March 6th 2013.

T2 is exactly one month old. T1 is one month shy of his 3rd birthday.

The first waking of the night happens around 2 am.

Read more →

I have only a handful of images of me with my mom growing up. She says she tried, but no one ever wanted to take over the camera. I’m trying to make sure this doesn’t happen with me and my own kids, but I’ve realized that the same thing is happening once again with my own kids! There really aren’t that many photos of T1 with his grandma, and I want to make sure that doesn’t become the status quo for us.

So four days after T2 was born we cleared out a corner of my bedroom and did a quick photo session with T1, T2, and Nana. I was tired, sweating, and exhausted afterward but these pictures are so worth it. My parents are coming back in early March and I might try and convince them to do one more quick session with the kids while both Nana and Papa are here so they have nice pictures with grandpa as well. Next time we visit Poland I want to do the same thing with That Husband’s family as well!

When I launched Jenna Cole, my mom told me “No matter what kind of success you find with your business, you’ll be so glad you have this equipment and these skills when you have kids.” She was so right.

Read more →

T1 started his life out sleeping in a First Years Close and Secure Sleeper (it actually goes in your bed and I plan on using it with T2 as well), moved into the swing, and then transitioned to a pack-n-play at 4 months. Until October of 2012 he slept alone in a crib, and then we decided to potty train, which meant he needed to be in a bed where he was freely able to use the bathroom whenever he needed (of course, he still won’t go pee alone, but that will come with time I hope!). I liked the Montessori approach that puts the mattress directly on the floor, which meant we didn’t have to buy a bed frame, he would be able to easily get in and out of bed (and he loves being able to lay on his side and play with his trains as he goes to sleep!), and also gave us the space to keep the futon in his room that we use for guests and reading books.

On October 20th we put him in a big boy bed for the first time.

The first few nights, he came out a few times to ask for milk* or tell us he had to go to the bathroom again, but things were going surprisingly well. I thought maybe this was it. He was both potty-trained and sleeping in his own bed at night!

Ha!

Two weeks later, he started coming into our bed in the middle of the night. He was starting in his own bed, but then I’d be tapped by a little hand in the middle of the night asking to sleep in mama’s bed.

Read more →

My mom left yesterday evening, TH is still on paternity leave, and my sister comes on Wednesday for just shy of a week, so maybe I should wait to write this out until I’ve managed things on my own for a bit but…

I was terrified to have two. It felt so overwhelming and I had no idea how I was going to manage any of it, with or without help. I know it’s going to get hard when it’s just me and two young children on the afternoons and nights during the week, but I can see how it’s possible. There will be lots of tantrums from T1, T2 will sometimes have to wait (T1 is learning this lesson already), and I might not ever get anywhere on time, but it’s possible.

Hopefully writing that out will buoy me up in a few weeks when I’m a hormonal, lonely, overwhelmed, sobbing mess dealing with two children who refuse to sleep the way I need them to in order to stay sane.

Here is a similar picture of T1 right after birth if you’d like to compare! Read more →