Why I baby bunched...

Yes to most it seems totally nuts that I had two children so close in age. Kenzie and Ketcher are 18 months apart and my life is total chaos. So why did I choose to have two? Why have two so close in age? Why am I bitching about it, when I am the one that decided to do this in the first place?

Let me explain...

First of all, let's quickly back up to my childhood. My brother and sister are so much older than me that technically I would be considered an only child. My favorite memories are with my siblings: Playing hide and seek with dart guns, listening to records and dancing around the kerosene heater. I want my kids to have great family memories they can reminisce about with each other.

1980 something... my siblings and I camping
(or an 80s commercial for Froot Loops)

When trying to decide IF we should have kids, we decided if we are going to have one, we better have two.

When I look back at my journal from Kenzie's first year, she was 12 weeks old when I was ready to start on #2. She was sleeping through the night and had a consistent nap schedule during the day. Everything seemed so easy.

Kenzie at 3 months, look at that face. How could I not want more?

If I would have waited until now to start trying, NO WAY I would have wanted to throw another kid in the mix yet. However, it's been 1 month with 2 babies and things are starting to get much easier.

Other reasons for two under two:

• I don't want to get out of the baby phase and then have to get back into it.
• The equipment like car seats, cribs, highchairs have expiration dates.  Safety requirements change, and I don't want to have to buy more.
• I am done being pregnant, forever. YAY!
• They might be interested in the same activities.
• They might not need me to entertain them constantly. It's possible there may be a moment or two in my future that I am not the sole source of entertainment.
• Safety in numbers.
• If they are too embarrassed to come to their parents with something at least they can talk to each other.
• I wanted the first child to not really remember life without the other. I read that having them under two years apart limits jealousy. We will see...

The new family! Kenzie and Ketcher might need a little more time to let it sink in.

There are arguments for every spacing age you can imagine. Every family has their own perfect size.  Yes for all interested parties, we are done having kids... forever.