Double the Trouble, Twice the Fun!

Our Twin Surprise

Double the trouble, twice the fun,

Our life with twins had just begun.

Double the hands, twice the feet,

It’s a wonder we ever got any sleep.

Twice the diapers, giggles, and curls,

Double the joy—with two baby girls!

~ By Linda Ottley

Thirty-one years ago on April 21, 1979, we had the surprise of our lives. Twins! Suddenly we went from having two children, to being parents of four children, when two baby girls entered our world all at once! Prior to their birth I’d had a dream that I was on the delivery table and as my baby arrived someone said, “There are two babies.”

As it turned out, my dream was more like a revelation! Following the first birth the doctor said, “The head is little . . . there must be another one!” Amazingly enough, without prior confirmation or benefit of ultrasound, both babies were healthy, weighing in at over seven pounds each! Dale called his mom and teasingly announced we had a 14 lb. 7 oz. baby (their combined birth weight of 7 lb. 3 oz. and 7 lb. 4 oz.).

Having twins back in 1979 was still unusual and we caused quite a commotion in the hospital—especially when the only anesthesiologist was so busy with us that others delivered cold turkey! We caused a ripple of excitement in our families as well. My sister, Judy, who had four little children under six-years-old at the time, called my hospital room to congratulate me saying, “Linda, you had twins . . . I’m so sorry!”

I replied, “Oh, I’m so excited! I’ve always wanted twins!”

“Oh—good then,” she said. “I’m glad it was you. Because if it was me, I’d have slit my wrists!” It still makes me smile remembering.

We decided to name our first born twin, “Rachel”—after my grandmother’s first name, and our second born twin, “Elizabeth”—after Grandma Rachel’s middle name. Two equally beautiful names for two beautiful babies! I remember dressing them to go home—with my husbands help—in matching pink outfits, booties, and blankets . . . lovingly purchased by my sister, Vicki, and my mom. We were laughing and giggling, struggling to dress two wiggling babies, who were screaming their heads off to be nursed! We took them home to their five year old brother, Cord, and their three year old sister, Aleesha—each getting their own baby in their room, no one having to share!

Having twins was a unique and wonderful experience. It changed our lives in numerous ways. We learned to be organized and to work together as a team, changing, burping, and feeding. During the night my sole purpose was to create enough milk to satisfy. I drank tons of water and Raspberry herb tea. Dale was the receiver, getting the “crier” from her crib, changing, burping, and tucking each bundle back in bed. When they began waking up at the same time we discovered the “twin nursing hold,” cradling one baby in each arm. Soon it became the preferred method—affording us more sleep by feeding two at once. I can’t say we were always coherent during our nightly routine, as sometimes in the morning the babies were in the wrong cribs. But everything that cried, ate—of this I am sure. Having twins was a spiritual awakening, realizing my value and God given worth in the kingdom of God, entrusted with two precious spirits at once.

Happy Birthday baby girls. You've added more “sugar and spice” to our lives!