A while ago, I was talking to a lady who jokingly referred to my two youngest babies as "Irish twins." I googled the phrase and found this definition:"It refers to siblings born in the same calendar year, or otherwise less than twelve months apart. It’s clearly a deeply derogatory comment about the stereotypical fecundity (and lack of contraception) of Irish Catholic families."
Interesting. Mine are 12 months and 5 days apart, so I guess that's close enough. :)
Upon further googling I found a msn group for people with Irish twins. On it I found this funny list (at least funny to me and probably anyone else who has kids so close together!)
Top Reasons Why It's Great to Have Irish Twins! (my comments are in pink)
1. You don't have to worry about anyone kidnapping your children in the store while you're shopping...that double stroller is so hard to steer, they wouldn't get anywhere!
1. You don't have to worry about anyone kidnapping your children in the store while you're shopping...that double stroller is so hard to steer, they wouldn't get anywhere!
(ain't that the truth!) The other day I took Em to art camp and couldn't get my side-by-side double stroller through the door of the art museum! I had to hold K-Babe and let the Nut loose. Scary! At least when they are in the stroller, they are contained!
2. If you're staying home with your children until they're in school, you will have fewer non-paid years than if you space your kids out.
3. You get to hear the CUTEST things, like when the older IT calls the new baby a "kitty" because she doesn't know the difference.
4. You get to know your pediatrician REALLY well!
5. You don't have to drag all your baby gear and maternity clothes out of storage, because they are still in use!
6. It's just like having twin babies...except that one twin is big enough to squash the other one like a bug! (this one made me LOL b/c of how true it is!)
7. No one expects your house to be clean. (*sigh* and it isn't)
8. When you're in the grocery store and one of the kids needs a pacifier, you can just take the one out of the happy child's mouth and give it to the fussy one. (Yes, I actually did this today.)
I've done this with baba's (bottles)!
9. You will get extra financial aid for having two kids in college at the same time.
10. People hold doors for you a lot more. (both while you're pregnant and while the kids are young)
11. You can play a fun game with your husband when you go out in public...place bets on how many people will comment about how cute your kids are...or how many people will say "you have your hands full" (like you don't know that already). I get this all the time. They certainly draw looks, attention and comments! If I had a quarter for every time I've heard someone say I have may hands full...
12. You have an instant bond with other parents of ITs because only they can understand what your life is like.
13. There is NOTHING that can bring more joy than being a mother...so why not have twice the joy! (the other day we were out and and another little boy got interested in K-Babe. When the other little kid tried to play with her, Nate kept saying "my K-babe" while putting his arm protectively over her. It was so cute! He's already a protective big brother!)
14. How can you keep from smiling when you're watching older IT pile up a bunch of toys right on top of the new baby so she can "play" with him (even when she does accidentally hit him in the head with her big toy car and make him cry) ? (or when the older one thinks the other one is a "horsey" and tries to sit on her!)
15. Your kids have a BEST FRIEND for life! (I love hearing them interact together. K-babe will give out one of her cute baby squeals and Natey will reply with one of his own. They'll go through a whole series of them that just cracks both of them up!)
16. Life is NEVER boring at home!
9. You will get extra financial aid for having two kids in college at the same time.
10. People hold doors for you a lot more. (both while you're pregnant and while the kids are young)
11. You can play a fun game with your husband when you go out in public...place bets on how many people will comment about how cute your kids are...or how many people will say "you have your hands full" (like you don't know that already). I get this all the time. They certainly draw looks, attention and comments! If I had a quarter for every time I've heard someone say I have may hands full...
12. You have an instant bond with other parents of ITs because only they can understand what your life is like.
13. There is NOTHING that can bring more joy than being a mother...so why not have twice the joy! (the other day we were out and and another little boy got interested in K-Babe. When the other little kid tried to play with her, Nate kept saying "my K-babe" while putting his arm protectively over her. It was so cute! He's already a protective big brother!)
14. How can you keep from smiling when you're watching older IT pile up a bunch of toys right on top of the new baby so she can "play" with him (even when she does accidentally hit him in the head with her big toy car and make him cry) ? (or when the older one thinks the other one is a "horsey" and tries to sit on her!)
15. Your kids have a BEST FRIEND for life! (I love hearing them interact together. K-babe will give out one of her cute baby squeals and Natey will reply with one of his own. They'll go through a whole series of them that just cracks both of them up!)
16. Life is NEVER boring at home!
5 comments:
That's cute. And how fun for them to be so close. I can't imagine how you do it though...I am barely managing with 3 and mine are all a bit older! You rock!
Cute list--you DO get extra financial aid when they are in college at the same time!
I am sure you would be rather rich if you had a quarter for every time someone told you your hands were full--I suppose people don't have anything else to say? I even say that some time. Can you think of something more appropriate??
I know it's HARD some of the time--but it's really worth it all!
Great list! Your children are adorable. Hats off to you for all you do!
Whoo girl, you ARE busy! Looks like tons of fun.
I know how true #6 is. My first were 18 months apart, and the third came 16 months later. So--not quite under 12 months, but I think I have an idea of what you're going through. I used to think, "If they were twins, at least I wouldn't have to worry about one killing another one by accident if I go to the bathroom."
Almost 18 years later, I am really hoping we will get some financial aid when all of them are in college. We did the FAFSA this year, and it said we could afford $42,000 of college. Crazy, insane laughter ensued as my DH and I hugged each other and said, "We're rich! Why didn't anyone ever tell us?" Our daughter actually qualified for $7000 of need based aid at Carnegie-Mellon, which costs $49,000 per year. She got a half tuition scholarship offer there, which she turned down in favor of a full tuition scholarship at a nearby state school to which she can commute and, thus, attend for free.
You have a beautiful family. When mine were the ages of yours, we were on vacation, traveling to visit family. We stopped at a nice hotel in the Chicago area, and I took the kids to the pool to swim. A businessman elbowed his associate as we paraded past and said, "Do you think they're Catholic?"
Ruth
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