My sister and I took after or dad in coloring: blond and blue eyed. I was 18.5 inches long and weighed 5 pounds, 14.5 ounces, while my sister was a little bigger. Mom could tell us apart easily by the shape of our heads (dented due to the afore mentioned pelvic bone). Even today, she's the only one who can tell us apart in our baby photos. For those who couldn't deduce the minute differences in two babies' head shapes, we could also be told apart by birthmarks. I had four! Strawberry marks on my wrist, behind my ear and on the font of my shoulder, and a brown spot behind my knee. Today, I still have the mark on my shoulder and leg.
We all left the hospital after a week and were quite a handful - literally. If it takes a village to raise a baby, what does it take to raise twins? A lot of help from family for the first few weeks at least. Everyone wanted to meet "the twins" and to this day, when meeting older relatives that I don't really know, we get referred to as "Ruby's twins" or "Kenny's twins." I guess our birth was pretty memorable.
I would like to end this post with a sort of *asterisk. Most of what I've written above comes to me second hand. Aside from some of the facts available on my birth certificate, I don't know what I've written. I was there for my birth, but I certainly don't remember it. I have, however, had numerous conversation with my mom about my birth story. And still, I got some facts wrong. While writing this, I ask my mom some questions and she correct a few of my "memories." Subsequently, I'm just writing down what someone else told me. Since this is a genealogy blog, I thought it important to clarify that just about any of the above could have been wrong.
We all left the hospital after a week and were quite a handful - literally. If it takes a village to raise a baby, what does it take to raise twins? A lot of help from family for the first few weeks at least. Everyone wanted to meet "the twins" and to this day, when meeting older relatives that I don't really know, we get referred to as "Ruby's twins" or "Kenny's twins." I guess our birth was pretty memorable.
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I would like to end this post with a sort of *asterisk. Most of what I've written above comes to me second hand. Aside from some of the facts available on my birth certificate, I don't know what I've written. I was there for my birth, but I certainly don't remember it. I have, however, had numerous conversation with my mom about my birth story. And still, I got some facts wrong. While writing this, I ask my mom some questions and she correct a few of my "memories." Subsequently, I'm just writing down what someone else told me. Since this is a genealogy blog, I thought it important to clarify that just about any of the above could have been wrong.
5 comments:
It would have been even stranger if you could give us a first hand report :) My second daughter had twins and I was there for the first 6 weeks, it is indeed an experience to remember. The oldest, a girl is very happy to tell everyone she is the oldest by a minute.
Wonderful story!
My mom is always correcting my details.
Did you ever get tired of being a twin, or feel your own identity was compromised?
For the most part, being a twin was just a fact and nothing special. I had a sister my own age but we didn't really do "twin things" like dress the same or switch places. I do think that, especially as children, we were perhaps closer to each other than non-twins are, but otherwise we were our own people.
Valerie,It's good that you are getting that story of your birth from your Mom now. Afterwards, we miss having that " resource" when they pass away.
Great post !
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