My baby is 5...

The third child, my baby, turns 5 today.  I couldn't sleep last night and I started to reminisce about the past 5 years and how fast they have flown by...

FIRST BABY
With your first baby, you are the center of the universe. It's like no one has ever had a baby before. I was able to rest and take a little nap almost everyday (even at work). I walked around with my hand on my belly and a permanent smile on my face. I felt calm. I watched everything that I ate and drank. I took my vitamins each day (at the same time).
People would give me books and share all kinds of information about their birth stories. I had a baby shower, tons of people showed up. Everyone was happy. My mom would come to our house on weekends and help me clean, so I didn't have to strain myself. Other moms would gladly donate clothes and toys that they no longer needed...they kept telling me this is the best thing that will ever happen to you...I believed them :)
JD and I spent months decorating the nursery (Dr. Seuss theme). This was before the big "Cat in the Hat" movie came out, so Dr. Seuss stuff was not easy to find. We spent hours deciding how to paint the room, searching out the perfect rocking chair, finding the perfect paintings to hang on the walls. After the nursery was done, it was time to baby proof the rest of the house, baby proof cabinet locks were installed, plugs into the empty power sockets, the whole shabang.
Clothes were all washed in baby detergent, folded and put into the nursery dresser. They might have well been color coded.
We woke up one beautiful Sunday morning, my water broke. I was calm, I took a shower, I packed the perfect outfit to bring Kemp home in. It was a glorious exciting ride to the hospital. We took our time checking in. I changed into my new pajamas I bought just for the occasion. Kemper was born 2 hours after checking into the hospital room.

SECOND BABY
Kemp, the toddler, was the center of the universe, not me. I am unable to nap during the day, because Kemp gave up napping at 2 years old. I look like I'm 7 months pregnant by the end of the first trimester. I yell at Kemp a lot. I have no patience. I eat whatever is left on Kemp's plate at the end of the meal, I still abstain from alcohol, but I only remember my vitamins about once every three days. I feel like this pregnancy will never end.
People start telling me horror stories about young toddlers locking their baby siblings in cabinets or outside and not letting them in. My mom comes over sometimes, but just to spend time with Kemp...no longer does she help to clean so I don't have to strain myself. Other moms ignore me now...I have hand-me downs of my own.
JD and I move Kemp to a toddler bed and and give all the left-over Dr. Seuss stuff to the new nursery for Joey. We don't paint...it's too much work. We got rid of the rocking chair months ago, we put a bean bag chair in the nursery for me to sit on. Most of the paintings are broken or have toddler drawings on them, we hang them anyway.
The few new clothes we do get, we wash with the rest of our clothes...we can't afford the high priced baby detergent. Clothes are lucky if they make it to the nursery, most are thrown on top of the dryer in the laundry room...(hey, they are clean).
3:30 am comes quickly when you have contractions  every 5 minutes. It takes forever and a day for my mom to get to our house to watch Kemp so we can rush to the hospital. When she finally does arrive, I'm doubled over in the hallway, screaming obscenities. Contractions are 2 minutes apart. No time for a shower, no time to grab a bag, we are on our way to the hospital. 110mph on I-81, me screaming obscenities the whole way. Worst pain, I've ever felt. Nurse helps me out of the car, wheels me to my room, no time to change into any kind of different clothing. No time to call a doctor, Joey is delivered by the nurse on duty.

THIRD CHILD
Kemp the pre-schooler and Joey the toddler both claim they are the center of the universe. I don't even realize I'm pregnant until I figure out why I've gained 10 pounds in 2 weeks. I look like the living dead and have by now learned to sleep with my eyes open. I look like I'm 7 months pregnant by the end of the first week. I now yell all the time, only stopping when I'm sleeping and then I'm snoring.
I eat my main meal at 4:30am and snack on what ends up on the floor the rest of the day. I'm lucky if I remember to take my vitamins once a month. This pregnancy takes forever, but I am able to redefine "eternity" based on the endless questioning from Kemp about whether "Emma will be come today?"
People don't talk to me about having a baby anymore, they just keep telling me I need to get more sleep, I don't look so good. People do talk about middle children though, and tell me how middle children are always ignored and end up being the 30 year old living in your basement.
People on the street ask if this is my first baby, when I say it's my third, they laugh hysterically and walk away.
The nursery now has bare walls and stained carpets. We close the door and move on. Emma will only be in there to sleep anyway. I try to toilet train Joey in 2 weeks, before the baby comes. It doesn't work. Clothes are somewhere in a trash bag in the storage closet, guess I better find them soon.
I make an appointment to get induced...there's no way this baby is surprising us like the last one.


Today, my baby turns 5, she makes me realize how much love the human heart is capable of. I look at Kemp and Joey with new eyes and I realize how hard it is to be away from them for any extended amount of time. My life is hectic and crazy, full of yelling, frustration, but mostly LOVE. The daily experiences of three children are filled with breathtaking moments.