Life with 3 kids

I just came across a blog post that talked about how insane having 3 kids is.  I, however, disagree with most of what she said, and felt the need to post a counterpart to it - for myself - and if someone else would enjoy reading what I have to say, so be it.

When we had our second son, I had a really, really (really, really) tough time adjusting to 2 kids.  We had 3 pets before our first son was born, and I found it very easy to adjust to having a human child.  But with the second one, everything seemed out of whack.  I loved him - but I also was disappointed in not getting the little girl I always wanted.  We wanted 2 kids - a boy and girl - or we'd try for a 3rd if we had 2 of one gender.  And that would be it - regardless of what gender we ended up with.  But my second son acted out as a middle child before we even had a third child - so that could have been what made the transition from 1 to 2 so tough on me.  Regardless, I love them all and am very happy with how things turned out and I wouldn't ever trade them for anything.

That being said, I still felt something was missing after having our second son.  I didn't feel like our family was complete.  So we had a third child.  Another boy.  And somehow, I wasn't nearly as upset about finding out he was a boy, as I was finding out my second son was a boy.  We bought our house knowing we'd have 2 or 3 kids, so we'd never "have" to move for that reason.  So we adjusted the bedrooms and office around, and prepared for the 3rd child.  I was laid off from my job when I was 7-8 months pregnant with my 3rd.  I have not gone back to work yet, only because I can't find a job in my field.  So that could play a factor in this next section.

When our 3rd was born, I had the help of my mom for a while, and my husband (who works 3rd shift), since I had a c-section, and the help was great.  The first few weeks were tough just adjusting to a new baby's schedule, while still caring for my other 2 kids.  But I realized I never felt overwhelmed or disappointed like I had after having my 2nd child.  I felt at peace.  I finally felt like our family was complete and that we were now moving forward to the next stage of our lives.  It felt right.  I will admit that I'm a little worried about how that could all change when I find a job and go back to work.  I imagine it will be a different kind of chaos - right now it's just trying to keep up with toys, laundry, dishes, and feedings.  Adding a job to the mix will be more difficult, but, I also won't be doing it all myself anymore at that point - I will have more help from my husband since he's home with the kids during the day.

For me, the transition from 2 to 3 kids was much easier, and so far, is still easier.  My oldest 2 have a "buddy system" when it's just me and the kids, and hold hands while going into my son's preschool or to the store or wherever, while I carry the baby and sometimes his diaper bag.  My husband and I run errands together, as a family, so I'm rarely by myself with them out in public because that's just always been our system, so that's not as hard for me as it would be if I was by myself.  My middle son really looks up to his older brother and when it's time to calm down and help each other out, they're really great at that.

Sure, most things come in sets of 2 or 4 - like free tickets you might win from a sweepstakes, and even some food items.  That doesn't mean needing 5 of something should be so difficult to accomplish - you just buy an extra package of food, or you buy a separate ticket.  Half of our season passes are individual - so we have to buy each one separately; and the other half is for the whole family - with no set number of children on the pass, it just includes all children in the household.  So this has not been a problem for us either.  But either way, when we do have a set of 4 (tickets for example), usually buying 1 extra one is cheaper than buying all 5 - so I'd still happily take the free tickets, knowing I'll have to buy one extra one.  That doesn't bother me one bit.

And yes, we're outnumbered.  But it doesn't feel like it.  My husband and I both have 4 hands - so between the 2 of us, we can hold each child's hand - and still have one free.  Yes, if I'm by myself I'm outnumbered - but we always have our double stroller and my oldest walks next to us.  It's not a problem - it works out well, for us anyway.  We actually have 2 fairly small vehicles - and we have all 3 car seats in the backseats.  They fit fine and it works out great.  I can reach all 3 of them to tend to their needs while we are on the road for long trips (my family lives 3 hours away).  Sure, I would love to have a larger car with a 3rd row (and no, there's no reason at all that it has to be a van - SUV's are just as practical, and for me, much safer since they can come with four-wheel-drive) - but we don't NEED one.

