A letter to the future Mama Weiting,
in 2024

Having two kids under two was not something I dreamed about when Vishal and I got married. It was one of those, "wow, Kian is so cute" and "gee, we have so much help" that we unanimously said: "let's do it!"

And what do you know? A second baby is on its way. Leaving it a 14 month age gap between Kian and Baby #2. Are we out of our minds? Maybe. Or, maybe not!

Everyone tells us how much 'work' it will be. I think that's how Vishal and I live life. The more someone tells us we can't do something or that something is hard, we want to do that exact thing EVEN MORE.

While I'm very happy to make our family of 4 complete in a span of ~2 years, a part of me is impatiently waiting for 2024 to roll around. This is a tribute to the future me.

Dear Mama...

in 2024, you will get your body back. 

Oh, yes you will!!! If all things go well, Baby #2 will arrive into the world before 2023 is over. 

After that, you will get to run, to cycle, and to lift weights you want. Whatever you need to do to get back into healthy shape. Up until then, you will look at that stretched out skin on your belly and think that there is no way this blob of skin is going back in place but it is possible, Mama Weiting. 

What's also great is that you eat healthier and all of that goodness nutrient will be yours - you don't have to share. I mean, at least you don't have to share the ones you already eat. You might have to share if Kian or Baby #2 eyes your food before you have a chance to put it in your mouth. 

Before then, know that you are beautiful just the way you are. 2024 is less than 9 months away.

in 2024, you will travel. 

Remember how you booked a cruise for more than a year in advance because you were so impatiently waiting to go travelling again? 

Remember how after you booked the cruise trip, you were thinking about all the other ways you can squeeze in a short trip before you cap out on the cruising or flying dates of a pregnant woman? 

Remember how your travel agent tried to look at all the options and you were like "I'm brainfried looking at all the options and the dollar signs associated with it. I'm going to carry this belly and I'm going to be EXHAUSTED. Ah nevermind, I am just going to go to bed."?

Oh yes, that happened.

No worries, Mama Weiting. You're all set. 

One trip is slotted in for 2024 and Baby #2 hasn't even arrived into this world yet. YOU ARE READY!

Baby #2, you better come out healthy and well, I already paid for your ticket to go on this cruise so please don't make me ask for a refund. Well, I can't even because it's non-refundable! Thinking back, I probably should have thought about contingency cases a little more before I splurged on this cruise. 

in 2024, you will explore 10X more.

Oh Mama Weiting, there is so much to do when the little ones are toddlers!

They will both be in daycare. They will babble and say a few words. They will want to explore nature. They will want to do arts and crafts. You will need to find ways to keep them busy.

You prepped a 'DIY toddler busy book' ~1 year in advance of them being able to actually play with it...No one is more prepared than you. You're on the road to getting the Best Mom Awards!!! Ha, I joke.

At the same time they are having fun, you make sure you have fun too. Continue to challenge yourself. Whether you choose to go a little slower or you choose to push harder than before, keep learning and keep growing. 

Perhaps, pick up a new / old hobby (e.g. do some more jigsaw puzzles, walks with audiobooks, get back into Krav Maga). Perhaps, pick up more responsibilities at work. Perhaps, go take a course on something entirely new just for the sake of it (e.g. baking, animation). 

2024, is your year.

In all honesty, there will be plenty of times you will feel mom-guilt like you do now. You will read things online that other parents get to do with their little ones that you don't get to do. Like, "Oh Weiting, you went back to work early. I took a year off to be with my little one."

You will hear things that people say to you or about you that will make you feel like you aren't doing a good job as a mom. Like, "Oh Weiting, you let your baby cry-it-out to go to bed? I could never let my baby do that. It hurts me too much to see them cry that much."

You will experience things that are going to be very different than other moms. Like, "Oh Weiting, you chose to have two babies under two? That is going to be so much work. But they'll be best friends!"

Sigh. As a mom, choose what battles to fight. 

Know that you are doing the best you can. You don't have to be like other moms. You do you, Mama Weiting.

You got this.