I lost count of how many people told me to "sleep while I can" or "2 kids is a lot more than double the work". So I was a bit anxious about expanding our family. I think they really did a good job of scaring me because I don't think adding another baby to our family has been THAT bad. I think it's less than double the work.
What was your experience with expectations versus reality?
GOLD / wonderful grape / 20289 posts
Interested in hearing responses, I'm kind of terrified.
hostess / eggplant / 11068 posts
I'm terrified. I was thinking about it this morning as I was getting ready for work and LO was hanging onto my leg, whining because she didn't want me to leave the room. I wondered, "How am I going to tend to a newborn when I've got a toddler attached at my hip?"...
GOLD / wonderful coffee bean / 18478 posts
@Rubies: earplugs! Nah, sometimes they're both crying and I just have to chuckle. Gotta keep a sense of humor!
hostess / eggplant / 11068 posts
@Andrea: Sometimes when DD is whining/crying, I just stare at her...Then start laughing and she gets sooooooooooooooo mad! Then it makes me laugh more...But it worsens her crying. LOL! I'm so screwed.
GOLD / wonderful coffee bean / 18478 posts
@Rubies: haha. She is so cute. Glad we get to see more pics of her now!! 
admin / watermelon / 14210 posts
i think the newborn stage was easier than i expected, then it got harder when olive wasn't napping, waking up a lot at night, but she was too small to sleep train. then charlie wasn't sleeping either and we were both pretty miserable.
also olive was taking so many naps and wouldn't stroller nap, so we were homebound a lot.
it got a LOT easier at 18 months when Olive finally started walking and she dropped to one nap and had been sleeping through the night for 2 months.
that is just our experience because we had a lot of sleep issues with both kids, but it was pretty hard for a while there. when you take just one kid, it's like having none it's so easy compared to having two! like when we go to the playground, they run in different directions!
also with one child, i went out regularly and so did mr bee as long as one of us stayed home. it was a lot harder with two. plus charlie goes to bed so late now, we have almost no time together whereas when we just had him, he was down by 7:30 on the dot.
it was harder than i expected it to be. but we've adjusted and i still think it's hard..... but life is full! and it just gets more and more fun as olive talks and becomes best friends with charlie.
hostess / wonderful watermelon / 39513 posts
Much easier! But my baby is still in that perma sleepy state. 
papaya / 10560 posts
@artbee: me too!!! hahaha! I keep thinking, "omg, I'm going to have to get 2 kids ready alone before I go to work, etc."
pineapple / 12234 posts
I really don't think it's been bad at all! There are some tasks that seem...redundant and time consuming but over all I really enjoy being a mom of 2!! @Andrea: I think our LO's have the same age gap. Maybe it's the magic number? I feel like my first really enjoyed being mommy's little helper.
GOLD / wonderful coffee bean / 18478 posts
@Mrs. Bee: @mrbee: sleep issues are tough! More often than not, if I'm trying to get one kid to sleep in, the other one will wake up early. So that is kind of a bummer.
@HLK208: mine are 2 years and 9 months apart! Is that the same?
squash / 13199 posts
I worry about this all the time. Now that LO is 14 months its getting closer and closer to time to start thinking about TTC for number 2 but its really scary!
ETA. I even worry about being pregnant and having to take care of LO number 1.. its hard work because I was so tired during my last pregnancy
blogger / pineapple / 12381 posts
I thought 2 was much harder than I expected. mainly I was dealing with my older daughter's adjustment more than anything. Things settled out pretty quickly though 21 months was tough.
pomegranate / 3503 posts
I found the infant phase of the second one was easier than. I thought. Maybe I wasn't as nervous, maybe it's because I already had a routine mapped out from my first - I just forced her into the same schedule, maybe she was just better at going with the flow. It got harder when she started eating solids for a little while and then again when she turned 1. Now she'll be 2 in a few days and things are much easier. They play together now so they keep each other busy. I don't even have to be in the same room with them anymore. I'm totally okay when husband goes away on business and have even flown with the kids by myself recently.
persimmon / 1379 posts
My younger gal is 16 months old now, and I am run ragged every day. But I don't think that it is just because of the two kid thing, I think that it is because that age is so hard!
The newborn stage was really, really easy for us. It has been a steady climb of more difficult since then. Less personal time, less time to socialize, but there it is, and I figure I will have that back in like, 5-7 years? Ha.
nectarine / 2458 posts
I'm TERRIFIED. absolutely terrified. I'm really good at being a mom to one... I'm afraid that'll go down the tubes when we add another to the mix.
coconut / 8681 posts
I'm really interested to read the answers too! I'm more excited than terrified... Which terrified me because what if I'm not scared enough?? Haha I'm crazy.
pomegranate / 3759 posts
When I got my second BFP I was more anxious than excited! I instantly thought of having two children. When my LO is whining/crying I have to chant to myself, "I planned on this pregnancy, I planned this pregnancy". It is terrifying me, but I know we will get through it. it also helps to hear others say it wasn't double the work. Thank you
pomegranate / 3980 posts
It was way easier than I thought it would be! I was freaking out thinking about having 2 kids but the newborn stage was super easy, then it has gotten progressively harder but I feel like it has been a gradual process of trial and error.
coconut / 8299 posts
So far it's a lot harder than I thought. The newborn stage was pretty easy. It's harder now that she's mobile and has her own opinions on things! Plus when my DH isn't around, I'm totally outnumbered! It was also easier for one of us to get things done while the other watched my son. Now with 2, we don't have any free time to ourselves!
pomelo / 5178 posts
I think it was easier than I expected, at first. Once we got through the initial newborn stage we had a really good run for 6 months or so. It got really hard once DS got mobile and then got even harder when DD entered the terrible threes. Now, 6 months later, we've learned a lot about managing DD's tantrums and DS is in a really fun, independent stage, so it's gotten easier again. Overall it's not as hard as I expected, but there have definitely been some trying times, having the kids so close together.
pomegranate / 3314 posts
@Andrea: @HLK208: You guys are making me feel better about my choice to TTC when LO is 2 years old (she's 13 months now). I don't know if it worked out this way for you both, but I hope to God that by the time #2 comes LO will be toilet trained. I dread the thought of two in diapers.
pineapple / 12234 posts
@meredithNYC: DS was potty trained by the time his sister arrived which was so nice.
hostess / wonderful honeydew / 32460 posts
Yep!! So much easier! I'm sure a lot of it had to do with the fact that DS is so chill and a great baby
coconut / 8305 posts
2 was much harder than expected (and I had a huge gap so no 2 in diapers, etc)..... I attribute this to P having SUCH a different demeanor than G though & pretty crying the first 5 mths of her life. G was such an easy baby so I though all babies were like that & if they weren't it was the parents fault (totally judged here... lack of schedule, etc was the reason)... I learned that isn't always the case & it took me months to adjust!
This time though.. after P I feel pretty prepared for any "kind of" child & think adding #3 will be much easier than adding #2!
GOLD / wonderful coffee bean / 18478 posts
@meredithNYC: yup, we also made sure to potty train before the baby came!
pomegranate / 3314 posts
@Andrea: @HLK208: Yep, I'm now convinced that it's the secret to less stress. Well, maybe that and the fact that I can send LO to preschool when she's 3 so I would get a little break
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
I don't know if I'm qualified to say this yet, since I've only been a mom of 2 for only 5 months, but I have to say so far... it has been easier. It has to do with the fact that my 2nd is an easier baby than my first. My older one also took to her brother immediately and is naturally so good and gentle with him.
We'll see what happens as J becomes more mobile, and the fights begin, but I'm excited for the day when they can really play and interact with each other!
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