Extreme sport

Have you ever watched some of these crazy extreme sports ? Have you ever wondered what was wrong with those people ? Willingly putting them selves through so much pain and agony for what little bit of pleasure, if any. Climbing a mountain through the snow, dehydrating and eating the bare minimum. Waking up in the morning with frozen snot, and as stiff as a corpse. Having blisters on top of blisters, fingers without nails. Exhausted and drained from energy. And there’s a chance you could loose your life. But still this does not stop the brave men and woman climbing Mount Everest. In actual fact ... they do it again and again !!!! I could never understand that. All of that agony to get to the top ... and then ...

But in my little world I think I got a small taste of that adrenalin rush. I understand that there’s sweet personal victory and pleasure in some things no one else can share or understand. You do it all for yourself while other people shake their heads.

Having three children in two and a half years is as extreme as it gets. Q : How old’s your children ? A : One two three. Extreme I would say !!!  But I would do it again and again !!!! I look at pregnant woman and I long to be pregnant again.

JP and I have never experienced or anticipated the level of chaos that’s the norm in our house presently. It’s the most intense, demanding and constant job ever !!!!   For one person to look after all three kids alone is like climbing the snow caped mountain without a jacket ... you won’t die right away, but you won’t live long. Being two people is like climbing a snow caped mountain with a jacket but no beanie ... a bit uncomfortable. In our house we actually need to be three adults caring for the three of them. This ratio we only have some Saturday’s when Anna works and JP and I are home. So yes most of the times it’s uncomfortable. And the day’s Anna is off and I’m alone with them it’s a KILLER !!!

Everything is a mayor drama and takes serious planning. Going out for the morning with all three requires the same amount of planning for an adult weekend away. From the minute we go thought the back door to closing the street gate behind us can take up to 20 minutes !!!! Each child has to be convinced to get in their seats and stay seated. Then there’s the loading of the car with prams, bag’s and all the stuff necessary for that trip.

This is the check list before leaving the house, the basic stuff (some trips needs extra stuff) :

Baby bag

Nappy for Lily (she only wears one on our way home and it’s nap time)

Nappy for Lexi x 3

Nappy for Ruby x 3

Wipes

Bum cream

Disposable bags for poo nappies

Bottle for Lily

Bottle for Lexi

Bottle for Ruby x 2

Formula powder for Lily (Lily and Lexi loves their bottle nap time)

Formula powder for Lexi

Formula powder for Ruby

Flask with water to make milk

Dummy for Lily

Dummy for Lexi

Dummy for Rubi

Bib for Ruby

Lexi’s blanky (cannot sleep without it)

Lily’s bunny (cannot sleep without it)

Cloth nappy for Ruby for burping

Set of clothes for Lily (short and tshirt)

If cool weather, jackets for Lily and Lexi)

Snack box for Lily and Lexi (popcorn, nuts, kips, dried fruit )

Barby Sippy cup with water for Lily

Winni poo Sippy cups with water for Lexi

Small bag with first aid goodies, like plaster and sun screen 
Wrap and sling to carry them if they don't want to walk
Blankets for pram
Throw to cover pram
Double stroller / Single stroller / Pram

 

Lily has become a bit "baby-ish" since Ruby's her, and wants all the baby things Ruby get, like bottle, dummy, wearing baby vests, being carried like a baby ans so on. We know it's been a huge adjustment for her, and we are trying to make the transition as smooth as possible by giving her the love she needs.

 

Lily is our little perfectionist and like order and structure. She insists on washing Ruby’s hair daily and even though Ruby doesn’t like a dummy Lily puts it in her mouth all the time. Lily brushes her teeth a few times a day and washes her hands a lot, without me telling her to. Lily can’t wait to dress in pretty clothes each morning and also takes out clothes for Lexi. She insists in choosing the clothes.  She also loves telling everybody what to do, including Ruby :)

Lexi is real character, she’s the real trouble maker and a mayor irritation for Miss perfection Lily. She loves to eat butter, paint her face with a lollypop and smudge the car with melted chocolate. Lexi loves apple, but not to eat ... she bites out small pieces spitting it out leaving a Hansel and Gretel trail through the house. And even though the dogs are a great help eating the mess the make, they don’t like fruit. Lexi used the toothbrush to brush the basin’s drain and inside the taps – truly gross ! 

