This whole Mom of Two thing has got me spinning a little bit. Sometimes I just start laughing.
Like today at the park as I'm putting Sadie's sunscreen on so that she could play safely on the playground where I can keep my eye on her while I nurse Lilah, when I hear the unmistakable squirt of a diaper malfunction & the ensuing cry of an infant who needs to be changed-like, now.
Or when I'm packing up to leave the house and I'm somehow balancing two diaper bags, the carseat with Lilah in it, one of Sadie's dolls/blankets/toys, my coffee, keys, purse and cell phone as I squeeze out the back door - hoping I don't drop something or worse - trip.
I mean, I'm not completely scrambling around getting nothing done, but I do feel a constant pull in different directions - toward my talkative, inquisitive toddler who needs her hair brushed and shoes tied and comes up with questions like "what do llamas eat?" out of thin air - and toward my tiny one month old, who just needs to nurse, be held, sleep and have a clean diaper.
I'm one of four siblings and I know this is basically the mother of all cliches (pun intended) but seriously - "how did she DO it?" It rings in my head several times daily. I know some people hypothesize that it was somehow easier 35+ years ago, but I don't care what anyone says about the convenience of disposable diapers or automatic swings, etc. - caring for more than one small child is not easy. Not. Easy.
Did I say impossible? No.
Has it made me reconsider our original plan to have three? Yes.
Can I handle it? Well, that's what I'm doing so far. Check back in on me to see how I'm doing and I'll let you know. ;)
One thing I know for sure though - laughter helps.
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2 comments:
i think our mothers didn't aim to be supermoms :-). AND they had their babies younger... my mom was 19 when she had me. i was 33 when i had trinhity. they didn't feel the (self) pressure to do everything... my mom (wisely) tells me i should just chill... so i try. the first three months is mind boggling crazy but you adjust to the insanity and the world stops spinning... lots of love to you all!
I felt the same way when Grant was first born and now that he is 6 months old, I am FINALLY starting to feel like I have a rhythm figured out for balancing the older kid and the baby. And I don't know HOW people with 3 or more kids handles it...very carefully and with more patience than I have, for sure. You are a great mommy! I love reading your blog, Janine. --Angela Nuttman
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