A few weeks ago, I asked one of my very best girlfriends if she’d be interested in writing for OnAnotherCoast. I get so much joy out of sharing different things on here and thought that it would be interesting to hear someone else’s thoughts and points of view as well. Luckily she agreed rather quickly (as long as I gave her some starting points on what to write about). I knew right away that I wanted her to share how in the world she does it all being a mom of 2 under 2. Also, I’ve always wondered for moms of more than one child, before having the second, were there things you worried about and are those things true? Are there things you never even realized would happen until you were dealing with 2 children? I’ve always been interested in the reality of life instead of the “white picket fence” joy of (especially) pregnancy and motherhood. I’ll be the first to tell you I absolutely loathed being pregnant and to this day giving birth is still one of my biggest fears (and I’ve already done it), so that should really paint a picture of where I stand LOL. So without further ado, I’d like to officially introduce you to Mrs. Carissa Nishanian!

Carissa and I met through our husbands who met playing professional soccer together. We both played the WAG role for quite some time and had very similar experiences as far as moving away from everyone and everything we knew to help support our husbands (she moved to Pennsylvania and I moved to Florida). We’ve been through a lot of life stages together including pregnancy- the texts we shared during that time could probably fill an entire book covering all the ups and downs and bipolar emotions felt throughout those 9 months of craziness, which thinking about now, actually makes me laugh.

Carissa is the type of person who will cheer and route for you like no other (at least she always has for me) and she’ll also be the first to tell you if you’re wrong or if she sees things differently, which is rare to have in friendships and something I respect and appreciate. There’s no judgment between the two of us and I’m so blessed to walk through life with her by my side, especially as we continue to move through all of life’s stages together.

One of those stages that I’ve yet to meet, is going from one child to two. I think that’s a unique time for many mothers, one that is (I assume) full of wonder, fear, excitement, and probably full of questions. Carissa has seriously nailed the role and watching her in action with both babes is an amazing feat and one that so seamlessly reminds me how truly amazing women are! Now, let’s hear from the woman herself!

*******************************************************************************

2 under 2 was never the game plan for my husband and I, but we did know we wanted kids close in age. We both have older siblings that are 4 years older and we both thought that was too far. My boys are 21 months apart and I must say despite how rough it was in the beginning, we would not change a thing. I mean if you can handle labor pains, sore nipples, and a crappy pelvic floor then 2 under 2 is nothing lol. As I was pregnant with baby number two many things would cross my mind pretty frequently such as: will I love them as much as my first born (that first born love is very strong), how will I balance my time between them both, how will I eat/go to the bathroom, clean the house, workout, and manage outings solo (all while my husband is gone 2-4 days a week, thanks to that fire life lol). The list can go on and on. As a mother I cannot help but love doing it all myself. I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a pride thing, I just truly love the load as a mother and just love doing it all for my boys. When baby boy made his arrival 4 months ago my husband and I felt complete (well my husband said he wanted another the moment he held him but I will save that topic for another day lol). I will be 100% transparent with you all, I did not cry like I did with my first, BUT I did feel incredibly happy. My heart exploded with so much love, holding him for the first time I just felt so complete and I just felt so confident as a mother because I knew exactly what to do and what my baby boy needed. There was no “what’s next”. I was ready for it all.

Expectations:
Becoming a mother of 2 under 2 my expectations were low as I was nervous/scared to care for two so close in age all while recovering (2x c-section mama here). As a mother I felt I needed to mimic the same things I did with my first. For instance, I needed to breastfeed minimum 6 months or longer, stimulate him the same way, follow the same nap/feeding schedule, and the list can go on. But the moment we got home all that went out the window. We had to focus more on our first born as we just shook his world. It took a solid 2 weeks for him to adjust but once he did things were slowly starting to fall back into place. However, my milk supply was not as strong as it was with my first, so boom expectation number one out the window. I only made it a month breastfeeding this time around. In part because I was not producing as much, but also because hubby went back to work after 3 weeks and I was solo and mentally having a hard time nursing while caring for a toddler and recovering. So mamas know IT IS OKAY to formula feed your baby! Happy mama & happy baby is most important!! To add to the mental stress, when I would try and stimulate baby boy my toddler would come and take everything thinking they were his toys. Boom, expectation two out the window. So our new way of stimulation is playing with my toddler and baby boy just watching his brother bounce off walls, bouncy chair, play gym, and in his carrier while watching his brother at soccer practices/games. The one expectation that worked was his feeding/nap schedule (thank goodness). I used the same schedule for both my babies and boy its magic! Both babies have been sleeping through the night since 3 months and in their own bed and nope not once did I co-sleep with them. I love my bed too much to share lol. So mamas please be kind and patient with yourself during the new transition. It will feel overwhelming, but I promise one hour at a time and before you know it you will be doing it with your eyes closed!

My life now:
As of today, I have such a great schedule with my boys and looking back those rough weeks/months were SO worth it! Seeing their bond and my toddler love on his brother so naturally just melts my heart so much.

Here is a glimpse of my daily schedule with 2 under 2:

7am: Boys wake up
7:30am: Baby boy has his first bottle/big brother has breakfast
8:30am: Get ready for the day
9am: Gym time with mama (yes, the boys go to the gym with me & baby boy takes a nap in his
car seat)
10:30am: Bottle for baby boy
12pm: Nap for baby boy; lunch for big brother
1:30-2:30pm: Nap for big brother
1:30pm: Bottle for baby
3:30pm: Nap for baby boy
4:30pm: Bottle for baby boy
6pm: Dinner for big brother
6:30pm: Bath time for babies
7-730pm: Bed time for both babies

Well there you have it! Please let me know your thoughts and keep being SUPER MOMS!!

***********************************************************************************

Quick thank you to Carissa for sharing her thoughts and her experiences! I hope you all have a great Mother’s Day weekend and make sure you really take a second to thank all the mothers you know out there, because no matter how easy we all make it look (because we do right? 😉 ), it is hard work!