Thoughts on Three

If you asked me the biggest difference between having two kids and having three kids, I would flippantly reply about the amount of laundry. It's easily quadrupled. Back when N was our only, a friend warned me that I needed to start liking laundry if we wanted a big family. Lucky for me, Chris loves folding little socks, cute graphic tees, and seersucker shorts (and I'm guaranteed at least one "I'm going to miss this when they grow up" in the process). Honestly laundry and cleaning are huge differences I notice, but probably because they have taken away most of my free time.

all photos from Bower Studio Photography 

It seems from the first year of N's life Chris and I knew we wanted a large family. We both come from really small families and we both really love kids (their little toys, their tiny socks, their funny word expressions). I was pretty adamant I wanted our kids 3 years apart. It worked well with N and T, but then our third took us awhile. In that time we became accustomed to no nap schedules, not worrying about choking hazards, sleeping through the night, and not carrying around diapers. 

Then KC arrived. Honestly in the first few months it really didn't seem to change much - she wasn't on the floor eating Legos, she napped/ate anywhere we were, and we carried on mostly as planned  (just with more coffee). Having three kids was just like having two, except I was extra tired and had a little one attached to me constantly.

But now she's on the move. She doesn't want to sit in a stroller, or be carried, or sleep in the car. So life adjusting to 3 has changed. With KC mobile, I have to watch her pretty closely when she's awake, which means when she's sleeping I'm choosing between playing with the boys or cleaning something. More than one night a week, N does homework by himself. The boys are more likely to bathe themselves as I put KC to bed. My previous stance of no tv or video games has gotten lax as KC's need for my attention has grown. 

From the boys perspective, I play with them a lot less. There's no more time for crafting and less for fun cooking. The boys have more responsibilites. They don't seem to mind, but they do notice. I think overall they are so excited to have KC that there isn't any jealousy (yet) and they even ask when another baby will join our family. They get so excited about her milestones and are truly her biggest cheerleaders (and I tell her everyday how lucky she is to have them). 

From KC's perspective, I think she probably spends as much time in the van as she does at home. She truly has to bend to the schedule her brothers set, but as long as they are around she tends to be pretty happy. I also think as a mom of a third, I soak up moments with her more than I ever have with a baby before her. It was the same when I had T, and I think if we have another baby I may just rock them in the nursery all night long, soaking it in before they are too big to rock. 

As much as our life has changed in just the past few months, I honestly cannot imagine what life will be like once KC is in activities and preschool. Keeping up with boys' school events/homework and very few extracurriculars is tough (we missed crazy sock day at preschool yesterday and I forgot it was picture day for 1st graders). I think of how easy it will all seem when I look back at this time in our lives, when I only had two to shuttle around while the third goes with the flow, her only demand being food and a place to crawl. I always balked at the phrase "It takes a village," but now I have a greater appreciation for it (and for the carpool rides offered, meals made, hand me downs passed down, and playdates).

Linking up with Annie and Natalie for Thoughts on Thursday.