Two Kids Is No Joke: The Challenge of Going from 1 to 2

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Someone said something to me once; it stuck with me because it hit me like a ton of bricks one day: Two kids is no joke.

When Amelia was born, my world was turned upside down with having a baby, and that became our new normal. It was hard, but eventually we became accustomed to the life. And then when Lincoln was born, our new normal was turned upside down. Again. Two nap schedules, trying to pump while the other is having an “I broke my crayon crisis,” taking two kids on errands and then putting them both down for bed at night. It is exhausting.  

See, raising one child is a tough thing to do.

Make room for a car seat, keep your baby from every reachable choking hazard, micromanage and over-think every parenting decision because the type of sunscreen you buy is life or death! Will people judge me for this or that? Can anyone tell I’m a hot mess? Is it obvious? Where are my keys? WHY IS THERE NO CHANGING TABLE IN THIS BATHROOM? Breathe. Breathe.

With two children, you’ll have to kiss the date-life goodbye, for a while anyways. It’s tough to find a babysitter for one child, let alone two. It’s difficult and nearly impossible to have a date night with just the two of us. Bedtime isn’t exactly a breeze with a 5-year-old and a 1-year-old. I know there’s a light at the end of this tunnel and as they get older, they’ll become self-sufficient and won’t require a diaper bag and lecture with every drop-off.

As hard as it is, I wouldn’t have it any other way.  

It’s an odd thing, falling in love with your second child. You think your heart couldn’t possibly get any bigger and more full…and then you’re completely captivated by a new kind of love. A love x2.  

You will honestly feel your soul melting into a puddle of goo when the siblings first meet, and you will gush with love over how much big brother/sister loves the baby. There are no words for this moment. Your heart will explode.  

My 5-year-old is a great babysitter — for short-term purposes. Babies are clingy little stinkers. Sometimes if I’m brushing my teeth or step away from the swing to fold some towels, the baby gets fussy. Guess who pushes the music button on the bouncer? Guess who picks up the fallen paci? Guess who comes to me and says, “Mom, Lincoln spit up again.” Yep, that would be the big sister.  

As hard as it has been, it’s been equally, if not more, beautiful and rewarding.

My husband and I both work full-time outside the home, so that makes things a little crazier. We try to find ways to smile and laugh through the chaos. I think it was when we were on the way back from a family gathering and both kids were screaming (one from exhaustion and one just jabbering) that we had to laugh through the chaos and then at the same time, we both said, “two kids is no joke.”

And now it’s a running line in our home.

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Autumn Longmire
I live in La Follette, TN with my husband Luke and our 3 children: Amelia (8), Lincoln (3), and Arthur (newborn). I'm a kindergarten teacher in the public school system and I absolutely love what I do. I'm very passionate about education and the well-being of children all over the world. I like to write about my experiences as both a mother and a teacher. Balancing both is really tricky, and I'm still getting the hang of it. My husband, who I truly believe is the world's best father, is an auctioneer at his family business Longmire Realty & Auction Co. While we love our jobs, we value family time the most. We spend a lot of time outdoors and love to go camping all over the east coast.

1 COMMENT

  1. Ok, maybe I love this article because I have two little ones, five and 10 months (who’s name happens to also be Lincoln!), or maybe because I couldn’t agree more..2 kids is no joke! No matter how overwhelmed I get, I wouldn’t have it any other way either and always try to remember these days won’t last forever and I’ll miss it one day! Great read!

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