Multiple mayhem -- a carnival of posts about twins and more

PHEW. Thank you so much for all your support of this special week on You've Got Your Hands Full which has reminded me why I set this blog up in the first place and put me in touch with some fabulous blogs, some already familiar, others new to me.

If you can say one thing that unites all parents of multiples, well it's that they're busy.

Forgive me for stating the obvious. So I didn't know what to expect with my planned carnival. I've ended up with a dozen or so entries and so I'm delighted.

In all honesty this was very short notice so if anyone wants to make this a more regular feature, with us taking turns to host a monthly carnival, then please shout up and we can kick off an on-going Multiples Mayhem carnival?

The guest posts this week and the carnival entries have made me laugh and made me cry. I hope our small but perfectly formed carnival informs and entertains. 

Beyond being busy, we are of course all different (sorry more stating the obvious. I can't help it.) I think these carnival posts reflect that. And if other mums of multiples are *anything* like me then we can be different people on different days. Some days (most days?) being blessed with more than one child at a time can seem such a joy, others, especially in the early years, the scale of work -- and mess -- required, can seem overwhelming.

Our first entry is from the inimitable Grit, of Grit's day. A passionate advocate of home schooling, mum of triplets Grit has built up quite a following thanks to a compelling personality that shines out from her writing. She's never ever dull. I wish I could say the same.

Her post about coping with twins (yes twins) takes a unique stance.

I became aware of Rachel's blog about twins and autism when I saw she was shortlisted for the Most Inspirational Blogger award in The MADs.

This post about her experience is a shining example of why such an accolade is so richly deserved. I personally find it inspiring to read about a mother's love and what our children mean to us. Thank you Rachel for sharing.

Ursula has compiled a list of ten brilliant things making up the joy of twins over at Parentdish. On her own blog she has written about the reality of having four kids when you were expecting three.  While on Ready for Ten (sounds good to me) she has offered some tips on great days out.  Hope you're having a good day off now U, I think you deserve it. Though something tells me you won't have your feet up.

Ali at Six Little Feet has touched on a topic close to many a multiple mum's heart -- the comments you get when out and about. Like her, I'm so glad there are people like the lady she mentions in her post. I'm also glad to have found her blog about life with her adorable boys. Check out the video above from Angus and The Triplets and see my original post from a couple of years back to see what it can be like to put up with all the "You've got your hands full" comments.

Fabulous Heather at Young Mummy talks about her relationship since having twins. At first I thought she was channelling David Brent. But just like the post Heather contributed as a guest post, this is a great read, putting a much-needed real life angle on things. 

An important aspect of blogging is helping raise awareness. Influential US blogger and Twin Tuesday pioneer Jen, tells us all about Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome.

Now then, I know she won't mind me saying but me and this next blogger go back a fair bit. I don't know which support forum me and F would have first chatted on, but it's great to see her blogging -- and her post, which reports on some of the challenges we all know so well,  was recommended by reader Rebecca.  

Modest Rebecca recommended posts by others. But I'm also chuffed to have discovered her blog, Two become four.  And that's despite the fact I don't know who Pearl Jam are. Sorry Rebecca and congratulations on such a great blog. 

So there's a whistle-stop tour through a selection of blogs from mums of multiples. We might not share a taste in music but we share plenty of other things, mainly an aversion to people gawping -- and not helping -- when negotiating a pushchair through a shop.

Please do add any recommendations in the comments. I hope you can take some time to savour the posts included here.

By the way, our list, compiled by my US colleague Becky is here: Blogs about twins.

Blogs about triplets and more.

I'm sure plenty of changes are needed now. But check them out if you like!

Comments

[Harriet]

What a great lot of posts! Thank you again so much for all your hard work this week.

[grit]

bravo! it takes some organisation to put these on, and i appreciate the work that goes on behind the scenes. thank you, and i look forward to reading around the blogs.

[zookeeper]

Brilliant to have this here...just as I've joined BMB and would like people to check out my twin blog www.dummiesndoghairs.blogspot.com which I have just started - is this the correct protocol?! How do I enter the carnival? :-)

[Young Mummy]

Well done for putting this together when you've had a tough week. Great carnival, and glad to have discovered some wonderful twin blogs this week x

[Young Mummy]

P.S. I'd be more than happy to host a carnival over at mine

[Rebecca]

Fab carnival, and thanks for the mention :) I think a regular carnival sounds like a excellent idea - I'd also be more than happy to host one too.