He:
– Is crazy active. Like, thrashing and mobile and just go go go go all the time.
– Was a great traveller when we went to Puerto Rico. Aside from having to be brought outside at most restaurants (which, when it’s 85 degrees, I can handle!), he was super easy.
– Has two adorable little teeth that he will totally gnaw on you with. Not while he’s nursing, but he bites my shoulder and my clothes all the time. I always call him my little puppy.
– Begs for food, much like a puppy. However he doesn’t usually like the food we give him (see hilarious evidence here).
– Needs to move out of his bucket seat and into a convertible because he continues to be super tall. My children are all going to be taller than me by the time they’re, like, 12.
– “Dances” when he hears “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift. We discovered it when it came on Pandora and it delights me to no end to see his little soft body bobbing up and down when it comes on.
– Still refuses bottles, so we have some very expensive teethers:
– Is downright mischievous. I created a whole area for him in our living room and he zoomed right over to the ONE THING that was unsafe and started pulling on the cord. He also pulls up on EVERYTHING and is CRUISING nonstop and man. I just. He’s so adventurous and wild already.
– Still naps well and consistently, but is a mess most nights. It’s sort of a blur and hard to figure out how to dig us out of it. Planning to read up on the blog of the “sleep experts” that resonate most with me (they are the opposite of fear mongers – hallelujah!) and start collecting data. Like a scientist.
I:
– Have re-found my passion for work-related goals and it feels so good. I was wondering when I’d stop treading water and start moving forward and I’m thrilled that it’s returned! The only problem is, well, I have limited work hours and the kids don’t always cooperate when I’m trying to squeeze in work outside of those hours. I have stopped working in the evenings, though, which is a huge improvement on the past 4 years.
– Continue to struggle with the transition to two kids (are you tired of hearing about it, yet?). Pat said in his latest podcast that having your second kid doesn’t 2x the work, it’s 10 or 100x the work. And I was like, “YES YES YES! EXACTLY!” and then replayed that for Mike. It feels so pathetic to admit that “just” two kids is seriously kicking my booty, but man. I just struggle so much with impatience and snapping these days. I love Theo, but he’s also a really fussy baby. (I like to sing Fancy to him, but “I’m so fussy, you don’t even know.”) It gets better, right?
– Am below my pre-Theo weight (>6 months breastfeeding did that last time, too), but still have the postpartum “calzone dough belly” going on. (Such an apt description of it, trademark my friend’s neighbor) (Now I really want a calzone)
– Have a healing stress fracture and am not supposed to run for a few weeks. Which really stinks (hoped to run a half marathon for my friends’ 30th birthdays this spring), but at least I don’t have to wear a boot because it’s already healing.
That hair swirl.
Also refuses a pacifier, thinks it’s a teether. 
(It’s a clean diaper. Fear not.)
I can’t imagine how hard it all is, but you are doing it. I love you and your sweet (but mischievous ) boys!
I have a super active 11 month old who takes good naps and is a mess at night (still! 11 months! When is my break please!) and I have a half baked theory that it is the super active, high maintenance-ness of his personality that makes him a not-great night sleeper. This post confirms that obviously my theory is correct ;)
Look at his little sweater! Gosh he is so cute.
I continue to be right there with you with the patience issues. And Liam is SO much more active and wild than Meredith ever was. He climbs, he throws everything (including his food), will never sit still. We tried to go out to eat last night and that is just not happening again for oh, two more years or so.
I remember somebody saying that every time you have a new kid, it’s the most kids you’ve ever had! So “only two” is a big deal! You are doing your best, and it’s awesome.
I really admire your dedication and joy in your work.
The hair swirl. I die.
My second bonus child is more wild than the first. Adventurous, boundary pushing, strong-willed and stubborn and always on the move. Always as a blur of energy (unless it’s the morning, and then don’t talk to her). I studied birth order in college and while I don’t remember all of it, I know that my brother (younger than me, 2nd child), my youngest bonus girl (2nd child) and other toddlers/kids I know fit into the description to some extent.
So cute! Mine is going to be 9 months in 2 days and yes, I can’t even imagine how people have 2, 3 kids! One kid and one dog is already a lot of trouble
Can I just say you are doing a great job? You are a fantastic mom while also having your own goals and things you are interested in. From my perspective that has not changed with having 2 kiddos, though I’m sure it’s been harder.
I seriously may just stop at one kid. I already feel like that is hard most days. I wish I could miraculously give Max siblings without having another kid… because Theo and Gabe are so cute together. Yes, I want it all.
each kid, its taken me about a year to find my new groove. then, i’m like, ok this number (1, 2, 3, holy crap about to be 4) isn’t so bad, i have some kind of handle.
then i add another and start again ;)
but i think its super normal and part of iti s a) sleep depo and 2) fitting a new personality into the family. its not like the next kid does everything EXACTLY like the previous one(s), so even tho you have more experience, there is still a lot of “new” about it all ya know?
and this guy is a cutey for sure. those old man sweaters. i just cant <3
What can he say? He has very expensive taste when it comes to teethers!
Hang in there Momma! Love that you are honest about parenting two and all the joy and work that goes into it. You may not feel like it sometimes but you’re rocking it!
I adore the picture of Theo gnawing on the bottle, too cute!
I love the bow tie! I have patience issues with my two kids, too. Ellie is so much more adventurous, shall we say, than Topher ever was. She’s jumping off furniture, colouring on walls, flushing things down the toilet – I can’t turn my back for a second! And just when I start to feel like I’m getting into a groove with whole parenting two thing, someone gets sick or starts teething or develops a phobia of the toilet (True story!) … so yeah. I hear you!!!
You may have already tried this, but I’ve heard of a number of parents who have been able to get around the “won’t take a bottle” issue by introducing milk in a sippy cup instead – and this cup comes highly recommended by some moms I know for babies who won’t take a bottle: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J40DY0A/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00J40DY0A&linkCode=as2&tag=yoarwhyocafr-20&linkId=Z23TEONCHK2Y4CNF
Also, I feel you on the sleep. We’re at 11 months and still up every 2 hours at night, on a good night. 9-10.5 months was every hour. We’re dying over here.