Life with Two

"So how is life with two kids now?"

 

I've been getting that question a lot lately.  I wish I had adequate words for my response each time this question is asked, but honestly?  The answer is different every time.  One day my reply could be, "It's great!  We are having so much fun!" and yet another day, "Insane.  Exhausting.  Lonely...".  Life with two is different, crazy, wonderful and unpredictable.  The following is a list of things that I didn't know before the birth of my 2nd child.

I didn't know that....

• my life would change dramatically, even more than when I had my 1st child
• I would forget almost everything about the infant stage...yet fall into caring for an infant very easily...the anxiety and worry that existed when my 1st was an infant would not be present
• my heart would expand and grow in ways I didn't know were possible
• my parenting style would change [i.e. we went from "babywise" to bed sharing :)]
• I would be more tired and would take much, much longer to recover than I expected
• even though I've done this all before, I would doubt myself and my ability to make it through one.single.day
• breastfeeding would be much easier the 2nd time around
• I would breastfeed in public...without a cover...and not be nervous
• I would have absolutely no time to myself
• I would have absolutely no time with my husband
• my oldest would suddenly look like a giant 
• my heart would melt when my oldest would hug & kiss her "weetle sister"
• I would fall in love with my husband all over again
• I would mourn my oldest growing older
• at times I would feel more alone than I ever have
• at other times I would feel more love than I ever have
• moms with one child would approach me in public and ask "How do you do it?" and I would say "I don't know...I just do"
• the reason I wouldn't take as many pictures of my 2nd as I did of my 1st is because I just wouldn't have the time
• my life is more full, more stressful yet more beautiful because I have two