My usual response is "GRACE! Don't pull that down!", followed by "Oh, I have a routine. It's busy, but I love it."
It's true. I DO have a routine, it IS busy, and I DO love it. Every moment of it, even when I want to pull my hair out. I would not trade the job of being a mommy to my three babies for the world.
I belong to a special club of, um, overachieving and apparently fertile mommies who had three children in three years, more or less. My oldest, Grace, was three years and two months old (to the day) when Will, our baby, was born.
Did we PLAN it this way? Um, well...no. Not exactly. But we are happy that God interviened in our plans.
The purpose of this post is to help other mommies with three young kids to understand how I get through my day. I am, by no means, a mommy expert; however, since people ask, I will tell.
Question:
What kind of stroller do you use for all three kids?
Answer:
I use the Valco Twin Tri Mode with the toddler seat. I also have the hood; however, since it tend to end up being used as a play toy by one of the children, I usually end up putting a hat on the child in front, unless it's a very sunny day.
I also have a BOB Duallie Revolution that I use when I only have two kids with me (which is NOT very often at all). I used that exclusively before we had Will, and I will go back to it once Grace starts preschool. Honestly, the Valco gets me around and helps me exercise; however, I still LOVE my BOB.
Question:
Do you work?
Answer:
Well, yes- I do. Part-time. Extremely part-time. I am a AFAA- and Stroller Strides- certified group fitness instructor for Stroller Strides, a mommy-based fitness program. I teach fitness classes WITH my kids, who stay in their stroller until the end of class. Then they are able to play..a win-win for all of us.
Question:
How do you keep your kids IN the stroller?
Answer:
I hate to say this, but they are used to it. Honestly. They have been coming to Stroller Strides with me since Dani was 6 weeks old. Their friends are at Stroller Strides, and they know that they get to play afterward. Do they have bad days? YES! While I'm teaching! Oh, YES!! But you know what? I'm a mom, and my kids are, well, kids. They scream, but for the most part, they are good.
Question:
How do you handle bathtime with all three kids while your husband travels?
Answer:
I usually feed the girls and Will at the same time. Then it's time for vitamins, Claritin for Dani, and then I have Grace help me get diapers and pajamas ready and on their beds. I put Will in his exersaucer or bounce chair right by the bathroom door (it's a tiny bathroom), and put the girls in the tub and bathe them relatively quickly. Will is usually happy being entertained by our songs or the toys on the exersaucer. Then I brush the girls' teeth, get them dry, and then reposition Will so that I can get Dani ready for bed with her allergy routine (Vanicream, etc.). Grace gets herself dressed, and I do an inspection to make sure that she put her pull-ups on correctly, etc. Finally, I pull Will out of his exersaucer, read all of the kids their story together, prayers, a round of "Twinkle, Twinkle", and then it's kisses and lights out. Phew!
Then I bathe Will separately, feed him his last bottle, cuddle him and then put him to bed.
Question:
How to you have time to take photos and Blog?!
Answer:
I always keep my camera at the ready in my kitchen. Blogging occurs after the kids are napping or in bed for the night. I like to blog and review my photos at the end of the day b/c I personally like the satisfaction of knowing that I accomplished something for ME at the end of my day. There are days, though, that I am so tired that I just sit and watch TV.
Question:
Do you ever have time to clean your house?
Answer:
Yes, after the kids to go sleep. I am one of those "cluttered house, cluttered mind" people; therefore, I have to make sure that I have a clean house to go to sleep in and wake up to. Do I go crazy cleaning every night? NO. But I do want the toys off the floor, the kitchen cleaned, and the dishes out of the sink. I alternate nights for floor mopping, bathroom cleaning, etc.
Question:
Do you send your oldest to preschool?
Answer:
No, not now. She's right on the cusp, age-wise, to start. If we started her this year, she would need to either go to two years of preschool or would need to be pushed ahead..neither one of which we can afford (for preschool) or really want to deal with (the pushing ahead thing). I teach her the basics here at home through LOTS of songs, repetition, and pointing out objects/colors/letters/things in "real life." My kids also get a lot of social interaction through ballet class, lots of playgroups, and Stroller Strides.
Question:
How do you grocery shop?
Answer:
Very carefully and patiently. I have Will in the basket of the cart in his infant carrier, Dani buckled into the seat, and Grace walks. I cannot make big trips to the store, and I always utilize the rail under the cart. It's often crazy and requires most of my daily patience; however, with a husband in the military who constantly travels, I HAVE to do it this way.
If I need to get diapers, I check out the prices at Diapers.com before I put my kids in the truck to shop for baby items. Often times, it's easier to have the diapers shipped to me than it is to wrangle three kids and two cases of diapers through a store.
Any more questions?! Send 'em my way!
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