The Daily Hailey

While being pregnant with our third child, I heard a lot about how hard it was going to be. Apparently, the stereotype is that three is the hardest number of kids to have, because you’re officially outnumbered. My response to this was that, being a stay at home mom, I was already outnumbered with two, so I didn’t think three would be much different in that way. And honestly, so far, I’m right about that. It does get a bit different trying to take three out somewhere, though. Its definitely more of a juggling act, but its really more entertaining than it is difficult. So far, anyway. The fact that at least one stays wherever I set him down sure helps!

This morning, we skipped church, because Rowan let us sleep until 10:00!! However, upon waking up, it was evident that Dekker and Laela had already been up for quite some time. We fed Rowan and went to get the others. The kids ate breakfast. Dekker, sensing we were going somewhere, wanted to be done way too early. We made him eat more. He whined. Laela, on the other hand, wouldn’t stop eating. Honeycomb after honeycomb after honeycomb. And lots of sharing of wet, soggy honeycombs. Can’t say no to my little girl calling “Mamamama!”while holding out a piece of cereal. Dekker finishes his food, takes his dishes to the sink, and brings Laela’s toy laptop to the table to play with. Laela breaks down. Breakfast is effectively over. Brady starts to get ready, and I put breakfast dishes in the dishwasher. The kids congregate in the bathroom while Brady shaves. Laela starts unpacking her bath toys suspiciously close to the toilet. I invite the kids to come hang out with me while I get ready. Rowan sleeps in his car seat. Dekker and Laela come to my room while I put makeup on. Dekker asks what each product is called and what its for. He is annoying but complimentary. Laela starts jumping on the bed. I kick her off, remembering her several spills off in the recent past. She bawls on the floor. I finish with my makeup. Brady packs the diaper bag. I go to the kids room and throw three outfits on the floor. Tiny stretchy clothes everywhere. Dekker starts to undress. Rowan cries. Laela begins dispersing pieces of the outfits throughout the house. Brady changes Rowans diaper while the kids terrorize him and make it worse. I invite the kids to the bathroom with me. Dekker is pretty much stuck in his shirt, with the sleeves on and the rest behind him. I pee in front of an audience. Dekker brings in a puzzle. I come to terms with the fact that its pretty soon time for Dekker not to pee with me anymore. Brady dresses the kids. I dress myself. I put on lipstick. Brady frees the rugrats from their room and they linger in the kitchen. Rowan sleeps in his car seat. We let the kids into the tiny entrance to get their coats and shoes on. Dekker requests his skaters rather than his boots. Spring jackets come out. Laela finally gets to wear her sparkly shoes, but Brady puts them on with her socks. Daddy is a redneck. Laela is not. She cries. Will not walk in sparkly shoes. Dekker cries about having to walk on snow. We finally get out the door. Brady carries Laela and the diaper bag. I carry the car seat and hold hands with Dekker. It takes a thousand hours to walk to the van. It takes a thousand hours to buckle everyone into their seats. We finally get in our seats in the van.

And then we’re supposed to leave?!?!?!

Luckily, the rest of our day looked like this…

TOTALLY worth the effort to get them out the door this morning!! It takes a little longer, there are more antics involved and a bit more chaos, perhaps. But my goodness, I adore these tiny humans.