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Book of Twins After Years Of Supporting Parents Of Multiples In Both Local And National Organizations, NYC Mom Natalie Diaz Has Written A Book About Everything She’s Learned By Danielle Kraese At a restaurant in Little Italy, a back room fills with pregnant New York women of various ages, sporting full bellies beneath stylish maternity wear. Some arrive alone while others are accompanied by spouses and partners, but all are on the verge of becoming first-time parents of twins. And all are here for a Twiniversity crash course on raising multiples. At the helm of this intimate and unconventional classroom stands Natalie Diaz—Twiniversity founder and instructor, Manhattan Twins Club director, and newly minted author of an ultimate What To Do When You’re Having Two handbook. Today, this trendy mom of twins is styled in a turquoise top with funky gold earrings peeking out from her dark hair, and she’s leading a class for those who have already taken her introductory course. Along three long rows of tables at the restaurant, there’s a set of silverware at each seat in anticipation of the hot meal that will be served and an oversized bag of parenting goodies. Some students have yet to arrive, so a handful of gift bags remain unclaimed. “Pray that the other people don’t show up,” Diaz jokes. “Because that’s more poaching that you can do.” Diaz comes across as a wise older sister who can be counted on for support and the occasional wisecrack. She speaks to the group of expectant moms before her in her signature relaxed style, with a tongue-in-cheek habit of referring to their future children as “monkeys.” Turning the conversation to bathing new babies, she assures that the often exhausting task is not necessary to do daily.
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New York Family | December 2013
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Twiniversity founder natalie Diaz with her twins
“They aren’t working in the coal mine,” she says. “They aren’t getting that dirty.” Over the course of three and a half hours, Diaz runs through the gamut of twin-centered topics, like tandem breastfeeding, diaper changing, hired help— even the logistics of travelling by air with two. Her advice for hitting the tarmac is similar to her take on much else of family life: “Don’t be afraid to do things just because you have twins,” she says. Then it’s show time. Diaz dresses, undresses, changes, feeds, and burps two plush bunnies in onesies. Throughout the demonstrations, the night is filled with countless bits of insight that, as a parent of 8-year-old boy and girl twins, Diaz once learned the hard way. She informs the class, for example, that the disposable “dog poop” bags sold at Home Depot are exactly the same www.newyorkfamily.com
11/22/13 5:37 PM