankfully, they are starting to talk a lot more...or I am just getting smart enough to finally understand what they are saying to me

I feel really bittersweet about the first year. I look back at their baby pictures and I don't remember them being that small. It was the hardest thing we have ever done, working FT and raising twins without any family around to help out. And I often feel jealous of the bond I imagine that develops between a mom and her one baby to which she can devote all of her time and love.

Yet, I wouldn't trade any of the special moments we are starting to enjoy. The first time he grabbed her hand to lead her to the kitchen for snack-time. The way they giggle and wrestle with together. The sweet way they wake up in the morning, chatting to each other in their cribs. The hint of a brother's protective concern for his sister. The way she will often do anything to make him laugh.

It amazes me to think that these two little people who look nothing alike (DS weighs 7 pounds more than DD!) and who have such different personalities both came from my belly! The last 18 months have been filled with a lot of tears and now, FINALLY, more laughter. I can't wait for the rest of the journey through toddlerhood

 

Hi I'm Shannon I'm a FT teacher with ID twin boys born at 32 weeks. I'm mostly a lurker but post ever so often. Usually when I need help or feel frustrated. My favorite part of this stage is watching the boys interact, they are hugging more and playing more. I love their personalities.

 

Hi, I'm Beth. I have 17 month old twins, Evan and Claire. I'm a full time SAHM right now. I'm considering part time work, maybe later in the year. I usually check the boards daily and post a few times a week.

Right now, we're all getting sick. I swear the kids were sick with colds all during January. One after another. Hopefully they are building up a good immunity! But I'm getting stir crazy and I was sick last week. It's nice out today, so I hope we can make it to the park tomorrow.

I love their (limited) ability to communicate now. It's so cute to figure out what's going on in their little heads! Watching them discover new things is so cool.

Take care, Beth

 

I'm Lisa. My little monkeys are 14 months old (Walker and Jocelyn) and we are expecting a little boy the beginning of April. My favorite thing about the second year so far is definitely watching their little personalities come out and watching them explore the world. I love their new words and abilities (today has been learning how to climb on Grandma's coffee table which is a no-no and me telling Jocelyn to sit down in the bathtub to which she shook her finger at me and told me to SIT and then shook her head no...it took SO much not to laugh!!!). They are both just little loves. Right now my husband is getting ready to graduate Army training and we'll be moving to our first duty station in Fort Bliss, TX (El Paso). That means having our own house back (we've been living with his parents since MAY!). I CANNOT WAIT! LOL

 

Hi, I'm Ainsley, Mum to twin girls Sofia and Fiona who are nearly 15 months old. Both have just started walking, & it is all I can do to keep up! I work part-time, only about 10 hours a week, but will be moving up to 20/week in a month or 2 - not sure how I feel about that, a I love my time with the girls. But, if we are ever to be able to afford to put them both through college, I need to get back to work!

I love the belly laughs and the spontaneous hugs I am now getting, although the food-flinging I could do without!

 

I am Kari, WAHM to Mo/DI girls who just turned a year last week. I fell off the TS planet after my duo started to crawl. I am looking forward to the second year to them having more independence and developing their personalities more. I like to joke that they were blobs until they turned 6 months old! Now they are starting to become a lot more fun and it is nice. I hope that there will be another little brother or sister for them in the future but that remains to be seen

 

Hello, My name is Tamara. I don't get to get on these boards often so when I do I mostly browse and read some postings. I have 16 month old B/G twins, Conner and Madeline. I'm married and we live in Michigan. I work full time on 3rd shift so I keep super busy! My favorite thing about them in the 2nd year is seeing how much they learn and pick up on everyday. Right now they both love to dance and they started holding hands and dancing together to music.

 

Hi I'm Pam. Mom to Creed and Laud ID twin boys who are now 20 months old. It's fun hearing from everyone. I haven't been on the Second Year forum much, I like to read in the Den, and check in with the Pregnant After Twins forum. The twins are 13.5 months older than their sister Jubilee.

It's been awesome to see the boys loving on their little sister. I have to remind them to be gentle because sometimes they use her as a stepstool, lol. Or poke her eye and say "eye"! Or hug alittle too tight. She's trying to keep up with them and I think she's going to take them in weight really soon. She weighs 20 1/2 lbs and Creed is 23lbs something.

I also like how they have been interacting with their older siblings. Playing ring around the rosies or run fast around the chairs. They are sweet and we are so blessed to have them...all of them, and yes I would love one more when I lose the weight from being pregnant 5 times in the last 7 years.

Oh and if you have facebook add me as a friend. My link is on my siggy.

 

Hi - I'm Carla, SAHM to my fraternal twin girls, Alyse & Natalie (12 1/2 months), and my DS, Grant (5 years). I'm new to the 2nd year, but been around TS for almost a year now. We live in southern Alabama, where's its quite warm and muggy most of the time! My favorite thing about the second year so far (all two weeks of it!) is the budding relationship between my girls. They will be playing together and just start laughing and giggling with each other. It's also so cute watching them run to each other to see what the other one is doing.

