how hard is it going from 2 to 3?

[WatchingThemGrow]

Well..I'll be honest. Our oldest was 36m and the middle was 18m when the baby was born. It has been really, really hard. On the other hand, it has been really, really fun.

The hard parts - feeding people and getting out of the house. I've had supply issues with all 3, so imagine trying to nurse, pump, supplement, take all kinds of nursing meds, deal with thrush, etc, all while feeding and cleaning up after a 3yo and 1yo...So those first 6 months were a blur. A happy blur, though, because lots of people helped us. Someone came (an older lady from our church) and held people, rocked people, read to people, changed people, fed me, etc for TWO months, JUST because I learned to ask for help. Brittone2 even met her. I found that preparing dinner with 3 almost under 3 was nearly impossible, so I learned how to do once-a-month-cooking after people fed us for nearly 3 months. A mothers helper came one night a week when DH was not going to be home for dinner and bedtime. We got a housecleaner every other week. A neighbor came 2x/week to watch the boys while I took DD to preschool. (BEST thing ever!!! - She has no idea how much that meant to me. Unless she's reading-lurking here! hope so!) So, it wasn't that I got excessively lazy, but my hands were just really, really full! I think I counted 6-7 people (grandma included) that helped us get through a week at one point. Yikes.

Getting out of the house to run errands is one of the hardest things for me. Knowing I need to go get a prescription, but have to take a double stroller AND wear someone to get in there just sux. I've tried to let someone walk, and we just all end up in a messy heap. Maybe one day it will work. I dream of having 4 daylight hours by myself to run errands/do returns/etc.

I think SO much of it depends on your personality under stress, and the personalities of your DC, and ultimately the space between your DC. I tend to be fairly chill usually, but my shoulders have been "tight" for most of the past year. We've made it through the first year, so hopefully, it will get easier once DS2 is walking...or will that make it harder?...hmm...

The fun has been unreal, though. I just have to stop and laugh A LOT. Like the other day, we had this triage situation..1) baby has a cold and is wheezing, so I nebulize him 2) DS1 has recently started PTing and poop rolled out of his unders onto the floor where he was playing in the LR and 3) DD moved a stokke chair in the kitchen to get herself some scissors (?!!!) and started cutting something in the kitchen. What do you do? Who do you tend to first? We've destroyed restaurant tables, traveled to see family, gone to waterparks, amusement parks, Disney for a night, and all kinds of stuff. We've taken thousands of pictures but I can't find uninterrupted time to make baby books or any family photobooks. I think that's the hardest for me...not being ABLE to do all the things I would want to do for each DC the WAY I would ideally want to do them.

Yours sound like they have space between them. Space can be a good thing. But close together can be fun too, eventually, I've heard!

[maiaann]

I think part of the difficulty is directly related to how easy or difficult baby #3 ends up being. In our case, DD3 is about as chill as a baby can get. She hardly cries, eats and sleeps well, and is generally happy. So, in our case, going from 2 to 3 was a breeze. However; if DD3 was a fussy child, life would be completely different. I agree with the other posts about how it becomes more difficult to divide your attention. As a SAHM, I am spent by the end of the day. I have hardly enough cuddles left for DH!

The hardest part I've found is fitting in everyone's activities. My oldest is in grade school, my middle starts preschool in the fall, and both of them are also in gymnastics and swimming. We don't have any family or help around so we spend a lot of the day going from one activity to another. DD3 goes along for the ride, but just having to tote her from activity to event is exhausting in itself.

Bottom line, yes it's difficult, but the degree of difficulty cannot be pre-determined. Would I have 3 kids again - ABSOLUTELY. In fact, if my last pregnancy wasn't such a nightmare, I'd consider a 4th DC!

[hellokitty]

It depends on the age gap of your kids. I had a LOT of trouble going from 1-2. My boys were only 18 mo apart, so essentially DS1 was still a baby too when I had DS2. Well, with DS3, we didn't want to make the same mistake, so DS2 and DS3 are almost exactly 4 yrs apart. It has been MUCH easier going from 2-3 for me. Part of it is that my older two are more indep, in school a bit (1/2 day K and 2 day preschool, next yr DS1 will be in full day school and DS2 will be in 3 day AM preschool), and overall, my confidence as a parent has increased a lot. I've also been lucky that out of my 3 kids, DS3 has been my best NIGHT sleeper. I emphasize night, b/c the kid basically doesn't nap. I am very anal about naps and spent almost 9 mo trying to get the child to nap. Nope, he fought it. I've spoken to many other friends with 3+ kids and I guess b/c by then most families are so on the go with the activities of the older kids that it's not unusual for the kid #3 and onward to not be great nappers. Anyway, I going from 0-1 was easy, going from 1-2 was pure torture for me, mostly b/c of the closeness in age. Going from 2-3 can be challenging, but I feel like my problem solving abilities are so much better now and I am much better a prioritizing what really needs to be done first.

