Hi all
Just wondering if anyone here has 4 kids under the age of 4.5? just wondering what it was like if you did it, and if you wouldn't ever do the same if you had the chance - ie, would you have a bigger age gap between them.
Thanks :D
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Hi all
Just wondering if anyone here has 4 kids under the age of 4.5? just wondering what it was like if you did it, and if you wouldn't ever do the same if you had the chance - ie, would you have a bigger age gap between them.
Thanks :D
Mel!!! You caved to DH the other night didn't you???
LOL you're unstoppable woman!
PMSL
No - I didn't.... lol.. otherwise it would be 4 under 3 years, 9 months.. LOL
:D
yeah, that's it, just a stupid grin
HaHa you are a fertile chic so be careful!!!!
I just think its funny how many people assume I'm actually having sex... ROFL
Believe me, if you saw the bed situation at night, you would know how far off that assumption is to actual reality.... :lol:
Besides - this is ALL hypothetical...
I smell #4 coming.....
theres always the couch mel :lol:
Nooo... we're married.. thats WAY too adventurous for us. Plus - the cats might watch :o:
I am sure you would manage if it happened???? I would say wait a bit longer, it won't be so much of a blur of nappies and sleepless nights..nice to enjoy a baby I reckon. I'II have 4 under 6 years and thats busy enough.
Thanks Pam - nice that someone answered my question instead of teasing me :p:
lol
I'm already in a blur of nappies and sleepless nights and have been for the last 3 years, so I don't know whether its best to keep going with what I'm used to, or have a break and then die when I'm chucked back into sleepless nights again! LOL
well if you keep posting about having more babies of course we're going to assume you're getting some!
:rofl:
HAHA:
:goodone::yeahthat::yeahthat::yeahthat::yeahthat:: p:p
haha! Mel... your posts sure do spark some talk around here at times ;) hehe
Arimeh, to be honest, if you want another one I'd do it sooner rather than later...
Once you are through the sleepless nights and nappies you don't want to go back (well I don't anyway!) I honestly couldn't imagine having another one now...
Go for it!
I think its funny- coz i am sure if we look back on posts you posted a very similar post before coming out of the closet announcing you were preg with DD2....... hmmmmmmm
Sorry to hijack but OMG!!! Starbright I didn't know - huge congratulations babe!!!
I did it! :D Four children and my eldest was 3 years and 4 months old. And do you know what, it has been busy, tiring, and the most awesome time of my life. My twins are almost 2 and are such a joy, my older boys are getting more independent, and I am seeing the end of the nappies/breastfeeding/nightfeeds tunnel after only 5 and a bit years. I always wanted a large family and this way I have done it without having to give up work for over a decade like some of my friends.:dance:
I am now looking at the prospect of going to uni in a year and if my kids were more spaced out I would have been looking to get pregnant again around now so I am so pleased I never have to do that again:lol:
TBH - if we still decide to head for four, we will have the same spacing. I couldn't imagine getting out of the groove we are in to wait a bit. While I'm mad, I think I'll stay mad :lol: and sleep deprived ;)
TBH Melly from someone who has 3 under 3...............Id say wait.
Give me two years and hopefully I can convince DH we need one more; we would have caught up on sleep by then ;)
Mel I am know I only have one, but I would have to agree with the getting the sleepless nights and nappies out of the way, I think when we get around to it again I am going to be in for a huge shock :lol:
My brother have four under 4 and while it was crazy there for a while, it got easier as each child would reach school age, the SIL was in for a shock when they were all at school! I think they would have gone on for more, but her OB advised against it as her body needed to "recover" all of hers were very close :D
OMG!!!! Starbright!!! Wooo Hoooo!!! :dance::
I also agree with the getting the sleepless nights and nappies out of the way . ;)
Mel I had 4 under 5.5 and some days it was stressful and other days it is so great, really it's only you that can really answer weather or not you can cope with 4 under 4.5. If you decide to do it then there will be pelenty of support here for you :D.
Ok, I had 3 in 3.5 yrs, big break, now 4 in 3.8 years, roughly........ :o:o
To be honest, the big break was the hardest... I STILL hate it.... :wall:
It is SO hard to go back to "babies" after having big kids...... I love how my littlies are all little, together, and they will toddle off to preschool and school all a year after each other too!! Which also means I get my life back so many years earlier than if they were all spaced out... :lol:
They play so well together mostly, where as they annoy the older kids a bit.... if Za was a little older, and Kane and Harmony a little younger, I'm certain they would fight more... :shakehead:
They are more independant, having each other, and dont need me every second of the day... and when bub does get here, they will still be young, but have each other to entertain when I'm busy, rather than be relying on me because all the siblings are older and at school...
I found 3 much easier than 2, as they entertained each other when I was busy. When I only had 2, I had to feed bubba, and was soley resposible for #1... 3 was easier.... I am hoping so is 4 !!!! :lol:
Jodie - yeah thats what I have found too. DS and DD1 play together most of the time and entertain each other - so I can do what I need to with DD2.. I have found it a lot easier than when I just had DS as a 19 month old and DD1 as a newborn.
The ages (if we DO decide to go for #4 - nothing is set in stone at the moment) would be:
DS - 4.5
DD1 - 3 (or almost)
DD2 - at least 19 months.
So I don't think its too unmanageable? DS would be going off to school in the next year (I think? They go to kindy or something at 5 don't they?) so I would basically have what I have at the moment.
