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Twin Tuesday: Joshua & Justin

By Dawn Sailors In Featured Twins

Happy Tuesday! Today’s featured twins are Joshua and Justin, the two year old sons of Jennifer and Jeff. Jennifer writes a great blog called Go Team Wood that documents the daily life of their family- aka, Team Wood. :) Here’s Jen to give you her take on life with twin boys:

Are your boys identical or fraternal? Do twins or multiples run in your family?
My boys are fraternal, they saved us the trouble of expensive testing with a $5 blood test at the hospital: They have two different blood types. They also couldn’t be more different, I think they look like brothers but we’ve never had a problem telling them apart, even their cries were different from day one. We do have twins in our family, but didn’t know that until after we broke the news. Evidently there were twins in my Grandfather’s family whom I never met.

When did you find out you were expecting twins and what was your reaction?
We had an ultrasound at about 9 weeks I think, and I was excited. We really wanted a baby and two was exciting. The doctor really put a damper on the excitement, saying that because there were two now doesn’t mean that we will have two babies, one twin might “vanish” and really made me nervous for the next several months until the next ultrasound. We didn’t tell anyone it was two until after that next ultrasound at 16 weeks, when we could see they were both still there. That initial encounter shaped every test from then on, the first thing I did was look for both heartbeats on the monitors. I don’t think the reality hit me at the initial news, that was much later in the pregnancy when I realized there were going to be two of them. My husband on the other hand, was completely silent when we left the doctor’s office and for a really long time and when we were driving home said, “We have to buy two of everything… Like bikes!”

How did you go about picking names?
Oh, names. That was a long conversation, spanning most of my pregnancy. My Dad was a police officer killed in the line of duty when I was 11, so I really wanted to name my boys after him. My husband, and my brother, are both named Jeff. I grew up being “Jennifer and Jeff” and married into the same. My husband was DEAD SET that we all have names starting with “J”. We decided on Joshua and Justin because my husband would literally not consider any name that didn’t start with J. We used my Dad’s first and middle names as the boys’ middle names. I was in labor for 15 hours and ended up needing a C-Section, and even while they were prepping me I asked my husband if they really needed “J” names, I was unconvinced. Once I saw them, I knew their names were perfect, but I wasn’t sure until the minute of their birth.

What is the hardest part about having twins?
Loosing the awesomeness in the drudgery. It’s really hard sometimes to step back and really enjoy my amazing kids because I get caught up in the logistics of caring for two. Those early months of round-the-clock feedings, the epic battles to leave the house with all the support materials, timing our outings just right to coincide with our schedules. Now it’s keeping two toddlers safe while still allowing them to explore. Feeding them, clothing them, cleaning up after them. I really have to be conscious of being present and enjoying the little moments, which means the dishes are often stacked in the sink, and I need to take deep breaths and try to relax when they are testing my patience. They are only little once and it is crazy how fast they’re growing and changing.

What is your favorite part about having twins?
I love to watch them together. My brother and I were two years apart and were not close at all until after I moved out for college. My boys on the other hand, are so close. They started to hold hands in the stroller when they were only a couple months old. They give each other hugs and kisses. When one wakes up before the other, it’s a struggle to keep him from waking up brother. They share really well for 2-year-olds, they offer food to each other, and say thank you. What one does, the other wants to do. Sure, they feed off each other for good and bad, but it’s amazing to see how they are tuned into each other’s behaviors. They are pretty much the best thing ever.

If you could give any advice to other parents of twins, what would it be?
It’s hard in those early months when they both cry at the same time, but sometimes you just have to let one cry while you tend to the other. The next time it will be reversed. I just kept telling myself that they would learn to take turns and be patient. And they did. But most importantly, enjoy them. Take lots of photos, spend time on the floor playing, read the same story 100 times a day. My boys just turned 2 and I feel like it’s been 15 minutes since we were leaving the hospital. They amaze me every day and I am so fortunate to be here for the ride.

Thanks again to Jennifer for taking time out of her busy day to share with us. Aren’t these two just adorable? Make sue to visit her blog too, for more fun with Team Wood!