Today's emotional ride with my twin pregnancy

Today was a good day for the most part. I ave been going through some things with my 14 yr old and alot has to do with the fact her father treats her less than trash. I recently dropped her off to his sister in laws house where he lives and pays rent and he called me tried belittling me instead of addressing what was wrong with our daughter. His sister in law tries to curse me out saying leaving my daughter there was disrespectful and what kind of mother drops off her kid with no money and clothes (mind you her father hasn't paid child support in 2 yrs) so I inform her to let him know. She told me he was moving out tomorrow and I need to stop having kids and that's why i'm single. Mind you as well my 14 has been hanging with gang members and had told her school the same day the reason she was intrested in being in a gang is because her father glorfies being a blood and having sex on his social media. So, I wanted him to talk to her so he can see how he is effecting her. When I picked her up the next day the sister in law hit me and we fought  (I'm 7 months pregnant with twins btw) and lied and said my daughter's father wasn't there and never came.
Once I get my daughter in the car, she tells me her father was there before he went to work and came back after work and all he said to her was "what's your mother's phone number."
Now, I'm also pregnant with twins by this individual who I believed to be so awesome. However, before I found out I was pregnant I started acting strange. My cousin told me today thats an excuse and nobody wants to hear that. However, I honestly thought I was going crazy until I took a pregnancy test and this great guy abandoned me, it bothered me to the point my cousin convinced me to go to his mother's house and tell her so she could tell him. However, his mom made it seem like it was my fault and ever since then he blocked me on social media, blocked my phone number and moved on with some ditzy girl he use to deal with in the past. Even buying her christian louboutins and whatever else while I try to scrap up as much funds as possible so I can have for my twins.
I have been strong and happy 90% of this pregnancy despite all that. However, today I feel hurt, lonely and want to know why me? I mean no harm to others, I work hard, I try to be the best mom I can but yet I have nobody helping me rather against me I feel. I just want the twins father back in my life as my friend. Having to do this alone is hurtful. Unfortunately, I haven't found any programs that help multiple single parents that can help with cars, carseat and stroller cost.
I guess today could've been better but at the  moment I'm having a moment.

The Questions I have Expecting Twins!!!

This experience is so new to me, I think I am still in shock that in a few more months that I will have identical babies to love and nurture.

However, I have so many questions and concerns. How do I know I won't mix one up with the other when giving medication if both are sick and accidentally give one of them two doses?
How will I manage breast feeding if they are both hungry and crying at the same time?
Will I need to get two bassinet's instead of one?
Why are the double strollers so ugly, and the ones that do look super cute way more than my rent?
Will I need to buy some sort of jewelry or mark them with a pen to know who is who until I learn who they are?
Then I have the regular concerns, who will they look like? What will I name them? Who's last name will they have? Will it be hard trying to handle newborns and a 3 year old who is attached to me?

Are there any twin pregnancy groups in my area, I can connect with and help me with my concerns? I definitely will be looking into that today.

Everyday, my head is going crazy with questions and concerns. Not only double the babies but double the thoughts lol.

If any mother out there that has twins and wants to give her input please do so. Also follow my journey on YouTube as I discuss my pregnancy journey!!!

The Single Mom Story

As a hard-working college student and maintaining a full-time job I would never have imagine me being a mom at 20.

My daughter's father was someone of a different caliber than I, somewhat of a less caliber I may add. He already had two kids my two different girls at the age of 20.
He told me he would be there for me which he was somewhat but he was too really to busy cheating to really be there.
My daughter was his only child he saw born and I thought that would make him grow up. However, that was a negative.
We did get engaged but also had to deal with him cheating with a lot of girls and doing a two-year jail sentence with him. After seven years on and off I couldn't take the lies cheating and to top it off the neglect that I was given when I gave birth to a stillborn fetus alone.
The road with my daughter hasn't been easy we've had lived in shelters, on floors and from house to house. There were days we didn't have food there were even times when I went to Social Services in New Jersey and got denied living assistance because I had moved from New Jersey to another state then moved back because I had nowhere to go. Then when I tried to get child support, I was told I had to go find my daughter's father and then call the Warrant Squad and tell them where he was and exactly what he was wearing so they could pick him up, meantime he's in the rears for around $50,000.
Being a single mom help to see who your real friends are and trust me you don't have as many as you may think.

I turned 31 I met another gentleman well someone I thought was gentleman LOL. After a year being together but not really knowing him I got pregnant with my son. Even though I didn't have the same struggles I had with my daughter I had to deal with it man who had a whole other life in another town. He had a girlfriend of 12 Years he had a drug problem and a history of domestic violence and he also turned out to be a stalker. I did end up going to a domestic violence shelter because he would hide in bushes by my home or come by all types of the night knocking on my door or on my window. I tried to make it work for the sake of my son because I didn't want to feel like a failure yet again and not giving my kids a family or a father.

