Survival mode? Hardly.

Claire and Max are 18 months and 1 week apart.  In our plan, our kids would have been about three years apart.  I wanted to have another spring/summer baby and we weren't ready to start trying the summer after Claire turned one because we had both just started new jobs and wanted a year of 'stability' (because that's what just one toddler offers, right? Ha. :)).  Little did we know that the Man upstairs was laughing at all the plans we had made.  He knew that I needed the little guy below before I even did.

My unexpected blessing 

When people saw how little/young Claire was and my large pregnant belly, they often put two and two together and said, "Oh, you're going to be busy!!".  I heard from different folks, both strangers and colleagues at work, that the first year of having "two under two" is a "year of survival".  

Well, I think we're surviving just fine.  Life IS busy.  With us both working full-time, Josh's watch business, the two hours we each commute per day, and all of the stuff that must be done in and around the house, this is not a surprise.  But I have to say I'm proud of how we've handled the first 9 months of our 'year of survival'.  We get out and about a lot (and I bring the two of them out by myself all of the time, and I have ever since Max was born).  We do lots of fun activities as a family, I get a lot of quality time with my girlfriends, and Josh and I maintain a solid relationship (though this does take a lot of deliberate work, as it is SO easy to focus on the kids and all of the tasks we must get done and let the marriage go by the wayside).  Did I say "a lot" enough?  And have I mentioned that "alot" is my most detested mis-spelled word? Anyways....

Here are some factors that have helped and not-so-much helped us 'survive' the first year of having 2U2.

This helps!:

• Claire is very verbal and has been from a young age
• Claire took the adjustment to Max in stride.  She never really showed sibling envy.  She adores Max.
• Max (when he's awake) has always been a good, good baby.  You hardly even know he's there.  Unless he's on his own or with someone other than Mommy and sees Mommy walk by.  THEN he gets upset! 
• Josh and I are a really good team together.  He's one of the most competent fathers I've ever seen!
• We have tons of family nearby.
• Claire is a GREAT sleeper (if only she'd sleep until 7AM, then she'd be the perfect sleeper!).
• We don't have to bring them anywhere for daycare.
• I have every other Friday off to spend quality time with my babies.
• The kids go to bed between 7:00-7:30PM. 
• Claire is a good girl in public 
• Max has always been good at breastfeeding, and never had a problem taking a bottle. 
• They're my greatest joy. 
• They're covered in prayer. 

This has not-so-much helped:

• Claire is small and clumsy.  
• Claire is not independent.  If she plays independently for 10 minutes, I have an internal celebration.
• Claire wants to be held all the time.  Max likes to be held too, especially after I've been gone all day.  It's not easy to have two children wanting to be held while I scramble to make dinner after being gone for 10-11 hours and fighting traffic for an hour on the way home.  
• Max was an AWFUL sleeper the first 5 months of his life.  Shudder.  I was thoroughly sleep deprived for almost half a year, and didn't have a drop of caffeine (due to his aversion) during this period. 
• The kids go to bed at 7:00-7:30 PM (so we have a LOT to do between when we get home from work and when they go to bed).  
• Max is heavy and I am petite.  Carrying Max in his carseat and holding Claire's hand as we walk through parking lots, or through church, etc, was/is a challenge.  
• They're both in diapers so sometimes I feel that changing diapers is all I do all day!  
• For some things, I make life a little more difficult for myself, just because it's important to me.  For example, I make all of Max's baby food (except yogurt) myself.  I am very strict on sleep and make sure they are home for naps and the appropriate bedtime.  

Though it wasn't in our plans, I am so happy that they are 18 months apart in age.  I just love the age difference.  Life is busy and stressful at times, but we wouldn't have it any other way.  It's true that motherhood is the toughest job I'll ever love!