Hello from sunny Florida!

HELLO! I'm Becky, and I have twin daughters, who are almost four, and a five-and-a-half-year-old son. I'm a journalist, and I blog at Deep Muck Big Rake.

I read constantly in whatever medium is available at the moment -- books, newspapers, magazines, blogs. I love blogs. If you have a blog about multiples, it just might be in my feeder. If it's not on my twins list or multiples list, and you want it to be, send an e-mail to blogroll_handsfull@yahoo.com with "twins," "triplets," "quadruplets," "quintuplets" or "sextuplets" in the subject line, and I'll add it.

I don't remember how I first learned about You've got your hands full, but I've been reading it for a while. I found my first comment (I think) from April 2007 (when I had a different blog) while going through the archives. When I read last month that Linda was thinking of hanging it up, I thought, no way! This is such a great resource, and I'd like to see it continue. So, that's why I'm here.

I've been thinking a lot about my daughters' first year, which was literally a blur. They were 6 months old before I was photographed (above) with both of them. (The other photo was taken Christmas Eve 2007 in Norway.) My daughters were born prematurely at 29 weeks, and my son was 18 months old. They were in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) at the hospital for several weeks and came home with monitors that blared like fire alarms. And blare they did. Thankfully, they never went off because of a true emergency like lack of breathing or hearts stopping. (It was just my heart that stopped at the sound.)

My local multiples group helped keep me sane. It was a chance to get out for monthly meetings and to meet others who truly understood my situation. I remember at one meeting a member's 16-year-old identical-twin sons spoke with us. I almost cried, thinking, "Wow. She kept them alive that long!" Remember, mine were babies (and I was strung out on hormones and lack of sleep), and it was often a sense of accomplishment to get to the end of the day and think, "Well, I kept them all alive for one more day."

Yeah, I've been thinking a lot about that first year. Maybe it's because they're about to turn four. (And I'll also soon be celebrating a milestone wedding anniversary.) Maybe it's because we've been clearing out the last of the "baby stuff" from the house and my daughters now share the double bed that was mine, my mother's and my grandmother's. I go in their room at night to check on them and see them sleeping side by side, and I remember how I used to lie in that bed as a little girl and wish for a sister. (I have three brothers.) Maybe it's because I just learned that a college classmate is in the same position I was in four years ago -- she's pregnant with twin daughters and has a 16-month-old son. Maybe it's because I've been thinking about what to write as an introduction.

Whatever it is, I'm grateful to be here. Stay tuned.

Posted by Becky, who also blogs at Deep Muck Big Rake. Write her at becky_handsfull@yahoo.com.

Comments

[Linda]

Hurrah. Thanks Becky, looking good!

[Linda]

Eh, what happened there? Meant to say thank you for a beautiful and moving post which has brought a lump to my throat!
x

[Devra]

Way to step up to the plate. Looks like you're going to have a home run too!

[Carol]

Hi Becky - great post, really touching. Looking forward to reading lots more from you.

[Becky]

Thanks, Linda, Devra and Carol! It's really great to be here.

[Kyra Kyra@ksquare.tv]

Hello becky... My name is Kyra Ozuna, i am a TV/journalist producer in South Florida [Miami] --- I am currently working on a new family oriented show for Univision Network [spanish TV]. I am searching for hispanic parents of triplets or twins plus siblings for a story/piece. If you know of any family of multiples that speak spanish, could you kindly forward them my email? I appreciate it. and btw- I read you are a journalist... please send me your email at the email above - I would love to talk/write if that is ok with you...
thanks, kk-