Mom Blog and Baby Blog | Baby Bunching

reflections: 9 months into baby bunching

By Shannon Block

Let me start by saying, there is a reason that there are a multitude of websites and chat rooms dedicated to the art of having "two under two" (read: two children under the age of two)!  When my husband and I decided to have our kids close in age, we thought something between 18 months apart and 2 years would be ideal because it would give us a chance to have a break before having babies #3 &  #4.  Yes, we were going to have four kids when we started all of this!  While that remains to be seen (we have since decided that we will take the expansion of this family one day at a time), we did manage to have kids #1 (Hadley, now two) & #2 (Jameson, now 9 months) a mere 15 months and 10 days apart.  Wow.  What can I say, we are blessed in this department.

From the moment I was showing with Jameson it opened the flood gates of commentary from strangers on the street and friends and family alike.  If I had a dollar for every time someone told me (unsolicited of course) that I was going to have my hands full - I'd be a wealthy woman.  Instead of pumping me up for the challenge ahead, all this did was completely terrify me.  The thing is, being an only child myself, I was really excited to have the kids close together.  But I was also beyond nervous.  Those websites & chat rooms I mentioned, they scared the crap out of me.  There was so much negative commentary out there about two under two.  So many bitter, cranky women complaining online about how hard their lives were.  I should have ignored all of them and focused on the ones (like the Baby Bunching ladies!) that had good things to say.  But I didn't.  I got totally bogged down by all this negative energy.  So much so, that the whole last 3 months of my pregnancy including the day he was delivered is a complete blur to me.  I barely even remember being there, which now just makes me sad because what a sweet, sweet day that was! 

What I wish I could've told myself back then, is to RELAX and to completely ignore the hype.  What I now know, is that with a 2-year old that is prone to public displays and running for the hills while mommy is behind strapped with a 20 pound baby yelling "come back here NOW!" that, YES, I do have my hands full.  And yes, there are times that this is hard.  Not every outing is a smashing success (success of course equaling a simple trip out of the house with no meltdowns and no running into the street).  And sometimes both kids are crying and I'm tired and I'm covered in all kinds of food, and I'm wishing I were on a beach with a cocktail.  But the words "hard work" and "hands full" no longer have a negative connotation like they did before I became a mom of kids 15 months apart.  Now, I wear those words like a badge of honor -- YES, it's hard!  But it's awesome.  I am so beyond blessed to watch my 2 year old and my 9 month old playing together, hugging each other, wishing the other was there on the rare occasion that they are separated.  This sibling bond that I am watching, helping cultivate, is simply beautiful.
 
Here I sit, 9 months into two under two and I have an overwhelming sense of "I can do this." I know there will be challenges ahead (#2 is about to go mobile and become a strong willed, active toddler himself).  But #1 is getting easier by the day.  Like all things, it's a balancing act, hard times ebb and flow, but you know what, so do the good times.  And those good times -- they are REALLY GOOD!
 
I am not super mom, and I am far from perfect.  And I'm not an expert, but I do have advice! 

The best advice I can give to moms about to embark on 2 under 2 is this: 

• keep your cool
• maintain your sense of humor
• be organized
• have a plan (but let that plan get blown to pieces if need be)
• try to savor every moment of the kids being so little, because while tough at times, it is precious and fleeting as well. 
• Oh, and for the love of God, get both kids on a good sleeping schedule as soon as humanly possible.  It saved my life!  (Both kids sleep 7pm - 7am without any wake ups.  And no, they did not come this way.)
   

*FYI - I have since sworn off all 2 under 2 chat rooms / advice columns, with the exception of Baby Bunching. And I am much happier for it.  And when the day comes that I am pregnant with #3 (maybe :), I am going to smile at every stranger that comments about my hands being full.  Yep, they are full.  Full of love.

baby bunching Q/A: shared toys

Q: Do you have any toy suggestions for the baby and toddler in my life? I have 2 girls, 8 months and 26 months, and they're just starting to really interact. Any good toys to foster that relationship early on? I think we're going to hold off another year for the big doll house stuff.

