Strawberry Pop Tart Scones, and they are the most popular post on Veggie Mama. Only it was a bit of a one-trick pony, someone had submitted it to Stumbleupon and it went nuts over a month or so, earning more than 15,000 views. And then nobody looked at it any more.
So while it has the record for the most views, I don’t consider it the most popular post. The post that has the most views and still gets traffic to this day is the one where I share the secret to making the perfect fluffy pikelet. DAMN THEY ARE GOOD.
Pinteresting. Oh, while I’m here – let’s not do this. The point of Pinterest is to link back to the original post, so if people are interested in the tutorial or recipe or whatever, then they can go to the source to get it. When you pin someone else’s work and then give all the instructions and ingredients in the caption, not only are you being rude to the person who created the tutorial or recipe or whatever, you are also in breach of copyright. Pinterest is a minefield, people! Gotsta be doing it properly.
So as far as a where are they now type of thing, well, these scones and pikelets got ate. In the interests of being interesting however, my next most popular post about general stuff is “Two under Two: How did I do it?”
It had been five months since I had Pepper, and my kids were 18 months apart almost to the day. I’d navigated those first early waters of newborn and toddler, and it had been so much easier than I anticipated. So many people had asked me how I found it (especially the ones who were about to go through it!) so I put together a few bits and pieces of how I handled it – what worked and what didn’t.
Today my kids are 2.5 and 13 months old, and we’ve made it through that hectic first year. In some ways these days are harder than the newborn ones, because you need to be constantly on the ball – refereeing fights, ensuring caps are put back on textas, ensuring a minimum of PlayDoh is swallowed, enforcing limits and knowing that consistency is necessary for discipline, holding back one kid from kicking the other in the head, teaching sharing and taking turns, stopping one kid from pulling the toilet paper off the roll while calling out for the other one to stop touching the oven, toilet training, and two kids running in two different directions at the park. Then there’s the whole business of shaping impressionable humans, being a role model and teaching them things that they’ll take with them into adulthood. That’s a massive and exhausting responsibility, especially compared with those early days when all they need is a feed, a change, and a cuddle. And where one kid getting into the loo roll is bearable.
But of course, in other ways its easier. I don’t always get a whole hot cup of tea in one go, but the girls are beginning to amuse themselves without incident for longer and longer periods, so it’s more often than not. I don’t sleep through the night, but the wakeups are much more manageable. The park is easier with two mobile toddlers that don’t need to be carried and aren’t going to put everything in their mouth. The beach is more fun, and I can usually get through unpacking the dishwasher before disaster strikes. I’m still very much in need, but the things I’m needed for are different and not a 24-hour onlsaught. And when they play together for the briefest of moments, it is the most face-meltingly gorgeous thing you’ve ever encountered. They freely give hugs and kisses, they sit still (for the most part) when I read to them, they can follow simple instructions (I may or may not have shouted HALLELUJAH! the first I asked Abby to hand me something just out of my reach, and she actually did – the tables were turning!) and at least one of them can concentrate on an activity for longer than 22 seconds, which means my bathroom isn’t quite as filthy as it was for that first while.
The best part of all though, is that it just keeps getting better. I would totally do an 18-month gap all over again. We’re such a little family unit now, and life in general is getting easier and more enjoyable, we’re learning about our children as their personalities unfold, and we can see how we fit together and co-exist as four humans. Every day is better than the one before, and particularly lately I really feel like we’re hitting our stride. It’s such a good place to be.
Reannon Hope says
October 27, 2013 at 2:04 pmThis post fills me with hope. Thank you xx
Veggie Mama says
October 28, 2013 at 12:58 pmearly parenting is such a shitfight dude. But you plod on xx
Katie Rainbird says
October 27, 2013 at 4:46 pmThat cheeky Pinner is called Mrs Belcher, haha!
