Last fall we were struggling to get in the flow of the preschool schedule. It’s a lot — getting all three kids and myself fed, dressed, and out the door with all their bickering and necessary bags. Plus, Thomas was still very new, and I was spending much of the night awake with him. The year ahead of getting out of the house three mornings a week seemed daunting.
I have a close friend who has three kids that are all roughly a year-ish older than each of my kids. One morning, after dropping off my older two, I sat down to chat with some friends and nurse Thomas before going home.
“How did you do this last year?” I asked her. “How did you manage preschool three days a week with an infant?”
“I don’t know,” she answered. “I just did. It was really hard, but somehow we made it. And it gets easier.”
Doesn’t that sum up parenting perfectly?
It’s really hard, and then when you aren’t looking, it gets easier. You have good days and bad days; good weeks and bad weeks; good phases and bad phases. There are days of pajamas and cartoons on the couch, and days of friends and fun activities.
You don’t know how you do it, you just do.
I’m right there right now! Was hoping for a few more nuggets of wisdom :). The actual question I’m contemplating is.. If I pumped first thing in the morning, could Addie feed Amelia a bottle while I do all the other morning stuff? Which sounds ridiculous but, maybe? Ahh so many logistics!
haha! um, no. you should have learned long ago that this is not a place to come for tips. i can give you camaraderie, though.
SO MANY LOGISTICS!! it really does get easier, though 🙂 and look at you, already problem solving! you’re gonna do great.
Mornings kill me. There is just enough time to do almost everything but not quite. I KNOW that if I got up earlier and got myself ready then it would be so much smoother but I value sleep so much. I do find that the nights that I prep everything ahead of time (outfits, backpacks, snacks, etc) it does go smoother. And sometimes we don’t brush teeth, put a patch on Stephen, or eat a good breakfast. But whatever. They survive. And Meredith, I have have had Annabelle (5) give Caroline a bottle and it worked out okay.