Baby Makes 3

I am loving having three children. Claire is almost 7 weeks old, and by this time with both of my other two children I had already had many a days where I felt completely overwhelmed, but I really have yet to feel that way. There is a HUGE difference between having kids 15 months apart and 23 months apart. Soooo much easier, for me anyways. I am organized. I feel liberated. I feel proud of myself that I seem to be accomplishing a lot each day. I am almost ready for Christmas, I love my new time consuming calling, and the opportunity it gives me to serve others. I love getting up each morning to see what funny things my kids are going to say, seeing what we can accomplish and what the Lord has in store for me. Each day really is a gift.

This is probably the first time in my motherhood career I have felt like this for a long, extended period of time. Maybe it's the feeling of completeness that Claire brings to our family, or her sweet, calm spirit, or the fact my husband is home for good at supper every night, or that I completed another nauseating pregnancy, overcame surgery and a scary delivery, or the herbs I'm taking, or that I'm reading my scriptures daily for the first time since I was 17, or that Christmas is coming, or that I prayed for nine months that I wouldn't have that terrible depressing feeling I had after Carter, but whatever it is, life is so good, and for that I am so very grateful.

Things are still crazy,(what can you expect with 3 kids in 3 years?) but a good crazy, and I've come to accept it. Life is busy, life is hard, and you just have to buck up. I used to detest bringing my kids grocery shopping, or to the mall, I felt it took forever to get anything done with them in tow, and I would often do it alone in the evening when they were asleep. But now, even though there is more of them, it seems easier. I take them everywhere. I've kinda realized this is my life and I am not minding being interrupted 42 times while I try and do my banking. I like having them around me. My friend calls her kids her "5 friends" that go where she goes. I love that. I was shopping with a friend a couple weeks ago and Claire barfed all over me. I didn't have anything to wipe it with. I kinda rubbed it a little, and went on with what I was doing. My jeans were soaked. My friend laughed, she doesn't have kids and said she couldn't picture herself doing that. You know what? 3 years ago I didn't picture myself doing it either, but you do, and that's life, because you're a mom. And she will be a great one too someday.

I hear a lot about "me" time in the mommy circle lately, and "taking some time for myself", and although this is true to an extent, I don't think it's always the time for that when you have young kids. We signed up for this! Don't get me wrong, a weekly date night, a girls night, a trip to Walmart to re-group, sure, it's never a good idea to completely lose yourself to the title of "mommy", But I think last year I thought I would feel better if I got out, and took time for myself, and it didn't work. I have come to realize I will have plenty of time, years in fact, to go on a vacation, join clubs, rigorously exercise, shop, do whatever I want! But for about 4 years I get these 3 precious faces all to myself, and I will blink and that time will be over, and I don't want to miss a second. Making my kids my number 1 for right now is what has ultimately made me the happiest.

"For this child, I have prayed and the Lord hath given me my petition"
- 1 Samuel 1:27