Lots of parents wear the badge of having had “ONE under 1”. It is a life-changer and a beautiful blessing.
Some of us were lucky enough to also then graduate to having “TWO under 2”. This was my family. My first-born was 16 months old when we had our second son.
The few, the proud, and the … brave? get an additional promotion to having “THREE under 3”.
This July 1st, my family had that privilege.
When my baby P was born, B was 1, and L was 2. The ages of my kids are 0, 1, and 2. Three under 3.
We squeaked in, having all three children in the period of 35 months, as L will be turning 3 in early August. But we did it!
What does this mean for my family? For my sons? For me?
For my family, this means lots of noise, energy, and excitement. My sons have LOTS of energy and LOTS of love, so there has not been a dull moment in the house. A visit to the grandparents’ houses is a little more destructive. Playtime boundaries are being stretched a little extra. A double stroller is no longer going to be enough for family walks and runs. It’s two strollers or kick somebody out on their feet! Good thing my oldest really, really loves to run.
This also means my husband and I are outnumbered. They might be able to sway a family vote some day. We’re looking forward to that and may need to start a policy that mommy and daddy votes get counted twice.
For my sons, this means a new playmate. An opportunity for them to learn about love and affection, about being gentle and nice, about fragility.
They have become caretakers of this new soul that lives among us. They want to care for him. They RUN to his room and the slightest cry. My oldest will tell me that his baby brother needs milk, and at times he tries to unsnap my nursing tank so I can “feed the baby!” My middle child will also chime in yelling, “Milk! Milk!”
They are tuning in to the baby’s needs and making sure that I am, too. It’s adorable and an experience that I couldn’t have been able to teach them by myself.
For me, it means three beautiful blessings and one more period of transition for my body. I am itching to get my body back in shape, as each pregnancy took a toll on my figure. One time I tried starting “Insanity” videos while still nursing a 4 month old and noticed a steep drop in milk production. It was an easy decision to drop the “Insanity” and get my milk back, instead. Pregnant or nursing for 4 years now, having my third under three means I’m ready to get back up to running half marathons and hopefully my first full in the near future.
It also means that my heart has grown tremendously in the span of just a few years. The love of a mother is the greatest thing and it floods your soul instantaneously. My love for these boys is boundless and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I feel joy all the time for three precious souls.
I worry constantly about my three precious angels.
I celebrate the individuality of my 0, 1, and 2 year old.