I never imagined living my early 20s inside motherhood.
Not like this.
My life as a mother of two looks like a lot of baby, breastfeeding, leaking through every shirt I wear, and the mix of joy and frustration that comes with raising two little ones at 20 years old.
Becoming a young mom of two really changed who I was becoming.
Baggy eyes.
Wet shirts.
Chaos everywhere.
And somehow…
I’m enjoying every minute of it.
But I’m also dying inside.
The minute I found out I was pregnant with our second, I was shocked.
Not a bad shock — just a “WTF is happening?” kind of moment.
I was already trying my hardest with our 6-month-old.
How was I supposed to do it with another one?
A million thoughts ran through my mind — and my husband’s mind too.
We were both shocked… but happy.
It’s a weird feeling
Like your heart is full, but you’re internally screaming.
We kept asking ourselves:
Was it too soon?
Were we ready?
Would we even be able to handle it?
Spoiler! We’re handling it better than we thought.
There are beautiful, memorable days.
And other days I want to rip my hair out and cry.
Were we ready?
Absolutely not.
But God gave us another blessing, and we trusted that.
So…
Here’s the reality of two under two.
Pregnancy + a Toddler = Never Been More Exhausted
I tried my best to stay active during my second pregnancy — working, lifting weights, doing everything I could.
But pregnancy… plus a toddler?
That was more exhausting than any workout.
My toddler would out-energize me every single day.
My emotions were HEAVY — especially during his breakdowns.
By the end of the day, I was completely drained, trying to find even a tiny bit of energy for him.
And cooking?
Cooking was not for me during my second pregnancy.
Not because I hate it — but because every bone, every muscle in my body felt exhausted.
I didn’t even have the energy to stand up some days.
This Is What Actually Saved Me
In the middle chaos — the bills, the rent, diapers piling up…
I made a decision I wish I made sooner.
I switched to cloth diapers.
Not because I suddenly became a crunchy Pinterest mom.
Not because I wanted to save the plant (although that is a bonus)
But because disposable diapers for two under two?
Drained our bank account.
At first, cloth diapering sounded complicated.
But honestly?
It saved us money.
We dealt with less blowouts.
And it gave me one thing I could finally feel in control of.
If you’re trying to survive this stage without going broke, you’ll want to read my post about the cloth diapers I use. Or if you’re familiar with cloth diapers this is the brand I use: Mama koala
Becoming a Family of Four
When we brought our baby girl (second) home, we introduced her to her big brother.
He was only 15 months old.
He looked at her… then look at us like:
“Cool… what do you want me to do?”
He acknowledged her — but definitely didn’t expect her to stay.
Those first nights?
Shockingly peaceful.
I had heard all the horror stories, so I was bracing for the worst…
But it didn’t come. (yet)
Baby girl was a sleeper.
Eat. Sleep. Repeat.
It felt magical — like I hit the jackpot.
Until she turned one.
And everything changed.
Some days are smooth, gentle, and flowy — like a dream.
Other days?
It felt like absolute hell.
The kind of day where you’re just waiting for bedtime so you can have some alone time.
The Hardest Parts of Two Under Two
Teething… times two.
With such a close age gap, they were teething at the same time.
The crying.
The fussiness.
The double diaper changes.
I was overstimulated constantly.
And the synchronized crying?
If one cried, the other cried.
Loud. Nonstop. Overwhelming.
If one needed attention, suddenly the other needed it too.
It felt like I was being pulled in two directions.
Splitting Myself In Half
When they both cried at the same time, I never knew who to help first.
The best advice I got?
Meet your toddlers needs first.
It helped reduce jealousy and made the transition smoother.
Not perfect — but better.
Double the Toddler Energy
Two strong personalities.
Two opinions.
Two strong voices.
And somehow… They always want the same toy.
There’s a lot more refereeing than I ever imagined.
The Best Parts (That Make It Worth It)
They’re best friends.
They play together.
Laugh together.
Chase each other around — wobbly running and all.
I mean they even comfort each other when the other is crying. Along with little besitos when one gets hurt
Built-in best friends.
Shared Nap Times.
Once baby girl became a toddler, their naps synced.
Which means…
1-3 hours of quiet
Sometimes I clean.
Work out.
Or I’ll just take a nap with them.
And honestly?
That time is my reset.
What Two Under Two Taught Me
You learn to let go.
Laundry? They help. It’s slower, but they’re enjoying their time.
Dishes? They can wait.
Toys everywhere?
Practice for picking up after themselves… or they trip over them.
I stopped chasing perfection.
Stopped forcing strict routines.
And started just… going with the flow.
You grow, too.
Patience.
Flexibility.
And Resilience.
You learn to ask for help.
You learn that you’re capable of more than you thought.
And you realize —
These moments won’t last forever.
One day, they won’t need you like this.
You’ll sleep again.
You’ll miss this.
If You’re In It Right Now…
You’re doing better than you think.
You’re not alone.
Even on the long, overwhelming days — you’ve built something beautiful.
A family.
A bond.
A life you kids get to grow up in.
Two under two was stressful.
But it’s been one of the most beautiful chapters of my life.
At 20, I never expected this.
The adjustment was rough, but we made it.
And both babies are thriving, full of personality, and growing closer every day.
And if you think I learned my lesson about close age gaps….
Well…
I didn’t.
I had our third baby 18 months after our second.
And yes…
That story is coming soon.
Come Join Me
If you’re in your early 20s trying to figure out motherhood as you go —
Tired, overwhelmed, but still showing up every day…
You’ll fit in here.
I share the real, unfiltered side of motherhood —- and the things that are actually helping us survive it (and save money doing it).
I would love to connect with you.
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