Doubly Blessed

Today I was fortunate enough to have NOTHING to do while all the kids were at school! No, I did not exercise to make up for this morning, nor did I sneak any cookies that are meant for Andrew's class. I headed down to the hospital to visit with my friend and meet her new twin boys. They were born yesterday at about 34 weeks, which is great for a twin pregnancy, and they were both over 5 1/2 pounds. The little guys are gorgeous! They are in the step-down NICU, which is where Emma and Leah spent most of their hospital stay, so a wave of emotions hit me as we went in to see them.

I have to say, I can't belive I had twins. And mine were even smaller than my friends' when they were born! I got to (yes, I said got to) change a diaper and I just felt like I might break him! I saw a lot of myself in my friend, especially when she was talking about the desire for equality between the babies. You give one a kiss, you feel like you have to give the other one a kiss right away. I was actually glad she told me how she felt, because I felt exactly the same--and a little crazy for feeling that way! Now, a decade later, I have some validation!

Those early days are somewhat of a blur, and sometimes I don't know how Glenn and I came out on the other end. I know what she's in for, both good and bad, and I will have to admit--as I was sitting there holding one bundle and then the other, that the newborn twin days kind of flashed before my eyes. I watched her trying to get one to nurse without much success, and I watched her keep her cool and calmly offer a bottle. I know she's worried about all that. I don't know that she fully understands that it will all work itself out in the end. I can say that with hindsight now, yet I know my friend is full of the good sense and patience it will take to see it through.

My mind was full as we juggled the babies back and forth between us, and I thought of how much help I had and how I did it on my own all day. I thought about how glad I was when Daddy came home every evening. I thought about how my mom stayed with us for five weeks that summer. I thought about how people who came to visit were handed a baby. But I also thought about the first time I held Emma and Leah together, a couple of days after they were born, about how they immediately turned towards each other when they were reunited at home, and how they've pretty much been joined at the hip ever since.

It's difficult to express these kinds of emotions, and I am having a hard time of it. Bottom line--I am so proud of my friend and so happy for her. I am kind of excited to relive the twin thing vicariously through her. And I am so awed at the miracle that birth truly is.