Changing diapers is becoming old hat for an Alberta couple who recently had their third set of fraternal twins.
Two-week-old Maverick and Blakely were born to Pam and Taylor Armstrong April 20. The babies were welcomed into the world slightly early, at 37 weeks, at Red Deer Regional Hospital.
Waiting for them at home with great anticipation, were the couplesa国际传媒檚 five-year-old twin daughters Brynlee and Adileigh, as well as their nine-year-old twin son and daughter Parker and Emery.
Pam said the couplesa国际传媒檚 four older siblings are sa国际传媒渁bsolutely thrilledsa国际传媒� to help out with the new babies.
sa国际传媒淚f yousa国际传媒檙e going to have one set of twins,sa国际传媒� why not have more, reasoned the stay-at-home mom.
Pam said her kids will each now have a same-aged sibling to play with and nobody will feel left out.
All the Armstrong twins were conceived naturally, without the use of fertility drugs. The odds of a mother giving birth to fraternal twins thrice is one in 500,000, according to HealthResearchFunding.org.
| Maverick and Blakely Armstrong. (Contributed by Loni Bourne Photography). |
A former labour and delivery nurse, Pam was aware her chances of delivering multiple multiples went up after she gave birth to her first twins. But having three double births wasnsa国际传媒榯 something she ever thought would happen.
Pamsa国际传媒檚 grandma was the only known relative on her side to have a previous set of fraternal twins, which means two eggs were fertilized by two sperm.
While theresa国际传媒檚 identical twin cousins on her husbandsa国际传媒檚 side, Pam was told that the twin gene is passed down only from the mother.
If she and Taylor, a middle-school teacher, hadnsa国际传媒檛 known before how strongly twins run in the family sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒渨e do now!sa国际传媒� said Pam, with a chuckle.
The couple greeted their latest double blessings with excitement and good humour: sa国际传媒淲e thought, this is what we know sa国际传媒� and wesa国际传媒檙e now getting pretty good at this, so we might as well do it again,sa国际传媒� said Pam.
Raising six kids is going to be more expensive, however, and has required the family to move into a five-bedroom house from their previous townhouse.
| The Armstrong siblings get their first look at the youngest twins in the family. (Contributed by Loni Bourne Photography). |
Pam said a lot of baby equipment has been brought out of storage and the family is getting lots of support from relatives, as well as friends and fellow members of CrossRoads Church.
Getting a new baby brother and sister to play with is a sa国际传媒渄ream come truesa国际传媒� for the Armstrongssa国际传媒� five-year-olds, Brynlee and Adileigh.
sa国际传媒淎ll they do is play (with doll) babies all day, so they think having real babies in the house is pretty great,sa国际传媒� said Pam.
Parker, formerly the Armstrongsa国际传媒檚 only son, had felt out numbered. Pam said hesa国际传媒檇 even threatened to move in with his three male cousins unless at least one of the new babies was a boy.
Since bonding with Maverick, hesa国际传媒檚 decided to stay, she added, with a chuckle.
All the older siblings are helping out with diaperings and sa国际传媒渁re adjusting pretty well sa国际传媒� although, I have to keep reminding them that they cansa国际传媒檛 fight over the two babies,sa国际传媒� said Pam.
sa国际传媒淚 tell them theysa国际传媒檙e lucky, since most people only get to bring one new baby home.sa国际传媒�
lmichelin@reddeeradvocate.com
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