This is EASY

I've been incredibly spoiled this week. Getting to experience something completely new.

Every morning this week, I have only had ONE child to take care of. One three-year-old, independent and sweet child. So, I've actually been able to get things done around here, without having to stop to referee or check up on how things are going or worry that someone is going to use the baby as a baseball.

Monkey is at VBS and Cub has been sleeping from the time we get home from dropping off Monkey until it is time to go get him...2 1/2 glorious hours. Which just leaves Cub, who has always been the sweetest and easiest child.

I've never really gotten to experience this before. Even for that short period of time when I only had one child...but Monkey was just shy of 17 months when Bear was born. So, he was hardly independent and I was pregnant from the time Monkey was 8 months old, so I had a baby to contend with and growing one in those rare moments when Monkey actually slept. And, by the time that Bear started getting more independent, I was pregnant yet again and then Cub was born. Cub, whom I could hardly leave alone with his big brothers, not as a tiny baby.

We wanted our kids close together in age, but that meant that I never had just one child around who could play alone and be fine...or even just one child who could play alone and a baby. Just a succession of babies/toddlers who need their mama and essentially suck me dry of any energy I might possess by about noon every day...if I'm lucky to even make it that far into the day.

So, it was an eye-opening experience to just have a 3-year-old around this week. Is this what other people have all the time? Just one child to worry about? Or those who wait until their child is at least this age before they start adding to their family...they might not feel like they are being pulled in a million different directions and have panic attacks just trying to figure out how to get 2(or 3) kids safely across a parking lot since none of the kids can walk or at least can't walk without a death grip on their little hands.

It seems like an easy life, just having one. I know my friends who only have one child would beg to differ that it is NEVER easy to be a parent, whether you have an only or are the Duggars and have 18 kids. And they would be right, "easy" probably isn't the word...but easiER seems fair.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about having my kids so close together in age- it's what we wanted. And they are growing up so fast; it won't be long before they are all independent. But, that won't stop me from fully enjoying our schedule this week and wishing that it could last longer than just a week.