Twins "double-team" to protect baby sister

Her first words were not "mama" or "dada" or even "sissy."  Her first words were "bark," "moo," and "neigh."  This should have been a tip-off, a clue that Jaynee was a bit further advanced than the average youngest child. 

Jaynee's sisters are identical twins and are 8 years old now.  I was not the least bit prepared for the twins.  I mean, I had all the accoutrements for twins: double beds, double stroller, double outfits, double baby books, etc. 

What I was not prepared for was the intensity of the twins.  They were preemies and extremely sensitive, even to this day.  My mantra for their babyhood, besides being so tired I couldn't see straight (I literally was so tired that I fell down the stairs tearing everything out in both ankles...nice, eh?) was "not too much." 

Not too much formula (gas bubbles), not too much light (over-stimulation), not too much noise (my on-going headaches), not too much laundry (I struggle with this one to this day), not too much outside/inside time, sleep, music, books, visitors, pictures, Desitin. 

I had to keep their lives in perilous balance because they were, and are, still over-sensitive. However, Jaynee was the kid I always knew I'd have: smart, witty, gutsy, humorous, thoughtful, sarcastic, and beautiful. 

A close relative voiced her opinion that my husband and I "couldn't even handle the babies we already have...why should we have another one?"  And when we found out we were having another girl, this relative felt that Jaynee wouldn't get any attention because people will be paying more attention to the twins.

Ahem! I was definitely going to spit in this relative's food at the next meal.  Maybe I'd spit in her food at the next meal for the rest of her life! If you come over, you can spit in her food, too.

Anyway, fast-forward to Jaynee being 13 months old. My twins, Bailee and Rilee, and I were taking a week long art course. I took Jaynee with us and she sat in the stroller during the four hour lessons.  aynee didn't cry or fuss or distract or blow raspberries or scream.

She's always happy. Enter: "The Brat. "I've never met an actual brat before but I've heard many stories and this little girl was a B-R-A-T!  She would not leave baby Jaynee alone. The Brat would come over to Jaynee's stroller during class and pick up Jaynee's toys and shake them, crunch them, Velcro them - whatever the toy did, this Brat did it right in Jaynee's face. 

Brat even found a bottle at one point and shoved it in Jaynee's mouth.  Jaynee just stared at The Brat like, "Hey! This is a new thing - a Brat! Right here in my very own space is a BRAT! This Brat keeps shoving things in my mouth. What a Brat! This Brat keeps playing with my toys! What a Brat"

After two days of being "Brat-ed" upon, Jaynee's twin sisters (then age 4) had seen enough.  During the lesson, Brat sneaked away and "GI Joe" crawled across the classroom floor right to baby Jaynee.  Before I could rescue my baby, I saw Bailee and Rilee silently get up from the "lecture." 

One twin walked up on the left side of Jaynee's stroller, and two seconds later, the other one walked up on the right side of the stroller. Brat was reaching her hand into the stroller for any goodies. The twins took a step forward. One said, in a devil-like voice, "Don't touch our baby sister." 

And then The Brat was stared down by the devil-twins. The Brat backed off slowly, slowly like you would if a wild bear had just spotted you. Bailee and Rilee combined their stares into one, making for a laser beam of disdain right between Brat's eyes. 

"What a Brat!" thought Bailee and Rilee. So for all you people wondering if siblings of twins get any attention the answer is "yes"  Actually, the twins have adopted Jaynee as "the third twin," their "twin-plet," their "twingle" sister. 

Rilee, the girls' chosen spokes-person, answers all public inquiry with, "Bailee and I are twins. This is our twingle - she looks like our twin but she's really a singleton." They really do look like triplets, Bailee and Rilee being very petite and Jaynee is tall for her age.

It may be their same-ness that initially draws in curious on-lookers, but it is their individuality that hooks people. After all, who can resist a smiling child? Who can ignore a laughing child? Who can pass up listening to a child's song or watching a child dance? 

Whether they look alike or not, my heart always has room for one, or two, more.  If anyone dares to imply otherwise, I'll just spit in their food.

Holly Engel-Smothers

Bucker, MO