Survival Mode

Going from newly weds to new parents a little over nine months after we got married was pretty intense, I admit. But everything seemed to come in stride and it really wasn't as difficult as I thought it might be or as everyone warned it would be. I had heard horror stories of not having time to shower and giving up everything that was normal in life for poop and puke. But I didn't really feel that way at all. In fact it seemed I had more time than I had had in my life of teaching and coaching and sponsoring and my million other commitments. Plus there was always nap time!

Then one became two and all of that changed! Since Cora was born many people have asked how it is going with two kids. I haven't really known how to answer until a couple days ago when it finally hit me: I am on SURVIVAL MODE! I learned how to add in kindergarten. Two is more than one, but not much more. Two is still a small number....tell that to a mom of two kids...two is immensely more than one!!! Suddenly all of those warnings about kids have come true. I don't have time to take a shower and it seems that changings, dressings, feedings, bathings, and sleepings are WAY too much to accomplish in one day. I like to keep a list of To-Do's on the fridge. That has all but gone by the wayside as the daily essentials sometimes don't even get done! (ex. blogging has been on the list for about a week and even now I am completing this in shifts). Luckily I have Gil here most of the time to help out. I have also come to completely understand why one might send a toddler to daycare while on maternity leave!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining or even having a breakdown (as it may seem!). I'm just finally processing how my next year is going to be with a two-year-old (high maintenance and strong-willed two-year-old at that!) and a baby. It's going to be a long year...that will fly by I am sure! And someday I will look back and say, "Those were the days!" But today I just want a shower and a nap...

To keep things in perspective I have been making a mental list of what I love (and sometime what I hate) about two-year-olds and babies. These are some of my thoughts:

Two-Year-Olds:

*Give hugs and kisses

*Can talk and say adorable things

*Can entertain and somewhat help with the baby

*Can entertain parents when we need a laugh

*Take long naps in the afternoons!!!

*Can feed themselves to a certain degree

*Can play by themselves for longer periods of time

*Sleep through the night

Babies:

*Sleep much of the time

*Stay where you put them

*Don't talk back or deliberately disobey

*Diapers are significantly less disgusting than the two-year-olds

*Are tiny and much lighter to carry around

*Can also entertain siblings and parents

Ok, onto some pictures!

Here is one of the big storm that rolled in on Monday night. I didn't capture it, but there was some pretty amazing lighting out there too...which caused our electricity to be down from 8pm to 2am that night!

Our friends donated a deck they were tearing off their house to us, so now Gil's project is putting it on ours!!! Jude likes to help hammer. Fitting (his middle name, Maccabeus, means "The Hammer").

Here is our friend's baby boy and Cora. He is just two weeks older than she.

Our new bunnies we got at the Allen Swap Meet!
Jude's new sandbox around his swing set (another project of Gil and dad's)
Jude's sandy bottom! He loves scooping and building castles. I just wish it would dry up out there (and warm up too!).
Cora sucking her binky in the stroller and watching her big brother in the sandbox.