Top Ten Tuesday: The 2nd Child

Today's Top Ten Tuesday is comprised of my favorite parts (so far) of having a 2nd child, and how much different it is than the 1st. I surprise myself by even writing this, because I never pictured myself as a mother of two. Just having Tiegan in our lives was more than we could have ever asked for. But... you'd be surprised how fiercely you can fall in love all over again.

The idea for this list struck me this evening while I was marveling at how much energy I have. Sure, I've had my moments of exhaustion and frustration since Sofia was born. But in comparison to how I was at this point after having Tiegan... well, there is no comparison.

1. The ability to stay cool & collected. I'm conditioned now. The crying doesn't phase me. I'm no longer freaked out by the unfamiliar shrieking sound. Rather, I sympathize (empathize?) with her sweet calls for help and savor the triumph of putting her at ease.
2. Love multiplies. Exponentially. Did you know it could do that? I didn't, until I had Sofia. I love Jason & Tiegan even more now, too.
   
3. That "new baby" smell. With the first baby, sure - the soothing scent of baby lotions and powders and all that is wonderful. But the smell of formula made me gag. Even worse than dirty diapers. This time, I don't mind the formula and spit-up. I'll just wipe it away and keep on snugglin'.
4. Postpartum adrenaline rush. I had a pretty tough recovery after I had Tiegan. I was out of commission for the better part of 2 weeks and it really got me down. Despite my 2nd labor being twice as long and rough, the recovery process was much faster & easier, which allowed me to dig right back into normal life.
5. The fun of sibling comparison. I love picking out the little likenesses I'm already seeing between Tiegan and Sofia. I'm also surprised and fascinated by their differences. It will be interesting to continue comparing them as they grow.
6. She seems light as a feather. The first time you carry around a baby all day, you probably think your arms are going to fall off and OH MY GOD you just can't WAIT to put that baby down. But after getting used to lugging around a 35 lb. bruiser of a 3 year old, it's a joy to snuggle an 8-pounder in the crook of your elbow. In fact, I'm way better at multi-tasking with a baby in my arm now. I can even text while feeding her a bottle. Not that texting even existed when Tiegan was born. (Did it?)
7. Knowing what we need. And more importantly, what we don't need. Knowing that we're not wasting money on useless baby trinkets is such great peace of mind.
   
8. Improved marriage & maturity. Jason brought this up, and it's a great point. Our communication skills have skyrocketed. We are finally on the same team. In the same concept, we have matured individually to the point where I think we're on the same page. We generally have the same interests and disinterests, and our time together is much more enjoyable. This is for many reasons, but I think the biggest factor is having a 2nd child together. We've had practice. Trial and error. We're getting it right.
9. Decreased stress. You'd think that stress would increase with being responsible for two lives. Nope. This point goes hand-in-hand with number one. Again - conditioning. I'm not constantly watching the clock, worrying about exactly what time Sofia needs to be fed/changed, and whether or not that will conflict with what everyone else is doing. This time I'm confident that I can just handle each moment as it flies at me, and I'm smart enough to figure it out. And it makes life so much more enjoyable.
   
10. Experiencing something new... again. Having a 2nd child isn't just the same ol' same ol'. There are so many new things happening this time around. We get to watch Tiegan's life be totally transformed by having a sister. Our lives are like an endless sitcom, trying to learn our way around... wondering if everything will all work out at the end of the day, and laughing hysterically through the calamity.

Feel free to join in and post your own Top Ten lists, every Tuesday! If you don't have a blog, feel free to write them in the comments here. I'd be interested to see what you come up with.