Two Under 2: Guest Post by LeAnna

Ironically, I’ve been so busy with having two children under 2 that I’ve hardly had time to post about it. Even as I write, I’m trying to get Eliza to sleep (if it sounds complicated, it is). I’ve been meaning to publish this post from LeAnna for a few weeks now. I think you are really going to enjoy it. I’ve reread it a few times and it’s blessed me so much!

I’ve been reading LeAnna’s blog at least since Christian was born. She is so funny and real, and also one of the most encouraging bloggers I know. (And extremely thoughtful – she sent Eliza an adorable, personalized outfit.) Her blog’s definitely worth a regular read!

When I became a mother I realized just why God breathed inspiration into man in regards to writing the Word.

Had a woman been given the task…

Well, just let me tell you.

That Proverbs 31 passage we women hold dear would have started out somewhat different. I can see it now, “A diligent Mother, who can find? She spends her days keeping her children from causing one another bodily harm…” and that’s where it would have been left, because no doubt, in the two seconds that it took for the Holy Spirit to inspire that Hebrew Mama, her little 2 year old Samuel would have been busy trying to poke challah down baby Miriam’s throat. Soon after preventing impending doom, said Mama would have remembered she left a basket of wash at the well in town. Packing up both children, she journeys back to retrieve the garments. No sooner do they leave their tent and Samuel declares he has gone poo in his britches…and baby Miriam suddenly becomes ravenously hungry.

Proverbs what, Lord?

I have two children, twenty one months apart, and I spend my days in perpetual motion.

Mostly wiping little bottoms and batting at the parenting fog that likes to fall in front of my face like freshly cut bangs. Other noted skills are preventing falls and the ingestion of foreign objects and promoting peace and goodwill between brother and sister. Occasionally breaking down into the puddle of imperfect and overwhelmed. Okay, more than occasionally. I might live there for days on end, but never fear, I have rain boots and I’m not afraid to stomp while puddle jumping.

Having several small children is challenging. Tiring. Overwhelming. Busy.

When my daughter was born, and I was transitioning to having two under two for a short while, I thought surely I would never survive. I vividly remember our first outing, just the three of us. I was dazed and confused, walked into the store, made it down a few aisles and found myself headed back to the car. Some stores have small carts, I’ve found. They don’t fit the car seat and the young toddler. Must plan accordingly.

“Planning accordingly” turned into me not going anywhere if I could help it. I harnessed all my energy into getting my two Littles to nap simultaneously. That is no small feat, you see. The pinnacle of mothering thus far. I rejoiced the day it happened and may have lightly fist bumped myself in the mirror because (shhhh) there was no one else around.

Then, I blinked a few times and wouldn’t you know, we’re quickly approaching 3rd and 1st birthdays. I’ve survived two under two so far. We go places now, on a regular basis and sometimes I even brave the small-cart stores and let my oldest walk with his own two legs. I do, however, still fist bump the mirror and talk to myself. To top it all off, I’ve even got two new pieces of luggage to prove my sojourn into the land of two under two (the bags under my eyes) but I still find my Husband to be quite attractive. Come to think of it, that’s how we ended up here.

So, when I hear of a friend who is soon to be a Mom of two (or more!) small tykes, I smile.

I tell her she can do it.
That she’ll make it.
That she’ll be the most tired she’s ever been, but that it’s possible.

Because it is. In an act of total mercy, God transforms you into something you never knew you could be. Even though some days you feel like you’re in survival mode, and some days you wonder if your head is actually attached to your body. When we look past the here and now, it will find us empty nesting, wishing for some of those days again. As I struggle through the impossible manifested as possible, I try to keep this
fresh in my tired mind. These are the years we will miss, my fellow (weary) Mothers. Repeat after me: These are the years we will miss.

All of that to say, I’m thankful that God did not inspire the written Word through me, but also thankful that He calls iron to sharpen iron. Now, please pass the cup of perpetual hot coffee. Love. Love. Love. Love your husband, love your children, love your fellow Mom-kind. Rest in Christ when there is no rest to be found. In doing so, compare nothing to no one, freely giving grace as it has been given to you. Perhaps equally as important, keep the bright pink play dough that your 2 1/2 year old loves, out of reach of your 9 month old’s chubby hands…

*No children were harmed during the 1 week writing process of this sage piece of wisdom. The end.

*Not really the end, I would also like to remind Anna to soak up that newborn smell for as long as she possibly can. Dear friend, if you find yourself in the midst of one of those days, stop everything you’re doing and sit down. Pull sweet Eliza up to your face and breathe in her newborn smell. Even if Christian is beating the hair right off of your legs that haven’t been shaved in six days…breathe it in deep, Mama. It won’t get the dishes done, or make the baby stop crying, but you’ll be glad you did.

*Now, The End.