twinning

An expression used to describe unrelated children in a family whose birth dates are less than 9 months apart.

benefits:

• you know that stage well.
• you have and are parenting a child that age already
• sharing toys and clothes (especially if the twin is the same sex/size)
• can be easier to bond
• built-in playmate
• helps the adopted child feel even more connected to the family
• helps the adopted child transition into school since their sibling is in their class and can help them navigate life as a 3/4/5 year old

fears:

• too much at once (don't I always say "how do they do it!?" of moms with twins, though primarily I mean in infancy)
• competitiveness
• potentially confusing for the biological child

Moments with Love, a new blog I found and adore, has a whole series of blogs with the label "twins" chronicling the adventure of their adopted African son and his "twin" sister, their biological daughter. Check it out!