A: It's so fun when your Bunch begins to interact and eventually begins to play together. You're probably still a ways away from hours of play (where you can sit and read a magazine), but that time will come soon enough. For right now, your main thing will be teaching your kids how to play as nicely as possible. In another few months when your baby becomes a toddler the dynamics will change, dramatically. This is when sharing and taking turns kicks into high gear. Or should we say, takes you for a rollercoaster ride.

One of the perks to Baby Bunching is you needing to buy less stuff and that includes toys. Even if your kids are different genders, you do not need doubles of everything and toys in a million different age stages. When buying toys, buy gifts that both children will use/enjoy.  That's not to say that we don't indulge in special requests from our (very different) children, but we try to focus on constructive stuff for them to do.  Even better if they require interaction between the two of them and even better if said interaction can occur without my assistance --Tinker Toys, Lincoln Logs, art supplies, puzzles, games, etc.

But at this age when your kids are still small, I don't think a specific toy really matters. Even a book is great especially if your two-year old can "read" to your baby. If your oldest enjoys art, legos, trains, dolls or even a ball go with that. Your baby will follow suit because she just wants to be like the big kids. It was until our kids were about 3 that we really started to see preferance for actual toys and even then sometimes our younger ones just want to play with the older ones. (This is still the case.)

Our suggestion is if you want to buy toys, find things that can grow with your kids through different stages, like Fisher Price Little People sets or even some ride-on toys, and then focus more on the interaction and teaching your children the sharing concept once your youngest hits about a year.

baby bunching Q/A: transitioning to two toddlers

Thanks Royann for this great question on our Facebook page.

Q: Any suggestions on how to deal with the transition to two toddlers? Mine are 26 months and 11 months. The little one is walking already, and it's an entirely different experience. I got so used to being able to wear him all the time to run after his brother, and now I am going to have two little boys running in opposite directions.

A: We have touched on this subject, but it was about two years ago. We figure those readers have moved on, and our new readers need the scoop. So we're reposting this awesome advice. Linda classifies the 12-18 month stage (or even onto 24 months) as toddler hell. Yes, they are walking and starting to talk. That IS super fun, but not when your two-and-a-half year old is still darting into the street any chance he can get. If you thought two babies were hard, we have a surprise for you. Two toddlers are equally as hard, if not harder, since both are in fully upright and unlocked positions.

The good news is that there will be new places you can explore with both kids, like certain playgrounds, but be careful as all playgrounds are not created equal.  You will start to see some intentional, playful interaction between siblings, which is always very fun and makes it all worth it!  Your newest toddler can finally get off the sidelines and actually play.  Nap time will definitely be the new happy hour since both kids are probably napping on a schedule (if your oldest one isn't...make him!) and you can reclaim some time in the afternoon.

A few tips for this stage:

