Twin Moments

When Blythe got sick and Reese went off on her own adventures, I was reminded of how important one-on-one time is.

There are not many blog posts dedicated to the girls being twins. This came to my attention today. Over the past 48 hours, the girls have spent the longest amount of time apart, and I have spent more time at home than I have in a year.

Blythe has the nasty bug that the entire nation is experiencing. To this point, Reese has been symptom free. Now excuse me while I go and knock on every piece of wood. Okay, I am back now.

Sick Blythe

Reese expressed over the past few days that she did not want to stay home with us. One of her exact sentences: “I feel great and want to go on an adventure.” Well, we all know I use that phrase daily. Thankfully for Reese, the Arps were off work and school for the day. Not only did they take her out of the house, they took her to Chuck E. Cheese.

As I sit home with only one of the girls, I am flooded with thoughts on having twins. Yes, I know you may be wondering why is this so Earth-shattering. But as all parents know, life does fly by. Since the girls were born, I have vowed to allow the girls to have separate identities. The moment they entered this world, they expressed how different they would be, while of course expressing their fierce bond.

When Reese was gone on her adventure, Blythe asked about her 100 times. Yet despite Blythe being sick, I realized I was so engaged in her world. I often just divide and conquer. It hit me that I truly need to sit down one-on-one with each of them more often.

Spending time with Blythe

The next day when Reese went to school by herself, it hit me again that they are never really apart. They are entering the age where they can choose hobbies. I want them to both feel like they can choose different paths. My hope is that, no matter what path they choose, they still want to go and cheer each other on.

Reese at school

Since I only have twins, I do not know anything different. When Reese arrived home from school, they went into the twin zone. This is their own special World where no one else is allowed. They snuggled up closely and spoke about the important topics 3 year olds talk about.

Sister time

Twins are always compared against each other. Strangers will still approach me and say: “That one is bigger.” “Are they really twins?” “Do they act alike?”

Questions like this used to upset me. Now I realize people are just making conversation, and many people are fascinated by twins. Inside, sometimes I want to be like, “They are human and individuals!” But instead I usually just make quick small talk and move on.

Blythe is feeling better, and Reese has shown she can handle activities without her sister by her side all the time. And this Mom realized I need to have more solo time with them and gladly welcome any family members who want to have a date with the girls individually or as a duo.

I’m thankful for these past few days where I was allowed to have my heart reminded of how grateful I am for my favorite sisters.