New England
Joined February 2022
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We're just past two months with our second kid, so I wanted to reflect while the experience is fresh.
In many ways, the transition has been harder than going from 0 to 1. While that's a bigger change, the early days with two have been way more physically exhausting.
Supporting a toddler and infant at the same time is grueling. it's been harder to create space to recharge (especially for my wife). and more challenging to find a rhythm or routine.
our older daughter has adjusted well but it's still a huge change. the times that are hardest for her are when he needs attention, resulting in some moments of comical chaos
at the same time I've found it easier to enjoy some of the early milestones knowing how transient everything is.
and seeing the two of them interact just hits different. watching our toddler talking and laughing with her little brother is more magical than I imagined.
There's also this felt sense of our family becoming more of a squad... with more dynamics and more complexity but also more love
all in all the whole thing is both far more challenging and more beautiful than i expected
Two weeks ago, our 2nd kid was born. On the night we brought him home, our dog of 10 years had a stroke. He died the next day.
it's been a wild experience of the intensity of life. The cycle of birth and death. The dance of joy and sadness. But most of all, the depths of love.
Something about losing our dog in this way and this moment has opened up so much in me.
It seems like even in his death, Franklin had a way of teaching and impacting me.
My wife and I got him on the day we moved in together. He was with us for a decade as we moved across 5 states. He helped us grow up and watched us become parents. Living with him changed me in so many small and powerful ways.
Franklin had the calmest energy and most loving vibe. He had a magical way of rubbing off on everyone around him.
Of getting you to slow down. To relax into the moment. To appreciate the simple joy of a walk, a game of fetch, or a piece of food.
I'm so grateful for each and every moment I got to spend with him. RIP Frankie.
Sam Sager retweeted
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in chatting with friends about a 2nd kid arriving, there's been a big split between those who felt the 2nd was easier to integrate than the 1st and those who found it harder
curious to hear any thoughts on the divide or tips (maybe it's just about how different each kid can be)
Sam Sager retweeted
A major theme of my book, Wild Problems. Until you’ve experienced it, you can imagine the costs much more easily than the benefits. And you change irrevocably. Mostly for the good. Parenting is not for everybody but it’s underrated.
it's interesting how many people are shifting from lower sugar/carb diets toward higher ones and feeling better.
and moving from intermittent fasting to more regular eating patterns and feeling better
but a few years ago the shifts were mostly in the opposite direction and most people reported feeling better.
makes me wonder if it's not that one diet/approach is universally better or worse and more that there's value in the change itself. that embracing any strict approach eventually has some downsides. so it's better to more rhythmically flow between different ways of eating. (maybe even attuned to the seasons)
I’ve messed with my diet more over the past year than almost any other period in my life.
I’m finally starting to hone in on what feels best, and I really could never have guessed the result.
Unsurprising:
- No alcohol
- No gluten or corn
- No seed oils
- Absolute highest possible quality meat / produce / dairy (ideally local & seasonal, but at least organic)
- No processed food
Surprising:
- Way more sugar (honey, maple syrup, fruit, orange juice)
- More dairy (butter, raw milk, ice cream)
- Minimal “slow carbs” (beans, nuts, legumes, seeds)
- Less red meat
- No intermittent fasting
- Less spicy food
- Much less caffeine (no black coffee or cold brew, just 1-2 espresso drinks)