 

I'm Amy. I'm here off and on. I've been on Twinstuff since I was pregnant, but am new to the second year since our boys just turned 1 on January 6. They are fraternal, born at 37w6d. So far DH and I are really enjoying the second year! Everyone keeps saying, "I can't believe they're 1 already!" and "Wow, that first year went so fast!" Well, it did not go fast for DH and me! I think the first 4-5 months especially were so rough (before STTN ) that it made the whole year seem like an eternity. Though it certainly did get better after that.

Anyhow, this thread is very encouraging! So far my favorite thing about the second year is watching the boys become a little more independent--able to get to the toy they want to play with, to express when they want a drink or a cuddle, etc. They are fun kids. Will is our little explorer. He's been 2-3 months ahead of Alex with motor skills but Alex is suddenly catching up. Will is in constant motion but also very loving and social, more so as he's getting older. Alex is cuddly, laidback, sensitive and very sweet. They do fight a little bit but they giggle together a lot more. It's fun to see how much fun they have with each other.

 

Hi, I'm Laurie. SAHM of soon to be 2 year old fraternal twin girls and an 8 year old daughter. I'm an old TSer. Not on as much as I was in the early days of being a twin mom.

My favorite part about the second year has been there personalities as well. The way the interact with each other, the way they share and take up for each other is priceless. I have to admit though I really lie the sleep I get now too

 

I have frat almost 27 month olds but often they seem more like 2 year olds than 2 +
I also have a 10 month old. I think I relate more to "the second year" than the 2-4 year old. Plus I hope I can come on here for support for others for those few things I've learned.

Heather

 

Hi! My name is Cathy and I am very new to the 2nd year. I have a DS, Evan, who will be 3 in a couple of weeks. I also have mono/di boys, Matthew and Carter, who just turned 1 at the end of January. So far my favorite thing about the 2nd year is watching their personalities bloom. Carter has always had a lot of energy and personality, but Matthew has just started to come out of his shell in the past few months. It is so much fun to watch them interact and be silly together.

 

Hi, Im Krisha mom to fraternal b/g twins...Brock and Lilly. I have been a TS's since they were 3 mo old....saved my sanity!! I posted ALOT in the first year, but since they have been on the move, I don't have much time.

I have really enjoyed watching them grow and learn new things. They are just so special to us and we love everyday with them! The second year has brought many laughs and smiles. I really enjoy watching them play and laugh together.

I don't want them to grow up.....

 

Mostly a lurker here *waves*

I'm Shannon, also a single mom by choice and RN (Hi Amy!). I work 7pm to 7am in the NICU. I have 14 month old fraternal girls Anna and Erin. They are the light of my life.

The best thing about the second year so far is watching them learn and experience things--the sheer joy and pride on their faces when they discover something or master a new skill! Of course, after the sleep-deprived muddle of the first year, I love just about everything about the second year.

Anna is very loving and sensitive. She's like me when trying something new, she gets frustrated easily. But when she gets it, the pride in her smile is unmistakable and priceless. She loves to be cuddled. Erin, on the other hand, is very independent, and has been the first to most milestones. She's very stubborn and determined. Active and "busy", she doesn't like to be held nearly as much as her sister.

 

Hi I'm Kenny and I joined when I was pregnant on bed rest. I have B/G twins - Hunter and Morgan (and an 8 yro son) who are now 20 months. Married and work full time as an executive. I used to be here daily during their 1st year but I don't know where time went in the second year. So busy!!!!

The twins started daycare 3 months ago and it's been a major adjustment. We had a nanny who quit because she said it was too much work (duh!) and she prefers working with singletons. Fair enough. We KNOW it's a lot of work.

At any rate, the best thing about the second year is watching them grow and interact with each other; playing together, singing and dancing together or fighting over toys. Morgan must have everything her brother touches, I don't get it! He usually lets her have her way but every now and then he gets pretty frustrated with her and lets her have it. I love listening to them talk - Hunter speaks Klingon mostly - and Morgan has quite a huge repertoire of words. I love this age. They are so curious, funny, with great personalites, yet stubborn and obstinate and very loud when they cry - which is often. They are adorable and wonderful.

The worst part, I can't get them to eat anything!!!!!!!!!! They eat a healthy breakfast (oatmeal, cream of wheat, cereal, pancakes, waffles, yogurt, etc) but lunch and dinner is trying, exhausting and sometimes downright depressing. Waste so much food trying to figure out just what they'll like and eat. But they are growing so I guess I'm doing somethign right....

 

Hi I am Catherine, mom to fraternal Boy/Girl twins who are 15 months.

At each stage my bundles have reached I have thought wow this is the best, and then they get to the next stage and I think no this is the best. At the moment they are so affectionate with lots of hugs and kisses, my heart melts every time I see them trying to put their socks on or when they both go looking for my daughters socks when I ask for them because she always takes them off. They are really starting to understand things and I can see the individual personalities developing. But what I love the most is when I see them laughing together and cuddling, the bond that is developing is just beautiful and a true gift.

To those of you who are expecting again, I wish it was me. When I tell people I wont more they look at me like I must be mad, and often comment 'you have a boy and a girl and twins at that why would you want more'. Being a mom especially a twin mom has surprised me and I just love it.