I have TWO kids, and the many way I know it...

I went to the doctor's today. Rest assured, I'll be around for a while. I know you were all worried. But I took baby number 2 with me, while baby number 1 was at school. This started a discussion between the nurse and I about children. And what we do differently. I started thinking 'There's no way I could have changed my parenting that much'.

And then I really started thinking about it.
And thinking about it.

Which resulted in todays post. The many ways I have changed how I parent from Child 1 to Child 2.



With Child 1, everything had to be new. And clean. And pretty.
With Child 2, used is totally fine. Clean is a relative term. And as long as there isn't poop on it, it's   acceptable.

With Child 1, I carried a diaper bag everywhere. Literally everywhere.
With Child 2, a bottle shoved in his car seat and my wallet shoved in his car seat will get us just about anywhere.

With Child 1, I monitored milestones like a Nazi.
With Child 2, I'm kinda sure he is on track, but I can't remember just when he started rolling over.

With Child 1, everything was sterilized and put away correctly.
With Child 2, I wash em and shove em in the cupboard.

With Child 1, his clothes always matched- even to go to bed.
With Child 2, he's lucky if his socks match. And bedtime- HA!

With Child 1, I monitored what he ate constantly and he had only age appropriate food.
With Child 2, he's had oreos and Cheetos before his first birthday.

With Child 1, I read parenting books.
With Child 2, I used the parenting books to prop up the corner of his wobbly dresser.

With Child 1, everyone had to wash their hands before touching him.
With Child 2, if they look clean, have at it. TAKE HIM!

With Child 1, I took pictures of everything!
With Child 2, I can't even find my camera. Uploaded cell pictures will have to do.

With Child 1, I constantly called Daddy to make sure all was ok.
With Child 2, I inform him the kids are asleep and I'm going to work and good luck!

With Child 1, I felt bad if I went anywhere that wasn't work for the first year.
With Child 2, I look for reasons to have to go somewhere, anywhere, for an hour.

With Child 1, I would have loved to quit my job and stay home.
With Child 2, I would love to go back to work. Daycare is beneficial they say......


I'm sure there are so many more that I haven't even thought of yet. As a child, I used to tell my mother I thought my sister could get away with murder simply because she was Child 2 and I was Child 1. I had rules, I had expectations, I had to do it all. Keep in mind, Child 2 had expectations and rules too, but as Child 1, they seemed way more attainable. Children have funny ways of thinking.

Now I just realize that by Child 2, Mommy is tired. Mommy knows what will kill a child and what won't. Will Cheetos REALLY mean he will end up obese? Or will it simply stop the crying long enough for me to put on clean underwear? Will taking the diaper bag with us everywhere really do anyone any good? Or will it be YET ANOTHER thing for Mommy to carry when everyone else's arms get tired.

Thankfully, there are only Child 1 and Child 2 in my house. There will be no Child 3. I'm fearful of what Child 3 may have gotten in the way of child rearing. By then, I probably would have put a juice box in a bottle, handed him so crackers and taken a nap on the couch.

Thank GOD Child 3 is not anything we have to worry about around here.