Winstead Wandering

Prone to Wander

Free Mother’s Day Printables (for Grandma, too!)

by

These adorable and FREE Mother’s Day printables make perfect inexpensive gifts! They’re a thoughtful keepsake Mom or Grandma will treasure, and they’re perfect for creating an annual tradition.

These adorable and FREE Mother's Day printables make perfect inexpensive gifts! They're a thoughtful keepsake Mom or Grandma will treasure, and they're perfect for creating an annual tradition.

Mother’s Day is this Sunday!


I created these fun and free Mother’s Day printables (with a grandma version, too) as a cute way to memorialize my kids’ thoughts about me and their grandmothers. It’s true that kids really do say the darnedest things, and who appreciates that more than moms and grandmas? Probably no one, which is why these printables make such great gifts.

These adorable and FREE Mother's Day printables make perfect inexpensive gifts! They're a thoughtful keepsake Mom or Grandma will treasure, and they're perfect for creating an annual tradition.

The pages are great for giving on their own, especially if you don’t usually buy Mother’s Day gifts for grandmas. They make wonderful gift-giving inspiration, too; let your child’s response to one of the blanks (“she loves to wear…”) serve as a starting point when it’s time to shop for presents.

To get this free Mother’s Day printable, as well as free access to all my printables, simply sign-up below for my free newsletter. If you’re already signed up, the link and the password you received in the original email are all you need.

Subscribe to our newsletter to access FREE printables!

* indicates required



Once you subscribe, you’ll get an email with easy-to-follow instructions for accessing the printables library. Be sure to check your spam/junk folder if you can’t locate the email.

Pin these Free Mother’s Day Printables for later!

These adorable and FREE Mother's Day printables make perfect inexpensive gifts! They're a thoughtful keepsake Mom or Grandma will treasure, and they're perfect for creating an annual tradition.

Tips for Easy School Lunches

by

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #2Good2Bear #CollectiveBias

Does packing your kids’ lunches fill you with dread? It doesn’t have to! Check out these tips for easy school lunches.

Does packing your kids' lunches fill you with dread? It doesn't have to! Check out these tips for easy school lunches.


My two oldest kids started school this year. I went from only worrying about my own lunch to being responsible for the three of us (full disclosure: J makes their lunches sometimes, too). I started the school year with big ideas about what I’d pack them and how I’d make the process easier. Some of those ideas panned out, some of them flopped, and some have been tweaked to create what I consider to be a pretty streamlined system.

Tips for Easy School Lunches

Prep for the Whole Week on Sunday

Maybe you can relate to this: Sunday night brings the best intentions regarding school lunches. You’re going to pack well-rounded meals every day. Monday goes well, and Tuesday isn’t bad either, but things go downhill. By Friday, you’re raiding the pantry for combination of items that won’t draw judgment from you kids’ teachers.

Here’s my best tip for overcoming that weekly slide: do as much prep work as possible on Sunday. This can include slicing cheese, making sandwiches, cooking a batch of chicken nuggets or pasta and portioning it into containers. Basically, do in advance anything you can. Not only does it take little additional time to make five sandwiches instead of one, you’ll also save yourself the headache of doing the same chore four more times during the week.

Turn to Ready-Made Treats

I’d say at least 80 percent of what I send in my kids’ lunches is prepared in our home. I’m not talking homegrown produce or from-scratch bread, but instead of prepackaged cheese and crackers, we buy a box of crackers and a brick of cheese. We do this to save money and to make sure our picky eaters get meals we know they’ll eat.

Does packing your kids' lunches fill you with dread? It doesn't have to! Check out these tips for easy school lunches.

There are times I turn to store-bought snacks, though, because they’re convenient and because my kids love them. One of our favorites is TEDDY SOFT BAKED Filled Snacks. My kids love that they’re shaped like bears, and I love that they don’t contain artificial colors, artificial flavors, or high fructose corn syrup. They’re made with ingredients I’m familiar with, like eggs and milk (and, of course, chocolate!).

Does packing your kids' lunches fill you with dread? It doesn't have to! Check out these tips for easy school lunches.

Don’t forget to use ibotta to earn cash back when you purchase TEDDY SOFT BAKED Filled Snacks.  I grab them in the cracker/cookie aisle at Walmart when I’m stocking up on other school-lunch necessities. If you were there February 23, you might have noticed a fun demo featuring TEDDY SOFT BAKED Filled Snacks and GoGo Squeeze.

