When you tell people you're going to have a second baby, they say all kinds of quasi-mathematical things about how much harder life will be. They don't tell you what an unadulterated joy it is to expand your heart again and to witness both of your babies doing the same.
Nine months in to having two kids I am still waiting for the other shoe of jealously to drop, but it hasn't. Maybe the 4.5 year age gap is a sweet spot. It's the very same gap that has made me worry about whether they will be close, but now I am optimistic that they will be. I hope we can be the kind of family that spends enough time together that they will always be friends who can come close to a full understanding of each other. Right now they have a perfect match of silly energy and game adulation. In a few months, I envision D moving from reciting books to Dd to actually reading to him. Car rides are more fun for everyone too. It's gravy.
I'll temper this slightly by saying that the hardest part of having two was putting Dd down for his third or fourth nap of the day when he was a newborn, when D would get fed up with being alone in the house. He'd argue that he could stay in the room quietly, which never worked. Through it all he was mature enough to never be upset with Dd, but only with the situation or occasionally me.
People also ask what it's like the second time around when you know more. More than the knowledge, the increased confidence, and the hecticness, the biggest difference is that for this second baby, there is someone else who is as close as can be.
Nine months in to having two kids I am still waiting for the other shoe of jealously to drop, but it hasn't. Maybe the 4.5 year age gap is a sweet spot. It's the very same gap that has made me worry about whether they will be close, but now I am optimistic that they will be. I hope we can be the kind of family that spends enough time together that they will always be friends who can come close to a full understanding of each other. Right now they have a perfect match of silly energy and game adulation. In a few months, I envision D moving from reciting books to Dd to actually reading to him. Car rides are more fun for everyone too. It's gravy.
I'll temper this slightly by saying that the hardest part of having two was putting Dd down for his third or fourth nap of the day when he was a newborn, when D would get fed up with being alone in the house. He'd argue that he could stay in the room quietly, which never worked. Through it all he was mature enough to never be upset with Dd, but only with the situation or occasionally me.
People also ask what it's like the second time around when you know more. More than the knowledge, the increased confidence, and the hecticness, the biggest difference is that for this second baby, there is someone else who is as close as can be.
January
February
May
May
June
This is adorable and absolutely true.
ReplyDelete