Life with two kids under two really means life with two kids one 3 months old and another 18 months old for me at this moment in time. Whether you spend your day at home taking care of two kids under two OR you are at work supporting your, you know this shi* is bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S. Because that last sentence [and song] makes me laugh, I’m happy to see I haven’t lost my sense of humor in all of this. There’s a reason people would give me THAT look [aka smirk] when they’d see me [very pregnant] chasing Joey 3 months ago….
Life with two kids under two is BUSY. Just how busy? Here’s a snapshot of our daily schedule. And I say schedule lightly.
5:30am-7:00am: Joey wakes up for the day and Anthony wakes up to nurse. If Anthony wakes up to nurse and Joey is still asleep, Mom stays awake for some “me time” that includes coffee and a short workout. Or just coffee. ALONE.
7:00am-9:00am: Joey is awake eating breakfast and playing and Anthony wakes up for the day.
9:00am-12:00pm: During this block of time we try to leave the house— but this all depends on when Anthony needs to nurse again, when Anthony’s morning nap takes place, and most importantly, both Joey and Anthony’s mood. If we don’t leave the house for an activity we read and play at home.
12:00pm: Joey eats lunch. Anthony watches.
12:30pm- 3:00pm: Joey naps [unless he poops while napping, then he wakes up no matter how long he was sleeping for]. Anthony usually nurses, naps, and plays during this block of time.
3:00pm-6:00pm: See what happens during the 9:00am time block. Repeat.
6:30pm: Family dinner. Anthony watches. Both boys gets baths.
7:30pm: Bedtime for Joey. Anthony laughs.
8:00pm: Anthony might go to bed. Might is the keyword here. I usually spend this time working on the blog OR working out. OR Ted and I spend time together. Alone.
11:00pm: I go to bed. Amen. And somewhere between 8-11 Anthony’s likely nursed and fought sleep. Again.
Not pictured in this daily schedule but VERY important to MY schedule: Ted and I have planned date nights— the 8pm time block isn’t enough for us. I’m blogging WHEN I can and trying not to stress when I miss posting— so if you don’t hear from me for a few days, don’t fret. I’ll be back! I’m asking for help [from Ted, my Mom and Dad, a friend, or better yet, a babysitter] when I have deadlines for the blog and contract work, or when I just want time to go for a run. I tried working around the boys’ routine [above] for all of these things but realized it was too much. Doing it all was too much. What a relief it was just to type that! When it comes to food, I now prep most of our weekly meals and snacks on Sunday. I tried squeezing the cooking in during naptimes, but if Anthony isn’t sleeping when Joey is, he likes to be in Momma’s arms!
Life with two kids under two is unpredictable. The schedule you just read is not set in stone. It’s rarely the same every day— hence the time blocks. But there’s a glimpse of routine that gives me hope some day our lives will have a schedule again. Perhaps when they are in school?! Come on fellow moms… give me hope here!
Life with two kids under two requires lots of patience. And because I’m the one lacking patience in my marriage, Ted is the example to follow here. Since I’m not a prime example of patience, it’s even that much more important for me to take time away from the kids. ME TIME. Thankfully Ted makes that possible— and takes this parenting thing just as serious as me. But when he’s busy with work or has a late meeting, THAT’S when I buckle down and power through. And phone a friend for some company.
Life with two kids under two is funny. The kids are really funny. Joey is talking to us, but in a language we can barely understand. Anthony is “the joker” and just sits and laughs at his big bro. Joey is obsessed with my hair— anyone with long hair actually. He loves to try and take his grubby little hummus hands and ask for hugs so he can run his fingers through my hair. Anthony goes from making an “I’m about to cry really loud” face to the world’s biggest smile as soon as you pick him up. That one isn’t really funny, but it’s super cute to see. Even at 4am.
Life with two kids under two is MESSY. There’s a reason I do laundry every day and still end up with dirty clothes at the end of the day. Food throwing is only a quarter of it. There are diaper blowouts, walking through mud and puddles, throwing mud, opening laundry detergent bottles, spilling laundry detergent, etc. And apparently, life is only going to get messier with two boys… or so I’ve been warned!
Life with two kids under two is what is it. A BLESSING. You weren’t expecting that one were you?! No matter how tired and unshowered I might be, Joey and Anthony flash their big smiles—which reminds me how lucky I am to be mothering two handsome, happy boys. No matter how messy or chaotic our lives might seem.
There are other things I could elaborate on here. Mainly the tiredness or exhaustion having two kids under two makes one feel. But who am I to talk about being tired— you might have just worked a 9 hour day, stayed up all night with a newborn, or drove 5 hours straight to spend time with a loved one. Tired is irrelevant in life nowadays. But if you don’t have kids yet and plan on it, I suggest napping while you can…