Ruby is our precious little baby that would still prefer to be curled up inside me where is dark, quite and cozy, but as a second best choice mommy’s arms will do fine. I love the fact that she needs me close, but it’s a challenge keeping everybody happy. Ruby is almost 8 weeks old and still as cute as a button. She is so good and sweet. She seems to be a quiet little soul, very happy to just be in our company. She doesn’t like her quiet room but prefers the noisy living room where she’s close to us. She is gaining weight fast and has cute chubby cheeks. She sleeps beautiful at night, as long as I’m close enough for her to hear my breathing. I am sooooooo enjoying her !!! 

Early morning 6am – 8am and afternoons 4pm – 7pm are the most intense. This is when all three has needs to be met at the same time. In the morning Lily and Lexi needs their milk and I have the feed Ruby which takes 25 minutes. Lexi and Ruby needs new nappies. I need to prepare porridge and feed Lily and Lexi. Most of the time we just decide what's priority and start from there. For example, if Ruby needs a bottle the same time they need breakfast – Ruby gets fed first and I’ll give then dry Milo cereal to snack on. All three need to be dressed.

Afternoons there’s dinner to be prepared, feed them, Ruby needs milk and Lily and Lexi needs a bath and Ruby after them. This is also the time when they are the most fragile and meltdowns and fits drain my energy and seriously tests my patients. I try to have them fed, clean and calm before JP arrives home from work around 6pm. 

During the day we do lots of fun things. Follow this blog to see in posts to follow. Here we went to Bambino's for the morning. 

Here we went to the toy library, loads of fun. Anna is helping Lexi to choose a puzzle.

 

We have very weird sleeping arrangements. Lily wakes up two or three times at night wanting her daddy, AND HER DADDY ONLY !!!!! So JP sleeps on a double bed in their room. Lily and Lexi’s little beds are next to each other, and they do start the night sleeping in their own beds. But during the night Lily will sometimes get in bed with JP. Lexi is our worst sleeper and wakes up very often, but JP is there to console if she needs it. She comes to my bed most nights in the early hours. I have my double bed in Ruby’s room. So far Ruby is happy to sleep in her cot the whole night. I love it when Lexi comes to my bed, she is a real little cuddle bear. We have been sleeping together most nights since birth so know each other. When I feed Ruby during the night Lexi doesn’t even wake up. Our main bedroom has become our “date room” and we only meet there for fun now. We love to co-sleep with our kids and are firm believers on the benefits thereof. Snuggling in the night with them is just awesome and something there’s not much time for during the hectic day. We also don’t want them to cry at night, and we want to be very close to be there the second they call for us. Hopefully in a few years the three girlies will share a room and have fun midnight adventures, and we can move back into our main bedroom and get some proper sleep again.

We have LOTS of laughs during the day. I can’t leave Ruby in the pram, cause Lexi can reach her mouth, nose and ears and WILL put anything in those holes that will fit. Lily is potty trained, which is great BUT if she needs to go to the loo I have to leave everything I just packed in the trolley and we must run with her to the nearest toilet or potty in the car, whichever is closer !!  Lexi loves being pushed around in the dolls pram by Lily, so cute. Lily is a real little tattle tail and tells us EVERYTHING Lexi does. The other day Lily have her doll half of Ruby’s medicine bottle for cramps, no more cramps for that dolly. Lexi threw out half of the dog food on the back lawn for the birds ... only creating a mayor ant problem. It was hilarious to see Lily try and open Abby’s (the dog) mouth and retrieve her chip Abby snatched up from the floor. Here Lexi wants to also sit on the potty with Lily ... he-he !!

Climbing Mount Everest gives exhilaration, excitement en beautiful views that tennis and soccer will never be able to. So yes there’s more pain but so much more glory. People often say we were crazy for having 3 kids in 2.5 years ... and yes they are right, but we wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s crazy BEAUTIFUL !!!!