Are You Seeing Double? Issue 13 Home Page

The Experience of Having Twins Graciela Flores Alvarez from Mexico Photo from Graciela Flores They are not identical, but very similar, so people tend to mix them up.   Discover what it's like having twins from a mother's point of view. Graciela writes about this exciting experience and introduces us to her twin sons. When I learned I was pregnant, I began to wonder (as I think most people do): "Is it not one, but two or more?" My answer was: "No, it will not happen to me." However, it happened! In my third month of pregnancy, during my first experience with the ultrasound, I got great news: I was going to have twins, two boys. Nevertheless, there was still a mystery: whether or not they would be identical. I remember how it took me some days to assimilate it and believe that I was going to have twins. Once I did, my life changed.   Photo from Graciela Flores Each one plays, giggles, talks, and makes fun as the other does it, but in essence they just want to be more appreciated. They always seemed to do everything together; for example, even if they slept in different bedrooms, they always awoke at the same time at night to eat, and this fact made things easier for us because we had to awake only twice and prepare the two bottles at the same time. Right from the beginning, each one showed his own character. Alex, who's the elder for 3 minutes, is a boy of character; even so, he's nice, kind, and lovely when he wants. He has a very good memory and likes to sing. Besides, he's very observant and has a good sense of smell: he always smells the soaps he uses to wash his hands, and he tries to identify the scent. On the other hand, Eric, who has always been taller, seems to be more obsessive: most of the time he's trying to do his best and putting in order whatever he finds out of place. He's the one who helps me more to pick up their things or is ready to help when we ask them something. Also, he tends to be more expressive and enthusiastic. Photo from Graciela Flores As they like Batman and Robin, without problems each one has taken one of the characters: Alex is Batman, while Eric is Robin.   However, they seem to be similar, too: each one plays, giggles, talks, and makes fun as the other does it, but in essence they just want to be more appreciated; hence, they're always competing to be loved. As they like Batman and Robin, without problems each one has taken one of the characters: Alex is Batman, while Eric is Robin. In fact, they like to dress up as them and seem to be as proud, strong, and powerful as those characters are. Nevertheless, they also fight, maybe as much as other brothers do or a little more. Despite the fact that they are not identical, they are very similar, so most people, and even us, sometimes mix them up which makes them become angry. Consequently, we need to be very careful not to hurt their feelings. Another interesting thing is the fact that wherever we go, the twins attract the attention of a lot of people. As my kids have realized this since they were around one year, they like to be the center of attention, so in one way or another, they always try to get people's attention. Sometimes, it is amazing to see how they make funny faces or how they jump or just make noise in order to get it.   Photo from Graciela Flores They always seemed to do everything together; for example, even if they slept in different bedrooms, they always awoke at the same time at night to eat Now, they are three years old, and everything is easier. They go half-time to a day care center where they have made big progress learning English, as well as learned new things, played with other kids, and developed their imagination and some manual skills. When I'm with them, I laugh a lot and enjoy the natural manner in which they not only invent games and funny words to giggle, but also make funny faces or sing, listen to music, or talk to each other in English, or listen while we tell them the same story or fairy tale that they already know by memory. Therefore, almost everything they do they do together as when this story began. More on Twins: My Twin Sister is My Best Friend | What It's Like to Be Twins Return to: Are You Seeing Double? | Issue 13 | Home Page TOPICS Online Magazine - ©1997-2008 - Sandy and Thomas Peters - topics.mag@gmail.com