Tell me about a day in the life of having 2 under 2

mrs.bridgettkay

We are planning on trying in Sept and if all works out our children will be 18 months apart.  DD is not an "easy" baby and people who know we will try to conceive soon think we're crazy.  Are we?  I thought I'd ask from those doing this first hand.  I always think that two or more children are going to be busy no matter what the age difference but maybe there's not something I'm not thinking of.  Thanks for the insight!

LM2003

My kids are 15.5 months apart and I won't lie, It's tough.  Somedays I want to rip my hair out.  On those days, ds won't nap and wants to be held and dd will whine whine whine all day. Often while i'm nursing ds, dd will get into things/find things she shouldn't have even though we are baby proofed.  She is a climber and unless I take all the furniture out of the room I can't get her to stop esp when i'm tied down nursing.

Then there are days (maybe twice a week) where they will nap for 2 hours at the same time and I get my sanity back.

I rarely go out b/c it is a 2 hour ordeal to get everyone fed/changed/packed up and out the door.

But I love that my children will grow up so close in age.  We wanted it that way but it won't be this tough for long.

Dani123

I have a different experince than the previous poster.. I LOVE IT!  Its only been about 2 mos but so far so good.  My kids are 19 mos apart and DD#1 could care less about DD#2.  She "pets" her and will bring a paci if she drop sit but other than that shes in her own world.  Not sure how "un-easy" your 1st DC is but I think mine is very easy so that might help.  I also use a big corral that DD#1 plays in and that helps me with distractions while nursing, etc.  The only part that sucks is the up at night part since DD#1 has been STTN since 4 mos.  Once we get to that point I think I can handle ANYTHING, lol.  Its the unrested part, I think, that makes the other "annoying parts" of 2 under 2 seem so unbearable! 

I find that helps with the older child to keep their schedule EXACTLY THE SAME, or at least as much as possible.  Weve kept hers the same, make sure she gets her 1 on 1 time and its been smooth sailing...Ask me again in 6 mos! lol

unc00ref

LM2003:

My kids are 15.5 months apart and I won't lie, It's tough.  Somedays I want to rip my hair out.  On those days, ds won't nap and wants to be held and dd will whine whine whine all day. Often while i'm nursing ds, dd will get into things/find things she shouldn't have even though we are baby proofed.  She is a climber and unless I take all the furniture out of the room I can't get her to stop esp when i'm tied down nursing.

Then there are days (maybe twice a week) where they will nap for 2 hours at the same time and I get my sanity back.

I rarely go out b/c it is a 2 hour ordeal to get everyone fed/changed/packed up and out the door.

But I love that my children will grow up so close in age.  We wanted it that way but it won't be this tough for long.

 

Mine are 18 months apart and this is nearly my story exactly. The good days are  good, but the bad days are awful. But it's worth it to me to have them close in age.

hollyoid7

mine at 1 year and 2 weeks apart. I don't think it is that bad. The hardest part is nap time. When the twins are tired and I need to feed Zach.?

DrDPM

Mine are 11 /12 months apart - so we had 2 under 1 for a few weeks. The first 3 or 4 months were rough. DS was such an easy baby, I knew DD would be a handful. And, boy, is she ever. She was a horrible sleeper for the first few months.

I kept DS's schedule the same, and just started to adapt DD to the same one. I would feed them at the same time, naps, baths, etc. I think that made a huge difference. Now everything is in sync, and that makes life easier. DD is also walking and more independent. They go off and play in their playroom together, DS know how to get his milk out of the refridgerator, and he loves to help me take care of her.

Now, they're 1 and 2. DD is still a great napper, although DS sometimes only takes 1 nap (if I'm lucky). That makes it harder; I'm pregnant, so I'm tired a bit short-tempered right now. I wouldn't change a thing. Yes, the bad days can be pretty horrible - but for every bad day, there's two good ones to make up for it. I've realized that I'm not perfect, but I'm trying my best. If we have a bad day, I feel really guilty if I've lost my temper or been inpatient, but I just try to shake it off and do better the next day.

91104

DS was 20 months when I brought DD home.  I did my best to keep his schedule EXACTLY the same.  DD slept so much in the beginning that he would often forget she was there.  I think the fact that mine were a little further apart, DS wasn't a 'hard' baby, and was already on a schedule made it easier on me to adapt DD to his schedule.  The first couple of months are definitely the toughest for me b/c I'm not in love w/ newborns, nursing, and missing sleep.  But once that was over, it was great.  DD is almost 15 months now and she takes her afternoon nap when DS takes his only nap.  We have only not gotten out maybe about 5-10 times since she's been born.  Having a schedule, them sleeping 11-12 hours at night, and getting out of the house keep me sane and make 95% of our days 'good days'.  I am very short-tempered if I get bad sleep and the fact that I'm 33 weeks pregnant in the summer doesn't help.  Now, ask me in 7 weeks how life is since DS will be turning 3 and DD will be 16 months when this one's born.  I'm thinking I may be singing a different tune....

MegCC

I don't think it's much harder than one. The biggest difference is that there's NO downtime. Even if one is settled, the other needs you. Sometimes, they both need you...my daughter isn't easy either, but since her brother came along, she's blossomed into a much kinder and more cooperative child. They can surprise you...

I don't know about a typical day, but today:

7:30 - 9:30: I got up first to get ready. Then my daughter was up, then my son. I got each of them dressed as they got up, (my daughter "helps" with my son), then took everyone downstairs, fed the baby at the table while my daughter was eating her breakfast there, and picked at my own breakfast best as I could.

