I know there are probably lots of moms reading this who have already tackled and mastered the art of managing two (or more!) kids each day. I would love any and all tips, tricks and survival tactics you can share (drop me a comment, email, whatever). Like, how do you ever manage to feed yourself or go the bathroom?!?
Emme has also decided to make things even more interesting now that her "baby brudder" is here. She has always slept past seven AM, but she has decided in the last week that she wants to be out of bed shortly after six. Conveniently, this is also usually just after Will has nursed and decided to return to his restful slumber. The best part of all this is that Emme has also figured out how to open doors this week. Now, when she gets up shortly after six, she opens her bedroom door and runs down the hall screaming for her "baby brudder". I'm thinking of getting her an alarm clock like this one recommended by my blogging buddy, Anna. Anyone think this will do the trick? I'm hoping it's just a phase, though, and she'll get back to normal soon!
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| Kid Sleep Alarm Clock |
Does it sound like I'm complaining about having two kiddos?!? NAH. I'm loving every single sleep deprived second. They are such a blessing and I trust that in time I'll find the inability to feed myself during the day or use the bathroom alone a blessing, too. I'm also beyond happy this post is about "normal" life adjustments after bringing home a baby. Yes, life is kind of feeling normal...and it's such a miracle.
My boys are exactly 2 years apart. I thought one baby was a lot of work but two was like ten. The exhaustion was exponential. That being said, I love that they are so close in age. They are usually into the same things, can play with the same friends, etc etc. I never had to have playdates! They are 12 and 14 now and are good friends. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful problem to have! But it really is a problem. To help with my kiddo waking up too early, I put child proof gates in her bedroom doorway so she could play where it was safe and couldn't get out. Maybe you can find something she can get ready for her brother to 'play' with when he's awake, or if you have a video monitor you can give her one to watch so she knows when he's awake. We used to give my daughter her baby doll and she'd pretend it was her baby sister. A real disposable diaper, a real (but empty!) bottle, and some real clothes helped a lot. Prayers continue for your bigger family!
ReplyDeleteHi Mary, my 3 girls are 20 and 28 months apart... All I can say is that it seemed like an impossible task adjusting from 1 to 2 kids. I remember having all this guilt of not being able to give either of them as much attention as I would have wanted. You will get there, just be kind to yourself and don't worry about cleaning... And I am delighted that this is your concern right now...:-)))) Oh and by the time you develop a routine that works for all, something will change...
ReplyDeleteLove this post! :) Life is normal - such a blessing!
ReplyDeleteWe used the gate trick when Miles was younger. We put it in his bedroom door - and that worked really well. (Although he did stand at it in the mornings and bark like a dog, which made me feel terrible.) :)
So sweet that Emme loves her "brudder" so much.
What a cool alarm clock! Wonder if I could get my kids to use one of those for Saturday mornings??
ReplyDeleteThe boys are 26 months apart. I'm just going to be real honest and say I have no clue how I survived the early years! Probably because I worked for a year after Sam was born. When I did start staying home (they were 1 & 3), I found Sam shutting the dryer door with Alex in the dryer! Thankfully, by that time, Sam took a morning nap and then they both took an afternoon nap - at the same time! Did I mention I worked the first year? I have my mom to thank for the coordinating naptime :) Anyway, I used those two free hours to take a shower and then a nap myself.
I'm sure you guys will fall into a routine that works for you soon. In the meantime, sleep every chance you get, don't worry about cleaning, and make the crock pot your best friend :) I wish I lived closer so I could give you a hand!
My nearly 4-year-old son wakes his 18-month-old sister up EVERY morning, and it's been happening for about 18 months! It's one of our biggest annoyances. We've tried everything to get him to stay in his room a little longer in the morning, but I guess we just have an early riser! His sister would sleep until 9-10 (just like I would, if I could!) if he would let her, but he usually ends up waking her up by 8AM. He's just so excited to see her he can't contain himself. It's sweet, so it's hard to be mad about it, but I sure feel your pain on those days where a cup of coffee just isn't cutting it!
ReplyDeleteSo very happy for you! What a wonderful post to read. I also once had 2 under 2, and while those early months are a bit of a blur, there were definitely some things that made it easier! 1. Shower at night after kiddos are in bed. Dry shampoo is your friend. 2. Keep the diaper bag packed and full of snacks by the front door. When you feel like you need to get out, grab the bag and go. 3. Same-time napping is a blessing! It may take a few weeks, but you can gradually tweak naps to coordinate. 4. I also used a baby gate on my older child's door - he was content waking up and playing with his toys before the rest of us were up. 5. Eat whatever and whenever the kids eat. Whatever you pack as snacks for your daughter, pack extra for you! It will likely be super healthy stuff.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy these days!!
I love reading your blog:-). My boys are 22 months apart exactly. I can honestly say the past year was a blur. But now that they are 13 months and almost 3, I feel like the fog is slowly lifting! Outings are getting slightly easier...except carter is starting to walk and now I find myself facing different challenges and am busy again in different ways. It's crazy, and some days are better than others...but I LOVE being a mommy to 2 wild n crazy baby boys!!! I'm sure you feel the same. Enjoy! It goes faster with two.
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