When I picked the kids up from school today Skyler said, “Spencer, do you have something you want to tell mom?”

She totally gets that from me. Whenever I am trying to get the kids to confess to something before I call them out I said, “Do you have something you need to share with me?” About half the time they fess up. A quarter of the time they fess up to something I didn’t even know about. And the rest of the time they just ignore me.

I sat silently waiting for the big confession. I didn’t want to steal Skyler’s thunder. She was so proud of herself for snitching on her brother. And I didn’t want to scare Spencer off from telling me the horrible, terrible thing he had done.

Spencer went with the denial route. “I don’t know what you’re talking about?”

Skyler wasn’t deterred. “Don’t you want to tell mom about your behavior on the bus?”

Now I was starting to envision one of those nasty grams from the bus barn. The ones that include a handwritten note about how bad your kid was on the bus. And it always includes a nice pamphlet explaining punishments based on first, second and third offense. The bus police are pretty strict.

But Spencer still wasn’t giving up the deets.

Thankfully, Skyler felt the need to continue on. Never one to try to be in cahoots with her brother. They may be twins. But they are also mortal enemies. At least sometimes.

Skyler taunted, “I think you should tell mom about your cursing on the bus.”

Spencer was appalled, “What are you talking about? I never cursed on the bus.”

Skyler smirked, “Um, yes. You said the ‘f’ word. Several times. On the shuttle bus.”

They went back and forth for several minutes. Skyler calling Spencer out. Spencer flat out denying it.

It was clear Spencer was caught. One of the best traits I ever passed on to him was the inability to lie. Or at least the inability to lie well enough that anybody actually believes you.

Later he and I were on the way to soccer practice when I brought up the cursing conversation.

“So what’s this about you cursing on the bus,” I asked.

“I don’t know what Skyler’s talking about. I never curse on the bus,” he lied.

And at just that moment we hit a bump and the soccer ball that was sitting on his lap leaped up and smacked him right in the mouth.

“My soccer ball just hit me in the mouth,” he said.

“That’s what I call karma buddy.”

Skyler and Spencer were born on October 4th. So for their first Halloween they were a mere 27 days old. But that doesn’t mean they didn’t dress up. We still had trick-or-treating to do.

In our house Lee stays home to hand out candy while I take the kids out to beg for candy trick-or-treating. So in 1999 Skyler & Spencer chilled in their car seats and watched Daddy give kids candy while Keaton and I prowled the neighborhood for candy.

Keaton, having moved on from his Batman phase, was a Dallas Cowboy football player (Lee’s favorite team since Lee was about 3-years-old). Skyler was a pretty pink pansy. And Spencer was the cutest little peapod ever.

After trick-or-treating we made the rounds to the relatives houses so grandmas, grandpas, aunts and uncles could check out our little garden that was Skyler & Spencer.

We ended the night with some sweet treats. I scoured Keaton’s Halloween bucket for all the Smarties I could find. Keaton stuffed as much candy as he could fit in to his mouth. And Skyler & Spencer enjoyed a refreshing drink of formula. A good Halloween was had by all.

When I found out I was carrying twins I was so excited. I had dreamed of having twins ever since I was a little girl. Bubby (my great-grandmother…Grandma O’s mom) was a twin. She and her twin sister were Ruby (Bubby) and Ruth. So I knew it [sort of] ran in our family.

When I was really, really nauseous with my pregnancy and my doctor said she wanted to do an ultrasound “to rule out twins” I knew immediately that there were two of you in there. I went right to the bookstore after that visit and bought a book about twins. I was that sure.

And when the ultrasound tech said, “Well here’s why you are so nauseous. You’re having twins.” I was not at all surprised. I’m pretty sure Dad’s jaw dropped to the ground, but me? I was not at all shocked.

As a little girl I envisioned having twin girls and I was going to name them Hannah and Hailey. But more than a decade later, when I found out I really was carrying twins, I was sick of those names. So I began to brainstorm and scour through baby name books. At our second ultrasound we found out Spencer was a boy, but you, Skyler, were being shy and we couldn’t tell what gender you were. So I began to focus on boy/girl and boy/boy combinations. If you were both boys I was thinking Nathanial and Nicholas (Nate & Nick for short). And if you were a boy and a girl I was originally thinking of Ian and Isabelle. But Dad didn’t really like Ian. So then I switched to Spencer and Sierra. However, Dad got this crazy idea that he should get to name one of you. And after some serious thought I decided to let him. As long as I liked the name too.

In the end Dad chose Skyler…with an “er” to match with Spencer. And I liked it.

And that’s how you became Skyler & Spencer.

