This might be long but I need some encouragement from other people who have done this: I have an almost 4 year old, a 20-monther and a baby due in six weeks. I feel like I'm already working at my maximum capacity to give my two daughters what they need and I have no idea how I'll manage three!
My oldest daughter transfered to a new pre-school this summer because her other school was really not very good. I think it's the best thing in the long run to prepare her for kindergarten but she is having a very hard time with the transition. She is also reverting to "baby" like behavior: Talking like a baby and having absolute meltdowns at the slightest thing (like, today she didn't like the way I did my hair so she screamed and had a fit in the hallway at her school when I picked her up).
My 20 month old has always been a bad sleeper and still doesn't sleep through the night. She ends up coming in bed with us at some point in the night which works now but will get tricky when a new baby comes. Also, it keeps me tired all the time.
Finally, it takes me an hour and half or longer to put them to bed each night! I do it by myself and it is exhausting. My husband is starting a new business so he really does nothing to help. I do have a sitter sometimes during the day but even so the kids both just want to be with me all the time so if I have the sitter here and need to get things done I have to hide and sneak around so they don't see me.
I guess my worries are: How do I manage to meet all their needs? I am especially worried about the older one because I really want her to enjoy pre-school and it breaks my heart when she says she doesn't want to go and cries. And then the poor baby who is about to become a middle child.... aggh.
Anyway, if you've been through this and have any tips or advice, please let me know. I just feel like I'm in this alone. Even when my parents come to town to help, (and my parents are wonderful and we all love each other dearly) it's like a double edged sword because it interrupts our routine and then the girls get all out of whack and I get stressed out. It's almost like it's better if I just do it all myself.
Thanks for any advice.
Re: Come in if you have three young ones...