The Twin Memory Book That Keeps It Real

Twin dad Stefano shares the story behind how he created the twin memory book he wished he had in those early weeks and months to record all the honest moments and milestones of twin parenthood.

My twin girls are four now, yet I can still see the moment we found out.

The doctor went quiet, checked the screen again, and said there were two heartbeats. My partner and I didn’t say a word. It was the longest silence of our lives. The only people celebrating in that room were the doctors.

Fast forward, and the first months were pure survival. We called in everyone: grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends.

There was always someone sleeping at our place to help us get through the night. It was the hardest thing we’ve ever done, and it also showed us how many people love us. We didn’t expect that part.

How the twin memory books came about

At some point, I realized I was forgetting entire weeks at a time, and I wanted to write things down—even the hard parts. So I went looking for a memory book. There are some out there for twins, and honestly, many of them are lovely. Sweet, delicate, full of tenderness.

And that was exactly the problem: they were sweeter than the life we were living. I didn’t want the postcard version of twin parenthood. I wanted the truth—written down—so it would still be there in twenty years.

So I started making the book I couldn’t find, in the evenings after my day job. A memory book for twins that tells it like it is.

Short prompts you can fill in with one hand at 3 a.m. Space for the real first reactions, the sleepless nights, the panic moments and the little disasters, not just the milestones.

I called it Not Another Cute Twin Memory Book. Because twin parenting isn’t cute all the time. It’s messy, it’s funny, it’s exhausting, and it’s real. I wanted a book that was all of those things too.

twin memory book held by twin dad Stefano

Other memory books for twin grandparents and life before twins

Later on, I made one for twin grandparents. Partly to say thank you to our twins’ grandparents, who went on duty the day the girls were born. And partly because their story deserves to be written down too. One day, that book will be a memory in both directions, for the twins and for their grandparents too.

In the summer of 2026, we released our latest memory book: a book about who we were before the twins.

When you become a parent, you turn into “Mom” and “Dad”, and that’s how your kids will see you forever.

But we were somebody before them too. Why shouldn’t they get to know those two people? The idea is simple. You buy it, or someone gifts it to you, the day you find out it’s twins.

You have nine months (or however long your pregnancy is) to write down tidbits about your pre-parenting life and who you are. Then you hide it, and one day, when they’re ready, you give it to your kids.

I never expected that so many people would find these books and actually like them. It still surprises me. But twin parents tend to recognize and resonate with each other in a unique way. We know the look.

What I learned from twin parenthood…

Raising twins takes a village, and letting people help you isn’t a weakness. It’s how you survive the first year with twins.

We found out how many people truly love us because we saw them show up, night after night. And I learned that done beats perfect. The memories don’t wait for you to have energy, so you write them down as you are: tired, one-handed, honest.

baby books for twins to keep memories — See other ways twin parents have captured memories for their twins!

Twin parents, remember that…

Surviving the day counts as a milestone. You’re allowed to laugh at how hard it is. One day, you’ll want proof of those early years, even the parts you’re too tired to find cute right now.

So write things down. Badly is fine. Future you will thank you!

This personal article was written by Stefano Gargioli, a twin dad from Italy. If you want to connect with Stefano, email him at hello@twinroutine.com. And check out his twin memory books here!