As a woman and mother you have to think about what's best for your kids. Yelling, arguing, and fighting is definitely not so I was at it again at being a single mom. I had to realize being a single mom doesn't mean feeling, it means strength. Strength to leave a situation that isn't healthy for your kids or yourself making a good situation occur after being abandoned or having to leave a unhealthy situation.

Contributor: Danielle Turner

Urban Moms Protein Recipe

Protein Breakfast 

Ingredients:

2-3 Eggs

Natural Organic Peanut Butter

2-3  Fresh Strawberries 

1/4 cup of 2% milk

Cooking Details:

Preheat frying pan, add a little olive oil so eggs won't stick.

Scramble egg whites in a bowl with a little bit of milk to make fluffy.

Pour mixture in frying pan.

Scramble egg white until done (5 min or less)

Remove from pan into desired bowl or plate. Let cool if desired.

Add 1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter on top of eggs.

Cut strawberries in halves and place on top of peanut butter.

Get Your Winter Boost Of Vitamins.

Winter can be a drag, all you hear is sneezing instead of the sound of a nice warm breeze.

So in order to quiet those sneezes, there are some Winter Fruits that can boost you and your kids vitamin C. 

Pomegranate

Pomegranate are in season between September- February.

Pomegranate is rich in disease fighting nutrients, anthocyanins, contained in out of season berries and they're highly packed with fiber.

When buying pomegranate you can always tell which is the best pick by its weight. The heavier they are the better. They can last up to three weeks when refrigerated.

Kiwi 

Kiwi is available all year round.

Kiwi is fun looking for kids, plus their body can absorb the antioxidants more easily than Strawberries. Eating kiwi before bedtime may also improve sleep quality and duration.

When picking your Kiwi look for the plump ones with some softness.

Mango

Mango's are available all year round.

Mango is a tropical fruit highly packed with vitamins A&C and rich in folate a nutrient that helps cell division and produces red blood cells.

When picking Mango look for the ones you can lightly press into.

Kumquat

Kumquat is available from November- July.

This fruit is very nutritious with sweet edible skin. Kumquat contain Vitamin A&C, antioxidants such as cancer-fighting lutein and zeaxanthin. The skin is packed with fiber and oils such as anti-flammatory limonene.

When buying Kumquat make sure it is bright orange with smooth skin.

Asian Pear

Asian Pear is available from September- February.

Asian pears contain extra-heart healthy fiber and potassium.

When purchasing Asian Pear look for firm unbruised fruit. This fruit most likely won't soften.

Grapefruit 

Grapefruit is available all year round. 

Grapefruit are packed with antioxidants that help stabilize blood-glucose levels. They also lower the risk of diabetes. However, grapefruit doesn't mix well with some meds so refer to your doctor if you are taking and medications or antihistamines.

When picking your grapefruit make sure it's round and heavy without blemishes.

Oranges

Oranges are available year round.

When choosing your oranges the most recommended are red blood orange and pinkish Cara Caras.

These oranges contain healthy plant compounds that aren't present in other variety of oranges.

Cara Caras have lycopene which is also in watermelon and helps fight cancer.

Blood oranges have anthocyanins which is a heart healthy antioxidant.

When picking your oranges look for firm, shiny heavy oranges. 

The New Smart Breast Pump

Breastfeeding is something I truly enjoy, however, the use of a breast pump can be annoying. Finally, the perfect breast pump has landed. Many breast pumps share common grievances, but this new device is here to eliminate problems for moms.

Introduced at CES 2017 this week, the new willow pump which will cost around $430

fits into a mom's bra, hands free. This new device will be available in the Spring and silently pumps without requiring any of the bulky tubes during the process.

Within the pump's design, there's an internal bag that collects up to four ounces of milk. It can also automatically sense when your body is ready to transition to expression phase without needing to wait for a preset time.

This dishwasher-safe, three-piece device is battery operated, and moms can get a few days out of pumping before having to recharge. It also works with a milk-tracking app that adds an extra element of convenience by recording which side you pump on, the duration of the session, and how much milk you produce.

Since it can fit in a mom's bra without any of the attachments, bottles, or wires, it allows moms to multitask with minimal disruption. During trials, moms were able to  and while commuting, according to CNN Money.

The pump's creator, John Chang, designed Willow to be a more discreet option and told CNN that he hopes his product will enable more moms to breastfeed by being quiet and easy to use.

-Urban Moms Blog