Three and out?

I always say that I would be the next 19 kids and counting if I could afford it. And I mean it. I really enjoy this whole parenthood thing. Are there days when I have turned blue in the face from so much shouting? Yes. Do they drive me to the occasional drink? Absolutely. But I wouldn't trade it for the world. I say we are three and out...but are we really? Ask me again after I have taken my 10 hour intercontinental flight with the three of them on my own.

I am starting to settle into the area a bit more. I have been going to local NCT play groups and even went to a Ladies Pamper Evening last night. Baby steps. People always act shocked when I talk about how stressful I find friend making. They assume because I am chatty I am a natural social butterfly. The truth is, I find it a lot like hard work. But I am getting there.

I also went out to dinner with the mums and teachers of St. Margaret's Nursery and Transition class. If there is one reason to stay in the area it is that school. I love it so much. We may become homeless street people in an effort to afford it, but we will do our best to make sure the kids get the best education we can afford.

I am also taking a NHS Breastfeeding Peer Support course. I had pretty much zero support when I had Esme and I want to be able to help people like me nurse successfully. I am also hoping it will get me out in the community working and meeting people.

Wren is a champ. She is nursing and sleeping like a pro. At her 10 week check she was 12 pounds 2 ounces and 25 inches. She is a going to be a TALL drink of water.



Noah is potty trained! He has the occasional accident but is now requesting the potty instead of me forcing it upon him every five minutes. Potty trained at 2 is pretty good for a boy and we are pretty proud! I carry around one of those seat inserts so that he feels more comfortable but hopefully we can lose them in the near future. I also worry about sprayage ;) Boy training hasn't been as bad as I was warned it would be, but it has been totally different.

Esme is so smart. She is looking forward to transition this September. One of the best thing about St. Mag's is that the classes are small and the kids build close relationships with their classmates. In some ways I wish she could start reception (kindergarten) this fall. A lot of her friends are six months older than her and are starting reception this fall. I think she is ready but I have to go with the system and they system says she starts next September.

The picture of Jessie and Buzz is my favorite- Ethan and Esme are best buds! x



Colds are plaguing our house again. I thought that season was over but here we are in May with green runny noses and mild coughs. Even Miss Wrenny has a little cold. Lucky for her my breastmilk should mean she gets a milder version and gets better more quickly. I need one of those shirts that says "I make milk. What's your super power?"


Just a few little notes:

I also need a shirt for Noah that says "This is why we can't have nice things." He is such a ball of energy and is oh so messy! I am not the best house keeper as it is and Mr. NJ doesn't make my task any easier!

I am thinking about getting back into bow making. I would also like to learn how to use a sewing machine. Also considering going back to work in the Fall or Winter and getting an Au Pair.

The Giving Tree makes me very sad when I read it. I love Shel Silverstein but I can't take that book. *tear*

I love Dr. Suess and am terribly sad to be missing Esme's end of the year play "Suessical the Musical" as a result of our trip to Seattle. I had no idea about it until this past wednesday. Lachrymose is not the word.

Esme's hair is crazy long, ya'll.



Here are some pictures I love from when Mike and Veronica came to visit when I was in Budapest...



Fun at the country park



The new bouncy pillows at Marsh Farm




Summer fun in our garden!




He loves his baby. He often says "Oh baby! Oh Honey, honey!" When she cries. He loves to kiss her. And poke her in the eyes.

There are 5 things you need to know...

1. Wren has the most divine little forehead. Full of wrinkles and fuzz and I just can't stop kissing it.



2. Esme is obsessed with saying Spaghetti Bolognese. To all my Yanks- simply saying spaghetti over here just won't do. You have to say spaghetti bolognese. She doesn't say it quite right and it cracks me up.

3. Wren doesn't cry all that often but when she does it is rarely a real cry. She likes to let out a few "WAHs!" to get your attention and then, once you give her what she wants, gives you one more "WAH" to let you know she meant business. It makes me smile.

4. I totally underestimated this dude.



He is such an amazing big brother. He wants to help and likes to kiss, hold and rub his baby. I thought he would be a nightmare...but he is a dream.


I have to say, without boasting, that I have taken to this three kids thing pretty well. Yes, a lot of my parenting principles have been buried and are lying dormant somewhere covered in spaghetti sauce and rolled in corn flake crumbs...but, I am coping and that is what counts. At least in my opinion. Do the kids often eat in front of the TV? Yes. Does Noah still have a dummy (aka binky) at bed time? Yes. Parenting has humbled me and a lot of the things that used to make me roll my eyes and tut (TV for toddlers, binks after 1 year, etc.) have taken root in my household. I am ok with it. I am still working on my quick judgments but I am a lot better than I used to be and I have decided to allow myself to deviate from my idea of perfection in return for sanity and a happy family.

Maybe I am coping well because I am ok with the fact that my house isn't always (Ok, isn't USUALLY) tidy. I am ok with the fact that my car seats have crumbs and my TV screen has fingerprints. I am almost ok that there is a princess puzzle with one rogue piece missing. I am ok with the fact that I don't get my daily shower anymore. I am ok with the fact that I am not perfect. I am ok.

My kids finally have a routine that works for us but I don't stress about it. If we are running late and our plans go out the window, I am fine. I am constantly told how lucky I am that the baby sleeps through the night and that I am able to get out and about with matching shoes and a touch of makeup. How do I do it? I don't stress. I have never been an organized person and I never will be. Maybe I am too relaxed. Maybe I should be more of a task master- more of a neat freak, more worried. But right now I am ok. I am going to soak up the restful nights and the wrinkles in Wren's forehead and I am going to forgo sweeping the floor for the third time in order to go in the back yard and watch my son push toy cars down the slide. I am going to enjoy bath times that run later than intended so that daddy can have time with the kids before bed. I am going to let Esme saunter into my bed at 5:30 in the morning because she wants to cuddle. I am going to squeeze all five of us in a bed at 6 am so that I can nurse while "sleeping" at the end of the bed, curled in a ball so that Noah, Esme and Stephen can have more room. I am just going to BE. Live in the moment and try not to worry about my imperfections as a parent. My kids are happy and healthy and if that is anything to go by...I must be doing something right.

I am also going to embrace the fact that I am becoming a bit of a hippy. I feel good about it and I don't care what others think. I am going to squirt breast milk in my kids' eyes instead of going to the doc for a pink eye prescription. I am going to continue to work toward being a vegan. I am going to read labels and warn everyone I know about GMOs. I am going to question vaccinations and medicine and food. I am going to avoid palm oil. I am just going to be me and if people think I am a dippy hippy so be it.

In other news:

Wren laughed for the first time last night (May 2). She let a tiny giggle out a few days ago but this was her first proper laugh. She has the best full face smile. I say full face because it isn't just her mouth- her whole face smiles.



We are potty training. Call me crazy but Noah is ready and he has been ready. He is a champ. At home with out a nappy he will usually make it to his potty in time. Today was our first day out without a nappy (after only one day official potty training) and he wet himself twice in 5 hours. He also went on the potty every time I took him. That is part of the reason I know he is ready- he has great bladder control. He just needs to get hang of the fact that he needs to tell me when he wants to go. We can do this!



5. I am such a lucky mama.