Series conclusion: It was all a lie.
Tuesday, Feb 27, 2007
I need to confess. When I began journaling about Life With Three Under Three, I wrote this sentence, “By the fall of 2001, I had a two-year-old, a one-year-old, a miscarriage, a newborn, and a new move.”
Those numbers were wrong. What’s worse is that I actually did the math on my fingers as I typed. I counted out my children’s ages in months and arrived with the answer above. But it was wrong. My oldest was already three-years-old by the time #3 arrived.
I can blame it on my mental fogginess or I can take responsibility for perpetrating a fraud on everyone. I guess this is a fitting and humble end to my series.
Signed,
Amy the Humble(d)
40 Comments
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI
Leave a comment
Oh no! Does this mean the Chicken Pot Pie recipe won’t work?
Too late, we already tried it and loved it. Thanks for sharing! Oh, and, um, confessing.
Comment by Jeana (February 27, 2007 @ 5:49 pm )
Well, Amy, that just makes all of the difference in the world. He was already 3?? Why he was practically driving by then. What do you know about a bunch of little ones? *snicker* By my book, you are doing quite well if that is all you need to be humble about!
Comment by Laura in KY (February 27, 2007 @ 5:51 pm )
Gasp! Now what am I going to do?
Comment by Leslie (February 27, 2007 @ 5:59 pm )
And yet I still managed to learn things from your wonderful posts … probably because when my #3 arrives in May, my oldest will be 3 1/2. You were writing to “me” the whole time and didn’t even know it.
Comment by stephanie (February 27, 2007 @ 6:02 pm )
Hey, don’t let that stop your writing about how you survived and what your house looked like during that time! . . . I want more! This was too good!
Comment by aimee (February 27, 2007 @ 6:05 pm )
why do all good things have to come to an end..?
why why why.
i enjoyed it - the lie and all.
maria
Comment by Maria (February 27, 2007 @ 6:05 pm )
No problem… just call the series ‘Three, three and under’. There… problem solved! Glad I could help! ~wink~
Comment by Lady Why (February 27, 2007 @ 6:31 pm )
Fraud or not, I loved the series!
Thanks for doing it; it was wonderful!
Comment by Jordin (February 27, 2007 @ 7:11 pm )
Oh, you poor darling. Must of been the move that made you forget…
Comment by Andrea (February 27, 2007 @ 7:24 pm )
Don’t worry…I’m not even a Mom (yet), or a wife (yet…hopefully not too long), and I thoroughly enjoyed your series. I love reading things like that, as I look forward to, Lord willing, having a great big quiver-full of children once we’re married, and taking them as God brings them… :o) You can keep posting on the topic…it’s really enlightening, reading your posts.
Comment by Mary jo (February 27, 2007 @ 7:41 pm )
Wow. And I was really starting to admire your fertility!
With three under five, I was getting tons out of it. Thanks for all the help, even if it was a falsehood!
Comment by Brandy (February 27, 2007 @ 8:22 pm )
Don’t feel too bad, Amy. You just forgot that your oldest was born on his birthday, that’s all. This mom of three under four thanks you for the series anyway!
Comment by Julie (February 27, 2007 @ 8:49 pm )
I am shocked! The lack of journalistic integrity in christian, mom’s of many blog circles is really appalling. I will have to now throw all your shared wisdom out the window…
actually, I do the name thing; “Johnny, Emmy, Rachel, Bobby…er Sarah, come here!” You know it has been proved through research that moms of newborns actually lose braincells. If I can’t remember which kid I am talking to, then I am not surprised if you can’t remember your kid’s exact ages at one point in your life. It’s o.k., really.
I have enjoyed the series.
Comment by Jenny in Ca (February 27, 2007 @ 9:07 pm )
My daughter tells me each baby has taken part of her brain away. This just proves that is true for all moms, especially those with three under three-and-a-half?
Comment by Coffeeteabooksandme (February 27, 2007 @ 9:34 pm )
Oh no! The horror!! It’s ok Amy. I still have to stop and think how old they are when people ask me my children’s ages. It still does not change the fact that it is hard raising two, three, four or more under ANY age! Thanks for the series. You blessed us.
Comment by Mrs. Damian Garcia (February 27, 2007 @ 9:48 pm )
Bad math? Can’t spell? No problem. I think the “official” percentage a woman’s brain shrinks with each pregancy is 6%. It’s the progesterone. Although they say that as soon as postpartum wears off, the brain is supposed to be back up & running normal size. I. Don’t. Believe. It. You’re down 30% Amy. It’s ok if you can’t do math. We understand.
Oh and too many people complain, just tell them you’re an English major. It works for me.
