Playmates

Having twins has been such an adventure for me. I love it- don't get me wrong! But, there have been days when I've looked longingly at friends with a single baby to enjoy. I imagine the luscious moments of holding one baby, without worrying about the crying baby who's waiting for his turn to be held, or without trying to maneuver the two-baby-hold (yes, it can be done.... but holding one baby close to you just feels SO good!). I see parents at the grocery store with a baby in the grocery cart, giggling and talking away... then, I think of my own adventures running errands! My errands usually involve a grocery cart AND a double stroller. Again, it can be done (and is, quite frequently!), but how simple it must be to only have one cart to push around! The list goes on and on... (maybe a future blog post?)

Anyway, it occured to me, that I've suddenly got a HUGE advantage over those single-baby families... built in playmates! The boys have become so very much aware of each other recently. In fact, they adore one another. I get such a kick out of watching them chase after each other, giggling as they go! Favorite games include:

Holding hands. This game does not necessarily require two willing participants. As long as one brother is set on holding the other's hand, the game can be played. It most often occurs during mealtime (yes, they hold hands while sitting in their booster seats) and in the double stroller (it's a side-by-side). I love taking them for walks when I can look down and see them clutching each other's hand. LOVE IT.

Pulling hair/Yanking ears/Poking eyes/Sucking (or biting) fingers. This is a curiosity game. Again, it only requires one willing (and highly motivated) participant. My favorite is the sucking fingers version. Both boys get a kick out of this. For example, this morning Dex started sticking his fingers in Jax's mouth. Jax would suck on them and the two of them would giggle wildly. Hearing two babies giggling uncontrollably has got to be one of the best sounds in the world. Again, LOVE IT.

For some reason, when Jax shakes his head "no," Dex can't hold back the giggles. Of course, this encourages Jaxon to shake his head OVER AND OVER again. I'm amazed that the poor little guy hasn't been suffering sever headaches... but they both love it, so the head-shaking game will probably continue to be a big hit for quite some time.

Last, but not least, is the Let's-Not-Nap Game. The boys have separate cribs and have been star sleepers for the past five months (yipee!!). However, they've discovered that even though they can't see each other during naptime, they can certainly hear each other. They will often "talk" for a good 45 minutes before falling asleep. At first, I was worried that they weren't falling asleep instantly, like they used to... now, I'm just glad that can play happily in their cribs. They always fall asleep eventually and they just love their naptime conversations, so I'm happy!

So, there you have it. Next time you look at a parent of twin and think, "Boy, they must be SO exhausted!" Just remind yourself that there's a turning point. Yes, we run around like crazy all day long, but there's built-in entertainment for the babies, which means a few more minutes to rest between all the running around! :)