Wife is due in 5 weeks... Currently have a 17 month old. Seriously, how many years of life will I be losing??
Wife is due in 5 weeks... Currently have a 17 month old. Seriously, how many years of life will I be losing??
Your life is not over--but your life as you know it is over. Twins are all encompassing and are incredibly trying on a relationship. Priorities will have to change but that is life. When they hit 3 and start playing with each other and they're both done with diapers and you find that you can actually start living again, you will know it is worth it and you've done a great job.
PS--get them racing each other early. The competitive drive is real and strong.
I have twins. Just me and my wife. No grandparents parents. No nannies. It was really hard the first eight months. Like exhausting and all consuming.
Then it started to ease. Didn't run for real for about two years. Then it got pretty normal. By five it was easier than having just one kid.
You are in for awesome times. Twins are amazing.
Word of advice, your wife is going to be totally wrecked taking care of these kids. U will have to really be an equal partner or it isn't going to go well. Embrace it and go back to your hobby later in life.
Appreciate the responses. I keep trying to mentally prepare for what life will be like... all I picture is chaos and literally no sleep. Thankfully, we do have family in the area willing, at least at this point, to help when needed. Can't imagine being on our own. Good on you guys for getting through it in one piece.
Get them on the raw food diet from birth and they will be stable and good. Stay away from the vaccines, public schools, and video games.
Sir Octane wrote:
Your life is not over--but your life as you know it is over. Twins are all encompassing and are incredibly trying on a relationship. Priorities will have to change but that is life.
Wowwwdude wrote:
Wife is due in 5 weeks... Currently have a 17 month old. Seriously, how many years of life will I be losing??
Well you have a 17 year old so you know the answer: all of it.
Your life will become much better. You won't sleep much for two years. But after that it's golden.
pop_pop!_v2.2.1 wrote:
Sir Octane wrote:Your life is not over--but your life as you know it is over. Twins are all encompassing and are incredibly trying on a relationship. Priorities will have to change but that is life.
Does this mean I caused my parent's divorce?
Twins are incredible! We have twin boys who just turned 12. The infant time was the most difficult having 2 at once, but after that it's easier. Our boys are best friends and they always have someone to play with. Congratulations to you and your wife!
Yeah. Your life is over for three years. What-the-flock-ever. Just make the time to do what you need to do.
congrats!
Donger wrote:
Wowwwdude wrote:Wife is due in 5 weeks... Currently have a 17 month old. Seriously, how many years of life will I be losing??
Well you have a 17 year old so you know the answer: all of it.
No, he has a 17-month-old, aka just under a year and half.
Also, OP, three kids under 2?! Godspeed.
Father of twins here... Do you live close to family? if so you will be set.
It's not a joke, had one child before the twins... the kid was easy and the twins were a rude wake up call.
Nothing quite like it really, I barely remember the first year because I was so stressed out, fell asleep at a few red lights etc.. .
Find an alcohol you like and buy it in bulk.
it exponentially harder than raising one child, not 2x as hard not 3x but like 10X
One child? you can throw in the car, go to the store, go run errands, go out to eat... TWINS? No
Not going to happen, getting a diaper bag ready for two kids? Two car seats, dressing two kids to leave the house?
It's a F*&*(king Nightmare.
But the bright side, I love my twins and they are awesome.
I have zero sympathy when I hear parents of just one child complaining, I laugh.
One thing I wonder is, do these stressed out parents ever forget which one is which and unknowingly switch their twins, until they eventually find unique traits to identify them?
What if rojo is really wejo and vice versa?
Get a dual baby jogger stroller. Once they are about a year they will love flying around in that.
We found that they slept, well, like babies when in same crib or pack n play. They were together in a tight space for 9 months so they will want to be together. Do that as soon as home from hospital.
Get a treadmill. You might not get to do 20 mile runs on a trail you drive to anymore but you can get in doubles, even if only 20 minutes a pop.
Buy diapers in bulk.
Wipe slate clean. Only count races after twins for PR consideration.
Have another child to be ready for 4x1500m at 2036 Penn Relays.
Xbznxbxb wrote:
I have twins. Just me and my wife. No grandparents parents. No nannies. It was really hard the first eight months. Like exhausting and all consuming.
Same here. That first year is a blur but we all made it through. We had two others (not twins) a few years older at the time too. Our twins are so wonderful and sweet. They're in school now.
We had twins then another surprise. Three kids in two years. It was extremely difficult the first three years then it has been easier than one chikd since about then. Is your wife working? I have no idea how you can manage with both working. We were lucky my wife could stay home. Get a triple stroller, purchase two of every baby entertaining device, and most importantly, tell people No often. We killed ourselves trying to be normal the first year then the second year we said eff it, and made people visit us, said no to events, stayed home on holidays. Whatever you can do to keep your sanity is worth it for your family. When it's tough, remind yourself that once they hit 5, you'll be thankful. They'll never have to be alone at school, activities, social events, etc. I actually feel bad when friends kids have to walk into somewhere new alone. My kids have best friends everywhere they go. If someone picks on one of them, the other two chime in to stop it. They also keep each other entertained.
The first few years were hard but now I wouldn't have it any other way.
Get ready wrote:
Father of twins here... Do you live close to family? if so you will be set.
It's not a joke, had one child before the twins... the kid was easy and the twins were a rude wake up call.
Nothing quite like it really, I barely remember the first year because I was so stressed out, fell asleep at a few red lights etc.. .
it exponentially harder than raising one child, not 2x as hard not 3x but like 10X
I have zero sympathy when I hear parents of just one child complaining, I laugh.
Dude, you are so right. I saw all my close friends struggle as they raised ONE kid. It secretly made me laugh. They would complain that their single only napped for three hours, and didn't really sleep though the night and needed to be held.
Try making coffee with two kids in your arms after they slept on off schedules so you have been awake for 20 hours out of 24 for the last three days, that was pain.
The issue is once you are truly sleep deprived - which happens way more often with twins, everything is hard. That is why twins is not just double the work.
Financially, she needs to work, but there's no way we can pay for childcare for 3 kids... So we will be accumulating some debt until she can get back into the work force in 5 years. After reading all these posts I've resigned myself to the fact that my endgame should be around 3-5 years. Then they are old enough to entertain themselves. Yikes