The Good, Bad, and the Ugly

I think I am finally getting the hang of life with three children. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that I know what to expect on a daily basis, I am just more prepared and accepting of what each new day will bring now that I have 3 kids under the age of five.

The Good:

-Seeing my children all interact with one other is amazing. It truly brings me so much joy. No matter what else I say in this post, this one pro outweighs any and all existing cons. It is THAT incredible!

-There is NEVER a dull moment anymore. EVER. (This doesn't mean that they are all good moments, just not dull.)

-I am getting a lot better at multi-tasking. Two years ago it was a rare occasion that dinner would be served without parts or all of it burned. Now it's only about once a week. Progress!

-Each new day brings something new and wonderful. Even on the worst of days, there is something new that brings happiness into my life. It only takes one moment of Syndey saying "I love you", Dylan telling me what he learned at school, or Macey cuddling with me on the couch to make it all worth it.

-I am cooking! It took me a long while to start this (mostly because I was cooking for two, myself and Dylan since Cameron worked nights). But alas, I am cooking now every night even with three kids crying at my heels the second I take out the food. (How does this happen every night without fail?)

-Playing is A LOT of fun! Kids have contagious laughs, so imagine three kids laughing at once! Could it get any better than that!? Ok, that quadruplets clip might come pretty close http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE6PNps5N9I&feature=related

The Bad:

-Holy mother of Moles! I was ready for the saggy boobs, expected the loose skin and hormonal changes, I even have come to terms with the stretch marks. But Oh. Man. The MOLES! They are everywhere and are tripling in size! Why didn't anyone warn me of this?

-My bed in no longer a place of rest...more of a gathering place of wild apes. Legs and arms layed out accross our bodies, our faces getting swapped at in the night, It's a dream come true when we get to go to bed, and stay in bed ALONE for longer than 8 hours.

-Somebody is always getting into trouble. Whether it is getting a call from Dylan's principle at school for licking a child, seeing Sydney pulling Macey across the floor while I am cooking, or walking in on Macey crawling in the dogs water bowl, it really never ends. If I turn my head for a second the cereal is dumped out of the box all over the freshly mopped floor, the dirty diapers are strewn accross the couch and floor, and/or the moon sand is being trampled all over the house. Sometimes I wish I had a camera on just for evidence of the craziness. No wonder that Kate plus 8 show is so popular (I imagine it's hilarious to watch when it's not you).

-Leaving the house takes at least 25 minutes. If you want me to be anywhere, give me at least an hour to prepare. I can't even remember when going to the store for some butter took 5 minutes, now it's a caravan, and there is NO WAY I am taking all the kids in and out of the car just for some butter. Are you crazy!? So my list grows in order to make the trip worth it...and right there....BURN...the hole in my pocket is made!

-Laundry. A lot of it. It's a rare occasion when I can get the laundry clean and put away before the next batch of laundry is due. I hate being one of those people with laundry piles around my house, but 5 days outta 7, that is me.

-I laugh a lot more, but I also cry a LOT more too. With every great moment, there are about 5 hard moments that leave me stressed and overwhelmed and well, depressed. Did I mention I cry a lot? It is SO OVERWHELMING!

The Ugly:

-The smell of my house has become something short of the city dump. Between the dirty diapers in the trash, the cloth ones needing to be washed, the diapers needing to be changed that are on my children, the spit up, and the dog, it just downright REAKS! There are days when I walk in and think that the hobos in the alley have taken residence in my home. There are the days I try to be optimistic and remind myself that I have only 3 years left of diapers. But ONLY three? Is that really supposed to make me feel better?

-Dr.s appointments! When I can't find a sitter during the day because lets face it (they are all in school) I have to take all of my kids with me to appointments. I am THAT mom with the screaming children because one of the kids naps are being missed. The absolute worst, is when the paper gown gets been ripped off of my body leaving me completely exposed at my OBGYN(compliments to Sydney). This has happened twice now. Just last week my dermatologist was cutting off a penny size mole out of my back while my crying two year old was sitting on my side ripping my gown off and leaving me stark naked. Forget about the naked part, this was a scalpel on my back people! My dermatologist is crazy, but not as crazy as me for bringing the kids in the first place. (In my defense, I thought she was just going to look at the moles, not take them off then and there). Ugh!

-Freedom. You can forget about it! I had a ticket to a Ben Folds concert tonight and couldn't go due to babysitting issues. Cameron went without me and took a friends instead. That SUCKED BAD!

-I used to pride myself in the fact that my kids didn't break or ruin things. Ever. That all seemed to change once I had my third child. I do not have enough eyes to see all three kids at the same time. Sydney is learning how to drop things (especially glass things). She'll drop plates from her highchair (pull them from where I am sitting when I get up to get a diaper for the baby), and drop figurines that she can somehow climb up and reach. The act of destruction is my new art piece in the living room; my newly colored ottoman. Syd found a black marker and went to town. Awesome.

-Walks are no longer the leisurely activity that they once were. Dylan loves riding his bike until he remembers there are hills, the dog is pulling Sydney across the street causing her to cry and let go of the leash, we have to then chase the dog down, Syd won't walk but she refuses the stroller, and then the kids both fight over who can push the stroller or hold the leash (leaving us with a bike to carry). Once we realize it is too difficult to continue on, we are 30 minutes from home. Why do we continue to attempt this? Cause family time is SO much fun!

-Big Fun Family days out result in Big Bad Owies. Someone is ALWAYS getting hurt.

-Privacy. What is that again? Can I please use the restroom, shower, bath, or get dressed without having a set of eyeballs staring at me in all my glory?

-Exhausted is the new word for tired. Before I had kids I remember asking my sister in law (who had 3 kids) when she ever caught up on sleep and she replied, "you are NEVER caught up, sleep just doesn't exist anymore once you have kids". Dang was she right! Between nursing, sick kids, Syd, and bad dreams, I swear It is a miracle I get any sleep at all!

-I regret saying this but folks, the "fun couple" is officially gone. Cameron and I (well, maybe just myself) can't muster up the energy to do anything anymore. Our nights consist of falling asleep to a netflix movie. Even when we plan to have friends over we end up cancelling because we are too tired to pick the house up and risk keeping the kids awake. It is so pathetic. We will get back there someday right? I hope!

-I used to be a cuddly person. I loved holding hands, snuggling, the whole nine. But I am here to say, the best thing you can give me these days is some alone non-touching time. How sad is this? I am touched ALL day long by sweet little dirty smelly hands. I hold, rock, clean, wipe, play with children all day long. I too have had three children inside of me (which was amazing). But these days, when it comes down to it, I just want my own body to myself at the end of the day. No touchy!

-I promised myself I would never be the sweatpants mom that never showered or dressed during the day. Those women are pitiful and wrenched! They have no motivation, nothing to live for. Or, they just have too many kids with very little time. Right? It's not that pathetic is it? Leaving the house with wet hair pulled back in a pony? Brushing my teeth with my kids toothbrush because I mine is being used on the new baby doll? It’s just too hard. I am just too tired. Taking a shower, drying my hair? Are you kidding? Only an amateur would think these are easy things to do with three kids and a hard working husband. I manage to get my hair done about once a week...and that is when Cameron is home to keep the kids outta my bathroom for longer than 10 minutes. I am a pony tail, sweatshirt wearing gal 5 days outta 7. I have officially been defeated!