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An old chewing gum commercial promises "double your pleasure, double your fun." But if you're a mother of twins, is that true? Of course when there are two children involved, there's two sides to any story. But no matter which side of the story they tell, moms of twins have at least two extra special reasons to celebrate Mother's Day.

'I'm still shaking my head!'

When it comes to raising their children, mothers of twins are used to expecting the unexpected. After all, they already got through the biggest shock of all: finding out they were expecting two babies.

Polly Harker of Lebanon thought for three months she was carrying one baby.

"We had two ultrasounds celebrating one healthy embryo and then we went in for the third at about 12 weeks," Harker said.

Harker, who is due to deliver her identical twin sons in May, said all seemed normal, but just as the doctor started to wrap up the visit, he stopped mid-sentence.

"In his most casual voice he said, 'Do you want to see something unusual?' We looked at the screen and he said, 'Look, identical twins!' I threw my hands over my face. I could not believe it. My husband was smiling, but shaking his head."

Shannon Walton of Mason had a similar reaction to the news about her fraternal twin daughters, Allyson and Abigail, now 4 years old.

"We found out at 13 weeks. I think I cried for the next 48 hours," she said, only half jokingly.

And once the babies arrive, the real juggling act begins.

It takes a village

"There are times it is more stressful than others, but we do what we have to do," Shannon said.

"Grocery shopping was always interesting," she said. "I would have to buy so much baby food — they went through 12 jars a day at one point!" To juggle all of that, Shannon came up with an idea.

"I found a tray that would hold 25 jars at once," she said. "It made it a little easier for me and the cashier appreciated not having to scan over 100 jars individually."

All of the moms say that without the help of family and friends, balancing a life of work and kids would be even more challenging.

Harker's neighbors threw her and her friend Karen Ansberry (also expecting twin boys in May) a shower to help provide the necessities for the babies.

Walton and Watson said they lean on each other for support to get through the ups and downs of raising twins.

"Since my kids are older, Shannon will often ask me about something that's happening with the girls," Watson said. " 'Is this normal for twins?' I usually assure her that everything's fine."

"She's been there," Walton said. "I can count on her to tell me how it is!"

Twice as nice

Moms of twins also see the special connections twins develop. At their recent birthday party, Abigail and Allyson never strayed too far from one another.

"They find each other," said Byron Walton, the girls' father. "If we ask 'Where's Ally?' or 'Where's Abby?' the other one can usually answer. They are just so into each other."

Amy Watson, who is one of the Walton girls' godmothers and a mother of her own 6-year-old twins, Jackson and Taylor, said multiples seem to have a special connection.

"One of the great things about twins is that they always have a companion," she said. Her son Jackson said he "loved playing" with his sister Taylor.

Watson insists, though, that twins share the same type of relationship as other siblings.

"They have their moments when they don't get along — just like every other brother and sister," she said.

Jackson nodded his head in agreement.

"Sharing is hard," he said as he ran off to play with his sister.

And what about all the talk of having twice as much work than other moms? Walton acknowledges the work, but says the trade off is worth it.

"It's two times the chaos, but twice the fun," she said. "It's two times much better of everything, really."

Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4542 or mrossiter@coxohio.com.

A breakdown of an average grocery store trip for infant twins:

Diapers (bulk pack, 132 diapers): $31.99

Diaper wipes: $5

Baby food (average of 12 jars/day — total of approximately 75 jars/week): $100

Powdered formula (25.4 oz. can): $28.19

Total: $137 per shopping trip

A breakdown of baby equipment/furniture needed for infant twins

Cribs: $300

Bedding: $150

Bottles: $29.99 per set of six

Double stroller: $199

Onesies: $20 (for two sets of five)

Total: $698.99

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