Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Insanity is hereditary.

You get it from your children. :) I read that quote somewhere once and it gave me a little chuckle. There have definitely been moments of insanity this week, as I try to do this whole "mother of three" thing by myself...my mom is gone, Mike is at work...it's just me and the kiddos. I have actually been looking forward to the challenge...just because I wanted to see if I could do it (like I had a choice). Overall, we've had a really good week so far and I've actually felt like I was maybe even doing a decent job!

In an effort to shed the 15-20 extra pounds I'm carrying around, I decided it would be a good idea to push Nattie and Andy in the double stroller a mile and half to and from Ben's preschool each day this week to pick him up. I'm SO out of shape and that stroller is heavy! They were great on the walk and Ben loved pushing all the crosswalk buttons on the walk home...so, I guess it was a good idea. :) (AND yes, I know I should take Nattie's pacifier away...but I just haven't felt like it yet!)
Getting a good picture of the three of them together might be impossible, but I'm on a mission to make it happen...stay tuned. :) (The bottom right picture just makes me laugh...Ben just wants to get off the couch, Andy is miserable, and Nattie is wondering why the heck she has to smile when everyone else is clearly not up for it!)
Can you find the real babies?
Natalie has been a bit of a challenge these last few weeks. She is very loving to her baby brother for the most part, so I'm grateful for that. She only gets jealous (at least overtly) when I'm nursing him or when I can't physically hold her or do something with her. The biggest thing I've noticed is the way she's been treating her big brother...which I think is kind of interesting since he has always been around. She has been letting her frustration out on him as, I guess, some kind of attention seeking thing?! She has been downright mean to him, actually. She will, out of the blue, walk up to him and whack him upside the head with a book or toy...for no reason at all. If he's playing with a toy on his own, she'll come up and kick it or mess up what he's doing (getting a BIG reaction out of him! I try to tell him that the less he reacts the less she'll do it...but that is NOT easy for an expressive five-year-old to do!). She's just been a little stinker and, of course, it's the worst when I'm nursing or she's tired. I've been struggling with how to discipline her when I'm in the middle of feeding Andy. I feel like she needs immediate discipline, but I can't justify interrupting him to do it and then by the time I'm done I feel like she won't understand why I'm just now putting her on timeout or reprimanding her. I know it's very frustrating to Benny and he handles it pretty well...most of the time...but I need to figure out how to handle it! Any and all advice is welcome. :) She is definitely my feisty child...not used to this!!

Here is the crazy woman... I just love her...despite the wild behavior lately! She is definitely getting her own, unique personality.

8 comments:

April Gann said...

Great job with all the kiddos, Ali! I'm super impressed about the walking to pre-school thing and especially love the sleeping babies in the double stroller! Sorry Nattie's acting out, but she's SO CUTE!

the deKorne family said...

Yeah-amazing that you are walking. I'm so impressed. How far is your preschool? I"m telling myself I couldn't do that bc mine is so far and really hoping I'm right. :) I'm sure Nattie will be over the phase soon. By soon I mean, like 18. :) She sure is a cutie though!

Abby said...

You're amazing...but I never doubted you'd be able to handle three babies! They are lucky to have such a great mom. And Nattie...well, as a fellow parent of a "feisty child" here's hoping we all survive. :) I think we will. Love you!

MP said...

i love the pictures of the real and fake babies. Cade was exactly like Natalie when Beckett was born. It is a phase, and she will get over it. Although, sometimes Cade still tackles him, but maybe that is just a boy thing. WHo knows? But you are doing a great job with three!!!!

Katie said...

Keep up the good work!! Your kids are angels. I love that pick of Andy w/ the dolls. And, are you kidding? Keep that paci as long as you'd like. She's not even 2! (Anna was 3 1/2...I know, I know.)

Christina Moser said...

I love this post. Andy keeps changing! I don't think I could do it alone - keep up the great work, Ali!

Matt and Abby said...

Not that this makes you feel better, but Hannah is doing the exact same things as Natalie. I thought maybe Olivia was born early enough that Hannah wouldn't be jealous, and she wasn't. Until just recently. So I would guess Natalie would display some of those same behaviors with our without Andy's arrival.

Katie said...

I had just my two today while Jay worked a double, and I was thinking that I don't know HOW single moms do it!! Love them and we had a fun day, but I am sooo tired! You are Super Mom with 3 and two still in diapers! Great idea with the walking. I love the pic of the three of them in bed. They look so snuggly! I am dealing with a very strong-willed, verbal 3 year old...so good luck with Natalie and I have no advice! She is adorable though.