Use Your Freezer

A long time ago, before I had kids, I saw a tip about making and freezing peanut butter sandwiches. I thought it was ridiculous because peanut butter sandwiches are crazy easy to make. Then I had kids, and those kids started school, and I learned how naive I’d been. Sure, making a peanut butter sandwich may take two minutes, but that’s sometimes two minutes you don’t have.

Now, I buy a loaf or two of bread and use all the slices to make peanut butter sandwiches. I half them, freeze them, and pull them out one at a time as needed. I also use the freezer for berries purchased fresh in season and for pureed vegetables used to make our own pouches.

[Read more…]

What’s in My Diaper Bag

by

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BetterBottles #CollectiveBias

What’s in my diaper bag? The necessities and the unnecessary, as told by an experienced mom of three little ones.

What's in my diaper bag? The necessities and the unnecessary, as told by an experienced mom of three little ones.


So much has changed since I first became a mom. I remember so vividly how overwhelmed I felt when we first brought G home from the hospital. I had younger siblings and cousins, and I’d even cared for infants as part of my brief job as a daycare worker. But then we got home and it was just the three of us and the vastness of all the things I didn’t know.

I feel like I’ve come a long way in nearly six years. Baby number three, Q, is nearly four months old and, while I can’t say I’ve completely stopped texting my mom questions and consulting Dr. Google, I feel much more confident in my parenting than I did back then.

One of the dozens of things that has changed since G was born is my diaper bag packing skills. When he was a baby, I would fill a huge bag with all the “essentials”: a ton of diapers, several outfits, and way too many burp cloths and bibs. I also left out several items that would have been useful to have.

So what’s in my diaper bag now that I’m a more seasoned mom? Let’s take a look.

What’s in My Diaper Bag

The biggest mistake I made when packing G’s diaper bag was filling it with stuff for him- more stuff than he’d ever need in one outing- and nothing for me. Now, when I pack Q’s bag, I focus on both of us.

What's in my diaper bag? The necessities and the unnecessary, as told by an experienced mom of three little ones.

For Baby

Basically, baby just needs food and a clean diaper. I toss in a clean outfit or two, but mostly everything other than food and diapers is inessential. I pack one diaper for every hour or two we plan to be away from home, plus wipes and a changing pad. Unless we’re in the middle of fighting a rash, I leave the creams and powders at home. They just take up precious space in the diaper bag and I don’t need them. Same goes for extra clothes; one outfit is all you need, unless your little one is known for spitting up or blowing out.

I exclusively pump for Q, so I have to pack bottles and pumped breast milk. Finding bottles that worked for her was a little tricky this time around; she didn’t care for the two expensive brands we used for G and B. We ended up discovering that she prefers more affordable options, like these Playtex Baby™ VentAire® bottles (how fitting is it that my infant daughter is as frugal as I am? Do you think she knows that 3-packs of  Playtex Nurser 8 oz., VentAire 9 oz., and VentAire Color sat Walmart have a $3 off coupon on them?)

What's in my diaper bag? The necessities and the unnecessary, as told by an experienced mom of three little ones.

We’re enjoying these bottles for a few reasons. Some of the reasons are obvious, like the way the Anti-Colic Bottom Vent soothes Q’s tummy troubles, or the way the angled design promotes semi-upright feeding, which I just learned is supposed to help prevent ear infections (yes, please!). We also like them because the wide mouth makes it so easy to pour in breast milk or scoop in formula. That same wide opening makes the whole thing a breeze to clean, so much more so than some of those other bottles that seem to have a gazillion different parts.

[Read more…]

What to Pack in a Toddler Carry-On

by

Take it from a mom who travels frequently with young children: here’s everything you need to know about what to pack- and what not to pack- in a toddler carry-on.

Take it from a mom who travels frequently with young children: here's everything you need to know about what to pack- and what not to pack- in a toddler carry-on.

Flying is pretty routine for our children. G took his first flight at just over a month old, B when she was two weeks. Since then, we’ve traveled numerous times with both of them. I’ve lost count of how many times each has been on a plane, but I know G, who is five, has taken more than a dozen round-trips. By now, we feel like we’ve got a pretty good grasp on what to pack in a toddler carry-on to make the trip as smooth and, dare I say fun, for all involved.

What to Pack in a Toddler Carry-On


Take it from a mom who travels frequently with young children: here's everything you need to know about what to pack- and what not to pack- in a toddler carry-on.

What We’re Bringing

The picture is what will be in B’s backpack. I buy most snacks and activities in pairs, so G’s will be nearly identical.

