We’ve been in our new old house now for about 2 weeks.
The week of the move things were crazy. I mean bat poop insane.
An example: We went to buy boxes/run errands as a family of 4, and decided to bring the poor lonely dog along. When we got home the baby, who hates the car, was screaming his head off, while D had just taken a giant dump. I manned her, while Merp manned the baby. An hour and a half later, D asked, “Where’s Henry?”
We had left him in the hot car, baking in the afternoon sun.
Thank GOD he’s okay, but wow. Not a good moment in our life as dog parents. We were so consumed with our human babies we completely forgot our fur one… 🙁
That incident about sums up the last few months in which I’ve been silent in this space.
BUT UGH… I had an entire post typed up, with more juicy details, that literally DISAPPEARED when I pushed publish. Maybe multi-taking has something to do with it?
Right now, a high needs fussy baby is writhing around on me in the carrier, a toddler is trying to climb the pantry to get to the treats, and my house looks like Box City barfed all over it. AND I have an Au pair (who is the best thing I have ever done in my entire life. Hands down. LOVE HER). Thank God for her, as she prepares our Blue Apron dinner, because without her help I’d have checked in to the psychiatric unit weeks ago. No joke.
God help the woman who spends her day alone with toddlers and babies with no assistance at all. This multiple kids thing is INTENSE. My husband and I agree that he is LUCKY to go to work. The job of the stay at home parent, with or without two extra hands, is by far the most challenging thing I have EVER done.
Your post made me laugh! It’s good to hear what’s up ahead!
As a part-time worker, it’s definitely true for me that my days at home are far more intense than my days at work. (Then again, I’m not a brain surgeon or anything.) My days at home are very emotionally satisfying and I wouldn’t trade them for anything, but it’s hard work, and sometimes work can feel like a bit of a break from that. (I get to go the bathroom by myself! I can go out and get coffee! I can surf the web a bit!)
Keep up the good work! Good luck! And my high-needs infant turned into a pretty easy and delightful toddler, so it will probably get better! (And he is super cuddly, so I wonder if high-needs sometimes translates into that later.)
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Girl! I hear you! I’m glad your pup is okay, but I can soooooo understand how it’s possible to forget a pooch in a hot car. The same way I can see how it’s possible to turn your back and have your child end up in the arms of a gorilla at the Cincinnati zoo. Being a mom is HARD. Being a mom of more than one kid? Like…it’s a wonder how anyone survives it! The mom and kids alike. You know?
So glad you have that au pair to help! And that you made it through the move in one piece! We are hoping to move sometime this year and I DREAD doing it with children. If you’ve got tips, send them my way!! 🙂
Weird- my first comment didn’t post. I’ll try again.
Your post made me laugh! It’s good to know what’s up ahead, and I’m glad you love your nanny. I’m sure she is so incredibly helpful! It does seem pretty difficult to balance a toddler and a newborn, especially a high-needs one. (My high-needs baby turned into a pretty easy and delightful toddler, so it will probably get better! And he’s very cuddly, so I wonder if high-needs infants tend to really crave that contact and tend to be cuddlers later.)
As a part-time worker, I can definitely say that my days at home are usually more intense than my days at work. (Then again, I’m not a brain surgeon or anything.) My days at home are emotionally satisfying and I would never trade that time with my son for anything. But it’s hard work and going to work can definitely be a bit of a break in that I can go get coffee, go to the bathroom by myself, surf the web a bit, etc. I have a lot of respect for full-time stay-at-home moms. It’s a job!
Good luck getting through these early months! I’m sure they’ll be chaos for me as well! Hugs.
Ugh, I hear ya. We’ve made two international moves in the last two and a half years, one with a looming due date and one with a toddler, and they both sucked. Hard. Eight months later, we still have boxes on the third floor and almost nothing hanging on the walls. Priorities. I’m so glad you have the extra help to get through it, but yeah, it still sucks.