I had 3 babies in 3 1/2 years.....I know some women have had more in less time, but yikes! Considering the fact that my mom took fertility drugs and did not get pregnant, and I was her accident/miracle baby. Plus her mom only had 2 children 7 years apart, and my great grandmother only had my grandmother. My husband is the older of the 2 children his parents had 8 years apart. When you think about all those things, and add in the 2 miscarriages before our oldest we thought we might not have children. But....
God had other plans...and I praise Him for it!!!
Anyways, on to my main reason for this post. I have read other blogs on how to run my household, ideas for organization, cooking, chores discipline, but what about when they are all little, what about when I don't have any helpers. I would ask questions and no one seemed to remember or have an answer.
I thought for a long time that I was a bad mom. I would go to bed crying and praying "God, what am I doing wrong?" "What have done, please forgive me!" (well you know "the mother's curse") I would go to bed with a messy house, not because I did not clean, but because I spent the entire day cleaning up whatever mess my 2 toddlers had gotten into while I was attempting to clean. I asked for advice, but most did not seem to have any answers (most of the people I asked had no idea what it was like to have 2 toddlers).
I have worked in daycares, nannied, and babysat for many years, so I knew all about the terrible 2's and the horrifying 3's. Yes, not all children go through these stages, but most are at least somewhat challenging through the toddler years.
My son turned 4 a week ago.....4 (sniff sniff, ok). I have noticed over the past couple of weeks that we have turned a corner. When I ask him to do something now, I usually only have to say it once (for him anyways, Emma is still 2). He is more able to help me around the house now, and his list of chores has grown. He is also starting on a few paid chores. I am so proud of how much has changed in him.
My days of constantly standing over him are past. He is no longer testing me (well right now anyways we still have another 14+ years to go). He is starting to do things without being asked and has learned to pick up after himself some. I am amazed at this sweet sweet boy who has grown so much over the past 4 years. It is nice to know that I may have done something right, or God has worked in spite of me. Either way hang in there if you have a few like mine it gets easier!
