I get asked alot about my boys. People want to know how old they are, and how far apart. I always answer the same way:

“They are almost exactly 18 months apart.”

It seems like the majority of responses to that are negative. People say things like:

“Yikes”
“Have fun with that”
“Poor You”

And other very encouraging things. Most of the people that react like this are strangers. The cashier at the grocery store, the librarian or the salesperson at the shoe store.

I don’t get it. Who says that to someone they don’t know?

I love having them close together. Sure it is hard. The first few weeks after Jimmy was born I was in hell. I cried every night and really didn’t see how it was possible to give myself to my toddler, who had just dealt with me being on bed rest for 5 weeks, and a colicky newborn.

My husband also wasn’t able to take much time off of work so pretty much straight away…I was on my own at home. I had some help, my mother in law brought me dinners and would take Chase for some alone time during the day and gave me time to bond with Jimmy. That was the greatest gift I could have received.

It’s easier now than I thought it was going to be. The boys are on a good schedule and now that Jimmy is over being a colicky mess of an angry baby, things are looking up!

Now it’s the little things that are hard. Grocery shopping? Not a chance with the two of them. A quick trip to the pharmacy? Nope. How about a Dr’s appointment for one, without a sitter for the other? Not on your life.

My time at home with them, which is MOST of the time, is fine. We have fun and everyone is happy. Time not at home, no matter where it may be…always has the potential to be disastrous. That is hard.

But as Chase’s 2nd birthday approaches I realize I am not going to be the Mom of two boys under two anymore. That has been a defining factor of my life these last 4 months. I’ve used it as an excuse to get out of things…and I’ve said it with pride for my boys. I love them and they are my world.

So yes, my boys are 18 months apart, and yes it’s hard. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.