• Baby proof the crap out of your entire house, if you haven't already.  Plug every socket, gate every stair, put away everything breakable, and rearrange all furniture to block potential hazards (like the fireplace).  We're talking total home renovation. Don't worry, it's only temporary, and by the time your youngest is 2 1/2 or so, you will be able to reclaim your living room.  Trust us - it will be exhausting enough to keep your Bunch safe in public.  You need your home to be a safe sanctuary for everyone to live and play safely.
• This is a physically exhausting phase because you are literally running after both kids all the time.  Take advantage of the fact that they are likely on decent bedtime routines by now and go to bed at a reasonable hour (preferably after a bath to soak your sore muscles). 
• Transitions transitions, transitions. During this time period there will be major transitions for at least one--if not both--of your kids. We're talking about giving up bottles, pacifiers, breastfeeding, cribs, or diapers. This is a huge transition time. We're the first to admit that our kids have hung onto bottles, blankies, etc. longer than they needed to because it was easier, but transitions will still happen and with these come battles. Do what you can when the time feels right for both you AND toddler(s). Your doctor, while very important, doesn't live in your house. If the breastfeeding feels right, continue. If you can't find it in yourself to deal with potty training, wait just a bit.  Cut yourself some slack on these things until things calm down a little, if it's too much. 
• Because everyone is running everywhere, have 2-3 exhausting (for your kids) activities that are lower-maintenance for you that will wear them out while you can catch your breath for a bit. If play dates/playgroups save you and run them ragged, get those established regularly. If taking them to mall to just let them roam aimlessly saves your sanity, do it. If you have a fenced-in dog kennel backyard, take advantage of it and throw and ball and RUN them like dogs every day! 
• Speaking of activities, do yourself a favor and have a PLAN for each day.  There is no better way to sabotage a day with kids this age than by planning to "relax and lay low at home." Each evening, sketch out your plans for the next day, knowing that you will have to be flexible and change them if needed, but at least you've got a plan/purpose.
• Which brings us to our next point, which is be flexible.  Someone will wake up extra early and that means morning nap will get pushed up.  Someone will refuse to eat breakfast and then melt down out of hunger at the playground.  It will rain.  You will forget something for dinner and have to run to the store with both kids, resulting in a late dinner hour.  All children will refuse to nap some days. 
• Pick your battles.  Two talking toddlers means double the opinions (and corresponding tantrums) in your household now.  You can't win every battle, nor is every one worth fighting.  Kids this age don't understand the logic behind a bunch of rules anyway - have a few basic family rules for behavior and enforce those.  Let some of the others go a bit until your kids are old enough to reason with (around 4 or 5).

it takes a village to make it through

The phrase didn't have much meaning to me until this year and actually most recently, last week. In today's age when extended family might not be around to help us rear our children, we must be open to letting others help us at least make it through the day. And in turn, be willing to lend a helping hand in return.

When my kids were little, it was all I could do to function during the day. I rarely offered to babysit other's kids and even less asked others to watch my kids. When those around you are barely surviving between potty training, diaper changes, preschool runs or a constant string of sickness, the idea of the "village" stepping in to help you raise your kids seems foreign.

Last Monday afternoon I was sick. It was the kind of sick I knew was not going to go away by morning--aches, chills, fever, cough. Husband was away. Tuesday morning when I woke up I couldn't move. I couldn't even get out of bed until I took a few Advil and waited. After 20 minutes I was able to rise to get my kids cereal. (The upside to kids who are 5 and 6 is that they can entertain themselves for a bit and help themselves from the frig.) An hour later I wasn't any better. After a few phone calls, I had my whole network in place. Neighbor #1 offered to walk my kids to the bus. Neighbor #2 said she'd send her oldest over to walk my dog . Neighbor #3 (who is 9 months pg) offered to drop my daughter at gymnastics, pick up my son at school and then bring everyone home. Neighbor #1 brought dinner over. Neighbor #2 sent boys back over for another dog walk and then called to make sure I was alive.

This morning I woke up and felt like my "village" had saved me from my flu bug. An entire day in bed apparently was what I needed to be able to at least function in some capacity.

If there is any one point to this post, it's this: take the time to build your momtourage, get to know your neighbors, pay it back and pay it forward. We can't forge this road ahead alone. Even if you feel you don't have the energy to watch someone's kid for an afternoon, remember even little things like a pick up/drop off, a meal or just watching someone else's kid on the playground while mom runs to the bathroom is all it takes.

baby bunching Q/A: organizing/storing the clothes

Q: Any suggestions for organizing/storing baby clothes - who knows when the next one might be coming along.

A: Over the years we have both learned that organizing is a very personal thing. What works for one person may not work for another. However, there are a few things that will determine how you store clothes after a child has outgrown it, and help make it easier for you to organize in that way that works best for you.  

