Well, I have successfully kept two kids 19 months apart alive (and fed and mostly happy) for almost 6 months now, so I thought I’d share a little about my experience transitioning to two kids, and some tips that others who are in the same boat, or will be soon, may find helpful.

First of all, you can read my post on preparing to transition to two kids here. As you may recall, I wasn’t that nervous. Most things about mothering and parenting don’t make me too nervous, to be honest. So I came into this two kid thing without too much worry or anxiety. And so far, that has served me well. Mainly, having two kids is a blast. Watching Abe and Eliza interact is one of the best things about each day. They both adore each other already, and I can not wait to see that love and adoration grow as they grow up and older together.

Say “yes” to help.

Having help was by far what got me through the first few weeks. We are blessed to live 2.5-3 hours away from family (as opposed to 12 hours away like we did with Abe) so we were able to have some family come up and help. We also have some great neighbors and friends that brought us dinner. My in-laws drove up when I went into labor, so they could watch Abe, and stayed with him while we were in the hospital, and a day after that. The four of us then had family time that next week, while Kyle was off of work, which was fantastic, and then came my in-laws drove back up the next week to help out a little more. The week after that was Thanksgiving, so my mom and sister drove up to help out and spend that break with us. My wonderful MIL also made about 10 freezer meals for me, which was SO AMAZING. Plus we had about 4 others brought to us by friends, and one friend of mine took Abe a couple of mornings to play with her son who is his age. We were so blessed, and while I know that isn’t an option for everyone, if you are given an option, say YES.

Take it one day at a time and try to remember it’s just a phase.

I know this is easier said then done. Boy, do I! The first few weeks and months are the hardest. You have a newborn who doesn’t sleep through the night and who needs to be fed and held often. Plus you now have a little toddler who wants all of your attention, too. And both children will probably cry when they don’t get what they need and want. It’s enough to drive even the most patient mom crazy. But, as you’ve no doubt learned by now, it’s just a phase, and every phase ends.

Meal prep ahead of time.

This means two things to me. One, make freezer meals before your little bundle of joy comes. You’ll want all those options for after you have the baby and your husband goes back to work. And two, take the time to meal prep on weekends after the baby comes. On a Saturday or Sunday, prepare snacks in portion sizes for you to grab during your busy days, and prepare veggies, etc (or even make the whole meal in a casserole dish) for your meals during the week. Taking the time to do this on a weekend when your husband is home to help will take a lot of your frustration out of your week (I can’t be the only one who hates cooking dinner with two small kids, right?! or the only one who hardly eats because who has time for that?!).

Take “you” time.

Whether this is during nap time, or on a weekend or evening when your husband is home to watch the kids – you do you. Take a bath, read a book, go out for ice cream or even go to bed early! Take the time to recharge. You need to feel rested and charged up in order to take care of your kiddos. This is vital to your mental health! So do it. You’ll feel so much better.

Spend time with your older child.

Abe definitely is much happier when I make an effort to spend time with him. Whether it’s playing blocks, snuggling while watching a movie, reading books together… He needs that one-on-one time, and honestly, so do I! Making time to be with him is definitely a priority. He also loves one-on-one time with Daddy, which usually is spent outdoors in the yard.

So there you have it.

A few things that helped me get through the last few months. Overall, things have gone pretty smoothly. We have days that Abe tried to push Eliza off our laps, and days that he just is really crabby, because of a lack of attention, but mostly, he’s always right up next to me trying to feed Eliza or hug Eliza or snuggle Eliza. And it’s the sweetest thing.