The hardest part about the transition from one child to two is learning how to juggle more than one. I've learned in this transition that if Alexa is crying, I am much quicker to impatience, which is not good news for a two-year-old. I've had to learn to either take care of Alexa first, or put her in her bassinet and let her cry for a minute or two while I take care of Chelsea (depending on situations and needs).
There was one day a week ago where things were just really, really hard. I called my mom and said, jokingly, but desperately, "I don't want to be a mom anymore!" Of course, Mom knew I was over-exaggerating to get my point across and helped me look at things with a better perspective and reminded me that I wasn't perfect, that I was new at this, and that things were going to get better. She also reminded me that Chelsea is undergoing a huge change as well and to try every day to be better at being patient with her.
I wouldn't say that things dramatically changed after that conversation with Mom, that I magically "got a handle" on everything, but things did get better. I remembered what Mom always taught us:
You better believe we rolled our eyes when she hung this saying up on the refrigerator. I even took a pencil to it and crossed out the word "good" to replace it with "bad." Mom got pretty mad at me for that. Years later, Dad made up his own: Hard is hard.
Either way, the more I have grown and experienced, the more I realize that Mom was right. Hard things stink, but if we view them with the proper perspective, they are good for us. Mom reminded me that patience is something that just about everyone has to work on, and just when you think you've got it semi-mastered, something else gets thrown in your face. It's a daily battle, but it's one that I'm determined to win... eventually.
There was one day a week ago where things were just really, really hard. I called my mom and said, jokingly, but desperately, "I don't want to be a mom anymore!" Of course, Mom knew I was over-exaggerating to get my point across and helped me look at things with a better perspective and reminded me that I wasn't perfect, that I was new at this, and that things were going to get better. She also reminded me that Chelsea is undergoing a huge change as well and to try every day to be better at being patient with her.
I wouldn't say that things dramatically changed after that conversation with Mom, that I magically "got a handle" on everything, but things did get better. I remembered what Mom always taught us:
You better believe we rolled our eyes when she hung this saying up on the refrigerator. I even took a pencil to it and crossed out the word "good" to replace it with "bad." Mom got pretty mad at me for that. Years later, Dad made up his own: Hard is hard.
Either way, the more I have grown and experienced, the more I realize that Mom was right. Hard things stink, but if we view them with the proper perspective, they are good for us. Mom reminded me that patience is something that just about everyone has to work on, and just when you think you've got it semi-mastered, something else gets thrown in your face. It's a daily battle, but it's one that I'm determined to win... eventually.
P.S. My sister, Carrie once said, "I want patience and I want it NOW!" Clearly, I have a very quotable family.
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