When I first started blogging I felt like it was such a small tight knit community and now as the blog grows so does the exposure to the crazy world of the internet. There’s so much of my life I want to share but at the same time i’m hesitant because after all it is the internet. So it’s a constant battle in my mind about what to share and what not to share etc. If you’ve noticed most of the pics on my instagram I try my best to only show the back of Ava’s head etc but on the other hand i’m a proud mama and want to share with you guys too. So I go back and forth on that all time and have tried to scale back a little on the kiddos. I hope you can understand xo
So Luca is almost 6 months old now!! Seriously where does the time go?! With Ava I swear the first year seemed like a lonnnng one for me. I was trying to find my groove and really adjust to the life as a new mama but this time around with Luca, we hit the ground running! He is the sweetest and (knock on wood) easiest baby! I now COMPLETELY understand what they say now about little boys and loving their mamas. You guys can I just say I am completely obsessed?! He is SO in love with his mama and follows me with his eyes wherever I go! I get the biggest and sweetest grins from him all day long and just cant take it!!! Seriously heart melted over here! He’s such a chill baby ( his personality is so much like his dads thankfully 😉 Ava is my little firecracker like her mama was! She is SO sweet but also very strong willed, sasssssy and stubborn. She challenges me on the daily (and it can be A LOT at times) but honestly I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Luca already has his two bottom teeth and is working on cutting his third…yikes! He is already up on all four and rocking back and fourth! We put him down on his play mat and he can completely do a 360 turning himself around and reaching for anything he can get his little hands on! I think the crawling is very soon to follow! We introduced rice cereal and lots of different stage 1 foods already too and needless to say my babes love to eat! I can’t get enough of the thigh, cheek and arm roll yumminess 😉
Going from one to two was an easier adjustment mommy wise because I was just more confident in my mommy role and we knew what to expect. On the other hand I find myself also saying “What the heck was I complaining about how hard and busy I was when I just had one”?! Ha! Motherhood is tough anyway you slice it but at least when there was only one someone got a break every now and then. Now with two it’s the constant tag team game of “you got this one okay i’ll take this one”. You really just appreciate all the simple things SO much more. Like a solo trip to target, the grocery store or shoot even just a drive alone! Going out for a drink with girlfriends, whhhhat I feel like I’m 21 again i’m so excited! So pretty much it’s how I thought it would be and maybe even a little more busy and exhausting.
How is he sleeping? How is your nap schedule with two? Does Luca still wake in night?
The first few months sleep was ALL over the place which was to be expected. We had a lot of rough nights and basically as most newborn stages go you’re just in survival mode until they start sleeping longer stretches.
At around 3-4 months we started getting some longer stretches (and by longer I mean only like 3-4 hours but hey it sure beat the every hour or two we were getting before!) It wasn’t until just a few weeks ago that he slept through the night for the first time. That still has only happened a handful of times though. I would say right now he is only waking up once a night. Lets just say i’m ready for the sleeping through the night on a regular basis! 😉
Nap schedule:
So Ava no longer naps. It was too difficult trying to get her to nap with her school schedule and to be honest we kind of like the fact that she goes to bed much earlier! If she naps then bed time is pushed way back so we’d rather her just go down early. They both are in bed by 7pm and usually up between 6 and 7 the next morning. We seriously are both exhausted by the time bath time rolls around and NEED that quiet alone time together just the two of us to recharge and just veg out together. With two it’s so constant that the “us” time can easily be put on the back burner but we both make an effort to try to put down the computers and phones and make time for each other. It’s SO important to still nourish our relationship too.
Luca doesn’t have a set nap schedule either. To be honest when there’s two i’m not sure how you can really map that out everyday. I was really hoping with the second babe he would just kind of roll with it and he does! He has certain sleep patterns but they change as he grows so were not locked down to anything yet. Maybe when his naps condenses down to a longer one or two i’ll be a bit better with it but for now he naps in the car, stroller and on the go (and I really like that). I’m so busy taking Ava around to all of her stuff that its hard to have a set nap schedule for him.
How has Ava done with the adjustment?
You know this has probably been the HARDEST part about life with two. The first month was really tough. It was a bit of an adjustment for all of us actually. She was super excited about him and wanted to hold him all the time but then totally had her moments where she reverted back to acting like a baby and just wanting all the attention. Then she had a couple great months and thought she was totally on board but occasionally has random weeks where she is SUPER clingy and needy for mama.
