Keeping Your Sanity with Two Under 2

"If my kids are fed and still alive at the end of the day, I've done my job."

With two kids under the age of 2, I found myself just the other day rocking in a corner, incoherently singing the verses of 'I'm a little teapot.' I broke two dishes within 20 minutes, the second of which landed shards of broken ceramic in the macaroni and cheese that was cooking on the stove. The macaroni and cheese that my 21-month-old was waiting for so impatiently.

While my toddler had a complete and total meltdown on the floor, TheOneWhoPoopsAlot screamed bloody murder at the top of her itty bitty lungs. Both my babes were hungry, both needed me right NOW, lunch was ruined, the sink was overflowing with dishes, and I was completely overwhelmed. I sat down on the floor next to my screaming babies and bawled. All three of us, crying in synch. HOW DO PEOPLE DO THIS?!

My husband, bless his heart, tried to offer a word of encouragement: "All the other moms figured it out, I'm sure you will, too." But then I thought: Awesome. Everyone else in the world has this mom thing down pat except for me. I must just really suck at life.

So I sought the advice of fellow mommy friends for support. The same mommy friends who I had assumed had it all figured out. Supermoms. The ones who vacuum with one hand while carrying a toddler on one hip and an infant on the other. While looking good at it, too. I realized then that all my supermom friends who had to juggle a baby and a toddler struggled in the beginning. And I realized that I needed to cut myself a little slack. As long as the babies are fed, dry, and not playing in the chemical cabinet, the day has been a success.

The next day, I woke up and said to my husband, "I've got this." I had no expectations, other than making sure the vultures were fed and dry. Yes, my expectations were low, but guess what - I did it! And the dishes, a load of laundry AND I put on deodorant. And what. Yes, I want a medal. One I can wear out in public that says, "I kept my kids alive today, what did YOU do?!"

I smiled as I melted into the couch cushions the other night and said to myself, "I WIN." And just as I began to study the back of my eyelids for just a moment, my oldest sat in front of the couch and colored on his arms and legs with blue and red markers.

Oh, hell. We can't win them all. But we can try. Here's a list of a few things I've learned during the past four weeks to help keep my sanity intact with two under 2:

Continue reading Keeping your sanity with two under 2 on the Mad Mom Diaries blog.