*sigh*

I am just feeling very stressed out these days.

And this is just to vent.

Everything feels soooo overwhelming.

Next week is my nanny's last week working for me... because my older son will be starting kindergarten and my younger one will be going to pre-school. I almost wish I could keep her because the mornings are going to be CRAZY.

My sister died 5 years ago and her 10 year old son will be coming over in the mornings so I can get him fed, ready and on the bus for school. Plus I have to get my own 2 ready each morning. It is going to be a ZOO. After getting 2 of them on the bus I have to jet over to get my littlest one to school and then get MYSELF to work. My job is currently situated about halfway between my son's pre-school and my home. About 10 minutes from either place. BUT now we are looking to move. The new place will be about 20 minutes from my home and 30 from my son's preschool! ARGHH! I am NOT looking forward to those rushed mornings.

Afternoons aren't going to be a hell of a lot better. I don't have aftercare for my son... and there is no room left for him in any of the programs around here. So I am forced to find someone to get him off the school bus every day and watch him until my FH gets home. 2 nights a week FH goes to school so on those 2 days I have to leave work early, pick up my son at preschool and jet home to relieve whomever is watching my son. It is beginning to look like having a child in kindergarten is going to be MORE expensive than having 2 children in child care full time.

I am working 45 a week or more. I am raising a family AND I am planning a wedding.

Note... it is 5am and I have barely slept. I am falling apart.

Thanks for letting me rant.

Take a moment to breathe and let the feeling pass. You'll find a way to get everything done. It will all work out.

its okay...now that you vented you will probably look back on the post and figure out how you can do all the things you need to.

i dont have children so I wouldnt know where to begin to help you but..

just take it easy..make sure you have clothes and lunches ready to go for the morning for the kids..so making breakfast and getting ready will not be so hard.

after you move I dont kno how that will work but it will...

Sounds like your life will be really crazy for a while! You are so good to be taking care of your nephew as well as your own two! I went through similar craziness when my girls were in the pre-school, half-day stages, what a nightmare for a working mom! I look back now and say how the heck did I do it, and manage on so little sleep!? But somehow you get through it, and I know you will too. It has something to do with love and those sweet little faces I think.

I just wanted to suggest, as far as the after-school care, what helped me was 2 things:
Ask the secretary at the school if she knows of a mom who takes kids in with her own after school, or someone who the teachers use for their kids. It's amazing how much info those secretary's have!

Or call the HS guidance office and ask if they have a list of reliable kids who babysit. Often the Honor Society kids are looking for community service hours, and often they drive, so they can be there to get your child off the bus and stay til you get home. I found a wonderful senior who even started dinner for me sometimes!

Of course planning a wedding adds to the madness, but I know you will find the inner strength to work it all out. These baby years go so quickly, make sure you enjoy them in spite of the madness!

Best wishes and to you!

You'll make it!!

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Posted by LBride

One of my parents in my class last year had 8 children ranging from 7 to 17. She kept sane by making their sandwiches and lunches on Sunday and freezing them that night. She would leave them out the night before she needed them to thaw. On Sundays she did all the laundry and laid out 5 outfits for each kid for the week ready to go with socks, hairclips,. etc. Also before going to sleep she set the table with the breakfast dishes, had the cereal poured in them waiting for milk. She and her husband both worked and drank coffee in the morning so she would put the coffee mugs in the fridge with milk and sugar already, set the coffee maker on a timer and when they'd be ready for it, it was waiting in the pot and all they had to do was pour. I'm sure it took her years to perfect her craft but she seemed pretty together!

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WHOA . . . that's all i can say!

Okay... first I'm going to say... I don't know how you do it, and the fact that I just read what you wrote at 5 am makes me TERRIFIED to have children because I'm exhausted and overwhelmed with everything going on in MY life - and I don't even have kids yet!!!

Second... I'm going to ask a rhetorical question. Would you trade your kids for anything in the world? I know that doesn't take the craziness away or make it any easier, and it's easy for me - the girl without any kids yet to say - but I bet you are an AMAZING mom (of course you are - look at all you do for them!)... and that's the best thing in life you can be! You should be SO proud of yourself, especially for what you're doing for your sister's son!


God bless you and everything you have to do! And I hope you have enough energy (and coffee) to get it all done!!!! I'm sure you will... you just need a shirt with a big 'S' on it for SUPERMOM!! (and SUPERBRIDE!!!)

Good luck... and LOTS of hugs coming your way!!

I feel your pain....we moved closer to our lives and with Kindergarten approaching, I'm in a pickle for the 2 hours after school...I did find a solution...but it's a touchy subject....I'm not having my MIL [who currently watches her] keep her after school b/c she watches 2 other kids and some days they nap late and well, the school will not be sympathetic to that, you know? So since it will be a burden for her to pick her up and watch her, I had to look elsewhere and SCOPE is full..thank goodness for little angels...otherwise, I might have to quit working all together or work part-time somewhere else!!!!!

you'll find a solution and get into a rhythym soon and it will all calm down!

relax, you can do it all after all you are a woman and we multitask. I get overwhelm myself. Raising family, school fulltime- work fulltime and planning a wedding. So take a deep breathe and enjoy yourself when you get sometime off.

Sounds like a hectic schedule to me. I would just try your best not to let anything get to you. Take time for yourself-even if it is 10 minutes to sit and do nothing. See you are already starting-you are venting and getting it out-that probably felt good right? Your best bet is to stay organized and keep a smile on your face-as much as possible. Good luck!

it will be okay...