Meet More of our Longtime Members!

by Erin Sweeten
Welcome back to the blog for our latest group of interviewees in this month's Member Appreciation series! These wise, real, funny moms have BTDT (been there, done that). I'll let them tell you all about it themselves.

Alison Coviello

Member Since: 2008. I joined shortly after we moved here when the girls were 10 months old.
Children: My fraternal twin girls, Mia and Rachel, are now 10 years old.
Favorite thing about PVMOM: it is a group of women from all different backgrounds, many who have experienced a complicated path to get here, and we all have come together to share the journey of raising our multiples.
Parenting memory:  When the girls were two months old they were finally both home from the NICU.  One day, Rachel just wouldn't settle down.  She was crying nonstop for over an hour and nothing would soothe her.  I was sitting on the couch holding her and I myself crying, feeling so frazzled and not knowing what to do.  My husband came down from his office to try to help and he looked at the coffee table in front of me and asked, "Whose bottle is that?"  This bottle sat inches away from me and in my exhaustion I hadn't noticed it or realized until that moment that I hadn't fed Rachel her last feeding.  The poor baby was starving!  Needless to say, we set up a feeding chart that afternoon.  So, this isn't exactly a funny story but looking back at it, I recall how overwhelmed and exhausted I was and how hard those early days were taking care of two babies.  That incident made both my husband and I realize that I needed more help and more time to take care of myself and that is the advice I always give new moms. 
Best Parenting Advice:  When my girls were babies, I asked a good friend, who has twin boys two years older than my girls, if it ever gets easier.  Her response was, "it doesn't get easier, it just changes." I have found that to be true.  I didn't know how we would survive the transition to solids, potty training, moving into big girl beds, grade school, etc.  Each time we do survive it and we look back and laugh that we thought it was such a big challenge.  Now we face the preteen stage and I'm not sure how we will survive that.  Wish us luck!

Tessa Watson

Member Since: 2006. I started out in BAMOM(Birmingham Area) when my twins were 8 wks & when we moved to Phx in 2006 (then 18 mo) I promptly looked for a new MOM club.
Children: Six children, ages 16, 13, 13, 10, 7, and 4
Favorite Thing about PVMOM: I love the unique connection and instant camaraderie twin moms have. There is absolutely nothing like gestating, raising and loving two (or more) of the same aged kids. I love that we all “get it.”  I love being a twin mom and connecting with other ones. I just wish I could do it more.

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Funny Parenting Story: I just ran across an old email detailing a day in the life of my energetic two year olds- smashed bananas in the carpet, hair pulling during library story time, flooding the kitchen with the water dispenser and their crowning achievement: working together to get the garage door off its tracks and falling onto the car! There sure were some crazy times, but boy have they always had fun together, and I consider that one of the biggest gifts I’ve given them as a twin mom. They’ve had little undivided attention but they have always had a built in best friend for life. I still love to watch their special bond grow and deepen with time. They’re such a blessing to each other and to me. 
Best Parenting Advice: Listen to all advice politely and then promptly do whatever works best for you.
I’ve included “then and now” pics. I always loved that the newspaper hat was unknowingly a BOGO ad in this baby pic;)

Julia Baeva

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Member Since: 2012. I have been a member of PVMOM for 6 years! That's about 40 in singleton years.

Children: My b/g twins Sofia and Nathaniel are 7.5 years old.
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Favorite Thing about PVMOM: I met my best friends through PVMOM and it has been my savior through the challenging and often isolating experience of raising twin tornadoes.

Funny Parenting Story: Oh, man, where do I begin? Usually my brain blocks everything out - it's a self-defense mechanism. But I have a fresh example today. See the pic. #SoBlessed

Best Parenting Advice: The best books on raising toddler twins are made in the Napa valley and come in a bottle.

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