I don’t know if its the “three stage” or the fact that she now shares the spotlight with someone else but its just a roller coaster lately and were just never sure which Ava where going to get depending on the day lol. Some days everything goes smooth I’m like “I got thisss”!! Then other days my husband will text and ask how’s it going and only get the gun emojicon in reply lol.
Even with all the ups and downs throughout the day, having two truly is amazing! I didn’t expect to see such a bond between Luca and Ava so early on but to see his face light up watching her every move and to see her act like SUCH a little mommy to him (all day long 😉 is SO priceless! She is SO in love with him and to see their interaction…there’s just nothing better than that!
What’s the hardest part about having a toddler and a baby?
Hmmm good question! I think the hardest part is like what I talked about above with the adjustment for Ava but also struggling with the mom guilt of trying to balance the attention. Obviously you have a little baby that is literally attached to you because they need you for everything but then I have to also remember it’s a HUGE change for Ava as well. I have to remember she is only three (because she’s such an old soul) and has had us all to herself so it has to be difficult for her as well.
Does Luca sleep in bed with you?
No he slept in a co sleeper and then we switched to this rock n play and found him to sleep a little bit better in it. At around 3+ months he started unswaddling himself and rolling over so we moved him into his crib in his nursery pretty early on.
Are you Sleep Training him? If so what method?
With Ava we did sleep training and even though it was a really rough for those two weeks it was the best thing we could have done. She was a lot more work to get to sleep and I was so exhausted everyday of being the only one who could get her to sleep. I had every intention of doing the same with Luca but to be honest he is so much easier to put to sleep I haven’t really had to do it. I try to let him fuss a little bit for nap time because I wanted him to find his thumb (he actually sucks his two middle fingers…so cute) and put himself to sleep. At night time he is so tired he usually falls right to sleep after feeding so there’s no need. If he cries during the night I usually wait a couple minutes and see if he can find his fingers and put himself back to sleep. Sometimes he does and sometimes he gets really worked up so i’ll go in after a few minutes and nurse him back to sleep (it takes only a couple minutes and he is back down). I try not to change him during the night because that really wakes him up.
For nap time (at home) if he cries more than 5 minutes i’ll go in and pat his back to try to calm him down until he finds his fingers. If that doesn’t work I pick him up, rock/shush him etc to get him calm again then put him down again (and then he’s usually down). With Ava we waited more like 10-15 minutes. All babies are different so you just have to find what works best for you and your family.
Body adjustment differently this time around? Where do you find the time to workout?
Still to be determined 😉 So I gained about the same as I did with Ava this time around (maybe a few lbs more) but I still have a few more lbs to go to get back to my pre baby weight. Lets just be clear pre baby weight and pre baby shape are two different things 😉 I am very happy with my progress so far but have always been really hard on myself where I want my body to be. I love working out and just feeling in shape so my expectations of where I want to be are high. That being said life with two is even more exhausting than I thought it would be. I have always preached that I would make time to workout because it’s something that was always been important to me (oh one of the many things we all said and swore we would and would not do before we actually had our own kids 😉 but obviously that was before reality of two kids set in. I will say so far things look like they’re headed back to normal but I remember as with my first pregnancy my body really didn’t start feeling fully back to its old self until after 7- 8 months postpartum.
I was working out more consistently though after my first pregnancy so this month I have really tried to step it up and make my work outs more of priority wherever I can fit them in. Even if they are a little something here or there. I have a treadmill at home and try to hop on it when Ava was in school and Luca would nap (but her being out of school for the Summer really throws this mamas free time off 😉 Or even something simple like doing some squats/abs in the living room if everyone is playing and entertained for a few minutes. Right now i’m just trying to eat well and do what I can when I can.
How do you get ready with two kids?
Ummm it’s called mastering your 5 minute makeup routine, some wide brim hats and lots of sunnies! Week days it’s all about some tinted moisturizer, concealer and mascara. Luckily I dont have to wash my hair but every few days so i’ll wash it at night and let it air dry. Then the next day i’ll tame it with with my blow dryer and round brush and add some simple beach waves with my curling iron. Usually Ava is playing in her toy room and I have Luca in his pack n play or bouncy.
Schedule what your normal day looks like?
To be continued…that’s a long on so if you girls are interested i’ll put together a full post with that one!
What have you done differently this time around?
Hmmm like most moms will say the second time around you just let so much more slide. I’m not making my own baby food, I started introducing formula a lot sooner, and not jumping at every little peep your baby makes. We always joke and sarcastically say “wow, mom of the year” but kids are pretty resilient and as long as you show them love, make them the priority and try to your best you’re doing the best in my book.
