Some people may think I’m crazy. Probably am.
But the truth is, I actually love my kids being super close in age. Sure it was a shock when I got pregnant 10 months postpartum, and for the second time. I was also breastfeeding full time so I thought that was enough birth control.
False.
Nope. And I’m not here to tell you there’s a right or wrong way about this. The way you parent is entirely your decision. Heck, if yours are 3-4 years apart (or more), embrace it. I’m sure you have amazing memories with your first and now you can enjoy the newborn phase.
If I told you it was all rainbows and butterflies, I would be a big fat liar. Life is messy. Motherhood is messy. Family life is messy. Having two under two, two in diapers, two not sleeping through the night, two in cribs, two needing help with everything, and two who can’t survive 5 minutes with you, can be very draining.
But what I love most is their friendship. The bond and the love they have. They are inseparable. Sure they fight. Sometimes (a lot of times) they pinch, hit, and pull each other’s hair. But they’re both so little that usually it ends with laughter, or sometimes tears, or sometimes both. But they won’t ever know life without each other and that’s why I love having my babes so close.
My son hardly had a life without his sister and my daughter will always know what it’s like to have a sibling close in age.
Of course sometimes I’m tired.
Sometimes I’m angry.
Sometimes, or a lot of times I’m overwhelmed.
But we make it work.
Ten Reasons WHY I LOVE Having Babies Close
I thrive off of routine. You need routine when you have a busy household. And are we done having kids yet? Nope. So already setting the groundwork now for a fixed routine, makes having more kids close in age actually doable and kind of fun!
I used to say “I will never have two in diapers!” Well I have two in diapers and have had two in diapers for almost 14 months now. If I’m knee deep in this parenting thing might as well keep going strong.
They nap at the same time. I’ve established this early on. Yes, my 13 month old should probably take more naps than my son, but she doesn’t. He keeps her occupied, busy, and awake half the time with his energy.
They have a forever friend in each other. They don’t know a life without each other anymore.
They go through stages together. Good and bad. You know, it’s tough sometimes but worth it because I feel like I just went through the ‘let me drop my food on the floor’ game with my son but now my daughter does it. Not new, not old, just normal.
As a mother you learn to multitask like a freaking boss. No one, and I mean no one can multitask as well as a mother.
I’ve stopped being perfect. Because gosh, it’s impossible to be perfect when you have kids close in age. But that makes it perfect because you learn to hold on to the important things and let go of what really can wait.
They play together, and with the same toys. Of course they entered the stage of fighting over toys but they work it out–sometimes.
They have the same sleeping patterns. Now this isn’t to say I sleep through the night every single night. Nope. I probably will never sleep through the night again. Heck, I’m sure baby #3 will announce itself soon.
They do everything together, which means I do it all together. At once. Through the crazy, out with crazier. But it all gets done at the same time. A perfect excuse to not being perfect.
….
Sure somedays I really struggle. Because if I could only shower alone, or poop alone, or even eat lunch alone, I think I would probably a bit more human. I don’t know. Or sometimes I would like to sit in the corner and eat an entire container of ice cream and destroy a whole chocolate bar. But this is my life. And I wouldn’t orchestrate it any other way. In fact, if I’m already knee deep in this parenting stuff, then let’s bring on baby #3, #4, #5, and #6. Because yes, I love it that much.
Seriously.
Ok, now I’m crazy.
