Married with [2] Children

So the transition going from having two kids from one, in my opinion, was a little easier than going from none to one. With this one, I guess we were already in the swing of things, though we had to start over again, in a way. But things have gone pretty well so far.

Emma’s done a pretty good job and been a great big sister. The first night we came home from the hospital and were all together, I think reality set in, and she had a hard time. She was very tired that night, and was just in tears! She kept telling us to put him down and “Hold Emma”! When it was time to go to sleep, she said “You go sleep in your bed, baby brother! We sleep in our own room!” (Hmmm…I wonder where she’s heard that before) We try to make her feel important and spend lots of one-on-one time with her. Since then, she’s been pretty good and sweet to her baby brother, or Callahan Kitty (she tells everyone that’s his name). She always likes to hold him, help change diapers, burp him, or anything else she can do. She does act up a little bit more, and we’re not sure if it’s that she wants more attention now, or if it’s just the two-year-old thing. But overall, she is very good!

There are a few things that aren’t so hot about having two kids for me. One of them is shopping. I love shopping, and it was fun and easy to take Emma and go shopping. But as we went shopping for Christmas a few times this past week, I felt like we were a circus act! Trying to get in and out of the car, lug a car seat with Callahan in it and bags around while trying to keep Emma to hold on to my hand or the car seat makes me feel like a lion tamer. Emma sometimes thinks it’s funny to let go and run in the parking lots, while I run after her with my arms full. Oh, I bet we’re a sight to see! Once we get in the store, I have to put Emma in the back of the shopping cart, since the car seat now goes in the front part of the cart.

The other thing that is kind of hard for me is trying to spend more quality time with Emma. It makes me sad that I’m not able to as much now. I feel guilty for doing necessary housework that needs to be done. I try to let her help me as much as possible, but sometimes I have to turn on movies or the TV to actually get something done, as she has done away with her daytime naps. I know when I’m feeding Callahan or something now she will tell me that he’s had enough, or that he doesn’t need to be burped. So I know she misses just the two of us. This transition will take a while for her. We try to spend lots of one-on-one time with her and make her feel special still, but it seems that she is feeling a bit jealous. She is doing better though.

Anyone have any suggestions or words of wisdom on dealing more effectively with 2 kids?