1) Are you planning for more babies after this one? If you're planning for more kids, keep the item if it still looks wearable. If you're on the fence about more kids, we recommend you still save it for a little while if you have the room, especially for items that look almost new.

2) Is your next in line the same gender? If the child is the same sex, keep the item even if the seasons may be off as you never know. If the child is a different gender, make a determination. My daughter was perfectly happy to wear all her brother's overalls and even some of his jeans/shorts. (In the future, you might try more gender-neutral clothing for big-ticket items like coats or even jeans.)

3) Does this article of clothing look like it could be reworn? (i.e. Does it have sweet potatoes stains all over or does it still smell like vomit even after you wash it?) Yes, keep it. No, toss it

Here are a few of our tips to help you organize your clothes:

• Bins, bins, bins! Invest in a few plastic bins with lids to stash in your kids' closets. Linda prefers these from the Container Store because they are all see through, fit on the top shelf of the closet and vary in size a bit, but they all still stack. All her kids out-of-season clothes now rest in these because they are easy to access on the off chance that it's hot or cold mid season. Find bins that work right for your closet and household needs. 
• Label everything. You must label them by size (0-3 months, 3-6 months, etc.) even if it's with Post-In notes. Toss clothes in there for the next child when they become too small for the oldest.  Don't worry about neatly folding the clothes, but labeling the bins is critical – even if it is just with a marker or piece of masking tape.  Be sure you have washed the clothes and removed stains. 
• When the bin is full, store it elsewhere--if you like--so it's not taking up excess room.  In Cara's case, as her kids got older she found there was only a few months gap between when they got tossed in the bin and worn by the next child, labeled “Next Season’s Clothes, Both Boys." Toss all hand-me-downs, as well as any end of season sale purchases for the next year, in the bin and pull it out at the beginning of each season to inventory what you have for each kid and what you still need.  This also provides easy access to the occasional jacket or shorts needed in the off-season.  
• To keep it all under control, use a little system called 'Purge and Pass.'  In addition to the hand-me-down bin, have another bag for give-aways or consignment items. 

The trick is to develop a system that works for you. Be ready to change as kids get older and you find they are able to wear shorts for three summers. Yes, that day will come. So you'll be less purging and more rotating things. That is the time when you can spend a bit more to get clothes that might actually last through more than one season.

tips for a successful baby bunching outing

By Amanda Wright

I am definitely not a Type A buncher, and even with three little ones (3, 2 and 8 months) my fundamentally laid-back personality chafes when our schedule becomes too full and our commitments turn burdensome.  As much as such an existence is possible in the bunching world, I strive to maintain a stress-free approach to our daily lives.  However, my desire to not be a drill sergeant has at times backfired and mornings can become a whinefest when we are trying to arrive on time to an event - be it a playdate, lunch with Daddy, church, or so forth.

Therefore, it became necessary for this bunching mom to create a routine to ensure that I could maintain my cool on mornings when we must leave the house by a certain time.  Through trial and error, here are my tips to achieving stress free pre-outing preparation with your bunch:

