Photo Challenge

(PS- that's a line from a Jimmy Buffett song, "If the phone doesn't ring, its me.")




Anywho, that pretty much sums up my life at the moment!
 
It's been a long, long, long time since I've just posted about our normal day to day happenings.  I think its time for me to delve into some of the madness that's gone on in this family over the past few weeks.
 
Apparently by the time you deliver your 3rd baby, people think that you're a baby whisperer- like a knower of all things baby, and therefore do not need any help.  This is both true and not true.  Yes, I know how to breastfeed, change diapers, burp, swaddle, bathe and comfort a newborn... BUT I do not know how to breastfeed, change diapers, burp, swaddle, bathe and comfort a newborn while I have a 4 year old (almost 4) climbing on the counter trying to pour her own cereal and a 2 year old (almost 2) throwing a fit at my feet because I can't hold him while feeding the newborn.  Does this make sense?

Three kids, has been the definition of a juggling act.  It's a very delicate balance that I have yet to completely figure out.  I have faith that I will figure it out eventually, but at the moment, I feel like a chicken with its head cut off, running from "crisis to crisis" (by "crisis" I mean, Maeve can't get her Ariel costume down from the closet, or Henry can't manage to cram all his trains into their carrying case), all the while, trying to keep Stella on my boob.  If that's not a juggling act, I don't know what is! 

Now, the title of my post is good days, bad days, half mad days... let me explain:

Good day:
-kids are fed a healthy breakfast; eggs, milk, some cereal.
-kids are dressed
-we make it out of the house to run an errand or two.
-kids take naps
-I get a minute or two to pick up the house, make it look decent...
-dinner is cooked
-bedtimes go smoothly
-I get to lie in bed, completely undisturbed and watch some reality tv.

Bad day:
-kids eat goldfish, juice and some cereal for breakfast
-kids are in diapers/panties
-we make it outside (in the backyard)
-1 out of the 3 kids take a nap
-I get to wipe off the kitchen counters and maybe run the vacuum through the living room
-dinner is take out
-bedtimes are comparable with WW2
-I get to lie in bed watching cartoons with Maeve, while getting my hair brushed with a barbie brush.

Going Half Mad Day:
-breakfast?  Ehhh... "grab one of those cookies and find your water cup from yesterday."
-kids are in diapers/panties for most of the day...
-our activities for the day are playing Little People while watching "Finding Nemo" for the 100th time.
- naps?  what are those.
-the house is comparable to a house one might find in a disaster area of some kind- like Joplin, MO.
-dinner is a free for all- goldfish? SURE!  Chex mix?  Why not!  Fruit snacks?  Yeah!  That's a fruit, right?
-bedtimes are non-existent.
-I resort to lying on the couch because then I can reach each kid pretty quickly as the screams and cries sound off.  Maeve- "I NEED WATER SO BAD!"  Henry- "MAMAMAMAMAMAMA!"  Stella- "WAHHHHH!" (aka feed me now).

Yes, yes... this is how I would describe the past couple of weeks being a mom of 3.  Since I have gone through this whole adjusting period of adding on a child to the family before, I am confident things will get better!  One day, I will look back at our "going half mad days" and laugh- I'm sure of it :)  I'm trying to take things in stride; Ya know, not sweat the small stuff... such as Henry dropping his sandwich on the floor and then eating it... or Maeve forgetting to flush the potty after a poo poo (YUCK).

The school year has started down here, which doesn't mean much for us since Maeve isn't 4 yet.  But I have enrolled MaeMae in some activities.  She's (obviously) taking ballet- two classes a week, along with a tumbling class.  And I'm looking into some kind of a musical activity for her... either piano or violin.  I was also thinking about getting Henry into some kind of a music/play time class.  That poor kid needs something to get his insane amount of energy out!  We'll see what I can find...

Oh... and to end this post, I'm going to participate in the papermama's photo challenge -this week's theme?  "Favorite photo from August."

How could I pick anything BUT  this photo?

I didn't choose this photo because of the set up, or the composition or anything like that- I chose it because it's my STELLA BELLA BEAUTY.  Our newest member of the family, born in August, therefore my favorite memory/photo of August.