  • Crayons and a zipper pouch (both from Dollar Tree): We have plenty of crayons at home, but these are fresh and unused and will make the kids’ day.
  • Coloring: Paw Patrol coloring activity (Toys ‘r’ Us), Jake and the Neverland Pirates coloring book (Dollar Tree), Frozen art set (Toys ‘r’ Us), and Jake and the Neverland Pirates activity (Target). These were all $1 each and they feature our toddlers’ favorite characters. The Frozen activity has stickers, and we’ll have fun coloring the rest.
  • Homemade playdough, a plastic spoon, and a cookie cutter (all brought from home). It’s a little unconventional as far as airplane activities go, but it holds B’s attention longer than any activity or TV show, and G enjoys it, too.
  • LeapPad (Amazon). I originally bought the pink one for G for $40 during a Black Friday sale and it’s since been passed on to B. We don’t have any expensive games or apps, but B has a blast using the built-in coloring feature and watching a few inexpensive videos. We’ve since bought a newer one that G will bring. It has a few math and reading games that he enjoys.
  • Snacks: baby food pouches (Big Lots, peanut butter crackers (Dollar Tree), and Peppa Pig cookies (Big Lots). These snacks totaled $5 and the crackers will be shared between both kids for both our flights out and our flights back. We love those pouches because they’re a mess-free, healthy, on-the-go treat.

There are, of course, some things we’re bringing that aren’t pictured:

  • Blankets: we bring one blanket for each kid. They both have an attachment to a particular blanket, so bringing those will comfort them. The blankets will also be nice if it gets chilly and when we try to convince them to nap.
  • Extra Batteries: this one is a no-brainer if you’re bringing electronics of any kind. We love rechargeable batteries because we can charge them during a layover.
  • Headphones: pack headphones if you’re bringing any type of electronics, but also if the airplane might have in-flight entertainment. Most airlines will sell headphones, but they’re expensive and ill-fitting. These are our favorite kid headphones.
  • Reusable water bottles: we have and love these Nalgene bottles and we always pack them when we fly. It’s so much cheaper to fill those bottles at water fountains or with free water on the plane than to buy several overpriced bottles. In addition to the reusable bottles, we also bring flavored water drops. The kids don’t drink juice, but they love flavored water.
  • Extra clothes: we pack two extra pairs of clothes for each kid. They’re still toddlers and you just never know what sort of accidents, potty or otherwise, might happen. It never hurts to throw in an extra outfit for yourself, too, just in case. In addition to those extra clothes, we also pack a few plastic grocery bags because, if anything gets wet or dirty, we’ll want somewhere to put it.
  • More snacks: we aren’t spending 12 hours traveling with only a few snacks for our kids. B and G don’t always care for fast food, especially when we’re traveling, so in addition to the snacks pictured we’ll bring a few bananas, Goldfish crackers, and granola bars.
  • Medicine: I always bring medicine in case one of the kids gets a fever during our travel day. We also pack Benadryl to give the kids before our longest flight, which is about three and a half hours (this is something our doctor suggested we do). The kids wouldn’t nap otherwise. I think we all appreciate the sleep they get.
  • Wipes and Sanitizer: Both are no-brainers when packing a toddler carry-on. My kids can make a mess eating just about anything, so between cleaning them and the surfaces around them, we go through a lot of wipes (when they’re younger we just use diaper wipes; as they get older, we mostly use Wet Wipes). My kids hate the sound of- and refuse to use- those loud hand dryers in the bathroom. If those are the only option in the airport bathroom, we skip it and use hand sanitizer instead.

[Read more…]

Potty Training Made Easy

by


It seems I’m no good at potty training.

The entire process went poorly with G. At the time, I chalked it up to inexperience on my part and resistance to change on his part. Some kids are more difficult to potty train than others, I told myself.

And then it was time to potty train B. I’d say it went slightly better than it did with her brother. Part of that is because we had more experience under our belts, and part of that is because I got a little bit wiser.


Potty training doesn't have to be the exhausting battle it was for us. Here are the tips and tricks we've used discovered to make it easier on everyone.

Before I had kids, I wasn’t going to be a mom that bought Pull-Ups® Training Pants. I thought they were an unnecessary step between diapers and underwear. I thought they just prolonged potty training and confused the child about what the goal was.

I was wrong.

It turns out toddlers thrive on consistency and diapers don’t teach potty training skills like Pull-Ups do. Plus, they look and fit more like underwear, giving your child the independence to slide his pants on and off.

