Back when we were expecting number 2, we had lots of people ominously hint that having one was like training wheels for parenting.  We had “two under two” for almost 6 months and now with our youngest approaching a year, I feel like I can accurately describe the main differences.

Childproofing
Childproofing for one is all outlet covers and covering the sharp corners and locking up the breakables. Childproofing for two (or more) is closer to locking down the asylum for an escaped mental patient or a visit from Jigsaw. Bonus points if they are both toddlers with the older one trying to frame his or her sibling for taking the fall (this is especially funny when you SEE the older one do something and she still shirks the blame).

Housework
Picking up with one can be a little challenging what with the tiny laundry and errant toys and all. With two or more, you are pretty much screwed. Did you just fold and put away the laundry? HA!! That brief second of silence followed by gales of laughter is most certainly your well behaved children deciding to make it “rain” laundry in their room.  Mopped the floor in the kitchen? Oh yeah..someone is peeing on that sucker.

Sleep
We had a lovely schedule with our oldest, she slept through the night, we were rested and refreshed most days. Then we had two and while they in theory “sleep through the night”, they typically at least wake up once each, which is usually on a tag team schedule.

Naps
It has taken us almost a year to get the girls on the same afternoon nap schedule (yes, a freaking YEAR). They have to go down at the exact same time otherwise the older one will go screaming into the younger’s room or the younger will scream as loud as she can…because she can. Morning naps for the younger are usually brought to us by the fine programming of PBS on Netflix (thank goodness they finally added more Arthur). The whole thing is like diffusing a bomb on a movie….cut the wrong wire and you get hit with a tantrum explosion of epic proportions.