Friday, August 8, 2008

0,1,2,3...

I've been asked whether it was a hardest going from zero to one child...or from one to two... or from two to three. In my experience, nothing even compares to the difficulty of transitioning from having no children to having a little baby that 100 percent depends on you for everything!

When Gavin came along, I thought I was prepared. My youngest sister was born when I was twenty and still living at home so I was experienced with babies and taking care of them. However, I was not experienced in having my own baby. It was overwhelming to me to not be able to cook or do laundry when it needed to be done. It was overwhelming to be woken at night and not know when I could go back to sleep. It was overwhelming to nurse every hour on the hour!

I found out I was pregnant with #2 (Maddie) when Gavin was 11 months old. I was afraid of what it would mean to have two under two! But you know what? While I certainly had more work, it was infinitely easier. The same when Owen came along two years later. My workload increased, but it was not overwhelming because I had done it all before.

I try to remember that God will not give me more than I can handle so with each new blessing that comes along, He gives me the strength and the patience and the skills to tackle the challenge.

How about you? What was the hardest (or easiest) transition for you in motherhood?

9 comments:

  1. Hum....RIGHT NOW I would say its from 2 to 3...but I won't have the '3' until Dec.! I am kinda backtracking and trying to re-parent my kids right now, and addind a new one to the equation is a little daunting!

    Many blessings-
    Amanda

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  2. I only have one, but I'm glad you wrote this because we were are in a constant debate about when to have another one. I'll have to remember this!

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  3. I agree with you! Having 1 child was much harder than 4 or 5, it was such change! :-)

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  4. Well I found going from 2 to 3 the hardest....after that the 3 to 9 wasn't difficult at All!

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  5. I only have one right now but my second is due any day now. My first was an adoption and that was hard to go from no baby to having one, even though we had all the supplies and such, but we didn't (well I didn't) have the sleep less nights before hand when your body is pregnant and getting ready for the baby. It was hard, but we made it through.

    I too am glad that you posted this because I have been really worried about when this baby is born how I am going to handle two kidlets to care for. It is reasuring to know that it might not be as bad as I fear it could be. You made some good points.

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  6. I would have to say "ditto!" 0 to 1 was absolutely the most difficult. I don't think anyone can possibly realize what it takes to care for a newborn until they experience it for themselves. 1 to 2 comes in second. I was not feeling so well after the birth of my 2nd child and felt totally overwhelmed, they were 15 months apart. Thoughts of "how will I ever leave this house again?"were common:) Anywho, it all works out...God is faithful. I am expecting my 5th child in February and I am not concerned with it being "hard." Great post.

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  7. I'm definitely with the "0 to 1" crowd! I distinctly remember the "now what?" when I brought my first (Kristin :-) home from the hospital! Here was this precious little one who depended on me for EVERYTHING...and I had NO idea what to do.

    By the time we were blessed with Ryan, the lifestyle changes were not as many. There was more to do, obviously (two littles instead of one), but it was not so overwhelming.

    Unfortunately, I believed what the culture said about one boy and one girl being the "perfect family" (yes, I was told that many times!), and I couldn't imagine myself with more than two babies. After all, once a baby, always a baby, right? :-/

    But the Lord changed our thinking on that, and when we welcomed our third child eleven years later, it seemed like a piece of cake! I was older, more experienced, and had a new vision for my role as mother. And Kati was a pretty easy baby too. :-)

    The fourth, Bekah, was a little more difficult but only because of extenuating circumstances...I had had a very difficult pregnancy, she was a preemie, and Kristin was getting ready to get married! Whew!

    Well, I really did not mean to give my life's story! Where was I...oh yeah...from 0 to 1 was the hardest. :-)

    But I am truly thankful for all of our blessings from the Lord!

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  8. Going from 1 to 2 has been a HUGE adjustment, but we also had the adjustment for me being home to add to it, so this year has been a struggle for all of us. Y'all are scaring me. If going from 2-3 is even harder, I don't know if I can do it!

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  9. I'm in the same boat as Jenny - I only have one, and when we think of how much work one is, it's hard to imagine doubling it. But transitioning from being able to live for "self" for the most part to having every moment occupied by another human being was definitely a HUGE adjustment - and probably the greatest gift God could make for my character!

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