1. Tell your bunch - yes even baby! - the night before what the game plan is for the following morning. “Tomorrow we have a playdate with the Jones crew, so that means in the morning we will eat breakfast and then right away get washed up, dressed and our hair fixed.  After those things are done, you can play until it is time to go.”  Now when they wake up, they will already know what to expect.  I am sure that I do not have the only 2 and 3 year olds who lay in bed in the morning and think about/discuss what they want to do after breakfast, and letting them know the night before eliminates a lot of potential whining or arguing (“But Mooooommy, I reeeeeally wanted to play baaaaabies after breakfast!!”).  I also strongly advocate for the approach of getting the kids fully ready first thing - that way when it is almost time to leave all that remains for them to do is have a last bathroom trip and put on shoes/coats.
2. Have the diaper bag and/or lunch bag packed and ready to go the night before. Somehow when I restock the diaper bag at night while the house is quiet and my attention isn’t being pulled elsewhere, the task takes me approximately 90 seconds - occasionally up to 5 minutes if I need to run to the laundry room for extra back-up clothes or bibs.  Yet when I try to tackle it while the kids are running around it takes me no less than 15 minutes and I *still* forget things. If there are lunch items that have to stay refrigerated until right before you leave, jot down a list and stick it where you will see it before you leave the house!  This will help ensure you aren’t needing to turn around right as you leave the neighborhood because you suddenly realize the fruit salad you’re supposed to bring for everyone in playgroup to share is sitting forlornly on the shelf in the fridge.  
3. Have your own clothes laid out, and if possible wake up just 15 minutes before your bunch does.  This is not always a possibility, whether from sheer exhaustion or because you have a baby whose current wake-up call beckons you from slumber at the unholy hour of 5:00 a.m.  And since I shower at night, if I am up 15 - 20 minutes before my bunch I can wash up, put on my makeup and straighten or style my hair and be all ready to go.  Trying to do those things with 3 little ones intent on dismantling my bathroom drawers is NOT conducive to a stress-free morning.  
4. Great!  Now you’re all ready to go but you’ve been so efficient that it’s 40 minutes prior to the time you need to depart - what to do?  DON’T make the mistake that I have made so many times and become caught up in a few last minute chores, or reading a few too many books and wind up later than if you hadn’t been so prepared!  Instead, enjoy the fact that you can avoid rushing, that you don’t have to bark at the kids to “Just GET YOUR COAT ON already!!”,  and load your bunch up so that you can hit up Starbucks on the way to your destination.  Now that’s a great start to your day!

Amanda is an uber-buncher who survives and thrives with her three (3, 2, and 8 months) by means of family, friends, Starbucks and prayer - but not always in that order.

mastering the art of baby bunching

By Erin Brazofsky

As a momma of a 20-month old and 4-month old, I get a lot of strange, appalled and pitying looks when I go out in public. I bet you, since are reading this, get a lot of those looks, too!

Sometimes, a few brave ones will get up the nerve to approach me and ask me how I “do it.” I can only assume by “do it” they mean “how do I maintain sanity with such small children.” And, perhaps, you too are wondering how on earth you can maintain sanity while caring for two kids 18 months or less apart?

Today is your lucky day! I will impart all the knowledge you need to know to successfully master the art of Baby Bunching. (Well, I’ll try anyway.)

#1. Maintain a sense of humor. This is especially important when your older child vomits during his nap, but you don’t know about it till you get him up. Then you have to clean him and his crib up while the small one wails and your husband is either at work, or teaching a piano lesson in your home downstairs. Oh, and then both of the children have rather, um, interesting diapers that must be changed.

#2. Take some time for yourself. Seriously. I don’t know how it will look for you, but it is so important that you take some time to rejuvenate your spirit. A break is a good thing for everyone.

#3. Stay organized. I have found that if I have a flexible, but fairly regular daily schedule, things generally flow much, much easier and the babies are much more content and happy.

#4. Make sure you and your significant other are on the same page. If my husband and I aren’t communicating about the boys’ needs and what goals we have for the coming months, things tend to go awry.

#5. On the same note, DATE NIGHT, DATE NIGHT, DATE NIGHT. Oh, and did I mention DATE NIGHT?

#6. Find playgroups or mom’s groups to attend. Having a community of other mommas (Baby Bunchers or otherwise) is so important. Your friends can be some of your biggest cheerleaders and offer some of the best support when things just aren’t going right.

Of course, I could go on, and maybe later I will (lucky you), but ultimately, you know what will work for you and your brood. Hopefully some of these (admittedly tongue-in-cheek) tips will help if you’re newer to Baby Bunching (like me!) or just remind you of some things you can do to keep your blood pressure low.

