It never fails.
No sooner do I announce that there will be a certain post on a specific day than whoosh! Suddenly I’m back in college. There’s a deadline looming on a 5-page paper and I’m in full procrastination mode.
Trust me. I was really, really bad about getting those papers handed in on time. Really bad.
It’s a psychological thing.
There are these relentless mind games, see? That go on sometimes, in my head?
Nor—and this is a substantial “nor”—did I anticipate the effects of parenting an only child this week. Joe and Jem are gone at camp, you see, and the girls—all three of them!—are staying on the farm with Grandma & Grandpa.
Fun for them. Exhausting for me.
The truth is, it has been harder—way harder—to parent one very insistent, demanding and loud 3-year-old than it is to be a mom of six. Way harder! Every requested glass of ice water…every requested glass of milk…every game to play and puzzle to assemble…
Well, let’s just say that it all falls to me.
Me! The old and tired pregnant lady!
(Not to, like, complain or anything.)
Know that I do still plan to talk about sex and marriage—provided, of course, that you still want to hear it. I started a series once upon a time and am very committed to its cause. It’s just that the fruit of all this “sex & marriage” stuff—the fruit who is three, that is, and who is cute but extremely DEMANDING—can get in the way of writing about it.
And that’s all for now. I’ll be back, eventually.
Please be patient with your old and tired friend.
I just wanted to say, thank you for sharing this today. I have one very insistent, high energy, high need three year old, and no other children (well, out of the womb – I'm 10 weeks pregnant with baby #2). I often find myself wondering how on earth I'm going to manage *two* children, or in the future, more, when I find *one* so very tiring, draining, demanding… it's nice to know that having more than one may actually lighten the load in some ways, even as it exponentially multiplies it in others!
Congratulations on #2, Abby! It does get easier–much easier–when you have older helpers. For now, though, you need to seek out help in the form of other moms (playdates, moms' night out while daddy stays home) and an occasional (weekly? bi-monthly?) babysitter.
Those things will insure your sanity. 🙂
It's an amazing phenomenon, 6 being easier than 1 or 2! I have often tried to explain this to women who are wavering on the question of whether or not they can possibly handle any more little dears.
I'll be patiently waiting. . . . .hope you survive your darling demanding 3 year old!
Too funny. I'm at home with our 5 year old alone this week! The husband is off scouting with the three older boys and my 9 year old daughter is with grandma and grandpa. I had a whole list of things I was going to accomplish and I'm barely getting any of it done! I have a new appreciation for parents of single children … This is ridiculous.
Dear old and tired pregnant friend, 😉
I ooze patience these days….. so no problem, whenever you get around to writing, I'll get around to reading!!
Love and blessings~
I remember taking our 5th child away for a weekend when he was only 10 months old. I came back needing a rest since he had been so demanding.
Hmmmm, I see this blog post expanding and becoming an article for a Catholic family magazine on why it is important to provide siblings to an only child eh 😉
OH, we are so blessed to have those older kiddos arent' we?
I always try to tell young mamas that, you know the ones that have 2 or 3 littles and life is hard busy and etc, etc, that it gets easier by the 5th baby, because those olders ones are such great helpers!!
Hang in there mama!
Yes, yes, I completely understand the concept of more being easier than less.
Yes! My sister took my three girls to the beach last week, and my two older sons were working around the farm. As my (single) sister left, she called back "You will get so much done today with only one child, won't you?" I could only stand with my mouth hanging open and wave. And, my youngest is also three, and also insistent. Very insistent!
Oh, darn. Here I was thinking I could skip 50 Shades of Gray and just read Margaret's blog instead. Well, I think I can wait another day or so, but don't hold out too long, there is quite a waiting list at the library for that book, you know.
😉
Lots of playdough and blocks and puzzles and juice and maybe a cartoon or two…..still the demands of a toddler are amazing.
The older kids can swing,read,play in the sandbox,eat freezies on the porch…for hours.
I love having older kids.
Wish families lived closer to each other so older cousins or aunts and uncles etc….could help when there are a bunch of little kids in the house.