Life with two children

Life with one child is hard. Life with two children is insanity. I often look back at my childhood and think to myself, "WTH was my mother thinking!? ". I am the oldest of three siblings, my mom had us back to back like door steps. I, however, managed a five and a half year break between my two. My mom always said to me that going from one child to two was hard, but I believe she understated the term "hard." Going from one child to two, in my personal experience has been insanity. I think what I have struggled with most in this new adjustment period is finding a good balance. I feel like everyone is constantly NEEDING  me for something, so I have found it difficult to balance out my attention accordingly. And that is just for my two dearest little ones. That attention does not include my partner, my parents, my siblings, or my friendships. Sometimes I feel like I am truly sinking in this boat I have worked so hard to build. My oldest is six. He spent the first five years of his life with "only child syndrome", So bringing home a new baby was a huge adjustment for him. My youngest, Mylan, is now ten months old and I still find myself struggling to find a good balance for them in the midst of all of my surrounding chaos. If I could give any advice to you mamas who are planning on having another child, it is to prepare your oldest in the best ways that you can. I wouldn't necessarily consider this my biggest mistake, but I do wish that I had taught my oldest, Brooks, a little bit more independency. I found myself doing a lot of tasks for him that he was more than capable of doing, just out of pure conveniency for my behalf. I was a single mother and working full-time, so I tried my best to make life as simple as I could at the time. And to with no avail, that has been our biggest hardship to overcome. So with that being said, let your oldest pour that milk into their bowl of cereal, the mess will be worth cleaning in your future! I'm not saying throw them to the wolves and teach them total dependency, but, it is important that they are also not fully depending on you for their every need. Thankfully, my oldest has transitioned into big brother mode gracefully, but we definitely struggled there for a little bit. He now showers himself, brushes his own teeth, dresses himself in the morning, and even knows how to microwave himself some popcorn for an afternoon snack. Watching him become a big brother has been so bittersweet. My little baby boy is not so little anymore & sometimes I find myself tearing up watching him be so good to his baby brother. There are definitely some hardships when it comes down to having two children, but with a good support system and a lot of patience, it is doable! Having another child has been such a blessing and I know that my oldest son feels the same exact way. I am actually blogging right now next to my two little ones and they look like paper and glue because they are cuddling so dang close to each other (my heart cannot take it. ugh. so precious). But ALSO! I forgot to add, my mother also said that going from two to three was a walk in the park! I guess once you learn how to balance two, you can juggle three or four like a pro. LOL. So there is hope if you decide you would like more children.