Two New Joys

Early this past Thanksgiving morning, my sister, Allison, gave birth to her first children. Twin girls that she and Matt named Stella and Scarlett. They were born at 34 and a half weeks gestation, so were small and stayed in the NICU for a little over a week while they got the hang of sucking and swallowing. Then they finally came home to a very impatient mother and father.

Allison and Matt are now in the midst of the twin-babyhood stage that I remember so well. Daytime and nighttime are meaningless. The work is endless and sleep is elusive. But the girls are totally thriving. They are gaining weight like little piglets, are as healthy as can be (they've never had a drop of formula), and are so, so content. And they are seriously gorgeous, as you can see in the photo above. Stunning in the "wow" sort of way

I am the proudest, most in-love aunt in the world. Before they were born I was so excited for Allison to become a mother, and for my children to gain two new cousins. I was particularly excited for my twins to become intimately entwined with another set of twins. I was looking forward to having two new babies in the family and to become a blood-aunt for the first time. (I am already an aunt to the three children of Andrew's siblings and have had a great time in that role.)

But I never really considered how profoundly these twins would affect me. How much love I'd feel towards them. How protective I am over them. I almost feel like they are my own. And I really was not expecting to have such strong feelings.

One of life's little surprises.

And I finally understand what my mother meant when she used to say she loved us girls a little more each day. My conclusion was that surely she loved me the most. Simply because I was the oldest. Baseline love + (a little more love x far more days of life than my sisters) = more love for me. Oh, I have always been such a concrete thinker.

However, now I understand the fullness and capacity of a mother's heart. It's love isn't divided, sorted or qualified. Is is just given freely to those it loves. It renews endlessly. And yes, my mother was right, it grows a little more every day.

Welcome to our family Stella and Scarlett. You will never be lacking for love.

And congratulations Allison and Matt. YOU get to experience the greatest love their is: the love of a parent!