What's even crazier is that from December '08 until the week before my promotion, Bruce was working from home. He had meetings and lunches and work to do but he was around if i needed extra help. For the last month or so he was very helpful with the boys...making them breakfast, cleaning up breakfast, putting them down for naps, cleaning up dinner, giving them baths, putting them to bed, etc. We also went on a lot of fun, family outings.
When Watts was born i went from having 2 kids and 2 adults at home, to 3 kids and 1 adult.
I am trying to see it as a positive and view it as a "promotion".
New positions definitely come with their adjustment periods. So here are some of my thoughts rom my first month into my new position.
2 of my charges planning their next challenge
1) In general, going from having no kids to having your first is the most difficult parenting transition. However, going from 2 to 3 has proven to be the most difficult when i want to get out of the house. Since i am an extrovert and like to stay busy this fact of parenting 3 kiddos has been the hardest for me.
Fortunately some of my good friends have volunteered their time and energy to meet me at fun places and help me with the kids. We have gone to the spray park, chick-fil-a, flight museum...
2) When i am out in public with the 3 boys i have a couple of things i've learned...I have to remember to breathe deeply and be patient. Take one hurdle at a time. For example, at the park the other day all of these things needed to be done or were being done at the same time: feeding Watts, phone rang, Quade needed to pee, neighbor friend walked by, and Price had a dirty diaper, oh and it was 90+ degrees. one thing at a time.
3) I think more places should have drive-thrus. Once i have loaded all three boys in the car they are so easy. If more places had drive-thrus i could run all my errands very easily. Can't we get a drive-thru grocery store? maybe just for necessities (bread, milk, eggs, wine =))?
4) The first few weeks of being home by myself with the boys I had the hardest time while i was feeding watts. I was stuck on the couch for 40 minutes or so. Typically the boys would have destroyed the house during this time (even if i thought ahead and set them up with an activity). Once i was done feeding/changed a diaper/put watts to sleep, it then took another 20 minutes to get the boys to help me clean up all their messes. 5) Each child brings his own challenges and joys. Quade is the most emotionally demanding and relies more on me for entertainment. Price is the most exploratory and too independent for his own good. Watts is a newborn...self-explanatory. On the positive side, Quade LOVES baby watts and wants to hold him whenever he gets a chance. He is also very obedient and helpful. Price always makes me smile with his little head bobble and cute sayings ("here it is!", "kay?"). He gives me kisses throughout the day. Watts is soft and cuddly and is just starting to flash a smile now and then.
6) Life is good if you can get all 3 children to nap at the same time! Because the kids are so close in age i have had the luxury of being able to take a nap myself most days. glorious!
7) Hormones can be my enemy. The first few weeks i definitely had the "baby blues". I think it was more the "I have 3 small children and am losing my identity" blues. I felt like having another child affected my life significantly more than bruce's and was jealous of his freedom. Given some tears and time, my perspective has altered. I have some new mantras and goals:
"Find the joy in parenting" "Rediscover my interests" "God is greater, i am lesser" "See each challenge of my day as a chance to grow emotionally and spiritually".
Most importantly I have learned that:
Taking care of these 3 boys is impossible on my own strength. It requires humility to accept the help of friends and family. It requires daily dependence on the Lord and the Spirit giving me patience, self-control, peace, love, kindness, and JOY! 
