People ask me a lot (like a lot) how life is with three kids. Let’s rewind a minute. Life with my first kid was by-the-book. I read “the books”, I did stuff that good moms do like wash bottles on the sanitize cycle, rinsed his paci under scorching hot water if it fell on the floor (ok, I never really did that…), spent half the day just trying to get him to go to sleep at exactly 9, and 1 and 7 AND made sure he had ample tummy time to boot. I had no clue what I was doing in retrospect, but at least it looked like I did. Kid number 2 lucked out because I sorta kinda had an idea about being a mom and all the do’s and do-nots fell into place… like do put your kid in bed when he is drowsy, but not 100% asleep, and do stick to a schedule for eating and sleeping so your kid sleeps through the night, and don’t not read to your kid or he won’t never know how to read or write…. right? Life wasn’t so super hectic that I was able to maintain somewhat of a daily routine and the kids benefited (I think?). And now with kid number three my life (and his life) revolves around a whole lot of “ish”.

-ish – Definition:  1. kind of, sort of. (courtesy of Urban Dictionary)

Let me exemplify:

“Oh, so what is your baby’s nap schedule these days?”

— “Yeah, he naps at like 8 or 9 or 10ish, and then sometimes at like 1 or 3ish… you know, just depends…..”

“Does he sleep through the night?”

— “He can. He has done it like 3 times in his entire life. But most nights he wakes up at like 10ish or 2ish or 4ish… really just depends.”

“Oh, and what are you feeding him these day? Is he on solids yet?”

—“Yeah, he eats baby food for 2ish meals per day – lunch and dinner. Haven’t really found the time for breakfast yet, but we are working on it.”

Ok. I get it. The kid has no schedule and he is 6 months old. “The books” would not approve of all this “ish”. But what is a mom to do? I have no two days the same. Ever! Life revolves around kid #1 and kid #2…. and kid #3 is either going to be the most well-adjusted-go-with-the-flow-hipster… or a little messed up.

He is loved, he is fed, he is thoroughly entertained by his brothers…  but his schedule? It’s not picture perfect. The schedule that I once worshipped is gone. The schedule is….well, dead.

… among other things like homemade baby food, the fact that he napped in his carseat until he was 4 months old,  and sometimes/most times I don’t (gasp!) put a white onsie on under his clothes… I know. It’s bad.

I have a feeling he will survive and maybe have a little more character because of it. But I can’t help but wonder, what shortcuts do other people take with second, third, and 4th kids? Come on. Humor me with your ish….or just make me feel a little better about myself!