Three’s A Crowd

There’s something very different about being a mother of three instead of a mother of two.

For example, I now have more children than I do hands.  I can grab two of them, but the third may get away from me completely.

The age differences are really quite striking.  After having Ane and Tad so close together (19 and a half months apart), they are now so much older than Rerun that they can actually be helpful to me.  Ane keeps asking if she was helpful when Tad was born.  She was quite disappointed when I told her “no.”  She hadn’t realized how little she was when Tad was born.  I told her that she was her cousin Berry’s age (Berry just turned two) when Tad was born.  “Oh,” she said.  “I thought I was four.”

(Everything in the past for Ane is “when I was four.”  Granted, lots of important events happened when she was four – our trip to Disneyland, Tad breaking his leg – but not everything happened that year.)

Ane is very happy to hold Rerun in her lap and talk to him and sing to him – unless he gets fussy.  But she’s pretty good about fetching diapers and bringing me the phone if needed.  I even had her stir the mac & cheese on the stove today while I was nursing Rerun.  She is definitely my “big” helper.

Tad has been much more accepting of Rerun than I had dared to dream.  He’s pretty much come to accept the fact that this baby “bruvver” is staying here, but since Rerun really isn’t cramping his style, he’s fine with it.  I suspect that will change the instant that Rerun learns to crawl… right into Tad’s stuff.

We do have to remind Tad to be gentle, because he’s about as delicate as a bull in a china shop, but he kisses Rerun very nicely on the head, rubs his fuzzy down and says, “Oh, baby sweet,” before running off to do whatever it is that he needs to do.

Tad is also my helper.  Whenever a package arrives at the door, Tad is the one who fetches it.  This all began when I was nursing Rerun and the UPS guy knocked on our door.  It was a Friday, so Tad was at home with me that morning (no school on Fridays).  As I tried to detach Rerun and get to the door, Tad announced, “I’ll get it!” and opened up the door.  Fortunately, the UPS guy was already on his way back to his truck, so Tad yelled a “thank you” after him (as he’s seen me do).  When I got to the door, I was trying to figure out how I was going to pick up the box one-handed (it was a Stampin’ Up box with paper I had ordered).  At about the time I decided to just set Rerun down in the cradle and then get the box, Tad said, “I’ll get it,” and my strong 4 and a half year old son picked up the box and carried it inside for me.  He even set it down where I told him to.

I then rewarded him with fruit snacks, which he was thrilled about, but which was probably a mistake on my part.  Because guess what he asks for every time a package gets carried in?

And Rerun, of course, is an absolute sweetie.

He’s been around for just a little over seven weeks, and all of our lives are completely changed now.  I can’t imagine life without him.  And we’re getting to know him better.  He likes warm baths – just a smidge hotter than what a baby would usually want.  He loves to snuggle, and prefers to nap on people (Mommy preferred).  He likes to have his head covered when he’s sleeping (understandable – he doesn’t really have enough fuzz on his cute little noggin to keep it warm).  Loud noises don’t bother him (and it’s a good thing, too), but sudden noises will make him jump.  He’s becoming more resigned to diaper changes, unless he’s hungry and would rather eat first, soaking wet or not.

And in the midst of all this controlled chaos, the Webmaster goes to work and I keep everyone on schedule.  Meals get served.  Laundry gets washed.  Even the ironing gets done occasionally.  The dishes may pile up for a day, but then they get tackled.  Homework gets checked.  Life continues on.

We are a family of five now, with three distinctly different children.  Three’s a crowd… but I don’t think I’d have it any other way.

This entry was posted on Friday, April 30th, 2010 at 4:29 am and is filed under Children, Mommyhood.
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