Comment by Janel (February 27, 2007 @ 9:49 pm )
I suppose the advice and compassion might work just the same…
I was a mom of 3 under 3 for a short time, but have been a mom of 3 under 4 (soon to be 4 under 5) more recently. And I must say that I didn’t think it made a whole lot of difference once my oldest turned 3 except that he had a much harder time holding up the appropriate number of fingers to sign his years.
Thanks for your ever-pertinent musings.
Comment by brietta (February 27, 2007 @ 9:49 pm )
Ah. Sheesh.
I’m just glad you’re not perfect.
Do you know how much better this makes me feel?
(Loud, satisfied sigh.)
Comment by Holly (February 27, 2007 @ 10:15 pm )
Ahhh, it’s okay Amy! Just change the title to 3 age 3 and under. To me it’s all the same!
Blessings!
Comment by Nancy (February 27, 2007 @ 10:37 pm )
Well, my husband and I are getting a good chuckle out of the whole thing…comments and all! And just how did you know that we needed a good laugh!?!
You are a blessing…lies and all!
Really…now…give us more wisdom!!!! Pleeeeaassee!!!!
Comment by Carmen (February 27, 2007 @ 10:40 pm )
Mommy brain strikes again! Thanks for the chuckle
.
Comment by Another Heather (February 28, 2007 @ 9:33 am )
You guys are a bunch of relativists. When are you going to let me have it?
(*Bonus points to Julie for plucking that tidbit out of the archives!)
Comment by Amy Scott (February 28, 2007 @ 9:37 am )
I will judge not.
I had something inscribed with my wedding date…..and I used the wrong date.
I will judge not!
Chris
Comment by chris (February 28, 2007 @ 11:29 am )
However close in age your children are doesn’t matter. You gave some timely and wise advice that I appreciate greatly! You still had 3, 3 years old and under. Although,I will have 5 children in this next year,mine are spread out more than yours….I admire those women who have had many one after the other…the organizational aspects as well as physically! WOW is all I can say!
I guess it comes down to this….everyone can marvel at what other’s do,but the bottom line is…whatever our circumstances are God’s grace helps us through.
Your blog is humble…one reason why I like it so much!
Kim
Comment by Kim (February 28, 2007 @ 11:32 am )
My second daughter was born on the 22nd of March. My 2nd son was born on the 22nd of June. So when son #3 was due around the 26th of May, I thought great he will be born on the 22nd. So much for that. He was born on the 20th!! Do you know how hard that is to remember?
I enjoyed what you had to say. I am really enjoying the comments on this one!!
Don’t be too hard on yourself!!!
Kelly with 6 under 12.
Comment by Kelly Bowland (February 28, 2007 @ 1:05 pm )
I am not surprised you made a funny mistake!! At least your brain still works to have figured it out!
Comment by Tammy (February 28, 2007 @ 2:45 pm )
I never would have caught it : ) I haven’t gotten to read all of this series, but what I have read was GREAT, and I look forward to making my way through it! Thanks so much for sharing!!!
Comment by shawnda (February 28, 2007 @ 5:26 pm )
Oh! And I love the new look! ; )
Comment by shawnda (February 28, 2007 @ 5:26 pm )
Well, even though I have never miscalculated anything, and never forget a single number, I will still let this slide. (She said sarcastically with a great big belly laugh):)
Comment by Elise (February 28, 2007 @ 10:39 pm )
LIAR!! LIAR!!
Doing my best Carol Kane impression
Comment by Janet (March 1, 2007 @ 12:23 am )
Amy, even though I am only the mother of one, I too enjoyed this series.
Mommy brain strikes us all….I am an accountant. I am supposed to be good with numbers. Yet one year I was off by one day on my own wedding anniversary. And no I wasn’t a day early. (My darling husband still enjoys that present.)
Comment by anon (March 1, 2007 @ 8:44 am )
Back to say…do you have any idea how silly I feel when the Doctor’s office (or whatever office) asks me what year my children were born - and I have to go through the list (mentally) beginning with the first one…to calculate what year *this* specific child was born? I have one boy born 7-11-92 and the next boy born 7-10-94…that confuses me. I did okay with the next two girls…could keep it all in line. But the last 3 little boys came so closely that my head spins - and I really can’t just rattle off their birth year, or birth statistics very easily. I never thought I’d forget how much they weighed at birth…but after 5 kids it all has become a jumble!
Most *people* look at me like…”Honey - if you can’t remember these things you have too many children.” And on the surface, they may have a point.
However, I am grateful that the worth of a child’s life is not dependent upon his mother’s great memory or mathematical ability.
