michaela baker

When I tell people I’m a twin most of the time it’s followed by

“I wish I had a twin.”

“Are y’all identical or fraternal?”

“What’s it like to be a twin?”

To be honest, describing what it’s like to be a twin is not an easy feat. I could talk all day about being a twin and stories I have between my sister and me but today I’m blogging about it. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be a twin, I hope this post will give you a little insight on the life of Michaela and Kathryn Baker.

Our childhood

Growing up, Kathryn and I were inseparable, and the majority of the time we were matching which didn’t help others figure out who was whom. I don’t remember too much from my young childhood, but I always remember us waking up early and playing together. Sometimes we were up too early and our dad would come tell us to go back to bed. We would get up, turn on our pink lamp and get lost in a world of Barbie or Polly Pockets.

I think we were pretty mischievous as children. We fought hard against taking Sunday naps… boy what I would do now to take a nap every Sunday! 🙂

The teen years

When we got to middle school, we were on different “teams,” which meant our teachers and classes were on different sides of the building. This is when we started becoming our own individual. Kathryn got involved with student government for a while and I got involved with the Yearbook along with other extracurriculars.

This was also the time where I moved into our brother’s room because he went off to college. For the first time in 13 years we weren’t living together. Okay sure we were just down the hall but it was different!

We started having different likes and interests but we were still close. Like typical sisters we got on each other’s nerves 24/7 but in an hour we would be back to normal.

This continued through high school. Of course we fought about clothes, boys, makeup, etc. but that was us! You would not believe how many times I walked into her room and she had on the shirt I had planned to wear, but obviously I thought I should wear it because I had it in mind! Thanks to dad for moderating that one 🙂

Once we got in a fight over shoes because we both wanted to wear them at the beach and it got physical. Kathryn “accidentally” knocked me in the eye and it drew blood. When people asked what happened I said Kathryn hit me… everyone laughed and didn’t really believe that’s what happened. (Needless to say I got to wear the shoes because she felt bad)

You see, we might fight like crazy, but she is always my best friend. In any time of need, she was, and still is, there. In heartbreak, drama, death in the family and more we are always there for each other.

And then came college…

Going off to college

We always knew the day would come where we would go off without the other but we didn’t want to think about it.

The summer before I went off to USC, Kathryn and I couldn’t even think about leaving each other. Most of the time it would result in tears. You spend your whole life with someone down the hall and then you have to leave.

We wouldn’t share a closet anymore. We wouldn’t have the other to help us study. We wouldn’t eat breakfast together.

Move-in day came and everyone was a basket of tears. It was a weird week. I didn’t have my sister down the hall. My best friend—my other half—was missing.

Going from a school where everyone knew I had a twin to a school where it became my “fun fact” about myself was difficult. Obviously I talked about her all the time but it wasn’t a known fact anymore.

Not living together anymore actually drew us closer. We talk or text every single day. Very few days go by that we aren’t talking in some way. Two weeks are probably that max we go without seeing each other.

The truth is we’ve truly become our own unique individuals but I couldn’t have done it without her.

It’s hard when you have to be without each other but in a way we are always connected.

Sometimes I will FaceTime her and she is wearing the exact same outfit as me, or we ate the same lunch, or are both sad about the same thing.

Dear Kathryn, you are my best friend. I’m so proud of you and I can’t wait to see the things you do as a future nurse.

What it’s like to be a twin? Amazing.

You always have a partner in crime; someone to laugh with, to cry with. I know I’ll always have a best friend.