By the time we started the potty training process with B, I’d learned my lesson. With her, Pull-Ups were a big part of the process, and they were also why it was easier on all of us. We used Pull-Ups to help B make the transition from diapers to underwear. Thanks to Pull-Ups, B felt like a big girl because we no longer had to change her diapers, but J and I didn’t have to worry she’d have an accident while we were in public.

Pull-Ups are super easy to put on and take off; the stretchy sides make them way more convenient than any other options we tried. Even though we’re grateful we discovered them in time to take a lot of the stress out of potty training B, that doesn’t mean the process was without hiccups. She’s a super stubborn kid- strong-willed, we like to say- and she can’t be easily coaxed into doing anything she doesn’t want to do.

All of the mistakes we made potty training G and B have solidified my desire to do a better job when it’s time to train baby number three. Luckily, I found the Pull-Ups website, and it’s full of resources to help make the transition from diapers to underwear as smooth as possible for both parents and toddlers. Specifically, I found three resources I’m absolutely going to take advantage of next time around.

Potty training doesn't have to be the exhausting battle it was for us. Here are the tips and tricks we've used discovered to make it easier on everyone.

[Read more…]

How We’re Preparing Our Toddlers for a New Baby

by

How we’re preparing our toddlers for a new baby: all our best tips and tricks and making a smooth transition to life with a newborn.

I recently wrote about why I’m glad my kids are close in age, but lately I’ve been feeling thankful for how aware and excited they are about this new baby. Whereas we weren’t able to do much to prepare an 18-month-old G for the arrival of his little sister, this time around we’ve been having real conversations.How we're preparing our toddlers for a new baby: all our best tips and tricks and making a smooth transition to life with a newborn.

G is five and B will turn four just days before the baby is born. Obviously, they can’t really comprehend all the ways their lives will change when we become a family of five- can anyone, really?- but we can take steps to make all of us as prepared as possible for the new baby.


 

How We’re Preparing Our Toddlers for a New Baby

We’re making changes now

It’s important to us that the kids don’t associate all baby-related changes with the baby. For instance, we recently moved B upstairs to make her old downstairs room available for the baby. We did the move more than five months before the baby is due because we don’t want B to feel like the new baby is kicking her out.

We hyped the transition as a move to her “big girl room,” and we discussed how fun it would be for her to sleep upstairs down the hall from her brother. Since the move, she’s stopped to look at her “baby sister’s new room” a few times, so I know she knows what’s happening, but so far she’s been only excited about her new room.

The other big change we’re making is moving G from his car seat in the second row of our car to a booster seat in the third row. This change is slated to happen in the next couple weeks because G, even more so than his sister, needs to be coaxed into change. He needs to be talked through the process before, during, and after it happens. He knows he’s moving and he knows the new baby will be in his old spot, but we’ve talked the whole thing up as a big-boy move because he’ll soon be starting big-boy school.

We call the baby by name

For the first twenty weeks of pregnancy, we were careful not to use any gender-specific pronouns when referring to the baby. We wanted the kids to realize we didn’t know the gender. We had a gender-reveal ultrasound at 18 weeks and found out we’re having a girl. Ever since, we’ve referred to the baby as “she” and as their “baby sister”. Now that we’ve settled on a name, we use it all the time so G and B can think of her as a person, as much as their toddler minds can.

They’re watching Daniel Tiger

If you’re a parent of a toddler and you’re not familiar with Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, you’re missing out. It’s an animated show that we watch via Netflix and it’s a loose spin-off of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. In every episode, Daniel faces typical toddler challenges: visiting the doctor, sharing with friends, trying new foods. For each scenario, there’s a catchy little jingle attached that Daniel and the other characters use to overcome the issue.

Daniel’s mom has a baby in the first episode of season two; many of the subsequent episodes confront typical big sibling drama: why does the baby cry all the time? why does she need mom and dad’s attention so much? why does the new baby get into my toys? G and B have been watching those episodes since before we got pregnant, but now we’re intentional about playing them.

If you don’t have Netflix, you can buy just the episodes about Daniel being a big brother on DVD.

[Read more…]

Unexpected Truths of Pregnancy After Miscarriage

by

The redemption and hope of pregnancy after miscarriage is a beautiful thing, but it brings with it unexpected truths and anxieties. 

The redemption and hope of pregnancy after miscarriage is a beautiful thing, but it brings with it unexpected truths and anxieties.

