hi, i have 5 kids under 7, DD1-2001 is 7 when she was 25 months we had DS1-2003 he is now 5, DD2-2005 was born when he was 23 months, she is now 3 and was 18 months when DD3- 2006 who is now 22 months old was born, and she was 16 months when DS2- 2008 who is 5 months was born, we are hoping for a bigger gap in the 24+ month gap between 5 and 6 but that all depends. (hope you understood all that. lol)
We wanted them close so they could play and do family things and share clothes and stuff, but we are always JUST on time when we go out, our house is always a mess, and its always noisey, but when they say i love you it makes my heart melt.
What can i say im a sucker for my kids.
Mine are all close. When Lexie was born I had 3 under 3.
Mine wasn't so much through planning.......Lexie was a delightful ooopsie, but hey, you run with it, LOL!
We did have to move house and a bigger car to fit all those car seats in.
The mornings are crazy fun.......and the thought of getting us all all out the house showered dressed and breakfasted was a shocker.......but honestly, once you do it it a few times, you just get practiced!
(We can now manage 45 mins from up to out........! I never thought that would happen!)
This sounds pathetic, but the hardest thing is grocery shopping. Lexie in the front seat of the trolley, Charlie in the main bit, Olivia running alongside asking for everythings she sees, and not enough room in the trolley for the weekly shop! So I only take them if I really have to, otherwise I have a date by myself in the evening when they are all in bed to shop by myself.........
i woul have love my 2 to be colser to gether but we had issues concieving #2. My Ds is very out of control and hard to handle but worse now we have DD. He doesnt listen, acts up, always getting into mischief etc. The worst part about them being 3 1/2 yrs appart is that DS doesnt have a day sleep anymore so when Tiahna is sleeping its a struggle to keep him quiet so we can let her sleep... I'm wanting another also and closer together. we only have a 3 bd house that we just brought so we'd have to double up rooms. we already have a large car so thats ok.
I can fully understand the shopping hassle... I have to use the one with the baby seats, there is either none there or if you get one they dont steer properly, the capsule takes up prescious trolley space and no room to put DS in so i can keep him close (he's a runner) i cant imagine what it'll be like with 3 but when i weight up the good and bad my decision would be to go 4 it again...
God the last labour was short and painful and i remember i kept saying "i'm stupid why am i doing this agaain" but after its like "Yes, this is why do do it" i love kids and wouldnt have it any other way... even if that means less sleep, more stress and difficulty getting out the door in the mornings.
I have three children with just under three years between all of them - our number three was an oopsie baby so I guess in all honesty even a year after her birth I still struggle at times to comprehend I am the mother of three young children.
Whilst I love the fact they are close in age so can/will play together I also find it extremely hard as I dont feel like any of them get the quality time I would like to give them. I know I probably have fairly high expectations of myself in regards to this but I kind of feel like all we do some days is survive and although I wouldnt change any of them for the world, I do (for us) think that the age gaps are too close. But in saying that you just have to run with it!
I have found that even though they are still only young I have definitely noticed the financial impact. We are in the process of working out what to do re a car - our car fits everyone in but we want to go to a seven seater and we now feel like we need a bit more space in the house - hence some renos.
There are pros and cons for close age gaps but I feellike it does put a lot pf pressure on you as a parent and your relationship with your partner and I know we will get through it but just some days I feel like crying LOL!!
Planning/routine is the key - I feel like ther eis never a moment where I am not thinking "ok what do I need to do to make things easier" eg - if we have to be somewhere in the morning clothes re out, bags are packed, lunch boxes out and what is to go in them in all sorted and inthe fridge. I guess you have to do that even if you have one or two children but it is especially important with three plus!!
Like Lucy said I find the shopping soooooo hard and I cannot wait until they get online shopping in SA as that will make my life so much easier!!
But I love seeing the three kids interact and they two eldest are now at an age where you can converse with them and we get lots of "i love you' from them which is fantastic. I am looking forward to family holidays (we are planning an o/s trip next year which could end up being the worst idea in the world - time will tell!!)
I hope this hasnt come out like a post about me cause I guess I just wanted to say this is what it is like for us to give you some insight. I am sure whatever decision you make will be the right one for you and I wish you the best of luck.
Well I am slightly scared!!! But I am crazy and most of your stories sound like my house now.
I hate shopping with my kids too, although if I just take Loren (8month old) it is ok.
As Loren is only 8 months old I am giving myself another 4 months of exercise and good diet and then we'll ttc. Assuming I conceive easily and I don't miscarry I should be pregant by early to mid next year which makes Loren nearly 2yo and Sara nearly 4...not bad age gaps. DH and my relationship is another major consideration because we have been pregnant since 8 wks after we got married. Like most parents we have not had a lot of time to build a relationship past everyday type activities...But DH wants another one (hopefully blue) and I do too.
Willow - If Loren was a good sleeper I'd be ttc now!!!! but I am waiting a bit longer and crossing my fingers that she'll magically sleep well
Last edited by BekZ; August 16th, 2008 at 11:07 AM.
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