Mom Life // Two Under Two : Two Months In


Babies, Motherhood, Two Under Two / Wednesday, April 3rd, 2019

One Diaper Does Not Fit All

I swore by one brand of diapers for Olivia (and still do!) but the same brand leaves Emory with blow outs galore! Switching it up to a different brand did the trick and ever since, blow outs are rare. Moral of the story, don’t stock up on a lifetime supply of one brand before babe arrives! If I could do it all over, I would have bought one pack of 3 brands or so, to see what worked best.

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I’ve Never Been So Tired

Olivia was a very good sleeper right out the gate, so of course, I assumed Emory would be too…and you know what they say about those who assume! Emmy has been a Mama’s girl from Day 1, and I’m the only one she wants to be held by (and 75% of time she was not buying the Mamaroo as a Mama substitute!). Between the first few weeks of getting her days/nights on track, the feeding and middle of the night pumping, the mastitis (twice!), and also having an energetic toddler running around…I literally had never felt exhaustion like this. (Are you terrified yet?) Now the good news! Emory did get her days and nights on track, she did start sleeping for more than 1.5 hours at a time (we’re now up to at least 5 consecutive hours!) and I feel like a new woman that is FINALLY getting some rest. Now that we’re out of the early day fog of sleepiness, I can take a step back and realize that these days are what Motherhood is made of. The good and the bad, the exhaustion but also the snuggles and sweet smell of beautiful fresh baby laying on my chest. The early days are when you get your Mom badge that you can wear proudly (and hold over them when they’re 18 and think they’re too cool to hang out with you).

Why Didn’t I Stock Up On Things I “Didn’t Need”?

Since Olivia and Emory are only 16 months apart, I thought we were golden in the clothing department. WRONG! First, since Olivia was a healthy 9lb’er we pretty much skipped right over the newborn sizes. When E arrived a week early weighing in at 7lb 14oz, I found myself in a panic for newborn clothes. Thankfully we had bought a few newborn things, but I was amazon prime’ing from the hospital for more (and we were on a solid 2 PJ rotation for about a week and a half before the extras finally arrived!). When baby E finally got into 0-3 sizes (sadly for me) some of my favorite outfits didn’t fit (I blame a combo of Baby E’s random tall genes, and too many times in the dryer for my favorite jammies!). Moral of the story, buy more than you think you need, and either leave the tags on and send back/return if they aren’t needed, or have them on hand to wash and use ASAP if/when the time comes.

Related Post // Baby Products, Save Vs. Splurge

I’m In Love With A Stroller

I loved our car seat, and especially loved the click-and-go we had for “quick” trips on the road. Since Olivia is still very much using a stroller, we knew we needed to utilize the double feature we initially purchased our UppaBaby Vista for. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again-the Vista is a 2 Under 2 DREAM! I use the bassinet SO much more with E than I did with Liv, and I absolutely love that we can fit into narrow doorways and on the small European sidewalks with both kids and Tyler and I walking side by side. We bought the Uppababy Mesa car seat to be compatible with the stroller, and it’s just the bees knees. If having two little ones under three is even on your radar, do yourself a favor and buy the Vista + Mesa up front!

Don’t Get So Caught Up Taking Care of Everyone Else, That You Forget To Take Care of Yourself

In all of the cuddles and feedings and diaper changing, and dishes and cooking, all the while making sure your other child/ren continued to feel nurtured and cared for, it’s so easy to put your needs on the back burner. After experiencing some postpartum depression after Olivia was born, as well as pregnancy depression and anxiety during both of my pregnancies, I knew the signs to look for and the steps to take to get out of the fog, but I was so busy, so tired, and so focused on everything else going on around me that I went on auto-pilot to get through the day to day. While I opened up to a few people closest to me about my struggle, it was through online support of other women experiencing the same issues, as well as video conference therapy I was able to do in my own home, that helped me take the initial steps I needed to get healthy for myself and my family. I highly recommend talking with you spouse and making self-care a priority in the first few months. During this time (even just 30 minutes alone) check-in with yourself, take a 20 minute nap, journal, meditate, or sit in silence. Listen to your gut, and if you feel something is off, reach out for help. When I knew something was off with my mind during my pregnancy with E, I did a hashtag search on Instagram #pregnancydepression, and it made me feel like I wasn’t alone or crazy. Even small things like this can make a huge difference in getting back on track. A happy and healthy mama is the best mama!

Having two little ones under two is not for the faint of heart, but it is so rewarding and wonderful to see their bond grow day to day, and watch a family bloom before your eyes. No blog post can possibly prepare you for the chaotic beauty that is motherhood, but I hope these simple tips can help you prepare for this next adventure! If you’re a mom of two under two, share your wisdom in the comments!

7 Replies to “Mom Life // Two Under Two : Two Months In”

  1. I have a friend that is currently pregnant with her second and she will have two under two. She is freaking out so I definitely want to pass these tips and reminder on to her. That stroller looks amazing, by the way.

  2. This post warms my heart. 💕 I’m still a few years out from this stage of life, but I’m very excited for it! Props to you for having two under two. It’s certainly not easy.

    Best,
    Emily

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