Life with 2!

Adjusting to two kids has been much harder than I thought.  Not that I thought it would be easy, in fact, what has made it hard is the parts that I didn't think would be difficult or challenging.  Such as...

Mornings. I am a morning person.  My FAVORITE time of the day is just before the sun comes up, when the house is quiet and I have it ALL TO MYSELF to do whatever I want.  Read.  Drink a Spark. Fold laundry.  I didn't even consider my morning routine when I was thinking of all the things that would change with baby #2.  I knew I would be up again in the middle of the night, but getting ready for work in the morning was a kick in the pants.  Some tips I learned along the way... Pack lunches the night before.  One less thing and 10 more minutes.  Shower the night before.  Get up when the alarm goes off.

Sleep training a different baby.  They all said it would happen. The second wouldn't be like the first.  We were spoiled. We knew it.  I knew the things that worked with Jackie may not do the trick for little Kit Kat.  I totally underestimated my resilience and stubbornness with baby #2.  I could be as tough as I wanted with Jackie. She would sleep in her crib and not get conditioned to the swing.  She would "cry it out" when she reached the appropriate age and I would get up four times a night if I had to.  Kat...slept in the swing for the first 3 months of her life.  Then GRADUALLY moved to the crib surrounded by the Boppy and a pillow to "sandwich" her in there and make her feel all cuddled and supported.  She is now 7 months and JUST NOW starting to sleep in the crib without a pillow.  She still has the Boppy and a blankie and a paci...

The paci.  There will FOREVER be the argument on the thumb vs. the pacifier.  I have both.  Jackie is attached to that thumb, and I am fully aware that it will be a bear to get her to stop... she slept through the night consistently at 4 months old.  It was rare for me to get up by the time I started school up again.  At 7 months I still get up 2-5 times a night to stick a stupid paci back in Kat's mouth.  "Why don't you just let her cry it out.."  Cause I have a toddler sleeping...who has developed a nasty habit of GETTING UP...

Toddler regressing...it happens to most kids, each experience is different.  I heard stories of wanting bottles after new baby came home, or wanting a diaper and refusing all the potty training that had been successful, and in my case, deciding to suck my thumb when I saw baby brother...a habit that I would hold on to for a long time. (I do not currently suck my thumb...I gave it up for Lent in the 3rd grade and never looked back!)  Jackie has chosen two areas to revert back to either be like baby or get extra attention.  Either way...I am ready for her to move on.  #1  She wants to be spoon fed dinner.  This has only occurred since Kat started eating actual food.  Now she wants help eating too.  And like a sucker, I do it.  Because I made that dinner, it's good for her and she is going to eat it!  Ethan is a much better "bad cop" at dinner time than I am!  #2  Sleep.  She ROCKED the sleeping thing from 4 months old to about the age of 2. Then she discovered that she could get out of her bed and the pitter-patter of her little feet across the floor to our bed at night was NOT as cute as it sounded... So now she has a child lock on the INSIDE of her door, and that worked like a charm for about a month.  Now she gets out of bed and screams and cries at her door until someone comes to get her.  She then states "couch daddy" and wants to sleep with him on the couch.  I am the bad cop here... but between her and Kat and that stupid paci I am up more now than I was with new born.  It. Is. Killing. Me.

However, on the flip side, there is so much fun that comes with these two little girls that most people didn't tell me about when they were shocked to find out we would have two children so close together (19 months).

Jackie as "Mommy."  There is nothing cuter than watching your toddler become a "Mommy."  Watching the nurturing and compassion she has for that little plastic doll is the highlight of my day.  Her most recent obsession is changing baby's diaper.  She can tell me if her dolly has a "Stinky POOOEY" or just a little potty.  Her baby is fed peas and carrots daily and goes for walks, takes naps, and gets swaddled in the blanket.

Watching Katerina soak in her sister's every move.  Kit Kat has her eyes on Jackie any time she can.  That little baby lights up whenever Jackie comes over to play Peak-A-Boo, Patty Cake, or just give tickles.  Even when Jackie went on a 9 day trip to visit family, Kat lit up with a HUGE smile when we would Facetime and sissy came on the screen.  Too cute!

Jackie is now talking away and every day she soaks in new words and experiences.  The time has come for us to really start watching everything we do and say... those little eyes and ears are amazing and her little brain remembers EVERYTHING!