Full Circle

Ella and Aidan were born in May of 2007. And as predicted, that first year with twins was both exhilarating and brutal. I chronicled conquering infertility, sleepless nights, 12-month-long-reflux and colic, balancing working part-time and a husband whose job takes him away from the family for days and nights on end.

I cheered on other Moms whose little ones were sleeping through the night. I was delighted in my children, but struggling with regular first-time mom stuff such as how to balance exercise, friendships and my marriage when everything I did was colored by pure exhaustion.

Outings were performed with military precision, complete with an escape route. Nights were long and bled into the days. Laundry was never ending, and I took solace in the fact that my work as a mother was legitimately much harder than that of a mom with only one newborn.

Life was just…so hard.

Months 12-24 were busy, busy, busy. Most of that time was spent trying to keep Ella and Aidan from prematurely ending their lives. Oh, they tried! Eating crumbling concrete, launching themselves off of high surfaces, careening around on play ground equipment and even a head injury resulting in a CT scan! Heck, there were even several smothering attempts!

And still, I reassured myself that the amount of stress I was experiencing on a daily basis was the direct result of having two same-aged children. I sometimes marveled at my mom-friends with only one child. I never begrudged their struggles, I just longed a little bit for the way they seemed to be so relaxed about mothering when I was trying to keep my head above water.

However, and I didn’t see it coming, and something amazing has happened.

All of those mom friends with one child? Well, they got pregnant again and have given or are soon giving birth to their second born. And here is the kicker: my life with 2 two-year olds? It is much, much easier and less difficult than having a toddler and a baby!

I can hardly believe how much fun I can have with my munchkins these days with minimal planning, packing and stressing. I honestly have a lot of compassion for my friends who are chasing after a non-napping toddler during the day and are nursing a baby through the night.

I wasn’t expecting it, but I think I have come full circle and believe that having two-same aged children actually seems easier than having two different aged singletons!

Hats off to all those Moms out there with toddlers and a newborn. You rock and are certainly more deserving of a nice glass of wine at the end of the day more than I ever was or ever will be!