Juggling Two Under Two

Until a year ago I never thought about having 2 kids under the age of 2... well... maybe I did since we planned to get pregnant when Kayla turned 1 but she would have been closer to 2 than she is now.  Whatever - point being - didn't really think about it.  Even when I was pregnant.  People would ask me how I was going to do it and I answered honestly - I had no idea.  I figured we'd just go on about our business and things would work themselves out.  And, generally, they are.  But, hello!  I have 2 under 2!  It's not all wine and roses - nope it's milk and burp cloths. 

I'm gonna be honest here - this isn't a happy post.  It's not sad or anything but it's honest.  And I'll try to keep the complaining to a minimum because there are certainly worse things in life (Alyssa, if you're reading this you know what I'm talking about.)  But, like I said, honest.  It's hard.  I remember when Kayla was little (b/c she's oh so big now, right?) and Eric would come home from work and ask what we did all day and I had no answer for him because what in the world was I supposed to get accomplished with a newborn at home?  They take up all your time.  Really?  Do they?  Really?  Well, now that I've got a newborn and a toddler I'm hear to say - however old your kid is, if they aren't in school they take up a lot of your time, if not all of it.  I spend at least half, if not more, of my day getting one or the other one fed or to sleep or changed. 

So, that leaves half my day for entertaining them, teaching them, being productive, and having some adult time either by myself or with Eric (or both).  When they are older it'll be great to have them so close in age because they'll be into the same things and learning sorta the same things.  Right now they are worlds apart. 

I'm trying to prevent watch Kayla run all over the library while wearing Tyler so I can't really run after her, and it's a library so I can't yell at her to get back over here. 

I'm trying to get him some much needed tummy time because I didn't do it the first few weeks of life because he slept so dang much and here she comes trying to lay down on with him. 

If I try to put him in the swing or on his back on the mat she's trying to jump on him, pick him up, or hug him... all of which are dangerous at this age. 

We can eat meals together, provided he's eating on the left side (so my right hand is free) and her meal is completely toddler ready (meaning all cut up and easy to eat). 

We can go on walks together.  I can't put them both in the wagon yet, but that time will come.  I have 2 double strollers so we can and do go for walks in those. 

I do try to read to both of them at the same time, at least showing him the pictures. 

Can't really let her go in the toddler pool since I'd have to hold him and if she fell down in there she'd still be under water (it's only a foot but a foot of water is a foot of water!).  I can't play with her on her water mat, but she can entertain herself in there. 

If I try to get him down for a nap, what do I do with her so she doesn't yell or talk loudly, as she's prone to do, and wake him up?  He sleeps upstairs so I gotta leave her downstairs to put him down - what can she get into? 

She needs to be changed so he's stuck in the chair or in the crib while she attempts to help me change her (potty training time anyone?)  If he's on the chair within a few minutes he's worked himself down so he's all slouchy or he's fallen over and bent in half.

He's pretty easy to handle right now - you can put him down and walk away and not worry that he's going to go running off in the opposite direction.  Those times will come. 

At the park, he needs to eat or be changed, and she's off running around the playground (which is generally fine, but there are still stairs and ledges she can fall off.  Thank GOD for other moms!)

I need to change his diaper but she lays down on any blanket or pillow we put on the ground.  She actually will fling herself down, get up when I ask her too, hover over it until I'm about to put him down and then fling herself down on it again.  This becomes a little game - to her.  Not to me. 

It's just every day stuff.  The early weeks/months of having a baby is hard no matter what.  I mean, it's not rocket science hard, but the adjustment to your life is hard.  Figuring things out.  Making a routine.  Throw a toddler into that mix and you've got a recipe for craziness that includes a lot of liquor and tears.  It's fun.  They make me laugh.  A lot.  They makes me want to pull out my hair... and theirs.  She makes me want to squeeze her tight (sometimes maybe a little too tight) and tell them I love them a million times a day (I don't want to squeeze him yet, he's not sturdy enough yet at only about 11 lbs.  But it's just crazy here.  Just enough crazy to have a messy house and hurried lives... and we aren't even involved in school projects, committee meetings, parent/teacher nights, sports games, practices, rehearsals, etc. 

Life...ready or not...here we come!

P.S. I don't even want to know what twins would be like!  Mom's of twins are SUPER moms!