They will not be put to bed without the other. Once, on their first over-night visit away from home, Mimi tried to sleep them in separate pack-n-plays. They wouldn't stop crying until she put them in the same one. She said when she figured it out, they looked at each other with exhaustion and relief, and then rested their heads and fell asleep.
I love my video monitor because I can actually be a fly on the wall. I watch them as they fall asleep to see that they end up in safe positions. They don't know I'm watching and listening to their sweet little sleepy interactions. These moments at bedtime and early morning are so precious to me. As they try to soothe themselves to sleep, they look to each other for comfort. I may see a head pop up suddenly, and then quietly settle after seeing that, yes, their twin is still peacefully sleeping beside them. All is well. They never have to feel alone. They snuggle up to each other in the crib for warmth and security. Sometimes they actually sleep in a yin yang shape or they take the exact duplicate position.
One baby always wakes up first, usually Ethan. He talks and sings to himself a little before he eventually stands up and calls for me. Sometimes he starts touching Emma's face or hand gently. Maybe he's trying to wake her up, but it seems more absent-minded, as if he were exploring his own face or hand out of boredom. I have seen Emma do the same thing to Ethan in those early morning hours.
If one baby is in the play pen and one is out, they find it very amusing to be separated by that mesh screen. They laugh at the sight of each other and touch their fingers together or lean in for kisses through the mesh. They giggle at the funny smashed face looking back at them.
If Ethan gets upset or has a screaming fit, Emma may start crying too. She hates seeing her brother upset.
If Ethan is apprehensive about trying a new food, he looks to Emma as his personal food tester. He leans a little forward, craning his neck: "You're actually eating this stuff?" He may be more likely to try the food after he has seen Emma eat it up and eagerly take the next bite. "Well...okay...."
Emma handles Ethan's disagreeable nature over the toys with cheer...somehow. I wonder how long this will last. Sometimes Ethan comes from across the room just to take whatever Emma has chosen from the toy box. He can be pretty aggressive, and he cries and whines until he gets it. She has learned to turn away at the last moment and avoid him as long as possible before it happens. And then it does. Her toy is gone and Ethan is satisfied. I would expect Emma to cry and try to get the toy back, but most of the time she doesn't. Most of the time, she even smiles, like she knows a secret...like she has tricked him into wanting a toy that she really didn't want in the first place.
They hardly ever cry from hurting each other. They bump heads now and then, or step on each other, roll on top of the other, smash or pin the other against a wall or the crib. Emma drags herself out from under Ethan and resumes whatever she was doing. I've seen her stand on Ethan's leg or his back in the crib after she wakes up, but he just rolls over and keeps snoozing. Once, Ethan rolled totally on top of Emma. I waited for a second, but she wasn't rolling or pulling herself free. I rushed in and moved him quickly. If Emma was sleeping too soundly to know she was being smashed, or if she just tolerated it, I don't know.
Sometimes Emma cries loudly before she falls asleep for several minutes. Ethan just lays there with his eyes closed, patiently waiting her out. They are quite accustomed to being inconvenienced by the other, to being pushed or poked, tripped or fallen on.
Seeing them give each other affection is my favorite part of having twins. It can bring tears to my eyes. Even though they are very different, even though they can't ever seem to get a moment to themselves.... they love each other. It's clear.
Sometimes, in a way, watching them is like watching myself and Rodney. We have that kind of gravitational pull towards one another, that yin and yang factor. But the way the babies handle conflict makes us look like fools.
They asked Jesus, "Do you hear what these children are saying?" "Yes," Jesus replied. "Haven't you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, 'You have taught children and infants to give you praise.'"
Matthew 21:16
Had to come & re read!
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