Happy Bday, Maria & Lizzy! Did you know they are a rare type of twin?

11 years ago today, I gave birth to Maria Kathleen & Elizabeth Sue, five weeks shy of their due date. 

M&E are miracles!  This is why:  they are a rare type of twin known as Mono-chorionic/Mono-amniotic or "MoMo" twins.  Basically, the egg split enough for their bodies to separate (initially, my OB feared they were conjoined), however, their sacs did not separate, and they shared both their amniotic and chorionic sacs.  The mortality rate in-utero is very high with this type of twin because their cords become intertwined within the sac, and oftentimes the oxygen/food supply becomes cutoff from one or both twins.  MoMo twins occur in about 1% of twin pregnancies.

By the grace of God, and the doctors' amazement, the girls were born healthy and big (5 lbs 9 oz, and 5 lbs 5 oz), even though their cords were attached to the placenta 1 inch apart from each other, and knotted and twisted together in a giant cluster.  Doctors were SO amazed, in fact, that they had their placenta and cords sent off to be studied.

Facts about the girls:
* Maria is a lefty, Lizzy is a righty
* Maria had a red kidney-shaped birthmark on her right calf, Lizzy had one on her left calf
* Maria oftentimes feels pain that Lizzy is experiencing
* Maria has experienced side-effects of medication that Lizzy only has taken

Isn't that crazy stuff?  We are so lucky to have Maria & Lizzy bless our lives!