And so, our little twins arrived last week.

Welcome to the family, Felix and Monty…

What a week or so it has been. Our boys arrived on 19 August, after a great labour and birth where we felt in control, calm and happy throughout.

Felix – 6lbs – was born first, a good strong cry, eyes wide open and looking just like his big sister from the moment he emerged. Monty came next – 4lbs 15ozs – crying too, with a dark mass of hair, a tiny button nose and all curled up in a tight little ball.

That they were both boys was at once a massive surprise and also totally expected. Minutes after getting both of them in my arms it felt like they’d always been with us, a part of our lives since forever.

In the nine days that have passed since their birth we have fallen more and more in love with our boys. I can’t imagine them being anything other than the darling little souls that they are.

The bond between them already seems so easy and natural, they sleep next to each other all day, and at night are in between us in bed, curled up in our arms, never more than inches from each other.

Their different personalities emerge each day – Felix, older and very laidback, sleeping, eating and staring wide-eyed at the world…….

Monty, younger and smaller, a tiny bean of warmth and softness, he likes company and cuddles, and misses his big brother if he is away from him for too long….

Breastfeeding has been overall easy to master again, and I am grateful to both Munchkin (who ensured I was confident enough from feeding her to pursue it with the boys) and to the boys, who have both learnt to latch quickly and efficiently. I also could not have done it without the various midwives in hospital and the community midwives who visited when we got back home, helping and encouraging at every stage, offering help whenever I needed it and reassuring me that we were doing well. Now the boys are growing every day and I am remembering how special and connected breastfeeding made me feel. It is an honour and a privilege to be able to feed my babies myself and I am so grateful that we have been able to make it work thus far.

Munchkin has so far been a loving and doting big sister – though it is amazing how big and dangerous your darling three year old suddenly feels when put next to your newborn baby….! But she loves her ‘babies’ and talks about them all the time, coming over to stroke their heads, rock their Moses basket or give them a toy when they are crying. Little moments when she is with them – holding Felix and singing ‘Wind the Bobbin Up’ to him one evening, or making Monty stop crying by rocking the crib and saying “Sshhh baby, it’s ok baby, shhhh” are as heartmelting and humbling as you’d expect – and I am very proud of how hard she has tried to be a caring big sister already.

Despite expecting the world to rather implode once the twins were born, so far, the days have been easy and joyful – the boys are small and they sleep and feed with ease, so we sit in the sun at home, curl up in bed and watch box sets, have long afternoons at home with family, and just enjoy this rather surprising lull before the inevitable storm.

I know hard times are coming, managing two babies will undoubtedly come with some very real challenges, but, for now, because we have no expectations, because we aren’t trying to make this experience anything other than what it is, and probably, also, because we have just got a bit lucky so far, these are happy days, filled with love, and warmth and joy.