People said it. We didn't believe them. They kept saying it. We kept denying it. But, alas, it's really true. It DOES get better.
Landon and Harper are now 10.5 months old. They laugh at jokes and not just a shadow on the wall anymore. They smile when we walk in the room and not only because they farted. They reach for us, kiss us, hug us and search for snuggles. Best of all....they put their own pacifiers back in their mouths EVEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT (most of the time). All of this is the pay off for the first 6 months, when babyhood is not the most enjoyable moments for mommy and daddy.
We are getting more sleep. The 5am wake up calls are tough some mornings but it's hard to complain when they go to bed like a dream at 7pm. Harper has now figured out stomach sleeping and I think she's real happy with it. Landon usually doesn't fuss for much overnight - maybe a pacifier or a quick pick up and put down but for the most part he's a sound sleeper. We are truly blessed.
This summer we were SUPER busy. We traveled back to Iowa (and even Nebraska) every weekend in July. We spent loads of time with family and tried to take in summer as much as possible. This weekend, we head back to Iowa for what looks like our last time for a while. Landon and Harper are GREAT travelers. They sleep or occupy themselves in the car - again, we are truly blessed because of this.
What I really want to address is this:
I was listening to KLove the other day and heard them talking about having a favorite kid and how, in the Bible, it mentions that we shouldn't have favorites as parents. I couldn't help but sit there and reflect on this. Reflect on the realization that truly, in my heart, there really isn't a favorite and I doubted parents all over the world for so long. Call me a skeptic (because usually I am), but I was blown away at this.
I never believed any parent when they said "I don't have a favorite" when talking about their multiple children. I thought, surely, there was one kid that was just an inch above the rest and "secretly" was their favorite. I can tell you, now, that they were right - sort of. I do have a favorite at any given moment of any given day. But, as a whole, I love them both so intensely that I cannot measure it - it is so intense that there is no line between the two. Are there moments when Landon is fun and lovey and giggly and silly and I just love him SO MUCH? Yes, in that moment (because maybe Harper is being sassy and difficult). Are there moments after a nap when Harper is the most snugly little girl and understands to shake her head no and her smile lights up the room? Yes, and in that moment I FREAKING love her (and maybe because her brother is being a whiny Wilbur). I felt a sense of guilt about this realization. I didn't WANT to have a favorite and so I tried very hard not to show TOO much affection to one kid over the other. This. Was. Exhausting. And, to be honest, totally unrealistic.
I don't care if you have twins or if you have triplets or if you have one kid and then 6 years later have another. You don't have a favorite - overall. But be realistic and forgiving of yourself. Because you will have a favorite at any given moment of any given day. Show them love and affection in any way that you want. Over load them with hugs if, in that moment, you REALLY want to hug them (while the other one sits there throwing a temper tantrum). We won't get these moments back and I don't think either of our kids should feel short-changed on love and affection because we are worried about what the other one thinks all the time. Life isn't always equal and fair. Don't even get me started on the mentality that "everyone gets a trophy"...that's another blog post for another day.
I'll leave you with some pictures of our summer!
