Life With Two Kids

Lucy is 17 days old today, and Delano is 17 months old!  And what a pair they are.  Although Delano thinks Lucy is TOTALLY BORING right now.  Don't worry, son.  It won't be long before you'll WISH she was boring.

I've posted this pic before, but here it is again.  :)

So life with two kids is WAY different from life with just one.  If my kids were further (farther?) apart in age, it may not be quite as much of a culture shock, but at this point my life is just go-go-go.  I've got a 17-month-old toddler who is whiny, needy, teething, throws periodic tantrums and is constantly on the move......and I've got a 17-day-old who wants to be attached to my boob whenever she's not sleeping.  I basically feed children and change diapers all day.

And going places?  That task has changed exponentially.  It was SO much easier going places with just one child.  And it's not that my children are difficult (temperamentally) to take places.  Delano loves going bye-bye and Lucy usually falls asleep in the car and stays asleep during the entire duration of the trip.  It just now takes a LONG time to get out the door.  Between making sure the kiddos are clean, dressed and ready and the diaper bag is stocked with everything needed for both of them......then after loading the baby into the infant car seat, holding the toddler's hand as we walk (SLOWLY) down the stairs (while carrying said infant car seat and diaper bag and anything else that's going with us that I haven't already loaded into the car), and getting everything and everybody loaded up.....it takes much, much longer than when it was just Delano by himself.  It almost doesn't make sense how much longer it takes me.  Delano and I could be out the door in 10 minutes.....now it seems like it takes me an hour.  It's crazy!  It makes you really debate on what errands are worth the effort.

But she's adorable!

(It is taking me forever to write this post......my mind is blank.  Totally not working this afternoon!)

Sleep has been pretty normal on the newborn scale.  Lucy sleeps a lot during the day for the time being, and lucky for me, her naps coordinate with Delano's naps so I'm able to get things done during the two chunks of time in the day when they're both asleep (like right now).  Delano still takes two naps a day that usually last two hours each.  While the kiddos sleep, I work on house chores, make baby food, wash diapers, take a shower, run on the treadmill, etc.  I also get projects on my to-do list done, balance my checkbook, check my email, pay bills, play on Facebook and write blog posts.  Delano goes to bed at night usually around 8:00 or 8:30, which is when Lucas and I curl up together on the couch and watch TV before bed.  Lucy also goes to sleep around 8:00 or so, but she wakes back up around 10:00 to eat.  She's back asleep between 11:00 and 12:00, then up again 2-3 hours later.  Then again 2-4 hours after that.  Once she even slept for a 5-hour stretch.  So in the world of newborns, she's pretty textbook. 

I was super grateful that Lucas was able to take two weeks off of work when Lucy was born.  That first week was definitely a "WHAT THE HELL DID I GET MYSELF INTO?" week.  I doubted myself a lot that week and wondered how I was going to do it all by myself when it came time.  But the second week was much better as we all got into our groove, giving me much more confidence about the balancing act of having two kids under a year and a half.  By the time Lucas went by to work for good this past Monday, I felt ready to go with two thumbs up. I'VE GOT THIS.

As time goes on, I know that some things are going to get easier while other things get harder......the same as with one child.  Bring it on.  I'm ready.  :)