Emotionally Healthy Twins - Book Review

Emotionally HealthyTwins

  I was recently given the opportunity to review a book written by Joan A. Friedman, Ph.D. I was sent a copy of Emotionally Healthy Twins directly from the author.  Over the past few months I've read this book (when I had extra time) and have drawn a conclusion... this author really knows what she is talking about.  This collection of ideas and truths is the most valuable piece of literature I've collected in my search for twin resources over the past 10 months. From explaining the uniqueness of each twin to preteens and teens, from advice on preparing for two individual babies to young adults, this book is a must-have now and will be a must-have on into young adulthood. It is not a book you read and discard. You will keep this book for years to come and I guarantee you will refer back to it and its plethora of wisdom. To satisfy your curiosity, the chapters are as follows:
1. Two Unique Children
2. Mentally Preparing for Two Separate Babies
3. Babyhood
4. Fathers and Babies, Fathers and Mothers
5. The Preschool Years
6. Elementary School Kids
7. Preteens and Teens
8. Two Young Adults
Including:
Resource GuideAcknowledgmentsIndex  Each chapter gives helpful insights to the specified time frame and is laid out in straightforward, to-the-point ways. A little humor is also thrown into the mix. Every section is absolutely packed to the hilt with extremely valuable information.  Emotionally Healthy Twins was a lifesaver for us. I can almost guarantee it will be one for you as well.

Special thanks to Joan Friedman Ph.D. for sending me a copy.Giveaway coming soon!

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Similac Has Been Recalled

Please go here to check to see if your Similac item is part of the recall!! Similac Product Recall Lookup  I've been trying to log on for a while now but the website is being slammed.Good luck! 
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Pictures of Our Twins

Hey everyone. Sorry I am a day later than I initially told you getting pictures up. As you can imagine, it is pretty hectic around here right now. Even with my mother-in-law staying with us.
Can't remember if I told you, but here are the boys' information at birth.
Carter: 5 lbs 6 oz and 20 inches long Cooper: 6 lbs 10 oz and 20 1/2 inches long I'm not going to take up space writing captions with the pictures. I know they will probably not be read anyway. haha Everyone just wants to SEE the babies. So without wasting anymore of your time...
Look out world... Carter and Cooper have arrived!! 

 (Ok, maybe one caption. Miranda HATES me for posting this one.But it is the only picture of all of us together so far.)

Everyone is doing great. We've seen most of our family and friends, but are still waiting patiently to see the rest of them. Miranda is doing very well despite the fact that she had to be put under general anesthesia since the spinal that was attempted 5 times didn't take. It numbed her from the knees down instead of the chest down. I wasn't in the room for the delivery because it wasn't allowed. But only about 4-5 minutes after I gave her a kiss and left the room, they walked out with my two boys. And just as everyone told me... that feeling was the most unexpected, most wonderful feeling I've ever felt.
The boys had their first doctor's visit today and they passed the tests and exams with flying colors. Everything is perfectly fine. Both are gaining weight and flourishing. The first night at home was interesting to say the least. Night two (last night) was a lot better. We're hoping tonight is even better. Only time will tell.

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Pics Coming Tomorrow (9/13)

Just a VERY quick note to let everyone know that pics of the twins will be posted tomorrow.PLEASE come check them out! Thank you, sweet Jesus for our little precious bundles!


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Our Miracles Have Arrived!

Cooper and Carter Robertson arrived yesterday at 10:11 and 10:12 repectively.

Cooper: 6 lbs 10 oz - 20 1/2 inches

Carter: 5 lbs 9 oz - 20 inches

Both have a good amount of brown hair.

This post will be short seeing as how I'm having to blog from my phone and my fingers are too big to hit the keys correctly and I'm having to backspace and correct every other word. :) Please be patient with us. Pics coming soon.

Thank you, God!

