THIS is the snapshot Porlock couple Michelle and Adrian Shopland have been waiting for - the photograph capturing their first moments together at home as a family following the premature birth of their 'miracle' twin boys. Theo and Jake, born 11 weeks early and weighing just 1lb 15 ounces and 2lbs 9 ounces respectively, had both been due to be discharged from hospital in time for Christmas. And although Jake made it home last Thursday, the family had to wait until yesterday (Thursday) for Theo to complete the circle and ensure a truly memorable start to 2008. "It's just fantastic, "Michelle told the Free Press. "We're together at last." The identical twins, who had been in Taunton's Musgrove Park Hospital's neo-natal unit since their birth at the end of October, are now settling into life in the Shopland's two-bedroom terraced home with brothers Liam, aged eight, and Ajay, four. Their rocky start in life began when Michelle discovered early on in her pregnancy that they were suffering from twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome. That meant they not only shared the same placenta but also some of the same circulation which led to an inbalanced flow of blood from one twin to another. The result was that Jake thrived at the expense of Theo but either one or both babies could have been lost at any time during the pregnancy. At one time, doctors predicted they would be unlikely to be allowed home before their due birth date of January 9 but Jake came off his monitor a fortnight ago and once Theo no longer needed oxygen, an early homecoming was on the cards. It had been hoped both boys would be home for Christmas and although Theo came off his monitor last week, a habit he developed of holding his breath, the distance from Porlock to Taunton and the lack of emergency cover over the Christmas break, meant he had to stay in hospital. But after the family visited him on Christmas Day, Michelle and Adrian had a call later that evening to tell them they could take him home the day after Boxing day. "Jake has been as good as gold since he came home and we hardly know we've got him," said Michelle "I was so disappointed that Theo couldn't be back in time for Christmas and I just kept crying when they told us it wouldn't be possible. "But it's wonderful to be together now - it's what we've all been waiting for." l Michelle and Adrian are pictured with the twins and other sons Ajay (left) and Liam. Photo: Steve Guscott.