...trying to figure out which order to put your three children into their carseats and learning the hard way that the 2 year old is, indeed, the wild card and needs to be immobilized first.
...one child having a meltdown because they can't snap their pjs while you're elbow deep in the baby's poo.
...waking up for a midnight feeding only to discover that the baby's thrown up all over her bassinet and herself now necessitating a midnight bath.
...two children clamoring that they both want to simultaneously hold the baby.
...wondering if who you are will ever emerge from the morass of diapers, sticky fingers, endless laundry and dishes or will be lost to its interminable drumbeat.
Right now I have a few quiet moments. Yes, the toys are strewn about the living room, the dishes from breakfast and lunch still need to be done, and I need to put the wet laundry in the dryer, but all three children are napping and I prefer to bury myself in blogging therapy. Trust me, it's good for all of us and cheaper than a shrink.
I've thought about this word a lot lately, juggling. Life with three children the ages of my three is like juggling 10 rings of fire, definitely not for the faint of heart. There are days where by noon time I'm ready to crawl back into bed from the sheer exhaustion of the exertion just to get to that point fed and clothed. Nothing is transforming this perfectionist into a downright minimalist more than the current demands. Each of the children needs such different things from me right now, all labor-intensive, requiring constant supervision and care. Some days I feel like I never break away from speaking in imperatives, and who would have thought that the needs of the infant would be the easiest part of it all?
And then there are those little victories that re-energize my flagging heart. Yesterday, Davis finally started responding, "Yes, Mom!" to my instructions. We've been working on it for weeks. I like a robust response to commands. Verbal confirmation aids physical compliance. The strains of "Yes, Mom! Yes, Mom!" ringing through the house have been music to my ears and reason to persevere. Eventually you do get through...eventually.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Juggling
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2 comments:
Thanks for this Becky. It brought a smile to my face today (which I needed because I didn't win any "Amazing Mother"awards today). I may only have 2 kids, but can "Amen" several of your thoughts... I keep reminding myself during the frustrating times that although the demands are great as we mothers know, the rewards are even greater!
Ah, friend, I feel you on this!!! So many mornings of late, I wake up and feel exhausted just THINKING about the day ahead. And I agree, the baby is the easy part. And I laughed out loud (b/c it is totally true!!) that it is imperative to immobilize the two year old first!! Haha!! I hear it gets easier for awhile (then we get the teenage thing to contend with). Oh, I got the birth announcement today and it was even lovelier in person!! Thank you for including us!
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