Are you still exclusively breastfeeding?
No, I am still breastfeeding but only about 50% of the day now. We introduced formula at around 4 months because trying to get the kids out of the house with all their stuff takes forever as is let alone having to sit down and pump before you head out every time! I will say be careful when you do start to introduce it though because what starts out as one bottle a day quickly snowballs into multiple bottles a day.
How have the placenta pills worked out?
I still have not taken them ;( I’m bummed I couldn’t be of more help for you girls who were curious about them. As mentioned when I delivered I had a horrible cold (as if child birth wasn’t hard enough). You’re not supposed to take the pills if you have anything else going on with your body because its believed to amply those symptoms so I wanted to wait till it totally went away to start taking them. Well two weeks went by and while I still was recovering from the cold the baby blues didn’t seem to pop up so I never took them!
While it was a bummer I’m also kind of glad I didn’t because if I had I would be over here swearing to you that it must have been the placenta pills. So for any of you who have taken them please feel free to share your experience with them! I’m curious about them as i’ve heard mixed things and I’m sure lots of other mothers would love to know more too!!
Will there be baby #3?
Lets just say we’re not planning on it as of now. Our hands are SUPER full so thought of another gives me anxiety just thinking about it 😉
How do you find the age difference is between your kids?
I am really happy with the age difference. My husband was ready to get started on number two right away but I was so overwhelmed that I couldnt even think about having another babe until Ava was about two! I knew it was going to be crazy with two so I wanted to make sure she was potty trained, in her big girl bed and in school a couple days a week. All of those things helped out tremendously this time around! So YES! I am super happy with the age difference.
How do you manage to get everything done in your household?
The answer is I don’t! It’s been a hard adjustment and truthfully a bit stressful because I always feel like my to do list is NEVERRR ending. I’m lucky to have Ava in school a few days (counting down till Summer break is over 😉 and my husbands schedule is flexible in the mornings but everyday is still a struggle to get everything done. Between blogging full time, laundry, grocery, cooking taking care of two kiddos, a needy hubby and making a little time for myself too the household tends to be the first thing to slack. Even this post has been in the works for 5 days now (granted its a long one) but finding the time to sit down and write is a challenge too.
I’ve mentioned before that I can be a bit of a control freak but i’m beginning to realize you just can’t do it all and that’s ok. I try to organize as much a possible but as soon as I clean up it looks like a toddler bomb went off in the house again. My dinners are not as amazing as they used to be but I try to make healthy simple meals in larger servings so that I don’t have to cook every night.
I “struggle with the juggle” on the daily but I try prioritize and just do what I can. No matter what I have on my to do list I make it a point every afternoon to shut down my computer and phone, leave the house with dishes in the sink and stuff everywhere to take my kids out of the day and spend some one one time doing fun things with them. So my house looks a bit crazy most of the day and my to do list never has as many things crossed off as i’d like but those things can wait.
What are your favorite Baby Products?
If you’ve been following my blog for awhile you girls have probably seen a lot of these items before! These are our go to products and some we’ve been using for years!
JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.I hope this was helpful for you moms and mamas to be! As always obviously every babe and family are different this is just my personal experience with it all! If you have helpful tips or favorite products you couldn’t do without too please share as i’m sure other mamas reading this would love to hear!!
This was amazing! I have been reading since your first pregnancy – so I love seeing how much has changed. We are starting to try for baby #2 and have a 2 year old sassy pants as well. You give me hope that maybe I can handle another one ?
SUPER helpful! Love hearing how you're doing it all…I am barely surviving as well! Oy! But love that you love your son and how he stares at you…Wyatt is the same way and I love it!! xx
Your babies are the absolute cutest! Loved the Q&A:)
http://www.vanessasrunway.com
Thank you for this post! I remember finding your blog when you were first pregnant with Ava – how times have changed! lol Hubby and I are expecting our first so I always refer to your posts and recommendations – I even tell hubby "Well Andee recommends…" and he thinks it's so funny. lol
I love this post! I have been reading your blog since way before you had Ava and I remember being so impressed with how you handled pregnancy and then her as a baby. I'm still so impressed! I love that you're real and honest, because not everyone wants the world to know it's not perfect, but the imperfect is the best part 🙂
Andee, Thanks so much for sharing this and being so real with us! It's so nice to know I'm not alone in the way I'm feeling! My baby is almost 5 months and I often feel like I'm falling apart! I am also hard on myself with my body, etc., and haven't had time to work out at all (besides walking the dog)…I often wonder when I'll ever fit in a workout again! Hearing that it took you 7-8 months to feel normal the first time around…is encouraging, cause I always look at you and think you look amazing and snapped back instantly! Take care sweets! xoxo
Love this post!!! I know I've commented about this before on your insta but I honestly respect you so much for keeping your children so private, it must be such a hard balance between sharing your mama experience and protecting your kids and I think you do that flawlessly! The internet is such a scary place & I think you're doing a great job really looking out for their best interest above the amount of likes you can get for a photo. I've been following along since you were pregnant with Ava (& I was pregnant with my first!) and now our newest baby is three months old and we are having the same experiences over here! & I totally agree, mommy & son love is out of control amazing, as is the bond little siblings instantly share!! xo!