[Editor's note: We agree on all points!]

indoor fun for snow days

By Tara Wright

You wake up to see the white stuff coming down hard and the news advises you to stay off the roads. It's snowing too hard to play outside, so what do you do to keep the kids from tearing up your house or spending the day in front of the television? 

The following list of fun activities for all ages was cobbled together from a variety of websites, recommendations from other moms and other “in-the-know” sources.

Keep this list of ideas handy, or write each idea, plus any others of your own, on slips of paper and put them in a bowl. The next time the kids are bored, let them draw a slip of paper to decide which activity to do first.

Have a Picnic or Tea Party – Lay out a picnic blanket or an outdoor tablecloth on the living room floor and enjoy lunch together down there.  Or brew up some warm tea or cider and have a little tea time with crackers or sweet bread for an afternoon treat. Bring out the stuffed animals for extra company.

Do a Puzzle – Take out that 1000 piece puzzle, spread it out on the kitchen table or living room floor and dig in!

Resurrect Family Game Night – Dust off Candyland, Monopoly, Scrabble, a deck of cards or whatever other board games you’ve forgotten in the closet. 

Look Through Old Photo Albums – Pull out the old photo albums, sit around the table and show the kids what you looked like at your high school prom. They’ll love the old photos of Grandma, Grandpa and the rest of the family too. 

Scrap Book Together - Pull out that box of old photos that you have sitting in the closet that you’ve been meaning to do something with and let the kids make a scrap book of a family vacation or of themselves when they were young.

Build a Fort – There are always enough pillows, chairs and blankets around to build a fort or tent to go camping in the living room. 

Create Your Own Snowstorm – No two snowflakes are alike. Grab some white computer paper and scissors and make it snow indoors. Hang the snowflakes around the house for a winter wonderland.  If you have it, pull out glue and blue, white and/or silver glitter to help make your indoor snowstorm glitter like the outdoor snow.

Go on a Scavenger Hunt – Stash clues around the house (adjust difficulty based on the ages of your kids; use picture cues for little ones, tricky puns for older children), directing kids to hunt for hidden prizes.

Sit Around a “Camp Fire” – Turn down the lights, grab a few flashlights or candles, and gather around and sing songs or tell stories, scary or fantastic, as if you’re sitting around a camp fire under the stars.  If you have a fondue pot, melt some chocolate and grab the marshmallows and graham crackers to make smores to really get that camp fire vibe.

Bake – What a great time to bake a cake, brownies or cookies together! Then, you can pour some hot chocolate or hot cider and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Write a Story –Even if your kids aren’t writing fluently yet, they can still create stories on their own.  Create a collection of blank books from construction paper and ribbon or string, and let your kids illustrate a story of their own creation.  Later, you can write the words for them as they dictate them to you, or they can sound out the words phonetically and write the story on their own.  Make sure the authors sign and date their books. They make great keepsakes.

Have Story Time – Grab some picture books and read out loud together.  Or have older children read stories to the younger ones.  If your children have written their own stories, have this be the first “public reading” and make it a special event, with refreshments and a captive audience.

Be a Pen Pal – Old-fashioned letter writing is a dying art.  Help your child write a letter or make their own card to send to Grandma, cousins, a friend, or even an elderly neighbor and make someone’s day when they open their mailbox a few days later.

Make Puppets – All it takes are some paper lunch bags and crayons or markers. Or go through the sock drawers for a handful of orphan socks. Get some yarn, buttons and big fat needles. Have fun creating wacky puppets and then have the kids put on an equally wacky puppet show.

It’s Show Time – Challenge a group of kids to stage a play or talent show. If they need a little jump start, give them a theme or some wacky opening lines to get them started.

