New Rules:
“Grace, you’re not the mommy.”
“Please don’t yank Josiah by the arm when you want him to come with you.”
“Please don’t pick him up by the neck, either.”
“Please don’t dump water on his head.”
“Please don’t make him laugh while he is eating.”
New Revelations:
It takes 4 times as long to get ready in the morning.
It takes 4 times as long to get in and out of the car.
A two-year-old can be amazingly independent.
A two-year-old can get into a heck of a lot of trouble while being independent.
“Mommy, he likes me!”
Unresolved Questions:
How exactly do you get two children to sleep in the same room at the same time?
How do you eat dinner at the same time as your two children?
What do you do with the second child in the grocery store?
How do you cross a busy street with two children?
And New Concepts:
Grace is learning the meaning of the word “brother.” Last week, a young couple was at our house. Grace asked the guy, “What’s your name?” He told her. Then she asked him, “What’s your brother’s name?” pointing at his wife.
Yesterday we borrowed some puzzles from a friend. One was a Mickey Mouse puzzle. Grace is in love with Mickey Mouse even though she has never been to Disneyland or even seen a Mickey Mouse cartoon. But very excitedly, she took the puzzle over to our Jack Russell, Minnie. “Look, Minnie! It’s your brother! It’s your brother!”
And finally…
Grace: “Mommy, my brother is crying.” (Thanks, Grace, I didn’t know).
And when I talk to him: “Mommy, he can’t talk yet.”
Anonymous
LOL Wow Amy, you just described my world! How do you get them sleep? Did you read my recent update about inventing pjs and sheet sets made out of Velcro? About eating, consider them your new diet plan, seriously. At the grocery store sounds like you need a child back pack and a stroller or maybe just a big wheel barrow! Lastly I don’t know the last time we got to anything on time! Just about the time we start getting life organized, we have another baby! Good luck. There’s a reason our parents have gray hair! Aut
Anonymous
aww amy welcome to being a mom of two. my sister in law suhalia has two and trust me they are nver on time.
i dont know if it will ever be a possibilty for you guys but you might to think abotu putting josiah in his own room down the road.
but as they get older it will get easier.
having nieces and nphews helps i see what my brothers and sisters go through on a almost daily basis.
one last thing my mom had six kids at one time trust me she went crazy!
Unknown
Your post made me laugh because it is so true, the dynamics of adding just one more kid.
With 4 kids in 5 years, I think back to when I had just two and think to myself that I had it easy. We just don’t know it at the time because we have never had more than that. Just like you probably tell yourself that one child is a piece of cake compared to this, yet when you had just one is was a shock and an adjustment.
It is amazing how adding kids isn’t just twice as hard, but it feels 4 times as hard. How can that be when there is only 2??
My biggest adjustment was going from two to three. Going from 3 to four was no big deal.
Well, I am glad you can smile at these new challenges, because with the right perspective they can be funny, which makes the hard times more tolerable.
Amy Medina
Aut–right now I’m working on getting Grace to walk next to the cart WITHOUT touching anything. We’re getting there. Last week she almost pushed a button which would have turned off one of those giant freezers. Sigh.
And Jen–you’re right…I’ve already asked myself, “Why did I think one was hard???” 🙂 And we want more, so I know I will think the same about having two. Though actually, becoming a new mom to Grace was harder than becoming a mom of two. So in some ways, it’s been easier.
Pete and Patty
#4 crossing the road in Dar? Easy answer – you don’t. You don’t even want to do it in a car so why would you try on foot?
Amy Medina
Pete and Patty– EXACTLY!!!! It’s not like there are crosswalks and I can leisurely walk across with a stroller! But there errands at certain places where I have to cross the street–it’s frightening! I usually have to get someone to help me stop traffic.
da halls
Soooo . . . are you seriously asking for advice? Or just wondering out loud and want to figure it out for yourself? I have a couple of things that have worked for us.
This was a fun post. My favorite part was you being told your baby is crying. I mean, I have NO idea what that is like at all (chuckle). And I loved the quote of Grace telling you that her brother can’t talk yet. Very cute.
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mb
Amy Medina
MB, I would love advice! 🙂 Esp. from someone who has 5-going-on-6! 🙂