I'm a Mom of two girls. Sometimes when I say that out loud I can't believe it. Who let me be a Mom of two? Kidding, kidding. But seriously it still blows my mind sometimes.
My first daughter is almost 3 and my second just hit the two week old mark.
There's a few things I've learned in these first two weeks that some people had told me about and others I'm learning as I go.
Your first is going to react however they need to react. Read that again. SO many people told me, "Oh, your toddler is going to regress. Your toddler is going to have meltdowns. Your toddler isn't going to like the new baby." As an expectant mother, what is that supposed to make me think and feel? Fear, honestly. So I really, really tried to take those comments with a grain of salt. Instead, I saw my daughter as someone who loved her baby dolls, had a sweet demeanor around younger kids and had the potential to love being a big sister. Now, while we have had a few extra emotional days, my daughter has done extremely well handling the situation in the best way her 3 year old brain can. So I have to give her big props for that. Allow your kids to process a change how they need to. Allow them to feel the emotions they feel and let them know it's okay. And love on them a little extra.
Multitasking has a whole new meaning. I think this has been the hardest transition for me. I'm a fantastic multitasker. I can do a lot at once. But when a toddler needs help going potty and a baby is crying from the next room, it makes it a little tough. I once read some advice someone was giving on Instagram that said you need to prioritize your kids' needs. If "x" kid is hurt, you are going to care for them first before you care for "y" who wants a snack. I'm trying to remember this as I go about my days. And when I can, I give myself a minute to just breathe.
Your heart really does double in size. Everyone kept telling me this would happen, but I didn't fully understand what they meant. The night before I went into labor I just remember holding my firstborn and feeling guilty because my attention wouldn't be just on her anymore. My heart had belonged to her for almost 3 years. But wow, once my second was born I instantly fell in love. And not just that, but my heart grew even more for my first. It's hard to explain, but I just feel so grateful to be able to raise two woman in today's world.
Grace is your new best friend. I've needed to take a deep breath and tell myself that I'm doing the best that I can. There are days I feel like superwoman and then there are days I feel like I've been trampled by a herd of buffalo. But hey, that's life, right? I've needed to give myself extra grace and by allowing myself to do that, it's made this transition smoother than I thought.
So, if you're contemplating growing your family or if you're almost there to meeting your second, here's my telling you you can do this.
