Two Under Two

Well, it's been 2 1/2 months since Cate was born, and I feel like we're finally adjusted after going from a family of three to a family of four. Life with two kiddos under the age of two is by no means easy, but boy is it worth it. Here is a synopsis of my experiences with two under two...

Two in diapers isn't as bad as you might think it is.

The hardest part of my day is getting to and from our daily destinations, especially if the destination requires us to walk any distance from the car to the entrance. If I'm not using the double stroller, I always make sure and park right next to a shopping cart corral. The difficulty comes in when we're not using a stroller or a shopping cart. Will's stubborn streak emerges occasionally and instead of holding my hand while walking he'll sit down in the middle of a parking lot. This results in me holding him on my left hip while holding Cate in her infant carrier in my right hand. As you can imagine, it's quite the workout. On a similar note, my savior this summer has been the remote start on my car--it is my new best friend. As soon as I can see the car I can get the A/C going so that by the time I get both kids in their car seats and myself in the car we might all be hot, but we're not drenched in sweat.

The old adage "sleep when the baby sleeps" no longer applies. Now that Cate is making one 5-7 hour stretch at night, this has become more bearable, but the first couple months were pretty rough, especially when you're breastfeeding and no one can really help you out. It's inevitable that your children will tag team you and one will stay up late or wake a lot through the night while the other will rise with the sun, leaving you with only a few hours of sleep and one mighty big headache. Thankfully now that we have somewhat of a schedule, I can usually get both Will and Cate to snooze at the same time for at least a little while, but let's be honest, who can take a nap whenever mounds of laundry loom in the background.

At almost every moment of my day one of the kids has a need that needs to be met. This I can handle--it's when both Will and Cate need me at the same time that I struggle. There is a constant feeling of guilt that one child is not getting what they need. I've learned that this is inevitable and that all I can do is do my best.

With two you can't always work around the baby's eating schedule. For me, it has become much more important to work around Will's schedule than Cate's eating schedule. I would much rather go to church or out to dinner at a time that is best for Will (i.e., avoid bad behavior-inducing situations) than insist on feeding Cate at home resulting in me having to be willing to feed Cate in public if necessary (no worries--I use a nursing cover).

I could not have a better partner in parenting. Billy's help has never been more vital than in the last 2 1/2 months. From the second he walks into the door after a very long and sometimes stressful day at the office Billy jumps into the chaos and doesn't stop until both kids are down for the night, which is usually sometime after 9. While I was pregnant with Cate, I would take a soak in the tub while Billy and Will went through their nighttime routine. Now I'm with Cate while he's doing Will's nighttime routine, but the fact that I don't have to go it alone in the evening is a blessing. My heart goes out to all single parents, especially those who live their lives like a single parent while their spouses are deployed overseas defending our freedom.

Having two under two is double the work, but I would give up anything and everything I have for these two sweet babies and I am grateful every single day for the chaotic life that we live!