Doubly Blessed

The reactions range from laughter to shock followed by the inevitable, “How did this happen?” Well, the twin birth rate in America has risen 42 percent since 1990, according to a report by the National Center for Health Statistics. Published in December 2007, the report shows that the trend is true in Utah, as well, with 4,029 sets of twins born between 2003 and 2005.

Before you start wondering what’s in the water, keep in mind that the trend is most likely attributable to two key factors. First, women are waiting longer to have children, and the chance of having twins increases as women age, doubling in the mid-30s. Second, the successful use of fertility treatments results in more multiple births.

According to Parkite Dr. Leslie Webster, both Summit Pediatrics and the Park City community have been directly impacted by “the beauty of twinship.” Webster recounts, “We have a lot of fun doing check-ups on twins. It is fun to see the interactions, how they are so close, seem to communicate without talking and how they help each other.”

Read on to see how Park City’s twins feel about being part of this emerging trend, but please don’t ask their mothers how old they were when they had them!

Christopher & Charlie Maulding: 4 years old
Described as, “A mommy version with blond hair/blue eyes (Charlie) and a daddy version with dark hair/dark eyes (Christopher),” these preschoolers are clearly all boy. Christopher, who loves playing with trains and wants to be a basketball player when he grows up, appreciates having a twin brother. “I be sad when my dad leaves me at Little Miners, and Charlie gives me a hug,” he says. Charlie is all about scoops, diggers and dump trucks and loves to play “Bob the Builder” with his brother. Last ski season after their weekly lesson, both boys declared, “We don’t want to stop skiing!” … music to the ears of their mother, a former ski racer and coach.

“Having twins is exponentially harder, easier, more fun and more terrifying, but it’s a great package, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” — Annie Wallace, Mom & Ecker Hill French Teacher

Chase & Cole Flinders: 11 years old
Talking with Chase and Cole, you see clearly that not only do they look identical, but they think, speak and act in similar ways. The boys eat lunch together every day at school and are both involved in karate and lacrosse. Cole describes his brother as “Kind of like me. A lot of times we say the same stuff at the same time.” Their mom agrees, pointing out that the twins walked within a day of each other, got their teeth in exactly the same order and still sleep in the same position as each other. Chase best describes the uniqueness of identical twins saying, “Cole doesn’t really get mad at me a lot. He is like me, so he understands.”

“The twin relationship is a longer relationship than my boys will ever have with their parents, siblings, or their spouses. They will know each other longer than anyone else in their lifetime.”  — Kristin Flinders, Mom & Real Estate Broker

Paige & Emily Billow: 9 years old
When you ask Paige and Emily who is older, they both answer “Jeremy” (their older brother.) More different than alike — Emily is a tomboy while Paige is more motherly and nurturing — they clearly have a special bond. Emily describes her sister as “Someone who cares for me” and Paige says the best thing about having a twin is, “You always have someone to protect you.” Still, the differences are what make life in the Billow household interesting. Paige has aspirations of becoming a paleontologist, geologist or snailologist (yes, there is such a thing), while her sports-oriented sister is hoping to be a professional soccer player or skateboarder.

“It’s like your own wonderful, loving science project; bringing them up the same way, at the same time and the same age. We marvel at how different they are.”  —Jennifer Billow, Mom & Parleys Park PTA President

Jack & Nicolas Sugerman: 6 months old
One look at Jack and Nicolas, and their differences are easily apparent. Sporting a baby faux-hawk, Jack is the stronger twin — so strong that he fractured his mom’s tailbone while she was still pregnant. Nicolas, who is smaller than Jack, is the sensitive one and was correspondingly terrified of the flash during our photo shoot. Both boys are already quite masculine in their tastes, which is fun for their mom and older sister, Sasha, who is “into princess everything.”

“The fun level is higher with twins. They get so much attention and love from everybody.”  — Lisa Sugerman, Mom & Pediatric Neuropsychology Fellow

Jane & Parker Archer:
14 years old
Ninth graders Jane and Parker realize just how special it is to be twins. “I really like telling people that I’m a twin. I tell Parker pretty much everything,” says Jane, who volunteers at the National Ability Center. Despite the typical sibling rivalry (both insist they never fight for more than a day), these twins are fiercely protective of each other. Parker, who works at Cold Stone Creamery and loves throwing ice cream with his co-workers, says, “I don’t like to hear mean things about her because she is my sister. She is caring and friendly and thoughtful.” Jane agrees, “When someone talks about your twin negatively, that is hard and really, really hurts my feelings. Parker is respectful and says the cutest things, and he is a really hard worker.”

“The best part is they were two at a time and they are special. I just adore my twins. They rounded out our family.” — Loretta Archer, Mom & Deer Valley Team Member

Holly & Cozy Huggins: 12 years old
While Holly and Cozy Huggins look identical, their personalities couldn’t be more different. The girls, who were conjoined at the shoulder and miraculously separated in utero, each have defined roles. Cozy loves music and hanging out with her friends, saying, “I’m the doer and she’s the thinker. I call her Confucius.” Indeed, Holly always has a book in her hand and clearly relishes her twin sister’s vivacious personality. “She is just so there. Whenever I need a friend, Cozy is always there.” As the girls approach the teen years, Holly’s clear-mindedness will be a good guidepost. “Holly is that tiny voice inside my head that tells me not to do bad stuff,” smiles Cozy.

“Their close relationship is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The twin is the center of the universe and life revolves around that twin.” — Laura Huggins, Mom & Treasure Mountain Special Education Teacher

Liz Yokubison is a freelance writer living in Park City. She is proud to be the mother of 9-year-old boy/girl twins and to share the role with all of the amazing moms in this story.