Three Young Children - How did you manage? What changes need to be made?

[ChaCha]

Have DS1 (2years) and DS2 (10.5mths) and PG with DC3.

Hadn't really thought much about any changes other than that we're going to Part X our car for a bigger vehicle. From experience, when you went from 2 to 3 children, what needed to change more IYSWIM?
Did you feel it necessary to move home and why? Are bedtimes difficult (i.e. each child keeping the other awake etc..)
I remember my Aunt bringing up 4 DDs in a West London council flat, 2 bedrooms only - everything organised, kids always well dressed with only the living room and a small balcony to play out on (4 kids in one room at one point) and she always seemed to manage just fine. Am hoping that I will be the same.
Not sure what i'm asking, guess the reality is sinking in finally...there will be 3 under 3 here and am not sure that i've really thought about what this means Perhaps a blessing.
Thanks for reading.

And it does get easier as they get older (but not quieter)

I don't know why I'm worried about going for a 3rd (not just yet mind you); my mum had 3 sets of 3 and didn't learn to drive until she was 40ish (but times were different then )

My dad drove a campervan

Cha Cha CONGRATULATIONS!
I have 3 under 3 at the mo! When we found out we were having no3 we made sure we got DS 2 1/2 out of the double pushchair, so he didn't feel put out by the new baby. I have a great sling which i take with us in an emergency so the eldest can get in the buggy. To be honest hes only needed to perhaps twice, when not well.
It has been hard work but on the whole great fun! I have found 3 under 3 easier than 2 toddlers while pregnant and HUGE! Good Luck!

Washersaurus - My DH went on about a caravan for years pre-children and i used to really turn my nose up at the idea...now a campervan even sounds good

Holidays are not going to be the same anymore i think...

we got a 5-berth caravan whilst i was pg with #3 (and not the easiest thing getting into the bijou bathroom at 8mo pg) we love it

I was the same ChaCha, had to eat my words as we now own a 5 berth caravan! Only way we could afford holidays!

You've got it wrong, the campervan was for days out/trips to the supermarket etc! We had a trailer tent to go on the back of the campervan for holidays!!

washers

ah holidays! I remember those. This year we will mostly be... camping I fear.

The days when we flew places with just one on our knee... Ah the days when we stayed in horribly expensive cottages and luxurious family friendly hotels. Ah when we could afford to eat out anywhere other than Pizzahut once a year.

Nope. Nothing changes with 3...

one thing you will wish/yearn for with 3/4/5+ is a cleaner.

another is peace

another is sleep

another is hot food

you will especially wish to return to the times when you would have a hot cup of coffee and time to drink it.......you may even wish to be able to remember where the hell you put it, and wish not to find it again several days later when it is growing its own life-forms!! (am rushing to explain I have never forgotten a cup for that long, but I have misplaced it for a day or so).

other changes.....

erm......shopping in peace, or shopping without having that haunted 'mum under stress' look I now adopt a lot of times.

a car journey which is only ever interupted by loo breaks, as opposed to unclipping incidents/hair pulling/sickness/screaming/over dose on sugar and going doolally incidents/throwing things out of the window and having to stop to recover said thing incidents!!

somwething else to bear in mind is (altho this is when they are older and never sleep cos they don't need it, as opposed to being babies who never sleep cos they want to piss you off.......you lose the evenings!.

I now have a teen and pre-teen who are up till gone 9pm and seeing as DH works away a lot and gets up at 5am and so goes to bed at 9pm, we now have no 'alone-time'. (but like I say, tis a long time in the future for you).

lol

me too -
no sleep
there is no p in peace (think about it)
hot food....what's that?
coffee? does that come from same place as hot food

but i have found a cleaning lady. only one morning a fortnight, she's borrowed off my mum, but tis heaven and sanity

oh god yes, I forgot that I'd gladly not eat for a week to keep my cleaner... An essential.

at the cleaners.......

and as for holidays.......caravan or sun specials for a few years.

mind you, mine love it and that is the main thing....happy kiddies.

and I have to say.....the thought if my 5 on a plane for a hot holiday......noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

not least cos there will be a stampede to get off from all the other passengers

tis fab when you turn up and others hurriedly depart the area, isnt it?

.......and I like the faces they pull while doing it too!!!!

psychomum - lol at the car journey thing - i think i have deja vu

We took our 3 to Majorca last Spring. Plane was chaos . DS played his PSP with the sound up for 3 whole hours, DD1 pretending she was various zoo animals at the top of her little lungs and DD2 throwing dummy at any passenger within her viscinity then smiling as if butter wouldn't melt when they clambered under the seats to retrieve it for her.

Young 20-something behind us actually asked us to make DD1 "pipe down". Answered - what do you want us to do gag her? Could be worse she could be throwing a tantrum and believe me if you can't stand the noise just now you really don't want to go there.

Lass was so embarassed she sat with her head down for the rest of the flight!!! Never again - till the summer anyway.

Anyways everyone now in bed (probably not their own!!!) so I'm going to enjoy my first cup of HOT coffee.

lol agree about holidays..we now camp!!! If you had told me 5 yrs ago I would happily go on holiday in a tent I would have laughed at you. Although this year we have also splashed out on a holiday too.....................................................Butlins..pmsl Happy kids = happy parents.

the reason for a holiday is for you to be able to relax.

how the hell can you go on holiday, knowing that for the first few hours your blood pressure will be thro the roof cos of trying to deal with the kiddies, and also being aware of others around you???? makes absolutely NO SENSE to me!!!!

and that is the reason why we only go somewhere we can drive to, so as to keep said kddies in a space only I can hear myself in, for when I turn into a fishwife!

i honestly think that if I went on a plane with the children, for one it would take me over two weeks to recover from the plane journey there, but I would most likely need admitting on return.......so my hat off to parents who 8can* cope (or who delude themselves into thinking they do).....>

and then we get to the whole car journey nightmare again......round and round it all goes.....

[head spinning emoticon]

I put myself through the plane thing every year cos I know when I get to Majorca the kids will be happy - out all day in the sunshine and knackered by the time we get back to the apartment and sleep all night (time for me and dh to catch up over a nightcap or 2 on the verandah

We have found the perfect place to go in the evenings - its a pub with a creche attached. You don't leave them but sit on the terrace while they are looked after by some lovely girls. They organise games, face painting etc and even have a play station which keeps ds happy. They don't even charge for the service but ask that if you have enjoyed your holiday (courtesy of them) you make small donation towards crayons, paper, etc before you set back for the chaos of home. Bliss!!!