Are you expecting your third bundle of joy? Congratulations! What an exciting time for your family.
As a mom who’s lived through this transition. I can assure you that you’re going to be JUST fine. Some days are a bit more chaotic than life with two little ones. But, for the most part, the chaos of having three babes was our “easiest” transition. Below you can find some realizations from this mom of three as we transitioned from two to three kids.
Transitioning from Two to Three Kids
It’s been just over a month since we added our newest bundle of joy to our family. Aside from doubling our monthly diaper budget, we didn’t do much planning or prep work for our transition from two to three kids. #ThirdChildProbs, am I right?
For the most part, we’re all adjusting to our new normal, with only a few tears shed most days. Now, don’t call me an expert, we’re just beginning our adventures as a family of five. And we only have two mobile children for the time being. But, we do have two babes in diapers (WOOF!) and have the experience of the last month under our belts. Suffice it to say, I’ve already learned a few lessons on this transition from two to three kids.
Yelling is a Daily Occurrence
I yell more than I’d like to admit. To be really honest, I spend most of my day yelling at my two older boys. I’m loud by nature, so I fully expected this aspect of my personality to be exacerbated by the addition of our littlest love.
Stop bothering your brother! Don’t jump around by the baby! Stop fighting with each other!
Eat your dinner! Don’t eat your boogies! Clean your toys! Be quiet!
Even though they’re still my babies, I’ve probably asked them to grow up a bit faster these days. I try to be mindful of (not) using the word “No!” Especially with my (almost) two year old, because I don’t want them to associate any negative feelings or resentment towards baby B.
I do try to give myself a “time-out,” if I can sense my patience level running short. I’m not going to sugar coat it for you, managing three little humans and their every need can be exhausting. But, in the same vein, they are little humans… I try to remind myself that I need to adult. Ask for help whenever you need it. Woosah in the corner. Take a bathroom break. Whatever you need to do to get a moment of clarity, do it, and do it guilt-free.
CLICK HERE FOR MY TIPS ON HOW TO BE A RELAXED MOM
Multitasking Becomes a Sixth Sense
I always thought of myself as an efficient person. Someone who can work well under pressure and manage multiple things at a time. Well, nothing proved me more right than becoming a mama to a newborn, almost two year old, and 4.5 year old.
At any given time of the day, I’m usually hooked up to a breast pump, bouncing the baby, and pulling apart my two older boys. If I can get a hand free, I’m probably scarfing down a banana or half eaten graham cracker for a meal.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I have a TON of help from my mom and husband and friends/family. It takes a village takes on a whole new meaning when it comes to raising three kids. But even still, there are multiple times a day where there isn’t enough MAMA to go around. It’s the dichotomy of motherhood. Even with grace, at the end of the day, there is just one mama. There is only one you. Good days and bad, I like to think that I serve a purpose greater than what my mind heart can even think of when it comes to raising our kids. As cheesy and exhausting as that might be at times; that’s just the way it is and I wouldn’t have it any other way (most days!).
Noise Level is Always High
Don’t come to our house if you’re looking for peace and quiet. There is always some level of noise expected at any given time of day. A mixture of newborn cries, toddler tantrums, and preschooler questions is always abound in our home. But, the laughter? The laughs and love are always in abundance in our home. C starts us off with a musical concerto of his favorite songs to announce the break of a new day. It’s often followed by A and C screaming with glee while chasing each other around their shared room.
From wake up to bed time, the screams and the laughs are never ending. Even during nap time, when two out of three kids are sleeping, there’s always, ALWAYS noise. Whether it’s our two dogs barking at the mailman or our oldest playing build and crash with his LEGO and magnet tile toys, there is no shortage of noise in our house.
Your Heart Grows Exponentially
Yep, all of those cheesy parenting cliches. Seriously, you thought your heart swelled when you had your first baby? Or your second baby? Well, this is a common theme with the addition of a new baby. Your heart grows beyond your wildest imagination. Your love for your babies and your love for your significant other grows an immeasurable amount.
It grows in different ways too. The way you love yourself as a mama to three tiny beings? I think my biggest lesson learned in this transition to becoming a mom to three boys is learning how much I can handle and how much I’ve learned to love myself through all my parenting ups and downs.
Divide and Conquer is a Survival Tool
We are officially outnumbered. Right now, my husband and I switch off on baby duty. Every other night, D does nighttime duty with the baby, while I get some uninterrupted sleep. During the day, we are usually altogether as a family or I’m with the baby and D is with the older boys. Today, for example, he took them out for a bike ride on the trail. The baby and I ran some errands at the mall and grocery store. Last night, we took turns prepping and grilling our dinner. Bed time is almost always a split team job.
Budgeting is Key
Like I mentioned earlier, financially prepping for a baby is always at the top of our “to-do” list. We are already planning for the boys’ high school years when our grocery bill will be through the roof. Don’t even get me started on how we’ll pay for the car insurance. Because I have no clue!
For now, we try to make the most out of bulk shopping and weekly rotations to stay on top of our grocery budget. We’ve got all three boys’ college savings coming automatically out of our paychecks. And we’ve updated our financial papers, wills, and trusts to have all three of the kids important information documented for the future.
I try to stock up on baby items as best as I can, so that we’re not running short or empty on anything. Trying to stay ahead of the game is our biggest asset in managing the day to day chaos between the kids, both of our jobs, and running this little blog here, too.
Above all else, I’ve learned that as with the previous to transitions in parenting, we’ve learned to let go and let God. We try to do the best we can every day, but there’s only so much “control” when it comes to parenting. If there’s anything I’ve learned in raising three young kids is that life is unpredictable and being flexible is the best thing for both the parents and kids.
BREASTFEEDING RESOURCES BELOW:
Transition from Pumping to Nursing
How to Breastfeed a Distracted Baby
End of Breastfeeding and Lessons Learned
NEWBORN & TODDLER SLEEP RESOURCES BELOW:
Newborn Sleep Tips from a Mom of Three
Toddler Sleep Tips from Real Life Moms
Any other mamas of three kids out there? Do you have any tips or lessons learned on your transition from two to three kids?
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