8 a.m. Contented the children with snacks and cartoons, took a cup of coffee and the laptop back to bed. One hour into vacation and it’s going great.
8:02 a.m. Eden’s crying.
8:03 a.m. Eden’s screeching.
8:45 a.m. Fed Eden leftover tortellini for breakfast. I figure she doesn’t mind because, no one told her the social rules of breakfast food.
9:00 a.m. Nursed Eden, put her down, got back to cold coffee.
9:05 a.m. Ren stomps up stairs to tell me they are bored. I crack out the cool marble-tower run builder set thingy I bought for just this occassion. It’s Dutch.
9:10 a.m. Ren wakes up Eden, crying that she can’t read Dutch. She can’t read at all, actually, but that’s a moot point.
10:00 a.m. Up to my ass in marbles and Dutch. Eden is finding new and interesting ways to kill herself with marbles and piss off her sisters by smashing towers. That’s when it hits me: Holy SHIT this is a lot of kids.
1:00 p.m. Driving to Starbucks in 65-degree weather. Home Alone is playing in the back. Ahh … Christmas music and violence. Welcome, Spring.
2:00 p.m. Home from Targay Baybay. Sending the children out to play. Only 115 hours of break to go.
3:15 p.m. Screechy-Mc-Asshole is not happy. Ren is going to run away. Mare is halfway through the first Little House book. VACAY IS AWESOME!!!
Oh sweetie. Hang in there.
Maybe Finn and Greta read Dutch? Or at least Percy must, by now…
I’m 27 weeks pregnant with my 3rd child…perhaps I should stop reading your blog before I change my mind about this whole ‘three children’ thing…
Hmmm, to prepare yourself for the chaos that is 3 or enjoy those last blissful months of 2?
I totally understand!! Well… sorta. I have 3 as well (Holy HELL it’s a lot!), but mine aren’t school age yet. (2 year old boy and twin 10 month old girls). I’m pretty used to filling their days now, but I fear that once they start school, I’ll get used to a little “me time”, and then spring break is going to hit me like a ton of bricks. And let’s not even start on Summer vacation!
Hang in there!! For what it’s worth, I think you’re doing a fantastic job, you’re an AMAZING momma, and they are all lucky to have you! Lucky to have each other too, they all sound like such special little people
ok … three ain’t so bad ….and sunshine I can relate …except I had a 2 yr old, twins and then 20 months later baby number 4 !!!! Now the whole house sleeps in bunk beds….geesh !!! LOL!!
It was very busy when they were younger – now 10/8/8/7 it is a different kind of busy – but GREAT to be able to have the laughs and the giggles …most days ~ then the tears and the fights …but that is what makes us a family !! Three girls and a boy….and a husband who is a shift worker …. and I just went back to work ft 3 years ago….can’t say it gets easier – but it is never boring! One day at a time – sometimes – one hour at a time …..
Cheers !!
Wow Miles!!! You were brave to have another one after the twins!! We are DONE!! Happy, but DONE. LOL.
Post a picture of the manual and i will translate it, free of charge!
I can offer assistance with the course How-to-read-the-Dutch-manual
))
I will go from being a mother of two to a mother of three in nine days and I am scared! They will now out number us. Please keep up the stories, it really helps to know others get it.
Mother of one here. Ahhhh…..
“Screechy-Mc-Asshole”!!! That was awesome…
I’m rooting for ya, and you can do the same for me while I entertain two boys in two weeks!
Please tell me, dear, that you didn’t just call your baby an asshole.
I love both dresses, but OMG. The frying pan. With the paper label still on it…
!!
yeah, Cute Husband OWES YOU big time for watching the kids.
Krystal,
No, she did not call her baby an asshole. She called her baby a Screechy Mc Asshole, actually.
And her loyal readers love her for it.
~leena!
I love Little House! My favorite is The Long Winter…or maybe the one where she’s courted by Manly? “Teacher’s beau is here!”
good luck with the hols
I love Little house series too!
I often look at the baby, look at the other two, and think ” EFFFFFFFFFFFFFF off, what was I thinking???? ” NOt that I’d go back. Just, ya know.
Did you say 65o weather? in Boston? Crikey…I’m leaving France, it’s 30o here and I can’t bribe Winter to go away–I opened my wallet for crying out loud–the French love that!! I’ll take your zoo if only the enclosure would be warm :p Bisous.
Screechy + McAsshole = coffee all over my monitor.
Yeah, I think it’s effing hilarious that you call #3 asshole.
I love you Liz and I wish we were closer I would bring my little asshole over!
Bwahaha! That’s the best! Thanks for posting this!
I love that you call her Screechy McAsshole. Makes me feel better about telling my 5-month-old I hated him the other night, after he had woken me up for the third time in as many hours…but then I got a tiny bit superstitious so I said, “I mean, I love you VERY much, most of the time. I just hate you right this minute…” haha.
Dear Liz,
I love you.
Love,
~Me.
PS- Thanks for sharing all these true and honest stories! We love them
My Screechy McAsshole is about 12 hours off from yours – I was calling her something *like* that at 3:15 in the morning when she refused to sleep. Or nurse. Or shut up. Like ‘nother Liz said above, I then said the “love you VERY much” part, lest the gods hear and think I’m not grateful for my bundle of joy. You know, the one that doesn’t sleep.
Mine has been dubbed “Punkass” on occasion. Usually in the middle of the night when I want to curl up in a comatose ball.
I have three. And sometimes, I look at them… and I run away. Into the kitchen, behind the cabinets, right next to the cookies. It helps.
Yes, I get it. My brain left my body when I had #3. She’s great. Me? Not so much anymore.
Those two people who flounced from your twitter? Really need to know that Eden is now going to be Asshole for the rest of her life. It’s entirely their fault that a one-time, 3 word joke is now a running gag all across the internet. I find this to be the most amusing part. ^_^
Screechy McAsshole. God, I love your blog.
Screechy McAsshole. Like it. Makes me feel better about the names I call my own little darlings in my head but am too afraid to verbalize.
I had to take home 2 extra children yesterday. 4 backpacks, 4 napmats, 4 jackets, 4 heathens.
Nooooo thank you.
You are crazy and I worship you.
I’m a little concerned you didnt make it past 3.15pm on Day 1. (no judgement – I wouldnt have been able to hold on till lunchtime)
Just how long is this Spring Break thing you have over there?