When you entered the world on Monday, October 4th, 1999 (Skyler at 7:15pm and Spencer at 7:34pm) the nurses told us you were the biggest twins they had ever seen. Skyler was 7 pounds 5 ounces and 21 inches long. Spencer was 7 pounds 14 1/2 ounces and 20 1/2 inches long. [Sorry, big guy, but she was even taller than you at birth.] The nurses and doctors ooohhhed and aaawwwed over you the whole time were in the hospital. Complete strangers would walk in to our room to see “these really big twins.”

I should have realized right then you would always make a good impression. And do everything big.

This last year has been a pretty remarkable year. You graduated from elementary school. And started intermediate school. It sounds like school is going well. I love it when you get off the bus and tell me about your day; showing me the 100% you got on your music test or how giddy you get while telling me about Student Ambassadors.

And Skyler, this year you traded in your dance shoes and gymnastic leotards for a cheer uniform. Watching you perform in the parades or at the Westdale competition has been so much fun. I can’t wait to watch you and your team at JamFest later this month.

Plus you started playing the trumpet this year. You picked it up very quickly; figuring out how to make sounds before you ever had a lesson. I love listening to you practice and hearing how much you’ve improved. Keep up the good work. I’m so proud of you.

Spencer, in the last year you not only continued with soccer club, but you also tried out football, basketball, and baseball. You are turning in to an all around athlete. A total stud. It’s amazing watching you put forth all that effort and making those plays. This year’s soccer team is phenomenal; winning many more games then you’ve lost. You guys are really coming together as a team and playing well. And your football team is undefeated. You make an amazing Tight End. I get so excited about the weekend so we can watch you strut your stuff on the soccer field and football field each weekend. I’m so proud of you.

I truly could not have asked for a better pair of kids. You make me laugh every day. I love to see those big smiles. And hearing those goofy giggles. You are so smart and really work hard to do your best. Not to mention how beautiful/handsome you each are. I’m thrilled to have had the honor of spending the last 11 years with you and can’t wait to see what else you have in store for me in the coming years. [Although PLEASE be nice to me during the teen years. PLEASE?]

I love you both ALWAYS & FOREVER!

Love,
Mom

Ever since I can remember I dreamed about growing up and having twins. My great-grandmother was a twin. She was Ruby and her twin sister was Ruth. I think I had heard that twins run in families so since my Bubby was a twin, of course, I would have twins too.

When I was just a child, like many little girls, I imagined my adult self married with babies; my twin babies. They would be two girls and I was going to name them Hannah and Hailey.

So when I was 25, pregnant, sick as a dog and my doctor wanted to do an ultrasound to “rule out the possibility of twins” I knew exactly how the ultrasound would turn out. I set up my ultrasound appointment and went straight to the book store to buy a book on being pregnant with twins. I was that confident.

The day we had our ultrasound Lee and I looked up at the monitor as the ultrasound tech said, “Well here’s why you’re so nauseous. You’re having twins.” Lee nearly fell out of his chair. But I wasn’t shocked at all. I was excited.

However, I completely underestimated the double tween and teen angst that comes with twins.

Skyler & Spencer couldn’t be more different starting with that fact that Skyler is a girl and Spencer is a boy (no Hannah and Hailey which was fine with me because after 20 years I was sick and tired of those name). Skyler is very social (an extrovert all the way). Spencer is pretty quiet (an introvert like his mom).

At the Sock Hop last night Skyler was hollering out to everybody, waving and fluttering around like her usual social butterfly self. One boy in their class, Joseph, walked by Spencer and Skyler yelled out “Hi Joseph!”

But he didn’t hear her so Spencer turned around and said, “Joseph, Skyler wants you.” Joseph took this to mean that Skyler wanted his hot 4th grade bod and seemed a bit stunned.

Spencer said, “NOOO. She just wants to talk to you.”

Joseph said, “Oh” and walked over to Skyler so she could say Hi to him.

As Joseph walked away Spencer said, “Skyler you know all the boys in our class think you’re annoying.”

I looked over and Skyler to gage how she was going to take this news. Sometimes she’s just blows off her brother. And other times she gets upset. This was one of those upset times.

She crinkled up her nose, pursed her lips and started to cry.

She knows Spencer says things like this just to get her riled up. But she always takes them to heart anyway. Spencer likes to tell her “I don’t like you” to which Skyler responds, “Yes you do. You love me.”

So there we were in the middle of the school cafeteria. Skyler in tears. Spencer looking all smug.

I said, “Skyler you know Spencer just says stuff like that to make you mad. Joseph wouldn’t have walked over here to talk to you if he thought you were annoying, right?”

I think in the mean time Lee was giving Spencer the evil eye so Spencer was giving a very unbelievable “I’m sorry Skyler” speech.

But Skyler realized I was right. Joseph would have just ignored her if he thought she was annoying. [Well no more annoying than any other girl in the 4th grade class. Aren't all girls annoying to boys in the 4th grade?] So she cheered back up and went off to shake her booty.

They’re only 10. We have years and years of these little battles to deal with. I’m going to need much, much more wine.