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Heidi Mitrushi's avatar

Congratulations!!!!! I had my third a couple weeks before I turned 41 and the other two were 4 and 7. Crazy? Yes - but it does get better and easier with time. You’ll do great!

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Erin Ryan's avatar

Is it true what people say about having three being tough because "you're outnumbered"?

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Heidi Mitrushi's avatar

Yes that's very true - bedtime can be a nightmare for this reason because all of them still need us to lie there with them until they fall asleep. Luckily the girls share a room so we've mostly been able to manage. At this point the girls (the two older kids) sort of count as 1 unless one of them is having an epic meltdown. You will be thrilled to have 2 as soon as the newborn stage is done :D

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Bill ODonnell's avatar

That's wonderful. I was terrified about the second kid. It wasn't easy, but it was fine, we got through it. The third child made things 2X harder again, but we all survived. You got this! 💪

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Erin Ryan's avatar

Bill, I admire people with the intestinal fortitude to handle a third. I don't think I'm in that club... but congrats on surviving!

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Joy Ernst's avatar

Congratulations, Erin! My daughter had her first in September and it brought back memories of the first anxious days with a newborn. I love your honesty re the ambivalence of it all.

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Erin Ryan's avatar

Thank you, Joy!

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Thomas Miller's avatar

congratulations! also, they're close enough in age where the birth order stereotypes may come into play.

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Erin Ryan's avatar

Thanks! Josh and I are both oldest children... I think I'll have to read up on second borns so I'm prepared.

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Dustin .'s avatar

Seeing how my 2 year old daughter treats other people and loves to take care of everyone and everything is the ONLY thing making me entertain the idea of number 2. Oh. And the whole thing about an only child. I 100% agree. But I just keep thinking, "we had you for your sister's benefit" feels f'd up to me. Which I now make sure to tell my 2 younger brothers any time they ask if we're having another.

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Erin Ryan's avatar

I think of it more like-- siblings benefit each other. One just came first.

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Dustin .'s avatar

Spoken like a true second child :-) (I actually don't remember if you're the oldest or not, hopefully that joke works)

I 100% don't mean that as a projection! Nor do my statements represent the views of the rest of the family. Just where I always find myself landing. And we ALWAYS said "0 or 2." And then we had 1 ([unplanned we were not reckless at all] and I turn 40 in a month; she turns 39 in Nov) and now we find ourselves more in "maybe just 1...?"

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Cheryl Duncan's avatar

Your life may be kid-focused for a decade or two, but life is long (hopefully!) and you will get to do all kinds of Erin-centric things again. I’ve got four (a set of twins resulted from my steam punk system) and now they are grown, I look back at the chaos of those days and smile, while I work at a job I love with no distractions. It’s all been a part of a lovely life. Congratulations to your family!

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Dustin .'s avatar

***WHY*** ARE YOU READING THAT BOOK RIGHT ***NOW****??????

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Karen Cannon's avatar

Yay for Juniper getting a sibling. Sorry for the not fun stuff. Rooting for you!

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