What I'm NOT doing

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The arrival of the third child has pushed me off the cliff.


Somewhere between Lexi's birth and our arrival in Paraguay I have lost all control. Who's in charge? I'm not sure. I feel as if having three kids under the age of 4 is the same as having eleven children! (I'm probably wrong.)

Once you're outnumbered, you're outnumbered.

In order to maintain some sort of sanity I've quit doing many things.

1. Making the bed.
2. Blogging, editing photos. (I do a little bit whenever I can. It's rare)
3. Sorting laundry. It all gets dumped in at the same time.
4. Fixing my hair
5. Leave the house (again, very rare)
6. Looking at the clock for midnight feedings. I'm pretty sure I don't want to know.

Here's what I am doing:

1. Setting the breakfast table the night before
2. Planning our menus a whole month in advance
3. Only allowing one kitchen helper per night, the other two get Blankie Time. It's all I can handle.
4. Exercising and taking naps.
5. Unpacking, organizing, sorting, storing...still.
6. Facebook. It's how I keep in touch the world.

Maybe things will calm down, maybe I'll finally get my footing someday, or maybe it's just chaos from here on out.

I didn't realize how hard moving across the world with two kids, traveling all over the East Coast with two kids and a pregnant belly, moving across the world AGAIN with three kids, moving across the country with three kids, would be.
It's taken it's toll on me and I dream about sleeping. Or maybe reading. Or maybe just some quiet.

One day.

(I hope.)

But for now, it's messy beds and ponytails.

5 comments:

Amity said...

well when I had my third all things went kinda berserk...after the 4th..just forget about it *sigh*. I did so well with the first 2, scheduled naps, bathtimes, bedtimes and now... Now I have an 11 yr old, 9 yr old, 5 yr old and 3 yr old and I feel more lost than ever...and I want a 5th soon. I am slightly worried though..will my house be in utter shambles? will I even be able to homeschool the others? so anyways, hang in there it might get better...or not.
But it is SO worth it isn't it? :-)

Sarah Joy said...

Yup yup yup. Visiting churches when you have more children then hands is a whole new ballgame! It does get easier when they can go into the shower and take care of things themselves. It's a short, wild, crazy, exhausting, but short time.

Betty W said...

I admire you for managing three kids under 4! That is tough. All I can say is "hang in there, it WILL get better and easier"!!

MaMa Vaughn said...

Thanks Jackie...you give me alot to look forward too!! ;) haha. I'm almost 32 wks. I'm so excited, yet cherishing my sleep. :)

I still love, love, love your posts. :) You always make me smile...

Kathy said...

I'll be praying that one day, yes, at least one day, they will all fall asleep at the same time for a nap (who knows, It Could Happen!!) and you will lay on the couch and read something you've been wanting to read!!! Meanwhile, don't worry about anything--you (and your honey) are doing a fantastic job!!!