About a week ago, June 30th to be exact, Kole turned three months old. YES! I survived the newborn stage. Something magical seems to happen with babies at three months old (at least it has happened with all three of mine). Less fussiness, better sleeping, and more personality. It’s also about the time I start to come out of my “I just had a baby haze” and reclaim my life. Things are starting to calm down around here.
The last three months have been just short of crazy. I’ve had so many “are you kidding me?” moments but the one I’m about to share seems to top them all.
{warning: do not continue reading if you are eating, easily grossed out, or aren’t a mom. If you aren’t a mom you may read this and decide to never become one}
It was toward the end of a long day. Kole had been high maintenance and cried every time I tried to set him down. The girls were bored and fighting. We were all tired. I decided to give the girls a bath so they could play with their mermaids and mix things up a bit. I put them in the tub, got shampoo on their hair and then Kole became extremely fussy. I spent a while walking and bouncing him and then tried feeding him…again…while the girls played. So I’m feeding Kole in his room and all of the sudden Ellie screams “mom come quick!” I run to the bathroom (with Kole spitting up milk all along the way) to find Ellie on the toilet and Addison in the tub…bawling…because she just threw up. I guess Ellie had to use the bathroom and the smell made Addison gag causing her to throw up in the tub. (see…I warned you) At this point Kole is getting madder by the second because his meal time was interrupted and Ellie is also starting to bawl because she feels bad for Addison and is afraid she is in trouble. So I’m standing there – milk all down my shirt – assessing the situation – all three kids bawling – and all I can think is:
Seriously? Seriously. This is my life? This is my life.
I did nothing for at least a minute (had serious thoughts about turning and running straight out of my front door) and then snap. Time to move. I calm the girls, flush the toilet, open the window, empty the tub water, clean the tub out, run clean water, grab a binkie for Kole (who is on the floor still crying during all of this), wash the shampoo out of the girls’ hair, get them out, pick up Kole, finish feeding him, change my clothes, get all three kids in pajamas…just in time for Kenny to walk in the door and ask “how was your day?”
I think the look on my face said it all.
There have been many days like this in the last three months. Days that may not have included as many bodily functions, but that were a circus just the same. It’s the reason my house is so organized right now. Organization is my therapy. If I can’t control my life, I WILL control what my closet looks like. Some people have days that drive them to drink. I have days that drive me to pull everything out of my spice cupboard. And then put it all back – with labels – and color coordinated lids – in order from biggest to smallest.
Today I went to the gym for the first time since I had Kole.
With Ellie, I didn’t take her to the gym until she was over one year old. I didn’t trust anyone but me to take care of my baby. When I did finally leave her, I gave specific instructions on everything about her from what she liked to play with to how she liked to be held. Then I found a treadmill with a direct view into the Kids Klub so I could watch her the whole time I worked out. I took Addison to the gym around six months. I knew and trusted the ladies I was leaving her with by this time, but still gave them specific instructions each time I dropped her off and still tried to workout at least part of the time close by so I could peek in on her. With Kole I was counting down for him to turn three months – old enough to go to the Kids Klub. I dropped all three of my kids off today, handed the ladies a diaper bag, muttered “bless you all!” and headed for the exercise equipment as far away from the Kids Klub as possible.
Life with three. The last few months have been a challenge and I know there will continue to be crazy days in our future, but I look at these three faces and smile. Because I love them so much. And I know I wouldn’t want it any other way.
My sweet Ellie finished up her last day of Kindergarten. Her class celebrated by wearing their pajamas and bringing a favorite toy. Ellie must have tried on over ten different pj’s the night before until finally selecting her watermelon ones to wear (because those are the ones Addison wore for her pajama day). 
