Just the Three of Us

Dylan started school in September and we have had to find our new normal.  The half days didn't help as there didn't seem to be long enough either before school or during to get up to much, so we had another couple of weeks until we could create a routine that works for us.

Archie took a while to adjust to this huge change.  His big brother has been part of his life since he was born, and as soon as Dylan started preschool, I looked after a friend's son, so he had a playmate still every day.  He is a middle child, used to constant company and he loves having someone to share his play with.  He is happy to play alone, but he wants conversation as he does it and he would always pick playing together.  

Finn is laid back, and at six months the change didn't bother him so much.  At eight months now he is starting to play, to communicate, to entertain his brother and whilst he is no substitute for an imaginative four year old, Archie loves him.  Whilst Finn is still not particularly interested in moving, he wants to be part of his brother's games and he has the biggest smiles when he thinks he is being included.  He chats in his own language and Archie interprets him in some rather strange ways, but they are happy this way.

Our new routine is set between the hours of nine and three fifteen.  We have to make sure we are back at the schoolgates on time for their all important reunion.  It has been amazing watching the bond between my youngest two develop.  The big two are so close they are the best of friends and I want Archie to continue to have a friend.  Finn has a lot to learn but they are finding ways of playing together and poor Finn is always getting cuddled (unfortunately Archie has a tendency to cuddle with his arms around his neck).

I grew up with a brother and sister close in age and my memories are of the games we played.  I remember the arguments too of course - they are inevitable when any three people spend that much time together but mainly I remember how we played.  Obstacle courses in the gardens that we set up together and raced around competing.  Upturned tables that we hopped between as rabbits with hutches under chairs.  The playing pretend with schools and shops that I see my own children doing when they pack their Trunki and go on 'holiday' to their bedroom.  I still have a close relationship with my brother and sister and I hope that my boys carry on being friends as well as siblings.

Archie and Finn have two years to get used to each other, we have two years of our new routine, of it being the three of us every day.  I hope that they get closer as they spend more time just the three of us and as Finn gets more mobile and able.  I know crawling will change everything all over again, but once they are both walking and running, I imagine there will be no stopping them together.

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Forget the routine

Our lives are mostly ruled by routine.  Our mornings are spent between a variety of playgroups and the odd morning at the beach.  We come home for a picnic lunch on the living room  floor and then nap time for the littlies and a bit of work (or a nap) for me.  Our afternoons are about play dates and trips to the park and dinner is followed by a bath (sometimes), book and bed.  

Every now and again, we break the routine, and these days are the most exciting.  We woke up yesterday with plans for playgroup, but blew them off for a train ride into the city, armed with a bag of stale bread, plenty of sunscreen and a camera.

It took twice as long to get to the train station as we stopped to sniff flowers, entertain Archie and let Dylan walk along every wall he could manage.  A quick train ride into the city and a short walk to the beautiful gardens that run along the river.  We fed the ducks with our slices of bread, taking it in turns to throw chunks in, watching the ducks swim towards us, huddling in anticipation.

When our bread ran out, we went on adventures, through 'the deep, dark woods' (can you guess which book we have been reading recently?) and into 'the jungle'.  Dylan loved exploring the different areas and finding flowers hidden in the bushes.  Archie loved the pine cones - mostly throwing them to be honest.  

They ended up muddy, with leaves in their pockets and smiles on their faces (and they took a lovely long nap together in the double buggy whilst I shopped!).  Our day carried on with babyccinos and gingerbread men in the cafe and a wander round the town before meeting Daddy from work to travel home together.

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Life as we know it

Life as we know it is going to change.  I don't mean all of us, I mean my little family.  Right now our days revolve around the three of us.  Our alarm clock is Dylan waking up and having a little chat with his teddies.  My breakfast time is his breakfast time.  We go to baby groups designed for his age group - designed for parents looking after one child.

When he goes down for his nap I get myself dressed and ready for the day, do housework catch up on blogging and twitter and get our lunches ready.  His 7pm bedtime means the bloke and I get time as a couple  to watch films, do housework catch up on blogging and twitter.  We have a lovely little routine. 

We can go out the house, grabbing the ready packed changing bag, the buggy and the baby and it isn't the hour long mission it once was.  We plan our holidays for 3, our days out for 3 and there is the perfect space on our sofa for 3 people to snuggle.

Soon there will be 4.

Life as we know it will change.  My nights of sleeping through will come to an end.  Our late mornings look unlikely to stay as a permanant feature and suddenly there is an extra little person to get ready every morning.  I am excited about the impending arrival of squish but also sentimental that our little routine will be broken.  

I remember all too well the tiredness.  I know that as soon as you have the nappy bag packed and the pram by the door, the newborn will have a pooplosion that involves an entire change of clothes, and he will then decide he cannot go anywhere until he has had a feed.

I cannot wait to proudly push both my gorgeous children in a double pushchair and show them off to everyone.  I cannot wait to see Dylan change from my little baby into the fantastic big brother I know he will be.  I know I have enough space in my heart to love both my babies, but there is no doubt that life as we know it will change.

I have been told by many people that the second child has to fit in with the first.  That the baby will learn the existing routine and (hopefully) follow it too.  I can't wait to welcome our second baby into the family but for now I am enjoying life with one and the life we know.

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