I think with any change in parenting you just cope, your parenting changes with your circumstances. I went to visit a friend in hospital the other day and the woman in the room with her had just had her 4th and she now has 4 under 3.5... I also recall my aunt telling me about a women who had 6 under 5... women addapt to what they are delt :)
xx
Go for it!!! You'll adjust and before you know it you wont even remember what it was like with only 3.
i had 4, 5yrs and under...ATM have 4, 6 and under.
Its FRIGGEN HARD WORK....ive just had a bit of a meltdownt he past few days actually...DH works 2 jobs, he has a deadline to meet and hes been working ALL DAY/ALL NIGHt.....im so exhausted. But not here to whinge about me...................i would wait too.....seriously......
I find it interesting that people comment on kids off to school is somewhat of a good thang...i find school a PITA. I would rather have all 4 at home. My youngest started kindergarten in 2009...and working out sleeps, doing housework, reading with her, doing school activities with her...my golly. Hard, hard, hard. GOne are the days where i used to say 'we will jsut have a day at home today'....i dunno.....yes, you would have loads of support here...but we cant fold ya washing for you can we ??? I would wait...maybe until #3 is 2 ???nearing 2 ????
Wait - you FOLD your washing? ;) LOL... seriously some days it stays in the washing basket after coming off the line and I reuse it over the next couple of days.. LOL:
Anyway its all hypothetical at the moment - gotta fix my bod up a bit first :D
I have 4 under 2, and Ill probably be eating my words in a couple months but Im finding this alot easier than I thought it would be. Ive been blessed with 4 terrific sleepers that have all managed self settling though. Aiden helps feed the babies and helps with nappy changes and 'reads' them books so hes always entertained and DS is quite an independent little guy so he doesnt need me to sit with him 24/7 which makes things easier. While the babies are sleeping in the afternoon we do stuff together, like playing outside or if its raining we sit on the couch and read books or watch a movie or play blocks. I manage to give all the kids one on one mummy time even if its having a baby in the sling while I hang out laundry or going for a walk to pick DS up from daycare.
I think if DS was much older it would of been harder for me to go back to the newborn stage.
Do what you want chicky!! It will be full on, but I think things would be pretty full on for you now! Why not throw another one in the mix :lol:
Ha ha girls what a good giggle...
Me I had 3 under 21/2years (no twins) and then 4 under 4. I also had an older speccial needs boy as well. My 4 under 4 are now 6,7,8,9 and looking back it was a blur!!!! I have to rely on my friends to share their memories of what it was like because i was in the midst of it all and hardly had time to breathe!!!
I have gone on to have more and the have been a llittle better spaced but my close 4 are all ready good friends. I wouldn't change a thing. :D
double post
double post
what about taking them all out for the day on your own? how would you manage that? or would it mean that you'd be staying home a lot more?
honestly, i would be really anxious if i had to go to a shopping centre, or the beach, or the swimming pool or even a birthday party on my own (while dh was at work) with 4 kids under 4.5 years.
Ginger.... well I don't go out on my own now with the 3 of them... so there would be no difference, I'd still be a hermit.. LOL
Gotta say though, the dynamic when multiples are in the mix is very different. Sometimes harder, but sometimes easier. I had three, 4 and under (two under 2 for a while) and my best friend has children very similar ages to mine (a few months between them all) but she has 2 sets of twins. It's just different. She's already looking at heading back to work, goes to the gym every day etc etc. The age gaps are staggered differently cause she has two at the same age/stage iykwim? Whereas I still have a 2 year old and a baby.:
My twins are almost 2 and are such a joy
Anyhoo...I don't know what I'd say. I have toyed with the idea of having another but honestly, don't think I'm going to push my luck. I feel very lucky to have the three I have and life is busy enough I think. At bed time especially I wonder how I'd spread myself even further if we had one more.
BUT if I were going to have another, I'd probably go for the same age gap I had between my boys. So about 20 months. I found that worked really well. There was a 2.5 year gap between DD and DS1 (not by choice but that's the way it worked out) and I found it hard going back to the nappies and sleepless nights. This time has pretty much been a non event.
Also agree with Mbear about kids going to school - if anything, it just makes for a busier day with the drop off/pick ups etc and you'd have 3 little ones in tow. I found that when DD went to preschool. I guess it might make it easier for me to get out with just the boys, but with nap times etc it'll be a pretty busy day!
I am waiting till DD1 is at school before we decide to have another or stop at 3. I need to experience life with one at school. I can only imagine life is going to be really busy from that point onwards.
Willow - I was thinking the large gap would be better because you'd only have one in nappies and hopefully all the other kids would be sleeping well and be able to help out a bit and do things for themselves etc.
I find having 3 under 4 (now 3 under 5) difficult when trying to get ready or going to the shops.
All the best with you decision hun..
im in the same boat mel.
we have kinda joked a few times about another.
i only have 2 under 3 and then ds who is 9.
i wonder just hoe much harder ity would be with another..
i think of day care costs, returning to work etc etc
I've had fun reading this thread!
We're expecing no.4 soon and so will have 4 under 4 1/2....not sure how we'll go yet but am sure we'll cope ok because we'll have too! LOL!
It is extremely busy now but I think you can choose how busy you want to be - I'm lucky enough to just be at home with my babies and we're busy because Louis has started kinder and the kids all do activities each so we're in and out most days.
No.4 has been a surprise for us after thinking we were done with our family and although we've needed to get our head around the idea of getting through those early months with a baby again I'm really getting excited to seeing what dynamic he'll add to our family!!
Go with your heart I say - the practical side will sort itself out!!