Piece of cake

Having your first child:
Challenging because it's new and unknown.  Although, in a matter of days, it becomes easy because you start to learn what that cry means, the feeding schedule, and that the pacifier is a wonderful thing.  Yes, you're up in the middle of the night.  And yes, you're still learning that you needed this toy, but not this swing...or whatever.  It's a big change in your life.

But not as big as having kid #2.

Having your second child: 
Challenging because it's not new and unknown, so you thought you would remember everything that happened with child #1, and it would all be exactly the same (because that's the only way you know); and then all of the sudden...it's so not.  You're still up in the middle of the night.  You slowly learn again that baby #2 doesn't like the swing either (although everyone else in the world swears by it).  Baby #2 eats every 2 hours instead of every 3. <--Big difference.  #2 cries and you soothe with the pacifier rather than pick up and hold, because toddler #1 is upstairs and needs you to go help her.  Baby #2 needs to start napping in his crib, but you can't lay him down at the same time as #1 because you don't want #2 to cry and wake #1 up.  But you would rather they both lay down for naps at the same time because then maybe, just maybe, you could take a shower nap.  (Priorities people.)  Laundry x 2, enough said.  When you have just 1 baby, you can skip lunch because you don't have time to eat.  When you already have #1, you can still skip your own lunch...but not hers.  And no matter what kind of routine you try - it will not work for a while.  There will be days when it all falls exactly where you want it, and you say "I can do this."  Then, that night you'll get woken up 5 times, instead of 3, and nothing seems right as the rest of those 24 hours play themselves out.

Don't get me wrong.  I LOVE having 2 kids.  I know that this is the way it's supposed to be.  I understand that it's not always going to be easy.  I am just simply saying....two is harder than one.  It's a good thing I love these munchkins.  :)