Veggie Mama says
October 28, 2013 at 12:58 pmI reported her pin 🙂
heidi says
October 27, 2013 at 6:39 pmWow, I am amazingly happy that I am not the only one with two little girls who sometimes would give boys a run for their money! My girls are 11 months and 3, And I feel like I’m constantly fielding pushing, pulling hair, snatching food etc etc. But I totally agree, the moments they manage to be each other’s besties are pure gold.
Veggie Mama says
October 28, 2013 at 12:58 pmhaha I think it’s more that they’re fully toddlers right now, and boy or girl, that means screaming “mine!”, snatching toys, pushing over and generally being small tornado menaces. Just when i remember Abby will soon grow out of it, it hits me that we’ve still got pepper to go!
MotherDownUnder says
October 27, 2013 at 8:27 pmYour family is just gorgeous.
And that Pinning thing is outrageous…I vow to make sure I never repin pins that contain all the instructions!
Veggie Mama says
October 28, 2013 at 12:57 pmIt’s so sneaky! Although I know some people just genuinely don’t know it’s illegal. Stop being so lazy, Pinners!
Yellow_Dandy says
October 27, 2013 at 9:56 pmI HATE it when people pin things with the whole recipe, or DIY instructions. It happens so much. I’m glad you’ve reached a stage where your bathrooms as not as filthy, it gives me hope for clean bathrooms in the not too distant future, but for now.. oh well! x Karen
Veggie Mama says
October 28, 2013 at 12:56 pmWell, TODAY my bathroom is filthy. But I’ll get to it! And yeah the pinterest thing is a bummer, I won’t repin someone who has done that, or I’ll delete the caption.
elisha hayes says
October 28, 2013 at 7:37 amI make these all the time. I add a few frozen berries in the mix too and they are great. My kids looooooooooooove them and I do to. Bookmarked forever. Thanks
Veggie Mama says
October 28, 2013 at 12:56 pmYes I put blueberries in too! They’re soo good.
Sarah@SnippetsandSpirits says
October 28, 2013 at 10:07 amSuch positivity. Its only up from here.
Veggie Mama says
October 28, 2013 at 12:55 pmAll the way to the top, baby!
Nikki | Styling You says
October 28, 2013 at 10:45 amThe second of my 17-month gap kidlets is less than 3 weeks off finishing school. How did that happen? I almost have nostalgia for those early days. Almost.
I’m with you on the age gap thing. Even though mine were boy and girl. From an early age they could kind of do things together, I could get out with them and they’d be happily entertained by the same things. x
Veggie Mama says
October 28, 2013 at 12:55 pmI think the nearness in age is such a blessing for exactly those reasons. I’ve often thought of the little nuggets of wisdom you’ve given me!
daddownunder says
October 28, 2013 at 12:25 pmHow good is it when you hit your stride, when everything falls into place and your chaotic little family feels like a finely tuned machine…………….and then the next day everything returns to normal. Beautiful fluffy pikeletty goodness.
Veggie Mama says
October 28, 2013 at 12:55 pmIf it’s more good days than bad, i consider that a success.
Lisa Mckenzie says
October 28, 2013 at 12:50 pmIt will get better and better until they start saying NO and back chatting you Stacey there are good and bad phases to come and I hope when they go through puberty they are nice to you! I was not and neither was my daughter,so enjoy these young years hon xx
Veggie Mama says
October 28, 2013 at 12:54 pmNever mind that, I’ll send them to boarding school.
The Plumbette says
October 28, 2013 at 2:06 pmThere is 2.5 years between my girls and I don’t think I could have done them sooner. But after reading your post maybe I could have? I love our little family unit but gosh there is so much responsibility and it can be exhausting hey?
missandmisters says
October 28, 2013 at 3:50 pmWe have small gaps between ours too, and I just love watching their friendships develop as they explore the world together. Sure, there are some moments of older ones teaching younger ones (so heart-fillingly good!), but the small gaps mean they’re also tackling new things together and I love that. They’re holding each other walking through life.
Also, I went to look up what my most popular post was: I thought it was the one on poo, but the one on boobs just slid past. Neither would be the closet to my heart… It’s funny what people connect with.