Knowing Is Half The Battle

What I now know that I didn't know before baby number three:

Going from two to three, for me, was actually easier than going from one to two. That being said, I've decided my third child is an anomaly so I may not be the best judge of difficulty levels when having many children.

I am incapable of giving everyone what they want, need, demand, cry for, whine about, or even allude to. I saw on this one blog where a mom made a calendar and the kids took turns getting their day to go first, pick their favorite cup, and be the overall winner of the day. This appeared in my search to rid my life of mommy job number 8,325, also known as referee.  I'm thinking about making a similar calendar only when it's your day you are the only one who really gets anything at all. Everyone else gets your scraps. What's funny is, if I really did this Holden would probably still spend the entire day smiling at me as if I'm a goddess. Yes, I hit the baby jackpot with that one.

There is A LOT to be said for a little more space in age between children. I love that Lila and Evie are close in age. However, I also LOVE that this time there is only one child in diapers, one child who can't buckle into a car seat on their own, and one child that is incapable of feeding themselves at any given moment.

It is possible to feel like a completely capable bad ass based on everything you can accomplish in a day while also feeling like the dumbest person alive. Not only is it possible, it is pretty much life as I know it.

Decision making while out and about with three kids is exponentially harder. When your husband has been gone off and on for weeks you may suddenly realize one day that having wine or beer at home for when the kids go to bed is absolutely necessary. You may then curse yourself for the fact that your house is somehow devoid of these things (who knows how?). And it's raining. So, it may take an absurd amount of time to decide if it's worth hauling the kids into the store to get beverages, and that's okay. They are all strapped in anyway so the decision making time of not really being needed for however long you decide is a win regardless.

Preschool is now a necessity, not a choice. When I had one baby I was all, "maybe I'll wait until she's two or three". I would have had my poor third child signed up for next year at the beginning of this year had they done registration that early. Not because I can't wait to send him away, but more because I can't wait to be truly alone for a few hours. Chances are I will be working in those hours and not alone, but that's not the point. The point is THOSE HOURS ARE MINE.

This is just the beginning people. I've also learned how to breastfeed while doing all of the things, how to adequately own forgetfulness, and how to accept help like it's never going to be offered again.

Seriously, just writing this post makes me feel smarter by the minute.