Why Two is Better than One

Last night, as I was attempting to fall asleep (thank you, heartburn), I got to thinking about our baby girl. I am so excited to meet her in less than 5 weeks! And I was reminded of those final weeks before Nikos was born, which were an entirely different experience. I was definitely excited to meet our little guy, but also terrified. How on earth was I going to take care of this helpless little creature? I began to feel woefully under prepared for the task, and I started to stress out. A LOT. The wildfires only magnified things. As we packed up the car to evacuate, I had to decide which baby items to bring with us in the event that our house did, in fact, burn down. And then it hit me again: I had no idea which items were crucial to taking care of a newborn, other than diapers and wipes! It was all so overwhelming!

Fast forward to now, and I have to admit-- I really don't feel stressed this time. Just excited! People (strangers, even) have repeatedly asked me if I'm nervous about having "two under two" to take care of, and the answer is that I'm not! I know it won't be easy (I'm no idiot), but I just have a totally different perspective this time around. I know what to do in most situations-- or I know that I can figure it out, if need be. I know that the most miserable stages are only fleeting, and that before long, our baby girl will turn into a toddler like her brother. Nikos is a constant reminder of that fact. And, as hard as it is to believe, I still feel like we love him more every day than we did the day before, even though we loved him with all our hearts from the day he was born. Our hearts just get that much bigger every day, I guess! And I just can't wait to feel the same way about another little person.

Long story short, I cannot wait for Nikos' baby sister to get here. I know it will probably be rough at the start, but I love her so much already and I know that we'll be okay. And Nikos will be a wonderful big brother-- another thing I can't wait to see in action. Only four weeks and five days to go! :)