Confessions of a Twin Mom

 Confessions of a Twin Mom

by Emily Pepka

Sometimes...I don't make dinner on purpose so my husband either has to make something or we have to go out/get take out.

Sometimes...I go for walks just as an excuse to chit chat with neighbors aka ADULTS!

Sometimes...I leave their clothes on for a few spit up episodes before I change them. Because I just can't be changing outfits every 10 minutes.

Sometimes...I leave the housework undone and laundry piling a little too high, just so I can have extra time to cuddle with my munchkins.

Sometimes...I don't eat lunch. Ok, usually I don't eat lunch.

Sometimes...I let the twins cry a little longer than I probably should, just so I can sit down for just 1 second longer.

Sometimes...I sneak out of bed before the twins so I can enjoy a cup of coffee before the craziness begins. Sadly, they can usually tell I went downstairs and they freak out. How do they know?? Not ok.

Sometimes...I let my babies watch TV because I know it keeps them entertained and happy (usually) and then I can catch up on my DVRed shows while pumping for the 109385081305 time of the day.

Sometimes...I use tummy time as an excuse to wear them out so they'll nap.

Sometimes...I let them nap in their swing, just so they'll nap for a long time and I can get something done.

Sometimes...I just want to lay in bed all day cuddling with my babies. Because I'll never get these moments with them back and I want to soak them all up as much as possible.

Always...I love being a mom of twins :) Yes, I have my hands full. Yes, they're absolutely worth it.

About the Author: Emily Pepka is a proud Air Force wife and mom of twins. Her boy/girl twins were born in June 2011 at only 27 weeks. Her blog, Twice the Miracle (http://twicethemiracle.blogspot.com) documents her family's life through the NICU and beyond. In January 2013, Emily and her husband welcomed a full term healthy singleton baby boy. The Pepka's are currently stationed at Los Angeles Air Force Base, volunteer with the March of Dimes Family Teams Committee and are members of the Beach Cities Parents of Multiples Association (www.twinsclub.org). 

Parents of Preemies Day

Thank you to BCPMA Member Emily Pepka for this timely post! March 10 is Parents of Preemies Day. This post is a compilation of thoughts and photos from her blog, Twice the Miracle.

What Prematurity Means to Me

by Emily Pepka

Today is Parents of Preemies Day!

That might mean very little to some people, but to the 15 million moms or dads of babies born too soon each year, it means a lot.

What makes prematurity even more difficult is that in so many cases, it can be prevented. With research, access to healthcare and just spreading the word and awareness, the risks of prematurity can be drastically reduced.

Prematurity is very real and it's something you never expect. I was expecting the birth of my first children to be the happiest day of my life, not the scariest. I was hoping to be able to hold and cuddle my babies, but instead, I saw them wheeled away barely breathing. I wanted to take them home with me, but instead, I left the hospital empty handed and went back to an empty house with my little hearts an hour away from me. I was hoping to spend our first few days bonding and playing together, instead, I watched them struggling to survive through plastic with tubes and chords everywhere and a constant beeping going on around me of machines keeping them alive.

And it's just not fair. Not fair that my babies got off to such a rough start. Not fair that my husband hardly saw them for the first few months of their lives. Not fair that I could do nothing but sit in the hospital and hold them and pray they'd be ok. Not fair that so many other parents have to go through this same thing.

Prematurity will always be a part of our lives. It's hard to forget about it now as we go to all the doctors appointments, meet with all the specialists, get the beloved synagis shots for the 2nd year in a row, but I'm not sure I'll ever forget those first few months, or this challenging first year with our preemies.

I know a lot of people look at them today and don't even think about them as preemies and I'm so happy that's the case. They have really overcome great odds to be the healthy wild pair that they are. I'm so grateful that we have been so lucky and that our babies are really starting to thrive.

I look at their faces every day and I'm just overwhelmed with how happy I am to have them and how much I love them. If anything positive came out of them being born too soon, it's my never ending appreciation for how precious they are and how lucky I am to have them.

So steal an extra kiss today from your little ones and tell them how much you love them. They are all little miracles.

About the Author: Emily Pepka is a proud Air Force wife and mom of twins. Her boy/girl twins were born in June 2011 at only 27 weeks. Her blog, Twice the Miracle (http://twicethemiracle.blogspot.com) documents her family's life through the NICU and beyond. In January 2013, Emily and her husband welcomed a full term healthy singleton baby boy. The Pepka's are currently stationed at Los Angeles Air Force Base, volunteer with the March of Dimes Family Teams Committee and are members of the Beach Cities Parents of Multiples Association (www.twinsclub.org).