Chapters Of Parenthood

There I am. My first child is learning to walk and I am pregnant with our second child. My memories from that chapter are still so vivid. I can almost still feel it. I was working with Gavin to sleep in his own bed and for longer. With a new baby coming, I felt under the gun to get things in order and to get my first son where he should be. Not that I had much of a clue as to where that was. I was learning as I go, as I suspect most new mothers do. I remember being a little bit scared. I felt like I had just figured out what to do with Gavin. How was I going to take care of a 1 year old AND and infant? I barely survived Gavin as an infant and he was the only one. Gavin was very much a mama's boy. Now there would be an infant to hold and take care of. How would Gavin react? 

Aiden is here and now we are a family of four. Look at them, so peaceful. That never lasts long. My husband and I slept in shifts for at least six months. I would go to sleep early and my husband would stay up until around 3/4am and then I would get up. He would then lay down and sleep in late. Aiden slept, BUT he would start to wake up about every half hour and want to be rocked in his bed for a min. He did this ALL night long. I still preferred it to Gavin who had colic and only slept for 20mins a few times a day. He spent most of the rest of it screaming. I thought I would never sleep again! Gavin did pretty well with the new baby. He was curious and wanted to help. He was a bit angry with me though, but we got through it.

Fast forward about six months... Aiden is spirited and always wants to be on the go. While Gavin is starting to be a bit controlling and is always showing his brother what he can do. Thus starts Gavin's feeling of superiority and Aiden's feelings of always being picked on. The life long competition. 

One of my favorite photos. They now both walk and talk, whewwww. I am always running after them. Two kids in diapers at the same time, bottles and sippy cups, two toddlers at once. I did not have twins, but I felt like I did. They were a handful, a wonderful handful. 

Here were my babies last year. They were dressed and ready for a Christmas show at school! Wow! They grown up so fast. I love how big they are getting. They are becoming so independent. They get dressed, brush their teeth, get breakfast.... 

Here they are this summer. This year they will be in 2nd and 3rd grade! Just a few pictures ago they were babies who needed me fore everything. It is wonderful and scary all at once. Sometimes I think I will blink a few too many times and they will be grown and gone. Every time they get on my nerves I just think how I will miss this not long from now. They are growing into such wonderful little people. Smart, thoughtful, caring, independent young men. I am so proud of them. I love you boys... Here's to the next chapter!