WHETHER there are complications during birth or not, each baby is a little miracle.
And for parents Vicky and Tim, this is particularly true for their boys Thomas and Luke.
The identical twins were born more than 13 weeks early, weighing a tiny 2lb 6oz for Luke and 2lb 8oz for Thomas.
The first 16 weeks of their lives were spent in hospital before they were strong enough to head home.
Now the twins are two, mum Vicky wants to give something back to the people who have helped her.
She has helped organise the Little Miracles Ball and hopes the event will become an annual addition to the diary.
"We want to make it a really special night for everyone to celebrate how far their babies have come," said Vicky, 35.
"Everyone can come along and celebrate their own little miracles.
"Whether they are born at full term, or are premature or had problems they have had to overcome, all babies are little miracles and special in their own way."
The ball is being held in aid of the neonatal unit at Hull Royal Infirmary and Bliss, a national charity for premature and poorly babies.
Vicky, who lives with Tim, 38, and the twins in Hessle, says she came up with the idea while volunteering for Bliss.
She said: "I started doing some work for Bliss, making people aware of the support available to them.
"Ever since the boys came home, I have done bouts of fundraising on and off for the neonatal unit.
"I was chatting to a few other mums who had premature babies and we said that being a mum means there aren't a lot of occasions when you can get dressed up for an evening out.
"So we came up with the idea of having the ball."
Running round after two young boys can be a bit of handful for Vicky.
She says that at age two, they are showing their own little personalities and are starting to take a real interest in music.
"Their dad would be very pleased if they became musicians," said Vicky. "They have a little keyboard and microphone they got for Christmas and they love it.
"They are showing their own little traits and ways now.
"Luke is full of energy all the time, whereas Thomas is the more relaxed of the two.
"They're both chatty and in the supermarket they natter away to the people at the till. They also love singing along to CDs in the car."
The boys were born at Hull and East Yorkshire Women and Children's Hospital in September 2010.
Born prematurely, they were kept in the hospital for weeks and Tim and Vicky were not sure if they would live or die.
They needed help to breathe and were treated on the high-dependency unit.
Although the twins are fit and healthy, giving their parents the run around, Vicky still remembers how she felt at that time.
"You never forget what you went through," she said.
"It goes to the back of your mind, but it is always there.
"There are moments though, when I stop and look at them, and think 'gosh, you are miracles'."
Tickets for the ball, which Vicky organised with Louise Oakes and Jenny Gibson, are still available.
It is taking place on Saturday, May 11, at Lazaat in Cottingham.
Email victoria_allan@hotmail.co. uk for tickets.
