Family joy as two sets of twins born during lockdown get to visit grandparents’ home
A WOMAN whose two daughters both gave birth to twins during lockdown was finally able to welcome all four children into her home at the weekend to celebrate their christenings.
Marie Lindsay, former principal at St Mary’s College in Londonderry and her husband Collie finally met their grandchildren on June 12.
They are Sadie and Hugo Montgomery — born on April 3 to daughter Kate and her husband Ben — and Cliona and John, born on June 1 to their other daughter Sarah and her husband Tom Grant.
A previous family gathering took place in the garden of Kate’s home in Derry when Sarah and Tom brought their twins from their home in Crawfordsburn — but not being able to cuddle the children because of the coronavirus restrictions dampened the occasion somewhat.
This was not the case, however, last weekend when granny Marie and granda Collie spent the day bestowing all the love and affection they had stored up since April on the four little darlings who had come together again for the weekend.
Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Ms Lindsay said: “The first time I got to see all four of our grandchildren together was on June 12 in the garden of Kate and Ben’s house in Derry because at that time, gatherings weren’t permitted inside but I couldn’t hold them so I still had to wait for the cuddles.
“The next time we got to have both sets of twins and their parents all together was last weekend for their christenings and that was very different.
“I just love nursing them and I want to do that all the time. I found at the weekend I was nursing one or other of the children all day and it came to the evening time and there was one I hadn’t really had time to nurse.
“It is like all children by their very nature — some like being held and love cuddled more than others but I make sure I spread my time evenly.
“Initially, after they were born I found it difficult that I wasn’t able to help my two daughters with their new babies but now I find I just love nursing my grandchildren.
“I find it so relaxing and the whole day can pass in a complete blur because I am so absorbed in their little world.
“These are very precious times when we can all be together and share the fun and noise.”
The birth of these two sets of twins to her two daughters factored in Marie’s decision to step down from her role as principal of St Mary’s — a post she has held for the past 14 years.
She added: “I would probably have been thinking about retirement because I have spent a total of 35 years teaching in St Mary’s and 14 as principal but certainly the arrival of the four grandchildren was a factor. They certainly put a different perspective on life.”