Sometimes here it is absolute bedlam with all the noise they can create - especially if they are all playing together. Like last night I nearly went mental because they all had a truck and they were all running around the house with them playing chasies and I told them they needed to play another game or they could go to bed early - and that did the trick cause it was only 6pm at that stage LOL. It can be hard when I'm here on my own while DH is on nightshift, but manageable if you can distract them into doing something else. As for the playground situation, I've yet to have it happen where they all run off in different directions and I always had at least one that was still in a stroller or small enough that they never ran far and there is always one that likes to stay close to you. I found kiddie 'leashes' worked well when I had the first three and they were all close (eldest was 3yr 4mths when I had #3) as well as the skateboard things for the pram, but if you're going to wear bubs then that's not an issue. I often have to go out on my own with all 4 du to the hours DH works, but its fine - like on Thursday night we had a community get together and DH was on nightshift and I had Alister in the sling as I knew he wouldn't get cranky if he was being held, but if he was in the stroller he would have cracked it after 10mins. It was so much easier too because I could get the older kids their dinners (BQ and salad etc) and then get my own and kept Alister in the sling while we ate off the same plate.

Don't forget too that a lot of the behaviours they might have now that completely put you off having that extra child (like bolting LOL or not staying close to you when out and about) they usually grow out of by the time they get to a certain age, so you can always space them out so you don't have to worry about having 2 toddlers and a baby etc.