Do I have a story to tell? You could say so...
My situation is very unique and quite mind bending simultaneously. I am a mom of three children. All of whom are
under 18 months. That is right, three kids under a year and a half. My twins, at one month, were the guest of honor
at my sons first birthday party.
Daily other moms come up to me, while I push my herd in our triple seat stroller, and ask me how I do it. Often
I respond with tales of organization and oodles of patience, as if that explains everything...
Left out is the financial investment made in having three of everything- high chairs, cribs, car seats, bouncing
chairs, etc. The diaper genie that must be emptied every single day or risk poop overflow onto the living room
floor (yes, I have a changing table in my living room). The 85 loads of laundry washed each month (I figured this
one out when we started going through the jumbo packs of laundry soap every thirty days). Clothes that must be
picked out and ready the night before they are worn or possible morning meltdowns will occur. This also goes for
bottles, and if required, medication preparation.
Speaking of preparations, meals must be planned a week in advance on a special calendar, or we all eat peanut butter
and jelly sandwiches every meal for an entire seven days. Naps, meals, baths, bedtimes are all scheduled to run
at certain and very specific times. Organized chaos is how friends have explained my family... Sometimes it feels
like out and out anarchy!
Outings are also meticulously planned and plotted. What looks like a easy shmesy trip to the mall to a perfect
stranger, has actually been a date marked on the calendar for a good two weeks. This way I am able to do what I
call "Assembly schedule" with my kids. Reaching the desired destination with full bellies and clean diapers
all around. My kids instinctively know they out number me, so I must always out smart them. With all the toys,
pacifiers, babies wipes, and clean change of clothes my diaper bag weighs as much as one of my twins. Some weeks
are better than others. One bad day can put me back ten. With the holidays here I am hopefully looking to get caught
back up somewhere in the year 2004. They should all be in kindergarten by then. Maybe then I can schedule in the
naps everyone says you need after having a baby...or two... or three...
