What I've learned about having three kids..
1. Sleep when baby sleeps--this no longer applies..you're lucky if you will sleep at all.
2. Find time for yourself--I dont know about anyone else but I don't have the TIME for time to myself. Between changing diapers, bottle feedings, dishes, laundry, and finding time to keep the older two kids preoccupied-- there isn't enough hours in the day.
3. Time disappears--Before I had B, my nights consisted of supper, baths, stories, bed and then M and I could sit and
watch TV, talk about our days, or I could catch up on my blogging...now, I am lucky if I am sitting down on the couch
before 9PM.
4. You depend on older kids---Although AD is only four and AN is only three, I depend on them a lot more now to help me with stuff. For example "Holler at me if your sister starts to cry" "Can you run and get me a diaper" "Can you go throw this away for mommy?" Is this helpful? Yes! But before we had B, the other two kids didn't have to help with other stuff...just handled their own things....I do lie and blame this on "bonding" for the kids. It's a lie and I know it:)
5. Shopping or traveling--It is now nearly IMPOSSIBLE to take a trip anywhere without pulling my hair out. Grant it yes, I was pulling my hair out with two, but before I could stick AD and AN in the cart and not worry about them getting out. There is not a cart big enough for three kids and groceries, so the solution? One child has to walk. Then the other child wants to walk. This leaves me chasing two children around the store, trying to push a cart, and carry a baby in my arms while trying to feed her! AWESOME!!
6. Cars---I no longer can drive my nice little red car....I've moved up to a mini van. Not that I mind vans but I miss my car something terrible!!!
7. Money--I think this is always an issue with any parent regardless of the amount of children you have. We were struggling before with two, but now with the third..man oh man! Having me go to work isn't an option either because seriously who can afford $7.50 an hour to put three kids in daycare. Not this chick!
So are you still wondering how different is it now with three kids instead of two??
I want to cry anytime I have only one kid to take care of. It's SO MUCH easier. I "only" have two kids (7 months apart, both under 2) and I, seriously, cannot even imagine what a third would do to my psyche.
ReplyDeleteThat's why my ass got fixed at 3, didn't wanna see what the difference between 3 and 4 was.
ReplyDeleteAnd your 3 and 4 year olds are lucky, by 4 in our family, you had a shovel in your hand working at the family quarry. LOL
I have three kid and my Hubby still refuses to let me drive a mini van. Wonder what he's gonna say with #4 comes along?? Though I could fit two more babies in my car...
ReplyDelete3 is definitely tough at first. But you get used to it.
The older kids love to help! It makes them feel important and needed. Mine were only 2 and 3 when baby brother came a long, and I let them help as much as they could, and they did really well with the baby.
In a year or two, you'll be looking back, wishing for these days again. =)
Kudos to you, girlfriend!
ReplyDeletePraying that you can "stay sane"!
I have 3 kids and its nothing like two. People who said that are crazy. You can never find someone to watch all three, the mini van depresses me. I miss my sports car.
ReplyDeleteBefore I had my third kid, I thought, "Hey, what's one more?" Wrong!! Three is much harder than two, especially when they're all little. I now have FOUR (I know, wth was I thinking?). However, there is a 7 year age difference between my 3rd and 4th, so it's alot different this time around. I think the hardest part for me was the car thing...we now have a Flex that has the seating of a minivan, but I like the style a little better. Plus my husband's ego is way to big to drive a minivan around...he says they are emasculating. Whatever! New follower here from Super Stalker Sunday!
ReplyDelete