Tomorrow We Meet Our Sons

Well, the day is almost here. Tomorrow (Thursday 9/9/10) we finally get to meet our twin boys. The emotions felt right now are the most conflicting emotions I've ever felt. It truly is a roller coaster ride. My stomach is in knots, then the butterflies start fluttering, then the nausea sets in, depression taunts me for a while (mainly from the worry of possibly not being a good enough daddy)... Then, as if by the miracle of divine intervention, it all vanishes in the blink of an eye and the happiness, elation, joy, happy tears and pride floods this 240 pound body.
Then... it all starts over and continues the aforementioned emotional thrill ride.  "Nothing can prepare you..." is right. No one told me that the pre-birth jitters would hit like this.No one clued me in to what all I'd feel in the few days before the big event. Not one, single, solitary soul offered an ounce in information in regards to how I should go about handling this unmentioned, yet apparently inevitable, sensory overload. 
 We visited and had dinner with my family tonight and before going out to eat, mom asked me what was wrong. She immediately concluded that I was tired - and I quickly agreed since she gave me an instant 'out.' The truth is, I'm scared to death. I took the 'out' so I wouldn't have to show my fear. Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy and extremely excited about my twin sons' arrival, but at the same time I have no idea what to do when they get here... Will I teach by example? Will I be a good enough daddy? Will I do right by them?
I do know one thing for absolute certainty. I will not... I repeat, I will NOT be an absent father like my biological father. I will teach my boys how to be men by parenting in the exact opposite way that that man did. The details are possibly for another post at a much later date... Long story short... I will model my parenting after two people...
#1. Bill Cosby. Sure, you laugh now, but watch a few episodes of The Cosby Show and tell me he wasn't a great father.
 #2. Terry Richardson. He married my mother when I was 12. It took me a while to realize it during my adolescent years, but after growing up I came to the conclusion that he is a father. He raised us and taught us. He taught by example. I know how to be and act like a man because of him. And since I've been an adult we've became best of friends. Having a father that is also your friend is priceless. I know I can be that for my sons. And without Terry I wouldn't have had a clue. For a little more insight, go listen to "He Didn't Have to Be" by Brad Paisley. Great song...
 I know I'll (we'll) make mistakes along the way just like every other parent does. But it really is a legitimate fear. I know I shouldn't let it bother me as much as it does. And from this moment forward I'm really going to try and get over it and just let nature take its course.
--------------------   Miranda has done a wonderful job incubating these little rascals. As of today she is 36 weeks 1 day pregnant. No one thought she'd make it to 34 weeks when she dilated to 3cm at 30 weeks. But by the grace of God (and a little help from 8-a-day Brethine tablets) she made it. And then she was determined to go the extra mile - which she has.
The doctor has been very pleased throughout this pregnancy and has green-lighted a C-section to take place tomorrow at 9am. Miranda, although having gone that extra mile, is exhausted. We both love seeing them move and feeling them move (the hiccups and full body rolls are the best!) but she says "It is SO time for them to come out!" I know I can't fully understand, but from observing her the past month I can see that she has physically declined at a pretty steady pace. She's healthy, mind you - I mean walking around, moving in bed, heartburn, etc... it has really gotten to her and worn her down. So if delivering these children 3 weeks early will help her and since they will be completely capable of out-of-the-womb life, I'm all for it.  ---------------------- So... This will be my last post until at least Thursday evening... maybe a day or two longer. It all depends on how busy everything is, how the boys and Miranda are doing, and, of course, the speed of the hospital WiFi connection. :)
Please pray for us and our boys. Please pray that Miranda has a 100% safe and uncomplicated C-section and that the boys are healthy. Please do not pray for me at this time. I'm good. I can take care of my emotions. Those, come Thursday morning, will be the very last thing on Earth I will be thinking about. I will be in 'pray for Miranda and the boys' mode and I ask that you be as well. I want nothing more than to be able to come home from the hospital with two healthy sons and a wife who is recovering satisfactorily from the C-section. Pictures coming in a few days... how EXCITING!! Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!