Comment by Holly (March 1, 2007 @ 9:08 am )
Glad i amn’t the only one - when I had 4 kids aged 4 and under i was making an appt at the doctors for no.3 for which i had to give her date of birth. After trying 4 different dates (all wrong - I tried different days and yrs and just couldn’t get it)- the girl finally gave up and asked for her name - thankfully I hadn’t forgotten that that time! The brain cells definately diminish! Great to know we’re all human!!
Comment by anon (March 1, 2007 @ 10:49 am )
I would have never known since I thought all along that 3
under 3 ment that you actually had a 3yr old- I just “got” it.
My Nephew’s bday is 4-29 & my son’s is 4-30 well I am always insisting to the DR’s office that it’s 4-29 and it takes them not finding his chart to make me remember
Comment by Beccy (March 1, 2007 @ 11:17 am )
I had three under three once. It made quite the impression when we would go out for a walk. I would push the newborn in a stroller, Hubby would push the boys in the twin stroller and everyone would stare at us like we were from another planet. We used to joke about dressing me in some of my maternity clothes and sticking a pillow under my shirt during one of the walks, just for the fun of seeing people’s reactions.
It was an absolutely crazy time, made even harder by my middle child developing serious asthma. Let’s just say the emergency staff knew my family well
There were times when I didn’t think I could survive another day.
My pastor’s wife had children spaced almost exactly like mine and she would reassure me that it would get easier. She was right, thank goodness!
Comment by Amy (March 1, 2007 @ 11:55 am )
If they’re close enough in age that the middle child can pass as a fraternal twin of his younger or older sibling, I think saying 3 under 3 is okay
Comment by Corin (March 1, 2007 @ 8:00 pm )
I still learned much from your posts and even related to some of your situations. Thanks for the series and I hope you will continue to share your wisdom, especially since you have 5 under 9…And I thought having 1 was a challenge. Now I have some wisdom to use as our second one will soon be with us.
Comment by In Pursuit of His Call (March 3, 2007 @ 3:39 pm )
Oh man-trying to remember birthdays, how much they weighed when they were born-I can remember my first one well, but #2 and #3 I can only remember the pounds-not the ounces-and don’t even ask about how long they were!
Also, calling them by their own name is the worst. My oldest is a girl and #2 is a boy and I get them mixed up ALL of the time. I have a 7 year old girl, 5 year old boy, and 5 month old girl. Reading all of your posts and comments has given me encouragement to have more children. I say, Let go and let God. He will not give us anymore than we can handle and He will be right there with us all of the time! I need to put more of my focus on God and what He wants me to do with my life and not what I want to do. I love reading all of your posts and comments and to know all of these children are being raised in Christian homes. I have not submitted to homeschooling, yet, though you are encouraging me on that, too. I just think, will I even have the patience to homeschool? Since the baby was born, it seems that things are a little easier around here-she has slept through the night ever since she was born-give or take a few nights (and that is only waking up once those nights she did wake up). Finances are tight, but that is because of wrong decisions on our part. We are trying to clean that up now, but it is not easy on one income. I tried different places last year and not too long ago to get a part-time job, because I felt I needed to help out, but I have had no success in getting a job. I am assuming it is because God wants me to stay at home with my kids. I wasn’t going to put the kids in daycare-that alone would take all of the money I would make-I was planning to work while my husband stayed at home with them. When I come home, he would go to work. That was my plan, but it hasn’t worked out because I haven’t gotten a job. I am starting to think, well, if I did work and then come home and only see Mack (my husband) as he went out the door to go to work, how would we have time for ourselves? He doesn’t work Saturdays, so that would probably be the only day I would see him. He works most Sundays so he can get the overtime, but with everything they take out of his paycheck, I don’t see how getting overtime is helping. I just need to learn to give EVERYTHING to God-kids, finances, whatever, small or big. Sometimes I think I can handle everything, other days I fly off of the handle-especially on my kids, then when I think about it later, I really regret it. I’m not that bad, I just have my moments.
Comment by Cassie (July 16, 2008 @ 12:11 am )
Dear Cassie,
I read your comment and I “get it.” Life isn’t easy, is it? I pray that you make it through these struggles and learn more about a good Savior through it all.
It’s my prayer that you submit to the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s never my intention to push people toward a particular lifestyle choice as a means of grace. I think there are inherent advantages to homeschooling, but it is not without its challenges either.
I can not say whether it is God’s will for you to homeschool. I can say that regardless, it is God’s will for you to get patience. Your children will benefit from you developing “the fruit of the Spirit” whatever schooling method you choose.
Comment by Amy Scott (July 16, 2008 @ 7:09 pm )
Amy,
amen, sister.
If all I get out of this life is learning more about my Savior, then “Amen”.
I know you get it, Amy. You live it and you speak wise words through your experience of learning about Him.
thanks.
Comment by Andrea@Flourishing Mother (July 17, 2008 @ 12:03 am )