Life With 2

My life has taken a major turn with the birth my second child.  I considered the thought that having more than one was going to be a challenge, but it is tough on many days.  The hardest part is keeping the schedules of two children of different ages...a four year old and a four month old.  Most days they don't eat, sleep or need cleaning at the same time.  Trying to make sure each get enough of your attention is where I struggle most.  Once I get them both "tended" to it is 8 o'clock...where did the time go.  I think I would love it to pieces if we could just come home, play with the kids, and go to bed.  NO LAUNDRY. NO COOKING. (Eating but no cooking.) NO  CLEANING. NO BATHS. NO TV.  Just interacting with the family.  When we had Hurricane Ike a few years ago and were without electricity for days...that is what we did.  It was great!  You didn't have to do laundry because your washer and dryer didn't work.  You didn't have to cook a lot because your oven was inoperable.  We spent a ton of time reconnecting as a family.  Maybe I should institute a "DO NOTHING DAY" once a month at least and do just that...NOTHING!  A novel idea!

Other than the juggling I do daily, having two children is a dream.  When I was pregnant I worried that my heart wouldn't be big enough, but that is not a problem.  God knows what he is doing.  My daughter is an amazing big sister and a great helper.  She is like his second mother.  The other day she told me I had to put socks on him to go to school so his feet wouldn't be cold...I wasn't concerned about this, but she was...needless to say...he wore socks that day!

As for me, I am learning to be more flexible, especially since I am breastfeeding and pumping at work.  Stress does not help your milk supply!  I have resolved to stay in the free milk business as long as the Lord allows.  I am also going to venture into making my own baby food in a few months.  I was blessed with a Baby Bullet (the sister machine to the amazing Magic Bullet that I already own), and I am planning to make food from fresh fruit and veggies instead of giving Gerber all of my money...right now!

I also have a crazy idea...to me...to try cloth diapers.  Many moms at weekly mommy meetings use cloth diapers religiously.  I have not reconciled the entire plan in my head, but I have purchased my first diaper and am preparing to use it...soon.  In the words of my sister-in-law...I am becoming a tree-hugger!

The most interesting thing about having two is a question I was asked by a co-worker.  She asked me what is the difference between my two children when they were infants, and I honestly had to say that not much is different between them...I am the one that is different.  With my first child I had no idea what I was doing.  I was scared of making the wrong decisions...breaking her...torturing her with my inability to parent properly.  With my son I know more...am more flexible (not letting my type-A personality get in the way too much)...and realize that God made infants pretty resilient in order to live with adults like us.  I pray a lot more when I parent...for my milk supply...for guidance in discipline...for what to cook daily....for enough sleep at night...I pray a lot more as a parent of 2.

The most asked question I am posed with is...will you have more.  Thankfully I had a great birth experience with my son...not by choice.  My labor was about 3 hours total.  From the moment I arrived at the hospital to when I gave birth was about 30 minutes.  I missed the drug window...came in at 8 centimeters.  Pushed out a 9 lb 2 oz baby with ease...three pushes!  Within an hour after birth I felt pretty good...no pain!  I surprised myself.  What I learned from the experience is that God really did make me to birth babies, and He will never put more on me than I can bear.  I can do all things through Him.  So in the words of Michelle Dugger of "19 Kids and Counting" the TLC show..."If God chooses to bless us with another child we will happily accept the blessing.  We would be honored to be parents of God's gift."  If, when, or how this will happen is not up to us, and even though it seems like something we couldn't handle, I realize that He knows me better than myself.  I look to the source for my answers and direction.  This new perspective on life really offers me a lot of peace and joy.  I welcome all who are considering following God to give it a try.  His burdens are light in comparison to the "junk" we put on ourselves!