All of my kids are 2 years apart - 2009, 2011 and 2013 - and it was planned that way.  I'm very happy with that decision.  When someone sees us out and about, we always get the comment "You have your hands full!" - yes, we do.  But it works for us, and I love it, and I wouldn't change a thing about it.  I had many people tell me the transition from 1 to 2 was harder on them than 2 to 3 - and vice versa.  Everyone has a different opinion on everything, and what works for one person may not work for another.  That's the beauty of it all - nobody is the same.  Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and thoughts - and you don't have to agree with any of it.  But you also don't have to knock someone down because their thoughts are different than yours.  Just nod your head and smile and move on - it's not worth arguing over.  So whether you have 0 children, 1 or more children - everyone's different. Everyone deals with it differently.  Just embrace it and make it work for your family - that's all that really matters in the end anyway.

Influenster RoseVoxBox - Dr. Scholl's® Cozy Cushions Insoles

I recently received Dr. Scholl's For Her Cozy Cushions Insoles to try.  Overall, they did a good job.  I put them in a pair of old tennis shoes that the sole has come out of - the pair that I just can't seem to part with.  I am really impressed! They are so soft, yet don't make the shoes feel bulky or tight on my feet - and they keep my feet warm. Sometimes a little too warm, but as the temperatures get colder, I will appreciate the warmth even more.

*I received this product complimentary from Influenster.

BzzAgent: Kroger Skillet Meals

Recently, I had the opportunity to try some free products through BzzAgent - which are available at Kroger stores.  I tried a garlic bread, a salad kit, and a skillet meal. 

Overall, the salad kit was very convenient.  But, I think that there were not nearly enough of the toppings.  I had to add extra cheese to mine.  Also, I didn't like the dressing that was included, so I had to add my own - but my husband used the entire packet that came with the kit on his salad, so there wouldn't have been enough dressing if we had both used it.

I liked how the garlic bread came cut in half - so I was able to cook just part of it for this meal, and save the other half for another meal.  But, the flavor wasn't as strong as I typically like it to be.  I did enjoy how much bread we were each able to get with just half of the loaf though.

Overall, the skillet meal was really good.  There were a lot of varieties in the store to choose from, however, there was only one that I thought I would like.  Lots of the other ones sounded good, but each had 1 or more ingredients in them that I did not like, and I wasn't sure how easy it would be to "pick them out" of the meal.  So I chose the Chicken Alfredo skillet meal.  Compared to similar products, this one actually had a lot more steps.  Usually, you just put the whole bag in the pan and let it cook, covered, for a certain amount of time (while stirring occasionally).  However, this one I had to melt butter in the pan first, then add the bag of chicken, broccoli, and noodles plus water, and let that cook.  Then I had to add the sauce and cook that.  Even with all the extra steps, I still preferred it over other products.  The flavor was good and it didn't burn after only cooking for half of the time.  I would definitely recommend trying all of these products - and checking out bzzagent.com if you're not already a member!

Influenster - Colgate SlimSoft VoxBox

I received a complimentary Colgate SlimSoft toothbrush from Influenster.  Overall, I really like this toothbrush.  The bristles feel better than my old toothbrush - it has a luxurious/expensive feel to it.  I love how it keeps its shape after multiple brushings and the bristles don't seem to just tear or fall apart after only a few uses like my old brush.  I would recommend that anyone looking for a new brush should give this a try!

Influenster MamaVoxBox - Annie's Macaroni & Cheese Microwavable Cups

I recently received a cup of Annie's Macaroni & Cheese Microwavable Cups - Real Aged Cheddar to try.  It was easy to prepare and the directions were very easy to follow.  However, I really disliked the flavor of the Real Aged Cheddar.  One of my sons, however, ate the whole cup with no complaints!  I might have enjoyed one of the other flavors - but this one was not good.  As long as my kids will eat it though, it doesn't matter how much I like or dislike it - I'm just happy they ate it!

*I received this product complimentary from Influenster.

Influenster MamaVoxBox - Dr. Scholl's® For Her Comfort Insoles

I recently received Dr. Scholl's For Her Comfort Insoles to try.  Overall, they did a good job.  At the end of the day, my feet weren't as sore as they usually are, and the insoles seem to be holding up really well with daily use.  They did take a little while to get used to - I actually found them to initially be a little bit harder than my typical shoe insole.  But, even with that being said, I did like how it made my feet feel after a few hours of wearing them.  I would recommend these to anyone who has sore feet by the end of the day!  It's certainly worth giving it a try to see if it could work for you.

*I received this product complimentary from Influenster.