When my twin girls were born, the nurse would bring them to me from the nursery in two separate bassinets.

You know those adorable little cribs on wheels for newborn babies to shuttle back and forth from the nursery while you get the little sleep you can…at least before you go home and not sleep for the next 18 months.

Or years.

Maddie and Sydney each had their own cozy little bassinet but every time the nurse arrived, I’d move one of them into the other so they could be together.

I just kept imagining what it must be like to share a belly for nine and a half months, and then suddenly be in the great big loud world without that same person.

I remember one time I looked over and saw they had turned almost on their sides to directly face one another. I’ve done enough work in early childhood development to know that they had no idea what they were actually doing. They just did it.

They’d roll in towards one another.

For this new mom, it was a kind of magic.

Their little swaddled bodies would lay next to my bed, side by side, as I sang to them.

Just kidding. I was probably trying to figure out how I was going to nurse them at the same time and master the old "football hold” without feeling like a human bovine.

But they survived.

And just like that, they grew up.

Their togetherness in those early days has manifested in all sorts of ways over the past 18 years.

They are in the same “friend group" at school. They are both gymnasts. They both enjoy writing and the humanities.

Now any twin mom will tell you how different their twins are, even moms of identical twins (mine happen to be fraternal).

Because for as many similarities they have, they are just so unique.

Just like any two siblings in any family - same, but different.

Twin moms just get that extra dose of judgment about the way things “should" be… for example, people telling me, “Oh, you should definitely separate them in classes!”

Or “I love that you don’t dress them alike!”

Or “Really?? They want to go to college together??”

And yes, even I asked them that same question when they told me last year that they really wanted to apply to the same colleges.

At first, I said something like, “Oh you guys should really go your own paths! You’ll always be close! Maybe try something separate like you did last summer!”

To which they responded, in a calm and certain way, that they have the rest of their lives to be apart…they wanted to share four more years of memories together.

In fact, being together in college was the one non-negotiable, and I truly couldn’t be happier for their togetherness.

My worries about what would happen if only one of them was accepted during the admissions process have finally been dispelled.

They both just got accepted to Boston College early decision! Together! And it’s my alma mater!

That’s because of so much of their hard work. But it’s also about trusting the process.

Actually I think it’s about trusting their process. Whether you have twins or not.

Or whether the issue is about going to college, playing a sport, making any decision that may feel small to you but are huge to your child…trusting their process is usually the best answer.

And so I did.

I’m really excited to be back on the BC campus, this time without my "freshman 15” and a few less party tricks.

But I’ll be soaking it up nonetheless…with my babies.

With fierce love,
Alison