If you had two close in age, when does it get easier???

When did it get easier? Does it ever??????

My sons are 2.5 and 9 months and I feel like it's just getting harder and harder to keep up! I feel like we haven't slept in years. Both still aren't sleeping through the night. It's just pure exhaustion, I feel physically sick 24/7 as if I'm always getting a cold that never actually comes on. Ughhhh, I love them to pieces but sometimes I just hope the next stage will get here already lololol!!!! Can anyone relate????

So while sit here trying not to fall asleep at my desk, please give me some hope that it will get easier soon. And any new sleep tips!!! I feel like we've tried it all.

If you had two close in age, when does it get easier???

It gets easier. And then harder. And then easier lol. When they can play together (nicely) it really helps.

My girls have almost always slept through the night so I can't speak to that, but once yours do and everyone is rested that will be huge. Yours are still very young.

If you had two close in age, when does it get easier???

I think it got easier once the older one was 3 - he was potty trained so I only had to deal with one set of diapers, and he was able to communicate a lot better.

Re: If you had two close in age, when does it get easier???

I think when the younger one can really get around on his own & the older one is potty trained...definitely by a year from now I think it'll seem less crazy...by then they'll both be able to communicate better, play together, sleep better & become a bit less needy.
I've got the same age spread as you for my 2 older kids & I think around the time my older one turned 3.5 and the younger one approached 2, I could relax a little. But that's when I had another baby and things got crazy again lol.

If you had two close in age, when does it get easier???

My kids are 1 minute apart. My twins will be 7 months next week and there are days I want to rent a hotel room and hide in bed. I really can't speak to the sleeping through the night, they started around 9 weeks. When we transitioned to the crib, my one son is struggling to stay asleep in there. He goes about 4-5 hours and then gets up looking to come in our room, like clock work and then falls right back to sleep once in our room. I was insistent they would never sleep in my bed but during the work week, oh well because we are so tired. If it's a bad night, DH and I are both up, if it's just the one time getting up to come in our room, we rotate, Friday and Saturday night and 1 night (usually when I have to be at work early the next day) DH gets him. The other nights I take because I only go into work 3-8 most days so it doesn't bother me too much.
My kids are a crazy tight schedule and we don't divert during the week.
To keep it together, I keep a stock of diapers and wipes in a basket in my den since I have 3 floors and my den is on the lower level. They have a play area in the den and I keep them there, they are starting to try and crawl so they will now have a gate down there to keep them away from the doors and stairs. I make all my own baby food so I do it in bulk once every 2-3 weeks and freeze it in the silicone ice trays and make their food as needed. For bottles/ sip cups, I have enough to get me through a whole day if I don't get to do dishes, but for the most part they are washed after each use. Their laundry I do 1x weekly and still keep it separate. Mine and DHs I do 1x during the week and the. 2-3 loads as needed on the weekend. Their diaper bag gets packed the night before if I have to go into work early. I think it helps that I work 1-2 12 god days and then 4 hours 3 days a week and usually in the evening so I can do stuff during the day. I also keep to a strict nap schedule. They have to go in the crib for naps at certain times, and even if they don't sleep, they go in there for a quiet rest. It took many tears for a few days but they learned quickly and now it's not an issue. I try and minimize screen time but I will do a morning bottle with a show when they first get up. Usually they wake up at 7:30 and are in bed by 8:30/9pm every night.
I'm hoping it continues to get easier, even now that they can go liger without bottles it's much easier, but now it's harder that they are starting to become mobile!

Re: If you had two close in age, when does it get easier???

My girls are 7 and 9 (almost 10). I'm hoping it gets easier any day now.

They have their moments but they go to the same camps so it's one stop. They can obviously dress themselves and don't need much help during the day. Hang in there it does get easier

Re: If you had two close in age, when does it get easier???

At 2&3. That's about the age they started to play together and entertain each other.

Re: If you had two close in age, when does it get easier???

Mine are 12 and 13. It got easier when they were 3 and 4, but it's hard again because my 13 year old wants space to be with his friends and his brother, who he always included before, is not getting the hint.

If you had two close in age, when does it get easier???

Mine were a little farther apart age wise (27 mos) but, they both weren't sleeping through the night for awhile, it was killer.

It does get easier though - once they are able to sleep and you feel human again. I think that happened when DS 1 was around 3...

ETA - and for the sleeping, I don't remember how it happened, DS 1 just started STTN. DS 2 was a better sleeper overall so he started STTN by 1.

It's also nice now at 7.5 and 5 - they get up in the morning and hang out together if we are still asleep (they tend to wake up early on days that DH and I don't need to get up and sleep in on our work days).

Message edited 8/3/2017 10:07:23 AM.

Re: If you had two close in age, when does it get easier???

My twins will be 5 in November and for me it's just starting to get easier

More independent. Less fist fights (still plenty lol)

3-4 was a nightmare. I wanted to sell them ??????

Re: If you had two close in age, when does it get easier???

If you had two close in age, when does it get easier???

