trying to figure out this having 3 kids thing!

[sonshine456]

first of all...not sure if this is the right forum to post this....

question 1
i recently had baby number 3. my other kids are 4 and 2. my 2 year old is REALLY battling naps and bedtime. He absolutely still needs naps. He fights them and then will (try to) crash later in the day and I have to do everything i can to wake him up/keep him up so he'll go to bed at night. i try sitting with him in his room (which is what i've always done and has worked great) but now he won't lay down or stay in his bed and with a new baby i can't sit there for an hour or two waiting for him to go to sleep (which he ultimately isn't doing anyway). i'll get my 2 year old calmed down and laying down and then baby will start crying and 2 year bolts up again. 4 year old is being great about laying down nicely (she still needs her naps too) but she can't sleep because of all the noise coming from her brother. HELP?

question 2
how in the world do i go out with 3 kids? :) my 4 year old can walk..easy enough, but my 2 year old BOLTS whenever he gets a chance. i can't keep him in a stroller..he can escape the straps. i do have a backpack harness but HATE how that feels and looks. baby doesn't like being in the carrier to free up my hands, would be fine in the carseat sitting in the stroller but then what do i do when 2 year old runs off? i don't want to leave my baby in the stroller sitting there while i chase after 2 year old. Especially not safe when going on walks in the hilly area where we live..i'll have a runaway stroller. Even if baby starts liking the sling, the only way to control my 2 year old is to be bending over holding his hand which doesn't work great with a baby in the sling and 2 year also does the drop and go limp thing ALL THE TIME (infuriating!). i could maybe get a carrier for my 2 year old but that doesn't solve what to do when we go to parks or on walks and he should be running around....again, the problem being that i'll inevitably need to chase him down at some point and how do i do that with an infant? INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO DO THIS PLEASE? :)

[3boysforme]

:hug I have been there.


Question 1:

I just started putting them all in my bed, and usually I fell asleep with them, so we all got a nap. If the 2 y/o wouldn't sleep I would put the TV and let him watch some shows while the rest of us snoozed.

Question 2:
The double stroller became my best friend ;)

[Elora]

I had #3 the day my oldest turned 4yo. The middle was 1yo. Shortly thereafter I too had a 4 yo, 2yo, 1yo

My double stroller was the best $200 I've ever spent.

I recommend baby jogger...they fit through any doors and turn on a dime (the latter being SUPER important if you're going to actually be able to MANEUVER them through the door with one hand ;)

Grocery shopping - the baby went in the cart and the 2 yo strapped to my back in an ergo. don't like the ergo - invest in a beco or something similarly structured to fit *smaller* shoulders more comfortably

I can.not.stay.in.the.house

I go INSANE

If you HAVE to get out, you will be happy that you invested the money in the right "contraptions" to make it FUN instead of "not worth the work"

:hug

[BabyMonsterMommy]

Will the 2yo stay in a carrier?

[sonshine456]

Will try all laying down together today. I have tried the 4 yr old and 2 yr old in the same bed which didn't work but haven't tried laying with both of them. Worth a try! Thanks!

I do have a sit and stand double stroller but 2 yr old has figured out how to escape the straps and is not interested in standing or sitting on it when converted to the little bench seat thing either. i don't know how he'd do in a carrier. I'll maybe ask around and see if i can borrow someone's to see. That still leaves me with the problem though of what to do when i want him to get excercise when on a walk or at the park or something. have other momma's of 3 just relied on putting their infant in a sling/carrier? i'm going to keep trying the sling with baby and hope he learns to love it.

[Elora]

I do have a sit and stand double stroller but 2 yr old has figured out how to escape the straps and is not interested in standing or sitting on it when converted to the little bench seat thing either. i don't know how he'd do in a carrier. I'll maybe ask around and see if i can borrow someone's to see. That still leaves me with the problem though of what to do when i want him to get excercise when on a walk or at the park or something. have other momma's of 3 just relied on putting their infant in a sling/carrier? i'm going to keep trying the sling with baby and hope he learns to love it.
my 2 yr old was an escape artist - could not keep her in a stroller to save my life

she was always on my back until right after she turned 3

she could not get out of the ergo on my back. she might have wimmpered to get down once in a while, but it didn't matter. i could not possibly chase her and properly care for a newborn. she stayed in the ergo, like it or not

it was about survival and sanity :lol not so much exercise for her...but she never sat down any other time of the day, so it's not like she was suffering from muscular atrophy

[sonshine456]

it was about survival and sanity :lol not so much exercise for her...but she never sat down any other time of the day, so it's not like she was suffering from muscular atrophy

LOL!!! Very true. It's all about perspective!

I layed down with them and 45 minutes later he was out. he kept looking at me with a smirk on his face. i'm choosing to believe it was a "ahhh, this is what my heart needed from you" kind of smirk and not a "ha ha you caved" kind of smirk :) Either way...no battle today and we needed that. Maybe i'll be able to gradually work myself out of the equation and he'll be good with just his sister there. i obviously want to give them what they need but mama also would like a teeny tiny bit of the day to myself! ...and by myself, i mean me and baby :)

[mamacat]

also would try lying all together.Just for this season 2 yr old will have to get exercise in a more contained area - ike your backyard or something.How about a mothers helper? Is there a tween age girl or boy you could hire to go to the store with you? My dd did that for a couple of moms with active toddlers.Mothes helper could then push a cart with toddler in back and be doing entertaining things with while you shop.Can you do your shopping when dh can stay home with at least 2 yr old ? I had to tell my husband for seasons that I needed for him to either stay home with the littles or go to thr store with a list

[Elora]

LOL!!! Very true. It's all about perspective!

I layed down with them and 45 minutes later he was out. he kept looking at me with a smirk on his face. i'm choosing to believe it was a "ahhh, this is what my heart needed from you" kind of smirk and not a "ha ha you caved" kind of smirk :) Either way...no battle today and we needed that. Maybe i'll be able to gradually work myself out of the equation and he'll be good with just his sister there. i obviously want to give them what they need but mama also would like a teeny tiny bit of the day to myself! ...and by myself, i mean me and baby :)
so funny how after having more than 1 kid, "time by myself" = me and baby :lol
i am the same way

[HomeyT]

i'm trying to figure out the 3 kids thing too! :)
wow, sometimes i am SO VERY FRUSTRATED!!!

If you can get baby into a carrier...this will help you a lot! especially at the park, when you need to chase after the 2yo. my baby likes one specific barrier (the moby wrap) he didn't like the mae tai...and the ergo is growing on him...but not for when he's cranky! and just now (he's 3 mo) he'll go into the Hotsling on my hip...he's a large 3 mo old...and never liked being scrunched into a ball!

I still lay with my 3yo and 5yo to get them to sleep for bedtime...(only when daddy is on nights otherwise daddy does the bedtime with the older ones). then we all end up in the same bed for the night...which is fine. i've learned to accept that. and if it works to get them to sleep then that's one less struggle and it's worth it :) sometimes when i want the bed to myself (when i say myself i also include the baby ;) ) i will move them once in a deep sleep!

so much of this is trial and error...and keeping the tool box well stocked!!

i did use the backpack harness thingy with my second on occasion...like when we'd be crossing a large parking lot or in a store and knew it was the only thing that would work.

the double stroller was also great once i had my second...but not sure what i'll do with the 3rd (it's not stroller weather here yet)...hoping she'll go in it when she needs to....but not holding my breath since she's pretty active.

oh and probably the best thing that works for us is leaving the kids at home :) lol!
seriously i have yet to take all 3 kids grocery shopping with out DH...and that is working wonderfully!