I am so curious about going from a family of three to a family of four. Thanks for being real. You are doing a wonderful job! Your children are so adorable!
<3
Amber
Thank you so much for this post! I've been following your blog for years but have never commented until now. I had my second child (boy) two weeks ago and have been really struggling to adjust. The biggest challenge has been my daughter who has not been handling having to share attention well at all. It's such a relief to hear that you went through something similar with your daughter, and that she will hopefully adjust with time. Thank you again for sharing a glimpse into your family life so that mamas like me don't feel so alone in the struggle!
Hi Andee! Thank you so much for this post! It's always fun to see how other mamas handle the home and family life. It's not easy, especially as you add more children, but truly the most rewarding job! I love your recommendations on purchases…I have a couple of babyshower gifts to buy! Since my makeup company has grown, I've now invested in a nanny for my 3 boys (who also cleans and does laundry), and I still work from home and get be around the kiddos. Best thing to happen to us 🙂 If you're ever in VA and have an hour or 2, let me know! I'd love to meet you in person. Keep up the great work lady! – Ana B (LoveAnaB.com)
Wow girl you have a full day! I too want to wait until my daughter is at least 2 to get pregnant (she turns 1 this month) but I never really thought about the jealously factor. They are both so gorgeous and you make it all look like a breeze (while also telling it like it is!)
Always love your baby post! I have been reading since 2 years now (my first pregnancy) and your post have always been very inspiring and reassuring to me : I'm not alone in the way I'm feeling!!! Thanks for this "real mom life" post, I love it!
It's so nice to know I'm not alone in this crazy world of 2 kids. I swear my Estella and your Ava are the same. Not only personalities but their crazy curly hair too. I just love seeing pics and hearing about her on Instagram. I've been following you since you were pregnant with her and I was pregnant with Estella. I love your little family and i just love that you keep it real. Have a fabulous day ?
I'm not even close to motherhood and really enjoyed reading this post. Thank you for taking the time to actually write up such detailed information! So useful!
http://www.elleisforlove.com
He's soooo sweet omg – just want to hold him! <3 I feel you on all fronts here!! xo B
This was an awesome update, Andee! I've been a reader since before you were pregnant and I guess that is going back! Funny how time flies in the blogosphere 🙂 I remember whne you had a black background! Ha! How's that for a throwback / didn't we all… didn't we all… #rookiemistake hehehe
Thanks for sharing. Luca is seriously the most beautiful boy ever, and of course we all love Miss Ava–what an adorable sassy pants!
Amanda @ A.Co est. 1984
Who makes the blue flannel you are wearing in the picture holding Luca in the carrier?
I’m a FIRST time mama-to-be and this was super helpful for me!! Thanks! 🙂
This post was truly awesome! I don't have kids, not even married yet (getting married in 1 week ) but you give me hope that 2 is possible without completely letting myself go. you make motherhood look so stylish 🙂 all the best to you and the fam!
I would love to hear about how you still manage to make healthy simple meals when low on time! I don't have kids but decided to go back to school later in life so I work and go to (nursing) school full time and try to keep up with running our household, so life is crazy and I don't have much time for cooking either!
I loved reading this post Andee! It makes me feel a little sane knowing I'm not alone, I have 2 boys with the same age gap as your little ones I can totally relate having a 3 year old to chase around and attending to a 4 month old! I would love to know how you get down both little ones so early at night. I feel like with daily errands, dinner, baths, etc I can't seem to get my both down any sooner than 8:30pm! I would love to hear was an average day is like for you! Thank you again for the post it's truly inspiring, helpful, and much needed to have someone to relate to! Xoxo