Come hell or high water, I am going to write and finish this post today or I am going to go crazy. (I am finishing this 3 days later.)

I’ve been meaning to get on here, time and time again, but something/someone always comes first. (And yes, that might be a tv show during the one hour a day I get to myself.)

This three kid gig thing is rather time consuming. I was just thinking the other day how wound up I used to get when Rt would wake early, or need extra help in getting back to sleep during nap time. I would yell under my breath down the hall, “You have GOT to be fucking kidding me” or “what the fuck do you WANT?” Now, J did begin traveling for two days every week and I did spend a lot of time by myself, so I do believe there was probably some resentment going on there. I quit my job, I decided to stay home AND we moved to another city when Rt was 5 months old. Lots of change for this ‘ol brod.

Man, did that girl need a shot, a break, or a different mindset. And that is just what I have now. No, not a hot toddie, but my mind is on another level. A calmer one. I don’t always show it. Hell, I am SURE I yell more now than I did 6 years ago, but who in their right mind is going to yell at a 9 month old? (in their presence, I mean.) What’s there really to yell about? GET IN THE CAR? Nope. STOP TEASING YOUR BROTHER! No. It’s funny to look back and realize how nice and calm everything was, yet I was spinning inside over the littlest things.

Hey, I was a new kid. A new mom. I didn’t know. Now that I do, I feel like the baby things that might have dragged me down in the past, the sleep training, the food feeding, it doesn’t really phase me.

I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR IT TO. Thank God. Seriously. I am SO thrilled and so content to be as busy as I am. It makes me better. I feel better. I am more efficient. I use my down time with the kids better since I know it only comes in small increments. (most of the time. I can be an ass too.)

This is how I thrive. Even though I may complain, I thank my lucky stars on a daily basis and feel grateful I’ve got this pack to care for. (All four of them.)

Speaking of, let’s talk about Peppa.

Man, has this boy made the moves in the past month or so. We still only have 7 teeth. The same 7 we had since 7 months. Where is that 8th tooth? I have no idea. I keep looking for it, but putting my finger in there is SEVERELY DANGEROUS.

He began crawling a tad about a week before we left for the holidays to Oklahoma. So, at 8ish months, he started to crawl. And now, at 9-plus months, he’s at a decent speed. He follows his brothers everywhere. They are pure entertainment for him. What fun to watch all of them together.

He began to wave a couple of weeks ago while we were at the police station recovering my stolen wallet. He had said Da Da Da for a couple of months now and has now added Va Va Va to the mix. It sounds like MA MA, but I know it’s not.

Since deswaddling him back in his 7th month, we hit some rocky roads regarding sleep. I have never had this kid before, but once he wakes in the night, which was usually once, he was wide awake. What the hell do you do with a wide-awake baby, a husband who is out of town all of the time, then have to care for all three kids day in and day out. Well, you go back to feeding him anytime after 3am in hopes to help get the baby to pass out again. Then, we traveled, blah, blah, blah.

I won’t go into detail, but after some persistent assistance in the sleep department a couple of nights, like we did with the other two, I am getting some solid sleep. It feels great. It’s so much easier to go into the night with a plan. Ahhhh.

So, as of the other day, Peppa has pulled to stand. I knew putting legs back under his activity table would help progress this, and yes I feel that if I never give him the opportunity, he will never do so. I CAN CONTROL THIS. You see, he is my last baby. And he needs to stay this way as long as possible.

Also, his older brother took his first steps at 9 1/2 months and that would be next week for Peppa. So, anything after that means I will not get another “BUSY” kid. Hey, busy kids are truly the best, but I believe each family should only get one. That way, everyone doesn’t lose their minds in the process.

Peppa is a happy, smiley baby. He likes to make himself know with the highest pitched squeal known to man. I think he just wants to be heard among the chaos, but MY GOD. Woah. He has finally mastered his pincer grasp and has gone to town on every variety of Puff I’ve put on his tray. He stares at his hands all the time. He watches his thumbs move back and forth and  can’t get over the fact they are connected to his body.

He’s a keeper. Can’t imagine this life without him.