We did it! They did it!
Is been an amazing but long day and we are proud but happy parents.
Here’s to the next year of scooting, chatting, toddling, walking, running, singing, playing, jumping, cuddling, eating and all the other lovely stuff that families do…
As usual you can see the rest of the series here: www.irishmark.net/tag/birthmonths/
We stopped the monthly shots at 12 months but said we’d do one at 18 and then annually.
Each time we hit these milestones I honestly feel like a bit of a rock-star! Ruth and I are pretty amazing seeing as we’ve not killed either of the twins.
As usual so thankful to God for the gift that they were to us and to everyone who has been involved in their little live so far!
Today they get to meet their Glasgow cousins for the very first time!!! This is incredibly exciting!
As usual you can see the rest of the series here: www.irishmark.net/tag/birthmonths/
Today feels like the most significant birthday I’ve ever celebrated for someone. It feels quite selfish to say so because it’s my babies’ and not some other significant others. Having not been too fond of my own birthdays over many years to find myself feeling so exciting for this one seems unreal. Last year my birthday was a week after the babies were born but I was so tired, so emotional and so much in shock that the days blazed by and I have no memory of it at all so today is different.
Today our babies turn one!
I cannot believe we made it – there were times that it didn’t seem possible. It didn’t seem like we would ever make it but we did.
We made it because of you!
Thank you to our firends who helped us when we needed it, advised us when we asked and sympathised when we cried. The support you gave us on this journey got us through. Thank you for loving our babies.
Thank you to our families who love them in that way that only family can. We have loved your support, prayers and praise.
Thank you to my wife – Ruth – You are an EPIC ÜBER ROCKSTAR of a woman. I cannot even begin to name the ways you have amazed, wowed and impressed me over this past year. Your resilience is mind-blowing, your wisdom is endless, your patience is vast and your beauty is unfathomable.
Thank you God – without you, their miracle of life would have never been. Thank you for the gift that hey are.
Thank you!
Everyday when I get up, I go downstairs and Ruth and I have to figure out whose turn it is to go in to the babies bedroom first.
You see when we do this, they have usually been awake for a little while and when we open that door, whoever goes first gets to see their little heads popping up to see us. That person also gets to see the first big grins, hear the giggles of excitement that we are there and also see the inevitable face-planting where their sleep suits don’t quite give enough grip to let them hold themselves up.
Today my babies are 9 months old. I remember the first few weeks when getting beyond the end of the week seemed like an impossible mission but we got through it and when I look back, it’s been amazing.
I thank our family, our OakTree family and all our friends for the epic levels of support they all gave us and continue to give.
I thank my son Oisín for the delight he brings me on a daily basis through his smiles, enthusiasm for everything, crawling prowess, hilarious mood swings and his general rough and tumble demeanour.
I thank my daughter Aoibheanna for her ridiculous levels of cuteness, toothy grin, chilled out vibes and the way she lights up when I walk in to the room.
I thank my wife Ruth for her strength, wisdom, resilience, perseverance and love.
I thank Jesus for all that I have and without whom, nothing would be.
They’re holding things and grabbing things…from each other.
As they grow in maturity they’ve both become very serious indeed.
I’d like to introduce you to my daughter and my son.
On the right we have Oisín (pronounced Usheen) Mark who was born at 10:50 am weighing 6lb 12oz.
His beautiful little sister followed quickly. Aoibheanna (pronounced Eveanna) Lesley weighing 4lbs 12oz came in the same style by C-Section.
Ruth was amazing! The birth was amazing.
I am dazed at having my breath taken away at such beautiful little humans.
God is GOOD!
AND IT’S TWINS!After a VERY long, painful, emotional and arduous journey Ruth and I are so happy to let the world know that in October, two tiny shiny new Robinson’s will be making their debut.
This past Wednesday we went in to Queen Charlottes for Ruth’s 11 week scan and we were both able to breathe out the biggest sigh of relief as we saw and heard our babies. Both twins are doing really well with healthy heartbeats and they’re both the right height although one is a little bit shorter (Ruth said that one is taking after me).
The scan was such an amazing experience and was in such contrast to the last time. We were both very anxious when we went in but after the sonographer put the gel on Ruth’s belly and started spreading it around I was immediately able to see a significant difference.
There was something there! There were two chambers and they both had something in them! My jaw dropped to the floor and didn’t leave till the end. A little bit of manoeuvring resulted in seeing one of out babies heartbeats and the lump in my throat grew. Then we saw the other heartbeat. We saw their little bodies and limbs and we even saw them wriggling about and while my eyes welled up, Ruth gave in to relief and pure joy came in tears.
That was a good day and the sound of their heartbeats was the best thing I have ever heard.
We are so grateful and I will repeat as I have said before that: God is good! These babies are a gift. A very expensive one but a gift none-the-less. These guys come out of our second round of treatment. We had a failed attempt during the summer which had us stumped but we persevered and here we are. I firmly believe that every life is God’s to give and every one is a miracle – in fact we know every life is a miracle as we’ve lived this.
Over the past few months we’ve also learnt that morning sickness has a crap name. Ruth has been suffering lots with feeling under-par for the best part of the last two month although we have found this to be a really encouraging sign.
Now we have the task of parenting ahead of us and we can’t wait.
We wanna thank you for your prayers and ask you to continue praying for our new family!
We went for our traditional walk on Saunton Sands this morning for Ruth’s birthday and while doing so I snapped this chap who was photographing some surfers. I showed him the photo and he asked me to fire of a few shots of him on his own Canon DSLR to which I obliged.
While we shot a rather excited wave approached with Gusto and he and Ruth both ended up with flooded wellies while “Quick-Step” Robinson here remained dry as a tinder.
I told the chap I’d tweet out the photos and we went on our merry way along the beach. It was glorious as always and was great to reconnect with nature and God.
