After years of trying for a family with no success, they sought specialist help and, after the first attempt failed, a second round of treatment resulted in Yvonne finally falling pregnant.

“It was just the best feeling ever, amazing,” said Yvonne.

Six weeks after conceiving, the thrilled mum-to-be had a scan that revealed she was carrying twins, doubling her joy.

Yvonne is a teacher at Lawside Academy and the kids at school took a keen interest in her pregnancy, taunting her with good-natured jibes about her increasing size.

“They kept asking how were the passengers on my bus because I was just huge,” said Yvonne.

The twins’ due date was December 12 and Yvonne was planning to stop working last month, to rest up ahead of the birth of her babies.

However, the twins were in a hurry and popped out seven weeks early and too immature to survive without help.

Yvonne was home alone, watching television when she realised the babies were making their entrance into the world. Howard was already at Ninewells Hospital, where he works as a social worker.

“I phoned Howard,” said Yvonne. “He was very calm. I don’t think he could believe it.”

The soon-to-be mum was very aware that preparations for the twins’ arrival were unfinished.

“We were still decorating the house and trying to get everything ready for them.”

Several hours after Yvonne arrived at Ninewells, Annabel was born at 1.50pm on October 23.

She was immediately whisked away to be placed in an incubator in the neonatal baby unit.

Just half an hour later, her wee brother followed.

That was the start of their battle to survive, with mum and dad making daily visits to the unit for over three weeks.

Yvonne was full of praise for the help her family received from the dedicated staff in the special care unit at Ninewells.

“Right from the start the staff were great,” said Yvonne.

“They took a little picture of them just after they were born and brought that down to me.

“That was great and I really appreciated them doing that. But just seeing them with all the tubes sticking out of them just breaks your heart.”

The twins are now home and mum and dad are looking forward to their first Christmas with a family.

“Christmas is going to be great,” said Yvonne.

“I am sure they are going to be spoiled lots.

“We wanted them so badly and now they are here, they are just part of our lives now. It’s great. It really is.”

Mum is shopping for the twins’ special Christmas outfits but, with the babies still tiny, it can be difficult to find clothes to fit.

James is wearing dolly socks purchased from a Dundee toy store — the only place with socks to fit his small feet.

“Even now people say to me they are tiny,” said Yvonne.

And their mum is back in shape after what she calls the twin diet. She added, “I got back in to my jeans two weeks after they were born. I think it was all the running about, up and down to hospital.

“It was the best diet I have ever been on — the twin diet — I would recommend it!”