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Home › Articles › Family › Two Under 2

Two Under 2

The Joys and Challenges of Children Close in Age

By Mark Stackpole

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Daughter Bayler's eventual arrival in February 2004 was complicated by the fact that she was born with a syndrome that doctors have not yet been able to identify. The research continues, and happily, Bayler has reached every infant milestone so far. "I know the tough stuff is never behind me, but there is so much fun and excitement ahead," says Mulick.

Preparing the Firstborn
Evie Maddox of Snellville, Ga., runs a Web site dedicated to the natural raising of babies and children, www.thediaperlady.com. She and her husband, Alan, a handyman, are the proud parents of Thomas and Anna, born 19 months apart. After Thomas proved to be a high-needs baby, Maddox had prepared herself for a hard time when Anna arrived. The reality turned out to be quite different. "She was a great baby who ate well and slept well for long stretches," says Maddox. "She was completely the opposite of Thomas, who had to be held all the time, even at night. Having two that close together was actually easier than having my son when he was a newborn."

Mindful of the upcoming changes in the family structure, Maddox turned Anna's arrival into a learning experience for Thomas, now 3. "We prepared him for what was to come because we knew that we could not wait on him hand and foot," she says. "He was very independent once his sister came and was very mature for his age."

Still, Maddox wanted to make sure that Thomas did not come to think that the new baby as getting all of the attention. If both happened to be crying, she would alternate to whom she would go first. "Sometimes if I calmed him down, he could even help me with Anna, and that made him feel special," she says. Their focus on the children's needs and their own patient parenting techniques worked well enough to allow a plane flight to New York for a family reunion when the children were 2 years old and 9 months old. While a trip like this is a potential nightmare for any parent, this one proceeded disaster-free.


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