Let me tell you, I read a lot of books about having kids during my first pregnancy. I figured I wouldn't get much reading done once I had kids and I was right. A lot of the information that I got from the books was useless, to be frank, and I don't remember it, but there is one nugget of truth that has always stuck with me. I wish I could remember where I read it because I would like to thank the author. I can tell you what the bit of wisdom was though: It was that going from one kid to two kids is not twice as hard it's like exponentially harder. You have no idea until it happens, but when it does you are like, Son of a gun this is crazy harder than having one kid.
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Here are ten ways that going from one kid to two changes your life:
1. You cannot possibly be in two places at one time, but your kids will expect that of you. They will not be patient and wait their turn.
2. You will have to buy two of everything. Doesn't matter if there is a huge age difference between kids. Let's say you buy your 16-year-old a car … you better buy your 16-month-old one too. Fortunately a toy car will probably suffice.
3. You will have a favorite. Sure it's not cool to say or admit that as a mother you have a favorite child, but it happens. My favorite child is always the one who is behaving at the moment. When they are both misbehaving, they are both my least favorite.
4. Get ready to hear it in stereo. Whines, screams, tantrums are in stereo now and build to a noise level you never thought possible.
5. You won't be fair. You'll try to be fair and treat them both equally, but they are different so you will fail miserably at times and they will notice and call you on it.
6. Everything is different. Your first child loved certain things, your second one will probably hate them. New kid, new rules.
7. It's more work to love. You have to make sure that you are paying attention to both of your children. It was easy when it was just one. It's also easy to dote on the baby, but don't forget about the older one. The older one has to adjust to sharing you and they need you to remind them that they may no longer be the baby, but they will always be your baby.
8. You feel housebound. When it was just one and you had to run an errand, well, you did it. When they outnumber you, you look into delivery options and avoid unnecessary outings that aren't to the park.
9. You can't remember their names. There are only two of them, but someohow you manage to call them by the wrong name all the time.
10. There aren't enough hours in the day. You wake up exhausted wondering how you will make it through the day and before you now it, it's their bedtime and you will question if you spent enough quality time with them or if you are just going through the motions. You will vow to yourself each and every night as you tuck them in that you will be a better mother the next day.
Having two kids is more than twice as hard as having one kid. It also shows you that your heart is amazing because it grows exponentially to accomodate the love you have for each of your children individually and also for the love you have for them for being siblings to each other.
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