Thanks everyone. I'm sure we'd manage. And yeah, makes sense that they probably wouldn't run off in different directions LOL. We're dealing with a bit of sibling rivalry at the moment (by 'a bit' I mean 'a lot' LOL) so the idea of 3 of them not getting along is just scary!
I LOVE the idea of a quiet room.. I'm going to implement that one, with just my 2!
Am still trying to convice DH we'd be fine with 3.. but sometimes even I wonder! hehe.
when crossing the road or going somewhere where you need hands being held.. I carry Livi, hold hands with Jacob and Isaac puts his hand in my back pocket..
We also have a "freeze rule" if a car is moving they freeze where they are.. you have to drum it on from the time they can walk.. Olivia at just under 17 months is already understanding it to a certain degree,
yeah, we don't have a freeze rule as such, but Tallon knows he has to stay right next to the car when he gets out, or right next to the pram. And he knows to either hold my hand or hold onto the pram when there are cars moving.
I agree with MrsMac's suggestion of spreading them out.... we have 3 kids but they are 14, 5 and 2. Works fine. I think with any amount of children you basically have to decide to become the kind of person that can "relinquish control" at certain times and know how to regain it at others... and most importanlty to to know WHEN to decide to do either!!! Trying to stay in control at all times will send you crazy... and letting go all the time is obviously negligent and going to lead to trouble as well. So... maybe just know that with 2 or 3 or 14 children you are just going to have to get better at making this crucial decision; Do I try to control or try to let go? If you have mastered this with 2 then i say go for 3.
hmm.. I think I do have a fairly good balance on the control thing. If things are going stir crazy I just step in and separate them, Tallon has to have quiet time playing in his room for a while just to calm everything down a bit. DH on the other hand just throws his hands up in the air and complains about the noise LOL. Other times I let them just be kids and get it out of their system. Let them jump on the bed and leave em to it LOL.
I think it's purely the fear of going through these terrible threes 3 times! LOL. The defiance is unbelievable, and everything is a battle. We get through each day tho, and we're looking forward to the age of 4! There is a sweet boy in there that surfaces every now & then and I can't wait until he's around all the time! hahaha. DH is convinced that it's 17 years worth of defiance that we're in for tho, and well... that could be true LOL. So times that by 3 and he's just not prepared to do it
I'm coping surprisingly well with 2 actually, I'm much much more organised than I was with 1, and our house is almost clean enough these days for people to just drop in! haha. I think I would manage. Sure I have bad days where the kids just drive me nuts and I have a mummy melt-down.. but truth be told, that would be easily remedied by me scheduling in and MAKING people give me a break now & then!!
I guess a question I should ask is what are 7 yr olds like, in general? Because that's how old Tallon would be once the third reached 3yrs old. Perhaps if I can describe the changes in the dynamics of the house to DH a bit more, he'd be willing. I feel like he doesn't mind so much the idea of another, but fears it somehow.. the chaos of it, if that makes sense.
7 y.o.'s are awesome Best helpers ever... just to give you an idea how Paris helps out around the house:
Folds her own washing and puts it away.
Puts Seth's Washing away.
Sorts clothing into the Clothes Sorter.
Tidies up toy area and gets DS3 to help by making it a "game"
Feeds and Tends to her Guinea Pig
Takes out Recycling
Gets Drinks and Food for her & her brother.
Tidies her room and helps her brother (teaches) him to do his.
They never fight. They get frustrated when either is tired but they don't beat each other up or be nasty to each other. They still play together. ATM they are playing pirates. DS3 is also pretty advanced I think because he's used to playing with his older sister so its a plus plus situation. But honestly I love my kids gap, its awesome. They are best friends, but also great teachers for each other. DS teaches DD patience and strangely how to have a great imagination (DD never was big on imagination), and DD teaches DS how to be nice, how to share, how to tidy up etc etc Keep in mind 7 y.o.'s are very independant too. She can spend hours listening to music, writing in her diary, playing on the computer. So she's never under my feet.
As for how Kayla and the next will interact you'd know more about that than me
Liz: my DH gets frustrated a lot more easily than I do as well. It's something to take into consideration. I feel it's the weakest link in our family dynamic as well. He finds it harder to relinquish control... I bet he's actually quietly content to be back at work in his nice quiet, clean and calm office today after 4 days at home with the kids. Sometimes at the end of a hard day he will come home and be in a good frame of mind to handle the chaos... but other times I see him struggle with the transition. Yesterday he found that our 2yo had emptied his expensive shampoo out into the bath leaving it empty when he had just opened it... DH cracked it... and threw a tantrum himself. So sometimes I feel like I have 4 children which upsets me... but 99% of the time DH will eventually pull himself together and apologise... but it's upsetting at the time.
Liz - I will let you know in a few months time how I cope with 3 close together!!! Some days the thought is very daunting but DD1 is at a great age and she really is easier to handle when out and about. I have drummed into her to hold the pram or trolley when we are out and now I don't even ask she just does it.
My main concern atm is that DD2 (16 months) is starting to run off (not as bad as Sara was), get up out of the trolley and crack when I put her in the pram. DD2 is also really clingy and only mummy will do.
I actually held a nb the other day and DD2 was beside herself with jealousy...That is concerning for me. Apart from that once DD1 turned 3 she matured considerably.
I have not doubt that you'll be just fine having another.
Thanks ladies for your replies I found them interesting an informative.
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