When everything suddenly changed, I learned a valuable lesson.

 “Do twins run in your family?” The doctor waited for me to answer, the black and white ultrasound images flickered on the screen behind him. Before I could say anything, I burst out laughing. My wife and I were going to have twins.

It was the last thing we expected. Just the year before, we had our daughter Anika and we thought that this time around we knew what to expect. We felt we were experienced parents, and that it might even be easier than before. Instead, life threw us a curveball and we found out that twins were in an entirely new category of parenting.

Everything doubled, bassinets, baby carriers, bibs. At the same time, the risks multiplied too. There were more hospital visits and complications during the pregnancy than last time. Eventually, the doctor scheduled a c-section one month before the due date because of those complications and the danger they posed to my wife, Natasja, and the twins. It was scary knowing that we were headed directly for the NICU with premature babies, but we went in and everything went as well as could be expected. Both our daughters, Nadia and Lena, were four pounds each, much smaller than Anika and they were taken away immediately to be hooked up to feeding tubes.

The whole experience was so different than before, and I felt helpless watching my tiny girls pass into the care of the nurses. But I soon learned that they knew what they were doing, and they worked with us. By the time we left the following week, we were more prepared because the nurses taught us how to care for the girls and their unique needs. It was still tough, the girls were on opposite schedules, we woke them every two hours for feedings, and we had our toddler to manage as well. Fortunately, we found a wonderful doula that made a world of difference and helped us get on firmer ground. At the same time, there was still a lot of sleep deprivation, frustration, and spilled milk, but Natasja and I had each other to get through to the other side.

Family has always been number one to me, I come from a tight knit Italian family and have always been close with my brothers and cousins. When I became a dad, it was the best feeling in the world. It was as if I had a smile plastered on my face from the sheer joy of it all, unable to stop, and also, I was filled with terror at the responsibility ahead of me. I learned parenting is very different from babysitting (which I had done before for family) and that even though being a parent can be tough, the good outweighs the bad tenfold.

When my girls were scheduled for early delivery, I was petrified thinking about what could go wrong. It was through meeting those nurses and everything they taught me that I realized even our scariest experiences can have a silver lining. Because of that time, I learned how to care for my twins with the kind of support that gave us a great start into the unknown adventure of twin parenting.

I’ve been a REALTOR® since 2003. I love spending time with my friends and family, watching sports, and traveling the world. New York is my home; it has been for generations ever since my grandpa came to this country and helped build the skyscrapers we’re so famous for. I care about my city, my people, and I’d love to help you find your place here too. My favorite part of my job is helping my clients find their silver lining to create their dreams through real estate.

Whether you’re buying or selling a house, it’s more than a transaction to you. It’s an investment, embarking on a new future, or saying goodbye to the past. I care about my clients and wherever they are on their real estate journey and that’s why I treat them as more than just a number. My clients are like family to me, and I fight for them the same as I would my own blood. I’ve seen what can happen through a bad investment, a bad market. That’s why I focus on getting you safety, security, and equity in each property so that real estate becomes an avenue of endless opportunities for you to reach your financial dreams. Once we close, I’ll still be around because your dreams don’t end at the closing table. I’ll be there to help you whenever you need me as your lifelong REALTOR®.

Sincerely,

Edmond P. Albano III
Broker-Associate, CBR