Tell me about how you make it work...

[amcess721]

Thank you all SO much for the words of wisdom! I have been reading them as they've posted. I appreciate hearing all the different experiences.

With that said, we've made the decision to go for #3! I'm scared of the baby years with the third... with our middle (the boy) being right in the "3's" when a new baby comes... but when I picture our family many years down the road, I see 5 of us, not just 4. So for a few years it'll be crazy. I know I have sacrifices to make... less me time (not that I get a lot now)... less crafting... getting up earlier... but I think it'll be worth it.

[5280Mommy]

It's doable.

We have 4 and dh and I work full time. The boys are in day care and my dd is in 2nd grade and attends a before/after care at her school.

I spend a lot of time planning for the week - so most meals are prepped, activities planned etc.

Here is our morning:

5:30 - me/dh up and getting ready for work
6:00 - 6:15 boys up - dh usually (me if I'm done getting ready) gets them dressed
6:15 - dd up - non dressing parent heads down to make breakfast/pack lunches
6:15 - 6:45 - breakfast, clean up, shoes on
7:00 - out the door (dh takes everyone to before school/daycare on non before school activity mornings in which case I take the boys and dh takes dd)

Afternoons - I get off work around 4-4:30 most days, dh at 5. I pick up dd from after care head home and she and I start dinner, dh picks up the boys. We do dinner from 6-6:30 play time until 7:15 and then bath and bed for the boys by 7:30. We then spend some time with dd either playing a game, finishing homework and she is in bed by 8. I then do laundry, cleaning and catch up on "end of day work" until I go to bed.

We thought about either an au pair or a nanny, but decided against having someone in our house all day. I'd like to revisit an au pair when the kids are in school (they only do half day kindie here) but for now this works for us.

[marvelous]

We're expecting #3 in September and I've already cried and freaked out about the logistics of everything. At this point it is what it is, so some how it will work out.

I teach college so I have a lot of flexibility in my schedule and usually set my classes around the kids' schedule. DH works alternating 12 hour shifts. That works out to where he is gone two mornings out of the week and/or two nights of the week and I am on my own. Currently it helps to have clothes for all of us picked out the night before, back pack, diaper bag, computer bag etc., packed and ready to go. Some mornings go well, many of them are hectic, but we usually make it out the house on time. When DH is home, things are a lot better.

It has brought some relief to hire a house keeper to come in once a month. I try to throw a load of laundry in the washer in the morning and put it in the dryer before I leave. We've gotten better with keeping up with the dishes and other minor chores as needed. We're probably way more cluttered than DH would have us, but its not horrible. The house keepers reset us once a month so that it is not utter chaos.

Childcare is cheap for us, $100/wk for DS around $125/wk for the baby. The way our schedules are (at least right now) DD only needs after school care 2 days a month. We rely on a friend to take her to DS' sitter for $10/day, so I pick up both kids in one stop. The baby will go to the same sitter, so that won't be so bad.

Although I am very pro BFing, I am not going to let it drive me to the point of insanity this time. I typically have a low supply, so with working, pumping, and everything else, if it doesn't work, I'm not going to beat myself up about it. I'll just switch.

Some how it will all work out!

[pumkinsmommy]

You all are amazing!!