Three Month Olds: Piece of Cake

Stick shifts and saftey belts, bucket seats have all got to go. 

Samuel: 14.5lbs, 25"

When we're driving in the car, it makes my baby seem so far.

Amelia: 13lbs, 24.5"

I need you here with me, not way over in a bucket seat. I need you to be here with me.

Marley:  10.5lbs, 23"

Not way over in a bucket seat.

a day in the life

So, what's it like?  Ya know, with three kids?  I get asked some variation of this question at least once a day, and I never know what to say.  Life is busy.  Hectic.  Enlightening.  Stressful.  Exciting. Exhausting.  Hilarious.  Maddening.  Fulfilling.  Chaotic.  Wonderful.

We are truly living so moment-to-moment, that it's hard to make any generalizations about 'how it's going'.  Each day is different.  Each hour is different.   So, here, I give you a snapshot of one day, which is so like, yet so unlike, any other.

8:15 am  I awaken to happy noises from Samuel.  I was just up with him two hours ago (when Jeff was leaving for work).  But, on this particular morning, we seized a rare opportunity to go back to bed for a bit.   Now, however, I know it's time to face the day for real.

8:35 am I hear the door to Marley and Amelia's room open, and Amelia heads up the stairs. "I'll sit here and read, while you change Sam-Sam's diaper," she tells me.  Marley emerges 15 minutes later, and we're off and running.  Sam gets changed and fed.  Marley and Amelia get teeth brushed and clothing on.

9:30 am Marley's playdate, Henry J, arrives.  Not sure why I bothered having them get dressed.  Their clothes were, almost immediately, replaced by costumes.  Marley (and his friends) are always good about including Amelia, so I have some time to make myself coffee and eat breakfast.   I still haven't fed the kids, but I know they're too busy to eat yet anyway.  I set out fruit and toast, and eventually they realize they're starving, and come to the table.  A little while later, Henry J's mom, Katie, joins us.  I soak up an hour of grown-up conversation over lunch - even if we mostly only talk about our kids.  Sam dozes in my arms.

12:30 pm Katie takes the older boys to preschool, and Amelia and I head upstairs for the next round of Samuel changing and feeding.  Sam enjoys some diaper-free time, and then Amelia and Sam both proceed to pee on my bed.  That was just the motivation I needed to start laundry for the day.

1:00 pm Amelia plays by herself nearby, while I feed Sam and lay him down for his nap.  I collect laundry from various locations around the house and bring it down to the basement.  Amelia helps me sort and start the first load.

2:00 pm My middle child enjoys her time to play alone and creates elaborate stories (which she narrates aloud).  She rarely naps during the day, so this is her 'quiet time'. I take advantage of her independence and clean the kitchen and bathroom. 

2:45 pm Sam wakes up from his nap and is ready for more changing and eating.  Marley gets dropped off half an hour later. We munch on a snack of veggies, pita bread and hummus.

3:30 pm I contemplate whether or not I need a shower today.  I decide 'yes', since I can't remember when exactly my last shower was.

4:00 pm But, first a trip to Trader Joes.  I have a meeting at the preschool later tonight and am in charge of snacks.  I decide to grab a frozen lasagna for dinner.  My philosophy is that every trip to the grocery store should result in one insta-dinner.  No reason to shop and cook on the same day!

5:00 pm More feeding and changing Sam.  He takes a nap and Marley and Amelia watch the first half of Madagascar, while I take a nice. long. shower. 

5:45 pm We build houses for Mario figures out of Magna-tiles. I start the lasagna too late and realize that it won't be done before I have to leave. 

6:30 pm Jeff gets home from work.  We Skype with Sarah to open a package that's been taunting us all day.  I rush off to my meeting just as my family is sitting down to dinner.  All three kids are asleep by the time I get home.

9:30 pm Jeff and I sit and have a bowl of ice cream together and chat about our day.  I spend an hour goofing around on the computer before finally forcing myself to go to bed.  I sleep fitfully for a while because I just know Sam is going to wake up at any minute.

1:00 am Sam wakes.  I change and feed him and we both go quickly back to sleep.  I sleep deeply now.

6:00 am Amelia wakes up crying.  I go down to comfort her.  I'm not sure what she wants.  I think something from her dream that doesn't really exist.  I tuck her back into bed and head upstairs, hoping to crawl back into my own bed.  Sam is awake.  I change him and bring him in bed to nurse, still longing for just a little more sleep.

7:00 am Jeff leaves for work.  Amelia comes up.  I don't think she ever fell back asleep.  6 o'clock is an early wake up time for her.  I foresee a rough day ahead.  She gets in bed next to me and Sam, and lays, mostly, still.  Sam nurses to sleep, and Amelia and I sneak out of bed and go downstairs.

8:00 am Marley emerges from his room.  Amelia wants to listen to music.  They are ready to have a dance party.  They want to dress up and build a fort.  And just like that, we're ready to do it all over again.  Only a little different.


Editor's Note: It appears that I fell off the picture-taking wagon in the second half of the day.  You get the idea, I hope.

Two Months, Part III

Samuel turned two months old on Christmas.  He is full of smiles, and we think, on the verge of his first giggle.  At night he sleeps anywhere from 3-6 hours at a time.  He loves to be held, and often isn't happy to be left alone in his bed.  He hates tummy time and refuses to even try to roll over or lift his head up.  But really, why would he ever need to when he's got two older siblings to do everything for him:)

Samuel at 2 months: 13.5 lbs

Amelia at 2 months: 11.5 lbs

Marley at 2 months: 7.75 lbs

Merry Christmas!

From The Franklins

Potty Talk

Amelia switched from diapers to undies right around her second birthday. But, she's still in the stage where many conversations revolve around going to the bathroom. Come to think of it, so is Marley. And Jeff. Hmm...when, exactly, does this stage end?

Anyway, here are some of Amelia's recent mots de toilette.

The other day Amelia was dressed up like a princess, and Jeff was trying to get her to take a potty break.

Jeff: Time for the princess to go pee on the potty.
Amelia: No, princesses don't go pee on potties.
Jeff: They don't? Where do princesses pee, then?
Amelia: (thinks for a while) On snowflakes!

Jeff was reading to the kids before bed one night, when Amelia mused, "It's so easy to pee in my night time diaper."

Amelia: (randomly announced while coloring) I'm not pooping.
Me: Do you need to go poop?
Amelia: No.
Me: Are you sure?
Amelia: I said I'm not pooping.
Me: (skeptically) Okay.
Amelia: (one minute later) I'm pooping!

We often tell her to 'listen' to her bladder to know when it's time to use the bathroom. I guess we haven't been very clear on what a bladder is, because the other day she told us, "My bladder is telling me I have to go poop."

At first Amelia wasn't too keen on pooping on the potty, so she would ask for a 'poop diaper'. Her favorite place to poop was in front of her dollhouse. I think, because it put her in a squat position that was
perfect for pooping. Thankfully, it wasn't long before she transitioned out of the poop diaper and onto her little potty. Unfortunately, the poop location remained the same.

Now she's about 50/50 with the little potty/regular potty, when it comes to pooping. But, when we're out and about and she has to go, her first question is always, "Do they have a doll house here?"

Now, off to print a copy of this post and stick it in her 'to-be-read-at-graduation' file.

The Big Oh-Five!

Stay tuned for more about five-year-old Marley. In the meantime, here he is growing up WAY too fast!

Grammy and Grumpy

We just finished a lovely week-long visit from my parents.  Now, it's back to watching my own kids. And doing my own laundry.  And making my own food.  And taking out my own trash.  And wrapping my own Christmas gifts.

We miss you already, Grandma and Grandpa!