Day 1

It begins.

I've dreaded this moment for so long now and it has finally arrived. I don’t quite know how far back I starting feeling this dread. Was it 5 ½ weeks into my pregnancy when I started talking to them? I asked my mum “What if I'm having twins?”  Mum said “No one has twins in our family.” But I knew I was. At 7 weeks the ultrasound confirmed it. The sonographer said “There is one heartbeat and there is another.” I knew she was counting babies not just heartbeats. Okay so maybe the dread does not go that far back. At that point I was wondering how I was going to survive being a single mum to a five year old and twin babies.

Now the dreadful day has arrived. My twins, from here on in known as B1 and B2 or T1 and T2, turned 16 during the school holidays, Equinox babies, and the next day they got their L’s!!!!!

All the people who helped us at the RTA were also quite excited about this. B1 went straight outside and put the L plates on the car and wanted to drive home. That was not happening. We have a manual car and were in the middle of a busy town. They both fell asleep in the car on the way home. That hasn't happened in a long time. I think the stress of doing the test and then the excitement of passing just tired them out.

My identical twin sons have got their L’s. I should be okay with this as I have been in this situation before. I taught my first son to drive, as well as some lessons with my step son and daughter. I’m a teacher so I also know how to teach, give clear instructions and stay calm.

But this is different.

This has me questioning my sanity. A sense of déjà vu.

I know I shouldn't be surprised as I know they are identical twins but they are so different in personality and style that it caught me unexpectedly. Learning to drive has put them back on a level playing field. So much so they I have had identical driving lessons with them where they will make the same mistake at the same time. I take them separately so the second one doesn’t know that the first one made the same mistake at the same point.

I'm feeling harassed as any parent does. With my first when the driving lesson was over that was it for the day. Now when it is over I know I will have to do it again at some point in the day. I can see 240 hours of often pointless driving ahead. So will I be driven to distraction?