Running a household with a 4 year old, 2 year old and a newborn is, in one word, busy! I don’t mean - Oh I’m a bit busy because I’ve got a few things on my plate, I mean busier than I could ever have imagined!
The baby feeds every few hours. While doing this I’m also required to read stories, do puzzles and meter out hollow threats to little ones who take the opportunity to jump on the furniture or climb on stools to raid the fridge.
Babies are really labour intensive, so there is also changing, washing, settling and just cuddling. In between this Big Sis has an active social life of various engagements, dance class, Kindergarten, play-dates etc which require the organisation of a major conference just to get her there and back, with the baby, Little Bro and Big Sis.
Plus everyone has to be shopped for, and fed and Little Bro still needs some one on one time with his toys so he doesn’t miss out. The kids need to get out to the park to run about for a couple of hours every day and Dog needs the occasional walk otherwise he retaliates by getting into the garbage bins and barking just as the baby nods off. Kids need to be bathed every day and put in pjs and have stories read - always at the time the baby really wants some attention.
Even the small things like - the bins need to go out, or the groceries need to be put away have to be fit in somewhere. There are hours every day just picking things up and putting them back in place. Don’t even get me started on the volume of washing, drying and folding (I haven’t ironed for 3 years - I let that ball drop a long time ago…)
Fortunately love is the most amazing motivator - it’s all very Zen, you just have to ignore everything peripheral and get absorbed in the moment. It reminds me of going camping where the relaxation comes from being totally absorbed by the basics, food, shelter and structuring a day in what are adverse circumstances!
DSO and I have no time for anything at the moment except survival, and as we remarked the other night (across crying baby and yelling children) we got ourselves into this mess - so we better enjoy it! I just hope no-one is expecting me to answer the phone or return a call in the next 6 months!
busy, household organisation, newborn baby
October 25th, 2007 at 10:15 pm
Zen and the art of babies…
How busy can a mum be? A positive spin on parenting 3 little ones….
October 26th, 2007 at 8:01 am
And I thought I was busy with one boy. Wow.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:50 pm
..’Fortunately love is the most amazing motivator - it’s all very Zen, you just have to ignore everything peripheral and get absorbed in the moment…’
That has got to be the best parenting wisdom I’ve ever heard!!
My kids are so big now(14 and 12) but I remember the ‘baby boot camp’ years so well, and miss them even!
I thought I was the only mama in the world who whole-heartedly focused on the moment that would pass all too soon–bravo to you! That perspective will bring you much, MUCH joy(through the exhaustion of course LOL!)
~~
October 26th, 2007 at 11:12 pm
Heehee! I loved this post
It’s all so true. I try to focus on the fact that I love all the monsters in my house whether it be husband, child or pet. It truly is a labor of love.
October 26th, 2007 at 11:48 pm
Gosh, I read this and have flashbacks of my life years ago. 10 years ago I was living your life and it was tough. Enjoy it even though it is hard and you feel like you have no life. My oldest started high school this year and I can’t believe it. Time flies!!
October 27th, 2007 at 3:17 pm
I can’t even start to think how am I going to handle if it had been me. I like your idea about Zen, just ignore and focus on what’s important.
Good to know though that despite of it all, you still had time to blog.
October 27th, 2007 at 7:15 pm
You set the motherhood bar mighty high, my sweet!
October 27th, 2007 at 11:07 pm
Someone else who understands what my life is like! I’ve got a 5, 4 and 1 year old and another on the way and until recently I was homeschooling too. As you say, busier than you ever imagine - but somehow it all gets done and everyone gets looked after!
October 29th, 2007 at 7:03 am
I love reading about someone who doesn’t get all anxious about it but lives in the moment (which is exactly where the kids are living!).
What a great mum!!
October 29th, 2007 at 11:49 am
Jenny - you are! I think the first makes you the busiest because it’s such a change!
DanaB - baby boot camp - that’s a perfect description for it (particularly the getting up at all hours and doing repetitive tasks over and over again!) I’m going to use that one!
Mary Mert - and you know that if they went away for a week you’d totally miss all of them and their chaos (I think)
kathylynn - time does fly and I wish I had the time to take more photos - every day I wake up and say that I’m going to take more photos of the baby and get to the end of the day and haven’t had a chance!
Grace - it’s quite ironic, they cut into my blogging time but also provide all my inspiration…
Ella - I admire you homeschooling mums, that ads a full time job on top of the rest!
Dogwoman - ..and no choice but to jump it!
Pete Aldin - Thanks that’s a big compliment, but I must say that I’m really lucky with the community I’m in. Our neighbours are amazing, every day someone drops off food, invites Big Sis for a play date or offers to drop Big Sis at Kinder, they’ll even put loads of washing on for you if you let them! Mums can be great and have fun too, but they need support - it’s not supposed to happen in splendid isolation.
October 31st, 2007 at 3:52 am
Hi - Nice blog. You are busy, that’s for sure! I can be found at my blogspot address or at my job at Babycenter.
http://blogs.parentcenter.babycenter.com/momformation/author/apaventi/
Because there are so many writers in Momformation, I can be most easily found by looking on the right toward the bottom. There’s a section “Posts by Author”. I write under the name Andrea Frazer.
Anyway, good luck to you!