10 - 1: got the kids packed up -- not as daunting as it sounds, maybe 10-15 minutes -- and in the car, along with a double stroller (a joovy caboose). Met a group of moms at the local zoo. the timing worked well because my son slept 11 - 12 in the stroller, so i could enjoy the time with my daughter. the only sticking point was when he needed to eat at 12, i had to push the stroller, watch her with the animals, and feed him; it was a pain, but i expected it. and when i had to take her potty (we're training), a friend offered to watch him so i didn't need to take the stroller, and i have learned to never turn down a kind offer.

1 - 4: gave my daughter lunch and i ate lunch while my son played, then i put her down for a nap. gave my son lunch and played with him for a bit while my daughter was napping. now he's napping too, so i just got myself a cookie and milk. oh, i saw a client at my house while they are both sleeping.

4 - 6: they're both going in the car when we get up. we'll meet friends at a local farm for an hour or two. i'll feed the baby as soon as we get there. i'll get my daughter a treat that she can feed herself. i will try to manage a cup of coffee. i'll have friends around to help with whatever might come up

6 - 8: my daughter will "help" me make dinner while my son plays in his exersaucer in the kitchen. my husband will come home and i'll be glad for an extra set of hands. the three people with teeth will eat, then we'll take the kids up for bathtime assembly line. i will give daughter a bath while he feeds son. then he will give son a bath while i get daughter ready for bed. then he will quickly get son ready for bed, so we can all congregate in daughter's room for bedtime stories. then we'll put each kid in their crib in their room.

8:30 - 11: i will go to a client's house for a late appt while my husband stays home with the two sleeeping kids. he will probably work out in the basement gym we have set up. when i get home around 11 or 12, one of us will "dream feed" the baby while the other gets stuff ready for tomorrow. then we'll both shower and be ready to zonk out.

Heather&Scott

Mine are 16 months apart -- they're 4 and almost 3 right now, though.  The first year sucked.  A lot.  I think most of that had to do with the self-inflicted mommy guilt that ran rampant in my own head.  Some of it had to do with #2 going undiagnosed with reflux for the first few months.  Some of it had to do with the fact that #2 was born at the beginning of winter, so we were cooped up in the house more than usual and I became a nut about germs.  Once the weather turned, #2 got more mobile/independent and #1's verbal communication became better, things got soooooo much better.  Now, life is great.  They're both potty-trained (woohoo!).  And because they're so close in age, they enjoy the same things -- that makes vacation planning very easy, and it also makes playdates very fun.  Looking back, I'd totally do it over again -- even with that nightmare of a first year. 

blondnearby

I know I may be a bit late but my "two under two" are both older and I thankfully survived the first year and a half.  There were easy days and there were had days but over all it was well worth it.  They now play together very well and actually occupy each other so I can go to school full time online. If I have more children at some point in my life (I am also in the middle of a divorce with their father who chooses to see our DDs all of two weeks a year)  I would definately want two that are close together.  I think I would want them even closer then the one day shy of twenty months they are. Honestly, I think the first 3 or 4 months when the youngest is completely dependent on the parents is the hardest and you may experience some jealousy.  But it will pass as long as you show your older DC individual time as well. GL!

Rinnie

Mine are 20 months apart.  In addition I have an added bonus that I have twin boys.

So I have 3 under 2.  I am a SAHM.

It's rough.  I sometimes don't know how I do it day in day out.  I never get a break and I never get out of the house. 

My house is a mess, laundry gets washed and dryed normally not folded or put a way.

I am thinking of surrendering my dog because she gets no attention - who has time.

My daughter was a clingy baby and still is.  Most nights she ends up in our bedroom around 1.  I give in because I am just so exhuasted.  The boys used to sleep from 730 to 8:00.  Since teething that isn't happening to much anymore.

I have a lot of bad moments.  A lot.  I never used to yell at my daughter - but I often find myself screaming at her, usually when I am occupied with the boys and she gets into trouble.  She is bored.  I try when the boys are sleeping, but to be honest I need some down time also so sometimes I just space out.

In the 6 months the boys have been home - I have gotten out of the house with all 3 kids to go to the store twice.

I can't even really take my daughter out to play because most days it is just to hot for them to be out.

My husband works more then 12 hours a day and is home about 15 minutes before the boys start bed time routine.

My most stressful times are my daughters naps as the boys usually scream and bedtime. 

Would I change any of it - Nope - I love all my children and I know it is really really hard right now - but I know this to shall pass.  At least that is what I keep telling myself.

I know they won't be babies forever - so I can deal with it now.

easterbaby

Our DDs are 15 months apart and now they are 2.5 and 1.5. It's just NOW getting fun. It's hard work having kids so close in age and SUPER exhausting but it gets easier as they get more independent. I remember crying so much after everyone had gone so sleep because I was always so emotionally drained from having 2 babies. My story was a way more difficult too because our baby had open heart surgery at 3 weeks old which meant more time away from our oldest and it was harder on our transition bringing home a new baby. The hardest part for me has been "you are always in alert mode" there is never a down time and that's the hard part for me to handle. With one baby, you get time to rest during naps or whenever they play, but with 2 you always have someone climbing on your or needing something. Now they finally nap at the same time, and play together all day. I get way more down time, and I feel my sanity is finally back. I still have those horrible days because I now have 2 in the terrible 2s, but I also know how lucky we are too. I would do it a heart beat all over again even on a bad day.