An Essay about Matthew and Joshua

Or is it Joshua and Matthew. At this point it isn’t an issue- they respond either way. I am sure it was hoped that they would each get their own essay. As different as they are their lives are intertwined and it is hard to talk about one and not the other.

It has been fun to be a mom of twins. They have had a strong bond since they were babies and now of course are best friends. They do what best friends would do when together and that is play all day. I learned early on that I was not the center of their world. My older children seek me out early in the morning; as soon as these boys were old enough to get out of the cribs they would head straight to the play room to start their day. Even with a new baby brother in the house, they didn’t seem phased by the new addition or my preoccupation. Maybe they will notice when he is older and starts playing with their toys.

They are unique individuals with different personalities, separate likes and dislikes, and they each have their own strengths and weaknesses. Early on I got asked a lot of questions on who was better at this or that, and I have decided not to keep track. Maybe in the classroom differences with be noticed, but I expect that they will both excel and do well. They both love books and seem on the same academic level. Don’t be alarmed that they can’t sing their ABC’s; they just can’t sing at all. I have never met anyone that is tone deaf but the fact that neither of them can even sing simple nursery songs might be a good indicator.

They are identical genetically but once you get to know them it should be easy to tell them apart. If you call them by the wrong name usually they just smile and correct you by saying, “No I’m Matthew/Joshua!” As their mother I can tell which one is crying in the middle of the night or who is who even from behind. Hopefully I will give you the clue so that you can tell just by looking at them. It’s all in the hair. Joshua has strong calics that makes the front of his hair stick right up. Matthew however has not developed the calics and his hair stays flat or as we like to say is matted down. Think Matthew has matted hair. It is a whole lot easier then looking for the tiny dot birthmark that is on Matthew’s head, that we relied on when he was a baby.

As I said before they are best friends. They will easily accommodate others in their play, but I think that they just forget sometimes and become cliquish. I want them to be encouraged to develop other relationships and learn that they don’t always have to be together. Although I am glad that they are together now before they will be forced to separate in Kindergarten.

Joshua: His favorite color is red. He has red shoes, always wants to eat off our red plates, and has even a special spoon that is red. He used to only want to be dressed in red, but since I have put him in charge of getting dressed I have been surprised to see him add a little variety to his wardrobe and try some of those shirts he used to never let me pick out for him. He loves animals and loves to pet them. He talks to them in a sweet high voice that he now also uses for his baby brother.

Matthew likewise has identified his favorite color to be green, although he is not as obsessed with the color in his wardrobe but he does have a preference for strips. He is afraid of animals especially dogs. When introduced to his baby brother he kept his distance and wants to hold him for a week. He does have a love for the water and thinks he is a fish. He was determined to go down the slides at the YMCA pool this summer and although it was a tough goal to pass the swim test he was determined and was very proud when he accomplished his goal.