Two is different. Not harder.

I always get asked from a mother of one, if having two is hard. Well I always answer them with, "its not harder, its just different". They look at me with a puzzled look and we go on talking about other things. So to explain why its different, here is example # 23.

When having two children, its preferred that you get them to nap at the same time to get optimum quiet time for the mother. Napping at the same time is hard to accomplish, but it can be done, and when it happens, its cause for a celebration. It is hard when you can not pick the time the infant wants to take a nap, especially when the toddler does not respond well to being told to stay in their room for nap time. So it becomes more of a challenge to obtain this afternoon nap simultaneously.

Today I was looking forward to taking a shower when both children napped. So that way it didn't have to be taken with the princess in the shower with me, and the prince crying in a rocker outside my curtain. The princess has a new routine which works just about everytime, and that is the sleeping in the chair while watching Space Balls, or The Grinch. (Something less stimulating) We began at 1:30..which was later then I had wanted but she was not ready to have quiet time yet. The prince already decided it was time, even after I tried to hold him off, and he went down at 12:30. Knowing he would take a few hour nap, I thought I had time.So I waited for the princess to fall asleep. I talked on the phone to my wonderful Canadian friend, and peeked on said princess and she was napping. Right when I was about to take her to her room, I heard some noise from the princes' room. One down, the other is up. That my friends is what I mean by different. Its not harder..just means that now I have to take a shower while the prince cries outside my curtain, and I can forget shaving my legs today. :)

Its ok to strive for that optimum simultaneous nap everyday..and when it happens...jump for joy ;)