Thanks for the hope and commisseration!!! I'm like counting the years till college here lol jk. It's just exhausting.

If you had two close in age, when does it get easier???

I have a 2 and 4 yr old and its a nightmare right now

Re: If you had two close in age, when does it get easier???

I'm not sure it's ever going to get easier!! Mine are 4, 2, and 3 1/2 mos and I'm just trying to survive, literally trying to get through each day. Each age has its own set of challenges, but my two yo is SO hard right now. I have days where all I do is yell and my throat is hoarse at the end of the day. Sigh. One day at a time!

Re: If you had two close in age, when does it get easier???

Re: If you had two close in age, when does it get easier???

Posted by ANewDayHasCome

Posted by EandF

I'm not sure it's ever going to get easier!! Mine are 4, 2, and 3 1/2 mos and I'm just trying to survive, literally trying to get through each day. Each age has its own set of challenges, but my two yo is SO hard right now. I have days where all I do is yell and my throat is hoarse at the end of the day. Sigh. One day at a time!

That's my 2 yo. Although it's the kid, not the age. Dd1 was a dream at that age...at all ages actually. Dd2 is one strong willed kid. Wonder where she gets it from

Re: If you had two close in age, when does it get easier???

My girls are 17 months apart. They are 5 and almost 7 now and it hasn't gotten easier - just different. I have a boy that is 9 and I think having three puts a different dynamic to it because whenever any one of them is somewhere else it's 10 times better.

Re: If you had two close in age, when does it get easier???

Posted by ANewDayHasCome

Posted by EandF

I'm not sure it's ever going to get easier!! Mine are 4, 2, and 3 1/2 mos and I'm just trying to survive, literally trying to get through each day. Each age has its own set of challenges, but my two yo is SO hard right now. I have days where all I do is yell and my throat is hoarse at the end of the day. Sigh. One day at a time!

That's my 2 yo. Although it's the kid, not the age. Dd1 was a dream at that age...at all ages actually. Dd2 is one strong willed kid. Wonder where she gets it from

Re: If you had two close in age, when does it get easier???

My girls are 6 & 5. I thought when my youngest was an infant it was the hardest because my oldest was still very much a baby and the sleepless nights and non stop chasing my oldest was really hard. I look back on that time and have no clue how I functioned day to day. As they got older there were some hard stages and times but nothing as hard as that first year. They are great friends but they do fight here and there. Now my oldest who will be 7 in a few days wants more privacy, more time with friends and my little one feels left out. Its a new challenge that I'm sure if going to last for some time.

Re: If you had two close in age, when does it get easier???

My twins are 2...don't sleep through the night and are exhausting BUT they do play together and independently so well!

I think once your youngest is walking your toddler may take more interest and want to play together which will allow you to possibly drink a half a cup of coffee at room temperature.
And then they will fight hard....and love each other harder...then fight some more.

Re: If you had two close in age, when does it get easier???

I have a 5 1/2 year old DS, 4 DD and my DS just turned 3 and lately it has been sooo hard!! Last Tuesday my oldest turned into a child I don't know. He has had tantrums because he can't bring his cars to the beach, teasing his little brother, hitting just a completely different child. Im wondering if its due to change since hes starting Kindergarten in September or if his true personality is coming out. When we only have two together it is a ton easier but all 3 push me off the ledge. Im ready for school to start again. I honestly thought that 3,4,5 would be so much better but now Im not so sure. They fight so much!!
My DD just started waking up at 2:30 every night and walking downstairs and coming into our bed! Im like WHYYYYY!! Im so tired that I have no desire to walk her back up to bed so I suffer with her kicking me in my back the rest of the night. I have no patience and Im tired. I have help, my parents who are going away for 2 weeks tomorrow are losing their minds over my kids. I feel like it was overnight and boom its crazy over here!!
There are positives, we went to the beach for the first time and they were all playing and my DH and I were like wow we can relax. My oldest DS the one who drives me crazy did clean up all his toys tonight and was all mushy. There are some great days and other days that just suck!

Re: If you had two close in age, when does it get easier???

I have 7&8 year old boys. It gets easier when the youngest can walk. I had to sleeptrain the oldest when he was 2 years old because they both kept us up all night. It is much easier now but they are still so annoying they fight over thin air but they are best buddies.

Re: If you had two close in age, when does it get easier???

It does get easier. My oldest 2 are 2 years 2 days apart. In the beginning it was very difficult since they both needed me so much. Now that they are 7 and 5 and are a bit more independent it is easier. I also have a 2 year old so overall there's always something going on but as they each get older it is a bit easier.

If you had two close in age, when does it get easier???

3 year old and an almost 2 year old. Still waiting for it to get easier. My little one does have CP though, which makes things more difficult because she's non-mobile, non-verbal.

Re: If you had two close in age, when does it get easier???

Taking care of a toddler and a baby is a 8itch. My daughters are exactly two years apart. Last year, at 5 & 3, it was easier because they could entertain each other for a few minutes while I peed / prepped dinner / took a shower.