[kms00]

I didn't think it was too bad. The only thing is that the 3rd lives in the car driving the other 2 around. Right now they are almost 7, 4, and 15 months. Number 3 is a pure joy and very happy and easy going. She has made it easy on us. Now, if she would just sleep through the night we'd be great.

[maestramommy]

The fun has been unreal, though. I just have to stop and laugh A LOT.

Yours sound like they have space between them. Space can be a good thing. But close together can be fun too, eventually, I've heard!

That's kinda how it is here too. Laurel has been by far, the most difficult baby, and she will probably be our most challenging toddler. She has already given me more gray hairs than Dora and Arwyn combined. But she is just so affectionate, so full of life, and so damned FUNNY, she cracks me up several times a day. It's funny how the same person makes your life so stressful, yet just months later fills you up with so much joy.

[hellokitty]

That's kinda how it is here too. Laurel has been by far, the most difficult baby, and she will probably be our most challenging toddler. She has already given me more gray hairs than Dora and Arwyn combined. But she is just so affectionate, so full of life, and so damned FUNNY, she cracks me up several times a day. It's funny how the same person makes your life so stressful, yet just months later fills you up with so much joy.

There is something really special about the third child. I heard it over and over again IRL and online. I always thought it was just a bunch of BS. DS3 is a total delight. He is so cute, funny and affectionate. My DH and I have both been very surprised with how smitten we've been with DS3. You'd think that by the third one, the novelty would have worn off, but we are totally eating up DS3. We are lucky that he has such a great personality and now I am one of those moms who will go around saying, "My third will always hold a special place in my heart." Not that I don't love DS1 and DS2, but it's just been different (in a good way) with DS3, in a way that I never expected.

[melrose7]

Having a third was easier than going from 1-2. DS has been a good baby and even though I am BF this time around so more demand on me and more night feedings he is such a joy. I don't know if it is because he is probably our last (I would love another but things are tight already) that I am eating him up and want to remember him so little but everyday I say "I can't believe he is already X days/weeks old already". I also even said today that "he has the cutest cry than all the kids" and he does even cry much. We don't go to many activities yet besides school and that is just trying to get into a pattern. It has been good for both DDs and I think DD1 is more aware of DS than she was of DD2. She is on the autism spectrum so we have many challenges there but she is so good with DS it is so nice to see. With DD2 she barely even cared. I also watch 2 other babies part time at my house and when it's only my 3 it seems even more manageable.

[WatchingThemGrow]

I think part of the difficulty is directly related to how easy or difficult baby #3 ends up being. In our case, DD3 is about as chill as a baby can get. She hardly cries, eats and sleeps well, and is generally happy. So, in our case, going from 2 to 3 was a breeze. However; if DD3 was a fussy child, life would be completely different.

Baby #3 is an awesome, easy, delightful child, but it hasn't been a breeze for us. SO wish it was.

[KrisM]

yes, getting out of the house is hard! It still is. I am so glad school ends tomorrow and I don't have to scramble everyone into clothes and strollers by 8:15!

WTG: We've had those crazy moments too. My most recent - our toilet flapper didn't close when DD flushed She had managed to time that with too much TP and the toilet was now overflowing! DD yelled for me from atop a stool in the bathroom. I ran to the bathroom to fix it and of course, DS2 followed me. He promptly slipped on the wet floor and landed on his back. So, now the toilet is overflowing, DD is stranded on a stool, DS is soaking wet in toilet water and I have 3 minutes to get us to the bus stop to pick up DS1. Fun stuff. Thankfully, my neighbor cracked up when I called and asked her to grab DS for me from the bus.

[WatchingThemGrow]

glad to know that others have toilet emergencies! Ours right now involve the 2yo leaving the hall gate open, taking his unders to 4yo DD to get help putting them on, then the baby making a mad dash to go to his personal, indoor "water table" which makes ME want to throw up.