It's a Twin Thing

Gavin and Vivian on the floor of their playroom, eating purple popsicles
together while having a 20 minute conversation about their favorite things to do.
"I like to draw," Vivi said. "Yeah, you do like that," Gavin replied.
They like having cute little conversations like this when they think no one is watching.

Being twins, Gavin and Vivian have a unique bond. They are best friends. And as their "We Are Twins" book (written by their GG) says, they "share everything," they "always have someone to play with," and they are "never lonely." This is so true. They are almost always together. They eat together, play together, sleep together (many times on top of one another), and they go to school together. When they are apart, they ask about each other frequently. Sometimes, they even cry about missing the other one. Recently, we have witnessed several interactions that really reveal their twin relationship. Here are just a few of them:

1. Last week, I took Vivian to the doctor. By herself. When we got there, everything was fine. She was weighed and she let the nurse take her temperature. When the doctor came in, she was happy and willingly allowed her to listen to her lungs, chest, and tummy. She also laughed when she looked in her mouth and ears. But then, the doctor said that she couldn't see in Vivian's ears because of some wax build-up. This has happened to us before- the doctor tries to scrape it out, it doesn't work, and the nurses have to come in, hold her down, and squirt water in her ears while she screams and wails and kicks. It's f-ing terrible. And we've done this song-and-dance two times prior to the other day. Vivian knew what was coming and she started FREAKING OUT. I assured her that we would try to scrape it out for a while before we did the water, but she was already in full-blown freak out mode. She couldn't hear me. And I couldn't reason with her at all. I had to hold her arms and head with my arms while holding down her legs (which were flailing uncontrollably) with my legs. The doctor took way too long to get the ear wax out. But we never had to do the water (thank goodness!). Anyway, while the doctor was scraping inside her ear for the 20th time, Vivian started screaming "GAVIN! GAVIN! GAVIN!" The doctor asked, "Who is Gavin?" (This doc is not our normal doctor and did not know us.) I said, "He's her twin brother who picks on her constantly. She must be screaming his name because she's used to him hurting her." Then it was over. And Vivian started calming down. On the way out to the car, I asked her, "Wh were you yelling Gavin's name in the doctor's office?" She said, "I needed him. The doctor was hurting me and I needed his help. He's always there." Oh. My. I almost lost it. She really thought that if she yelled loud enough that he would come and save her. He's always there for her. So naturally, when she needed help, she called out for him. So freakin' sweet. That is a twin thing, my friends.

This hug occurred after I asked Vivi, "Who is your best friend?"

2. Several nights ago, I was putting the twins to bed. In case you didn't know, the twins sleep on two twin mattresses that are on the floor of their bedroom and are pushed up against each other. It makes one HUGE bed in their room. They absolutely love it. In fact, one time we tried to separate them (by putting their beds in an "L" shape in their room and they freaked out. So, they sleep in one huge bed together on the floor. Anyways, so I was putting them to sleep. I read a bunch of books, turned the lights out, and turned their noise machine on. At this point, I usually give them kisses and hugs and walk out. But that night they were screaming and crying for me to stay and pat them. After much deliberation, the twins won and was staying til they fell asleep. So I'm sitting there, patting their legs, and singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" when I notice that they each have extended one of their hands towards the center of the bed. Their eyes were closed, they weren't moving, and they were silent. I thought they were asleep and I was getting ready to leave when Vivian's hand moved closer to Gavin's. They touched. Gavin grabbed her hand. And Vivian grabbed his hand. They didn't talk, open their eyes, or move again. They just slept. Holding hands. That is also a twin thing.

Synchronized nose-picking.

3. Gavin and Vivian understand each other when no one else does. I can't tell you how many times one of them says something to us, we have absolutely no clue what was said, and then the other twin will explain it to us. Or one of them will be crying hysterically, unable to speak, and the other one knows exactly what is wrong. Even when they were babies, they would babble back and forth with each other and it seemed like they were having a completely understandable conversation. This happens all of the time. Daily. That is also a twin thing.

Gavin and Vivian have a special bond that is different from staggered-aged children. We're constantly asking our parents and friends who have staggered kids if G & V's various interactions are typical. And most people answer with, "Nope." Don't get me wrong, their relationship isn't always lollypops and gumdrops. They bite, hit, punch, kick, and slap each other, too. They scream at one another and steal each other's toys on a daily basis as well. But, through all of the fighting and crying and  love each other because they are twins.