Easier or Harder?

As I sat on the soccer sidelines for 2 hours last night with my 3 little monkeys and I watched all the other parents, who at best had 1 younger sibling with them, I had the feeling of "Seriously…what were we thinking? Two kids sure would be a breeze!" It would be easy to entertain one, when you could give them your full attention, but with 3 kids who need your attention…well lets just say I am sure people were watching us as much as they watched soccer last night! I thought as you left the baby stage things got easier? In some says they do. I no longer have a child attached to my arms or hip. I don't have to sit and spoon feed anyone for 45 minutes 3 times a day and I sleep soundly through the night (the majority of the time at least!). Also, there are benefit to having 4…there is always someone to play with. And for the most part they enjoy each other and play well together! They are a little crew…to the point that sometimes I think they are so connected and used to how they all play together that it is harder to play with others who play differently. Because I am not their constant source of attention; this does mean that I can get things accomplished every now and then.


BUT as they are all getting older they are becoming more involved in activities and that means a lot more running and a lot more toting siblings. Siblings who don't necessarily want to watch soccer 5 days a week or sit in a tiny waiting room at the dance studio. And now that Carson has suddenly realized that everyone else sits in a chair or blanket at the soccer game, he wants out of the  stroller too. And he sees everyone else walking in Kroger, and he screams when I put him in the cart. Things are not getting easier, they are getting harder as I chase 2 active little ones. I feel more worn out and exhausted and irritable than I was months ago. I sometimes have to take a step back and hone myself in…and sometimes I realize it to late and I find myself having to apologize to my kids. I love them all very much and honestly I don't have any age or stage that I have loved or hated way more or less than the rest, there are advantages and disadvantages to every stage. But I am having a hard time in certain situations with my crazy little ones. I love that they are all outgoing and have big bold personalities!! Great traits for sure…but they all have a mind of their own too…and toddlers who have a mind of their own are not necessarily the easiest to deal with. So again…when does it get easier???