baby bunching

I love reading blogs that are informative and helpful. This is definitely one of those blogs.

http://www.babybunching.com/

When you are blessed with three children in less than 4 years, like we have been, you are in a totally different subset of parenthood called "baby bunchers". There are things that you have to be equipped to handle that someone who has three children in 6 or 7 years, would never think of having to deal with. You don't have an older child to hold the hand of one of the younger ones. You don't even have one child that is old enough not to hold your hand in public. And yet, amidst all your blessings, you were not blessed with that third arm everyones always talking about.

You can't just go out to the mall, on a boring day, with that cute little bundle tucked in the stroller, like you could when you had one (or even two). Actually, the phrase "boring day" hasn't even entered your mind in the last 4 years except to be on your Christmas wish list.

Even being at home and doing everyday activities (like eating dinner) can be extremely...well...eventful. Getting a break is rare (unless you have awesome parents, like mine, who are happy to spend some time with their Grandkids). Because finding someone capable of replacing you, is...well, not an easy task. Not everyone, can handle the crying, fighting, whining and all-around neediness that are included in the job of taking care of 3 children under the age of 5.

Having an "outside job" would be laughable. So you have to cut corners and make sacrifices where you can, and accept that things aren't going to be like they were when you were dating. And why would you want them to be? Even through all of that craziness and stress we wouldn't change our lives "back the way they were" for anything in this world. Because that would mean cutting out the best part.

Would things be easier if we had 3 or 4 years between our children? Of course. But there isn't anything in this world that is worth having, that is easy to get. (Didn't a great man say something like that once?). We didn't decide to have our kids less than 2 years apart (with about every pregnancy complication known to man, and a total of 4 months in the NICU) because we thought it would be a piece of cake. (Obviously) We did it because we knew it would be difficult, but we also knew we could make it through together and we'd be an even stronger couple (family) for it. And we knew it would be SOOO worth it to have these wonderful children in our lives forever.

Baby bunching, is not for the weak. It is not for the selfish or the impatient. It's not for everyone, but if it is for you, it's incredibly rewarding. And if you are blessed to be a baby buncher (by choice...or not), I highly recommend http://www.babybunching.com/ to help you out through the journey.