I took my first two pregnancies for granted. I didn’t experience a single complication with either one, and since my mom had five healthy, mostly uneventful pregnancies, I naïvely expected mine would be the same. I took my third pregnancy for granted, too, until we lost the baby at 12 weeks.


Now, in my fourth pregnancy, I’m learning a lot about how different it is to carry a child after losing one.

Unexpected Truths of Pregnancy After Miscarriage

The anxiety doesn’t go away

I thought- and hoped- that the constant anxiety I felt would subside somewhat when my pregnancy progressed past the point I miscarried. In a lot of ways, it did. But in several other ways, it continues even though I’m more than halfway through my second trimester.

Part of the reason is that, in the nearly 12 months between the loss of our third pregnancy and the beginning of our fourth, I read a lot of blog posts and articles about pregnancy and infant loss. I sought out stories from women who could relate to my grief and, in doing so, I learned more than I ever wanted to know about miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant loss.

I came to realize what I’d always known, but had never quite internalized: loss can come to anyone, at anytime. Reaching an arbitrary milestone doesn’t make me immune to that loss. I’ve learned I won’t truly feel this baby is “safe” until I hold her in my arms.

Signs of pregnancy are welcome

I would love to have sickness-free pregnancies. But I didn’t with my first three, so the morning sickness that occurred so frequently during the first dozen weeks of this pregnancy was welcome. While unpleasant, the nausea was a sign that pregnancy hormones were still running through my blood. I was still thankful when the morning sickness passed, but I appreciated it while it was around.

The big stuff becomes smaller

With my other pregnancies, we discussed possible names long before we found out the gender. The “big” ultrasound, the one with the gender reveal, was much-anticipated. This time around, our 20-week appointment, when we found out we’re having a girl, wasn’t the big to-do it’d been before, and we’ve only just begun discussing possible names.

Part of this, I’m sure, is due to the fact that we already have a boy and a girl. Maybe so many things about this pregnancy would be routine even if we hadn’t experienced miscarriage. I feel certain, though, that most of it’s because our main focus is the health of the baby. As long as we know she’s safe, everything else is secondary. Of course, that was the biggest priority for us before, too, but miscarriage brought it to the forefront.

[Read more…]

What You Really Need for a New Baby

by

As an expectant mom, it can be tough to wade through all the commercials and suggestions to figure out what’s a necessity and what’s a gimmick. Here’s one experienced mom’s list of what you really need for a new baby.

As an expectant mom, it can be tough to wade through all the commercials and suggestions to figure out what's a necessity and what's a gimmick. Here's one experienced mom's list of what you really need for a new baby.

This list, of course, is not meant to be an exhaustive compilation of everything you’ll need when welcoming a baby. These are just my favorite products, the things that I would recommend to a friend if I only had a few minutes to answer the question, “hey, what do I need for this kid?”

What You Really Need For a New Baby

rock ‘n’ play sleeper


As an expectant mom, it can be tough to wade through all the commercials and suggestions to figure out what's a necessity and what's a gimmick. Here's one experienced mom's list of what you really need for a new baby.

I mentioned in my post about stuff you don’t need for baby that it isn’t necessary to have all the baby-holding devices that manufacturers offer. When you’re narrowing down your list, trying to decide which ones to buy, I cannot recommend a rock ‘n’ play sleeper highly enough.

For the first nine months of B’s life, she slept exclusively in her rock ‘n’ play sleeper. A few of the things we love about it: 1. the back is slightly elevated, like a baby swing, so for babies, like B, who don’t want to lay flat, this is an ideal alternative. 2. The sleeper folds flat and is so much lighter and easier to store and transport than a pack ‘n’ play. I dare say that it isn’t even necessary to own both until baby outgrows the rock ‘n’ play. 3. As the name implies, the sleeper rocks, so at times B would wake up during the night, but we think her squirming rocked the sleeper and lulled her back to sleep.

receiving blankets

G. with one of our many receiving blankets.

G with one of our many receiving blankets.

My Mom didn’t dish out too much advice to us as we prepared for our first baby- even though she’s raised five herself- so maybe that’s why the few things she mentioned stuck with me. One thing she said several times was “you can never have too many receiving blankets.” I believed her (see the whole “five kids” thing I mentioned above), so we stocked up before G was born.

Let me tell you, my mom was right. We used receiving blankets for everything. We did use them for blankets, both to lay G on and to swaddle him in, but we also used them for so much more. Burp clothes don’t provide enough coverage? Use receiving blankets. Don’t want to buy expensive changing pad covers? Use receiving blankets. Forgot your nursing cover? Use receiving blankets. We owned at least 15-20 of them with G and loved them so much that we made sure to be stocked up for B, too.

