When Things Get Small

We are officially a family of five. Plus two dogs. Oddly enough, this has only just recently hit me. We aren't a small family anymore. We never really were after the twins, anyway! Having grown up with just a little brother to keep me (the oldest, wisest, and awesomest of children) company, I didn't really "get" the whole big family vibe. I never saw myself having more than two kids. I loved growing up and having our tight little family! Our home was usually not a loud place (unless the neighbor kids were over to play) and I never felt like our family size was too much to handle. If need be, we could all fit into a compact car! (I don't know why I brought that up- but whatever! We were small compact car sized family!)

So having three kids is really a new and different landscape for me. What's really been bugging me lately? The fact that we seem to have "outgrown" almost all the major stuff!

While we technically "can" fit everyone into my small-ish SUV, I have to bend and contort my hands in inhumane ways to buckle in the twins. I literally have perma-bruises on the outsides of my hands. (It makes me look extra-pathetic) And when Little Man reaches the above 30 lbs. and transitions into big kid carseat, I don't know what we'll do! Will we all fit?! I don't know! But it isn't like we can just go and get any car! I have to take a tape measure! There has to be room for a single stroller, or a triple stroller. There need to be three rows of seats. It still needs to fit into our garage! I refuse to drive a minivan! All of these criteria leave us with very few options, indeed!

We bought a lovely three bedroom home. I love our home. I love the loft (playroom) that opens to the downstairs living room. I love our big, roomy closet. I love the open floorplan that lets me see all three crazies running around while cooking a sad and pathetic affront to food everywhere. I made this house my own. Every square inch of wall is painted just the right hue. Every picture was hung with care. This is my house.
Yet I am quite frustrated with my house! Three bedrooms just aren't enough! Naptime is a treacherous dance of trying to get the baby to sleep immediately and not waking the twin who takes her nap in the baby's nursery. Plus I am not a huge fan of the girls sharing a room. They chatter, they jump on the bed, they scream/sing for a good hour before finally giving up (after I've gone up and down the stairs multiple times) and going to sleep. Bunny is an early riser. Squirt likes to sleep in. This presents problems. (problems usually involving a very screamy and sensitive little Squirt)

I need four bedrooms! It seems like we "should" fit into this house! This house is perfectly fine! I just need to paste a fourth bedroom onto the side! (my construction skills are sketchy at best and revolve around the use of Legos- so I shouldn't be trusted with a bedroom addition) But for some reason the 3 bedroom, 2 bath home is the norm! Add one more bedroom- and you've got yourself a mansion. I can't even think about having a dedicated office. FIVE BEDROOMS? Well, well, well! Did you hit the lottery this morning? No? Then no fifth bedroom for you! You filthy, greedy peasant!

When we go out to eat? We now require THREE HIGHCHAIRS. Can you even imagine the look I get from the host at the little podium-thing when I waltz up and ask for THREE HIGHCHAIRS? Sorry, other customers! Hope you didn't need any HIGHCHAIRS! We're taking them ALL! NONE FOR YOU!

I won't even begin to expound on the joys of triple stoller maneuvering.

This new family dynamic scares the crap out of me sometimes. The world was just made for a family of four! That one more throws everything off kilter! (not that I don't love and adore you, Little Man) We can't buy another house! I doubt if I have the sanity to buy a bigger car that won't break the bank! (or our garage door!) I wanted compact car family!