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! 
7 comments:
friend, you are super mom in my book! you amaze me. thanks for your humility and honesty. you are doing incredible and raising three young men ;)
Thanks Heather for the taking the time to write all this out. Love getting inside your head...and your house like this. I'll be praying for you more specifically...so thankful you are getting those naps everyday!
Do you know when I was growing up they DID have a drive thru for milk, eggs, bread, pop??? And I've thought of it SO SO many times...why don't they have those anymore? Also love that wine was a must on that list of staples....so true:)
Miss you!
the smiles on those little faces are such a blessing. keep your head up. i think your perspective is perfect.
Heather, Hey. That was a good post. I love how you keep perspective on things. I related to many of the things that you said, even though I have only 2! I totally want drive through errands. You are amazing that you go places so much. I really need to get out a lot more, but it IS so hard:) I know you are a wonderful mommy and am sad to not be able to see you in action on a regular basis! You are inspiring! I love your mantras. I may adopt a few myself. Love you!
I meant to write a comment sooner but didn't get around to it ... maybe because having ONE baby is still hard for me. I honestly don't know how you're doing it! Thanks for such a wonderful, honest post. It's actually very encouraging to me and reminds me that this can be hard for everyone, even supermoms like you. Thanks!
Heather you are a wonderful mom. Your mantras are soo good. Thank you for your willingness to share. Wish I had had a friend like you when I had my first 2. It was very lonely at home for 13-14 hours a day with 2 little ones and not having a relationship with the Lord.
Heather, this is a great tribute to the joys and frustrations of being a mom. Way to go! It's wonderful to actually acknowledge these challenges and try to grow from them. I'm sure the next time we come back you will be Mrs. Maturity with a master's degree in control and organization.
love,
kim
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