Be a Treasure Hunter – Everyone has boxes in their basement or attic that haven’t been opened in years, sometimes decades.  If your kids are a little older, pull out the boxes and go through them.  The kids will love finding and hearing the stories behind Dad’s old wrestling trophy or Mom’s science fair ribbons.  Make a rule that anyone who finds a treasure they like gets to keep it.  Who knows, you might even be able to clear out some of the junk you’ve been meaning to get rid of or you might find some treasures of your own that you forgot about.

Have Fun with Play Dough –Play-dough made from scratch is easy, there are recipes all over the web, and you can make an endless array of colors with basic food dye or powder drink mixes (think Kool Aid, fruity iced teas or lemonades).  Plus, you won’t have to worry about your younger ones putting their hands in their mouths while playing with it.  Spread the outdoor tablecloth on the floor, and give them dull knives, a rolling pin, and some cookie cutters.

Finish Their Homework – No kid wants to do it, but getting a head start on their school work will get it out of the way so that, when the weather does clear, they can be out building snow forts and throwing snow balls.

Do Nothing / Use Their Imagination – Occasional boredom is good for kids.  It’s rare that children are truly bored; they just haven’t learned to exercise the imagination part of their brain.  Make a rule that if your child say’s “I’m bored”, they’ll have to do chores.  Eventually, they’ll think of something to do.

[We'd love to hear some of your own ideas for indoor fun when the weather's bad.]

a baby buncher's new years resolutions

Neither of us are big into resolutions. Most people won't make it past February without going back to their old ways. But it's a good way to talk about the changes we all want to make. Here are a few Baby Bunching resolutions--most of us--can all ponder for 2011.

1.  To identify and utilize every possible drive-thru service in town.

2.  To take lots of photos of my Bunch and upload them to my hard drive/photo sharing service regularly, even if I won't get around to ordering prints for five years.

3.  To offer support and advice to other Bunchers whenever I can, and to actively seek out the advice and support of others who have gone before me.  

4.  To carefully consider every purchase and minimize the amount of baby gear, clothes, and toys I bring into my life.  More stuff=more mess=more work=more anxiety.

5.  To take the money I saved on stuff and use it to treat myself to a baby sitter or a house cleaner once in awhile, so that I can spend more quality time on myself or my kids.

6.  To make loving my husband a priority and not simply treat him as an extra set of hands walking in the door at 5:30.

7.  To learn to let the little things go when I can. Chores will always be there.  Kids are only little once so enjoy the time now before they get older and prefer their friends to me.
8.   To not have another baby - at least this year.

last minute crunch with your bunch

We must be the only school district around with school that goes until Wednesday. But you won't hear me complaining since I can get the last minute chores done before the whole family descends upon my house. But if your kids are out from school and you're wondering how to get everything done with your Bunch, fear not as we have an annual tradition of providing you a few quick tips to survive the last few days before Christmas.

If you're needing to get out and about this week to get last-minute gifts, send packages or plan your holiday menu, going with your two toddlers could make it a bit tricky. So here are a few suggestions to get you through:  

1) Get a sitter (even if it's for one kid)! Beg a neighbor to trade off on babysitting favors for one morning and high tail it around town like a mad woman. Make sure you have a list and group your errands for the most efficiency. If you can't arrange a babysitting swap, bring a mother's helper along with you ($5 an hour or so). She can at least trail behind you with the kids and feed them snacks while you shimmy through Target at light speed. But try to unload at least one kid with someone else. We promise this will make life easier!

2) Splurge on a fun coffee drink. My choice is always a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha. For $3 or so, if that will put me in the right frame of mine to deal with the rush and my Bunch whining about this and that, I say it's worth it.

3) Fa la la la from place to place. Yes, add a little caroling to your car to help lighten the mood (both theirs and yours).

4) Bribe them with lunch. Chick fil A is our preferred Christmas rush treat. We never go there and they love the idea of something fun for them when we're done.

5) Or if all else fails, wait until evening and collect a few other Baby Bunching moms and make a girl's night out of Christmas chaos then get drinks afterwards.

Best of luck getting it all done this week!