[Read more…]

5 things you don’t need for a new baby

by

With all the information out there insisting parents need so much stuff, here’s a list of things you don’t need for a new baby.

With all the information out there insisting parents need so much stuff, here's a list of things you don't need for a new baby.

Here’s the thing about parenting: only you can decide what’s right for your family. There are so many voices out there and they’re all eager to explain to you why their point of view is the best point of view.


But here’s the other thing about parenting: you can quickly become overwhelmed by the

Things You Don’t Need For a New Baby

shoes

Tiny babies and cute shoes don’t mix. Not only is it nearly impossible to find shoes small enough to fit a newborn, but the shoes rarely stay on, either (I guess that’s because they’re often too big). Baby feet are unnaturally skinny and they just aren’t meant to wear shoes.

In my opinion, until your baby begins to walk, shoes are superfluous. With all the adorable socks, leg warmers, and booties available, shoes that will fall off- or be pulled off by baby- are an unnecessary purchase.

cute newborn-size outfits

Here’s the thing about newborn size clothes: many babies don’t even need them, ever. And for the ones that do, it’s a brief period of time when baby is still so fresh that you aren’t really leaving the house anyway. That means those frilly dresses and denim overalls are wasted on pretty much everyone except your Instagram followers.

While I definitely think splurging on an adorable coming-home-from-the-hospital outfit is a fun idea, the rest of your newborn clothes might as well be onesies and sleepers, if you buy any at all. Save the cutest clothes for size 0-3 months and up.

toys

5 things you don't need for baby | winstead wandering

Sure, it’s fun to buy toys for baby, especially when you want her to have things to “open” on Christmas. But, speaking from my own experience, toys are not a necessity until baby is closer to a year old. For the first several months, babies are mostly content checking out their new world, especially if they have a mobile above their swing or bed, or if they spend time on a play mat.

Once they become more mobile, babies are fascinated with whatever they can get their hands on. For mine, even when they had access to toys, household items like kitchen spatulas, washcloths, and plastic cups were much more interesting. This is especially true if your baby has older siblings. When my daughter was an infant- and even now, when she’s three- big brother’s toys were far more appealing than any of her own. She instinctively knew what things were his and those were the toys she went after.

[Read more…]

Why I’m Glad My Kids Are Close in Age

by

Nope, it wasn’t an accident; we planned it this way. Here are the reasons why I’m glad my kids are close in age.

My two oldest kids, G and B, are 20 months apart in age.

Why yes, they were both planned, thank you for asking. I don’t think I’d even returned to work after my maternity leave with G before J started asking me when we could have another. I was still horrified by the C-section I’d had. Getting knocked up again wasn’t even on my radar, even though I knew I wanted three or four kids.


Nope, it wasn't an accident; we planned it this way. Here are the reasons why I'm glad my kids are close in age.

As G’s first birthday approached, I jumped on the let’s-have-another-baby train. We found out we were pregnant with B the weekend after G turned one and she was born almost exactly 20 months after G. The fact that we intentionally had two children so close together was mind-boggling to people (most especially to the strangers bold enough to comment on my growing belly as I was out and about with G).

Granted, we didn’t fully know what we getting unto. How could we have? Still, we knew a second baby would be hard work, especially so close to the first. It wasn’t a decision we took lightly, and it was something we’ve never regretted. In fact, I continue to be so happy that we chose to have our first two kids so close together.

Why I’m Glad My Kids Are Close in Age

You’re Still in Baby Mode

One of the comments we got most often when we told people we were pregnant with B- and there were a lot of comments- was, “but you’ll have two in diapers!”

The idea of having two kids under two didn’t bother us nearly as much as people expected it to. After all, we didn’t know anything different. And besides, changing diapers- the diapers of your own children, at least- isn’t so bad. We ended up appreciating having our kids in diapers at the same time. It was just what we knew.

Now that our next baby is going to be almost exactly four years younger than its next closest sibling, we’re going to have to get back in baby mode all over again. We’ve grown used to uninterrupted sleep, and the lack of spit up and drool around our house is kind of nice. There aren’t even words to describe how excited we are about this baby, but jumping right back into baby mode is going to be a big adjustment.

Nope, it wasn't an accident; we planned it this way. Here are the reasons why I'm glad my kids are close in age.

[Read more…]