Multi-Toddler Household

As my husband says, "Having two toddlers is not like trying to keep your ducks in a row, it's like having two squirrels that are at a rave."

I was told since I was 18 I would not be able to carry children. I was ecstatic when I found out I was pregnant with my son. Skip 9 months later and here I am, sitting at my mother in laws 80's themed Supper for Northern Arizona Realtors Association and I feel this tightening in my stomach. I didn't think anything of it as I thought it was just Braxton Hicks. After about 20 minutes of this constant tightening people started noticing. My in laws around the table started asking if it was time. I was timing every one and we got to about 6 minutes apart. At that time my mother in law (who was doing on stage doing her speech) noticed me holding my belly. She mouthed, "is it time?" and I returned with "I think so!" She ended her speech with "I'm going to be a grandma tonight!"

My husband rapidly went and got the car pulling it up to the front of the conference center. People staring at me as I waddle, stopping frequently to hold my belly and cringe in pain. After, we got to the hospital they told me I was definitely in labor BUT I was only one centimeter and a half..... I had to walk for an hour having contractions every 5 to 7 minutes, crouching down and screaming into it hoping to coach him down, and nothing.... this little booger was not budging.

I went home to labor more until I was further along. All night I cringed, cried, screamed, bounced, crouched, did everything I could to bring little man down. By morning I was nauseous and ate half a bagel. I was so exhausted and my mother in law tried to give me advice on controlling the pain as I was not doing my breathing like I should.

Finally! 2 pm rolls around and I start to feel pressure. We pack up and go to the hospital. 4CM! I am finally admitted. I was going to try and go natural but after laboring all night and day I was exhausted. I took the epidural and I am so glad I did. This little man still didn't want to come. He was nice and cozy where he was. It rolls into the early hours of the Sunday and at 3:53 (right when everyone started to go home) he decided to make his appearance. He was this beautiful blonde curly haired babe. My heart just floated above my body. I was beyond my self that my body made such a beautiful thing. I was FINALLY a mom.

Fast forward to when Mason was 18 months. He was in his teething, sleep regression, no napping, start of terrible two's, into everything stage. I went to work (driving for lyft) and I stopped to get some chick-fil-a for breakfast. After two chicken minis, something wasn't sitting right. I felt nauseous. I also had been feeling bloated, tired, and had not started my period... In my mind there was NO way I could be pregnant again. No way. To prove my self right I went and got a pregnancy test and took it home. Positive. Immediately. I cried, and the first person I called was my Mema. She was head over hills happy but hormones and already having a toddler had me in tears. I was terrified.

Little miss felt like the worst pregnancy. Her sassy self caused 9 months of nausea and I had a hemorrhage between the placenta and uterus was causing worry until 16 weeks. On November 29th, I went in to have my baby girl. Her labor was induced and she came in 8 hours. I cried my eyes out at how beautiful she is. She had dark brown hair with what looked like highlights. All the nurses said it looked like she had her hair done before her debut.

The first day by my self with both kids I was over producing, had a 4 day old who woke up every hour, and had food poisoning from a local restaurant. It was just... just wonderful. As time passed and she slept longer it got a little easier. After a while I thought to my self "Hey! I have this two babe thing down!" And then it happened... She started crawling. Now I have a toddler who is climbing, crawling, running, and into everything and a 6 month old baby who is following his every step.

Let me just tell you, they love to double team mom. Mason would go get the toilet paper and give to her coaxing her to tear it up and many other naughty things. It only got worse as they got older. The toy possession started, the sibling rivalry had started. Having two in diapers is amazing too! Diaper runs go for about $100 every two weeks. Oh and don't get me started on how awesome it was when Mason decided to help change Zozo's diaper and she played in her own poop. You see there are the sweet moments where he helped her latch while breastfeeding (because he was still feeding himself when I found out I was pregnant with her so he had to show her how it was done) and he would wrap her in her blanky. He was and still is such a good big brother and helps in so many ways but here, I am about the raw fun stuff. The stuff that during you just want to curl into the fetal position and act like it didn't happen but then later you laugh and store that in your mind as one of the best memories.

Here is one. One sunny day I had a cup of coffee. We all know after coffee what happens. I had put Mason down for an early nap as he wasn't feeling well. I put a show on for Zozo (age 19 months) while I went to the bathroom. After I returned I find Miss Zo sitting on the coffee table with a jar of peanut butter. She. Had. It. Everywhere. In her hair, on her fingers, belly, feet, on the table. After picking her up to carry her to the shower I smell something. I thought "did the dog have an accident?" I look everywhere and didn't see anything. I carry her to the shower and start to wipe her down with a wash cloth when I notice some of the peanut butter is chunky looking... The peanut butter was creamy. It was at that moment I realized it wasn't just peanut butter on her, the coffee table, and in the peanut butter jar.

You see two toddlers is so much fun! It brings joy to my face when they snuggle and love on each other, or when Mason tells me what his sister is saying (in baby talk.) It is also a blast when they fight over one block (as there are 100 blocks sitting in front of them), they purposely steal each others blanky, coaxes the other one to do something naughty and get in trouble, or, oh my favorite! When they get in toddler fights!

In all reality, it really is fun having two toddlers. There may be alot of fighting, fussing, tantrums, lack of sleep, and toys everywhere but when they are snuggled on the couch with you getting mommy love, it is the best feeling in the world. Despite all my complaints, the love of these two for me and for each other warms my heart more and more everyday. Truth is having two toddlers is fun. Having two close together is the best thing I could have ever done. These little surprises they are my world, poop and all.