I can hardly believe it but I am officially the parent of TWO 16 year olds! Yes, today is my twins 16th birthday. I just don't know where the time has gone.
For those that don't know, I didn't even know I was having twins until I was 36 weeks pregnant! Shocking I know! I am a small gal and was only measuring big enough for one baby most of my pregnancy. It wasn't until 36wks when my midwife was palpating my belly to feel the position of the baby when she became confused. She kept feeling a head & butt in 2 different places. She said either something is wrong or you have more than one baby in there. So off I went for an ultrasound that showed us we were having twins!
Of course because I was already 36wks, they told me I could have them at any time. HA! In those last few weeks, I popped out immensely (to the point I couldn't fit into maternity clothes) and became SO uncomfortable! Nope, those 2 stinkers were not coming out on their own so right at 40wks I was finally induced! (presenting baby was head down which meant I could have them naturally). Unfortunately, I don't have many photos of me when pregnant with them (and the few I have, I need to dig for). This was before the era of the internet & Pinterest with all the "cool" maternity photo ideas.
About 2 hours into labor, they did an ultrasound to check on the babies and didn't my presenting twin somehow turn herself breech which resulted in me having a c-section. (*ahem* thanks Sarah! lol)
We didn't know what we were having so we were pleasantly surprised to hear "it's a girl" twice! For only gaining 25lbs and not knowing I was having twins, they were a great weight. Sarah was 5lb 6oz and Susan was 6lb 2oz, both 19". We called them our little monkeys because of the full heads of dark hair they had.
They shared a bassinet (look at that HAIR!)
About a week old and me enjoying walking them slowly around the block.
Their 1st birthday!
Their 3rd birthday!
Their 4th birthday!
Fall 2005, they were 6yrs old
Our first cruise in 2008, they were 9yrs old
The girls 11th birthday
Their 13th birthday surrounded by their close friends!
Officially employed at 14 1/2!
Headed off to work June 2015
While these photos are just a brief glimpse of the last 16 years, it's been an amazing journey thus far. God has blessed me with some AMAZING children! Sarah & Susan are my oldest and often what I tell them, my "experiment". I am far from perfect and mess up quite often as a parent and have to go to them and ask forgiveness. Not many people jump into parenting with 2 children right from the start so that has added it's own set of challenges, learning to balance 2 children an identical age but 2 different personalities.
What I can tell you is that these young women are some of the most sweetest, caring gals you could be blessed to have in your life. They go out of their way to be there for their friends, they are both huge helpers with their siblings and they seek to follow Jesus with their whole hearts.
I can hardly believe we have already reached this milestone as it feels like yesterday they were just born (and it seems like *I* was just 16 myself!)
Happy 16th Birthday Sarah & Susan! We can't wait to see where God continues to guide you both in life!