Life With Three Kids - Welcome Home Annabelle Rose!

It's been almost six weeks since we welcomed our third child, little Annabelle Rose, into the world. Life has been crazy...as is expected with three, but we're so blessed and happy to have her here.

The third baby is easier in some ways. I feel like I know what I'm doing, and caring for a newborn is something I've done twice before so there is a level of confidence. In other ways it's harder. With the first and second I didn't have any older kids in school. Meaning we could all sleep in until 10am to catch up on the hours missed throughout the night. It also meant I didn't have to worry about any older kids bringing home colds or the flu from school.

Having my oldest in Kindergarten has me up at 6am to make lunch and hustle him to class no matter how rough the night was, and I've had constant stress that he's going to bring home the flu...I'm not ready to deal with a newborn and a house full of sickies just yet...

Despite the new challenges, Annabelle is an easy, happy baby, so I got very lucky there. My boys are just as in love as we are, and I realized on one of her panic-crying car rides on our way to school, that having siblings is teaching my children to care for others. As Annabelle cried, my oldest hushed her, speaking with a comforting voice, telling her it would all be all right. Her sobs quieted and she fell asleep to his "Shh shh shh" sound. Moments like that help remind me that even though my time and attention is spread thin and divided by three, they will (hopefully) find companionship in each other and be better people for having to care for and share with their siblings.

Life with three is fun and crazy and chaotic. I'm a mess most of the time, but learning and loving it all the time...even when it's hard (which is often).

Well, back to juggling babies, books, and business... wish me luck people ;)